U.S. patent application number 11/673465 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for disposable capsule for drinks.
Invention is credited to Luca Doglioni Majer.
Application Number | 20080216666 11/673465 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34959070 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080216666 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doglioni Majer; Luca |
September 11, 2008 |
DISPOSABLE CAPSULE FOR DRINKS
Abstract
A capsule (1) for the preparation of beverages within dispensing
machines, has a sealing film (4) which is perforated at the time of
the use when the pressurized infusion water is supplied to the
capsule and deforms the film (4), bringing it into contact with
underlying perforation means (6) fixed to the same capsule.
Inventors: |
Doglioni Majer; Luca;
(Carate Urio (Como), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HESS PATENT LAW FIRM, P.C.
9 MIRAMAR LANE
STAMFORD
CT
06902
US
|
Family ID: |
34959070 |
Appl. No.: |
11/673465 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
99/295 ; 222/1;
99/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/8043 20130101;
A47J 31/0673 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
99/295 ; 99/300;
222/1 |
International
Class: |
A47J 31/06 20060101
A47J031/06; A47J 31/057 20060101 A47J031/057; B67D 5/00 20060101
B67D005/00 |
Claims
1. A disposable capsule (C) for preparing a beverage from a food
product (3) housed therein, comprising a plurality of walls (1, 2,
8), means (9) for dispensing said beverage, means (5) for supplying
a fluid inside the capsule (C), a film (4) for isolating said
supplying means (5) from the external environment and means (6, 26,
36, 37) for perforating said film (4), characterized in that said
means (6, 26, 36, 37) for perforating said film (4) are fixed with
respect to the capsule (C) and at least a portion of the film (4)
is movable between a rest position and a position where it engages
said means (6, 26, 36, 37) for its perforation.
2. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said film
(4) is deformable and the displacement from said rest position to
said engaging position is obtained through its deformation.
3. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said film
(4) is secured to a deformable portion of the capsule (C).
4. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
means (6, 26, 36, 37) for perforating said film (4) are inside the
capsule (C).
5. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
means (6, 26, 36, 37) for perforating said film (4) are located
between at least a wall (2) of the capsule (C) and said film
(4).
6. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
means (6, 26, 36, 37) for perforating said film (4) comprise one or
more cutting projections (6, 26, 36, 37), arranged on a wall (2, 7,
8, 1a, 1b) of the capsule (C) underlying the film (4).
7. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 6, wherein said
cutting projections (6, 26, 36, 37) are arranged in correspondence
of through holes (5) provided in said wall (2, 7) underlying the
film.
8. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 7, wherein said
through holes (5) are oblique with respect to the vertical axis of
the capsule (C).
9. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 6, wherein at least
a part of said upper wall (2) of said capsule (C) is consisting of
said film (4) and said projections (36, 37) are fixed to one or
more internal walls (1a, 1b, 8) of said capsule (C).
10. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
film (4) is a multi-layer film comprising films made of a plastic
material, aluminium, labels, etc.
11. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
means (9) for dispensing said beverage comprise a trap (9) having a
substantially square shape and being pierceable by a piercing
element (50, 50A), external to the capsule (C), that has a
substantially circular section (11) which diameter is lower than,
or equal to, the side (10) of said trap (9).
12. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, wherein said
means (9) for dispensing said beverage comprise an opening closed
by a frangible film.
13. A disposable capsule (C) for preparing a beverage from a food
product (3) housed within it, comprising a plurality of walls (1,
1a, 1b, 2, 7) and means (9) for dispensing said beverage,
characterized in that it comprises at least an element (40, 52, 54)
for partitioning the internal volume of the capsule (C) into two or
more volumes (62, 60) to house at least said food product (3), said
partition element being fixed with respect to the capsule (C).
14. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 13, wherein said
element (40, 52, 54) is separate from the capsule and can be housed
internally the same.
15. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 13, wherein at
least one food product (3) is housed in each of said volumes (62,
60).
16. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 13, wherein said
element comprises a substantially cylindrical and hollow spacer
(40) to support said food product (3) between its upper wall (41)
and the upper wall (7) of said capsule (C), said upper wall (41) of
said spacer (40) being in fluid connection with the lower wall (8)
of said capsule (C).
17. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 16, further
comprising at least a filter (50) to hold back the solid portion of
said beverage food product (3) when dispensed.
18. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 16, wherein said
spacer (40) is fitted in the lower portion of the capsule (C).
18. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 13, wherein said
means (9) for dispensing said beverage comprise a trap (9) having a
substantially square shape and being pierceable by a piercing
element (50, 50A) external to the capsule (C) that has a
substantially circular section (11), which diameter is lower than,
or equal to, the side (10) of said trap (9).
19. A disposable capsule (C) according to claim 1, further
comprising an element (40, 52, 54) for partitioning the internal
volume of the capsule (C).
20. A method for opening a capsule (C) for the preparation of a
beverage from a food product housed therein, said capsule (C)
comprising a plurality of walls (1, 2, 7, 8), means (9) for
dispensing said beverage, means (5) for feeding a fluid to the
capsule (C), and also being provided with a film (4) for isolating
said supplying means (5) from the external environment and with
means (6, 26, 36, 37) for perforating said film (4), characterized
by comprising the step of bringing said film (4) in contact with at
least a part of said perforation means (6, 26, 36, 37)
22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of
applying a pressure to at least a portion of said film (4) in order
to deform and bring the same in contact with said means (6, 26, 36,
37) for perforating said film (4).
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said pressure is
applied by water.
24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said water flows
through two or more internal volumes (60, 62) of said capsule (C),
each volume (60, 62) containing at least a product (3).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a disposable capsule
containing for example powder or ground products intended for the
preparation of beverages such as coffee, tea or the like in
dispensing machines. The invention also concerns a method for
opening said capsule.
[0002] For the sake of clarity, in the following description
reference will be explicitly made to the specific manufacturing of
containers shaped as disposable capsules for the preparation of
beverages, being understood that the principles of the present
invention may be applied to any type of sealed containers for
foodstuff which has to be opened in order to release its contents,
or to allow the mixing with other products or substances, before or
during the evacuation of the contents from the same container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE KNOWN ART
[0003] For instance, the European patent application EP 1440910
concerns a disposable capsule for the preparation of beverages
starting from a food product containing liquid or powder milk, or
containing roasted or ground coffee, tea, etc.
[0004] Currently, the disposable capsules available for the
preparation of beverages are obtained from plastic materials, such
as polyolefins (e.g. polypropylene and polyethylene and/or
copolymers thereof) or laminated films of polyolefins and aluminium
suitable for use in the food field. U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,626
(Tuttoespresso) discloses capsules from a plastic material provided
with one or more holes, obtained on the lid, to allow the inflow of
pressurized water during their use. The beverage exits the capsule
through an opening in the bottom and an underlying collector.
Because of the holes, in order to avoid the oxidation and the
deterioration of the organoleptic characteristics of the product,
capsules are distributed in sealed packages, as for example the so
called "blisters".
[0005] Thus, the capsule is hermetically packaged between a
pre-formed tray from a plastic material and a foil made from
plastic or aluminium. The latter must be removed to allow its use
in the dispensing machine.
[0006] This solution is not suitable for the use with automatic
beverage dispensing machines. In fact, once the capsules are
removed from their hermetic package and loaded in the automatic
machine, they are no longer sealed and the product (for instance
ground coffee) might deteriorate as above described.
[0007] Also, disposable capsules are known intended to be
perforated at the time of their use. However, perforation of the
capsule when it is used is operated by one or more lances, or
piercing elements, which penetrate the capsule from the outside to
the inside. Breaking of the container walls, or their perforation,
may cause the release of particles of the same capsule that fall
inside the container, mixing with the food product. As a
consequence, the dispensed beverage may also be disagreeable and
have a poorly appetizing aspect, or worst, may contain extraneous
parts.
[0008] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,316 (Nestec) concerns a
disposable capsule for beverages whose upper wall can be perforated
by a conduct for feeding of pressurized water inside the capsule. A
collector of the beverage is located under the capsule bottom wall,
which breaks upon deformation under an increase in the internal
pressure of the capsule, thus allowing for the obtained beverage to
exit. In this embodiment means for the capsule opening are provided
on the beverage dispensing machine, having the disadvantage of
contacting the beverage, with resulting cross-contamination
problems when capsules for different beverages are utilized.
[0009] A further example of a system for opening the capsule
through mobile lances or piercing elements is the one related to
the capsule described in the international patent application WO
2004/026091 (Kraft).
[0010] Patent application WO 02/081337 (Tuttoespresso) concerns a
capsule sealed at its upper part by a perforable wall. Perforation
of the wall is operated by a piston movable inside the capsule. As
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of application WO 02/081337, the movable
piston is pushed toward the upper wall of the capsule by the
external piercing element which penetrates through the bottom of
the capsule. The drawback of such embodiment is that it requires
the presence of a movable element, with resulting production and
assembling costs.
[0011] Therefore, there is the need for a sealed capsule to be
provided, containing product for the preparation of beverages,
which is cheap and easy to manufacture, which can be used with both
automatic dispensing machines, and with hand-loaded machines, which
does not require changes in the structure of the same machines and
which allows known capsules, e.g those packed in blisters, to be
used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
disposable sealed capsule for beverages and foodstuff which
overcomes, in a simply and effective way, the drawbacks of the
known technique, being at the same time cheap to manufacture and
simple to use.
[0013] Within this scope, an object of the present invention is to
provide a capsule which allows for its opening exclusively when it
is used, the beverage or foodstuff dispensing and the capsule
opening being carried out at the same time.
[0014] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
disposable capsule which is suitable to be sealed in a controlled
atmosphere, or vacuum-packed, without using further capsule
packages for preserving the organoleptic properties of the
beverage.
[0015] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method and a disposable capsule which permit to prevent, or however
to limit as much as possible, the eventual release of capsule
particles during its opening.
[0016] These and other objects are achieved by the present
invention which concerns a disposable capsule according to claim
1.
[0017] The invention also concerns a method for opening the
aforesaid capsule, characterized according to claim 13.
[0018] As described in detail in the following description, the
means for perforating the capsule operate the perforation of the
film when this deforms under the force of an external pressure, for
example the pressure exerted by the pressurized hot water directed
toward the capsule, and its film, for the beverage preparation.
[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the means for perforating the film are provided on the
capsule wall, preferably the upper wall, which is located adjacent
and underlying the film which seals the capsule.
[0020] Preferably the means for the perforation of the film are
fixed and bonded with respect to the capsule and, for instance,
comprise one or more cutting projections. The cutting projections
may be integral with a surface of the capsule and may have
different shapes. For example they may be sharp cusps or wedges,
and also they may have a generally pyramidal shape.
[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
film is externally provided and covers the whole upper wall of the
capsule, so to hermetically seal it, and the cutting projections
are cusps located on the upper surface of the same wall, directed
toward the film. The cusps are preferably located in correspondence
of through holes provided in the upper wall of the capsule to
supply pressurized water inside the capsule, where the food
product, e.g coffee powder, is housed.
[0022] The capsule according to the invention has numerous
advantages over prior art. In fact, the film which seals the
capsule of the invention is perforable at the time of the actual
use of the capsule by perforation means which are fixed to the
capsule. Thus, differently from what provided for the known
capsules, the film has not to be manually separated from the
capsule before its use and has not to be perforated by means
provided on the machines loaded with the capsule (as in the capsule
according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,316). The capsule according to the
invention is thus simple to pack and to use, and also guarantees
high quality standards for the contained foodstuff which keeps
unaltered for a long time, in an optimal conservation state, the
organoleptic characteristics.
[0023] With respect to the embodiment according to application WO
02/081337 the capsule according to the present invention has a
simplified structure, because the surfaces for the perforation of
the film are fixed, and permits to perfectly isolate the food
product from the external environment, while resulting
inexpensive.
[0024] It will be clear to the skilled person that the capsule of
the invention is particularly suitable for the use with machines
for the preparation of coffee or beverages. In fact the film of the
capsule can be moved toward the cutting projections by the
pressurized water supplied by such machines for dispensing the
beverages. Thus the film breaks only when the capsule is actually
used, allowing the water to enter the capsule itself.
[0025] Traditional capsules have another drawback. The amount of
product to be housed inside the capsule depends on the type of the
beverage to supply. For example, capsules used for soluble
beverages generally contain up to about 20 grams soluble powder,
while the capsules used for dispensing coffee generally contain up
to about 10 grams of powder coffee. Consequently, the volume of the
capsule has to be adapted, during the design, to the different uses
which the capsule is intended for. Typically, the capsules for the
soluble beverages have greater dimensions than the corresponding
dimensions of the capsules for coffee, for example the height of
the capsule for soluble beverages may be greater than the height of
the capsules for coffee. Thus also the machines provided for
dispensing the beverages have to be designed in such a way to be
compatible with the different available capsules.
[0026] Therefore the need is felt to provide capsules having sizes
standardized as much as possible. It is required to provide
capsules, having a given size, which can be utilized for the
soluble beverages and for the coffee indifferently, or more
generally, to provide capsules which can be utilized indifferently
for dispensing beverages also in the case that the amount of the
dose to be encapsulated differs between the various cases.
[0027] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
capsule for the preparation of different beverages (or other
similar foodstuff), compatible with automatic or hand-loaded
dispensing machines, which allows for the encapsulation of
different product doses in its inside, each dose with the suitable
compactness grade depending on the kind of beverage to be
dispensed, with no need for changing the external dimensions of the
capsule.
[0028] This object is achieved by way of the disposable capsule
according to the present invention for the preparation of a
beverage from a food product housed therein, which capsule
comprises a plurality of walls and means for dispensing the
beverage, characterized in that it comprises at least an element
for the partition of the internal volume of the capsule in two or
more volumes for housing at least said food product, said partition
element being fixed with respect to the capsule.
[0029] The volumes of the capsule may contain one or more food
products, each in its optimal configuration, for example coffee
powder with the right grounding grade and with the suitable
compression.
[0030] According to an aspect of the present invention, the
partition element can be housed internally to the capsule, for
example secured or snap-engaged, preferably in correspondence of
its lower portion.
[0031] According to an embodiment of the invention, the partition
element is a disc or a substantially cylindrical spacer intended to
support the food product between its upper wall and the upper wall
of the capsule. In other words, the disc--or the spacer--works as a
double bottom for the capsule. In this case the upper wall of the
spacer is in fluid communication with the lower wall of the capsule
(for example it is bored), in order to have the beverage prepared
with the food product housed in the upper volume of the capsule to
flow into the lower volume and then trough the opening for
dispensing the beverage.
[0032] According to an embodiment, when the food product is for
example ground coffee, the upper wall of the spacer is provided
with a filter in order to block the solid portion of the beverage
during its distribution.
[0033] The partition element may be snap-coupled to the lower
portion of the capsule or it can be welded to the same. It is
important that it reduces and/or divides the internal volume of the
capsule without modifying the functioning thereof, thus permitting
the normal beverage supply.
[0034] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the
capsule provided with the partition element contains different
products for a beverage into different volumes or chambers defined
by the partition element inside the capsule. For example coffee may
be housed in the upper chamber and powder (or liquid) milk into the
lower chamber.
[0035] The capsule of the invention is particularly advantageous
since it can be used indifferently for the preparation of soluble
beverages or for the preparation of coffee from ground powder. In
the first case, in fact, the capsule is not provided with the
spacer and the internal volume of the capsule is the maximum. In
the second case the spacer is inserted into the capsule before this
is filled with the coffee powder, and the internal volume of the
capsule is thus divided in a lower volume and in an upper volume,
for example the upper volume is reduced of the amount necessary to
house a lower dose of food product, maintaining at the same time
the desired compactness grade. In this way it is possible to use
the same capsule, having fixed outer size, i.e. without requiring
two different capsules to be provided, having different sizes, each
of which is for the preparation of a beverage of one type.
[0036] By changing the size of the spacer, and thus the partition
of the capsule internal volume, it is possible to house an amount
of food product with the compactness grade which meets the user's
taste. In other words, the beverage prepared from the capsule may
be more or less diluted also depending on how compacted is the
encapsulated product.
[0037] The partition element according to the invention thus allows
to adjust such compactness grade in order to dispense more or less
diluted beverages, as for example required in different States.
[0038] For these reasons the partition element has predefined
dimensions, i.e. it is calibrated to provide the partition of the
capsule volume depending on the quality and the amount of the
beverage requested by the user according resistant to the pressure
exerted by the water and the food product during the preparation of
the beverage, without being subject to deformations which might
cause an undesired bypass of solid product to the outside of the
same element and the filter, along the capsule walls. For this
reason the partition element is preferably designed to have a
structure optimized to support the different pressures which
generate in the capsule depending on the different amounts and
groundings of the contained product and on the different supplying
pressure of the water. In fact different dispensing pressures are
often provided in various Countries, as well as different product
amounts, which product also has its predefined particle size. For
example, the spacer may be designed to resist to pressures in the
range from 1.5 bar to 20 bar, more frequently from 3 bar to 15 bar,
so to allow a filter element (coupled to the same spacer or
provided into it) to operate without being deformed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Further characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will be more evident from the following description,
given as a non limiting example with reference to the attached
schematic drawings, wherein:
[0040] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a capsule according to the
present invention;
[0041] FIG. 2A is a top view of a detail of the capsule of FIG.
1;
[0042] FIGS. 2B and 2C are two section views of the detail of FIG.
2A;
[0043] FIG. 3A is a top view of a detail of an alternative
embodiment of the capsule according to the present invention;
[0044] FIGS. 3B and 3C are two section view of the detail of FIG.
3A;
[0045] FIGS. 4A-4C are three views, respectively a side view, a top
view and a bottom view, of the capsule of FIG. 1 in its assembled
state;
[0046] FIG. 5 is a A-A section view of the capsule of FIG. 4;
[0047] FIG. 6 is a section view of a capsule according to the
invention;
[0048] FIG. 6A is an exploded view of another capsule according to
the invention;
[0049] FIG. 6B is a cross section view of the capsule of FIG.
6A;
[0050] FIG. 6C is an exploded view of another capsule according to
the invention;
[0051] FIG. 6D is a cross section view of the capsule of FIG.
6C;
[0052] FIG. 7 is a section view of another capsule according to the
invention for the preparation of soluble beverages;
[0053] FIG. 8 is a section view of the capsule of FIG. 3A;
[0054] FIG. 9 is a section view of an alternative embodiment of the
capsule of FIG. 7;
[0055] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a configuration of the
breaking lines of the bottom wall of the capsule of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION EMBODIMENT
[0056] FIG. 1 shows a capsule C according to the invention,
comprising a container 1, an upper wall 2 suitable to close the
container 1 and a film 4. The upper wall 2 together with the film 4
hermetically close the assembled capsule C. For instance, the wall
2 may be welded to the container 1 through ultrasound welding. The
film 4 is fixed, for example is thermo-welded, to the container 1
coupled to the wall 2, for example by thermo-welding the film 4 on
a peripheral circular area of the wall 2. The capsule C may contain
different food products 3. For example the capsule C of FIGS. 1 and
2-2C is suitable for the preparation of beverages from fresh ground
products, e.g. coffee or the like, while the capsule shown in the
FIGS. 3A-3C can be used for the preparation of beverages from
soluble products.
[0057] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the encapsulated product
is coffee powder 3, compressed in the container 1 to a predefined
compactness grade, known in the art. The film 4 is coupled to the
upper wall 2, in order to seal it from the external atmosphere. In
fact the upper wall 2 is provided with a plurality of holes 5 which
set in fluid communication the upper surface of the same wall 2
with the internal volume of the container 1, and thus with the
coffee powder. Thus holes 5 allow the pressurized water supplied by
the pump to enter the assembled capsule upon it has passed through
the film 4. Thus the task of the latter is to seal the capsule C
until it is used, preventing the product 3 from being exposed to
the air through the holes 5 of the wall 2, thus deteriorating or
loosing its characteristics.
[0058] Advantageously, and contrary to the known capsules, capsule
C is provided with its own means of perforating the film 4. As
described in detail in the following, this feature allows to use
capsule C with the traditional coffee dispensing machines (i.e.
without having to customize the same), according to well known
procedures, and to open it when the water is supplied to the
capsule C for dispensing the beverage.
[0059] The means of perforating the film 4 preferably comprise a
plurality of cutting surfaces or projections, fixed to a portion of
the capsule C, which by contacting the same film 4 operate its
partial breaking, for instance through perforation or tearing. The
contact between the film 4 and the cutting surfaces is preferably
provided upon a deformation of the same film 4.
[0060] In the embodiment shown in the FIG. 1, the cutting surfaces
comprise a plurality of cusps 6, projecting from the upper surface
7 of the wall 2, directed toward the film 4. As shown in detail in
the FIGS. 2A-2C, the film 4 extends over the cusps 6, at a small
distance from them, in such a way that a slight bending of the same
film 4 in the direction of the arrow D leads the film 4 into
contact with the cusps 6, causing the perforation of the film.
[0061] The number and the arrangement of the cusps 6 may vary
depending on the needs. In the case shown in the FIGS. 1-2C, the
cusps 6 are eighteen, arranged in two concentric circular series
(FIG. 2A). However, the cusps 6 may be a different number and may
provide different arrangements, star like, triangle like, asterisk
like, etc.
[0062] The capsule C provides that the pressurized water flow,
impinging the film 4, causes its bending in the direction of the
arrow D (FIG. 2), so to bring the film 4 into contact with the
perforation element 6 which tears the film. In particular, the
distance between the film 4 and the cutting surfaces of the cusps,
or of other means for perforating or tearing, must be smaller than
the deflection displacement of the deformed film in all the
provided working conditions. In other words, when the film is
subject to the pressure of the water supplied by the pump of the
dispensing machine, in normal working conditions of the same, it is
deformed of an amount sufficient to bring it into contact with the
aforesaid cutting surfaces.
[0063] In other words, the invention provides that the capsule C is
used in a beverage dispensing machine and that the water supplied
by the machine to the capsule C breaks the film 4. In this way the
entirety of the contents 3 of the capsule C is guaranteed until the
time of its effective usage.
[0064] The holes 5 are distributed in a known way on the surface 7
of the wall 2 so to facilitate both the water flowing to the inside
of the capsule C and the preparation of the product. As it will be
clear from the following, in the case of ground coffee (FIGS. 1-2C)
the holes are distributed in a way to guarantee a uniform contact
coffee-water, while in the case of soluble coffee the preferential
arrangement provides two holes.
[0065] Furthermore, the arrangement of the holes 5 in the wall 2
should optimize the turbulent flow of the water flowing inside the
capsule C. It is desirable for the water entering the capsule C to
reach the entire product 3 before flowing to the outside leaving
the capsule C. The holes 5 are arranged according to the shown
configuration which exactly optimizes the water flow into the
capsule C. Preferably the holes 5 are slanting with respect to the
direction D (feature not shown) in order to direct the
water--entering the capsule C--according to a direction as much as
possible horizontal (i.e. oblique with respect to the direction D).
In other words it is desired for the water to enter the container 1
generating a vortex.
[0066] Preferably, the cusps 6 are located close to the holes 5 for
the passage of the water. In this way the film 4, once lacerated,
is prevented from adhering the upper wall 4 in correspondence of
one of the holes 5 thus blocking or reducing in the water flow
through the same. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2C, the holes 5 are
alternate with respect to the cusps 6 in the two concentric series.
Preferably, the distance between the centre of a hole 5 and the
base of a cusp 6 is less than 10 mm, more preferably such distance
is included in the range 0.01 mm-3 mm.
[0067] Preferably, the cusps 6 according to the shown embodiment
have a star-like shaped cross section, with a triangular shaped
contour in vertical section. This shape has proved particularly
effective since the film 4, perforated by the cusps 6 with circular
holes, does not adhere to the external surface of the cusp 6, and
passages remain between the film 4 and the cusps 6, sufficient to
allow the water flow to penetrate under the film 4. The cusps 6 may
be obtained with other shapes, different from the shown one. For
instance, the cusps 6 may have a jigsaw tooth shape, and thus may
tilt with respect to direction D, with a pyramidal shape, etc.
[0068] In this way the film 4, when perforated by a cusp 6, is
prevented from fitting or adhering on the same cusp 6, which would
prevent the water flow from reaching the gap between film 4 and
upper surface 7 of the wall 2 and entering only the capsule the
capsule C. The shape of the cusps 6, as above exemplified, must
permit the passage of the water at least in the direction of the
closest hole 5. In other words, once the film 4 has been perforated
by a cusp 6 because of the water flow impinging the same film 4,
the water should pass in the opening provided on the film 4 and,
flowing on the cusp 6, direct toward a hole 5.
[0069] The film 4 can be a traditional type one, for example a film
utilized in the food field for sealing packages. Clearly, film 4
must have good mechanical characteristics in order to resist to
undesired ruptures, but at the same time it must be sufficiently
flexible in order to be deformed by a fluid flow which impinges on
it. Moreover, the film has to be rapidly and easily perforable when
contact with the cusps 6 starts. In the shown embodiment the film 4
is of a multilayer type, made of a plurality of coupled films,
among which an aluminum film and one or more plastic films may be
provided, possibly reporting the manufacturer's data and/or the
data concerning the product 3.
[0070] FIG. 4 shows a capsule C assembled and ready to be used in
beverage dispensing machine. As previously described, once the
capsule C has been loaded in the machine, the opening of the
capsule C in correspondence of its upper portion is operated by the
water flow supplied by the machine on the film 4. The water flows
between the film 4 and the surface 7 and through holes 5 into
capsule C, where the coffee powder is. The opening of the lower
portion 8 is achieved through the rupture of the frangible mobile
element or trap 9 operated by a piercing element (or collector) of
the same machine or by the increasing of the internal pressure in
the capsule C due to the water entering the same.
[0071] Preferably, the trap 9 has the square shape shown in the
FIGS. 1 and 4. This means that the shape delineated by the breaking
lines 10--which define the trap 9--is generally square or "window"
like (with two wings), that is the trap may be torn in two halves
which open as a wing. In this case the portion of the piercing
element intended to break the trap 9 preferably has a circular
section, as schematically shown in FIG. 10, with a diameter having
length lower than, or equal to, the side 10 of the trap 9. During
the perforation of the trap 9, this configuration provides gaps 12
which permit the coffee to flow outside from the capsule C.
[0072] The FIGS. 3A-3C show the upper wall 20 of a capsule C
according to the present invention, designed for soluble beverages.
As known, capsules used for the preparation of soluble beverages
(chocolate, tea, white coffee, etc.) contain a greater amount of
product 3 than the correspondent capsules for the coffee (for
example up to 20 grams of soluble powder versus about 8 grams of
ground coffee). In order to obtain an optimal solubilization, even
if the upper wall 20 is sealed by way of the film 4 which--as in
the case of the FIGS. 1-2C--adheres to the edges 21, the number and
the arrangement of the holes 25 and cusps 26 are different with
respect to the correspondent holes 5 and cusps 6 of the wall 2. The
position of the holes 25 on the wall 20 is as much as possible
peripheral in order to supply the water to the encapsulated product
3 in its entirety. Two cusps 26 are provided in correspondence of
the holes 25 for perforating the film 4.
[0073] FIGS. 7-9 show further embodiments of the capsule C. In the
above discussed cases, the cusps 6, 26 are integral to the upper
wall 2, 20 of the capsule C under the film 4. Instead, capsules C
of FIGS. 7-9 are provided with cusps 36, 37 internally to each
capsule.
[0074] In the capsule C of FIG. 7 a cusp 36 is fixed to the
dispensing trap 9 and is mobile with the same. In the FIGS. 8 and 9
the cusps extend from the walls of the capsule.
[0075] The capsules C shown in the FIGS. 7-9 locking the upper wall
2, which functions are performed by the film 4. The cusps 36 may be
integral with the bottom 8 of the container 1 or even better with
the internal walls of the same (as shown in the FIG. 8).
Alternatively, as shown in the FIG. 9, the cusps 37 may be fixed to
the internal surfaces a, 1b of the capsule C, which are
intermediate with respect to the bottom 8 and the upper wall 2. The
ends of the cusps 36 and 37 are closed to film 4, at a distance
suitable for operating the perforation of the deformed film 4. What
is important is that the cusps 36 or 37 perforate the film 4 when
this contacts the same cusps. In the case shown in FIG. 7,
perforation of the film 4 occurs when the cusp 36--pushed upwardly
together the trap by the piercing element (see FIG. 3)--perforates
the film 4.
[0076] The film 4, as shown, seals the entire extension of the
upper surface 7, 27 of the wall 2, 20. Capsule C may also provide a
wall 2, 20 having a different shape from the shown one, wherein the
film 4 covers only a part of the surface 7, 27 or separate portions
of the same.
[0077] FIGS. 5-6D show a capsule C provided with a partition
element having the function of dividing, or partitioning, its
internal volume. The partition element may have different shapes
and dimensions depending on the specific uses which the capsule C
is intended to.
[0078] In FIG. 6, the partition element is constituted by a spacer
40 having a predefined height extension, in such a way that once
inserted in the container 1, the internal volume of the container
left available to the product 3 is reduced to the room 62 included
between the upper surface 41 of the spacer 40 and the upper surface
7 of the capsule C.
[0079] With evident economic advantages, the spacer 40 allows the
capsule C to be used both for the preparation of the coffee and for
the preparation of soluble beverages. In the first case (coffee),
the capsule C is coupled to the spacer 40, in the second case the
capsule C has no spacer 40 and the internal volume of the container
1 may be completely filled with the product 3.
[0080] Thus, spacer 40 may be inserted in the container 1 at the
time of the filling of the capsule C with the product 3. If the
amount of product 3 is for example not greater than 10 grams, the
spacer 40 is inserted in the container 1 and works as a double
bottom for the capsule C. If the product is soluble, the container
1 does not contain the spacer.
[0081] In this way it is possible to standardize the external
dimensions of the capsule C, and vary the internal ones depending
on the needs. It has to be noticed that the element for dividing
the volume of the capsule may be provided also in the traditional
capsules, i.e. independently by the provided means for the opening
of the capsule.
[0082] Advantageously, the spacer 40 permits to encapsulate the
product 3 according to the most opportune load and/or the
compactness grade. In fact the reduction of the convenient volume
of the capsule C may be designed to obtain the desired compactness
grade for the product 3 in the capsule C.
[0083] The FIGS. 1 and 5 show a capsule C provided with a spacer 40
and with opening means of the above mentioned type. A paper filter,
or another approved material for foodstuff, is interposed between
the spacer 40 and the product 3, in order to stop any powder 3
which has not solubilized during the preparation of the related
beverage. Another filter may be interposed between the product 3
and the upper wall of the capsule C.
[0084] In order to facilitate dispensing of the beverage prepared
with the product 3, the spacer 40 is provided with a set of holes
42 in correspondence of the wall 41.
[0085] The FIG. 6A shows a capsule C according to the invention and
a piercing-collector element 50 having the function to perforate
the trap 9 and direct the beverage dispensed by the capsule C. With
respect to the embodiment shown in the FIG. 6, the capsule C of
FIG. 6A is provided with a container 1 having a narrowing 51 which
forms a step suitable to support an element for dividing the
capsule volume which is constituted by a disc 52. Practically, the
narrowing 51 is a base internal to the container 1 on which the
disc or septum 52 lays. This last has a height lower than the one
of the spacer 40 and is not provided with leg portions which abut
the bottom of container 1 (FIG. 6B). As one can see in FIG. 6B,
during the usage of the capsule C, the piercer-collector 50
partially houses the same capsule and helps to avoid its
deformation. A filter 53 is provided between the disc or septum 52
and the food product 3.
[0086] The FIGS. 6C and 6D show a further embodiment according to
the invention. The element for the partitioning of the serviceable
volume of the capsule C in this case is a disk 54 which abuts the
base 51. It is important to notice that the distance between the
base 51 and the bottom of the capsule is constant for the different
embodiments of the FIGS. 6A and 6C, while the height of the element
52, 54 for the reduction of the volume varies. The reduction of the
volume for housing product 3 is thus adjusted by varying the height
of the used element 40, 52 or 54, while the travel range of the
piercing element within the capsule C is constant.
[0087] Summarizing, the element for partitioning/reducing the
volume of the capsule may have the shape of the spacer 40 which--as
shown has a cylindrical shape, is substantially hollow and abuts
the bottom of the capsule. Alternatively, such partitioning element
may have the shape of a disk or a septum (52 or 54) and may stand
on a base 51 provided on the capsule wall. However, other shapes
are possible. It is sufficient that the partition element 40, 52 or
54 is fixed to container 1, for example by way of a fit coupling or
welding, and allows the passage of the beverage toward the trap 9.
In order to avoid possible interferences between the trap and the
partition element, the capsule is preferably provided with the trap
9, having two halves which open by departing one from the other. In
fact the "double wing" like opening of the trap 9 minimizes the
risks that interferences generate between the two halves of the
trap 9 (the wings) pushed by the piercing element inside the
capsule C and the element 40, 52, 54 provided within the capsule C.
In fact a single wing trap 9, once it has been opened, may contact
the lower wall of the spacer or disk, thus interfering with the
proper beverage dispensing, for example preventing part of the foam
formed by the infusion of the product 3 inside the capsule to
exit.
[0088] As above mentioned, the trap 9 has a square or quadrilateral
shape in combination with a circular shape of the section of the
piercing element 50A, in order to obtain a plurality of gaps for
the beverage exit in correspondence of the trap vertices. In this
way the presence of foam is increased in the dispensed product.
[0089] Alternatively to trap 9, the capsule C according to the
present invention may be provided with an opening sealed by a film
which is perforable by the piercing element. For example an
opening, having equal dimensions of the trap 9, is provided on the
bottom of the container 1 and sealed is a film perforable by the
piercer-collector 50 or by an equivalent element. This solution, in
fact, prevents an interference from generating between parts of the
capsule C and the lower wall of the element 40, 52 or 54 for the
volume reduction.
[0090] The spacer 40 is preferably provided with a supporting
surface 45 suitable to contact the piercing element 50A. The
supporting surface, for example a rise or a shim, permits the
piercing element 50A to abut the spacer, and to support the same
during the beverage dispensing and avoiding harmful "swellings",
i.e. deformations toward the capsule C bottom due to the force
exerted by the internal pressure during the dispensing of the
beverage. In other words, the support provided by the piercing
element 50A of the collector 50 improves the resistance of the
capsule C to the deformations caused by the increase of the
internal pressure, which deformations may cause the passage of
powder around the capsule filter. Because of the length of the
piercing element 50A being constant, the thickness of the
supporting surface 45 may be greater or smaller depending on the
distance between the disk 52 or 54 and the capsule bottom, in such
a way that the surface 45 is always substantially abutting the
piercing element 50A: for example, in the FIGS. 6A and 6B the
thickness of the supporting surface 45 is greater than the one of
the embodiment of FIGS. 6C and 6D because the volume defined
upwardly from the partition element is lower than the one of FIGS.
6C and 6D.
[0091] With reference to FIGS. 5, 6B and 6D, a volume 60 is
provided between the lower wall of each element 40, 52 or 54 and
the bottom 8 of the container 1. Also the volume 60 may be used for
housing food product, for example a second product which, together
the product 3, is used to prepare the beverage. For example, the
volume 60 may be completely or partially filled with powder milk,
or with liquid milk, powder cocoa, etc. The elements 40, 52 or 54
for dividing/reducing the volume of the capsule C may thus be
designed also for maximizing or minimizing the volume 60. For
example, when minimization of the volume 60 is desired, the element
54 of FIG. 6D may be provided with a lower portion 61 having a
toroidal shape.
[0092] The capsules according to the present invention may be made
of known common plastic materials used in this field, for example
polyolefins (e.g. polypropylene and polyethylene and/or copolymers
thereof, or multi-layer polyolefin and aluminium suitable for use
in the food field, according to the needs of each particular
application.
* * * * *