PACKS FOR PREPARING BEVERAGES

Abstract

The invention concerns a pack (1) with an inner volume (2) in which a food or beverage ingredient (7) is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside, said inner volume (2) being defined by sheets of material (10) joined to one another at their edges and said inner volume (2) presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane (P) vertically oriented during beverage production, said pack comprising at least one inlet (3) for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet (4) for delivering the beverage from said inner volume, said water inlet and said beverage outlet being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being at least partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material (10), the external end (xx) of the water inlet (3) being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane (P) defined by the inner volume (2), and wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for controlling the properties of the beverage.

Claims

1. A pack with an inner volume in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside, the inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges and the inner volume presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane vertically oriented during beverage production, the pack comprising at least one inlet for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet for delivering the beverage from the inner volume, the water inlet and the beverage outlet being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being at least partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material, and the external end of the water inlet being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane defined by the inner volume, the beverage outlet being a tube extending essentially vertically from the inner volume, and wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for controlling the properties of the beverage.

2. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the pack comprises one single insert including the water inlet and the beverage outlet, the single insert being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material.

3. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for limiting the presence of bubbles in the beverage.

4. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the internal conduit of the beverage outlet comprises at least one transverse plate with at least two holes, the hole having a design configured for breaking bubbles while the beverage flows through.

5. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the holes in the transverse plate present a design such that at least a part of the outline of each hole is rectilinear.

6. A pack according to claim 1, wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for adjusting the size of the bubbles in the beverage.

7. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet can be configured for dividing the flow of beverage entering in the internal conduit in several separated sub-flows of beverage at the end of the internal conduit of the beverage outlet.

8. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for improving mixing of the beverage ingredient and water before dispensing.

9. A pack according to claim 8 wherein the beverage outlet comprises a static mixer in order to increase flow turbulence inside the internal conduit of the beverage outlet and/or to increase the path of the beverage flow in the internal conduit of the beverage outlet.

10. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the pack comprises at least two beverage outlets, the outlets differing by their internal design.

11. System for producing a range of single inserts comprising at least one water inlet and at least one beverage outlet for a pack, the pack having an inner volume in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside, the inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges and the inner volume presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane vertically oriented during beverage production, the pack comprising at least one inlet for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet for delivering the beverage from the inner volume, the water inlet and the beverage outlet being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being at least partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material, and the external end of the water inlet being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane defined by the inner volume, the beverage outlet being a tube extending essentially vertically from the inner volume, and wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for controlling the properties of the beverage, the system comprising: one single insert body comprising the at least one water inlet and at least one hollowed out part for receiving one design adaptor defining the internal design of the beverage outlet, and at least two different design adaptors defining different internal designs of the beverage outlet and configured to cooperate with the hollowed out part of the single insert body.

12. System according to claim 11 wherein in the single insert body the end of hollowed out part is closed by a plug, the plug comprising a bond attached to the single insert body.

13. System according to claim 11 wherein design adaptors are tubes presenting different internal designs.

14. System according to claim 11 wherein design adaptors are mixing blades.

15. System according to claim 11 wherein the single insert body comprises two hollowed out parts each being configured for receiving one design adaptor defining the internal design of the beverage outlet.

16. (canceled)

17. A method for the preparation of a food or beverage comprising the steps of: providing a pack with an inner volume in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside, the inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges and the inner volume presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane vertically oriented during beverage production, the pack comprising at least one inlet for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet for delivering the beverage from the inner volume, the water inlet and the beverage outlet being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being at least partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material, and the external end of the water inlet being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane defined by the inner volume, the beverage outlet being a tube extending essentially vertically from the inner volume, and wherein the internal design of the beverage outlet is configured for controlling the properties of the beverage and positioning the pack with the inlet and the outlet positioned downwardly; injecting water into the pack to mix with the food or beverage ingredient; and allowing the prepared beverage to escape through the outlet into a receptacle.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the pack is not pressurized during the beverage preparation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0099] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood in relation to the following figures, in which:

[0100] FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c and FIGS. 2a, 2b illustrate packs according to the present invention, each pack comprising one single insert,

[0101] FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and FIGS. 4a, 4b illustrate packs according to the present invention, each pack comprising two inserts,

[0102] FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the pack of FIG. 1a,

[0103] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for manufacturing a pack according to the present invention,

[0104] FIG. 7 illustrate a pack and its insert according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention,

[0105] FIG. 8 is a variant of the single insert of FIG. 7,

[0106] FIG. 9 is a variant of the single insert of FIG. 7,

[0107] FIGS. 10a and 10b illustrates an insert according to the first mode of the present invention,

[0108] FIGS. 11a and 11b illustrates an insert according to the second mode of the present invention,

[0109] FIGS. 12a and 12b illustrates an insert according to the third mode of the present invention,

[0110] FIG. 13 illustrates the preparation of a beverage with a pack according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0111] FIG. 1a is a simplified illustration of pack according to the present invention comprising an inner volume 2 in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored. The pack comprises at its bottom a single insert 5. The dotted lines correspond to the parts of the insert enclosed inside the pack. The insert 5 includes simultaneously a water inlet 3 for introducing water in the inner volume and a beverage outlet 4 for dispensing the beverage or food issued from the mixing of the food or beverage ingredient with water. The pack presents a generally plane shape. It is oriented along a plane P essentially vertically oriented during beverage production as illustrated in the FIG. 1a. This plane shape is essentially provided by the material that creates and designs the inner volume 2 of the pack; this material presents the shape of a sheet. Said sheet provides the plane shape to the pack. In FIG. 1a the insert 5 is positioned at the centre of the bottom of the pack, yet it could be positioned at any other position between the two lateral ends of the bottom.

[0112] The internal designs of the water inlet and the beverage outlet are respectively illustrated in FIG. 1b, which is a view according to section B-B, and FIG. 1c, which is a view according to section A-A. FIG. 1c shows that the beverage outlet 4 is a straight vertical hole pierced in the insert 5. Preferably the beverage outlet 4 presents a sufficient section so as to enable a free flow of the beverage from the pack. The beverage can then freely flow in a drinking cup placed under the beverage outlet 4. FIG. 1b shows that the external end 3a of the water inlet is oriented so as to be closed by the sheet of material that creates and designs the inner volume 2 of the pack. Said external end 3a comprises and inlet chamber 32. Said chamber present an evacuation hole 31 in its lateral upward wall so as to orient the water flow, preferably in the form of a jet, in the inner volume 2 inside the plane P.

[0113] The sheet of material that defined the inner volume 2 covers at least the part of the insert 5 so that the water inlet 3 is enclosed in the pack. Consequently the external end 3a of the water inlet is closed by the material that defines the inner volume of the pack. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1a a part of the beverage outlet—that is its external end 4a—is not enclosed in the pack.

[0114] This embodiment of the invention presents the advantage of providing packs with inlet and outlet that are not in the vicinity of each other. Actually according to this embodiment the inlet and the outlet are on different sides of the pack: the beverage outlet external end is below the bottom of the pack whereas the water inlet external end is at the lateral side of the pack. Such a configuration particularly avoids contamination of the means for injecting water by the beverage flowing out of the beverage outlet. Besides a beverage preparation machine providing simultaneously a water injector and a dispensing area at the bottom of the pack receiving area is more difficult to conceive and does not enable an optimisation of the different elements of the machine.

[0115] FIG. 2a is a variant of the pack of FIG. 1a wherein the insert 5 presents an L-shape and is placed in the corner of the inner volume of the pack. The beverage outlet 4 presents the same feature as in the pack of FIG. 1a. The water inlet is positioned in the upper part of the L-shape insert. The internal shape of the water inlet is illustrated in FIG. 2b that is view of the insert 5 according to section C-C. The external end 3a of the water inlet comprises an inlet chamber 32 that is closed by the material that defines the inner volume of the pack. The chamber presents a essentially horizontal evacuation hole 31 in its lateral wall so as to orient the water flow, preferably in the form of a jet, in the inner volume 2 inside the plane P.

[0116] Although FIGS. 1a, b, c and 2a, b illustrates packs with single insert 5, packs can be made with different inserts for the water inlet 3 and for the beverage outlet 4 as illustrated in FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and FIGS. 4a, 4b.

[0117] FIG. 3a presents the same features as the pack of FIG. 1a except that the single insert 5 is replaced by two inserts 5a, 5b, one comprising the beverage outlet 4 and one comprising the water inlet 3. The internal designs of the beverage outlet 4 and the water inlet 3 are identical to those of the beverage outlet 4 and the water inlet 3 of FIG. 1a, as illustrated in cross sections of the inserts 5b and 5a according to BB and AA respectively in FIGS. 3b and 3c respectively.

[0118] Similarly FIG. 4a presents the same features as the pack of FIG. 2a except that the single insert 5 is replaced by two inserts 5a, 5b, one comprising the beverage outlet 4 and one comprising the water inlet 3. The insert 5a for the beverage outlet is identical to the insert of FIG. 3a and presents the same internal design as illustrated in FIG. 3c. FIG. 4b is the cross section of the insert 5b of the water inlet 3 according to CC and illustrates the internal design of the water inlet inside the insert.

[0119] Whatever the type of insert in the packs, the packs can be configured so that the external end 3a of the water inlet is not closed by the sheet of material that creates and designs the inner volume 2 of the pack. This embodiment can be due to the fact that the external end 3a of the water inlet is closer to the bottom of the insert and/or because the sheet of material does not cover the full surface of the insert 5, for example the bottom edge 111 of the sheet does not cover the lower part of the insert or presents a notch that does not cover the water inlet external end. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates such an embodiment wherein only the top part of the single insert 5 is positioned between and covered by two joined bottom edges 111 of the sheets of material. The external end 3a of the water inlet is not covered.

[0120] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for manufacturing a pack according to the invention from a flexible sheet of material. First the sheet of material 10 that preferably presents a rectangular shape is folded in its middle and the superposed lateral edges are bonded together which creates pouch with bonded lateral edges 112, 113 and a folded edge 114. The folded edge 114 can also eventually be sealed to give a comparable aspect as the lateral edges for aesthetic aspect. Then food or beverage ingredient 7 is introduced in the pouch. Then the single insert 5 is placed between the two last opened edges and these edges are bonded together and around the insert to simultaneously close the pack, position the insert and close the water inlet. According to a less preferred embodiment the inserts of the beverage outlet and the water inlet can be separated.

[0121] FIG. 7 illustrates a pack according one preferred embodiment of the invention. In this illustration the bottom middle part of the inner volume 2 has been made transparent to make the insert 5 apparent. The pack is preferably a planar sachet: it is oriented along a plane P essentially vertically oriented during beverage production. inner volume 2 is made of flexible material sheet material. The sheet material is bonded on its edges 112, 113, 111 to define the inner volume 2. The bottom bonded edge 13 includes the single insert 5: the fins 51 and the raising edge 52 around the water inlet 3 on the lateral sides of the insert improves the adhesion with the flexible material sheet during sealing.

[0122] The insert 5 is a single piece of material preferably of plastic. It includes simultaneously a water inlet 3 for introducing water in the inner volume and a beverage outlet 4 for dispensing the beverage or food issued from the mixing of the food or beverage ingredient with water.

[0123] The water inlet 3 presents at its external end 3a an inlet chamber 32. This chamber is a hollow cavity; it is globally horizontally oriented, that is perpendicularly to the plane P. Its dimensions are configured for receiving the hollow needle of a beverage preparation machine in order to inject water. The inlet chamber presents an evacuation end in its upper lateral wall: this evacuation end corresponds to an injection hole 31 (illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6) from which water can be injected in the inner volume 2. Due to the configuration of the water inlet the water can be injected essentially horizontally at its external end 3a and, for example, essentially vertically in the inner volume 2 of the pack.

[0124] The invention is not limited to this particular design of the water inlet. For example FIG. 8 illustrates a single insert 5 wherein the inlet chamber 32 comprises two evacuation ends 31 in its side wall. As a consequence with such an insert water can be introduced in the inner volume of the pack essentially horizontally. In such an insert a part of the walls of the inlet chamber is defined by the sheet material covering the insert.

[0125] Whatever the type of embodiment for the insert, the beverage outlet is an essentially vertical pipe in the insert. It preferably presents a diameter for dispensing the beverage under free flow. The beverage outlet is preferably closed at its external end by a plug 42. This plug is preferably made of one piece with the rest of the insert.

[0126] In the preferred illustrated embodiment the beverage outlet 4 is a pipe and the plug 42 is attached to the end of the pipe. The connection 44 between the pipe and the plug 42 presents a smaller section than the plug upper surface 42a and smaller than the pipe section. This connection creates a weakening narrow zone near the plug 42 so that said plug can be made easy to cut or to tear.

[0127] The pack comprises a plastic bond 43 for maintaining the plug 42 attached to the pack after removing of the plug from the beverage outlet. Consequently it avoids that the plug falls in the beverage during its production. This bond is made of one piece with the rest of the insert. The plastic bond 43 presents a notch 43a positioned close to the point 43b of attachment of the bond to the single insert. This notch enables an easy bending of the bond it guarantees that the plug 42 detached from the beverage outlet remains away from the beverage outlet and not under the beverage outlet.

[0128] The inserts 5 of FIGS. 7 and 8 comprise a centring hole 53 extending essentially perpendicularly to the generally plane (P) shape of the inner volume and through the insert. It is configured for cooperating with the centring and immobilization device of the beverage preparation machine.

[0129] FIG. 9 illustrates the specific embodiment of an insert of a pack according to the invention, the insert comprising two outlets 4, 4′. Each outlet 4, 4′ is closed by a dedicated plug 42, 42′ attached by a dedicated bond 43, 43′. The outlets 4, 4′ differ by their internal designs (not illustrated). For example the first outlet 4 can be internally designed for dispensing a flat beverage and the second outlet 4′ can be internally designed for dispensing a foamed beverage.

[0130] Depending on the orientation of the pack in the beverage preparation machine when it is introduced inside, either a foamed or flat beverage can be prepared from the same pack. Information can be provided on the sheets of the pack in order to help the consumer to correctly orientate the pack in the machine and to get the type of beverage he/she desires.

[0131] FIG. 10a illustrates an insert according to the first mode of the present invention. Externally the insert presents the same features as the single insert 5 of the pack of FIG. 7. FIG. 10a is a longitudinal cross section view of the insert making apparent the internal design of the beverage outlet. Internally the beverage outlet 4 comprises an internal conduit 45. This internal conduit is an essentially straight conduit. At the bottom end 45a of the conduit the outlet comprises one transverse plate 61a with six holes 61b presenting the shape of triangles. The triangles are positioned one to the other so as to form a grid of straight lines.

[0132] In the embodiment of FIG. 10a the surfaces of all the triangles in the transverse plate is of about 6 mm.sup.2.

[0133] When a beverage flows through the pierced plate 61a the free flow of beverage is almost not restricted compared to the flow of beverage through the same beverage outlet devoid of pierced plate. Yet the grid formed by the triangles breaks the bubbles of the beverage when entering in contact with the plate.

[0134] The plate 61a is positioned in the internal conduit above the connection 44 between the beverage pipe and the plug 42 so that when the plug is cut or torn the plate 61a is positioned at the bottom end of the beverage outlet.

[0135] FIG. 10a also illustrates the system according to the second aspect of the invention. Actually the insert 5 is made of two elements: [0136] firstly a single insert body 50 comprising the water inlet 3 and at least one hollowed out part 500 extending vertically from the top surface of the single insert body, The hollowed out part 500 remains closed at its bottom by the plug 42. [0137] secondly one design adaptor 61 defining the internal design of the beverage outlet. FIG. 10b illustrates said design adaptor 61 alone that has not yet been introduced inside the hollowed out part of the single insert body.

[0138] The design adaptor 61 and the hollowed out part 500 present conformal shapes and dimensions so that the design adaptor 61 can slide in the hollowed out part 500 and exactly fit inside to become the internal conduit of the beverage outlet of the single insert. Generally the design adaptor 61 and the hollowed out part 500 presents tubular shapes.

[0139] In the illustrated embodiment the design adaptor 61 is a tube presenting a smaller length than the length of the hollowed out tube.

[0140] According to another embodiment of the invention, an extra transverse plate, similar to 61b, can be placed in the hollowed out part 500, between the connection of said part 500 with the internal conduit 45, for an extra foaming.

[0141] FIG. 11a illustrates an insert according to the second mode of the present invention. It present the same features as the insert of FIG. 10a except that at the bottom end 45a of the conduit the outlet comprises one transverse plate 62a with six round holes 62b.

[0142] In the embodiment of FIG. 11a the sum of the surfaces of all the round holes in the transverse plate is of about 3 mm.sup.2.

[0143] When a beverage flows through the pierced plate 62a the free flow of beverage is divided in six sub-flows. Due to the rather small size of the holes 62b the sub-flows are well separated and air in between the different sub-flows is carried along the beverage sub-flows and mix with the beverage creating foam in the beverage. The holes in the plates are designed to create a shower of beverage.

[0144] The plate 62a is positioned in the internal conduit above the connection 44 between the beverage pipe and the plug 42 so that when the plug is cut or torn the plate 62a is positioned at the bottom end of the beverage outlet.

[0145] The single insert of FIG. 11a is made by the association of the same single insert body 50 illustrated in FIG. 10a and of a design adaptor 62 defining the internal design of the beverage outlet. FIG. 11b illustrates said design adaptor 62 alone that has not yet been introduced inside the hollowed out part of the single insert body. Said design adaptor 62 presents the same external shape as the design adaptor 61 of FIG. 10b in order to cooperate with the single insert body 50 but it presents a different plate 62b in order to define a different internal design of the beverage outlet 4.

[0146] According to another embodiment of the invention, an extra transverse plate, similar to 62b, can be placed in the hollowed out part 500, between the connection of said part 500 with the internal conduit 45, for an extra foaming.

[0147] FIG. 12a illustrates an insert according to the third mode of the present invention. It present the same features as the insert of FIG. 10a except that at the internal design of the beverage outlet comprises a mixing device 63 consisting in mixing blades. In the illustrated embodiment the mixing blades are hellicoidal blades 631, 631′ positioned around a longitudinal axis 632.

[0148] When a beverage flows through the beverage outlet, a turbulent flow is created by the mixing blades 631, 631′ which increase mixing and dissolution in the beverage before is dispensed at the bottom of the beverage outlet.

[0149] The single insert of FIG. 12a is made by the association of the same single insert body 50 illustrated in FIG. 10a and of a design adaptor 63 defining the internal design of the beverage outlet. FIG. 12b illustrates said design adaptor 63 alone that has not been introduced inside the hollowed out part of the single insert body.

[0150] FIG. 13 illustrates the interaction of a pack 1 according to the present invention with a beverage preparation machine 8 according to the present invention. The machine comprises at least: [0151] a water tank 84, [0152] a heater 83 for heating water, [0153] a bypass line 87 for delivering ambient water, [0154] a valve (not illustrated) for the selection of either hot or ambient water, [0155] a pump 82 for pumping water. The pump can deliver water at a pressure comprised between 2 and 10 bar. [0156] a water nozzle or needle 81 for injecting water in the water inlet of the pack 1.

[0157] Preferably the machine comprises a drip tray 86 on which a drinking cup 9 can be positioned under the beverage outlet of the pack when a beverage is prepared.

[0158] The machine comprises an area (not illustrated) for receiving the pack that is configured so that the pack 1 is positioned with the single insert positioned at the bottom of the pack. The pack can be well centred and immobilised in the receiving area by a rod (not illustrated) configured for sliding in the centring hole 53 of the single insert (illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 6).

[0159] Preferably the pack is not pressurized during the beverage preparation. This effect can be obtained by opening the beverage outlet before water is introduced in the pack or simultaneously to the introduction of the water in the pack or a little bit after the introduction of the water in the pack. Consequently globally the beverage is prepared with the both water inlet and beverage outlet being opened. The opening of the water inlet is usually made by a needle 81 for introducing water. As for the beverage outlet it can be opened by the machine when the pack is placed inside or by the user manually. The illustrated machine comprises a beverage outlet opening means 85, for example a cutter for removing the plug 42 of the beverage outlet of the pack 1 when the pack presents a plug at the beverage outlet. The cutter 85 can be positioned so that the plug of the beverage outlet is automatically cut when the pack is introduced in the machine or when the beverage preparation is activated.

[0160] The present invention presents the advantage of proposing a range of packs for producing different beverages presenting various textures and aspects.

[0161] The present invention presents the advantage of proposing a range of packs for producing the same beverage (for example coffee) with different textures and aspects (for example flat or foamed).