CAPSULE AND SYSTEM FOR PREPARING A LIQUID FOOD PRODUCT

Abstract

A system comprising a capsule (1) and a capsule receptacle (31) of a preparation machine (30), wherein a sealing lip (10) corresponds with a groove (33) of the capsule receptacle (31) in such a way that the sealing lip (10) is received in the groove (33) and enables a tight connection with a contact surface (32) of the capsule receptacle (31).

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. A capsule for preparation of a liquid foodstuff comprising: a capsule body being at least one of symmetrical or frustoconical design, having a side wall and a base as well as a lid closing the capsule body for forming a receiving space for receiving at least one substance for the preparation of the liquid foodstuff, wherein the capsule body has a circumferential flange-shaped rim with a sealing surface for tightly connecting the lid to the capsule body, on a base of the circumferential rim, opposite the sealing surface, a circumferentially projecting sealing lip is arranged for sealingly cooperation with a contact surface of a capsule receptacle of a preparation machine, the sealing lip is hollow and has two legs which form a substantially right angle with the sealing surface of the flange-shaped rim, the sealing lip has at least a height of 0.0393 inches (1.0 mm) measured from the sealing surface of the flange-shaped rim, the capsule comprises at least one of: the sealing lip being shaped and dimensioned in such a way that the sealing lip can absorb at least one force of 500 N, essentially without plastic deformation, or the sealing lip having a width of between 0.0157 inches (0.4) mm and 0.0354 inches (0.9) mm, or the sealing lip being arranged at a radial distance between 0.622 inches (15.8 mm) and 0.642 inches (16.3 mm) from a central axis of the capsule body.

20. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the base is formed integrally with the side wall.

21. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the capsule body, the flange-shaped rim and the sealing lip are formed in one piece.

22. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the sealing lip is arranged at a radial distance of between 0.0157 inches (0.4) mm and 0.0354 inches (0.9) mm from the side wall of the capsule body.

23. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the sealing lip is round at its highest point.

24. The capsule according to claim 23, wherein the sealing lip, at its highest point, has a radius of curvature between 0.0059 inches (0.15 mm) and 0.0177 inches (0.45 mm).

25. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein in the transition of the sealing lip to the base of the flange-shaped rim a rounding with a radius between 0.0039 inches (0.1 mm) and 0.0197 inches (0.5 mm) is provided.

26. The capsule according to claim 25, wherein the radius facing the side wall is larger than the opposite radius.

27. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the flange-shaped rim has no further sealing contours.

28. The capsule according to claim 27, wherein the flange-shaped rim has exactly one sealing lip.

29. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the sealing lip is formed from a metal.

30. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the sealing lip is formed from at least one of aluminium, aluminium alloy or a laminate with at least one layer of a metal.

31. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the material in the region of the sealing lip has a material thickness of 0.0039 inches (0.1 mm)±0.00197 inches (0.05 mm)

32. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the side wall of the capsule body has a diameter of 1.18 inches (30.1 mm)±0.0089 inches (0.2 mm).

33. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the capsule body has a height from the bottom to the sealing surface of the flange-shaped rim of between 1.063 inches (27.0 mm) and 1.122 inches (28.5 mm).

34. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the capsule body has substantially the shape of a double truncated cone with a first cone angle of 60°±5°.

35. The capsule according to claim 34 having a second cone angle of 6°±5°.

36. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the capsule body has a bottom surface with a diameter of 0.394 (10 mm)±0.039 inches (1 mm).

37. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the side wall of the capsule body has a step-shaped widening in the region, near the base, the widening has a diameter, at a distance from the sealing surface in a direction of the central axis, of 0.118 inches (3.0 mm) to 0.276 inches (7.0 mm) from the sealing surface in the direction of the central axis.

38. The capsule according to claim 37, wherein the widening comprises a change in the external diameter of between 0.0039 inches (0.1 mm) and 0,0079 inches (2.0 mm).

39. A capsule for preparation of a liquid foodstuff comprising: a capsule body being at least one of symmetrical or frustoconical design, having a side wall and a base as well as a lid closing the capsule body for forming a receiving space for receiving at least one substance for the preparation of the liquid foodstuff, wherein the capsule body has a circumferential flange-shaped rim with a sealing surface for tightly connecting the lid to the capsule body, a protruding sealing lip is arranged on a base of the flange-shaped rim, opposite the sealing surface, for sealingly cooperating with a contact surface of a capsule receptacle of a preparation machine, the sealing lip is hollow and has two legs which form a substantially right angle with the sealing surface of the flange-shaped rim, a leg of the sealing lip, directed towards the side wall of the capsule body, has a radial distance from a central axis of the capsule body, this distance being substantially equal to a distance of an outer circumferential line with an inclination of 45° with respect to the axis, of an outwardly directed contact surface of a capsule receptacle, from a central axis of the capsule receptacle.

40. The capsule according to claim 39, wherein the base is formed integrally with the side wall.

41. The capsule according to claim 39, wherein the sealing lip is arranged at a radial distance from the side wall of the capsule body, and this distance is at least equally large with respect to a distance between the outer circumferential line and an inner circumferential line, defined by an inclination of 45° of an inwardly directed contact surface of a capsule receptacle.

42. The capsule according to claim 39, wherein the side wall of the capsule body has a diameter which is at most 1.5% smaller than a diameter of a capsule receptacle.

43. A system comprising a capsule according to claims 19 and a capsule receptacle of a preparation machine, wherein the sealing lip corresponds with a groove of the capsule receptacle in such a way that the sealing lip is received in the groove and enables a sealing connection with a contact surface of the capsule receptacle.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein the sealing lip and the groove are matched to one another in such a way that, when the capsule is enclosed between the capsule receptacle and a closure plate of the preparation machine, the sealing lip in the groove first contacts a first side wall of the groove and, during further closure, is elastically deflected until the sealing lip is supported on the second side wall of the groove, which is opposite the first side wall.

45. A system comprising a capsule according to claim 39 and a capsule receptacle of a preparation machine, wherein the sealing lip corresponds with a groove of the capsule receptacle in such a way that the sealing lip is received in the groove and enables a sealing connection with a contact surface of the capsule receptacle.

46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the sealing lip and the groove are matched to one another in such a way that, when the capsule is enclosed between the capsule receptacle and a closure plate of the preparation machine, the sealing lip in the groove first contacts a first side wall of the groove and, during further closure, is elastically deflected until the sealing lip is supported on the second side wall of the groove, which is opposite the first side wall.

Description

[0062] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures, which are merely examples of embodiments. They show:

[0063] FIG. 1: a cross-section through a capsule according to the invention,

[0064] FIG. 2: an enlarged view of the area of the sealing lip of the capsule according to FIG. 1,

[0065] FIG. 3: the enlarged representation of the capsule according to FIG. 2, whereby a front end of a capsule receptacle is additionally drawn,

[0066] FIG. 4: the representation according to FIG. 3, whereby the capsule receptacle forms a sealed connection with the capsule, and

[0067] FIG. 5: an illustration of a force-displacement diagram,

[0068] FIG. 6: a cross-section through a further embodiment of a capsule according to the invention,

[0069] FIG. 7: a schematic representation of the seal between the capsule body and the fleece fabric according to FIG. 6.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a capsule 1 according to the invention. The capsule 1 comprises a capsule body 2 with a side wall 3 and a bottom 4. The capsule body 2 has a circumferential flange-shaped rim 8 with a sealing surface 29 for fastening a lid 5. The capsule 1 and is preferably closed in an aroma- and oxygen-tight manner so that a substance 7 can be accommodated inside the capsule 1 and is enclosed by the capsule body 2 and lid 5. The capsule body 2 is rotationally symmetrical and frustoconical in shape. accordingly, the capsule body 2 has a central axis 17. The lid 5 of the capsule 1 is curved under the internal pressure prevailing in the capsule 1.

[0071] The flange-shaped rim 8 has a base 9 on the side opposite the sealing surface 29, from which a sealing lip 10 projects. The sealing lip 10 is formed around the side wall 3. The flange-shaped rim 8 has a rolled rim at its outer end, and the rim 8 could also be finished in a different way. The capsule body 2 is formed essentially in the shape of a double truncated cone. A conical surface with a first cone angle 22 of 60° projects from its base 4. Adjacent to this conical surface is another conical surface with a second cone angle 23 of approx. 6°. This second conical surface forms the side wall 3, which has several steps 26, 28. At each of these steps the cone angle and the outer diameter change minimally. The last step is a widening 26 of the side wall 3 with a diameter change of 0.4 mm. This widening is located at a distance in the axial direction between 4.7 mm and 5.4 mm from the sealing surface 29. The bottom 4 of the capsule 1 has a bottom surface 24 with a diameter 25 of 10 mm. The capsule 1 has a height 21 of 27.85 mm. The height 21 is measured between the base 4 and the sealing surface 29.

[0072] In FIG. 2 the area of the sealing lip 10 of the capsule body 2 of the capsule 1 as shown in FIG. 1 is shown enlarged. Starting from the side wall 3 of the capsule body 2, the flange-shaped rim 8 extends outwards. The flange-shaped rim 8 forms a sealing surface 29 to which the lid 5 (see FIG. 1) is attached. On the side opposite the sealing surface 29, the base 9 of the rim is visible, from which the sealing lip 10 rises. The sealing lip 10 is hollow, i.e. a corresponding recess is formed on the side of the sealing surface 29. The sealing lip 10 has an inner leg 11a directed towards the side wall 3 and an outer leg 11b directed outwards. The two legs 11a, 11b enclose an angle of 6.67°, whereby the outer leg 11b is arranged approximately perpendicular to the base 9 or to the sealing surface 29.

[0073] The sealing lip 10 has a radius of curvature 18 of 0.3 mm at its highest point. The transition from the base 9 to the outer leg 11b has a radius of curvature 19b of 0.1 mm, the transition from the base 9 to the inner leg 11a has a radius of curvature 19a of 0.3 mm. The radii are each measured on the side opposite the sealing surface 29. The sealing lip 10 has a width 14 of 0.65 mm measured at half height between the highest point of the sealing lip 10 and the sealing surface 29. The height 12 of the sealing lip 10, measured between the highest point of the sealing lip 10 and the sealing surface 29, is 1.35 mm.

[0074] The highest point or edge of the sealing lip 10 is located at a distance 16 from the central axis 17 of the capsule 1 of 16.1 mm. The sealing lip 10 has a radial distance 15 from the side wall 3 of 0.6 mm. The radial distance 15 between the sealing lip 10 and the side wall 3 is measured between the virtual intersections of the side wall 3 with the sealing surface 29 and of the inner leg 11a with the sealing surface 29 respectively. The side wall 3 of the capsule body 2 has a diameter 20 of 30.1 mm. The diameter 20 is determined at a virtual intersection of the side wall 3 with the sealing surface 29. The capsule body has a material thickness of 0.1 mm in the area of the sealing lip 10.

[0075] Also drawn is a force 13 for determining the load limit of the sealing lip 10, which acts on the highest point of the sealing lip 10 in the direction of the central axis 17. This force 13 is also used to record a force-displacement diagram as shown in FIG. 5.

[0076] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the capsule 1 as shown in FIG. 2, with an additional front end of a capsule receptacle 31 being drawn before its contact with the capsule. Ideally, the central axis 17 of the capsule coincides with a central axis 38 of the capsule receptacle 31. The capsule receptacle 31 has a groove 33 at its front end facing the flange-shaped rim of the capsule, which ideally cooperates with the sealing lip 10 of the capsule.

[0077] In order for the sealing lip 10 to cooperate with the contact surface 32 of the capsule receptacle 31, a distance 27 of the inner leg 11a from the central axis 17 of the capsule 1 must be substantially equal to a distance 35 of an outer circumferential line 36 having an inclination of 45° with respect to the axis 38, of an outwardly directed region of the contact surface 32 of the capsule receptacle 31, from the central axis 38 of the capsule receptacle 31. Preferably, the two distances 27 and 35 have a ratio between 0.9 and 1.1, preferably between 0.95 and 1.05, more preferably between 0.99 and 1.03. In this case, the distance 27 of the inner leg 11a from the central axis 17 of the capsule 1 is measured halfway between the highest point or edge of the sealing lip 10 and the sealing surface 29.

[0078] Further, it is advantageous if the radial distance 15 of the sealing lip 10 from the side wall 3 of the capsule body 2 is at least equal to a distance 40 between the outer circumferential line 36 and an inner circumferential line 37 defined by an inclination of 45° of an inwardly directed portion of the contact surface 32 of the capsule receptacle 31.

[0079] The diameter 20 of the side wall 3 of the capsule body 2 is smaller than a diameter 41 of the capsule receptacle 31 by a factor of 0.8%, the diameter 41 of the capsule receptacle 31 being measured at a virtual intersection of its inner surface with a horizontal plane spanned by the opening of the capsule receptacle.

[0080] In FIG. 4, the representation according to FIG. 3 is shown, whereby the capsule receptacle 31 already forms a sealed connection with the capsule 1. The sealing lip 10 is received in the groove 33 of the capsule receptacle 31 and contacts the contact surface 32 of the capsule receptacle 31 at two circumferential lines. When closing the brewing chamber, the sealing lip 10 will contact the contact surface 32 at a first point. By increasing a contact pressure of the capsule receptacle 31 when closing the brewing chamber, the sealing lip 10 can only yield laterally until it is received in the groove 33 on both sides and is in contact accordingly. Only an elastic deformation can take place laterally. A higher contact pressure results in an improved sealing effect.

[0081] FIG. 5 shows a force-displacement diagram of a force 13 (see FIG. 2) acting in the axial direction on the highest edge of the sealing lip. The tool for measuring the force has a flat surface which runs perpendicular to the axial direction of the capsule. A linear range of the increase of the force-displacement diagram in a range from 100 N to over 500 N can be clearly seen. This linear range can only be explained by an elastic deformation of the sealing lip. That it is an elastic deformation can be verified by repeating the measurement on the same capsule. If the force-displacement diagram of the second measurement coincides with that of the first measurement, it is an elastic deformation.

[0082] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section through a further embodiment of a capsule 1 according to the invention, which additionally has a fleece 43 arranged in the region of the base 4. Otherwise, the capsule body 2 and the capsule 1 correspond to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, whereby the lid and the substance are not shown. The corresponding details are not described any further.

[0083] The fleece 43 is attached to the capsule body 2 in a conical partial region of the base 4 with a seal 44. Thereby, the fleece 43 is arranged in the capsule body 2 in such a way that a free distance 47 is formed between the capsule bottom 4 and the fleece 43. This distance 47, together with the mobility of the fleece 43, prevents the fleece from being punctured when the capsule 1 is opened with the penetration means of a preparation machine. The distance 47 is 1.0 mm. The seal 43 between the capsule body 2 and the fleece 43 follows a circular path and has an outer diameter 46 of 21.5 mm and inner diameter 45 of 19.6 mm.

[0084] The fleece 43 is not necessarily flat, but can have a truncated cone shape which runs approximately parallel to the base 4 of the capsule 1 at a distance 47.

[0085] The fleece 43 has a grammage of 25.0 g/m2 and a thickness of 77 μm. Furthermore, the fleece 43 has an air permeability greater than 300 l/sm.sup.2 according to ISO 9237:1995 at a humidity of 50% and a temperature of 23° C.

[0086] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of the seal 44 between the capsule body 2 and the fleece 43 (see FIG. 6). The seal 44 consists of two circular segments, each separated by a sealing gap 48 with a width 49 of 1.0 mm. Of course, it is also conceivable that there is only one sealing gap or several sealing gaps, in particular three, four, five, six, seven, eight or more.