CAPSULE AND SYSTEM FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE

Abstract

A capsule for preparing a beverage comprises a substantially rigid capsule body with a circumferential wall and a base wall that border an inner space filed with a beverage ingredient. An open filling side of the capsule at an end of the circumferential wall opposite the base wall is covered with a lid of fluid tight material. The lid is provided with a preformed outlet opening suitable for draining the prepared beverage from the inner space when the capsule is used in a beverage preparation device. The outlet opening is fluid tightly closed by a removable cover element extending over at least part of the lid.

Claims

1-22. (canceled)

23. A method of manufacturing a capsule suitable for preparing a beverage, wherein the method comprises: providing a substantially rigid capsule body having a circumferential wall extending around an inner space to be at least partially filled with a beverage ingredient suitable for preparing the beverage, and a base wall covering the inner space at a first end of the circumferential wall; filling the inner space with an amount of the beverage ingredient through an open filling side of the capsule body opposite the base wall; after filling of the inner space with the beverage ingredient, closing the open filling side by attaching a lid to the capsule body, the lid extending over the open filling side; and prior to attaching the lid to the capsule body: providing the lid with an outlet opening through which in use a prepared beverage may flow out of the capsule, fluid tightly closing the outlet opening by providing a removable cover element extending over the outlet opening and at least part of the lid, and attaching a membrane to the lid over the outlet opening.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein between the cover element and the lid a layer of adhesive material is provided suitable for a removable adhesion of the cover element to the lid.

25. The method according to claim 24, the method comprising providing the layer of adhesive material on a part of the cover element extending over the lid, and maintaining a part of the cover element extending over the outlet opening in the lid substantially free of adhesive material.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein an adhesion strength between the layer of adhesive material and cover element is weaker than an adhesion strength between the layer of adhesive material and the lid.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the adhesive material is a layer of heat-seal lacquer.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of attaching the lid to the capsule body comprises attaching the lid to the capsule body at a circumferential edge of the capsule body.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the membrane comprises a layer of non-woven material.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the membrane comprises a thickness in the range of 1.2-1.6 mm, an air permeability in the range of 100 to 700 mm/s at 200 Pa, and a weight in the range of 300-600 g/m2.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the membrane is attached to the lid on a side of the lid facing the inner space.

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein the membrane and lid are attached by means of a layer of adhesive material, preferably a heat-seal lacquer.

33. The method according to claim 23, wherein the cover element comprises a sheet like layer of aluminum.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the cover element comprises a laminate of at least an aluminum layer and a plastic layer, particularly PE.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein the lid substantially consists of a sheet like layer of aluminum.

36. The method according to claim 23, wherein the lid comprises on a side facing the cover element a layer of protective lacquer.

37. The method according to claim 23, wherein the cover element comprises a free pull tab protruding from part of the cover element covering the outlet opening.

38. The method according to claim 23, wherein the capsule body, the lid, and the cover element are each mainly made from aluminum.

39. The method according to claim 23, wherein the beverage ingredient comprises ground coffee in an amount of at least 7 grams.

40. A method of manufacturing a capsule suitable for preparing a beverage, wherein the method comprises: preassembling a lid assembly comprising a lid having a preformed outlet opening, a removable cover element fluid tightly covering the outlet opening on one side of the lid, and a membrane covering the outlet opening on the opposite side of the lid; providing a substantially rigid capsule body having a circumferential wall extending around an inner space to be at least partially filled with a beverage ingredient suitable for preparing the beverage, and a base wall covering the inner space at a first end of the circumferential wall; filling the inner space with an amount of the beverage ingredient through an open filling side of the capsule body opposite the base wall; after filling of the inner space with the beverage ingredient, closing the open filling side by attaching the preassembled lid assembly to the capsule body.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the outlet opening is provided in a central portion of the lid and has a circular shape.

42. A method of manufacturing a capsule suitable for preparing a beverage, wherein the method comprises: providing a substantially rigid capsule body having a circumferential wall extending around an inner space to be at least partially filled with a beverage ingredient suitable for preparing the beverage, and a base wall covering the inner space at a first end of the circumferential wall; filling the inner space with an amount of the beverage ingredient through an open filling side of the capsule body opposite the base wall; after filling of the inner space with the beverage ingredient, closing the open filling side by attaching a preassembled lid assembly to the capsule body, the preassembled lid assembly comprising a lid having a preformed outlet opening, a removable cover element fluid tightly covering the outlet opening on one side of the lid, and a membrane covering the outlet opening on the opposite side of the lid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0047] These and other aspects of the present invention are hereinafter further elucidated by the appended drawing and corresponding embodiments, which form part of the present application. The drawing is not in any way meant to reflect a limitation of the scope of the invention, unless this is clearly and explicitly indicated. The exemplary embodiments are given by way of non-limitative illustration. It is noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting example.

[0048] In the drawing:

[0049] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a perspective side view of a first embodiment of a capsule according to the invention in respectively a closed storage state with attached cover element and open use state with the cover element removed;

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a perspective side view of a second embodiment of the capsule according to the invention in a closed storage state with attached cover element.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a laminated assembly of a cover element, lid and membrane for use in a capsule according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a capsule according to the invention in a first embodiment. The capsule 1 comprises a capsule body 2. The body comprises a frusto-conical side wall extending around an inner space of the body. A base wall of the capsule body is connected to a first end of the side wall for closing off the inner space at the first end of the capsule body. A flange 3, also referred to as a rim, extends radially outwardly from a second end of the side wall. At the second end of the side wall the capsule body has an open filling side.

[0054] The capsule further includes a lid 4 that is attached to the flange 3 of the capsule body. The lid 4 is a relatively flexible sheet-like foil which is provided with a outflow opening 5 centrally located in the foil above the inner space. In the inner space a coffee bed of roast and ground coffee is provided. The weight of the coffee bed is in the range of 7-12 grams. In the storage state shown in FIG. 1A the capsule 1 is hermetically closed to maintain a freshness of the coffee bed. The outlet opening 5 is fluid tightly closed by a cover element 6 which is attached to the lid 4. In a use state of the capsule shown in FIG. 1B the cover element 6 is removed to free the outlet opening 5. For instance the cover element 6 may be manually removed from the lid by pulling on a pull tab 7 of the cover element 6. The base wall of the capsule body is further designed to be pierced open by piercing means of a beverage preparation device for supplying water under pressure into the capsule. A membrane 8 is provided in the inner space of the capsule between the coffee bed and the lid 4 below the preformed outflow opening 5. The capsule body 2, the lid 4, and the cover element 6 are each mainly made from aluminum. The lid 4, cover element 6 and membrane 8 prior to attachment to the capsule body 2 form a laminate with the cover element 6 attached to one side of the lid 4 extending over the preformed outlet opening, and the membrane 8 attached to the opposite side of the lid 4 extending over the preformed outlet opening.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention in which a positioning of the lid, cover element, outlet opening and membrane with respect to each other is indicated. The outlet opening is provided in a central portion of the lid and has a circular shape. A diameter of the outlet opening may be between 6 - 20 mm, is preferably between 8 -14 mm and in a most preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 a diameter of 12 mm. Further shown in FIG. 2 is that the cover element comprises a pull tab extending from the part of the cover element covering the outlet opening. The pull tab comprises a fold line for folding a loose part of the pull tab, i.e. part of the pull tab which is not attached to the lid, over part of the cover element attached to the lid and extending over the outlet opening.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a capsule according to the invention in a second embodiment, which capsule differs from the capsule shown in FIG. 1 in that the cover element 6 comprises a longer pull tab 7 extending from the part of the cover element 6 covering the outlet opening 5 to the flange or rim 3 of the capsule body. A free end part of the pull tab 7 is loose, i.e. not adhered to the lid, and angled with respect to a surface of the lid so that a user may manually grasp this part of the pull tab in order to easily remove the cover element 6 from the lid by tearing the cover element off.

[0057] A detailed view of the laminated assembly of cover element, lid and membrane for use in a capsule according to the invention is shown in FIG. 4. The lid may be made of aluminum. The layer of aluminum may be in a range between 20-50 um and may particularly be between 30 um -40 um thick. As shown in FIG. 3 the lid 4 mainly consists of a layer of aluminum with a thickness of 30um. On both sides of the aluminum layer a lacquer layer is applied. On a side of the aluminum layer facing the cover element the lacquer layer is a protective lacquer. On the opposite side of the aluminum layer the lacquer layer is a heat seal lacquer for attaching the lid to the membrane 8 of non-woven material by means of heat and pressure bonding.

[0058] The cover element 6 comprises a layer of aluminum with a thickness of between 40-60 um, and is preferably 47um thick as shown. On one side of the aluminum layer facing the lid a print is applied which may be at least in part be visible to the user to provide information indicating how to suitably remove the cover element from the lid, e.g. arrows indicating a pull direction. A transparent adhesive layer is provided on this print layer for adhering a layer of polyethylene (PE). The PE layer may be 20 - 40 mm thick, and is preferably 30 mm thick as shown. The PE layer is lacquered with a heat seal lacquer for attaching the cover element 6 to the lid 4. The heat seal lacquer provides a weaker bond strength to the PE layer than to the aluminum lid, so that when a removal force is applied on the cover element, the cover element will tear at the PE layer and heat seal lacquer interface indicated with X. On the other side of the aluminum layer a print primer and further print layer is applied to provide an aesthetic finish to the cover element. A protective lacquer is provided at the visible outer surface of the cover element 6 facing away from the lid.

[0059] The membrane 8 comprises a layer of mainly polyester fibers with a thickness of 1.35 mm.

[0060] Herein, the invention is described with reference to specific examples of embodiments of the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein, without departing from the essence of the invention. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, alternative embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described in these separate embodiments are also envisaged.

[0061] In the examples, the capsule body and lid are made of aluminum foil, preferable polymer coated aluminum foil to allow easy welding of the lid to the body. It will be appreciated that the capsule body and/or lid can be made of a wide variety of materials considered suitable by the skilled person and capable of being processed into a sheet, film or foil using techniques conventionally known in the art such as extrusion, co-extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, vacuum forming, etc. Suitable materials for the capsule body and/or lid include, without being limited thereto, plastic materials, in particular thermoplastic materials, for example a polyolefin polymer, for example polyethylene or polypropylene, PVC, polyesters for example polyethylene terephthalate (PET); metal foils such as aluminum, stainless steel, metal alloys etc.; or sheets of a woven or a non-woven or otherwise processed fibrous material, like paper, polyester, etc.; or combinations thereof, e.g. multilayers. The material for the capsule can be a biodegradable polymer or another biodegradable material. The skilled person will be capable of selecting the appropriate material taking into account the envisaged use with food material and any other relevant circumstances during use of the capsule. The thickness of the sheet or foil may be chosen such that a form stable capsule is provided. The thickness of the sheet or foil may vary with the nature of the material.

[0062] In the examples, the capsules are pierced by the piercing means. It is also possible to provide the system with a capsule that is not pierced by the piercing means. Such capsule can e.g. include an entrance filter.

[0063] In the examples, the capsule has an outwardly extending flange-like rim to which the lid is attached. It will be appreciated that it is possible that the capsule does not include an outwardly extending rim.