PRODUCT FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE, USE THEREOF AND METHOD OF PRODUCING

Abstract

The invention provides a product for preparing a beverage for consumption and a method for producing such a product. The product comprises a tubular casing which is at least partly made of a material permeable to liquid, an internal space provided on the inside of the casing, a first retaining body and a second retaining body which are also provided on the inside of the casing and delimit the internal space on mutually opposite ends thereof, as well as flavoring material for preparing a beverage. The flavoring material is provided in the internal space and, when immersed in the liquid, such as water, releases flavorings into the liquid for the purpose of preparing the beverage.

Claims

1. A product for preparing a beverage for consumption, the product comprising a tubular casing which is at least partly made of a material permeable to liquid, an internal space provided on the inside of the casing, a first retaining body and a second retaining body which are also provided on the inside of the casing and delimit the internal space on mutually opposite ends thereof, flavoring material for preparing a beverage which flavoring material is provided in the internal space and which, when immersed in the liquid, such as water, releases flavorings into the liquid for the purpose of preparing the beverage.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing comprises at least two partial casings.

5. The product as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the at least two partial casings has a length which is smaller than the length of the product.

6. The product as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein at least two of the at least two partial casings overlap one another for only a part of their respective lengths.

7. The product as claimed in claim 6, wherein two overlapping partial casings are connected to each other at the location of the overlap.

8. The product as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two of the at least two partial casings are made of different materials.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flavoring material is selected from the group consisting of natural leaves, such as tea leaves and herb leaves, or at least of comminuted parts of such leaves.

14. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flavoring material occupies the entire volume of the internal space.

15. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flavoring material is compressed.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flavoring material is selected from the group of granules and powders, such as soup powder, stock powder or coffee powder.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein openings are provided in the or at least a material of the tubular casing to allow liquid through.

23. The product as claimed in claim 22, wherein the openings in casing or at least a material of the casing are provided in a pattern.

24. (canceled)

25. The product as claimed in claim 22, wherein the openings in the casing are perforated openings.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product comprises a gripping body which is provided on the inside of the casing and on the outside of the internal space.

35. The product as claimed in claim 34, wherein the shape and size of the periphery of a cross section of the gripping body are identical to the shape and size of the periphery of a cross section of at least one of the first retaining body and the second retaining body.

36. The product as claimed in claim 34 or 35, wherein the gripping body is largely or completely hollow.

37. The product as claimed in claim 34, wherein a partial casing surrounds the gripping body at least over part of its length and is made of a different material than the material of the partial casing which surrounds the internal space.

38. The product as claimed in claim 37, wherein the material of the partial casing which surrounds the internal space is provided with openings for allowing liquid through and the material of the partial casing which surrounds the gripping body is not provided with such openings.

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

50. (canceled)

51. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

53. A method for using a product as claimed in claim 1 for preparing a beverage by immersing the internal space of the product in a liquid.

54. A method for producing a product as claimed and further comprising a gripping body which is provided on the inside of the casing and on the outside of the internal space, the method comprising in claim 34; A providing a semi-finished product comprising a first partial casing with a flavoring material, such as compressed tea leaves, on the inside thereof; after step A, aligning the semi-finished product with at least one gripping body; C after step B, surrounding the combination of the semi-finished product and the gripping body with a second partial casing along at least a part of the length of the gripping body, such as along the entire length of the gripping body, and along a part of the length of the entire length of the semi-finished product.

55. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

Description

[0057] The invention will be explained further by means of the description of possible embodiments of a product according to the invention with reference to the schematic FIGS. 1 to 3 and to FIGS. 4a to 7b, in which:

[0058] FIGS. 1 to 3 show cut-away representations in isometric view of a first, second and third embodiment, respectively, of a product according to the invention;

[0059] FIGS. 4a and 4b, 5a and 5b and 6a and 6h show a fourth, fifth and sixth embodiment, respectively, of a product according to the invention, in which FIGS. 4a, 5a and 6a show the respective embodiments in separate parts thereof and FIGS. 4b, 5b and 6b show the respective embodiments in longitudinal section.

[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates a product 1 for preparing tea. The product has the shape and size of a cigarette. More specifically, the product has a cylindrical shape with a length of between 60 mm and 170 mm, for example 80 mm, and a diameter of between 4.0 mm and 10 mm, for example 5.0 mm. The product 1 is also similar to a cigarette in the sense that the product comprises a tubular casing 2, just like a cigarette. However, the material of the casing 2 clearly differs from that of the casing of a cigarette and is a gauze provided with meshes. The gauze is made of biodegradable material, more specifically of a composite of polylactic acid and talcum, and is heat-resistant to at least 100 degrees Celsius. The air permeability expressed by the CU value (Coresta Unit) is at least 2500 cm3 per minute, for example 15,000 cm.sup.3 per minute.

[0061] Although the longitudinal edges 3, 4 of the casing in FIG. 1 are shown a distance apart in order to render the interior of the product 1 more visible for the sake of a good understanding, strips which, for example, have a width of between 0.5 mm and 5.0 mm, such as 1.0 mm, and extend parallel to the longitudinal edges overlap in the product 1 and these strips are connected to each other by means of adhesive bonding. Alternatively, this connection may also be achieved by means of ultrasonic sealing, in which case it is alternatively furthermore also possible for said overlap to be present but for the longitudinal edges 3, 4 to be positioned against each other and for the connecting weld to be achieved at the location of the abutting longitudinal edges 3, 4.

[0062] On the inside of the tubular casing 2, the product 1 comprises two cylindrical retaining bodies 5, 6 which are situated a distance apart and which, together with the casing 2, delimit a cylindrical internal space 7 in between. The ends of the retaining bodies 5, 6 which are turned away from each other are situated a distance apart which equals the (axial) length of the casing 2 or the length of product 1. The length of retaining body 5 is greater than the length of retaining body 6 as a result of which (the center of) the internal space 7 is situated outside the center of the length of the product 1. The length of retaining body 5 is greater than 2.5 cm, for example 4.0 cm, so that a consumer can grip the product 1 at the location of the retaining body 5 in order to stir the product 1 in water and thus to prepare tea, as will become clearer below. The material of the retaining bodies 5 and 6 may be identical to that of the casing 2 and may generally preferably be biodegradable. The retaining bodies 5 and 6 are connected to (the inside of) the casing 2 by means of one of a number of adhesive connections. Alternatively, it is also possible for the retaining bodies 5 and 6 to be connected to the casing 2 by means of ultrasonic sealing which may optionally be performed at the same production stage as the ultrasonic sealing of the longitudinal edges 3, 4 or at least of strips which run parallel to these longitudinal edges of the casing 2, as described above. The connection between the retaining bodies 5 and 6 on the one hand and the casing 2 on the other hand contributes to the rigidity and thus the dimensional stability of the product 1.

[0063] Flavoring material in the shape of compressed tea leaves 8 is provided in the internal space 7 and these tea leaves 8 are stored in the internal space 7 via the casing 2 and the two retaining bodies 5, 6 and completely fill the volume of the internal space 7, so that they cannot move through the internal space 7. The fact that the internal space 7 is completely filled by the tea leaves 8 and that the tea leaves 8 are compressed contributes to the rigidity of the product 1, so that the latter retains its shape during normal use in which the product 1 is gently stirred in a glass of heated water. For the purpose of stirring the product 1, the product 1 may be gripped by a user at the location of the extended retaining body 5.

[0064] In order to make it possible to compress the tea leaves 8 to a greater degree, it is also possible in the context of the invention for the tea leaves to be encased surrounded by a partial casing (not shown) before they are surrounded by the casing 2 during the production process of the product. The tea is then introduced separately in a long cylindrical strand in the partial casing and is subsequently cut from the strand to the same length as the length of the internal space 7. Subsequently, the gauze of the casing 2 is then wound around this partial casing which was cut to size and comprises the compressed tea leaves and turned into casing 2. In this case, the material of the partial casing may be the same or at least may be of the same type as the material of the casing 2. The material of the partial casing will in any case be water-permeable, just as casing 2, and will preferably have openings to this end in order to allow water to pass through.

[0065] Product 21 from FIG. 2 is largely similar to product 1 from FIG. 1. Parts of product 21 which correspond to those from FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. 2 and are not explained in any more detail in the present description of FIG. 2. Product 21 differs from product 1 in that retaining body 5 has been replaced by a cylindrical retaining body 22 which is significantly shorter than retaining body 5 and has, for example, the same length as retaining body 6, and by a tubular gripping body 23 which is aligned with the retaining body 22. The sum of the lengths of the retaining body 22 and the gripping body 23 is equal to the length of the retaining body 5. Since the gripping body 23 is hollow, product 21 contains less material than product 1.

[0066] In a further variant of product 21 according to FIG. 2, the length of the retaining body 6 is shortened, for example to the left half (in FIG. 2) of the retaining body 6, and a tubular filling body is provided on the right-hand side of the retaining body 6 or at one end of the product which is made of the same material as the gripping body 23, but which is shorter.

[0067] Product 31 from FIG. 3 only differs from product 1 in that a sheet 32 is provided between retaining body 5 and casing 2. On the side of sheet 32 facing the casing 2, information is displayed, for example relating to the flavoring material 8 and/or a logo or brand indication or the like. Since casing 2 is made of gauze-like material, this information is legible to a consumer through the openings in the gauze, just like the flavoring material 8 is visible in the internal space 7. Although the sheet 32 with product 31 is shorter than retaining body 5, the respective lengths may also be equal.

[0068] Products 41, 51, 61 are identical in shape and correspond to each other due to the fact that they, from their end which, in use, is at the top, successively comprise a tubular gripping body 43, 53, 63, a first retaining body 46a, 56a, 66a, compressed tea leaves 48, 58, 68 and a second retaining body 46b, 56b, 66b on the insides of the respective casings 42, 52, 62. The compressed tea leaves 48, 58, 68 are provided in a respective internal space 47, 57, 67 which extends between the associated pairs of retaining bodies 46a, 46b, 56a, 56b and 66a, 66b and which internal spaces 47, 57, 68 are surrounded by the associated casing 42, 52, 62. The products 41, 51, 61 differ from each other with regard to the embodiment of the respective casings 42, 52, 62.

[0069] Gripping bodies 43, 53, 63 and the retaining bodies 46a, 56a, 66a and 46b, 56b, 66b may be made of paper of a quality which, when immersed in water, does not immediately cause the gripping bodies and retaining bodies to lose their respective shape. The gripping bodies may, for example, at least substantially be in the shape of a straw, in which case the material may be made of paper or cardboard or may generally comprise cellulose fibers, for example based on natural leaves, such as tea leaves. In this case, the gripping bodies may be made of a single layer, but may also be made of multiple layers, such as two layers or three layers, and may, for example, be made of strips which have been wound in a spiral shape. Alternatively, the material of the gripping bodies may also comprise polylactic acid or polyhydroxyalkanoate because of their biodegradable properties.

[0070] It applies specifically to the retaining bodies 46a, 56a, 66a and 46b, 56b, 66b that they could be designed, for example, as a filter like the one which is made commercially available for the tobacco industry by Essentra under the name OCHRE filter. Such filters degrade relatively quickly, for example three times quicker than filters made of cellulose acetate.

[0071] Casing 42 of product 41 comprises a partial casing 42a and a partial casing 42b. Both partial casings 42a and 42b were originally sheet-shaped. In the product 41, they have been rolled to form a cylinder, with the respective longitudinal edges of each of the partial casings 42a and 42b overlapping each other and being connected to each other in these respective overlap areas. Partial casing 42a has a length which is equal to the distance between the ends of retaining bodies 46a and 46b which face away from each other and surrounds the internal space 47 containing the compressed tea leaves 48. The length of partial casing 42b is equal to the distance between the ends of gripping body 43 and the first retaining body 46a which face away from each other. At the location of the first retaining body 46a, partial casing 42b overlaps partial casing 42a on its outside. Partial casing 42b does not surround the internal space 47. At the location of the abovementioned overlap between partial casings 42a and 42b, these partial casings 42a, 42b are connected to each other, for example by means of an adhesive connection or by means of ultrasonic sealing. Partial casing 42a itself is also connected to the retaining bodies 46a and 46b, likewise, for example, by means of adhesive bonding or ultrasonic sealing. Partial casing 42b is also connected to gripping body 43, for example by means of one of the abovementioned connecting techniques. The materials of partial casings 42a and 42b differ from each other. It is of vital importance for partial casing 42a that the material from which it is made is permeable to liquid. Suitable materials for partial casing 42a may be, for example, a gauze and/or may be woven. Alternatively, the sheet from which partial casing 42a is made may be provided with perforations, for example perforations produced by mechanical means, perforations made by means of a laser or perforations made by electrostatic means. The size of these perforations may be such, for example, that such perforations could not fit in a circle having a diameter of at least 0.05 or 0.10 mm and could fit in a circle having a diameter of at most 0.75 mm or 0.50 mm. Perforations which are too small could result in the material of the partial casing 42b no longer being permeable to liquid/water. During production of product 41, first a semi-finished product may be formed consisting of the combination of the retaining bodies 46a and 46b, the compressed tea leaves 48 and the partial casing 42a. During a further stage, this semi-finished product may be aligned with the gripping body 43, following which partial casing 42b is wound around both that gripping body 43 and a part of partial casing 42a and connected thereto. There is no specific reason to choose material of partial casing 42b to be also permeable to liquid. It may be decided to choose the material of partial casing 42b not to be permeable to liquid, if the materials of retaining body 46a and gripping body 43 were only resistant to liquid in the sense that they would lose their dimensional stability relatively quickly if they were to be immersed in a liquid.

[0072] The casing 52 of product 51 consists of a partial casing 60, a partial casing 52′ and partial casing 59. The length of partial casing 60 is equal to the distance between the mutually facing ends of retaining bodies 56a, 56b. The length of partial casing 52′ is equal to the length of the product 51 or to the distance between the ends of gripping body 53 and of the retaining body 56b which face away from each other. The length of partial casing 59 is equal to the distance between the ends of gripping body 53 and retaining body 56a which face away from each other. The materials of partial casings 60 and 52′ are permeable to liquid. The material of partial casing 59 may be permeable to liquid, but this is not obligatory. The combination of the compressed tea leaves 58 and partial casing 60 as wound around these compressed tea leaves 58 may serve as a semi-finished product during the production of product 51. In order to prevent tea leaves 58 from inadvertently falling from the open ends of the partial casing 60 of the semi-finished product, it may be decided to compress the tea leaves 58 near the open ends more forcefully. The semi-finished product may be aligned with the gripping body 53 and the retaining bodies 56a, 56b, during a subsequent stage of production, after which the partial casing 52′ may be wound around these and be connected to the parts of product 51 located on the inside of partial casing 52′. During yet a further stage, partial casing 59 may be wound around the partial casing 52′ and connected thereto. Information may be displayed, for example regarding the brand of the product 51 (41) and the type of the compressed tea leaves 58 (48), on the outside of partial casing 59, as may incidentally also be done on the outside of partial casing 42b.

[0073] Casing 62 of product 61 consists of three partial casings 62, 62b, 62c. Partial casing 52a has a length which is equal to the distance between the two mutually facing ends of retaining bodies 66a, 66b and may form a semi-finished product together with the compressed tea leaves 68, as has also been described for product 51. The material of partial casing 62a is permeable to liquid. The length of partial casing 62b is slightly greater than the distance between the ends of gripping body 63 and retaining body 66a which face away from each other. The length of partial casing 62c is greater than the length of retaining body 66b, for example twice as large. The partial casings 62b and 62c overlap the outside of partial casing 62a and thus each also extend along part of the length of the internal space 67. In particular for this reason, it may be desirable for the material of the partial casings 62b and 62c to also be permeable to liquid, just like a material of partial casing 62a, which does not necessarily mean that the material of partial casing 62a is the same material as that of the partial casings 62b and 62c.

[0074] Products 1, 21, 31, 41, 51 and 61 may be manufactured using existing production machines for cigarettes. Such production machines do not require any modifications to this end, or only very limited modifications. This is the result of the fact that the respective products comprise similar components and have a similar overall construction as cigarettes.

[0075] The invention is not only, albeit in particular, suitable for preparing tea, but also for other types of beverages. The flavoring material comprises, for example, fruit or fibers and/or may also be soluble in water. Specifically, it is pointed out with regard to the preparation of cold infusions that, in contrast to the tea bags which are used according to the prior art for preparing cold infusions and have a tendency to float for a relatively long period of time on the water, the respective product according to the invention can easily be immersed in water, in particular if the respective product comprises compressed infusion material.