CAPSULE FOR THE PREPARATION OF A BEVERAGE IN A DEVICE FOR MAKING BEVERAGES

Abstract

A capsule (1), intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, comprises: a bottom wall (101); a side wall (102) which extends around a longitudinal axis (A); an annular flange (103), wherein an outer surface of the side wall (102) includes a first portion (1021), which is proximal to the flange (103), and a second portion (1022), which is distal from the flange (103); a lip seal (104) which juts from a rear surface (103B) of the annular flange (103) and which extends around the longitudinal axis (A), so that the annular flange (103), the lip seal (104) and the side wall (102) delimit an annular groove (106); a plurality of protrusions (105) disposed around the longitudinal axis (A) and jutting from the first portion (1021) of the outer surface of the side wall (102).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A capsule, intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, the capsule comprising a body which includes: a bottom wall; a side wall extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular edge, connected to the bottom wall, and a second annular edge, wherein the side wall has an inner surface, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outer surface, opposite to the inner surface; an annular flange, which extends from the second annular edge of the side wall, away from the longitudinal axis, and which has a rear surface facing towards the side wall and a front surface, opposite to the rear surface, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion, which is proximal to the flange, and a second portion, which is distal from the flange; and a lip seal which juts from the rear surface of the annular flange and which extends around the longitudinal axis wherein the annular flange, the lip seal and the side wall delimit an annular groove; wherein the body also includes a plurality of centring protrusions disposed around the longitudinal axis and jutting from the first portion of the outer surface of the side wall, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions produce local thickening of the side wall.

17. The capsule according to claim 17, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are positioned at least partly in the annular groove.

18. The capsule according to claim 17, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are connected to the rear surface of the annular flange.

19. The capsule according to claim 18, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are spaced from the lip seal.

20. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the extension of each centring protrusion of the plurality of centring protrusions in a plane parallel to the annular flange is smaller than the distance between the centring protrusion and the lip seal in the selfsame plane which is parallel to the annular flange.

21. The capsule according to claim 19, wherein the extension of each centring protrusion of the plurality of centring protrusions in a plane perpendicular to the annular flange is greater than the extension of the lip seal in the selfsame plane which is perpendicular to the annular flange.

22. The capsule according to according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions extend along respective axes which are contained in planes passing through the longitudinal axis.

23. The capsule according to according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are angularly equispaced around the longitudinal axis.

24. The capsule according to according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of centring protrusions includes at least three centring protrusions.

25. The capsule according to claim 16, comprising an additional lip seal surrounding the lip seal and spaced therefrom.

26. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions comprise a lower joining surface, which is in direct contact with the annular flange, so that the protrusions rest on the annular flange.

27. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions have a triangular section.

28. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions have an “L” shape, when seen in a section along a plane including the longitudinal axis, wherein the “L” shape includes a longer stretch, developing in a direction which has the orientation of the lateral surface of the capsule body, and a shorter stretch, which develops in a radial direction.

29. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein, for each centring protrusion, a thickness of the centring protrusion is increasing in the direction that proceeds from the bottom of the capsule towards the annular flange, so that a maximum thickness of each protrusion is at the first end, in contact with the annular flange.

30. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of centring protrusions includes a first subset of protrusions and a second subsets of protrusions, wherein the protrusions of the second subset are smaller than the protrusions of the first subset, and wherein the protrusions of the first subset are be arranged around the longitudinal axis in alternate fashion with respect to corresponding protrusions belonging to the second subset, so that each projection of the first subset is arranged between two projections of the second subset and vice versa.

31. The capsule according to claim 16, wherein the centring protrusions have a length along the longitudinal axis of the capsule equal to at least three times their circumferential thickness.

32. A method for making a capsule, intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, wherein the method comprises a step of forming a body of the capsule, in which the following are made: a bottom wall; a side wall extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular edge, connected to the bottom wall, and a second annular edge, wherein the side wall has an inner surface, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outer surface, opposite to the inner surface; an annular flange, which extends from the second annular edge of the side wall, away from the longitudinal axis, and which has a rear surface facing towards the side wall and a front surface, opposite to the rear surface, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion, which is proximal to the flange, and a second portion, which is distal from the flange, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion which is proximal to the flange and a second portion which is distal from the flange; and a lip seal which juts from the rear surface of the annular flange and which extends around the longitudinal axis to delimit, together with the annular flange and the side wall, an annular groove; wherein the step of forming also makes a plurality of centring protrusions disposed around the longitudinal axis and jutting from the first portion of the outer surface of the side wall, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions produce local thickening of the side wall.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the step of forming is carried out by compression moulding starting from a charge of thermoplastic material, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are made as one with the side wall of the body during compression moulding.

34. A mould for making a capsule intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, the mould being movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration in which it defines a moulding cavity that includes: a bottom recess; a side recess, extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular end, connected to the bottom recess and a second annular end, wherein the side recess has an inside wall, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outside wall, opposite to the inside wall; a flange recess, connected to the second annular end and extending from the second annular end, away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the flange recess has a rear wall, facing towards the side recess, and a front wall, opposite to the rear wall, and wherein the outside wall of the side recess includes a first portion, proximal to the flange recess, and a second portion, distal from the flange recess; and a lip seal recess, connected to the rear wall of the flange recess and extending around the longitudinal axis; wherein the side recess includes a plurality of recesses disposed around the longitudinal axis in the first portion of the outside wall of the side recess.

35. The mould according to claim 34, comprising an upper unit and a lower unit, which are movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein, in the open configuration of the mould, the upper unit and the lower unit are spaced apart and in the closed configuration of the mould, the upper unit and the lower unit are close together and delimit the moulding cavity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0052] These and other features will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a capsule body made according to one or more aspects of this disclosure;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows the capsule body of FIG. 1 in a further perspective view;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows the capsule body of FIG. 1 in a longitudinal cross section;

[0056] FIG. 4 shows the capsule body of FIG. 1 in a view from below;

[0057] FIG. 5 shows the capsule of this disclosure, including the body illustrated in FIG. 1 and the lid, where the capsule is inserted into a compartment of a pressure element forming part of a machine for making beverages;

[0058] FIG. 5A illustrates a detail of the pressure device which forms part of the beverage making machine and which, in use, interacts with the capsule body of FIG. 1;

[0059] FIG. 6 shows a mould for making the capsule body of FIG. 1 in an open configuration;

[0060] FIG. 7 shows the mould of FIG. 6 during a step of closing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0061] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a capsule. The capsule 1 comprises a body 100. The body 100 includes a bottom wall 101, a side wall 102 and an annular flange 103. The side wall 102 extends around a longitudinal axis A, between a first annular edge 102A and a second annular edge 102B. The first and the second annular edge 102A and 102B surround the longitudinal axis A. The first annular edge 102A is connected to the bottom wall 101. The second annular edge 102B is connected to the annular flange 103. The annular flange extends from the second annular edge 102B, away from the longitudinal axis A and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis A.

[0062] The side wall 102 has an inner surface, facing towards the longitudinal axis A, and an outer surface, opposite to the inner surface. The side wall 102, or its outer surface, comprises a first portion 1021, a second portion 1022 and a third portion 1023. The first portion 1021 is proximal to the annular flange 103. The second portion 1022 and the third portion 1023 are distal from the annular flange 103. More specifically, the first portion 1021 is connected to the annular flange 103 and the third portion 1023 is connected to the bottom wall 101; the second portion 1022 is connected, on one side, to the first portion 1021 and, on the other side, to the third portion 1023. The first portion 1021 thus extends around the longitudinal axis A between the first annular edge 102A of the side wall and a connecting edge, joining the first portion 1021 and the second portion 1022. The second portion 1022 extends around the longitudinal axis A between the connecting edge joining the first portion 1021 to the second portion, and a connecting edge joining the second portion 1022 to the third portion 1023. The third portion 1023 extends around the longitudinal axis A between the connecting edge joining the second portion 1022 to the third portion 1023, and the second annular edge 102B. The first portion 1021 is frustoconical in shape; thus, the connecting edge joining the first portion 1021 to the second portion 1022, has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the second annular edge 102B. The second portion 1022 is also frustoconical in shape; thus, the connecting edge joining the first portion 1021 to the second portion 1022 is larger in diameter than the connecting edge joining the second portion 1022 to the third portion 1023. The second portion 1022 is more tapered towards the longitudinal axis than the first portion 1021. The third portion 1023 is cylindrical in shape; thus, the connecting edge joining the second portion 1022 to the third portion 1023 has the same diameter as the first annular edge 102A.

[0063] The annular flange 103 has a front surface (or face) 103A and a rear surface (or face) 103B, opposite to the front face 103A. The rear face 103B faces towards the side wall 102.

[0064] The body 100 comprises a lip seal 104. The lip seal 104 juts out from the rear surface 103B of the annular flange 103. Thus, the lip seal 104 produces local thickening of the annular flange 103. Preferably, the lip seal 104, viewed in longitudinal cross section, has a triangular shape. The lip seal 104 is spaced from the outer surface of the side wall 102 (specifically, of the first portion 1021); thus, the outer surface of the side wall 102, the rear face 103B of the annular flange 103 and the lip seal 104 delimit (or define) an annular groove 106. The annular groove 106 extends around the longitudinal axis A.

[0065] The body 100 comprises a plurality of protrusions 105. The protrusions 105 jut from the first portion 1021 of the outer surface of the side wall 102. The protrusions 105 are elongate in shape and extend in parallel (or substantially in parallel) with the longitudinal axis A. The protrusions 105 are equispaced around the longitudinal axis A. The protrusions 105 extend on the first portion 1021 of the side wall 102, starting from the second annular edge 102B (or as far as the annular flange 103). Thus, each protrusion 105 extends from a first end, which is in contact with the annular flange 103, to a second end. It should be noted that the second end is spaced from a connecting edge joining the first portion 1021 to the second portion 1022; in effect, the protrusions 105 occupy only a part of the first portion 1021.

[0066] The protrusions 105 are surrounded by the lip seal 104. Each protrusion 105 includes a first portion (comprising the first end) positioned in the annular groove 106, and a second portion (comprising the second end) positioned outside the annular groove 106.

[0067] The centring protrusions 105 of the plurality of centring protrusions 105 are spaced from the lip seal 104. In other words, the centring protrusions 105 are not in contact with, and are not connected to, the lip seal 104. Thus, the extension of each centring protrusion 105 in a plane parallel to the annular flange 103 is smaller than the distance between the centring protrusion 105 and the lip seal 104 in the selfsame plane which is parallel to the annular flange 103. The fact that the centring protrusions 105 have a reduced extension means that their centring function does not obstruct machine operation.

[0068] The body 100 may comprise an additional lip seal 107 jutting out from the rear surface 103B of the annular flange 103. More specifically, the additional lip seal 107 may be positioned at an outer annular end of the annular flange 103, to produce a thickened annular edge of the annular flange 103. The additional lip seal 107 (that is, the thickened annular edge of the annular flange 103) may, in a longitudinal cross section, have a rectangular or quadrangular shape. The additional lip seal 107 (that is, the thickened annular edge of the annular flange 103) is spaced from, and surrounds, the lip seal 104. Thus, the additional lip seal 107 (that is, the thickened annular edge of the annular flange 103), the rear face 103B of the annular flange 103 and the lip seal 104 delimit an additional annular groove 108. Preferably, the width of the additional annular groove 108 is greater than the width of the annular groove 106 in a plane parallel to the annular flange 103 (that is, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A).

[0069] The capsule 1 comprises a lid 14. The lid 14 is joined to the front surface 103A of the annular flange 103. The lid 14 and the body 100 delimit an internal space inside the capsule 1. The internal space inside the capsule 1 contains a substance 4 for making the beverage (for example, coffee powder).

[0070] When the capsule 1 is inserted into the beverage making machine, at least one injector (or at least one knife) forming part of the machine pierces the bottom wall 101 and feeds hot water into the internal space inside the capsule 1. The beverage is made by infusion. The machine then pierces the lid 14 to extract the beverage made.

[0071] More specifically, the bottom wall 101 comprises a first zone 1011 and a second zone 1012; preferably, the second zone 1012 is annular in shape and surrounds the first zone 1011. The second zone 1012 is smaller in thickness than the first zone 1011. The injector (or knife) of the machine pierces the second zone 1012, which is less thick.

[0072] The bottom wall 101 also comprises a third zone 1013, which surrounds the first zone 1011 and the second zone 1012. The third zone 1013 is connected to the side wall 102 along the first annular edge 102A. The third zone 1013 is larger in thickness than the second zone 1012; for example, the third zone 1013 might be equal in thickness to the first zone 1011.

[0073] The first zone 1011 is preferably oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis A. The second zone 1012, on the other hand, is obliquely inclined to the longitudinal axis A. The third zone 1013 is also obliquely inclined to the longitudinal axis A. Preferably, the second zone 1012 and the third zone 1013 have the same inclination angle to the longitudinal axis A.

[0074] It should be noted that the side wall 102 has, on its inside face, a plurality of annular ribs 1024. The annular ribs 1024 extend around the longitudinal axis A, in respective planes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A, and jut from the inner surface of the side wall 102. More specifically, there are a plurality of annular ribs 1024 jutting from the inside face of the first portion 1021 and at least one annular rib 1024 jutting from the inside face of the second portion 1022.

[0075] Preferably, the capsule 1 also comprises a plurality of anti-stacking elements 109. The anti-stacking elements 109 are connected to the inside faces of the side wall 102 and bottom wall 101, facing towards the internal space (that is, towards the longitudinal axis A). The anti-stacking elements 109 make it easier to unstack a plurality of bodies 100 of a respective plurality of capsules 1 which have been stacked one inside the other. The anti-stacking elements 109 are disposed around the longitudinal axis A and jut from the inside face of the side wall 102. The anti-stacking elements 109 extend in parallel with the longitudinal axis A, from a first end, which is joined to the bottom wall 101, to a second end. More specifically, the first end is joined to the third zone 1013 of the bottom wall 101. The plurality of anti-stacking elements 109 includes a first group 109A and a second group 109B which differ in size (more specifically, which differ in length along the side wall 102, that is, along the longitudinal axis A). More specifically, the elements of the first group 109A are greater in length than the elements of the second group 109B. In effect, the elements of the second group 109B jut from the inside face only of the third portion 1023 of the side wall, while the elements of the first group 109A jut from the inside face of both the third portion 1023 and the second portion 1022. The elements of the first group 109A are alternated with those of the second group 109B in such a way that between a first element of the first group 109A and a second element of the first group 109A there are one or more elements of the second group 109B.

[0076] This disclosure also relates to a mould 2. The mould 2 is shaped in such a way as to form the body 100 of the capsule 1. The mould 2 comprises an upper unit 21 and a lower unit 22, movable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis A (which coincides with the longitudinal axis A of the body 100 formed). The upper unit 21 is located at a greater vertical height than the lower unit 22. The upper unit 21 and the lower unit 22 are movable relative to each other between a spaced-apart position, which defines an open configuration of the mould 2, and a close-together position, which defines a closed configuration of the mould 2. In the open configuration, the mould 2 is configured to receive a charge 3 of thermoplastic material. Preferably, the charge 3 is placed on the lower unit 22. In the closed configuration, the upper unit 21 and the lower unit 22 delimit a moulding cavity 200 in which the body 100 of the capsule 1 is formed by compression moulding, starting from the charge 3.

[0077] The moulding cavity 200 includes a bottom recess 201, configured to form the bottom wall 101 of the body 100 of the capsule 1.

[0078] The moulding cavity 200 also includes a side recess 202, connected to (that is, in communication with) the bottom recess 201. The side recess 202 is configured to form the side wall 102 of the body 100 of the capsule 1. More specifically, the side recess 202 extends around the longitudinal axis A, between a first annular end 202A and a second annular end 202B. The first annular end 202A is connected to (that is, in communication with) the bottom recess 201. The moulding cavity 200 also includes a flange recess 203, which extends from the second annular end 202B away from the longitudinal axis. Thus, the flange recess 203 is connected to (that is, in communication with) the side recess 202, at the second annular end 202B. The side recess 203 is configured to form the annular flange 103 of the body 100 of the capsule 1.

[0079] The moulding cavity 200 also includes a plurality of recesses 204, disposed around the longitudinal axis A in a portion of the side recess 202 proximate to the flange recess 203; more specifically, the recesses are hollows in an outside wall of the side recess 202, opposite to an inside wall facing towards the longitudinal axis. The recesses are configured to form the protrusions 104.

[0080] The capsule 1 is configured to be inserted into a beverage making machine provided with a pressure bell element 301. The pressure bell element 301 includes an annular protrusion 302 configured to be press fitted into the annular groove 106, thereby creating a hermetic seal. Thus, the annular protrusion 302 of the pressure bell element 301 and the rear face 103B of the annular flange 103, which is provided with the groove 106 and the lip seal 104, are shaped in such way as to be coupled to each other by a press fit - that is to say, by deforming the lip seal 104 at least on a side wall facing towards the groove 106. During the movement of the pressure element 301 (prior to the situation where the hermetic seal is created), specific knives (not illustrated in the drawings) cut the bottom wall 101 (specifically the second zone 1012 thereof) of the body 100 and inject water or steam at a high temperature into the substance 4, thereby starting the process whereby the beverage is made.