CONTAINER ENCLOSING A DOSE OF A FOOD OR BEVERAGE INGREDIENT, ASSEMBLY INCLUDING SUCH A CONTAINER AND A FOOD OR BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINE, AND FOOD OR BEVERAGE PREPARATION PROCESS IMPLEMENTING SUCH AN ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The invention is directed to a container (1) for enclosing a dose (2) of a food or beverage ingredient. The container (1) has a first region (8) for cooperating with a liquid injection device (106) that has several injectors (116) distributed over an injection area (118). The container (1) has a second region (10) for being punctured by a puncturing device (108) that has several puncturing elements (120) distributed over a puncturing area (122). The container (1) is composed of at least one dissolvable material. The invention is also directed to an assembly (101) including such a container (1) and a food or beverage preparation machine (102). The invention is further directed to a food or beverage preparation process implementing such an assembly (101).

Claims

1. Container for enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient, wherein the container has a first region configured to cooperate with a liquid injection device that is part of a food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area, wherein the container has a second region configured to be punctured by a puncturing device that is part of the food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of puncturing elements, the puncturing elements being distributed over a puncturing area, wherein the container is composed of at least one dissolvable material.

2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container is configured such that, when the container is arranged in an extraction cell of the food or beverage preparation machine during a food or beverage preparation process: a liquid injected by the liquid injection device may enter the container via the first region, the liquid entered in the container may interact with the dose, a food or beverage product resulting from said interacting may exit the container via the second region, and the container may start dissolving or may at least partially dissolve.

3. Container according to any one of the preceding claim 1, wherein the at least one dissolvable material has oxygen barrier properties.

4. Container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dissolvable material consists essentially in at least one edible material.

5. Container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dissolvable material is selected from the group consisting of: seaweed, seaweed extract, celluloses, polysaccharides, proteins, and mixtures thereof.

6. Container according to claim 1, wherein the food or beverage ingredient is selected from the group consisting of: ground coffee, coffee extract, tea leaves, tea extract, milk powder, vegetable powder, fruit powder, and mixtures thereof.

7. Container according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the container, or the thickness of the at least one dissolvable material as the case may be, is between 10 μm and 200 μm.

8. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises at least one part defining a cavity for housing the dose and at least one part configured to close said cavity, said parts having respective flanges sealed together such that the container may be configured as a closed package.

9. Container according to claim 8, wherein the flanges are flexible.

10. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container is coated with a film made of a material having high moisture barrier properties.

11. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one paper layer including paper or paper fibers.

12. Container according to claim 1, wherein the first region has a substantially flat surface and wherein the second region has a substantially flat surface.

13. Assembly including a food or beverage preparation machine and a container for enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient, wherein the container has a first region configured to cooperate with a liquid injection device that is part of a food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area, the liquid injection device being for example in the form of a shower, wherein the container has a second region configured to be punctured by a puncturing device that is part of the food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of puncturing elements, the puncturing elements being distributed over a puncturing area, wherein the container is composed of at least one dissolvable material, wherein the food or beverage preparation machine comprises: an extraction cell configured to hold the container during a food or beverage preparation process, a liquid injection device having a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area, the injection device being configured to cooperate with the first region of the container, the liquid injection device being for example in the form of a shower, and a puncturing device having a plurality of puncturing elements distributed over a puncturing area, the puncturing device being configured to cooperate with the second region of the container.

14. (canceled)

Description

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0084] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will now be described in relation to the embodiments of the enclosed figures.

[0085] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective cut view of an assembly according to an embodiment of the invention and including a container according to an embodiment of the invention, the food or beverage preparation machine being in an open position.

[0086] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective cut view of the assembly of FIG. 1, the food or beverage preparation machine being in a closed position.

[0087] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view, from below, of a part of the assembly of FIG. 2, in particular of the container.

[0088] FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view, from above, of a part of the assembly of FIG. 2, in particular of the container.

[0089] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a food or beverage preparation process according to an embodiment of the invention and implementing the assembly and container of FIG. 1-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0090] FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show, in accordance with the invention, an assembly 101 including a container 1 and a beverage preparation machine 102. An object of the assembly 101 is to enhance the ease and speed of composting or recycling of the container 1 that is used therein, while requiring little or no energy to handle the produced waste.

[0091] The beverage preparation machine 102 comprises an extraction cell 104, a liquid injection device 106, a puncturing device 108 and a collecting chamber 110.

[0092] The extraction cell 104 is configured to hold the container 1 during a food or beverage preparation process, the so-called extraction. The extraction cell 104 may include an upstream component 112 and a downstream component 114. The upstream component 112 and the downstream component 114 may be movable between: [0093] an open configuration as visible in FIG. 1, where a container 1 may be introduced in or removed from the extraction cell 104, and [0094] a closed configuration as visible in FIG. 2, where the container 1 may be processed.

[0095] The liquid injection device 106 has a plurality of injectors 116, which are distributed over an injection area 118 as visible in FIG. 3. The injection area 118 may extend over a circle where the injectors 116 are distributed. In particular, the liquid injection device 106 may be in the form of a shower. The injection device 106 may be integral with or secured to the upstream component 112. The injectors 116 may be configured to pierce an upstream part of the container 1.

[0096] The upstream component 112 may further have an injection duct 117 as visible in FIG. 1. The injection duct 117 may fluidly connect the liquid injection device 106 to a non-illustrated liquid displacing unit, for example a pump, arranged upstream the injection duct 117. The liquid injection device 106 may be configured to guide a liquid, for example water, flowing from the injection duct 117 and the upstream component 112 into the container 1 in order to inject this liquid into the container 1 and have it interact with the beverage ingredient.

[0097] The puncturing device 108 has a plurality of puncturing elements 120 for puncturing the container 1. The puncturing elements 120 are distributed over a puncturing area 122 as visible in FIG. 4. The puncturing area 122 may extend over a circle where the puncturing elements 120 are distributed.

[0098] The puncturing device 108 may be in the form of a pyramid plate, in which most or all of the puncturing elements 120 may substantially be shaped as pyramids or truncated pyramids or similar polyhedrons like sharp tetrahedrons. The puncturing device 108 may be integral with or secured to the downstream component 114. The puncturing device 108 may be configured to pierce a downstream part of the container 1.

[0099] The puncturing device 108 may be configured to guide out of the container 1 the beverage product resulting from an interaction of the liquid with the beverage ingredient inside the container 1. The puncturing device 108 may be configured to let the beverage product pass through it.

[0100] The downstream component 114 may further have a discharging duct 119 as visible in FIG. 1. The discharging duct 119 may fluidly connect the puncturing device 108, hence the container 1, to a non-illustrated liquid dispensing unit, which may in turn dispense the beverage product into a receptacle like a cup.

[0101] The collecting chamber 110 may be configured to collect a container 1 after it has been removed from the extraction cell 104. The collecting chamber 110 may be formed by a receptacle of a volume suitable for receiving several used containers 1. The collecting chamber 110 may be detachably coupled to the beverage preparation machine 102. A user may detach the collecting chamber 110 to empty it from the used containers 1 and then recouple the collecting chamber 110 to the beverage preparation machine 102.

[0102] An exemplary structure of the container 1 will now be described in relation to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The container 1 encloses a dose 2 of ground coffee as a beverage ingredient, as symbolized by the arrow 2 in FIG. 1. the container 1 and the dose 2 may form a capsule, a pod, a cartridge or any similar portion.

[0103] The container 1 may comprise a part 4 defining a cavity for receiving the dose 2 and a part 6 configured to close said cavity. The parts 4 and 6 may have respective flanges 4.1 and 6.1 sealed together in a liquid-tight manner, such that the container 1 may be configured as a closed package and prevent an ingress of, e.g., moisture. The parts 4 and 6 may be flexible. In particular, the flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may be flexible. The flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may have an annular protruding shape extending all around the cavity containing the dose 2. The flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may be flat.

[0104] The container 1 has a first region 8 configured to cooperate with the liquid injection device 106. In particular, the first region 8 may be configured to be pierced by the injectors 116. The container 1 has a second region 10 configured to be punctured by the puncturing device 108, in particular by the puncturing elements 120.

[0105] As visible in FIG. 1-4 the first region 8 may have a flat surface, and the second region 10 may have a flat surface. The first region 8 may have exactly the shape of a circular disc, and the second region 10 may have exactly the shape of a circular disc. Such a design of the first region 8 may promote a uniform distribution in the flow of the liquid entering the container 1 and the dose 2. Further, such a design of the second region 10 may promote a uniform distribution in the flow of the beverage product exiting from the container 1.

[0106] As visible in FIG. 2, the container 1 may be configured such that, when the container 1 is arranged in the extraction cell 104 during a beverage preparation process: [0107] a liquid, say water, injected by the liquid injection device 106 may enter the container via the first region 8, [0108] the liquid entered in the container 1 may interact with the dose 2, [0109] a beverage product resulting from said interacting may exit the container 1 via the second region 10.

[0110] Then, the beverage product may flow through the discharging duct 119 and downstream to the dispensing unit and a user's cup.

[0111] The first region 8 and the second region 10 may have relatively large surface areas to enhance respectively the ingress of the liquid in the container 10 and the discharge of the liquid out of the container 10, as well as to reduce the time required for the complete composting or recycling of the container 10.

[0112] An exemplary nature or composition of the container 1 will now be described. The container 1 is composed of at least one dissolvable material. In the example of FIG. 1-4, the container may consist essentially in a dissolvable material. After the beverage preparation process, the container 1 may start dissolving, preferably after leaving the extraction cell 104, most preferably after reaching the collecting chamber 110.

[0113] In the example of FIG. 1-4 the dissolvable material may consist in one or more polysaccharides, for example in starches like corn starch. The dissolvable material may have oxygen barrier properties, so as to preserve the beverage ingredient from oxidation before use. The dissolvable material may consist only in an edible material.

[0114] In addition, the container 1 may include a non-illustrated film be coated on a layer of the dissolvable material. The film may be secured to the dissolvable material by lamination before forming the container 1 into its final shape of FIG. 1-4. The film may be made of a material having high moisture barrier properties. In the example of FIG. 1-4 the film may be consist in a xanthan gum. Thus, the container may have moisture barrier properties.

[0115] Thus, a used container 1, together with its dose 2, can be easily and quickly composted or recycled, while requiring little or no energy from the user to handle the produced waste. In particular, this is made possible since the container 1 and the used dose 2 are wet, i.e. covered or impregnated by the liquid after the corresponding beverage preparation process.

[0116] The first region 8 and the second region 10 may have relatively large surface areas with respect to the overall surface area of the container 1 in order to respectively cooperate with the injection device 106 and the puncturing device 108. Thus, the liquid may quickly cover and impregnate most or all of the container 1 including the dose 2, which increases the ease and speed of composting or recycling the container 1.

[0117] In the example of FIG. 1-4, the container 1 forms the sole packaging for the dose 2. This may enhance the user experience, since the user does not need to open or empty any envelope or additional packaging before having the beverage product prepared. Also, the usual plastic waste due to such an envelope or additional packaging is not generated with the container 1.

[0118] Further, the thickness of the dissolvable material may be selected such that most or all of the container 1 may start dissolving after a predetermined length of time. Most or all of the container 1 may resist dissolution during the predetermined length of time, which approximately corresponds to the duration of the beverage preparing process.

[0119] For example, the thickness of the dissolvable material may be selected such that the container 1 can hold the liquid injected therein. The thickness of the container 1 may be selected between 10 μm and 200 μm (microns). The thickness of the container 1 may be substantially constant.

[0120] Further, the thickness of the container 1 and the composition of the dissolvable material may be selected, so as to achieve a composting over a certain length of time, for example of between a few hours and several weeks, e.g. up to 12 weeks.

[0121] FIG. 5 illustrates a beverage preparation process 201, which implements the assembly 101 along with a container 1, the beverage preparation process comprising: [0122] 202) implementing the assembly 101, [0123] 204) placing the container 1 in the extraction cell 104, [0124] 206) closing the extraction cell 104, such that the plurality of injectors 116 pierce the container 1, preferably the first region 8, [0125] 208) injecting liquid in the container 1 via the liquid injection device 106, such that the plurality of puncturing elements 120 puncture the container 1, preferably the second region 10, [0126] 210) stopping the injection of liquid, [0127] 212) discharging the beverage product via the puncturing device 108, preferably through the discharging duct 119 arranged downstream the puncturing device 108, [0128] 214) opening the extraction cell 104, [0129] 216) removing the container 1 and the beverage ingredient from the extraction cell 104, and preferably putting the container 1 in the collecting chamber 110, and [0130] 218) at least partially or even completely dissolving of the container 1, preferably (at least partially) in the collecting chamber 110.

[0131] The invention is not limited to the afore-described embodiments, and other embodiments may be implemented as long as they are covered by the scope of protection conferred by one of the appended claims.