Disposable capsule for dispensing machines of infused beverages

Abstract

A disposable capsule for use in beverage machines is disclosed. The capsule has a hollow, cup-shaped body adapted to receive a measured dose of a syrup, a liquid or a powder concentrate. The hollow body has an insert housed therein which includes a disc-shaped portion and a stem which stretches out axially from the top of the disc-shaped portion. The stem has an axial through cavity which defines a channel for the dispensing of a beverage. The through cavity includes an inlet formed at an end of the stem located close to the cover of the capsule and an outlet formed at the opposite end of the stem.

Claims

1. A disposable capsule configured for being inserted in machines for preparing a beverage, said disposable capsule comprising: i) a hollow, cup-shaped body configured to receive a measured dose of a syrup, a liquid, or a powder concentrate, said hollow cup-shaped body comprising a bottom into which a through opening is formed and a peripheral wall on whose peripheral edge a flange is formed; ii) a cover fixed on said flange; iii) a film applied on said bottom inside the hollow cup-shaped body so as to seal said through opening; and iv) an insert housed in said hollow cup-shaped body, said insert comprising a circular-shaped portion and a stem which stretches out axially from the top of said circular-shaped portion; wherein the insert comprises perforation elements configured to axially move between a packaging position, wherein the stem presses against the cover deforming the cover outwards, and an opening position, wherein the stem is configured to advance axially towards the film and pierces the film by way of said perforation elements, and wherein the stem comprises an axial through cavity which defines a channel for the dispensing of the beverage, said axial through cavity comprising an inlet formed at an end of the stem located in contact with the cover of the disposable capsule and an outlet formed at the opposite end of the stem and facing the film, said inlet and said outlet being in fluid communication with each other by said axial through cavity extending from said inlet to said outlet; and wherein the circular-shaped portion of the insert has a frustoconical shape comprising a peripheral edge that rests on the bottom of the hollow cup-shaped body of the disposable capsule and a mantle, and one or more of said perforation elements that protrude axially from a concavity of the mantle and face the film that seals the bottom.

2. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said perforation elements have the shape of a flap.

3. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said perforation elements have the shape of a dovetail.

4. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the perforation elements of the insert are spaced from the outlet radially outwards.

5. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet are positioned at opposite ends of said axial through cavity.

6. A disposable capsule configured for being inserted in machines for preparing a beverage, said disposable capsule comprising: i) a hollow, cup-shaped body configured to receive a measured dose of a syrup, a liquid, or a powder concentrate, said hollow cup-shaped body comprising a bottom into which a through opening is formed and a peripheral wall on whose peripheral edge a flange is formed; ii) a cover fixed on said flange; iii) a film applied on said bottom inside the hollow cup-shaped body so as to seal said through opening; and iv) an insert housed in said hollow cup-shaped body, said insert comprising a circular-shaped portion and a stem which stretches out axially from the top of said circular-shaped portion; wherein the insert comprises perforation elements configured to axially move between a packaging position, wherein the stem presses against the cover deforming the cover outwards, and an opening position, wherein the stem is configured to advance axially towards the film and pierces the film by way of said perforation elements, and wherein the stem comprises an axial through cavity which defines a channel for the dispensing of the beverage, said axial through cavity comprising an inlet formed at an end of the stem located in contact with the cover of the disposable capsule and an outlet formed at the opposite end of the stem and facing the film, said inlet and said outlet being in fluid communication with each other by said axial through cavity extending from said inlet to said outlet; and wherein the circular-shaped portion of the insert is restrained at a top region of the disposable capsule and the stem extends axially from the circular-shaped portion towards the bottom of the disposable capsule.

7. The capsule according to claim 6, wherein the circular-shaped portion is restrained at the top region of the disposable capsule by way of an annular element having a predefined breakage threshold.

8. The capsule according to claim 6, wherein a peripheral edge of the outlet of the stem is tapered or provided with a saw tooth profile.

9. The capsule according to claim 6, further comprising a centering member formed on the bottom in correspondence of the through opening, said centering member being configured so as to receive the stem during an axial movement of the stem towards the film.

10. The capsule according to claim 6, wherein the through opening of the disposable capsule has a cross section smaller than the cross section of the channel defined by the axial through cavity of the stem.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Reference will be made to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective top and bottom views, respectively, of a capsule according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective, exploded view of the capsule of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the capsule of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4a shows a detail of an insert of the capsule of FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to the view of FIG. 4, wherein the capsule comprises an insert having perforation elements of a different type;

(7) FIG. 5a shows a detail of the insert of the capsule of FIG. 5;

(8) FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective top and bottom views, respectively, of a capsule according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective, exploded view of the capsule of FIG. 6;

(10) FIGS. 9 and 10 are longitudinally sectional views of the capsule of FIG. 6 respectively showing a packaging configuration and an operational configuration thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) Initially referring to FIGS. 1 to 5a, a disposable capsule according to the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 100.

(12) The capsule 100 comprises a cup-shaped hollow body 110 adapted to receive a measured dose of a syrup or, more generally, a liquid concentrate or a powder product such as coffee, milk, chocolate and the like.

(13) The hollow body 110 comprises a bottom 111 and a peripheral wall 112 on whose top edge a flange 113 is formed. In a packaging configuration, the cup-shaped hollow body 110 is closed by a cover 120 (shown in transparency in FIG. 1) sealed on the flange 113. The cover may be e.g. a film made of a polylaminate material, which serves to seal the cavity so as to allow to preserve over time the granular or particulate product stored therein.

(14) A through opening 114 is formed in the bottom 111 for the dispensing of the infused beverage obtainable from the product contained in the capsule 100. The through opening has for example a circular cross section.

(15) In the illustrated embodiment, the through opening 114 has a funnel shape adapted to facilitate outflow of an infused beverage and is reinforced by a plurality of radial ribs 115.

(16) The through opening 114 is sealed by a film 130 that is applied to the bottom 111 from the inside of the hollow body 110. The film is made, for example, of a polylaminate material and defines with the peripheral wall 112 and the cover 120 of the capsule body a closed chamber suitable to preserve the product in granular or particle form.

(17) The capsule 100 further comprises an insert 200 housed in its body 110. The insert 200 extends axially from the bottom 111 of the hollow body 110 to the cover 120.

(18) The insert 200 comprises a disc (i.e., a circular) portion 210 having a frustoconical shape with a peripheral rim 211 intended to rest on the bottom 111 of the body 110 of the capsule 100 and a mantle 212. The insert 200 is provided with perforation means associated with the disc portion 210. Such perforation means are one or more elements indicated by the reference numeral 213, projecting axially from the concavity of the disc portion 210 facing the inner film 130.

(19) As shown in FIG. 4 and in the detail of FIG. 4a, the perforation elements 213 may have, for example, the shape of a flap.

(20) As shown in FIG. 5 and in the detail of FIG. 5a, the perforation elements may alternatively have a dovetail shape that allows not only to cut the inner film 130, but also to move its cut portions towards the through opening 114 so as to facilitate dispensing of the infused beverage.

(21) The insert 200 also comprises a stem 220 extending axially from the frustoconical portion 210. The free end of the stem 220 extends axially beyond the flanged rim 113 of the capsule body 110, so that in an assembled configuration of the capsule the cover 120 is deformed and assumes a convex or dome shape.

(22) In the illustrated embodiment, the stem 220 also advantageously comprises reinforcing ribs 221 extending radially outwards.

(23) According to the invention, the stem 220 also has an axial through cavity 222 defining a channel for the dispensing of a beverage. The through cavity comprises an inlet 223 formed close to a free end thereof, and hence close to the cover 120, and an outlet 224 formed at the opposite end, and thus facing the inner film 130 applied to the bottom 111 of the hollow body 110.

(24) It is known that, when inserting a capsule 100 into a dispensing machine for infused beverages, the infusion chamber of the machine is tightly closed thereby locking the capsule 100. Locking typically occurs at the flanged edge of the capsule. The cover 120 is compressed in the direction indicated by arrow P and is perforated during the closing step or immediately afterwards by one or more injection needles that allow injection of an infusion liquid. In FIGS. 4 and 5, an arrow IN schematically indicates the position of an injector needle. Consequently, the stem 220 is moved axially and the frustoconical disc portion 210 is flattened onto the bottom 111, so that the perforation elements 213 cut the inner film 130 and form respective openings for the dispensing of an infused beverage via the through aperture 114.

(25) The overall configuration of insert 200 is such that, when an infusion liquid is injected into the cavity of capsule 100, it is directed to its bottom 111, mixed with the product contained in the cavity and forms a beverage that flows back to the cover 120 until it reaches the inlet 223 and enters the channel 222 defined by the stem 220. The beverage then flows out of the capsule 100 through the outlet 224.

(26) In other words, dispensing of an infused beverage from the capsule 100 occurs as it happens in a siphon, which eliminates leakage problems typically occurring at the end of a dispensing step due to residues of the infusion liquid remaining inside the capsule.

(27) The arrows in FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically show the flow of the infusion liquid and of the infused beverage inside the capsule 100.

(28) As shown in the longitudinal section of FIG. 4 and also in FIG. 5, the perforation elements 213 of the insert 200 are preferably arranged radially spaced from the outlet 224. Therefore, the flow of an infused beverage coming out from the channel 222 does not reach the through opening 114 directly, but is deviated radially by the inner film 130 until it reaches the openings made therein by the perforation elements 213. This feature provides the advantage of reducing swirling of the beverage and bubble formation, thus improving its organoleptic qualities.

(29) Now referring now to FIGS. 6 to 10 an alternative embodiment of the capsule according to the invention is disclosed.

(30) As it may be seen, in this case the insert 200 is substantially arranged upside down if compared to the insert of the embodiment described above, i.e. with the disc shaped portion 210 restrained close to the top of the capsule 100 and the stem 220 extending axially from the disc shaped portion 210 to the bottom 111 of the capsule 100.

(31) The disc portion 210 is restrained close to the top of the capsule 100 by way of a breakable annular element indicated by reference numeral 214.

(32) Similarly to the embodiment described above, the stem 220 comprises an axial through cavity 222 defining a channel for dispensing a beverage. The through cavity 222 comprises an inlet 223 close to its free end, and hence to the cover 120, and an outlet 224 formed at the opposite end and therefore facing the inner film 130 applied to the bottom 111 of the hollow body 110.

(33) With particular reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, upon closure of the capsule 100 in an infusion chamber, the disc portion 210 is pressed down onto the bottom 111 as schematically shown by the arrow P and is detached from the annular element 214 that supports it in a packaged condition. The stem 220 of the insert 200 cuts the inner film 130 which seals the bottom 111 of the capsule 100 thus approaching the inlet opening 114. It will be appreciated that in this case the perforation means of the insert 200 are formed by the peripheral edge 225 surrounding the outlet 224 of the stem 220. In order to facilitate cutting of the inner film 130, the peripheral edge 225 may advantageously be sharpened, for example tapered and/or provided with a saw tooth profile.

(34) It will be appreciated that in this condition the stem 220 engages the opening formed in the inner film as a cap, thereby preventing dispensing of the infused beverage, which is forced to flow up towards the cover 120 of the capsule 100 and enter the channel 222.

(35) A centering element may advantageously be formed on the bottom 111 of the capsule 100 at the through aperture 114. The centering element is configured to receive the stem 220 during its axial movement, thus facilitating its movement relative to the through opening 114 and improving its plug behavior. The centering element, indicated by reference numeral 111a, may for example be a cylindrical collar extending axially from the bottom 111 to the cover 120.

(36) The arrows in FIG. 10 schematically show the flow of the infusion liquid and of the infused beverage inside the capsule 100. It will be noted that the flow path is quite similar to that of the first embodiment of the invention described above.

(37) In the illustrated embodiment, the through opening 114 for dispensing the infused beverage from the capsule 100 has a smaller cross section than the cross section of the channel 222 defined by the hollow stem 220. This configuration of the through opening 114, which is not essential for the invention, has the effect of accelerating the outflow of the beverage. This feature is very advantageous in the case of beverages based on syrups and liquid concentrates, since it promotes their mixing not only inside the capsule but also along the exit path from it.

(38) The present invention has been described hereinabove with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It will be appreciated that further embodiments relating to the same inventive idea may exist, as defined by the scope of protection of the claims set out below.