AN OPTIMIZED COFFEE POD FOR BEVERAGE PREPARATION

Abstract

The present invention concerns a container (1) containing coffee ingredient, comprising a chamber delimited by an injection wall (3) able to be punctured or otherwise opened for circulating water under pressure and by a coffee delivery wall (4), the entire chamber being filled with said coffee. At least a portion of said injection wall (3) has the shape of a half torus, or a half toroidal polyhedron, so as to define a ring-shaped chamber portion (2).

Claims

1. A container containing coffee ingredient for use in a food or beverage preparation machine, comprising a chamber delimited by an injection wall able to be punctured or otherwise opened for circulating water under pressure, and by a coffee delivery wall, the chamber being filled with the coffee, at least a portion of the injection wall has the shape of a half torus, or a half toroidal polyhedron, so as to define a ring-shaped chamber.

2. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the coffee ingredient contained in the ring-shaped chamber is a roast and ground coffee.

3. Coffee container according to claim 2, wherein the ring-shaped chamber surrounds a central container portion filled with a second ingredient that differs from the coffee ingredient contained in the ring-shaped chamber.

4. Coffee container according to claim 3, wherein the second ingredient is a powdered soluble coffee, or a roast and ground coffee having different roasting, grinding and/or powder compaction characteristics, than that of the coffee contained in the ring-shaped chamber.

5. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the width of the ring-shaped chamber is between 5 to 15 mm.

6. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing wall is planar and has a square or disc shape.

7. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing wall is made of a liquid impermeable material that is pierceable by a piercing member of the food or beverage preparation machine.

8. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the injection wall is made of a paper-based or compostable material.

9. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the injection and dispensing walls are sealed or otherwise glued or welded one to another to form a closed chamber.

10. Coffee container according to claim 1, wherein the coffee contained in the chamber is a compacted coffee powder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the description of the presently preferred embodiments which are set out below with reference to the drawings in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of one embodiment of a container according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective cut view of the container of FIG. 1, in the brewing chamber of a food or beverage machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] FIG. 1 depicts a container 1 according to the invention, for containing coffee ingredient. The container 1 is designed for insertion and use in the brewing chamber of a coffee preparation machine of the type using single-use disposable pods.

[0029] The container 1 comprises a chamber 2 delimited by an injection wall 3 able to be punctured or otherwise opened for circulating water under pressure, and by a coffee delivery wall 4. The coffee delivery wall 4 is pierced (or generally opened) under the effect of the rise of fluid pressure inside the container, onto at least one, preferably a series of opening elements of the machine which exert an opening (e.g. a puncturing or tearing force on the material) when the pressure inside the container increases, due to the injection of water therein through the injection wall).

[0030] The container chamber 2 is filled with coffee which is preferably a blend of roast and ground coffee. The chamber is preferably entirely filled (no headspace is present). According to the principle of the invention, the injection wall has the shape of a half torus, so as to define a ring-shaped chamber portion, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0031] The ring-shaped chamber 2 surrounds a central container portion 5 that is empty in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, but could be filled in an alternative with a second ingredient that differs from the coffee ingredient contained in the ring-shaped chamber portion. In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the central portion is formed by directly attaching (e.g. sealing or gluing) the injection wall 3 to the dispensing wall 4, like in the outer portions 6 of the container that surround the chamber 2. The width W of the ring-shaped chamber is 12 mm. The height H of the chamber 2 is 8 mm.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the container according to the invention is designed to be inserted in the brewing chamber 10 of a food or beverage preparation machine (the machine as a whole is not illustrated).

[0033] The brewing chamber 10 is of the type already known in the art and will not be described in great details hereafter. It generally comprises two parts, an injection part 11 and a dispensing part 12 that are movable relatively to one another, so as to open and close the brewing chamber. FIG. 2 depicts the brewing chamber 10 in its open state with the coffee container partially inserted therein in an insertion socket 13. The square-shaped outer portions 6 of the container 1 are guided in insertion socket's grooves during insertion. In another embodiment, the outer boundaries of the container could have another shape than square (e.g. circular).

[0034] The injection part comprises a series of injection spikes 14 which are able to pierce and partially protrude through the container chamber 2 when the container is inserted inside the brewing chamber 10 and the latter is closed around the container in order to prepare a beverage. The height of the spikes is less than the height H of the chamber so that the spikes can never contact the dispensing wall of the container. The injection part 11 comprises a water entry 15 that is linked to the fluidic system of the beverage machine (a water source, e.g. a water tank that is linked through pipes to a water pump and preferably a water heater) that is able to deliver water, preferably heated water at a certain pressure towards the brewing chamber for injection inside the coffee container through spikes 14.

[0035] The dispensing part 12 of the brewing chamber 10 comprises a series of opening elements 16 as described above, which contact the surface of the dispensing wall when the brewing chamber is closed.

[0036] When water is injected inside the container, fluid pressure increases therein, which presses the dispensing wall 4 against the opening elements 16, until the material of the dispensing wall opens to let the coffee prepared by mixing water and coffee out. Coffee then flows towards a cup (not shown) through a collecting chamber 17 and a dispensing outlet 18 of the dispensing part 12.

[0037] For one given type of food or beverage preparation machine, only one size of coffee container can be proposed to the consumer. However, according to the principle of the invention, a whole range of containers can be proposed, each of which has a different ingredient chamber width W, which allows to vary the amount of coffee contained therein, and therefore the volume of coffee that can be prepared therewith. Importantly, only the width of the ring-shaped chamber varies from one container type to another, so that different types of containers can be used with the same machine, without the need for a complex brewing chamber that would need to adapt to all different types of containers. In particular, the invention obviates the need for a complex adaptive system for increasing or decreasing the distance between the injection and dispensing parts of the brewing chamber, depending on the height of each different container of the proposed range.

[0038] All containers within the same range adapted to function with one type of machine, have a fixed height H.

[0039] For the preparation of a short cup such as a Ristretto or an Espresso, (i.e. in-cup volume of 10 ml to 25 ml with high quality crema), a small container is used, that contains a roast and ground coffee. In this case, the volume of the container ingredient chamber is comprised between 3.5 ml and 15 ml, preferably between 9 ml and 11 ml.

[0040] For the preparation of a medium size cup of coffee (80 ml to 130 ml), a medium size container is used. In this case, the volume of the container ingredient chamber is comprised between 15 ml and 17 ml.

[0041] For the preparation of a long cup such as an Americano, or a Lungo (i.e. in-cup beverage volume above 130 ml), one can use a large or an extra-large container size, containing a roast and ground coffee offering then a long cup without over-extracted notes. In this case, the volume of the pod ingredient chamber is comprised between 17 ml and 115 ml, preferably between 17 ml and 20 ml.

[0042] In all of the above examples, the coffee powder that is contained in the chamber 2 can be either loose or in a compacted state.

[0043] The container according to the invention was found to provide the best solution to offer the most qualitative and quantitative coffee cup from 10 ml, up to 500 ml, without adding complexity and cost to the beverage preparation machine.

[0044] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.