METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR PRODUCING A PORTION CAPSULE, AND PORTION CAPSULE FOR BEVERAGES AND FOODSTUFFS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a portion capsule (2) for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl (3) comprising a seal edge (30), a (31) and a covering face (32) and having a cup-base shaped filter element (4) which is inserted into the bowl (2) and in which a product is introduced, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a filter element (4) from a forming piece (42) comprising a filter material; (b) inserting the filter element (4) formed into a cup-shaped bowl (3); (c) connecting an edge of the formed filter element (4) to a seal edge (30) of the cup-shaped bowl (3); and (d) connecting the filter element (4) to the base (31) and/or the covering face (32) of the bowl (3). The invention further relates to an installation (1) for producing a portion capsule (2) and a portion capsule (2) for drinks and food products.

Claims

1. A method for producing a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product is introduced, comprising the steps of: a) forming a filter element from a forming piece comprising a filter material; b) inserting the filter element formed into a cup-shaped bowl; c) connecting an edge of the formed filter element to a seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl; and d) connecting the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter element is preformed in step a), wherein the preformed filter element is brought into a definitive form before or during step d).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the forming piece is stamped or cut out from a material web before step a).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bowl is transported during the method in a product flow direction, wherein preferably a plurality of bowls are connected to each other in the product flow direction in steps a) to d).

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the step of e) embossing the bowl with the filter element inserted.

6. An installation for producing a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product can be introduced, comprising: a first device, in particular a fold-forming member, for forming a filter element from a forming piece comprising a filter material; a second device for inserting the formed filter element into a cup-shaped bowl; a third device, in particular a seal device, for fitting a seal edge of the formed filter element to a seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl; and a fourth device, in particular a seal device, for fitting the filter element to the base of the bowl.

7. The installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein there is provided before or at the fourth device a forming tool, by means of which the filter element inserted into the bowl can be brought into a definitive form before or during the fitting of the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl.

8. The installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein a stamping or cutting device for stamping or cutting out the forming piece from a material web is provided in the product flow direction upstream of the first device.

9. The installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein there is provided a transport device, by means of which the bowl can be transported in the product flow direction during production of the portion capsule, wherein a plurality of bowls are preferably connected to each other in the product flow direction.

10. The installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein there is provided a stamping device downstream of the device for fitting the filter element to the base of the bowl, wherein the bowl with the filter element inserted can be brought into a final form by means of the stamping device.

11. A portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl, comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product can be introduced, wherein an edge of the filter element is connected to the seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl, wherein the filter element is connected to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Additional advantages and aspects of the invention will be appreciated from the claims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention which are explained below with reference to the Figures, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a portion capsule;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an installation for producing a portion capsule according to FIG. 1; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a packaging line for producing, filling and packaging the portion capsules illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a portion capsule 2 for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl 3 and a cup-shaped filter element 4 which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product which is not illustrated can be introduced.

[0028] The bowl 3 has a seal edge 30, a base 31 and a covering face 32. The filter element 4 is connected at the free edge 40 thereof to the seal edge 30 of the cup-shaped bowl 3, for example, sealed thereto. Furthermore, the filter element 4 is connected to the base 31 of the bowl 3, for example, sealed thereto.

[0029] FIG. 2 schematically shows an installation 1 for producing a portion capsule 2 according to FIG. 1 having a cup-shaped bowl 3 and a filter element 4. A product flow direction is schematically indicated by an arrow.

[0030] The installation 1 comprises a transport device 10, by means of which the cup-shaped bowls 3 are transported in the product flow direction. The transport device 10 is preferably constructed in such a manner that a plurality of bowls 3 are conveyed in parallel rows in the product flow direction. The bowls 3 are preferably connected to each other at the seal edges 30 in the product flow direction.

[0031] The installation 1 comprises in the product flow direction a device 12 for inserting a filter element 4 into a bowl 3 and a device 13 for connecting a free edge 40 (cf. FIG. 1) of the filter element 4 to a seal edge 30 of the bowl 3. The edge 40 of the filter element 4 is fitted to the seal edge 30 of the bowl 3, preferably by means of an adhesive, melt or seal connection. The insertion of the filter element 3 into the bowl 3 and connection of the filter element 4 to the seal edge 30 of the bowl are carried out depending on the configuration in one step by means of a common tool or in two steps using different tools.

[0032] The installation 1 further comprises a forming device 14, by means of which the preformed filter element 4 is formed in the bowl 3 and a seal device 15, by means of which the filter element 4 is fixed to a base 31 and/or a covering face 32 of the bowl 3, in particular sealed to the base 31 and/or the covering face 32.

[0033] In the embodiment illustrated, the forming device 14 and the seal device 15 have a common tool. In other embodiments, two separate tools are provided. In still other embodiments, an additional forming device 14 for forming the filter elements 4 is dispensed with.

[0034] Downstream of the forming device 14 and the seal device 15 in the product flow direction, a stamping device 16 is provided, wherein the bowls 3 are stamped by means of the stamping device 16 together with the filter elements 4 which are fitted thereto to produce a desired form and size. If the bowls 3 are connected to each other at the edges thereof, the bowls are separated from each other by means of the stamping device 16.

[0035] The filter elements 4 are prefabricated before insertion. To this end, the installation comprises a filter separation or stamping device 18, by means of which forming pieces 42, for example, round blanks, for the filter elements 4 are stamped or cut out of a material web of the filter material which is supplied from a store 44. Finally, the installation 1 further comprises a fold-forming member 19, by means of which the forming pieces 42 are preformed from the filter material before or during insertion into the bowls 2.

[0036] As schematically indicated, residual material portions are supplied to a chopper 5 or a different type of waste processing.

[0037] In a method carried out by means of the installation 1 according to FIG. 2 for producing a portion capsule 2, the following steps are preferably provided for:

[0038] 1. stamping or cutting out a forming piece 42 from a filter material by means of the filter separation or stamping device 18;

[0039] 2. forming a filter element 4 from the forming piece 42 by means of the fold-forming member 19;

[0040] 3. inserting the formed filter element 4 into a cup-shaped bowl 3 by means of the device 12 for inserting a filter element 4 into a bowl 3;

[0041] 4. connecting an edge 40 of the formed filter element 4 to a seal edge 30 of the cup-shaped bowl 3 by means of the device 13 for connecting a free edge 40 of the filter element 4 to a seal edge 30 of the bowl 3;

[0042] 5. forming the filter element 42 into a final form in the bowl 3 by means of the forming device 14;

[0043] 6. connecting the filter element 4 to the base 31 and/or the covering face 32 of the bowl 3 by means of the seal device 15; and

[0044] 7. stamping the bowl 3 with the filter element 4 inserted and connected by means of a stamping device 16.

[0045] As described above, in this instance there may be provision for individual steps to be carried out together. In particular, steps 3 and 4 and/or steps 5 and 6 are preferably carried out with a common tool.

[0046] FIG. 3 schematically shows a packaging line for producing, filling and packaging portion capsules 2 which are not illustrated in FIG. 3. The packaging line comprises the installation 1 according to FIG. 2 for producing the portion capsules 2 including the filter elements 4 which are inserted therein. In the product flow direction which is indicated by an arrow, a work station 102 is provided downstream of the installation 1 for filling the portion capsules. A store 101 is provided between the installation 1 and the work station 102 for filling. The packaging line illustrated further comprises a first cartoning device 103, a second cartoning device 104 for inserting into a surrounding carton and a palletizing device 105. The individual work stations 1, 102, 103, 104, 105 are connected to each other via suitable transport paths.

[0047] The packaging line is merely exemplary and the individual work stations, in particular the installation 1 for producing the portion capsules 2 with a filter element 4, can be combined with other work stations and/or in other arrangements.