Pad for Hot Beverage and Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing Thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a pad for use in a beverage machine for preparing a warm beverage, a system therefor, and a method for manufacturing such pads. The pad includes: a first sheet having a surface area, wherein the surface area of the first sheet is provided with flow passages that are positioned at or near the outer perimeter of the first sheet; and a second sheet having a surface area, wherein the surface area of the second sheet is provided with one or more flow passages that are positioned at or near the centre of the second sheet. The first sheet and the second sheet are connected to each other at or near the outer perimeter for forming an inner space for holding the raw material that is usable for preparing the beverage. Substantially the entire surface area of the first and/or second sheet is impermeable to the flow of pressurized liquid. The impermeable surface area and the flow passages cooperate for forcing the flow of pressurized liquid to flow substantially in a direction that is parallel to the surface areas through the raw material in the pad.

Claims

1-19. (canceled)

20. A pad for use in a beverage machine for preparing a warm beverage, the pad being configured for holding a raw material through which a pressurized flow of liquid is forced for preparing the beverage, the pad comprising: a first sheet having a surface area, wherein the surface area of the first sheet is provided with flow passages that are positioned at or near the outer perimeter of the first sheet; a second sheet having a surface area, wherein the surface area of the second sheet is provided with one or more flow passages that are positioned at or near the centre of the second sheet; and wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are connected to each other at or near the outer perimeter for forming an inner space for holding the raw material that is usable for preparing the beverage, wherein substantially the entire surface area of the first and/or second sheet is impermeable to the flow of pressurized liquid, and wherein the impermeable surface area and the flow passages cooperate for forcing the flow of pressurized liquid to flow substantially in a direction that is parallel to the surface areas through the raw material in the pad.

21. The pad according to claim 20, wherein a substantial part of the surface area of the first sheet is impermeable to the flow of pressurized liquid and the pad is configured such that in use the first sheet is facing a supply of pressurized flow of liquid.

22. The pad according to claim 20, wherein the pad is substantially circular, and wherein a diameter of the pad is in the range of 10 to 100 mm, preferably in the range of 35 to 75 mm, and more preferably a diameter of around 60 mm.

23. The pad according to claim 20, wherein the pad and each of the impermeable surface areas are substantially circular and the diameter of each of the impermeable surface areas is in the range of 50-100% of the diameter of the pad, preferably in the range of 70-100% of the diameter of the pad, and more preferably in the range of 90-95% of the diameter of the pad.

24. The pad according to claim 20, wherein the first and second sheets are manufactured from a material that is permeable to liquid, such as paper, preferably filterpaper, and wherein the impermeable surface area is formed on one or both of the first and second sheets during manufacturing.

25. The pad according to claim 24, wherein the forming of the impermeable surface area is performed using one of a group of: coating, spray coating, gluing, printing, rolling, stamping, hot melting or stitching.

26. The pad according to claim 20, wherein the first and/or the second sheet are manufactured from a material that is impermeable to liquid.

27. The pad according to claim 24, wherein the impermeable surface area is formed or manufactured from a material that is one of a biodegradable plastic material, such polylactic acid (PLA), or a compostable plastic material or a thermo-compressed paper.

28. The pad according to claim 20, wherein the impermeable layer comprises an aromatic and/or flavouring substance.

29. A system for manufacturing pads according to claim 20, the system comprising: a module for manufacturing pads; a module for filling the pads with raw material; and a packing device, which, when viewed in a transport direction, is positioned downstream of the pad manufacturing and pad filling modules; a conveyor which is positioned near an outlet of the pad manufacturing apparatus on which manufactured pads are placeable and that is configured for transporting the pad towards a packing device; a layer application device for applying an impermeable layer to a first and/or second surface of a pad, the impermeable layer extending over at least part of the first and/or second surface, wherein the device is positioned near the conveyor between the outlet and the packing device.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the layer application device is configured to apply an impermeable layer over substantially the entire first and/or second surface of the pad, and wherein the system additionally comprises a passage application device that, when viewed in a transport direction of the conveyor, is positioned downstream of the layer application device and that is configured for applying a number of flow passages in or near the impermeable layer of the pad.

31. The system according to claim 29, further comprising: a second layer application device that is configured for applying an impermeable layer to another of a first or second surface of the pad; and a second passage application device that, when viewed in a transport direction of the conveyor, is positioned downstream of the second layer application device and that is configured for applying a number of flow passages in or near the impermeable layer on the other surface of the pad.

32. The system according to claim 29, wherein the first and/or the second layer application device is one of a group of a rotating spray device, a stitching device, a gluing device, a spray gun, impregnating device, or a hot melt device.

33. The system according to claim 29, wherein the rotation speed of the conveyor is adapted to match the speed of the pad manufacturing apparatus.

34. A method for manufacturing pads for preparing warm beverages, the method comprising: manufacturing a pad comprising a first and a second sheet, each of the first and second sheet having an outer surface, the manufacturing comprising: sealing the first and second sheet together near an outer edge to form an inner space for holding a raw material; filling the pad with raw material; providing at least one of the first and second outer surfaces with a layer of material that is impermeable to pressurized liquid for, when the pad is used in a beverage machine, creating a flow of pressurized liquid that is substantially in a direction that is parallel to the surface areas through the raw material in the pad; and stacking the pads in a transport container for transporting the pads to users.

35. The method according to claim 34, the manufacturing step further comprising: supplying an elongated lane of first material for forming first sheets; supplying an elongated lane of second material for forming second sheets; sealing a first and a second sheet along an outer perimeter of a pad to be formed; and punching out the filled pads from the lanes of elongated material.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein providing the layer of impermeable material comprises one of a group of coating, spray coating, gluing, printing, rolling, stamping, hot melting, impregnating, providing a self-adhesive layer, or stitching.

37. The method according to claim 34, the method comprising: applying a first liquid impermeable layer to the first sheet: wherein the surface area of the first impermeable layer is smaller than the outer surface area of the first sheet to provide a flow passage in the first sheet; or wherein, if the surface area of the first impermeable layer is substantially equal to the outer surface area of the first sheet, the applying also comprises applying a number of flow passages in the first sheet near an outer edge thereof for the passage of pressurized liquid; and/or applying a second liquid impermeable layer to the second sheet; and providing a flow passage near a centre of the impermeable layer in the second sheet to allow passage of pressurized liquid.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein providing at least one of the first and second outer surfaces with a layer of material that is impermeable to pressurized liquid is executed by manufacturing at least one of the first and second sheet of the pad from a material that is impermeable to pressurized liquid, and wherein the method further comprises applying a number of flow passages in the impermeable sheet or sheets to allow the passage of pressurized liquid.

39. The system according to claim 30, further comprising: a second layer application device that is configured for applying an impermeable layer to another of a first or second surface of the pad; and a second passage application device that, when viewed in a transport direction of the conveyor, is positioned downstream of the second layer application device and that is configured for applying a number of flow passages in or near the impermeable layer on the other surface of the pad.

Description

[0079] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of the pad according to the invention;

[0081] FIG. 2a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad of FIG. 1;

[0082] FIG. 2b shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second example of a pad according to the invention:

[0083] FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view of the pad of FIG. 2a;

[0084] FIG. 3b shows a schematic bottom view of the pad of FIG. 2a;

[0085] FIG. 4a shows a schematic top view of the pad of FIG. 2b;

[0086] FIG. 4b shows a schematic bottom view of the pad of FIG. 2b;

[0087] FIG. 5a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad of FIG. 2a when used in a beverage machine;

[0088] FIG. 5b shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad of FIG. 2b in a different orientation when used in a beverage machine; and

[0089] FIG. 6 a and b shows a manufacturing line for pads according to the invention.

[0090] Pad 2 comprises first sheet 4 and second sheet 6 that are sealed together on sealing edge 8 (see FIGS. 1-4). First sheet 4 is provided with impermeable surface 10 that extends from a central point towards sealing edge 8. In this example, impermeable surface 10 extends over around 90% of the diameter of first sheet 4. Flow passages 12 that are positioned near sealing edge 8 allow passage of fluid into pad 2.

[0091] In a first example (shown in FIGS. 2a, 3a, 3b), pad 2 is provided with a second sheet 6 that is permeable to pressurized liquid over the entire surface area of pad 2. In a second example (shown in FIGS. 2b, 4a, 4b), second sheet 6 is provided with impermeable surface 14 that extends over substantially the entire surface area of sheet 6. Impermeable surface 14 is provided with centrally placed flow passage 16 to allow a mixture of raw material and liquid to exit pad 2.

[0092] Preferably, pad 2 can be used with first sheet 4 facing a liquid supply/inlet from a beverage machine as well as with second sheet 6 facing a liquid supply/inlet of a beverage machine. The specific orientation of pad 2 with respect to the sheet 4, 6 facing towards the liquid supply/inlet of a beverage machine depends on the specific type of beverage machine in which pad 2 is used.

[0093] Furthermore, pad 2 is configured to provide, when used in a beverage machine, a substantially horizontal flow through pad 2 that is substantially parallel to the plane of sheets 4, 6.

[0094] In a first example (shown in FIG. 5a) a number of decentral flow passages 12 in first sheet 4 function as inlet and central flow outlet 22 of beverage machine 18, and particularly a pad holder thereof, functions as outlet.

[0095] Alternatively, a combination of a number of central flow passages as inlet and a number of decentral flow passages as outlet can be provided (see FIG. 5b), wherein optionally both sheets 4, 6 are substantially impermeable to the liquid. In other words, pad 2 may be used in various ways to provide a substantially horizontal flow through pad 2.

[0096] In use of pad 2 in beverage machine 18, for example beverage machine 18 having central inlet 20 and central outlet 22, pressurized liquid flows on impermeable surface 10 of sheet 4 and is directed towards sealing edge 8. The pressurized liquid enters pad 2 through flow passages 12 that are present near outer edge 4a of sheet 4 (see also FIG. 3a, FIG. 5a) and is subsequently forced to flow substantially horizontally between impermeable surface 10 of sheet 4 and lower surface 18a of beverage machine 18 towards centrally placed beverage machine outlet 22. The combination of pad 2 with beverage machine 18 forces the pressurized liquid to flow substantially horizontally through pad 2, thereby obtaining a more efficient extraction and/or mixing process. Moreover, pad 2 can be used in existing beverage machines without having to adapt the existing beverage machines to pad 2.

[0097] In a different example (shown in FIG. 5b), the specific construction of pad 2 having impermeable surfaces 10, 14 positioned respectively on sheets 4, 6, forces the pressurized liquid to flow in a substantially horizontal direction through pad 2 between the impermeable surfaces 10, 14 irrespective of the position of the liquid inlet 20 and/or liquid outlet 22 of beverage machine 18. This illustrates that different embodiments and orientations can be envisaged in accordance to the present invention.

[0098] Manufacturing process 102 (FIGS. 6a, 6b) comprises a number of conveyor belts 104 that transport pads 106 from and to a conventional pad manufacturing line 116. Pads are transferred to conveyor belt 108. Layering device 110 provides the impermeable layer to pad 106. In the illustrated embodiment one device 110 is provided. It will be understood that optionally a second device 110 can be provided to provide the other surface of pad 106 with an impermeable layer. Optionally, treatment device 112 is provided. This may involve a heating device to perform a heat treatment to the impermeable layer. In the illustrated embodiment drive system 114 connects the individual drives of conveyors 104, 108 and device 110, such that these drives are synchronized with the other components of the manufacturing line.

[0099] Alternatively, the impermeable layers are already provided on the pad material directly. This obviates the need for including separate device(s) 110. It will be understood that other methods and devices can be envisaged to provide the impermeable layer(s).

[0100] The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged. It is thus possible according to the invention to make a combination of the described embodiments, features and measures.