BEVERAGE PAD

Abstract

A beverage pad (100) for use in a beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage comprises an amount of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product in a compacted puck (130) enclosed between two sheets of filtering material (110, 120) sealed to each other at a periphery edge of the pad. A first sheet of the two sheets has a bottom portion, side portion and a first edge portion. A second sheet of the two sheets comprises a central portion and a second edge portion. The edge portions of the sheets are sealed to each other forming the periphery edge of the pad. The side portion, bottom portion and central portion define a space holding the compacted puck (130) of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product which has a uniform thickness. The bottom portion and central portion are at least substantially flat and parallel to each other on opposite sides of the compacted puck, and the side portion extends perpendicular from the bottom portion around the compacted puck (130) to the periphery edge.

Claims

1. A beverage pad for use in a beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage by supplying the pad in the machine with a pressurized aqueous fluid of between 1-20 bar, comprising an amount of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product enclosed between two sheets of filtering material sealed to each other at a periphery edge of the pad, a first sheet of the two sheets having a bottom portion, side portion and a first edge portion, a second sheet of the two sheets comprising a central portion and a second edge portion, the edge portions of the sheets sealed to each other forming the periphery edge of the pad, and the side portion, bottom portion and central portion defining a space holding the extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product, wherein the extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product is in the form of a compacted puck, the compacted puck has a uniform thickness with the bottom portion and central portion being at least substantially flat and parallel to each other on opposite sides of the compacted puck, and the side portion extending at least almost perpendicular from the bottom portion around the compacted puck to the edge portions.

2. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the sheets and the compacted puck are configured and arranged to at least substantially maintain a shape of the compacted puck with uniform thickness in use of the beverage pad in the beverage preparation machine when exposed to the aqueous fluid under pressure, preferably that the puck is tightly enclosed by the first sheet and second sheet with a volume of the puck being at least substantially identical to a volume of the space defined by the sheets.

3.-4. (canceled)

5. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sheet and second sheet is a flexible sheet of filtering material, preferably both sheets are flexible sheets of filtering material.

6. Beverage pad according to claim 3, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are made of a compostable filtering material, preferably a non-woven material and/or fibrous material, preferably a filtering paper.

7. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the first sheet is configured as a liquid discharge side of the pad.

8. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion, side portion and first edge portion of the first sheet are integrally formed and made from one piece.

9-10. (canceled)

11. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet has a grammage of between 30-40 grams per square meter (gsm), preferably 35 gsm.

12. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the central portion of the second sheet is configured as a liquid inlet side of the pad.

13. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the second sheet has a grammage of between 15-20 gsm, preferably 19 gsm.

14. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the puck consists of a compacted layer of ground coffee.

15. Beverage pad according to claim 10, wherein the layer of ground coffee comprises or mainly consists of ground coffee with a grind size (50) between 250-500 m, preferably between 300-360 m or between 430-470 m, and/or that the layer of ground coffee comprises an amount of fines, i.e. particles with a grind size <100 m, of at most 20% by volume of the total amount of grinds, preferably below 16% by volume of the total amount of grinds, preferably a minimum of 10% by volume of the total amount of grinds, and/or that the compacted puck has a bulk density of between 350-450 g/L, preferably a bulk density between 390-405 g/L or 375-390 g/L, preferably 375-385 g/L or 395-400 g/L.

16-17. (canceled)

18. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the compacted puck has a uniform thickness of between 6-7.5 mm, preferably 6.5-7.2, most preferably 6.8 mm.

19. Beverage pad according to claim 1, wherein the compacted puck is shaped as a circular disc with a diameter of between 50-60 mm, preferably 55 mm, and/or that the pad has a diameter at its periphery edge of between 60-65 mm, preferably between 61-63 mm, and more preferably 62 mm, and/or that the periphery edge uniformly peripherally extends from the side portion over a distance of between 3-4 mm, more preferably 3.5 mm.

20-21. (canceled)

22. An assembly of a beverage pad and a pad holder for accommodating the beverage pad for use in a beverage preparation machine, wherein the pad holder comprises a rigid, form-retaining body with a support surface supporting the beverage pad and with a liquid discharge channel extending through the body from the support surface to a liquid outlet opening, wherein the beverage pad is a beverage pad according to claim 1.

23-27. (canceled)

28. A compacted puck for use in a beverage pad comprising an amount of extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product in a layer, wherein the puck has one or more of the following features: the layer comprises 6.5 to 7.5 g ground coffee, preferably 7 g; the ground coffee has a moisture content of 3 to 5%, preferably 4.5%; the layer comprises or mainly consists of ground coffee with a grind size (50) between 250-500 m, preferably between 300-360 m or between 430-470 m, optionally comprising an amount of fines of at most 20% of the total amount of grinds; a bulk density of between 350-450 g/L, preferably a bulk density between 390-405 g/L or 365-390 g/L, preferably 375-385 g/L or 395-400 g/L; a uniform thickness of between 6-7.5 mm, preferably 6.5-7.2 mm, most preferably approximately 6.8 mm; and is shaped as a circular disc with a diameter of between 50-60 mm, preferably 55 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0052] These and other aspects of the present invention are hereinafter further elucidated by the appended drawing and the corresponding embodiments, which form part of the present application. The drawing is not in any way meant to reflect a limitation of the scope of the invention, unless this is clearly and explicitly indicated. In the drawing:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a beverage pad according to a first aspect described herein, with respectively showing a) exploded view of the pad with a first sheet of material and second sheet of material separate from each other, b) side view of the pad with first sheet of material and second sheet of material sealed to each other, c) bottom view of the pad;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional side view of an assembly according to a second aspect described herein with a beverage pad supported on a pad holder;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional side view of another assembly according to a second aspect described herein with a beverage pad supported on a pad holder and positioned below a dispensing head of a beverage machine;

[0056] FIGS. 4-9 show bar graphs of the percentage of tested beverage pads demonstrating no, initial, medium or full bypass occurring in use in preparing a beverage;

[0057] FIGS. 10-15 show bar graphs of the percentage of tested beverage pads demonstrating no, initial, medium or full bypass occurring in use in preparing a beverage in a beverage machine depending on a particular positioning, i.e. way of loading, of the pad in the beverage machine; and

[0058] FIGS. 16-21 show bar graphs of the percentage of tested beverage pads demonstrating no, initial, medium or full bypass having normal, slightly white, or white crema layer occurring when preparing a beverage.

[0059] In this application similar or corresponding features are denoted by similar or corresponding reference signs. The description of the embodiments is not limited to the examples shown in the figures and the reference numbers used in the detailed description and the claims are not intended to limit the description of the embodiments, but are included to elucidate the embodiments by referring to the examples shown in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0060] As shown in FIG. 1a,b,c, the beverage pad 100 in accordance with a first aspect described herein comprises a first sheet of filtering material 110 shaped to have a bottom portion 111, side portion 112 and an edge portion 113. The first sheet 110 is made of filtering paper in one piece having a weight of 35 gsm. The beverage pad 100 further comprises a substantially flat piece of a second sheet of filtering material 120 having a central portion 121 and an edge portion 122. The second sheet 120 is made out of one piece of the same filtering paper material as the first sheet 110 but has a weight of 19 gsm. The bottom portion 111, side portion 112, and central portion 121 define and delimit a space holding a compacted puck 130 of ground coffee, although any other extractable and/or soluble beverage preparation product may be used instead. Good results are obtained with the puck 130 having a diameter of 55 mm and a thickness of 6.8 mm, providing the pad with about 7 g ground coffee. The compacted puck 130 has a uniform thickness and is tightly enclosed between the two sheets 110,120 which are sealed to each other at the edge portions 113, 122 with the bottom portion 111 and central portion 121 being parallel to each other on opposite sides of the compacted puck 130. The side portion 112 extends perpendicular between the bottom portion 111 and central portion 121 around the compacted puck 130, with an angle between the bottom portion 111 and side portion 112 being straight, i.e. 90. The beverage pad 100 when used to prepare a beverage provides a consistent and high beverage quality, as occurrence of bypass through the puck when supplying an aqueous fluid through the pad is minimized or completely prevented.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 2 the assembly 200 in accordance with a second aspect described herein comprises a beverage pad 100 as described in the foregoing supported on a support surface 251 of a pad holder 250. In use of the assembly in a beverage machine (not shown) a suitable liquid such as water is fed from a dispensing head of the beverage machine to the beverage pad and distributed over the central portion of the second sheet of the pad. In the figure arrows indicate the flow path of the liquid going through the compacted puck of beverage product in the pad. As the liquid is distributed over the central portion of the second sheet, and the puck of beverage product furthermore has a uniform thickness, a flow resistance posed to the liquid by the puck is approximately the same over the entire surface of the puck. Accordingly, a liquid flow volume and rate through the puck will be approximately the same everywhere, with consistent extraction as a result. Particularly the occurrence of liquid bypass is minimized or completely prevented. The resulting beverage is collected in the pad holder 250 below the bottom portion of the first sheet of the beverage pad 100 and may be dispensed via a central outlet opening 252 in the pad holder, for example in a suitable beverage receptacle such as a cup.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 3 another assembly 200 in accordance with a second aspect described herein comprises a beverage pad 100 as described in the foregoing supported on a support surface 251 of a pad holder 250. The support surface 251 of the pad holder, i.e. the surface of the pad holder on which the pad is supported, extends into an inclining wall directed towards the edge portions of the beverage pad, which inclining wall assists to correctly position the beverage pad on the support surface 251 upon placement of a beverage pad on the pad holder. In use of the assembly in a beverage machine a suitable liquid such as water is fed from a dispensing head 300 of the beverage machine to the beverage pad and distributed over the central portion of the second sheet of the pad. In the figure arrows indicate the flow path of the liquid going through the compacted puck of beverage product in the pad. The resulting beverage is collected in the pad holder 250 below the bottom portion of the first sheet of the beverage pad 100 and may be dispensed via a central outlet opening 252 in the pad holder, for example in a suitable beverage receptacle such as a cup.

[0063] It is to be noted that the figures are only a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention that is given by way of non-limiting example.

[0064] Beverage pads according to the first aspect described herein were tested for an amount of bypass occurring in use in preparing a beverage. The pads either comprised a compacted puck of ground coffee in an espresso blend with a grind size of 300-340 m, an amount of fines of less than 16% by volume and a bulk density of approximately 395 g/L, the pad hereinafter and in the figures designated as EDR Puck, or a compacted puck of ground coffee in a lungo blend with a grind size of 430-470 m, an amount of fines of less than 15% by volume and a bulk density of approximately 385 g/L, the pad hereinafter and in the figures designated as Brazil Puck. Both pads comprise a first sheet having a grammage of 35 gsm and a second sheet having a grammage of 19 gsm. Presently available pads of conventional pouch-like design with rounded transition between bottom portion and side portion and having a relatively loose bed of either the espresso blend ground coffee, hereinafter and in the figures designated EDR Pad, or lungo blend ground coffee, hereinafter and in the figures designated Brazil Pad, were similarly tested for bypass results. Two different types of the EDR Pad were tested, a first comprising a first sheet having a grammage of 21 gsm, hereinafter and in the figures designated EDR Pad 1, and a second comprising a first sheet having a grammage of 35 gsm, hereinafter and in the figures designated EDR Pad 2. Also two different types of the Brazil Pad were tested, a first comprising a first sheet having a grammage of 21 gsm, hereinafter and in the figures designated Brazil Pad 1, and a second comprising a first sheet having a grammage of 35 gsm, hereinafter and in the figures designated Brazil Pad 2. In all pads the second sheet has a grammage of 19 gsm.

[0065] The pads were tested in a conventional Senseo beverage preparation machine. A 45 ml beverage was prepared with the EDR pads. A 100 ml beverage was prepared with the Brazil pads.

[0066] Bypass was determined by visual inspection of the beverage being discharged from the beverage preparation machine during a preparation cycle as well as the final beverage received in a receptacle after the preparation cycle. The beverage being discharged was investigated for the occurrence of colourless, watery liquid being discharged. If such colourless, watery liquid was observed only in the first second, i.e. <1 s, from the start of observed liquid discharge this was considered as initial bypass occurrence. If such colourless, watery liquid was observed until the fifth second, i.e. >1 s-<5 s, from the start of observed liquid discharge this was considered as medium bypass occurrence. If such colourless, watery liquid was observed for more than five seconds, i.e. >5 s, from the start of observed liquid discharge this was considered as full bypass occurrence. If no such colourless, watery liquid was observed this was considered to represent no bypass occurrence. The final beverage received was further investigated for the occurrence and colour of crema layer being formed on top of the beverage.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 4-9 the pad according to the first aspect herein demonstrated noticeable less occurrence of bypass compared to the conventional pads. The biggest difference is observed when using double pads in one beverage preparation cycle as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, with the amount of bypass occurring with conventional pads being pronounced whereas the Puck pads of the first aspect herein had considerable less bypass occurring.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 10-15 the bypass results in use are affected by the positioning, i.e. way of loading, of a beverage pad in the beverage machine. Particularly the EDR Pads and Brazil Pads demonstrated more initial, medium and full bypass compared to EDR Pucks and Brazil Pucks when not correctly placed on the pad holder centrally in the beverage machine, shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 13 respectively. Flattening of the beverage pad prior to positioning on the pad holder gives a noticeable reduction in bypass occurrence in both the conventional Pads and Puck, with a majority of the Pucks demonstrating no occurrence of bypass, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 14 for EDR and Brazil respectively. Flattening of the beverage pad after positioning on the pad holder also gives a similar noticeable reduction in bypass occurrence in both the conventional Pads and Puck, with a majority of the Pucks demonstrating no occurrence of bypass, as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 15 for EDR and Brazil respectively.

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 16-21 the crema layer colour of prepared beverages is strongly associated with bypass occurrence. As particularly shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 respectively, almost all the Puck EDR and Puck Brazil pads that had no bypass or only initial bypass showed a normal crema layer, with the Puck EDR and Puck Brazil pads that had medium bypass occurrence showing some slightly white crema layer. As particularly shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 respectively, similarly almost all the EDR Pad 1 and Brazil Pad 1 that had no bypass or only initial bypass showed a normal crema layer, with the EDR and Brazil Pad 1 that had medium bypass occurrence showing many cases of slightly white crema layer and some cases of white crema layer. The EDR and Brazil Pad 1 that had full bypass occurrence showed in many or all cases white crema layer.

[0070] As particularly shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 respectively, similarly almost all the EDR Pad 2 and Brazil Pad 2 that had no bypass or only initial bypass showed a normal crema layer, with the EDR and Brazil Pad 2 that had medium bypass occurrence showing many cases of slightly white crema layer and some cases of white crema layer. The EDR and Brazil Pad 2 that had full bypass occurrence showed in many or all cases white crema layer.

[0071] For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described.

[0072] The word comprising does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim. It also does not exclude that nothing else is present, i.e. it may also encompass the meaning of consisting of. Furthermore, the words a and an shall not be construed as limited to only one, but instead are used to mean at least one, and do not exclude a plurality.

[0073] A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters and values thereof disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.