Capsule for Producing a Liquid Food Item, and a Method for Manufacturing a Capsule for the Production of a Liquid Food Item

Abstract

A capsule for producing a liquid food item includes a cover and two chambers for holding two substances. On the capsule, a flange is provided for peripherally supporting the cover, and a shoulder is provided for peripherally supporting a divider for separating the two chambers.

Claims

1. A capsule for producing a liquid food item, having a cover and two chambers for accommodating two substances, characterized in that a flange is provided for peripheral support of the cover, and a shoulder is provided on the capsule for peripheral support of a divider for separating the two chambers.

2. The capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the flange and the shoulder are connected to one another in one piece.

3. The capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the flange and the shoulder have essentially the same orientation of their surface normals.

4. The capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the capsule comprises a partially spherical or partially elliptical section with a flattened area, which has essentially the same orientation as a surface normal of the flange and/or of the shoulder.

5. The capsule according to claim 4, characterized in that the flattened area is set back relative to the section and is bordered by a toroidal bulge.

6. The capsule according to claim 5, characterized in that the partially spherical or partially elliptical section is designed to be smooth.

7. The capsule according to claim 6, characterized in that a peripheral section, which forms an angle less than 90 with the flange, extends between the flange and the shoulder.

8. The capsule according to claim 7, characterized in that the peripheral section between the flange and the shoulder runs essentially in a straight line.

9. The capsule according to claim 8, characterized in that the cover, the divider and/or the capsule comprise(s) a polypropylene or an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

10. The capsule according to claim 9, characterized in that the volume ratio of the upper and lower chamber is in the range of 1:4 to 1:10.

11. A method for manufacturing a capsule for producing a liquid food item, having a cover and two chambers to hold two substances, characterized by the formation of a capsule with a flange for peripheral support of the cover and a shoulder for peripheral support of a divider for separating the two chambers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail in the following, using exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0026] The drawings show:

[0027] FIG. 1 a capsule according to the invention in a sectional diagram as seen from the side;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the capsule according to FIG. 1 in a view from beneath;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the capsule according to FIG. 1 in an isometric exploded view; and

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of two containers stacked one inside the other in the area of a flange and a shoulder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a capsule 1 in a sectional diagram as seen from the side. The capsule 1 has a cup-shaped container 2, a cover 3 and a divider 4.

[0032] The container 2 is closed with the cover 3 at the top. The divider 4 subdivides the interior of the container 2 into two areas and/or divides the sealed container 2 into two chambers 5, 6. The divider 4 forms an upper chamber 5 between the cover 3 and the divider 4 in the sealed container 2 and forms a lower chamber 6, which is bordered by the container 2 at the bottom. The upper chamber 5 is smaller than the lower chamber 6. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the volume of the upper chamber 5 amounts to approximately 20 mL, and the volume of the lower chamber 6 amounts to approximately 60 mL. The volume ratio of the upper chamber 5 to the lower chamber 6 is therefore in the range of 1:4 to 1:2. Substances (not shown) are present in the upper and lower chambers 5, 6.

[0033] The container 2 is essentially rotationally symmetrical with its central axis. The thickness of the wall of the container 2 is essentially the same everywhere.

[0034] The upper chamber 5 is designed with a partially conical shape. The peripheral edge of the upper chamber 5 of the container 2 has a straight-line section 11. A shoulder 7, which forms an angle of less than 90 with the section 11, is connected to the straight-line section 11. The shoulder 7 surrounds the opening of the lower chamber 6 at the edge. The divider 4 sits on the edge of the shoulder 7 and is at least partially connected thereto. The wall of the container 2 is designed in the form of a partially elliptical section in the area of the lower chamber 6.

[0035] At the head of the container 2, a flange 8 surrounding the opening of the upper chamber 5 and/or the opening of the entire container 2 at the edge is formed. The cover 3, which is attached at least partially to the flange 8, sits on the flange 8.

[0036] The capsule 1 has a flattened area 9 on the bottom at a distance from the cover 3 in the area of the partially elliptical section, formed with rotational symmetry at the center of the container 2. The flattened area 9 is set back with respect to the partially elliptical section. A toroidal elevation 10 facing outward is formed in a ring around the set-back flattened area 9. The inside contour of the container 2 follows the outside contour in this area, so that a crimp-type recess is formed around the flattened area 9 in the interior (cf. FIG. 2).

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an exploded diagram of the capsule 1 with the container 2, the divider 4 and the cover 3. The cover 3 and the divider 4 are embodied as films and each is welded to the container 2.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged diagram of two containers 2 stacked one inside the other. The peripheral edge between the flange 8 and the shoulder 7 forms an angle of less than 90 with the flange 8. This results in an undercut between the flange 8 and the peripheral section 11 of the container 2 connected to the flange 8. The section 11 connected to the flange 8 develops into the shoulder 7 with a rounded transition. Flange 8 and shoulder 7 have essentially the same orientation in their surface normals. Flange 8 and shoulder 7 run essentially with a parallel offset from one another.

[0039] A support region, which rests on the flange 8 of another container 2, into which yet another container 2 is inserted, is formed on the outside along the edge of the shoulder 7 due to the angle formed between the flange 8 and the peripheral section 11. The containers 2 can thus be stacked one inside the other, wherein supporting surfaces that run essentially horizontally or at a small angle to the horizontal are formed, and there is no form-fitting connection of the partially elliptical sections of two successive containers 2 in the stack.