BEVERAGE CAPSULE

Abstract

A capsule for use in a coffee machine is formed from a ductile metal and has a generally frusto-conical form with an upper end and a lower end, with an annular flange provided at the lower end. A sealing means is located on a surface of the annular flange facing towards the upper end of the capsule, which, in use, is engaged by a capsule cage of a coffee machine to provide a seal.

Claims

1. A capsule for use in a coffee machine, in which the coffee machine has a capsule cage for retaining the capsule in an extraction position; wherein the capsule is formed from a ductile metal; wherein the capsule has a generally frusto-conical form with an upper end and a lower end, with an annular flange provided at the lower end; wherein a sealing means is located on a surface of the annular flange facing towards the upper end of the capsule; wherein the sealing means comprises a ring formed from a cellulose material or paper which is substantially flat; and wherein the ring deforms non-elastically in use when engaged by the capsule cage of the coffee machine to provide a seal along the annular flange.

2. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the sealing means comprises a first layer of cellulose material and a second layer of adhesive material.

3. The capsule according to claim 2, wherein the sealing means comprises a further layer of a bioplastic material.

4. The capsule according to claim 2, wherein the sealing means comprises a further layer of aluminium foil and a further layer of adhesive material.

5. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the ring is formed of a cellulose material with a weight in a range of 100-400 gnr.sup.2.

6. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the ring has a thickness of between 0.1 and 0.3 mm.

7. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the ring is approximately 0.25 mm thick.

8. A capsule for use in a coffee machine, in which the coffee machine has a capsule cage for retaining the capsule in an extraction position; wherein the capsule is formed from a ductile metal; wherein the capsule has a generally frusto-conical form with an upper end and a lower end, with an annular flange provided at the lower end; wherein a sealing means is located on a surface of the annular flange facing towards the upper end of the capsule; and wherein the sealing means comprises a ring with a layered structure that includes (i) a first layer of cellulose material, (ii) a second layer of adhesive material, and (iii) a third layer of a bioplastic material.

9. A capsule for use in a coffee machine, in which the coffee machine has a capsule cage for retaining the capsule in an extraction position; wherein the capsule is formed from a ductile metal; wherein the capsule has a generally frusto-conical form with an upper end and a lower end, with an annular flange provided at the lower end; wherein a sealing means is located on a surface of the annular flange facing towards the upper end of the capsule; and wherein the sealing means comprises a ring with a layered structure that includes (i) a first layer of cellulose material, (ii) a second layer of adhesive material, (iii) a third layer of aluminium foil, and (iv) a fourth layer of adhesive material.

Description

[0015] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of the capsule;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the capsule.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the capsule of FIG. 2.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a seal.

[0020] FIG. 5a shows a first seal construction.

[0021] FIG. 5b shows a second seal construction.

[0022] FIGS. 6-9 show a further embodiment of the capsule.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of capsule 1 having a generally frustoconical form for the main body 2. The upper end 3 of the capsule has a second frustoconical section 4 with a smaller diameter than the lower end. The upper end 3 is further provided with an additional frustoconical indent 5 at the centre of the upper end 3. The capsule is provided with a flange 7 at the end of main body 2 remote from the upper end 3.

[0024] The flange 7 comprises an upstanding wall 8, which thereby forms a gutter 9 between the wall of the capsule and the upstanding wall 8. The upstanding wall 8 then bends back down towards the same side as the opening such that the distal end is substantially in the longitudinal plane of the capsule but below the gutter 9. The shape of the distal end forms an open hook. The open hook receives a seal to close the capsule after filling. The open hook shape provides a plurality of webs at the rim of the flange which provide a degree of reinforcement so that the foil can be easily attached to the capsule made of softer, more ductile materials such as aluminium.

[0025] The gutter 9 receives a ring shaped seal that is preferably made of paper, fibre or cork or polystyrene. The seal can be substantially in the range of 0.1-0.3 mm thick.

[0026] In a first embodiment, illustrated in more detail in FIG. 5a, the seal comprises a layered structure having a first layer 50 formed of card or cellulose based material having a weight in the range of 100-400 gm.sup.2, a second layer 51 comprising a heat seal lacquer or adhesive having a weight of 3-15 gm.sup.2 and a third layer 52 formed from a biodegradable plastic or bioplastic such as is formed from corn starch pulp. This seal has a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.3 mm, preferably around 0.25 mm. This seal is biodegradable.

[0027] An alternative seal construction illustrated in FIG. 5b comprises a layered structure having a first layer 53 formed of card or cellulose based material having a weight in the range of 100-400 g/m.sup.2, a second layer 54 comprising a heat seal lacquer or adhesive having a weight of 3-15 gm.sup.2, an aluminium foil layer 55 between 10-35 microns thick and a further layer 56 comprising a heat seal lacquer or adhesive having a weight of 3-15 gm.sup.2 This seal has a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.3 mm, preferably around 0.25 mm. This seal can be easily recycled in most domestic recycling along with the capsule.

[0028] Another seal comprises 120 gm.sup.2, 0.2 mm thick paper. A polypropylene material seal of 0.1 mm also provides a good seal.

[0029] An alternative paper seal is 0.1 mm thick and provided with an adhesive layer 0.1 mm thick.

[0030] Residual water in the brewhead causes a small amount of swelling of the paper or cellulose material when the coffee machine is in use, which swelling enables a better engagement with castellations on the brewhead thereby improving the seal.

[0031] In one embodiment the seal is attached to the gutter using an adhesive. In a second embodiment the seal is mounted over the capsule prior to the pressing of the flange to form the upstanding wall 8 so that the pressing holds the ring in position on the seal without the need for crimping. The seal in this case will provide additional strength to the capsule flange, which results in a better sealing performance.

[0032] It has further been surprisingly found that the seal does not need to be made of an elastomeric material such as silicone. The non elastic deformation of paper or other cellulose based material provides a sufficiently strong seal that there is no meaningful leakage in known capsule machines.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a similar capsule to that of FIG. 1 made of a ductile metal such as aluminium having a generally frustoconical form for the main body 2. The upper end 3 of the capsule has a second frustoconical section 4 with a smaller diameter than the lower end. The upper end 3 is further provided with an additional frustoconical indent 5 at the centre of the upper end 3. The capsule is provided with a flange 17 at the end of main body 2 remote from the upper end 3 and is closed by a foil 20.

[0034] The edge of flange 17 is bent rolled over to retain the seal in position. The edge of the flange is then provided with a plurality of crimps 18 disposed on the edge of the flange, which crimps help prevent the deformation of the seal 19 by the rolling process and also contribute to the structural rigidity of the flange 17. The crimps 18 abut the edge of the seal but do not pinch the seal. Pinching a paper seal would cause it to be damaged and reduce its effectiveness.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the capsule of FIG. 2 and in particular the crimps 18 on the flange 17. One problem with aluminium capsules is that the upper end 3 of the capsule remote from the flange 7 is weakened by the forming process and liable to be damaged. The provision of a plurality of indented ribs 21 disposed at the upper part of the main body 2 and extending onto the second frustoconical section 4 has been surprisingly found to impart sufficient additional rigidity to the capsule that failures and damage are significantly reduced.

[0036] In a further embodiment, the seal can comprise an aluminium annulus which sits on the rim of the capsule. With respect to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the seal is therefore the same material as the capsule, which will result in production efficiencies. The seal can also be a different colour to the colour of the capsule. The aluminium ring is preferably between 0.1 to 0.2 mm thick. In a further preferred aspect, the ring is formed from aluminium with an adhesive backing, so that the seal adheres to the rim. In this latter case, retention by the capsule wall is not required.

[0037] In a further embodiment, shown in more detail with respect to FIG. 4, in which the capsule is preferably formed from anodised aluminium, the capsule flange rim is provided with an upstanding rib 30 arranged to engage with a capsule cage of an espresso machine. The rib is formed by a fold in the aluminium forming the flange. The seal in this case is provided by an aluminium ring or gasket 31 placed over the flange and covering the upstanding rib 30. The aluminium ring is preferably between 0.1 and 0.3 mm thick. The edge of the flange is rolled over towards the capsule wall and the upstanding rib. In use, the capsule cage will press the ring into the rib to thereby form a seal between the cage and the capsule flange.

[0038] A further material that is particularly suitable for use with the embodiment of FIG. 1 where composability is desired is triplex laminate paper with a weight of 50 gm.sup.2. An advantage of triplex laminate paper is that it has greater wet strength than conventional paper but remains compostable. The triplex laminate paper may have an adhesive underside and/or may be made with an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the flange so that it comes up the side of the capsule wall say 0.5 mm and then is trapped under the rim on its outer edge.

[0039] FIGS. 6 to 9 show further embodiments of the capsule of the invention in which it is possible to dispense with the adhesive layer on the seal with an aluminium capsule.

[0040] With the embodiment of FIG. 6, prior to filling the capsule with coffee, a paper ring is dropped onto the conveyor basket, the capsule is inserted into the basket and then 3 or more pips 60, preferably 6 pips, are pushed out of the side wall of the capsule at a short height above the flange. These can be pushed out by spring loaded prongs that simply hit the side wall. This way the seal is then held into position and will not fall off.

[0041] In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the pips are replaced with a lozenge shape 70. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, an annular wall 80 is pushed in from the outside to provide an overhang to retain the seal in position. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, an annular wall 90 is pushed out from the inside of the capsule.

[0042] Although the capsule has been specifically described as being used to make espresso coffee, it would be possible to use the capsule to make other beverage capsules such as tea or chocolate.