COFFEE CAPSULE RECYCLING PRESS

Abstract

A beverage capsule recycling press includes an annular body having an axis, an axial inlet, an axial outlet and a radially symmetrical annular sleeve communicating between the inlet and outlet, the body comprising first and second body portions connected by a hinge extending parallel to the axis, the second body portion being pivotable about the hinge relative to the first body portion between closed and open positions, a piston having a piston head and connected to the first body portion and moveable between a retracted position in which the piston is withdrawn from the inlet and an extended position in which the piston passes through the inlet and is located in the sleeve, and a piston mounting for moving the piston between the retracted and extended positions, wherein first and second channels extend circumferentially of the first and second body portions respectively adjacent the outlet.

Claims

1.-18. (canceled)

19. A beverage capsule recycling press, comprising: an annular body having an axis, an axial inlet, an axial outlet and a radially symmetrical annular sleeve communicating between the inlet and outlet, the annual body comprising first and second body portions connected by a hinge extending parallel to the axis, the second body portion being pivotable about the hinge relative to the first body portion between closed and open positions; a piston having a piston head, the piston being connected to the first body portion and moveable between a retracted position in which the piston is withdrawn from the inlet and an extended position in which the piston passes through the inlet and is located in the sleeve; and a piston mounting for moving the piston between the retracted and extended positions; wherein first and second channels extend circumferentially of the first and second body portions respectively adjacent the outlet of the sleeve.

20. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least a part of the first channel has an axial dimension smaller than an axial dimension of the second channel.

21. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the piston head passes through the inlet, sleeve and outlet during movement from the retracted position to the extended position.

22. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein a radial dimension of the outlet is greater than a radial dimension of the inlet.

23. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second channels form a continuous channel extending around a circumference of the sleeve adjacent the outlet.

24. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second channels have a vertical dimension which decreases radially outwardly from the sleeve.

25. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 24, wherein the channels are V-shaped in cross-section.

26. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second body portions divide the annular surface into two equally sized portions.

27. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first body portion occupies a greater angle than the second body portion.

28. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, further comprising: a latch configured to secure the body portions in the closed position.

29. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 28, further comprising: a spring configured to bias the second body portion towards the open position.

30. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the piston comprises a cylindrical piston body having a pivotal attachment at an upper end thereof, and the piston head at a lower end thereof.

31. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 30, wherein the pivotal attachment comprises a hinge arranged so that the piston hangs generally vertically from the hinge in use.

32. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein an annular projection extends partially around the piston head at or adjacent the circumference of the piston head.

33. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein an annular projection forms an axially concave rebate.

34. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, wherein the projection is part circular having a break in a circumferential region.

35. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, further comprising: a first moveable handle connected to a piston actuator and a second fixed handle connected to the body portion where the body portion is fixed.

36. The beverage capsule recycling press as claimed in claim 19, further comprising: a container located to receive spent grounds from the outlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention is further described by means of example but not in any limitative sense with reference to the drawings of which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a press in accordance with this invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the press shown in FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the press in the opened position;

[0035] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the two body portions separated; and

[0036] FIG. 5 shows further detail of the piston head in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The Figures show views of a coffee capsule press in accordance with this invention. The same reference numerals are used to refer to like components in each Figure.

[0038] The press comprises a body formed from a first body portion (1) and a second body portion (2) connected by a hinge (3) which allows the second body portion (2) to pivot between a closed position as shown in FIG. (1) and an opened position as shown in FIGS. (2) and (3).

[0039] The two body portions cooperate to form a sleeve (4). The sleeve (4) is axially symmetrical about a vertical axis and has an upper inlet (5) and a lower outlet (6). A handle (8) is fixed to the first body portion (1) and extends radially outwardly in a direction away from the location of the hinge (3). A moveable handle (7) is located above the fixed handle (8) and is pivotally secured to a mounting (9) by a horizontally extending pin (10). The vertical plane of movement of the handle (7) passes through the axis of the hinge (3).

[0040] A piston mounting (11) is pivotally secured by pin (12) to piston arm (13) which is integral with cylindrical piston body (14). Piston head (15) is formed at the lower end of the piston. When the moveable handle (7) is moved from an upper position to a lower position, the piston body is lowered into the inlet (5) of sleeve (4), passing through the sleeve and emerging from the outlet (6) as shown in FIG. 1.

[0041] In the lower position, the piston body (14) extends generally axially of the sleeve formed by the two body portions (1), (2).

[0042] A moveable latch (16) urged upwardly by spring (17) has an upwardly extending lug (18) which engages in a socket (19) of the catch plate (20) extending from the second body portion (2). The latch (16) prevents opening of the body portions during actuation of the piston. Depressing the latch (16) releases the lug from the catch plate allowing the second body portion (2) to pivot away from the first body portion towards the opened position. Spring (21) mounted internally in the hinge (3) biases the second body towards the opened position. A peg (24) extends from the edge of the second body and engages in a socket (25) in the edge of the first body portion to prevent relative movement of the body portions when forces are applied by the piston in the closed position. A further lug (26) extends from the first body portion at a location adjacent the hinge (3) and is received in a rebate (27) at a corresponding location in the second body portion in order to further prevent movement of the body portions in use.

[0043] An annular channel extends around the inner surface of the sleeve (4) adjacent the outlet (6). A first channel (22) extends around the inner surface of the first body portion (1) and a second channel (23) extends around the inner surface of the second body portion (2) as shown in FIG. 3. The first channel (22) may have a depth of 2.7 mm and a vertical width of 1 mm in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3(I). The second channel may have a depth of 2.7 mm and a vertical dimension of 2 mm as shown in FIG. 3(J). The smaller vertical height of the first channel provides tighter engagement with the rim of a capsule in use retaining the capsule in the first channel as the sleeve (4) is opened.

[0044] The configuration of the piston and piston head is shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The piston body is generally cylindrical having a width selected so that it may pass into the inlet of the sleeve with minimal lateral movement.

[0045] The piston head (15) comprises a generally circular surface (28) with an annular or part annular projection (29) extending circumferentially around the piston head (15). The projection (29) is part annular as shown in the Figures, having an aperture (30) located at a side of the piston head facing the hinge (3) when the piston head is located within the sleeve (4) as the piston head is driven through the sleeve in use.

[0046] The centre of the piston head comprises a concave surface dimensioned to receive a convex capsule body (32) as shown in FIG. 5. When the piston is urged into the inlet (5) of the sleeve (4) as shown in FIG. 5, the piston mounting (11) and moveable handle (7) are located off-axis relative to the sleeve axis so that the piston is inserted into the inlet (5) from one side. The convex or domed surface (32) of the uppermost part of the capsule body is received into the aperture (30) and passes into a recess of the concave portion (31) of the piston head as the piston is urged downwardly (as shown in the Figures) towards the outlet (6).

[0047] The application of a closing force between the handles (7, 8) urges the moveable handle towards a position in which it is parallel to the fixed handle, in which position the piston head extends through the sleeve and protrudes from the outlet as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, the capsule body has been deformed by the piston head so that it has ruptured the foil seal (not shown) and extends through the capsule rim, ejecting the spent coffee grounds from within the capsule. At this point, the latch (16) may be released allowing the second body portion to pivot under the force of spring (21) into the opened position. The rim of the compressed capsule is retained in the first channel (22) allowing a user to wait until all of the spent grounds have been discharged before releasing or allowing removal of the capsule body for recycling.