WO2015193826A1 - Optimised capsule for infusions - Google Patents

Abstract

The capsule that is the object of this invention is configured as a capsule where the flow of liquid/steam from the inlet to the outlet creates an optimal infusion of the content inside the capsule itself.

Description

OPTIMISED CAP SULE FOR INFUSIONS

Description

The obj ect of thi s invention concerns a new capsul e configured in such a way that the infusion of the content inside has been optimi sed.

Prior art

It i s well known that capsules have a series of devi ces for obtaining the best possible infusion or treatment of the material contained in them .

In fact, in addition to the raw material of the infusion, like coffee powder, leaf products, soluble products, which must be of excell ent quality, the time they remain and how they come into contact with the flow of the li quid or steam i s vitally important, as well as the fact that that these fl ows are uniformly arranged.

For leaf and soluble products the speed of the flow and its turbulence from entering to leaving i s equally important.

Now it i s an establi shed fact that the entry of the liquids takes place after a protective film at the entrance to the capsul e has been broken by a bl ade or by one or more braking el ements, like for exampl e needles or pins, which inj ect the liquid flow that arrives at the outlet of the cap sule after having, well or b adly, involved the product inside.

Very often these flows have a b ad effect on the products . In fact, it should be remembered that, for example with a jet inserted by a pin, a jet generally parallel to the main axis of the capsule, it will preferably involve a certain zone adjacent to a fluid channel going almost directly from the inlet to the outlet, and just a little, if nothing at all, far away from the above-mentioned zone. This problem is very important in some machines that work with the capsule in a horizontal position and with soluble and leaf products; in this case, inside the capsule there is little product that settles on the lower part against a wall of the capsule and the flow of liquid/steam laps horizontally and above this product accumulated on the lower part, arriving in the most optimistic forecasts at just 40-50% of the product inserted, and this can easily be verified by analysing the inside of a sample capsule when the dose has been dispensed: the capsule still contains a lot of product that has not been used, confirming the product waste and the poor yield for this combination of machine-capsule.

To attempt to avoid these shortcomings, manufacturers have prepared a film of micro-perforated material to try and uniform the processing of the contents, without however bringing any appreciable improvement to using a capsule in a horizontal position.

There remains the fact, then, that the direction of the flows, even after the sheet of micro-perforated material has been surmounted, remains with an axi s parallel to the main axi s, creating channel s similar to flui d fillets that pass directly and practi cally in a straight line from the inl et to the outl et, always affecting j ust a meagre part of the material in the capsul e.

Another attempt was made by preparing a diffuser at the top of the capsule in the central inl et area.

Even if thi s gained a good result in soaking the material near the diffuser itself, it left the efficiency in the rest of the content unaltered, since the favoured route was central down to the outlet. There are other devices and vari ous capsules configured in an extremely compli cated fashion in order to try and overcome the above-mentioned problem, but other than proving to be extremely expensive, like for exampl e those formed of several plasti c components j oined together and/or coupled with a specifically made capsule, or even products from extremely costly bi-inj ection moulds to get a piece with several components, they never delivered the desired result.

So, the vari ous manufacturers are trying to compact the content of the product in the capsule, slightly increasing the amount compared to the optimal amount, in order to make up for the fact that the flows, like fluid fill ets, only affect a part of the product inside the capsule .

Finally, the question remains unsolved regarding capsul es that contain products that are sensitive to moisture, like almost all soluble materials; when a soluble material compacts due to humidity the limits of having a flow that goes through the capsule from the inlet to the outlet in the direction of the injection are even more evident.

To remedy this lamentable drawback, very often it is recommended that machines with a high temperature flow of steam be used, thereby ruining and compromising the aroma and taste of any infusion.

Objects of the invention

The object of the capsule that is the subject of this invention is to overcome one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art.

The object of this invention is to provide a solution to the requirements for an optimal infusion without the relative drawbacks.

A further object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can be used both for coffee powder and also for leaf products and soluble products with minimum modifications.

An even further object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can be made inexpensively.

Another object of this invention is to make available a simple capsule both in the moulding phase as well as in the production phase. An important object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can be used also in normal machines on sale, where the flow of liquid/steam enters in a traditional manner with a direction parallel to the main axis of the capsule.

Another important object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can be used indifferently both in machines that work with capsules arranged vertically as well as in machines that work with capsules horizontally, without any substantial differences in performance.

An important object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can provide an excellent product yield, even if used in machines that work with capsules arranged horizontally, without any evident undissolved parts.

Another object of this invention is to make available a capsule that can fulfil the previous object even without using particularly high temperatures, and even at an ambient temperature for certain soluble products.

Another object of this invention is to make available a capsule that provides you with a result that is no worse than that of normal machines, with a lower product dosage.

Exposition of the invention

All the above-mentioned objects, and others that will be better set out later, are attained with a capsule formed of a body, preferably a truncated cone or cylindrical b ody, whose inl et i s affected by a ingoing fluid, characteri sed by the fact that it has a radi al collar inside the b ody, j oined in a watertight and continual way at the bottom to the side wall of the body and at the top slightly offset from the interior side wall suffici ently lower in height than the upper profile of the same capsule creating a top chamber, where a thin film has b een j oined on the top edge of said coll ar, which i s preferably waterproof and near the top of said coll ar with several openings for the radi al passage of the fl ow of liquid/steam from the top chamber inside the body of the capsule containing the product to b e processed.

Advantageous characteri stics of the invention Conveniently said opening(s) are orthogonal with respect to the main axi s of the capsule and with a direction towards the centre, creating an optimi sed involvement of the whol e content and avoiding the formation of fluid fill ets crossing the product from the inlet to the outl et.

Advantageously said openings are orthogonal with respect to the main axi s of the capsule and with a uniform direction and slightly inclined with respect to the centre, creating a vortex fl ow for di ssolving the soluble material, thus obtaining a turbul ent fl ow of the liquid/steam that agitates and di ssolves all the solubl e material, and avoiding any masses forming that could withstand the dissolution process.

Very conveniently said vortex flow, with just the kinetic force of the water, replaces the thermal energy required for dissolving the soluble material, allowing low or very low temperatures to be used for preparing drinks that are usually prepared with high temperature liquids/steam.

Furthermore, said vortex flow is extremely useful for treating leafy products, which only to a modest degree fill the capsule and generally tend to settle in the tranquil areas where there is no turbulence; with this vortex flow all the leafy products are continually agitated for the whole time the liquid is inside the capsule with a spiral route from the inlet to the outlet, a genuine mini tornado that allows you to soak each single leaf for a truly outstanding end result.

The above-mentioned advantageous characteristics are carried out in an efficient manner both with machines that use capsules arranged along the vertical axis and also with machines that use capsules arranged along the horizontal axis.

Beneficially the capsule of the invention can tranquilly work in any position, even upside down, without the result being compromised, because the product will be always be affected in the same way given that the inventive characteristics of the capsule impose and configure the modes, intensity and direction of the flow that will encounter the product.

Very advantageously the numb er, the arrangement and the geometri c configuration of the openings on the ring can easily b e adapted for the product you intend to use for the infusion.

Eventually, in the case where the inl et from the machine i s already on a side edge of the capsule, the upper chamber can limit itself to the circul ar crown to convey the flow of the inlet to the openings on the small collar.

Advantageously sai d configurati on of the collar all ows you to limit the volume for containing the product while maintaining the overall dimensi ons of the outside of the capsul e equal to standard and traditional ones .

Another advantage of thi s coll ar i s its extreme configurability, being able to adapt its dimensions and its openings easily without working on the outsi de part of the moul d.

Eventually sai d coll ar i s inserted as a separate body, uniting as a support with its lower edge on the side wall of the b ody of the capsule .

Thi s ring-shaped collar can therefore b e sel ected from time to time with depending on the use of the various types of content of the capsules and/or machine in which these capsules will be inserted. These and other obj ects are all attained with the capsule equipped with an internal ring collar according to the attached claim s. Brief description of the drawings

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the above-mentioned objects, can clearly be found in the content of the claims below, and their benefits will be clearer in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the attached drawings, which represent just an example of an embodiment, and that in no way is meant to be limited to this:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a capsule of a first example of an embodiment according to the invention visible inside it.

Fig. 2 shows a different perspective view of the capsule of fig. 1 shown from the outside.

Fig. 3 shows the capsule of fig. 1 of the invention according to a plane section passing through the main axis.

Fig. 4 shows the capsule of fig. 1 of the invention according to a section passing through the main axis and seen in a perspective view.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a capsule of a second example of an embodiment according to the invention visible inside it.

Fig. 6 shows a different perspective view of the capsule of fig. 5 seen from the outside.

Fig. 7 shows the capsule of fig. 5 of the invention according to a plane section passing through the main axis.

Fig. 8 shows the capsule of fig. 5 of the invention according to a section passing through the main axis and viewed in a perspective manner.

Detailed description of an example of a preferred embodiment With reference to the diagrams, it can be seen that the capsule 1 does not show in detail the configuration of the bottom 2, namely the outlet part, since this is unimportant for the object of the invention.

In fact, the object of the invention work specifically on the inlet and carries out its positive effects both in the eventuality that the liquid coming out is channelled centrally and in the eventuality that it is distributed uniformly on the bottom or else has an obstruction for a circumferential passage.

Said capsule 1 shows, then, a side body 3 that has a truncated cone or is substantially a truncated cone. Also in this case the side body 3 can be of any type.

Inside body 3 there is a ring 4 joined at its base to the body 3, while at the top end the edge 5 of the ring 4 is at a distance from the body 3.

This ring 4, with the side part of the body 3, forms a circular crown 6.

On the end of the top edge 5 of the ring 4 there is, preferably sealed, a film of material that delimits and establishes the content of the material, like coffee something else that needs to be infused. Generally, the capsule 1 is closed at the top by a foil applied to the top edge 7 of the body 3.

After the capsule 1 has been inserted into the machine, the foil applied to the top edge or profile 7 of the body 3 is broken and the flow of liquid/steam enters the body 3 of the capsule 1.

In particular, since the film applied to the edge 5 of the ring 4 is offset with respect to the closing foil, the liquid that enters does not pass directly to affect the product to be infused, but only through the openings 8 on the ring 4 does it reach the inside of the body 3 that contains the product to be infused.

The route of the liquid coming in follows a flow with a radial direction towards the centre on a plane passing through the openings 8.

Therefore this is how we avoid direct routes between the inlet and the outlet that could create fluid fillets and not affect all the product to be infused contained inside the capsule.

These routes are substantially independent from the type here is a of outflow, since in the initial part at the entrance of the openings 8 there is a uniform diffusion of the liquid/steam, whose progress continues and is confirmed for most of the product affected up almost until the outlet.

Evidently the distance of the film at the top end of the edge 5 of the ring 4 is suitably offset and underneath the top edge 7 of the capsule 1 so that the devices for breaking the closing film that the coffee preparation machine has, can reach it to break it or cut it. Moreover, a greater di stance of the film at the top end of the edge 5 of the ring 4 with respect to the top edge 7 of the capsule can constitute a compensation chamber to ensure that the liquid arrives in the circular crown 6 with a uniform pressure, and with the same pressure and amount, to cross the openings 8 di stributed along the ring 4.

Evidently, however, thi s compensation chamber can be omitted in the eventuality that the entrance of the breaking devices of the closing film are on the perimeter, it b eing suffici ent that j ust thi s circular crown, whi ch assumes the functi on al so of a compensati on chamb er, has a suffici ent volume to practically di stribute the liquid along its circumference and consequently make the li quid coming in cross with the same pressure and with the same amount the openings 8 di stributed along the ring 4.

The exampl e embodiment in figs . 5 to 8 always refers to the same obj ect of the invention modified due to the fact that in thi s capsule 10, with the same body 9 as the body 3 in the first embodiment, has a ring 1 1 with one or more openings 12 profil ed in such a way as to create a circumferential vortex fl ow when from the circular crown 13 , like a radi al chamber, the flow of steam enters inside the b ody of the capsule where the leafy products and soluble products are confined.

In fact, said openings 12 are profiled on an orthogonal plane with respect to the main axis of the capsule with uniform direction and slightly inclined with respect to the centre.

With this profile, then, the liquid enters lapping against the inner walls of the ring and very gradually descends in a spiral manner towards the outlet.

Precisely this vortex flow succeeds in effectively dissolving the soluble products and avoiding the formation of lumps or masses of product anywhere inside the capsule.

This vortex flow, moreover, is effective due to the length of time and the agitation action of the leafy products, which since they are generally very thin, have to remain for quite some time in the liquid flow for an optimal infusion.

With this situation it has been noted, in fact, that inside the capsule there is no area where the liquid moves slowly and where the liquid is calm, something that would involve the stagnation of the leafy products, with the obvious results.

Also in this type of capsule, above the edges 14 of the ring 11 there is a film, preferably waterproof, offset from the top end 15 of the capsule.

Generally the capsules at the top end 15 are closed, and the devices of the dispensing machine overcome this barrier to dispense the liquid steam inside the capsule 10.

Inside the chamber between the film joined to the edges of the ring 14 and the closure at the entry, on the top edge of the capsule 15 there is a compensation and rebalancing of the liquid put into the dispensing machine that reaches the circular crown 13 in balanced manner for the various openings 12.

Naturally the question does not arise in the eventuality that there is just one opening 12.

In the methods described above, then, the compensated and rebalanced flow in the crown 13, enters through one or more openings 12 of the ring 11 lapping against the inner surface and with a turbulent vortex flow it goes in a spiral manner towards the outlet on the bottom 16.

During this route, which involves the entire volume of the capsule, the entire product, whether soluble or leafy, is agitated and affected, remaining in contact with the liquid for quite some time. In the numerous circumvolutions of the spiral flow, the product is inevitably remixed and dissolved before the flow, which has become a solution and infused, leaves the capsule through the outlet.

With this new capsule we achieve, then, the desired effects and we get the results as in the above-mentioned aims.

Claims

1) Optimised capsule for infusions composed of body (3), preferably a truncated cone or cylindrical, in whose inlet parts goes a liquid, characterised by the fact that it has a radial collar or a ring (4, 11) inside the body (9, 3), joined in a watertight and continual manner below to the side wall of the body (3, 9) and above slightly offset from the interior side wall and sufficiently lower in height than the upper profile (7, 15) of the same capsule (1, 10) creating a top chamber, where a thin film has been joined on the top edge (5, 14) of said collar (4, 11), which is preferably waterproof and near the top of said collar (4, 11) with several openings (8, 12) for the radial passage of the flow of liquid/steam from the top chamber inside the body (3, 9) of the capsule (1, 10) containing the product to be processed.

2) Optimised capsule for infusions according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that said one or more openings (8) are arranged orthogonally to the main axis of the capsule (1) and with a direction towards the centre.

3) Optimised capsule for infusions according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that said one or more openings (12) are arranged orthogonally to the main axis of the capsule (10) and with a direction that is uniform and slightly inclined with respect to the centre.

Optimised capsule for infusions according to claim 2 or 3, characterised by the fact that the flow of product going inside the body (3, 9) for processing the product is independent from the positioning, vertical and horizontal, of the capsule (1, 10) inside the dispensing machine.

Optimised capsule for infusions according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that entrance chamber between the film joined on the top to the top edges (7, 15) of the collar (4, 11) and the upper delimitation of the capsule (1, 10) uniforms the distribution of the liquid going into the radial chamber (6, 13), between the collar (4, 11) and the body (3, 9).

Optimised capsule for infusions according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the circular crown (6, 13) between the collar (4, 11) and the body (3, 9) of the capsule (1, 10), even with a small or nonexistent distribution chamber, uniforms the flow going in the openings (8, 12) on the collar.

Optimised capsule for infusions according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the collar or ring (4, 11) is joined as a separate element to the body (3, 9) of the capsule (1, 10), connecting in a supporting constraint with its lower edge on the side wall of the body (3, 9) of the capsule (1, 10).