WO2017071749A1

WO2017071749A1 - Food packaging capsule and household arrangement for the use of this capsule

Info

Publication number: WO2017071749A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/075015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonathan Pennella
Original assignee: Nutresia Sa
Priority date: 2015-10-28
Filing date: 2015-10-28
Publication date: 2017-05-04

Abstract

The invention relates to a food packaging capsule (10) comprising an internal space configured to accommodate at least one portion of food and a peripheral flange surrounding said internal space and projecting outwardly therefrom. The peripheral flange comprises, in a first portion thereof, a coded RFID tag (25) containing information about type and/or quantity of the at least one portion of food accommodated in said internal 25space. The tag (25) has a maximum operating distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm. The tag (25) is configured to cooperate with an antenna (125) provided in a household machine (100) configured to receive the capsule (10), such antenna (125) having a maximum reading distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm. The invention further relates to a household arrangement (1) comprising a regeneration household machine (100) configured to operate with a plurality of capsules (10) of the type discussed above.

Description

Food packaging capsule and household arrangement for the use of this capsule

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a food packaging capsule.

The invention further relates to a household arrangement comprising a regeneration household machine configured to operate with a plurality of the abovementioned capsules.

A regeneration household machine is known, for instance, from WO 2014/056814 in the name of the same Applicant. This machine comprises a plurality of compartments. Each compartment is adapted to receive a respective packaging capsule containing at least one cooked and subsequently cooled to chilled, ambient or frozen temperatures portion of food to be regenerated. Each capsule comprises a tag containing information about type and/or quantity of the food contained thereby. The machine further comprises recognition means for recognizing the recipe (that is, desired heating temperature and desired heating time) of the food contained in the capsule inserted into each compartment and a control unit which automatically sets the machine to operate at each compartment with a predetermined heating cycle depending on the recipe of the food inserted therein. The recognition means can comprise a bar code, optical character, magnetic strip or Radio Frequency Identification (so-called RFID) reader configured to read the information provided in the tag associated to each capsule.

The Applicant observed that RFID is a technology particularly suitable for allowing an effective and reliable transfer of information from the capsule to the machine so that the machine, upon recognition of the food contained in the capsule, can operate with a heating cycle specifically designed for that food. To this purpose, an antenna is provided in the machine at each compartment to read the information contained in the tag of the capsule inserted in that compartment. The Applicant further observed that in the machine described in WO 2014/056814, the simultaneous use of a plurality of capsules requires a simultaneous reading of information from different tags by respective antennas and a simultaneous transfer of information from the different tags to the respective antennas.

According to the Applicant, when using the RFID technology in a machine as the one described in WO 2014/056814 it is appropriate to foresee special provisions directed to ensure a one to one antenna-tag operation, so that is each antenna reads only the information from a respective tag and each tag sends the information only to a respective antenna.

The Applicant observed that a very precise mutual positioning between each antenna and the respective tag is required to achieve the desired one to one antenna-tag operation.

The Applicant realized that this precise mutual positioning can be achieved by providing each capsule with a tag having a very short operating range of distances and the machine with antennas having as well very short reading ranges of distances.

Accordingly, the present invention relates, in a first aspect thereof, to a food packaging capsule comprising an internal space configured to accommodate at least one portion of food and a peripheral flange surrounding said internal space and projecting outwardly therefrom, wherein the peripheral flange comprises, in a first portion thereof, a coded RFID tag containing information about type and/or quantity of the at least one portion of food accommodated in said internal space, characterized in that said tag has a maximum operating distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm.

The Applicant found that this specific range of distances prevents the information contained in the tag of a capsule inserted in a compartment to reach antennas of other compartments, thus allowing this information to be read only by the antenna of the compartment where the capsule is inserted. The capsule of the present invention can comprise one of the preferred features discussed below, taken individually or in combination.

Preferably, said tag has a minimum operating distance greater than, or equal to, 10 mm. The Applicant indeed realized that 10-14 mm is the range of distances which allows achieving the desired one to one antenna- tag operation in the most effective and reliable way.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the tag has a diameter equal to 24 mm. This tag has been found by the Applicant to have a size suitable to contain all the information that it is desired to be included in the tag as well as to achieve an effective and reliable one to one antenna-tag operation.

The Applicant realized that it is appropriate to provide a specific positioning of the top surface of the tag with respect to the bottom surface of the capsule in order to achieve both a steady positioning of the capsule inside the compartment and an effective and reliable one to one antenna- tag operation. According to the Applicant, it is preferred that the top surface of the tag is about 20 mm away from the bottom surface of the capsule.

The Applicant also realized that it is appropriate to provide a specific positioning of the tag in the capsule in order to optimize the one to one antenna-tag operation when the capsule is inserted in the compartment.

With this respect, it is preferred that said capsule has an elongated shape along a longitudinal direction thereof and said tag is arranged at a side of said internal space along said longitudinal direction and at the center of the first portion along a transversal direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction.

Preferably, a center point of said tag is about 15 mm away from an outer edge of the first portion along said longitudinal direction.

Preferably, a center point of said tag is about 21 mm away from an edge of the internal space along said longitudinal direction. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the peripheral flange comprises, in a second portion thereof opposite to the first portion with respect to said internal space, a flange portion extending along said transversal direction. The Applicant realized that this flange portion can be used to detect the correct positioning of the capsule inside the compartment, which is preferably a sine qua non condition for the machine to actually start operation upon having read the tag of the capsule.

Preferably, said first portion and said second portion are spaced apart from each other along said longitudinal direction by a distance greater than, or equal to, about 145 mm and lower than, or equal to, about 195 mm. According to the Applicant, this distance allows the capsule to be fully inserted in the compartment while the tag remains out of the compartment, so as to avoid the tag to be affected by the high temperature of the heat transferred to the capsule during the heating cycle.

In a second aspect thereof, the present invention relates to a household arrangement for regenerating packaged cooked and substantially cooled to chilled, ambient or frozen temperatures portions of food, the arrangement comprising;

- a plurality of capsules according to any of the previous claims; - a regeneration household machine including a plurality of compartments each one configured to receive one of said capsules and a plurality of RFID antennas each one configured to be arranged above a respective compartment and in front of the coded RFID tag of the capsule inserted in said compartment, wherein each antenna has a maximum reading distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm.

The Applicant founds that using a regeneration household machine including antennas having a reading range of distance substantially equal to the operating working distance of the tags provided in the capsule allows the desired one to one antenna-tag operation to be achieved.

The household arrangement of the present invention can comprise one of the preferred features discussed below, taken individually or in combination. These features can be taken in combination with any of the preferred features discussed above with respect to the capsule of the invention.

Preferably, said antenna has a minimum reading distance greater than, or equal to, 10 mm.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, said household machine comprises a main body including said plurality of compartments, the compartments extending substantially vertically from an upper surface of the main body so that when a capsule is inserted in a compartment the tag of said capsule projects upwardly from said main body.

Throughout the following description and the annexed claims, the expression "substantially vertical position" refers to a position which is exactly vertical or which is inclined up to an angle lower than 45° with respect to the vertical direction, preferably lower than 30°, more preferably lower than 20°, still more preferably, lower than 10°.

Preferably, said household machine comprises a lid pivotally associated to said main body and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the antennas are associated to said lid so that in the closed position of the lid one of said antenna is arranged in front of said tag.

Preferably, said lid comprises, adjacent to said antenna, a seat configured to house said tag when the lid is in the closed position.

More preferably, said seat has a shape which matches the shape of the first portion of the flange of the capsule, so as to prevent any movement of the tag with respect to the antenna, which would compromise the desired one to one antenna-tag operation.

Preferably, said lid comprises, around each of said antennas, a shielding structure. This structure contributes to precisely confine the operating reading area of the antenna and the operating working area of the respective tag at the respective compartment, so as to the be even more sure to obtain the desired one to one antenna-tag operation.

Preferably, said main body comprises, at the upper surface thereof and around each of said compartments, a sealing element and said lid comprises, around each of said antennas, a recess configured to house said sealing element. This provision allows avoiding undesired leakage of steam or water from the compartments.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, said main body comprises, at each compartment, a detection device configured to be activated by the second portion of the flange of the capsule when the capsule is fully inserted into the compartment. This allows to detect the correct positioning of the capsule inside the compartment in order to start operation of the machine only after such a condition is reached.

Preferably, said detection device comprises a magnet arranged at a predetermined second distance from said antenna.

More preferably, said second distance is equal to about 170 mm.

Preferably, the tag stores machine readable information.

Preferably, said machine readable information comprises a first upgraded computer program.

Preferably, the antenna is adapted to read said machine readable information from the tag.

Preferably, the machine comprises:

- a first memory adapted to store a first computer program adapted to operate a first functional module of the machine;

- a first processor configured to execute the first computer program stored in said first memory so as to operate the first functional module of the machine;

- a boot loader adapted to make said first processor to execute said first computer program so as to operate the first functional module of the machine.

Preferably, the boot loader is adapted to check if the machine readable information read by the antenna from the tag comprises the first upgraded computer program, which is adapted to operate said first functional module of the machine in an upgraded way, and, in the affirmative case, to replace in said first memory the first computer program with the first upgraded computer program. Preferably, the household machine further comprises a first spare memory.

Preferably, when the machine readable information read by the antenna comprises said first upgraded computer program, the boot loader is adapted first to copy said first upgraded computer program into said first spare memory and then to replace in said first memory the first computer program with the first upgraded computer program, by retrieving the first upgraded computer program from the first spare memory.

Preferably, the capsule housing the tag comprising the first upgraded computer program is an empty capsule (without food).

The machine readable information comprising the first upgraded computer program can be stored in multiple tags, each storing a respective portion of the first upgraded computer program, and the boot loader can be adapted to read the first upgraded computer program from the multiple tags.

Preferably, said multiple tags are housed in respective capsules, each adapted to be housed in a compartment of the machine.

Preferably, the first functional module of the machine comprises at least one functional module selected from: a heating circuit of the machine, a user interface of the machine, a cleaning module of the machine, a testing and diagnostic module of the machine, a descaling module of the machine and the antenna itself.

Preferably, the machine comprises a heating circuit adapted to heat the packaged food.

Preferably, the heating circuit comprises at least one device selected from the following devices: valve, heating means, heating sensor, liquid level sensor, conduct, pump and water tanks.

Preferably, the boot loader is adapted to check if the machine readable information read by the antenna from the tag comprises food regeneration instructions, and, in the affirmative case, it is adapted to make a second processor to execute a second computer program, stored in a second memory, said second computer program being adapted to operate the heating circuit based on the food regeneration instructions read by the antenna.

The second processor, the second memory and the second computer program can be the same entity as the first processor, the first memory and the first computer program, respectively, and said first functional module of the machine comprises the heating circuit.

Alternatively, the second processor, the second memory and the second computer program can be different from the first processor, the first memory and the first computer program, respectively.

Preferably, the machine further comprises:

- a second memory adapted to store a second computer program adapted to operate a second functional module of the machine;

- a second processor configured to execute the second computer program stored in said second memory.

In this case the boot loader is adapted to:

- make said second processor to execute said second computer program;

- check if the machine readable information read by the antenna from the tag comprises a second upgraded computer program, which is adapted to operate said second functional module of the machine in an upgraded way, and, in the affirmative case,

- replace in said second memory the second computer program with the second upgraded computer program.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, made with reference to the attached drawings and given as an indication and not for limiting purposes.

In such drawings:

- figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a household arrangement according to the present invention, this arrangement comprising a household machine having two food packaging capsules inserted therein; - figure 2 is a schematic enlarged view of a portion of the household arrangement of figure 1 ;

- figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of the household arrangement of figure 1 ;

- figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a top portion of the household arrangement of figure 1 , wherein a lid of the household machine is partially opened;

- figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a top portion of the household arrangement of figure 1 , wherein the lid of the household machine is closed;

- figures 6 and 7 are top and side views, respectively, of the food packaging capsule used in the household arrangement of figure 1 ;

- figure 8 is a schematic perspective rear view of a clamping device used in the household arrangement of figure 1 , provided with the food packaging capsule of figures 6 and 7;

- figures 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views of a portion of the clamping device of figure 8 and of the food packaging capsule in two different operative configurations;

- figure 1 1 schematically shows a control unit of the regeneration household machine of figure 1 .

In the following description and in the attached claims, the terms "lower" and "upper" are used referring to the position of the household machine in operation, that is when the household machine is placed on a horizontal support plane, and to the position of the capsule when inserted in the household machine in operation, that is a substantially vertical position. On the other side, the terms "bottom" and "top" are used referring to the position of the machine and capsule when they are placed on a horizontal support plane.

Figure 1 shows an household arrangement in accordance with the invention. Such a household arrangement is globally indicated with reference numeral 1 and comprises a household machine 100 and a plurality of food packaging capsule 10 inserted into respective compartments 1 10 of the household machine 100. In the example of figure 1 , only two capsules 10 are inserted into respective compartments 1 10.

The food packaging capsule 10 contains a portion of food to be cooked or heated in the household machine 100. For instance, the aforementioned portion of food can be a cooked and subsequently cooled to chilled, ambient or frozen temperatures portion of food (for example culinary bases for a meal, which have been previously sous-vide cooked or sous-vide pasteurized and then stored cooled to chilled, ambient or frozen temperatures), raw portion of food to be cooked, or a portion of food to be cooked or re-heated.

The household machine 100 is preferably intended for a domestic use. However it can be also used in restaurant or more generally in any food service environment.

The household machine 100 is preferably configured to heat the portion of food provided inside the capsule 10 according to a specific respective recipe, that is according to a heating cycle which depends on type and/or quantity of the portion of food packaged in the capsules 10, as discussed in WO 2014/056814.

The household machine 100 comprises a main body 130 including the plurality of compartments 1 10. In the non-limiting example of figures 1 - 5, six compartments 1 10 are provided.

Four compartments 1 10 have a first volume and two compartments 1 10 have a second volume smaller than the first volume, so as to receive capsules 10 of different sizes.

Each compartment 1 10 houses a respective clamping device 50 which holds the capsule 10 therein. The clamping device 50 is better shown in figure 8 and, only schematically, in figures 9 and 10 and will be described below.

The household machine 100 comprises a lid 120 which is hinged to the main body 130.

In particular, the lid 120 is hinged along a side of an upper surface 132 of the main body 130. The compartments 1 10 open on the upper surface 132, so that the clamping devices 50 and the capsules 10 are inserted into the main body 130 from above the upper surface 132.

The lid 120 is movable from an open position, shown in figure 1 , to a closed position, shown in figures 3 and 5. In the closed position, the lid 120 simultaneously closes all the compartments 1 10, as shown in figure 5.

As shown in figures 4 and 5, a closing member 121 is provided on the lid 120 to allow the user to open and close the lid 120.

Sensors not shown are provided in the machine to detect the closure of the lid 120 of the household machine 100.

The lid 120 comprises a plurality of antennas 125, one for each compartment 1 10. When the lid 120 is in the closed position, each antenna is arranged above the respective compartment 1 10, as shown in figure 3.

As shown in figure 3, at the bottom portion of each compartment 1 10 the machine 100 comprises a detection device 140 configured to detect when the capsule 10 is fully inserted into the compartment 1 10. This device 140 is described below.

As shown in figures 4 and 5, the lid 120 comprises, around each antenna 125, a shielding structure 150. The structure 150 is preferably defined by four walls 151 arranged around the antenna 125, each wall 151 being perpendicular to the adjacent wall 151 , to define an internal area wherein the antenna 125 is located.

As shown in figure 2, the main body 130 comprises, at the upper surface 132 thereof and around each compartment 1 10, a sealing element 160 configured to be housed, when the lid 120 is closed, into a respective recess (not shown) formed in the lid 120 around each antenna 125.

The household machine 100 comprises a control unit 200 for operating the machine 100 itself. The control unit 200 is schematically shown in figure 1 1 and will be described below.

The machine 100 further comprises a heating circuit 220

(schematically shown in figure 1 1 ) for heating the food packaged in the capsules 10, when the capsules 10 are inserted into the compartments 1 10.

The heating circuit 220 is adapted to heat the food in the capsule 10 by providing a heating fluid within the compartment 1 10 all around the capsule 10. For instance, the heating fluid is water and/or steam and/or saturated air (i.e. air saturated by humidity) and/or air with very high humidity level (preferably, over 80% of humidity level).

The machine 100 comprises a user interface 240 (schematically shown in figure 1 1 for instance a Multi Media Interface (MMI), adapted to exchange information with a user and to enable the user to control functions of the machine 100.

The user interface 240 may comprise a selector (not shown), for example in the shape of one or more buttons and/or a touch screen. As an example, when the food packaged into the capsule 10 is meat, the selector can be used to select four different heating conditions in order to obtain blue, red, medium or well done regenerated meat.

Figures 6 and 7 show the details of the capsule 10

The capsule 10 has an elongated shape along a longitudinal direction parallel to an axis of symmetry X-X of the capsule 10.

The capsule 10 comprises an internal space 12 wherein the portion of food is accommodated.

The internal space 12 of the capsule 10 is delimited by a bottom surface 14 and a side wall 16 extending upwardly from the bottom surface 14. The side wall 16 comprises, at a free end portion thereof, a flange 18. A sealing film is removably associated with the flange 18 in order to completely cover the internal space 12. The film is preferably transparent (in order to allow seeing the portion of food contained in the capsule 10) and provides an oxygen and moisture barrier, as well it prevents transfer of fluids, aromas and flavors.

In the not-limiting example of figures 6 and 7, the side wall 16 is defined by curved surfaces joining the flange 18 to the bottom surface 14, so that the bottom surface 14 and the side wall 16 substantially define a shell-like shape.

The flange 18 extends outwardly with respect to the internal space 12, substantially on a plane.

The portion of food is placed in the internal space 12 and then the capsule 10 is closed by associating the film with the flange 18. The film can be welded at the flange 18 and it can be subsequently subject to shrinking.

The material of the film is preferably a PE based plastic material. Preferably, the portion of food is packaged under-vacuum in the capsule 10.

The flange 18 has an easy-opening area 22 which allows grasping and initial detachment of the film from the flange 18.

Two opposite side portions 18a of the flange 18 comprise respective reinforced portions. The reinforced portions define grasping elements for handling the capsule 10 and supporting the rigidity of the capsule 10 when it is out of the compartment 1 10 of the household machine 100. The reinforced portions further define guiding elements for guiding the capsule 10 during insertion/extraction of the capsule 10 into/from the compartment 1 10.

The two opposite side portions 18a are substantially parallel to each other.

An upper portion 18b of the flange 18, joining the two opposite side portions 18a, comprises a grasping portion 22b for allowing inserting/removing the capsule 10 into/from the compartment 1 10. The second portion 18b is reinforced as well.

The upper portion 18b has a longitudinal extension, along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X of the capsule 10, that is greater than a transversal extension of the side portions 18a along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal symmetry axis X-X of the capsule 10.

The flange 18 comprises a lower portion 18c joining the two opposite side portions 18a and opposite to the upper portion 18b. The lower portion 18 extends along a transversal direction of the capsule 10 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof. The lower portion 18c is reinforced as well.

In the not-limiting example of figures 6 and 7, the easy-opening area 22 is arranged on the lower portion 18c. More precisely, the easy- opening area 22 is arranged on a side of the lower portion 18c.

The lower portion 18c has a longitudinal extension, along a direction parallel to the longitudinal symmetry X-X axis of the capsule 10, that is substantially identical to the transversal extension of the side portions 18a along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal symmetry X-X axis of the capsule 10.

In practice, the portions 18a, 18b and 18c define a reinforced ring around the internal space 12 of the capsule 10 which allows handling of the capsule 10 without altering the shape of the capsule 10. The ring is preferably obtained by folding on themselves the portions 18a, 18b, 18c of the flange 18.

The lower portion 18c has a flange abutment surface 22c adapted to cooperate with an abutment surface of the clamping device 50, as described below. The flange abutment surface 22c extends, at least partially, on a plane.

The upper portion 18b and the lower portion 18c are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the capsule 10 by a distance greater than, or equal to, about 145 mm and lower than, or equal to, about 195 mm.

The bottom surface 14, the side wall 16 and the flange 18 are made from a soft plastic material.

Throughout the following description and in the annexed claims, the expression "soft plastic material" is used to indicate any plastic material which allow heat transfer.

The soft plastic material is preferably a PE based plastic material.

The upper portion 18b comprises a seat 24 which houses an identification element 25 configured to recognize type and/or quantity of the portion of food accommodated in the internal space 12. In the not- limiting example of figures 6 and 7, the seat 24 is formed on a middle area of the upper portion 18b, that is at the center of the upper portion 18b along a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the capsule 10.

The identification element 25 is a coded RFID tag 25.

When the capsule 10 is fully inserted into the compartment 1 10, the portion 18b of the capsule 10 projects upwardly from the main body 130 of the machine 100.

The position of the tag 25 is such that when the capsule 10 is fully inserted in the compartment 1 10 and the lid 120 of the machine 100 is closed, the tag 25 is located within the internal area defined by the wall 151 provided on the lid 120 and in front of the antenna 125 at a very close distance therefrom. Such a distance is preferably comprised between 10 mm and 14 mm.

The tag 25 has a maximum operating distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm, and a minimum operating distance greater than, or equal to, 10 mm. Similarly, the antenna 125 has a maximum reading distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm, and a minimum reading distance greater than, or equal to, 10 mm.

The tag has a diameter equal to 24 mm.

A top surface of the tag is 20 mm away from the bottom surface 14 of the capsule 10.

A center point of the tag 25 is about 15 mm away from an outer edge of the upper portion 18b of the capsule, along the longitudinal direction thereof. This center point is about 21 mm away from an edge of the internal space 12 along the longitudinal direction of the capsule 10.

Capsules 10 of different size are used in the machine 100. All the capsule 10 however have the same length along the longitudinal direction and different width along the transversal direction. The position of the tag 25 in the capsule 10 is the same as disclosed above irrespective of the shape of the capsule 10. The lid 120 of the machine 100 comprises, adjacent to each antenna 125, a seat 126 configured to house the upper portion 18b of the capsule 10, and thus the tag 25 provided therein, when the lid 120 is in the closed position. The shape of the seat 126 perfectly matches the shape of the upper portion 18b of the capsule 10, so that the tag 25 cannot move with respect to the antenna 125.

The capsule 10 is fully inserted in the compartment 1 10 by the action of the clamping device 50.

As shown in figure 8, the clamping device 50 comprises an outer frame 51 housed in the compartment 1 10 and a movable inner frame 52 slidably connected to the outer frame 51 and housing the capsule 10 therein. Figures 9 ad 10 schematically show only a portion of the outer frame 51 and the capsule 10.

As shown in figures 2 and 8, the inner frame 52 comprises two pins 52a projecting outwardly from an upper surface 51 a of the outer frame 51 and from the upper surface 132 of the main body 130 and configured to be pushed down by the lid 120 when it is closed to activate movement of the inner frame 52 with respect to the outer frame 51 , thus bringing the capsule 10 in the final position in which the capsule 10 is fully inserted within the compartment 1 10 (figure 1 1 ).

A magnet 141 is associated with the bottom part of the outer frame 51 to detect when the lower portion 18c of the capsule 10 reaches the abovementioned final position. The magnet 141 preferably moves, biased by a torsion spring not shown, from a rest position shown in figure 9 and corresponding to a condition in which the capsule 10 is not fully inserted into the compartment 1 10 to a detection position shown in figure 10 and corresponding to a condition in which the capsule 10 reaches the final position within the compartment 1 10 and the abutment surface 22c defined on the lower portion 18c of the capsule 10 pushes the magnet 141 to move to the detection position thereof.

A magnetic device 142, shown in figure 3, is arranged in the main body 130 of the machine 100 in front of the magnet 141 when the latter is at the rest position thereof to detect the movement of the magnet 141 and thus communicating to the control unit 200 of the machine 100 that the capsule 10 is fully inserted into the compartment 1 10.

The magnetic device 142 is positioned at a distance from the antenna 125 (when the lid 120 is closed) equal to about 170 mm.

Such a distance corresponds to the distance between the magnet 141 , when it is at the rest position thereof, and the tag 25 of the capsule 10 when the latter is fully inserted in the compartment 1 10.

In order to start operation of the machine 100 when a capsule 10 is inserted in the compartment 100, three conditions should occur: 1 ) the antenna receives information from the tag 25 of the capsule 10 so as to know the heating cycle to be actuated depending on the type and/or quantity of the food contained in the capsule 10; 2) the coded information provided on the tag 24 is decoded by the machine 100; 3) the detection device 140 detects that the capsule 10 is fully inserted into the compartment 1 10. Only when these three conditions are met, the heating cycle in that compartment 1 10 can start.

Therefore, a capsule 10 suitable for being used in the machine 100 described above should have a tag 25 which is coded by an algorithm which is known to the machine 100, which has an operating working distance not higher than 14 mm and, preferably, which is positioned in the capsule 10 such that when the capsule 10 is fully inserted in the compartment 1 10 of the machine 100, the distance between the tag 25 and the magnet 141 is equal to about 170 mm.

The tag 25 of the capsule 10 can be used not only to provide the control unit 200 of the machine 100 with information regarding the heating cycle to be performed in the machine 100 depending on the type and/or quantity of food contained therein, but also additional information, such as for example an updated software to be uploaded by the control unit 200.

Preferred structural and functional features of a control unit 200 suitable for performing additional tasks in addition to the heating cycle, is discussed below. As schematically shown in figure 1 1 , the control unit 200 in this case comprises: a first circuit board 210 intended for operating the heating circuit 220; a second circuit board 230 intended for operating the user interface 240 of the machine; and a third circuit board 250 intended for operating the antennas 125.

The first circuit board 210, the second circuit board 230 and the third circuit board 250 comprise a first memory 212, a second memory 232 and a third memory 252, respectively.

The first memory 212, the second memory 232 and the third memory 252 are adapted to store a first computer program 214, a second computer program 234 and a third computer program 254, respectively.

The first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254 are software and/or firmware configured to operate, in particular, the heating circuit 220 of the machine 100, the user interface 240 and the antennas 125, respectively.

The first circuit board 210, the second circuit board 230 and the third circuit board 250 comprise a first processor 216, a second processor 236 and a third processor 256, respectively.

The first processor 216, the second processor 236 and the third processor 256 are configured to execute the first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254, respectively.

Preferably, each of the first circuit board 210, the second circuit board 230 and the third circuit board 250 comprises a first spare memory 218, a second spare memory 238 and a third spare memory 258, respectively. The spare memories preferably are EEPROMs.

The first circuit board 210, the second circuit board 230 and the third circuit board 250 are suitably connected to each other in order to enable data communications (wired and/or wireless) between them.

The control unit 200 is also adapted to store a boot loader 260.

Even if figure 1 1 shows the boot loader 260 stored apart, it may be stored in one of the first circuit board 210, second circuit board 230 and third circuit board 250. Preferably, it is stored in the first circuit board 210 (e.g. in a suitable additional memory).

The boot loader 260 is a relatively small computer program which is firstly run by the machine 100 when it is powered on with the purpose to launch the first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254.

Accordingly, under normal operation, when the machine 100 is powered on, the boot loader 260 launches the first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254 so as to operate the heating circuit 220, the user interface 240 and the antennas 125, respectively, of the machine 100.

When a user insert one or more capsules 10 into the compartments 1 10, the antenna 125 reads the information stored into the tag 25 comprised in the food capsule 10.

If the information read by the antenna 125 comprises food regeneration instructions, the first processor 216 executes the first computer program 214, which is adapted to operate the heating circuit 220 based on the food regeneration instructions read by the antenna 125, and the machine 100 operates under normal conditions.

In order to heat the food packaged into the capsules 10 inserted into the compartments 1 10, the heating circuit 220 supplies into the compartments 1 10 the heating fluid (for example water) heated at a desired temperature, this temperature depending on the food regeneration instructions read by the antenna 125. Depending on said instructions, the heating circuit 220 can supply into the compartments 1 10 at first steam and, successively, water heated at the desired temperature. In further embodiments, air saturated by humidity (i.e. saturated air) or air with very high humidity level is used instead of steam. In other embodiments, only hot water or only steam or only saturated air or only air with very high humidity level is supplied into the compartments 1 10. In general, the compartments 1 10 can be supplied with only one of above-mentioned heating fluids (i.e. water, steam, saturated air, air with very high humidity level), or with any combination thereof.

When one or more of the first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254 need to be updated, the user has the possibility of updating the machine 100 by simply obtaining one or more tags 25, which store an upgraded version of the computer program to be updated, and bringing said tags 25 near to the antenna 125.

Preferably, the tags 25 storing the upgraded computer program are housed into food capsules 10. In this case, the food capsules 10 are preferably empty (without food) and they are merely used to store the tags 25 needed to upgrade the machine 100. The insertion of the tags 25, storing the upgraded computer program, into the capsules 10 advantageously enables the user to use a tool with which he/she is already familiar. The number of tags 25 (and thus, the number of capsules 10) needed to make the upgrade depends on the memory capacity of the tags 25 and on the size of the upgraded computer program.

Accordingly, when the information read by the antenna 12 comprises an upgraded computer program, the boot loader 260 is adapted to recognize it and to start a "special update operation" of the machine 100, wherein the upgraded computer program is downloaded from the tag(s) 25.

In particular, the boot loader 260 is adapted to automatically recognize which is(are) the computer program(s), among the first computer program 214, the second computer program 234 and the third computer program 254, that has(have) to be updated and to overwrite in the proper memory(ies), among the first memory 212, the second memory 232 and the third memory 252, the current computer program(s) with the upgraded computer program(s) stored in the tag(s) 25. The overwriting may be carried out by swapping bit by bit the current computer program(s) with the upgraded computer program(s).

In particular, in the preferred embodiment herein illustrated, first the boot loader 260 is adapted to copy the upgraded computer program(s) into the proper spare mennory(ies) among the first spare memory 218, the second spare memory 238 and the third spare memory 258. Then, the boot loader 260 replaces in the proper memory(ies), among the first memory 212, the second memory 232 and the third memory 252, the current computer program(s) with the upgraded computer program (s), by retrieving the upgraded computer program(s) from the spare memory(ies). The use of spare memories is advantageous in order to avoid any crash in case the machine 100 is suddenly and unexpectedly turned off.

In addition, in order to avoid any crash, the boot loader 260 is adapted to guarantee that a computer program 214, 234 or 254 is replaced when it is not being executed by the respective processor 216, 236 or 256.

For example, if the information comprising the upgraded computer program is read by the antenna 125 when the computer program to be updated is running, the boot loader may interrupt the execution of said computer program or attend the end of said execution, before replacing said computer program with the upgraded computer program.

Of course, a man skilled in the art can bring numerous modifications and variants to the clamping device described above, in order to satisfy specific and contingent requirements, all of which are however within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1 . Food packaging capsule (10) comprising an internal space (12) configured to accommodate at least one portion of food and a peripheral flange (18) surrounding said internal space (12) and projecting outwardly therefrom, wherein the peripheral flange (18) comprises, in a first portion (18b) thereof, a coded RFID tag (25) containing information about type and/or quantity of the at least one portion of food accommodated in said internal space (12), characterized in that said tag (25) has a maximum operating distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm.

2. Food packaging capsule (10) according to claim 1 , wherein said tag (25) has a minimum operating distance greater than, or equal to, 10 mm.

3. Food packaging capsule (10) according claim 1 or 2, wherein said tag (25) has a diameter equal to 24 mm.

4. Food packaging capsule (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein a top surface of the tag (25) is about 20 mm away from a bottom surface (14) of the capsule (10).

5. Food packaging capsule (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said capsule (10) has an elongated shape along a longitudinal direction thereof and said tag (25) is arranged at a side of said internal space (12) along said longitudinal direction and at the center of the first portion (18b) along a transversal direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction.

6. Food packaging capsule (10) according to claim 5, wherein a center point of said tag (25) is about 15 mm away from an outer edge of the first portion (18b) along said longitudinal direction.

7. Food packaging capsule (10) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a center point of said tag (25) is about 21 mm away from an edge of the internal space (12) along said longitudinal direction.

8. Food packaging capsule (10) according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the peripheral flange (18) comprises, in a second portion (18c) thereof opposite to the first portion (18b) with respect to said internal space (12), a flange portion extending along said transversal direction.

9. Food packaging capsule (10) according to claim 8, wherein said first portion (18b) and said second portion (18c) are spaced apart from each other along said longitudinal direction by a distance greater than, or equal to, about 145 mm and lower than, or equal to, about 195 mm.

10. Household arrangement (1 ) for regenerating packaged cooked and substantially cooled to chilled, ambient or frozen temperatures portions of food, the arrangement (1 ) comprising;

- a plurality of capsules (10) according to any of the previous claims;

- a regeneration household machine (100) including a plurality of compartments (1 10) each one configured to receive one of said capsules (10) and a plurality of RFID antennas (125) each one configured to be arranged above a respective compartment (1 10) and in front of the coded RFID tag (25) of the capsule (10) inserted in said compartment (1 10), wherein each antenna (125) has a maximum reading distance lower than, or equal to, 14 mm.

1 1 . Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 10, wherein said antenna (125) has a minimum reading distance greater than, or equal to,

10 mm.

12. Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 10 or 1 1 , wherein said household machine (100) comprises a main body (130) including said plurality of compartments (1 10), wherein the compartments (1 10) extend substantially vertically from an upper surface (132) of the main body (130) so that when a capsule (10) is inserted in a compartment (1 10) the tag (25) of said capsule (10) projects upwardly from said main body (130).

13. Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 12, wherein said household machine (100) comprises a lid (120) pivotally associated to said main body (130) and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the antennas (125) are associated to said lid (120) so that in the closed position of the lid (120) one of said antenna (125) is arranged in front of said tag (25).

14. Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 13, wherein said lid (120) comprises, adjacent to said antenna (125), a seat (126) configured to house said tag (25) when the lid (120) is in the closed position.

15. Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 14, wherein said seat (126) has a shape which matches the shape of the first portion (18b) of the flange (18) of the capsule (10).

16. Household arrangement (1 ) according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein said lid (120) comprises, around each of said antennas (125), a shielding structure (150).

17. Household arrangement (1 ) according to any of claims 13 to 16, wherein said main body (130) comprises, at the upper surface (132) thereof and around each of said compartments (1 10), a sealing element (160) and said lid (120) comprises, around each of said antennas (125), a recess configured to house said sealing element (160).

18. Household arrangement (1 ) according to any of claims 12 to 17 when depending on claim 8, wherein said main body (130) comprises, at each compartment (1 10), a detection device (140) configured to be activated by the second portion (18c) of the flange (18) of the capsule (10) when the capsule (10) is fully inserted into the compartment (1 10).

19. Household arrangement (1 ) according to claim 18, wherein said detection device (140) comprises a magnet (141 ) arranged at a predetermined second distance from said antenna (125).