[0001] The object of the invention is a capsule for beverages and the method of beverage
preparation from substances placed in the upper part of the capsule that are subjected
to the processes of extracting; dissolving and diluting by injecting into them liquid
under pressure in an appliance for preparing beverages, where the capsule comprises
a casing closed with puncturable barriers at the top and the base and it is designed
for the preparation of hot, cold or chilled beverages, liquid food and liquid additives
to food, especially such drinks as cappuccino, coffee, chocolate, Latte Machiatto,
Ice Frappe, soups, teas, juices, desserts, sauces/dressings, alcoholic drinks and
beer.
[0002] There is an appliance for extracting a food substance contained in a sealed cartridge
and the method of extracting a food substance contained in a sealed cartridge known
from the Polish Patent No.
196425. The appliance has a hollow body with a chamber for inserting the cartridge, a water
feeding duct running through the body and connected to the chamber and many puncturing
elements distributed across the chamber. The puncturing elements puncture the cartridge
in many separate places enabling water to flow into the cartridge and these are spaced
across the chamber along the direction of water inflow. Furthermore, each puncturing
element comprises a basic component that is connected to the body and protrudes into
the chamber, and this basic component enters the cartridge at least partially forming
in it the surface of water inflow inside the cartridge, and the basic component is
a solid part with a closed cross-section while each puncturing element has a cutting
face that cuts the basic component at an acute angle. The cross-section of the basic
component narrows down gradually towards the cutting face at the "β" angle smaller
than the "α" angle of the cutting face.
[0003] There is a replaceable cartridge known from the Polish Patent No.
171494 for a beverage brewing appliance that has a rigid, cylindrical casing which is hollow
inside for placing beverage powder, with a non-perforated side wall and perforated
central part that constitutes the casing inlet and the opposite perforated base that
constitutes the casing outlet. There is an outer plastic ring-shaped protrusion around
the central part that touches an external heat source in the form of the heated plate
of the beverage brewing appliance. The outer plastic circumferential protrusion is
subject to plastic deformation by the action of the external heat source and its front
wall is formed in such a manner that it is part of the side surface of a truncated
cone with an obtuse vertical angle, with its vertex located in the axis of the casing,
and the temperature of protrusion softening is lower than the boiling point of water
while the temperature of its melting is higher than the boiling point of water.
[0004] There is a container known from the Polish Patent Application No.
P-385854 submitted according to the publication
WO 2007/054479 A1 of the Application
PCT/EP2006/068121 that has several chambers and contains at least one beverage ingredient for beverage
preparation, used to prepare a beverage by mixing it with liquid input to the container,
and the container inside is divided into at least two separate chambers.
This container may be in the form of a capsule or bag containing at least one ingredient
for preparing a beverage, and such a beverage is prepared by mixing liquid input to
the capsule, while the capsule inside is divided into at least two separate chambers,
the first and the second one, and each chamber contains a beverage ingredient or beverage
ingredient mix, while the first chamber is adapted to release the ingredient or ingredient
mix at a time lag versus the second chamber when the liquid is input inside the capsule
to make the beverage.
[0005] There is a capsule that is subjected to extraction and the method of improving hygiene
and reducing contamination when preparing a beverage from the capsule known from the
Polish Patent Description No.
201325. The capsule according to that invention is subjected to extraction by injecting
liquid under pressure into the capsule in an appliance for preparing a beverage, and
the capsule contains a substance for preparing the beverage in a sealed chamber and
a means of opening the capsule applied, where the opening of the capsule permits the
beverage to flow out as a result of the interaction of the opening means and the chamber
wall under the influence of the liquid pressure increase in the chamber.
[0006] There is a capsule for beverages known from the Polish Patent Description No.
219698 subjected to extracting, dissolving and diluting its content by injecting liquid
under pressure into the capsule in an appliance for preparing beverages, comprising
a casing containing such a substance closed with puncturable membranes at the top
and the base, which is characterised in that there are at least two internal concentric
chambers inside the casing sealed with the membrane at the top, fitted with a cap
with a ring turned inside fitted with reinforcements spaced along its internal side,
while at the base the cap has a ring turned outside fitted with passages that adhere
to a spacing insert, and there is a frothing insert placed inside the area surrounded
by the ring and fitted at the top with slots spaced around the ring perimeter and
spacing mandrels and fitted at the base with concentric segmented rings of variable
thickness and with a preferably centrally placed punch partly located in the outflow
duct hole covered with the outflow membrane, where part of the casing base is rounded
outwards within the outflow duct. The spacing insert has concentric rings on the inside,
where there are indentations on the perimeter of the inner ring and passages on the
rim of the outer ring, and there is a passage in the base of the spacing insert, while
the rim of the spacing insert is clasp locked along its whole perimeter with a flange
inside the casing. The frothing insert has a flexible sealing lip turned out along
its perimeter.
[0007] There is a capsule for beverages known from the Polish Patent Description No.
220172 subjected to the processes of extracting, dissolving and diluting its content by
injecting liquid under pressure into the capsule in an appliance for preparing beverages,
comprising a casing containing such a substance closed with puncturable membranes
at the top and the base, which is characterized in that there is one internal chamber
inside the casing which has a spacing insert in its lower part, and there is a frothing
insert placed inside the area surrounded by the ring and fitted at the top with slots
spaced around the ring perimeter and a row of spacing mandrels and fitted at the base
with a row of concentric segmented rings of variable thickness and with a preferably
centrally placed punch partly located in the outflow duct hole covered with the outflow
membrane, where part of the casing base is rounded outwards within the outflow duct.
The spacing insert is fitted with a passage and has concentric rings on the inside,
where there is a row of indentations on the perimeter of the inner ring and the rim
of the insert is clasp locked along its whole perimeter with a flange inside the casing.
In the locking area with the rim, the flange has the shape of a reversed letter "J".
The frothing insert has a flexible sealing lip turned out along its perimeter.
[0008] The biggest disadvantages of the capsules currently used for beverages is the incomplete
mixing of the ingredients and the residue of mixed ingredients on the surfaces of
capsule components after the capsule has been emptied as well as the difficulty in
recycling due to the material used for the top and base membranes, which are made
of various types of foils, most often aluminium foil, which means that these foils
must be manually removed in order to recycle the capsule.
[0009] The purpose of the invention is to design a capsule for beverages made completely
of a homogeneous material and the method of beverage preparation from the substances
contained in that capsule, and the said capsule enables the content to be mixed and
contained in the upper part of the casing and the complete mixing of the substance
which is then discharged from the appliance for beverage preparation in a laminar
manner.
[0010] The capsule for beverages that comprises the casing sealed tightly with the upper
barrier at the top and the lower barrier at the base, where there is a separator located
in the casing with at least one hole and connected to the casing along its perimeter,
and in the upper part of the capsule casing between the upper barrier and the separator,
there is a substance subjected to the processes of extracting, dissolving and diluting
its content by injecting liquid under pressure into it within the appliance for preparing
beverages, and that contains a mixing unit located between the separator and the lower
barrier which seals the outflow duct through which the prepared content flows out,
according to the invention is characterised in that the separator is tightly connected
along its perimeter to the inner surface of the casing, and the outflow from each
hole in the separator is controlled by a pressure control valve. There is a bush between
the separator and the upper barrier fitted with the holes at the base allowing the
liquid to flow out for the purpose of mixing the substance in the direction from the
separator to the upper barrier. The bush may or may not be detachable from the separator.
Inside the separator area determined by a ring fastened to the separator from below,
there is mixing unit guide seated in a recess made in the mixing unit, whose arms
have outflow holes at the ends placed in the walls of the recess, and connected to
the central hole of the punch that punctures the barrier which has at least one notch
in the centre of the casing, and is part of the casing where the punch, in its working
position, after puncturing the lower barrier, seals the resulting hole with its outer
surface during the outflow of the prepared mix, and the generating line of the punch
is longer than half the length cut on the inside of the barrier, and the height of
the punch is shorter than the height of the casing outflow duct. The method of beverage
preparation from a substance contained in a hermetically sealed capsule in an appliance
for preparing beverages, where the said capsule has inside its casing a separator
separating the upper part of the capsule interior between that separator and the upper
barrier of the casing, where the said substance is contained in the upper part and
below the separator there is a mixing unit and an outflow duct sealed by the lower
barrier, and the method comprises inserting the capsule in the appliance for preparing
beverages and opening it from the base, and then puncturing the upper barrier and
injecting liquid under pressure, according to the invention is characterised by that
the liquid under pressure is injected by at least one pressure nozzle into the central
hole of the bush which is typically free of the substance used for beverage preparation,
and in the lower part of the side wall of the bush there is at least one opening located
in the immediate vicinity of the capsule separator surface, through which the liquid
under pressure is fed continuously from the base towards the upper part of the casing
containing the said substance for the purpose of its preliminary dilution until at
least one pressure control valve, through which the diluted substance flows into the
mixing unit, opens and, when it is finally mixed, the substance is discharged from
the capsule through the central hole in the mixing unit punch located in the outflow
duct.
[0011] The method of beverage preparation from a substance contained in a hermetically sealed
capsule in an appliance for preparing beverages, where the said capsule has inside
its casing a separator separating the upper part of the capsule interior situated
between that separator and the upper barrier of the casing, where the said substance
is contained in the upper part and below the separator there is a mixing unit and
an outflow duct closed by the lower barrier, and the method comprises inserting the
capsule in the appliance and opening it from the base, and then puncturing the upper
barrier and injecting liquid under pressure, according to the invention is characterised
by that the liquid under pressure is injected through at least one pressure nozzle
into the upper part of the casing containing the said substance for the purpose of
its preliminary dilution until at least one pressure control valve, through which
the diluted substance flows into the mixing unit, opens and, when it is finally mixed,
the substance is discharged from the capsule through the central hole in the mixing
unit punch located in the outflow duct.
[0012] The advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that owing to the application
of the tight connection between the separator and the inner rim and of the pressure
control valves, especially the diaphragm pressure control valves, the complete tightness
of the capsule in its upper area has been achieved, which is especially significant
when storing thickened juices or other concentrated liquids, and by the application
in the capsule option of a bush fitted with holes at the base, a uniform mixing of
ingredients is achieved followed by the evacuation of the total contents of the capsule
through the punched-through lower barrier which is made of a homogeneous material
that eliminates the need for aluminium foils, which are currently used, and discharges
the content outside in a laminar manner without splashing it on the inner walls of
the outflow duct. In case of this capsule, complete recycling of the whole capsule
is possible, since it is made completely of a homogeneous material.
[0013] The object of the invention has been shown in a sample embodiment in the drawing,
where Fig. 1 - shows a side view of the capsule, Fig. 2 - shows an axial section of
the capsule, Fig. 3 - shows an axial section of the capsule fitted with the bush,
Fig. 4 - shows a base view of the separator, Fig. 5 - shows a top view of the separator,
Fig. 6 - shows a top view of the separator for connecting the bush , Fig. 7 - shows
an axial section of the separator, Fig. 8 - shows a top view of the separator fitted
with the bush, Fig. 9 - shows an axial section of the separator fitted with the bush,
Fig. 10 - shows an axial section of the bush, Fig. 11 - shows a view of the bush from
the side of the outflow holes, Fig. 12-shows an axial section of the mixing unit,
Fig. 13 - shows a base view of the mixing unit, Fig. 14 - shows a top view of the
mixing unit, Fig. 15 - shows a top view of the middle of the capsule without the separator
and the mixing unit, Fig. 16 - shows an axial section of the capsule placed in the
tray of the appliance for preparing beverages before emptying it, Fig. 17 - shows
an axial section of the capsule placed in the tray of the appliance for preparing
beverages during emptying it, Fig. 18 - shows an axial section of the capsule fitted
with the bush and placed in the tray of the appliance for preparing beverages before
emptying it, Fig. 19 - shows an axial section of the capsule fitted with the bush
and placed in the tray of the appliance for preparing beverages when the liquid is
being injected into the central hole in the bush, and Fig. 20 - shows an axial section
of the capsule fitted with the bush and placed in the tray of the appliance for preparing
beverages during the process of extracting and emptying it.
[0014] As shown in the drawing, the capsule for beverages has the casing
1, made of a homogeneous material, as are all capsule components, which is sealed with
the upper barrier
2 at the top and with the lower barrier
3 at the base, which act as tight closures of the separated capsule zones (Fig. 2).
There is the separator
4 inside the casing
1 fitted with the rim
5, which is connected tightly by welds to the ring-shaped surface
7 of the part of the casing
1 (Fig. 3). The separator
4 connected to the bush
35 and which may not be detached has at least one funnel-shaped passage
12 inside the area
8 surrounded by the centric ring
9 consisting of segments
10 with the gaps
11 between them, and the guide
13 placed in the geometric centre of the area
8, which is inserted in the cruciform hole
14 - which can have other geometric shapes - of the mixing unit
15, thus the rotation of the mixing unit
15 inside the casing
1 is prevented (Fig. 3 - 4, Fig. 12, Fig. 14). The bush
35 has the central hole
28 for injecting liquid under pressure during capsule extraction, and the said central
hole
28 is generally free of the substances contained in the upper part
39 of the capsule, which means that the substance is not placed in the central hole
but can enter it as a result of the migration from the upper part
39 of the capsule through the openings
36 in the bush
35 walls, and the said bush
35 supports the upper barrier
2, which is significant for the process of pasteurization of the content in the upper
part
39 (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 10).
[0015] The option of the separator
4 connected to the bush
35, and which may be detached, is also fitted with the passage openings
36 located near the surface
37. The application of the openings
36 improves the quality of mixing or diluting the concentrated liquids in the capsule
(Fig. 3, Fig. 10).
[0016] In the area between the separator
4 and the mixing unit
15, there is at least one pressure control valve
43 in the form of the diaphragm
44 closing the hole
12, located in the separator
4 above the diaphragm
44 placed in the mixing unit
15. The pressure control valve
43 opens when the pressure set in the upper part
39 of the casing
1 for extracting, dissolving and diluting processes is exceeded (Fig. 3 - 4, Fig. 12).
[0017] The cruciform hole
14 is made on the side of surface
16 fitted with a row of spacing protrusions
17 and the ring
29 comprising the protrusions
18 and the indentations
19 between them and it has arms
20 with outflow holes
21 at the ends placed in the walls
40 of the punch
23 base
46, while the concentric rings
25 made of shaped segments
26 and holes
27 are seated on the side of the base
24 and connected to it and cannot be detached. (Fig. 12- 14).
[0018] The outflow holes
21 are connected with the central hole
22 of the punch
23 that punctures the barrier
3 along at least one notch
45, which on splitting into parts additionally seals the outflow duct
41 in its upper part with the outer surface of the punch
23 base
46, thus forcing the outflow of the prepared mix through the central hole
22 and preventing the uncontrolled outflow of the prepared mix along the inner surface
42 of the outflow duct
41 (Fig. 3, Fig. 12, Fig. 15). The generating line
a of the punch
23 is longer than half the length
d cut on the inside of the barrier
3, and the height
h of the punch is shorter than the height
H, of the casing
1 outflow duct
41 (Fig. 2 - 3, Fig. 12, Fig. 15).
[0019] To empty the capsule of beverage ingredients it is placed in the removable tray
31, which is then locked inside the appliance
32 for prepare hot or cold beverages and as the tray
31 is raised the capsule is additionally sealed around its entire perimeter and thus,
the rounding
33 moves towards the punch
23 which punches through the barrier
3 along at least one notch
45, and on splitting into parts it additionally seals the outflow duct
41 in its upper part with the outer surface of the punch
23 base
46, thus forcing the outflow of the prepared mix through the central hole
22 and preventing the uncontrolled outflow of the prepared mix along the inner surface
42 of the outflow duct
41 (Fig. 12, Fig. 15-17). At the same time, the barrier
2 is also punched through by the nozzle
34 and after cold or hot water is fed under pressure into the capsule through the hole
38 the content in the upper part
39 of the capsule is dissolved/diluted and the prepared mixed content flows out through
the holes
12, outflow holes
21, mixing unit labyrinth
15, central hole
22 and the outflow duct
41 outside to a receiving vessel, namely a cup, a glass or another container (Fig. 12,
Fig. 17, Fig. 18 - 19).
Example I. The method of beverage preparation from a substance contained in the hermetically-sealed
capsule
1 in the appliance
32 for preparing beverages consists in injecting water under pressure through at least
one pressure nozzle
34 into the central hole of the bush
35 generally free of the substance used for beverage preparation, and the said bush
35 in the lower part of its side wall is fitted with the opening
36 located in the immediate vicinity of the capsule
1 separator
4 surface
37, through which the liquid under pressure is fed from the base to the upper part
39 of the casing
1 for the purpose of diluting it until the pressure control valve
43 through which the diluted substance flows into the mixing unit
15 opens and, upon its final mixing, is discharged from the capsule
1 through the central hole
22 in the mixing unit
15 punch
23 located in the outflow duct
41 (Fig. 3, Fig 16 - 20).
Example II. The method of beverage preparation from a substance contained in the hermetically-sealed
capsule
1 in the appliance
32 for preparing beverages consists in injecting water under pressure through at least
one pressure nozzle
34 into the upper part
39 of the casing
1 for the purpose of its preliminary dilution until the pressure control valve
43 through which the diluted substance flows into the mixing unit
15 opens and, when the beverage is finally mixed it is discharged from the capsule
1 through the central hole
22 in the mixing unit
15 punch
23 located in the outflow duct
41. (Fig. 3, Fig. 16 - 17).
1. The capsule for beverages that comprises a casing (1) sealed tightly with an upper
barrier (2) at the top and a lower barrier (3) at the base, with a separator (4) located
in the casing (1) with at least one hole (12) and this separator connected to the
casing (1) along its perimeter, and in the upper part (39) of the capsule casing (1)
between the upper barrier (2) and the separator (4), there is a substance subjected
to the processes of extracting, dissolving and diluting its content by injecting liquid
under pressure into it within the appliance for preparing beverages, and that contains
a mixing unit (15) located between the separator (4) and the lower barrier (3) which
seals an outflow duct (41), through which the prepared content flows out, characterised by that the separator (4) being tightly connected along its perimeter to the inner surface
(7) of the casing (1), and the outflow from each hole (12) in the separator (4) being
controlled by a pressure control valve (43).
2. The capsule according to Claim 1, characterised by that there is a bush (35), between the separator (4) and the upper barrier (2), fitted
with openings (36) at its base for the liquid to flow out in order to mix the substance
in a direction from the separator (4) towards the upper barrier (2).
3. The capsule according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised by that a pressure control valve (43), in the form of a diaphragm (44), is mounted in the
mixing unit (15) and in its stationary position blocks the entire hole (12) section.
4. The capsule according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterised by that the bush (35) and the separator (4) form one undetachable component.
5. The capsule according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterised by that the bush (35) and the separator (4) can be detached from one another.
6. The capsule according to one of the Claims 1 - 5, characterised by that there is a mixing unit (15) guide (13) which is inside an area (8) of the separator
(4) defined by a ring (9) fastened to the separator (4) at the base, and the guide
(13) is seated in a recess (14) in the mixing unit (15), whose arms (20) have outflow
holes (21) at the ends placed in the walls (40) of the recess (14) and connected to
the central hole (22) of the punch (23) that punctures the barrier (3) which has at
least one notch (45) in the centre of the casing (1) and where the punch (23) in its
working position, after puncturing through the lower barrier (3), seals with its outer
surface the resulting hole during the outflow of the prepared mix, and the generating
line (a) of the punch (23) is longer than half the length (d) cut on the inside of
the barrier (3), and the height (h) of the punch (23) is shorter than the height (H)
of the casing (1) outflow duct (41).
7. The method of beverage preparation from a substance contained in a hermetically sealed
capsule in an appliance for preparing beverages, where the said capsule has inside
its casing (1) a separator (4) separating the upper part of the capsule interior situated
between the separator (4) and the upper barrier (2) of the casing and where the said
substance is contained in the upper part (39) and below the separator (4) there is
a mixing unit (15) and an outflow duct (41) sealed by the lower barrier (3), and the
method comprises inserting the capsule in the appliance for preparing beverages and
opening it from the base, and then puncturing the upper barrier(2) and injecting liquid
under pressure, according to Claims 1 - 6, characterised by that the liquid under pressure is injected through at least one pressure nozzle (34) into
the central hole (28) of the bush (35) which is typically free of the substance used
for beverage preparation, and in the lower part of the side wall of the bush (35)
there is at least one opening (36) located in the immediate vicinity of the capsule
separator (4) surface (37), through which the liquid under pressure is fed continuously
from the base towards the upper part (39) of the casing (1) containing the said substance
for the purpose of its dilution until at least one pressure control valve (43) through
which the diluted substance flows into the mixing unit (15) opens and, when the beverage
is finally mixed, it is discharged from the capsule through the central hole (22)
in the mixing unit (15) punch (23) located in the outflow duct (41).
8. The method of beverage preparation from a substance contained in a hermetically sealed
capsule in an appliance for preparing beverages, where the said capsule has inside
its casing (1) a separator (4) separating the upper part (39) of the capsule interior
situated between the separator (4) and the upper barrier (2) of the casing, where
the said substance is contained in the upper part (39) and below the separator (4)
there is a mixing unit (15) and an outflow duct (41) closed by the lower barrier (3),
that comprises inserting the capsule in the appliance for preparing beverages and
opening it from the base, and then puncturing the upper barrier (2) and injecting
liquid under pressure, according to Claim 1 or 3 or 6, characterised by that the liquid under pressure is injected through at least one pressure nozzle (34) into
the upper part (39) of the casing (1) containing the said substance for the purpose
of its dilution until at least one pressure control valve (43) through which the diluted
substance flows into the mixing unit (15) opens and when the beverage is finally mixed,
the substance is discharged from the capsule (1) through the central hole (22) in
the mixing unit (15) punch (23) located in the outflow duct (41).