Capsule for the preparation of a beverage comprising an identification code

• US 10,117,539 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Rognon, Vincent, Epars, Yann, Denisart, Jean-Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Samuels, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US13/522,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 99280, 99281, 99282, 99283, 99289 R, 99295, 99302 R, 426 87, 426232, 426433, 426115
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3623 Cartridges being employed with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators see also B65D5/4212, B65D33/004
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8058 Coding means for the contents

Abstract

Capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, comprising a body (2) comprising at least one compartment for receiving said beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim (4) extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis (I) of said body; a membrane (6) for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim, an optical code (7) containing binary information configured to be read by a camera (11) of a beverage producing device (20), wherein the optical code (7) is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders (7a-7d) and which is inscribed in a circular area (8) concentric relative to the center (O) of the membrane having a radius (R) smaller than the radius (R₀) of the membrane.

Claims

1. A capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, the capsule comprising:

a body comprising at least one compartment for receiving the beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis of the body;

a circular membrane for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim,

an optical code containing binary information configured to be read by a camera of a beverage producing device, and the optical code is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders and which is inscribed in a circular area concentric relative to the center of the membrane having a radius R that is at least 1.5 times smaller than a radius R₀ of the membrane.

2. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional barcode is inscribed in a circular area of radius less than 15 mm.

3. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional barcode has a matricial size of between 10 by 10 and 22 by 22, the size depending on the number of encoded data needed.

4. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional barcode comprises encoded data including at least the name of the beverage.

5. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional code comprises an URL (Uniform Resource Locator) address.

6. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional barcode is printed onto the capsule with an invisible ink.

7. A capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, the capsule comprising:

a body comprising at least one compartment for receiving the beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis of the body;

a circular membrane for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim,

an optical code containing binary information configured to be read by a camera of a beverage producing device, and the optical code is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders and which is inscribed in a circular area concentric relative to the center of the membrane having a radius less than 13 mm.