Method and device for preparing a hot beverage

• US 20030056661A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Chrisman, Randall C., Hu, Ruguo, Arrick, Corey, Scoville, Eugene, Sheehan, Brita Frangsmyr, Bernardi, John, Overbaugh, William F., Bardin, Ennio
• Granted Patent: US 6,832,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/495
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0673 Means to perforate the cartridge for creating the beverage outlet
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0678 Means to separate the cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber, e.g. grooves or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3695 Cartridge perforating means for creating the hot water inlet cartridge perforating means of the filter holder for creating the beverage outlet A47J31/0673
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4464 by means of bayonet-type engagement
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4496 Means to produce beverage with a layer on top, e.g. of cream, foam or froth
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package

Abstract

The invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage obtained by supplying hot water within the capsule under pressure and releasing the beverage from the capsule; said capsule comprising a food substance therein, a first surface adapted to be traversed by a flow of water entering the capsule, a second surface adapted to be traversed by a flow of beverage exiting the capsule, wherein the second surface is adapted to deform outwardly upon action of the inside water pressure thereon and wherein said surface comprises at least one opening member capable of deforming inwards the capsule upon a mechanical reaction force applied from outside onto the closure member as a result of the deformation of said second surface due to the build-up of the inside pressure.

Claims

1. A system for preparing a liquid food, comprising:

a containment portion configured for containing a food ingredient and for receiving a liquid supplied to flow through in contact with the food ingredient to produce a liquid-food mixture;

a boundary wall having a wall surface extending along a peripheral portion of the containment portion; and

at least one elongated channel extending along the wall surface and disposed downstream of the containment portion for receiving the liquid mixture and directing the liquid mixture to an outlet for providing the mixture as a liquid food.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel has a cross-section configured to create shear stress in the flow of the liquid mixture sufficient to create foam in the liquid food.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the cross-section of the channel has a width and a depth that is at least 25% of the width thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel has a cross-sectional area normal to the flow of the liquid mixture of about between 0.01 mm² and 2.25 mm².

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cross-sectional area is less than about 1 mm².

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel comprises a plurality of channels extending from a common area on the boundary wall.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel has a length along that at least about an eighth of the dimension of the containment portion in the direction of the channel length.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel length has a length of at least about 50% of the dimension of the boundary wall in the direction of the channel length.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the containment portion comprises a food capsule that is receivable in an extraction chamber of a food preparation unit configured for feeding water into the capsule and comprising the outlet.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the channel comprises a slit extending partially through the boundary wall.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second wall disposed adjacent and substantially parallel to the boundary wall, wherein the channel is formed by a slit extending substantially completely through one of the walls.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising the food ingredient, which comprises a predosed portion of a coffee, tea, cocoa, or milk product, or a combination thereof, in an amount for preparing a single serving of a beverage.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the containment portion comprises an extraction chamber of a food preparation device, the containment portion configured for receiving a capsule that contains the food ingredient, the system further comprising:

a liquid feeder configured for feeding liquid into the capsule in the extraction chamber; and

the outlet, which is connected with the extraction chamber downstream of the channel and configured for delivering the liquid food product.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the boundary wall is configured for supporting a capsule wall of the capsule that is disposed thereagainst when the capsule is pressurized with liquid.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the boundary wall comprises a bulged portion surrounded by a recessed portion, the bulged portion being configured for deforming the capsule wall into the capsule for supporting the wall to reduce or prevent rupture thereof when the capsule is pressurized.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the bulged portion comprises a dome.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the bulged portion has a lateral width along the boundary wall that is at least one fifth of the lateral width of the boundary wall facing a face of the capsule.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the extraction chamber comprises outlet openings downstream of the channel and outside and adjacent the bulged portion for draining the liquid food to the outlet.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the outlet is configured for filling a drinking cup at a dispensing location.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the extraction chamber comprises an opening member disposed within the contour of the boundary wall and being configured for producing an opening in the capsule when the capsule is pressurized.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the opening member is configured for piercing the capsule wall.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the opening member is configured for displacing a moveable openable portion from a closed configuration in which the openable portion closes the capsule to an open configuration in which the capsule is open to release the mixture.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the extraction chamber further defines a reservoir disposed within the boundary wall and in which the opening member is disposed, the reservoir being disposed fluidly communicated upstream of the channel and configured for receiving the liquid mixture from the capsule and feeding the mixture to the channel and configured and dimensioned for allowing the maintenance of the supportive association between capsule wall and the boundary wall when the capsule is pressurized and the liquid is flowing out of the capsule.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel is open at one longitudinal side, which is closed upon contact of the boundary wall with the wall of a food capsule or an extraction chamber when the capsule is pressurized.

25. A capsule for preparation of a liquid food product, comprising:

a capsule chamber for containing a food ingredient that is soluble or suspendable in water;

an inlet portion defining an inlet opening for receiving a flow of water;

a wall portion that bulges into the chamber for providing a shape that provides increased support by a wall of an extraction chamber of a device for producing an aqueous food product by flowing the water through the capsule chamber to mix with the food ingredient to form a liquid mixture; and

an exit portion defining an inlet opening in said wall portion configured for allowing the liquid mixture for exit therefrom and for promoting drainage of the chamber when the capsule is depressurized.

26. The capsule of claim 25, comprising the food ingredient in the chamber, wherein the food ingredient is a coffee, tea, cocoa, or milk product, or a combination thereof.

27. The capsule of claim 25, wherein the inlet opening is disposed on a substantially opposite side of the capsule from the outlet opening.

28. A capsule for preparation of a liquid food product, comprising:

a capsule chamber containing a soluble or suspendable food ingredient;

an inlet portion associable with a liquid supply for feeding a liquid into the capsule chamber for providing a liquid mixture of the liquid and food ingredient;

an outlet wall closing the capsule chamber; and

an openable portion disposed in the outlet wall configured for opening to an open configuration when depressed inwardly by an opening member of an extraction chamber when the cartridge is disposed in the extraction chamber of a device for producing an aqueous food product by flowing water through the capsule chamber to mix with the food ingredient to form a liquid mixture, wherein the openable portion in the open configuration is configured for releasing the liquid mixture from the capsule.

29. The capsule of claim 28, further comprising a flexible portion flexibly connecting the openable portion to the outlet wall for allowing the openable portion to hinge to the open configuration when pressed into the capsule chamber by the opening member.

30. The capsule of claim 29, wherein the outlet wall is supportively associated with the openable portion for keeping the openable portion closed in response to internal pressure within the capsule chamber.

31. The capsule of claim 30, wherein:

the outlet wall defines an opening which is closed by the openable portion and has a first cross-section; and

the openable portion has a second cross-section aligned with and larger than the first cross-section to restrict the openable portion from opening outwardly from the capsule chamber.

32. The capsule of claim 31, wherein the openable portion has a third cross-section aligned with and smaller than the second cross-section and disposed outwardly therefrom with respect to the capsule chamber.

33. The capsule of claim 29, wherein the openable portion defines a normally closed slit that is enlarged to an open configuration by action of the opening member for draining the liquid mixture from the capsule chamber.

34. The capsule of claim 33, wherein the outlet wall comprises first and second layers, the first layer comprising the slit, and the second layer comprising an opening in fluid communication with the slit when the slit is in the open configuration for draining the liquid mixture from the capsule chamber.

35. The capsule of claim 29, wherein the openable portion is configured for shearing a flow of the mixture exiting therethrough for producing foam therein.

36. A system for preparing a liquid food product, comprising:

a containment portion configured for containing a food ingredient and for receiving a liquid supplied to flow through in contact with the food ingredient to produce a liquid-food mixture; and

an opening member configured and disposed for depressing a moveable openable portion for communicating a mixture of a liquid and the food ingredient with an outlet.

37. A device for preparing a liquid food product, comprising:

an extraction chamber configured for receiving a capsule that contains a food ingredient;

a liquid feeder configured for feeding liquid into the capsule in the extraction chamber;

an outlet connected with the extraction chamber and configured for delivering the liquid food product;

a supportive wall associable with a capsule wall of the capsule for supporting the capsule wall during pressurization of the capsule with the liquid; and

an opening member disposed within the contour of the supportive wall and being configured for producing an opening in the capsule when the capsule is pressurized.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the supportive wall is resiliently moveable when biased by the pressurized capsule wall for extending the opening member therefrom to open the openable member.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the supportive wall has a rounded contour for reducing localized stresses in the capsule wall.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the supportive wall defines at least one channel extending away from the opening member for directing the flow of the mixture therefrom to the outlet.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the extraction chamber is configured for positioning the capsule spaced from the opening member by a space sufficient to allow a sufficient pressure build up within the capsule to substantially mix the liquid and food ingredient, wherein the space is sufficiently small such that the pressurized capsule will extend against the opening member for opening the openable member.