Closed capsule with opening means

• US 20040228955A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA), HC Starck GmbH (OPUS Investment SARL)
• Original Assignee: HC Starck GmbH (OPUS Investment SARL)
• Inventors: Denisart, Jean-Luc, Yoakim, Alfred, Cahen, Antoine
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/590
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0673 Means to perforate the cartridge for creating the beverage outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8043 Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8046 Pods, i.e. closed containers made only of filter paper or similar material

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a beverage that is designed to be extracted by injection of a fluid under pressure. The capsule comprises a closed chamber containing the substance with at least part of the closed chamber including a retaining part made of a flexible membrane. One or more raised elements that face the membrane are associated with and forming part of the capsule. These element(s) are used to open the capsule due to a buildup of pressure therein. This rise in pressure causes relative engagement of the raised element(s) with the membrane until the membrane ruptures or is torn to release the formed beverage from the chamber. As the liquid of the beverage does not come into contact with the machine, hygiene is improved and cross-contamination is reduced when preparing a beverage from the capsule.

Claims

1. A capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a beverage that is designed to be extracted by injection of a fluid under pressure, the capsule comprising a closed chamber containing the substance and one or more opening element(s) associated with and forming part of the capsule for allowing the capsule to be opened at the time of its use due to a buildup of pressure therein due to the injected fluid to rupture part of the chamber for allowing the prepared beverage to flow out and be dispensed.

2. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the closed chamber comprises a retaining part made of a flexible membrane and the opening element(s) are configured to face the membrane, such that opening of the capsule is achieved by relative engagement of the raised element(s) with the retaining part of the closed chamber with the relative engagement being performed under the effect of the rise in pressure of the fluid in the closed chamber.

3. The capsule of claim 2, wherein the closed chamber houses the opening element(s) chamber and the one or more raised elements are urged against the membrane due to the rise in pressure of the fluid in the chamber.

4. The capsule of claim 2, wherein the opening element(s) are housed outside the closed chamber and the membrane of the retaining part is moved against the opening element(s) by the rise in pressure in the chamber.

5. The capsule of claim 2, wherein the raised element(s) include at least one puncturing element.

6. The capsule of claim 4, wherein the membrane is a thin film that can be punctured by the puncturing element.

7. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the closed chamber comprises two welded half-shells and the opening element includes a rod arranged between the shells, the rod comprising at least one opening for the entry of the fluid and a shape allowing the weld of the two shells to be punctured with the shape also forming a filter.

8. The capsule of claim 3, wherein the closed chamber comprises a cup and a membrane welded to the periphery of the cup and the opening element is arranged in the bottom of the cup and comprises a disc having puncturing means for puncturing the bottom of the cup due to the rise in pressure inside the chamber.

9. The capsule of claim 3, wherein the closed chamber comprises a cup and a membrane welded to the periphery of the cup and the opening element is arranged on the membrane and is an element having puncturing means for puncturing the membrane due to the rise in pressure inside the chamber.

10. The capsule of claim 4, having a cup with a rim, a bottom having an opening for the outflow of the beverage, and a membrane welded to the periphery of the rim of the cup, with the opening element arranged in the cup and including a plurality of puncturing elements covered by a thin film, with the thin film being torn by the puncturing elements due to the rise in pressure inside of the chamber.

11. The capsule of claim 4, having a cup with a rim, a bottom having an opening for the outflow of the beverage, and a membrane welded to the periphery of the rim of the cup, with the opening element(s) comprising recessed and raised elements forming the bottom of the cup and being covered by a thin film, with the thin film being torn by the raised and recessed elements due to the rise in pressure inside of the chamber.

12. The capsule of claim 9, wherein the ratio of the diameter of the opening means to the diameter of the capsule is between 1:

6 and 1;

1.

13. The capsule of claim 11, wherein the element with puncturing means is an injected disc or an element with a flat face with the opening element having a curved face pressing against the bottom of the cup.

14. The capsule of claim 11, wherein the opening element(s) comprises recessed and raised elements on the bottom of the cup, the bottom including an opening for the outflow of the beverage.

15. The capsule of claim 4, having a cup, a membrane welded to the periphery of the cup and an opening for the outflow of the beverage, with the opening element(s) arranged in a housing at the center of the membrane and including an element having one or more puncturing element(s) covered by a thin film, with the thin film being torn by the puncturing element(s) means due to the rise in pressure in the chamber.

16. The capsule of claim 4, having two welded half-shells, one having an opening for the outflow of the beverage, and with the opening element arranged in the half-shell with the opening and including a disc having one or more puncturing element(s) covered by a thin film, with the thin film being torn by the puncturing element(s) due to the rise in pressure in the chamber.

17. The capsule of claim 4, having a cup and a disc welded to the periphery of the cup, the cup having an opening for the outflow of the beverage and the opening element(s) comprising a thin film welded between the disc and the cup and one or more raised elements on the disc collaborating with the thin film to allow the opening of the thin film due to the rise in pressure in the chamber.

18. The capsule of claim 16, which further comprises a filter provided between the thin film and the disc.

19. The capsule of claim 16, wherein the raised element(s) have a continuous or discontinuous annular configuration.

20. The capsule of claim 18, wherein the annular element is discontinuous and the disc comprises ribs directed towards the center of the disc.

21. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the closed chamber is made of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, an aluminum/plastic composite, an aluminum/plastic/paper composite, a single layer plastic film and a multilayer plastic film.

22. The capsule of claim 21, wherein the closed chamber is made of a plastic selected from the group consisting of EVOH, PVDC, PP, PE, and PA, either in a single layer or a multilayer.

23. The capsule of claim 5, wherein the puncturing means includes a point, a blade, a knife, or a needle.

24. The capsule of claim 6, wherein the thin film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, a plastic/plastic composite, an aluminum/ plastic/paper composite, a single-layer plastic film and multi-layer plastic film.

25. The capsule of claim 23, wherein the filter is made of a material selected from the group consisting of filter paper, woven fibers and nonwoven fibers.

26. The capsule of claim 1, wherein the substance for the preparation of a beverage is chosen from the group consisting of roasted ground coffee, tea, instant coffee, a mixture of roasted ground coffee and instant coffee, a chocolate product and any other dehydrated edible substance.

27. A process for the preparation of various beverages in an extraction machine, wherein the liquid of the beverage does not come into contact with the machine and the capsule is supported from beneath by an element of the machine.

28. A method for improving hygiene and reducing cross-contamination in the preparation of a beverage from a capsule containing a food substance in a closed chamber, the capsule incorporating its own opening device, wherein a fluid is introduced under pressure into the capsule and that, once the pressure inside the capsule reaches a certain level, the opening device is activated to open the capsule and release the beverage.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the opening device is activated by the effect of the internal pressure which becomes established within the closed chamber due to injection of the fluid therein.