CAPSULE FOR PREPARING AND DELIVERING A DRINK BY INJECTING A PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO THE CAPSULE

• US 20090211458A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Denisart, Jean-Luc, Denisart, Jean-Paul, Mandralis, Zenon Ioannis, Kaeser, Thomas, Benelmouffok, Abdelmalek
• Granted Patent: US 9,242,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/300
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

The invention relates to a capsule for delivering a drink by injecting a pressurized fluid comprising a body (2), an injection wall (3), a chamber (4) containing a bed of food substance to be extracted, means for retaining the internal pressure (5) in the said chamber. The improvement consists in the provision of an injection space (7) allowing a means of injecting fluid in the form of at least one jet of fluid to be introduced through the injection wall and in providing a means (6) for breaking the jet of fluid and distributing the distribution of fluid at a reduced speed across the surface of the bed of substance. These means may adopt various forms such as that of a rigid or flexible perforated wall, or a layer of discrete elements or a spongy layer. Such a capsule improves the flow of liquid extract through the pressure retaining means (5) and improves the extraction conditions.

Claims

1. Capsule for delivering a drink by injecting a pressurized fluid into the capsule comprising:

a hollow body and an injection wall attached to the body,

a chamber containing a bed of at least one food substance to be extracted,

means for retaining an internal pressure in the chamber,

means for impacting the jet of fluid so as to reduce a speed of the jet of fluid injected into the capsule and distribute the fluid across the bed of substance at a reduced speed.

2. Capsule according to claim 1, comprising an injection space allowing an injection means in the form of at least one jet of pressurized fluid to be introduced through the injection wall, and the fluid injection space is kept separate from the chamber by the means for reducing the speed of the jet.

3. Capsule according to claim 2, wherein the distributing and the means for reducing the speed of the jet comprise at least one wall which separates the injection space from the chamber containing the bed of substance.

4. Capsule according to claim 3, wherein the wall comprises welding edges which are welded against an internal surface of the hollow body in such a way as to position the wall back from the injection wall.

5. Capsule according to claim 4, wherein the wall is a deformable flexible film.

6. Capsule according to claim 3, wherein the wall of the means for reducing is at an orientation selected from the group consisting of substantially parallel to, convex and concave with respect to the injection wall.

7. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the means for reducing comprise a multitude of openings passing through the wall in such a way as to distribute the flow of fluid across the bed of substance.

8. Capsule according to claim 7, wherein the openings of the perforated wall are distributed substantially uniformly across the wall so as to distribute the stream of fluid substantially uniformly across the bed of substance.

9. Capsule according to claim 7, wherein the perforated wall is chosen from the group consisting of a plastic wall with holes, a film with holes, a grating, a layer of woven or nonwoven material, a porous layer and a combination of these.

10. Capsule according to claim 5, wherein the food substance to be extracted substantially occupies an entire interior of the chamber and the perforated wall is thus immobilized a distance of 1 mm or less away from the surface of the bed.

11. Capsule according to claim 10, wherein the perforated wall is in contact with the surface of the bed of substance in the chambers.

12. Capsule according to claim 11, wherein the perforated wall is positioned so as to keep the bed of substance in a compression state.

13. Capsule according to claim 3, wherein the wall of the means for reducing is rigid.

14. Capsule according to claim 13, wherein the wall of the means for reducing forms a bottom of a dish which is inserted inside the body.

15. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the distributing and means for reducing comprise a layer of material which separates the fluid jet inlet from the surface of the bed of the substance.

16. Capsule according to claim 15, wherein the layer is in a form selected from the group consisting of beads, granules and sticks.

17. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-retaining means comprise:

a puncturable membrane,

raised elements which open the membrane in order to create punctures and allow the liquid extract to pass through the punctures, the punctures in the membrane being created due to an effect of the rise in pressure in the chamber of the capsule.

18. Capsule according to claim 17, wherein the raised elements are positioned on the outside of the chamber.

19. Capsule according to claim 17, wherein the raised elements are positioned on the inside of the chamber.

20. Capsule according to claim 17, wherein the raised elements are distributed over a plate which comprises ducts leading to openings through which the drink can flow.

21. Capsule according to claim 17, wherein the raised elements have a shape selected from the group consisting of pyramids, cone frustums, domes, elongate ribs, spikes and blades.

22. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means comprise:

a filter wall comprising pre-formed openings or points of weakness.

23. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a collector for a drink and at least one passage for dispensing the drink.

24. Capsule according to claim 23, wherein the collector comprises drink overflow means bordering the passage so as to slow a stream of drink leaving the capsule.

25. Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the food substance contains ground coffee or tea.

26. System for producing and delivering a plurality of drinks by injecting a pressurized fluid into capsules comprising:

an injection device configured to produce at least one pressurized fluid jet in the capsules;

and at least one capsule for delivering a drink by injecting a pressurized fluid into the capsule comprising;

a hollow body and an injection wall attached to the body, a chamber containing a bed of at least one food substance to be extracted, means for retaining an internal pressure in the chamber, and means for impacting the jet of fluid so as to reduce a speed of the jet of fluid injected into the capsule and distribute the fluid across the bed of substance at a reduced speed.

27. System according to claim 26, wherein the injection device includes one injection nozzle configured to send at least one pressurized fluid jet in a specific direction.

28. System according to claim 26, wherein the injection device pierces the injection wall so as to introduce the nozzle into the capsule.

29. System according to claim 28, wherein the injection device introduces the injection nozzle eccentrically into the capsule so that it is closer to an edge of the capsule than it is to a middle of the capsule.

30. System according to claim 26, wherein the jet of fluid is sent at a linear speed of at least 5 m/s.

31. System for producing and delivering a plurality of drinks by injecting a pressurized fluid into capsules comprising:

an injection device configured to produce at least one pressurized fluid jet in the capsules;

an assortment of at least first and second capsules;

each capsule in the assortment comprising;

a body and an injection wall,

a chamber containing at least one food substance,

means for restraining the internal pressure in the chamber,

the first capsules comprise means configured to reduce the speed of the jet and distribute the flow of fluid across the substance in such a way as to reduce or eliminate the mixing of the substance in the chamber in comparison to second capsules which do not include these means and therefore encourages, mixing of the substance in the chamber of the second capsules.

32. System according to claim 31, wherein the first capsules comprise a chamber in which the substance is located without a head space;

the second capsules comprise a chamber in which the substance occupies between 1 and 100% of the chamber.

33. System according to claim 31, wherein the first capsules comprise a substance to be extracted;

the second capsules comprise a substance to be dissolved or that can be dispersed in the fluid.

34. System according to claim 32, wherein the second capsules contains a product selected from the group consisting of soluble food gel, liquid and powder.

35. Method for manufacturing a capsule for delivering a drink by injecting pressurized fluid into the capsule, the cartridge comprising a hollow body and an injection wall attached to the body, a chamber containing a bed of at least one food substance to be extracted, means for restraining the internal pressure in chamber,

the method comprising the step of welding a punctured element forming a jet-breaking and water distribution wall at a location transversal to the hollow body and being welded to the internal side of the hollow body and at a distance from the injection wall.

36. Method according to claim 35 wherein the welding operation of the punctured element is performed after the hollow body has been filled with the food substance and before the injection wall is attached to the hollow body.

37. Method according to claim 35, wherein the punctured element is welded to the hollow body by the use of heat or ultrasound.

38. Method according to claim 37, wherein the punctured element is a membrane comprising a weldable side of lower melting point than an opposite side.

39. Method according to claim 35, wherein welding of the punctured element is performed by holding the hollow body on a support die and engaging a welding die in the hollow body to position the punctured element and weld it to the internal side of the hollow body.

40. Method according to claim 39, wherein welding of the punctured element is performed over a welding edge of the element that flexibly conforms to the internal profile of the hollow body in the welding zone.

41. Method according to claim 35, comprising:

inserting the opening means in the hollow body then welding a first membrane to form a bottom of the chamber and separate the opening means from said chamber,

metering out the food substance into the capsule to a certain height in the capsule that is set back from the edge of the body,

welding the punctured element in contact with the surface or flush with the surface of the food substance, and

attaching the injection wall to the hollow body.

42. Capsule comprising:

a hollow body and an injection wall attached to the body,

a chamber containing a food substance to be extracted,

a member located so as to reduce the speed of a jet of fluid injected into the capsule and thereby distribute the fluid across the bed of substance at a reduced speed.