CAPSULE, MEANS FOR PIERCING THE BASE OF A CAPSULE AND DEVICE FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE

• US 20100064899A1
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Caffe Asia Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Swiss Caffe Asia Ltd.
• Inventors: Aardenburg, Kees
• Granted Patent: US 9,248,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3633 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3638 Means to eject the cartridge after brewing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8052 Details of the outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9314 Pointed perforators

Abstract

A capsule, for example for brewing coffee, comprising a rotationally symmetrically formed capsule body having a side wall and having a base formed integrally therewith. The capsule is closed by a lid to form a sealed chamber for accommodating the substance contained in the capsule. The base and lid can be pierced in order that a liquid can be channelled through the capsule. The base is provided with an annular channel, of which the inner wall portion forms a stiffening zone. The base of the channel here forms a piercing zone which, as a result of the stiffening zone, can be pierced to better effect and without the capsule base as a whole being deformed.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. Capsule consisting of a preferably rotationally symmetrically formed capsule body having a side wall and having a base formed integrally therewith, and having a lid which covers the capsule body and is intended for forming a closed chamber, which contains a substance for preparing a beverage, the lid and the base being pierceable by means arranged outside the capsule in order for a liquid to be channelled through the chamber from the lid towards the base, wherein the substance rests directly on the base of the capsule, in that the base has an annular channel, of which an inner wall portion forms a frustoconical stiffening zone which tapers preferably towards the lid, a base of the channel forming a pierceable zone.

27. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein the height of the inner wall portion, referring to the longitudinal centre axis of the capsule, is smaller than the average diameter (dm) of the inner wall portion.

28. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein an outer wall portion of the channel widens frustoconically towards the lid and merges directly into the side wall.

29. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein the outer wall portion of the channel widens frustoconically towards the lid and merges into the side wall by way of a shoulder or by way of a radius.

30. Capsule according to claim 29, wherein the inner wall portion of the channel extends into the plane of the shoulder or of the beginning of the radius between the outer wall portion and the side wall.

31. Capsule according to claim 28, wherein the wall thickness of the base in the region of the pierceable zone is smaller than at the inner and/or at the outer wall portion.

32. Capsule according to claim 31, wherein, at the inner wall portion, the wall thickness is at least 1.5 times to 2 times greater than at the base of the channel.

33. Capsule according to claim 31 , wherein, at the inner wall portion, the wall thickness is between 0.20 to 0.36 mm, preferably 0.28 mm and, at the base of the channel, between 0.1 to 0.2 mm, preferably 0.15 mm.

34. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein the inner wall portion delimits a cup-like cavity extending towards the interior of the capsule and open towards the outside.

35. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein, at a lid end thereof, the inner wall portion merges into a central base section which runs parallel to the base of the channel.

36. Capsule according to claim 35, wherein the wall thickness of the central base section is greater than at the base of the channel and also greater than at the inner and/or at the outer wall portion and is preferably 0.50 to 0.70 mm.

37. Capsule according to claim 35, wherein the central base section runs in a plane of a shoulder or of the beginning of the radius between the outer wall portion and the side wall.

38. Capsule according to claim 35, wherein, at a lid end thereof, the inner wall portion merges into a concavely inwardly curved central base section.

39. Capsule according to claim 35, wherein, at a lid end thereof, the inner wall portion merges into a convexly outwardly curved central base section.

40. Capsule according to claim 39, wherein the central base section is configured in a flexible manner such that it can be pushed concavely inwards by a force exerted from the outside.

41. Capsule according to claim 26, wherein the capsule body consists of a plastic material, in particular polypropylene.

42. Capsule body for a capsule according to claim 26, wherein the side wall has a stack edge intended for being supported by a further capsule body, which stack edge is arranged such that in the case of stacked capsule bodies inner wall portions of the channels are arranged at a distance from one another.

43. Means for penetrating the base of a capsule according to claim 26, having a base plate with an annular piercing zone on which a plurality of piercing elements are arranged, a frustoconical elevation being arranged in the centre of the piercing zone.

44. Means according to claim 43, wherein the piercing zone forms an annular trough.

45. Means according to claim 43, wherein the piercing elements form bodies which taper to a tip or to a cutting edge and have an outflow channel which extends through the base plate and opens out towards at least one side surface of the body.

46. Means according to claim 45, wherein openings in the side surfaces of the bodies are covered by a straining film.

47. Means according to claim 44, wherein the piercing elements are designed as multi-surface hollow bodies, at least one of the surfaces being a surface inclined against the piercing direction, on which openings are arranged in a perforated strainer structure.

48. Means according to claim 43, wherein the piercing elements are approximately of the same height as the frustoconical elevation in the centre.

49. Means according to claim 43, wherein a helical compression spring is arranged on the frustoconical elevation, a free end of which can be positioned on the base of a capsule which can be pressed against the base plate.

50. A device for preparing a beverage using a capsule according to claim 26, having two chamber parts which can be pressed against one another in order to form a closed chamber, one chamber part being designed as a capsule holder with a cavity for accommodating a capsule and the other chamber part being designed as a closure part for closing the cavity, and the base of the cavity having a means according to claim 42, and the closure part being likewise provided with piercing means such that, when the cavity is closed, a capsule arranged therein can have its base and lid penetrated in order for a liquid to be channelled through.