Cartridges, Systems And Methods For Preparation Of Beverages

• US 20140072675A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kraft Foods R&D, Inc. (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods R&D, Inc. (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norton, Mark Richard Thomas, Hansen, Nick Andrew, York, Geoffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/612,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20140072675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/111
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A cartridge comprising a cup-shaped body having a base, a peripheral side wall and an open top with a lid attached to the cup-shaped body to define a container volume. The lid being pierceable to accommodate an inflow of an aqueous medium. A filter being located within the container volume to divide the container volume into an ingredient chamber volume and a filtrate volume. The base being pierceable to accommodate an outflow from the filtrate volume.

The peripheral side wall comprising a plurality of flutes that define a plurality of filtrate channels configured to direct beverage flow downwards.

The cup-shaped body being configured to be laterally expandable in use when aqueous medium at a temperature of at least 85° C. and a pressure of at least 20 KPa is introduced into the container volume.

Claims

1. A cartridge, containing one or more beverage ingredients, and comprising:

a cup-shaped body having a base, a peripheral side wall and an open top;

a lid attached to the cup-shaped body to close the open top to define a container volume, the lid being pierceable to accommodate an inflow of an aqueous medium into the container volume;

a filter located within the container volume to divide the container volume into an ingredient chamber volume containing the one or more beverage ingredients and a filtrate volume;

the base being pierceable to accommodate an outflow from the filtrate volume of a beverage formed from the aqueous medium and the one or more beverage ingredients;

the peripheral side wall comprising a plurality of flutes that define a plurality of filtrate channels configured to direct beverage flow downwards towards the base of the cup-shaped body;

wherein the cup-shaped body is configured to be laterally expandable in use when aqueous medium at a temperature of at least 85°

C. and a pressure of at least 20 KPa is introduced into the container volume.

2. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cup-shaped body is configured to be laterally expandable by distortion of the flutes of the peripheral side wall.

3. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the peripheral side wall has a generally frustoconical shape prior to use and, after lateral expansion during use, has a generally barrel shape.

4. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the peripheral side wall has a thickness of 0.15 to 0.35 mm.

5. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base has a thickness of 0.35 to 0.55 mm.

6. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cup-shaped body comprises a polymeric material.

7. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cup-shaped body comprises a laminated material.

8. A cartridge as claimed in claim 7 wherein the cup-shaped body comprises a laminate of polystyrene and polyethylene.

9. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cup-shaped body comprises a barrier layer.

10. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter is formed from a sheet material that is formed into a cup-shape having a side wall and a base, wherein the filter comprises a plurality of sections where the sheet material includes overlying sections when secured to the cup-shaped body and prior to introduction of the aqueous medium.

11. A cartridge as claimed in claim 10 wherein in use the filter is configured to be laterally expandable by movement of the sheet material.

12. A cartridge as claimed in claim 10 wherein in use the filter is configured to be longitudinally expandable by movement of the overlying sheet material.

13. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a guard element located in the filtrate volume;

wherein the guard element is separately-formed from the cup-shaped body and located within the filtrate volume to define an outlet zone, the guard element being interposed between the filter and the outlet zone;

wherein the guard element is configured to prevent encroachment of the filter into the outlet zone such that in use on full extension of a piercing element of a beverage preparation apparatus the piercing element is enabled to be placed in fluid communication with the outlet zone without the piercing element contacting the guard element or filter.

14. A cartridge as claimed in claim 13 wherein the guard element is configured to provide physical support to at least a portion of the filter in use to limit or preclude axial expansion of the filter.

15. A cartridge as claimed in claim 13 wherein the guard element comprises a filter support surface and at least one strut portion for spacing the filter support surface from the piercing surface of the cartridge, wherein a distal end of said strut portion is abutted into an angle formed between the side wall and the base.

16. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter comprises an upper rim that is connected at or near a lid-end of the peripheral side wall and/or between the peripheral side wall and the lid and further comprises a filter side wall that is unconnected to the peripheral side wall.

17. A system comprising a cartridge and a beverage preparation machine;

wherein the beverage preparation machine comprises;

a holder for receiving a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients;

an inlet piercer for piercing a lid of said cartridge for supplying an aqueous medium to the cartridge; and

an outlet piercer for piercing a base of said cartridge for allowing outflow of a beverage formed from the one or more beverage ingredients and the aqueous medium;

wherein the cartridge comprises a cup-shaped body having the base, a peripheral side wall and an open top closed by the lid and the peripheral side wall comprises a plurality of flutes;

wherein the holder comprises a wall defining a cavity for receiving the cartridge, the cavity having an internal diameter that is larger than an external diameter of at least a substantial portion of the peripheral side wall of the cartridge such that on insertion of the cartridge into the cavity an annular expansion gap is provided between at least a substantial portion of the peripheral side wall of the cartridge and the wall of the holder.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the cup-shaped body is configured to be laterally expandable in use when aqueous medium at a temperature of at least 85°

C. and a pressure of at least 20 KPa is introduced into the container volume by the beverage preparation machine.

19. A method of forming a beverage from a cartridge having a cup-shaped body and a lid and containing one or more beverage ingredients, the method using a beverage preparation machine having an inlet piercer, an outlet piercer and a holder for the cartridge, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the cartridge into the holder, such that the cup-shaped body of the cartridge is received in a cavity bounded by a wall of the holder;

piercing the lid of the cartridge with the inlet piercer;

piercing the a base of the cartridge with the outlet piercer;

injecting an aqueous medium through the inlet piercer into the cartridge to form the beverage, the aqueous medium being injected at a temperature of at least 85°

C. and a pressure of at least 20 KPa; and

dispensing the beverage via the outlet piercer;

wherein due to passage of the aqueous medium through the cartridge the cup-shaped body is laterally expanded.