Cartridges containing substances for beverage preparation

• US 5,897,899 A
• Filed: 02/28/1994
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Fond, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): WEINSTEIN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US08/203,891
• Time in Patent Office: 1,884 Days
• Field of Search: 426/77, 426/79, 426/84, 426/433, 426/112, 99/295
• US Class Current: 426/112
• 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: 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

Abstract

A sealed cartridge, which need have no marks for weakening and inside which, no filter is needed, contains a substance, such as roasted and ground coffee, for being extracted under pressure. The cartridge has a cup having a base and a lateral wall extending from the base to a lip which extends laterally away from the wall about a cup opening, and the cartridge has a cover sealed to the lip to cover the opening. Either the cover or the base provides a tear face which is torn under stress during extraction of the substance under pressure for preparation of a beverage.

Claims

1. A sealed cartridge for preparation of a beverage by extraction of the substance under pressure comprising a cup and a cup cover sealed to the cup and roast and ground coffee substance contained by the cover within the cup, there being no marks in the cover for weakening the cover and there being no filter member contained within the cup and cover, and wherein:

the cup comprises (a) a base, (b) a sidewall which extends from the base to an edge about a cup opening which opposes the base and (c) a lip which extends laterally away from the sidewall edge and the opening;

the cover extends across the opening to the lip and is sealed to the lip so that the roast and ground coffee substance is contained within the cup by the cover;

the cup and cover are substantially impermeable to oxygen; and

the thicknesses of each of the cup base, sidewall and lip being greater than the thickness of the cover, and

the cover has a thickness and a breaking stress so that upon placement of the sealed cartridge in an apparatus for brewing a beverage under pressure, wherein the sealed cartridge is positioned in a holder of the apparatus and the cover is adjacent projections of the apparatus for forming a plurality of openings in the cover which allow flow of coffee beverage extracted from the roast and ground coffee substance through the cover and which restrict roast and ground coffee substance escape from within the cartridge via the openings, and upon injection of water under pressure within the cartridge and into the roast and ground coffee substance positioned in the holder so that pressure within the cartridge increases to within a range of from 2 bar to 15 bar, the cover initially deforms and portions of the cover contact and press against the projections and the water wets and compacts the roast and ground coffee substance and then, subsequently, at a pressure within the range of from 2 bar to 15 bar, the cover portions pressed against the projections reach their breaking stress, break and form the plurality of openings for coffee beverage flow and for restricting the roast and ground coffee substance escape through the cover via the openings.

2. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the roast and ground coffee substance is suitable for preparation of an espresso coffee beverage.

3. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the cup and cover are aluminum.

4. A sealed cartridge according to claim 3 wherein the base, sidewall and lip thicknesses are from about 90 μ

m to about 110 μ

m and wherein the cover thickness is from about 20 μ

m to about 40 μ

m.

5. A sealed cartridge according to claim 4 wherein the sidewall is substantially frustoconical in shape and wherein the opening diameter is greater than the base diameter.

6. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the base, sidewall and lip thicknesses are at least 60 μ

m and the cover thickness is from about 5 μ

m to less than 50 μ

m.

7. A sealed cartridge according to claim 6 wherein the sidewall is substantially frustoconical in shape and wherein the opening diameter is greater than the base diameter.

8. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the sidewall has a substantially frustoconical shape and wherein the opening diameter is greater than the base diameter.

9. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the cover and lip are crimped so that the cup and cover are sealed.

10. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 wherein there are no marks in the base for weakening the base.