Cartridge and method for the preparation of beverages

• US 20040180119A1
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Incorporated (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gomez, Maria, Ballard, Colin, Halliday, Andrew, Panesar, Satwinder
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/112
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4407 Lids, covers or knobs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/446 Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/56 having water-level controls; having temperature controls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8049 Details of the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8052 Details of the outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0812 Bottles, cartridges or similar containers

Abstract

A cartridge containing one or more liquid beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, a compartment containing the one or more liquid beverage ingredients and an outlet for a beverage produced by dilution of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients by the aqueous medium, characterised in that the compartment includes means for controlling dilution of at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients on introduction of the aqueous medium into the compartment.

Claims

1. A cartridge containing one or more liquid beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, a compartment containing the one or more liquid beverage ingredients and an outlet for a beverage produced by dilution of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients by the aqueous medium, characterised in that the compartment includes means for controlling dilution of at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients on introduction of the aqueous medium into the compartment.

2. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for controlling dilution delays dilution of at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients on introduction of the aqueous medium into the compartment.

3. A cartridge as claimed in claim 2 wherein, in use, an aqueous medium flow path is established from the inlet to the outlet, the means for delaying dilution comprising a partition which hinders entry of at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients into the aqueous medium flow path.

4. A cartridge as claimed in claim 3 wherein the partition comprises one or more apertures for controllably releasing the at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients into the aqueous medium flow path.

5. A cartridge as claimed in claim 4 wherein four apertures are provided.

6. A cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein the partition comprises a cup-shaped member having an open mouth directed away from the aqueous medium flow path.

7. A cartridge as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cup-shaped member is annular.

8. A cartridge as claimed in claim 7 wherein one or more apertures are provided at or near a base of the cup-shaped member.

9. A cartridge as claimed in claim 8 wherein the at least a proportion of the liquid beverage ingredients in the cup-shaped member drain by gravity through the one or more apertures in use.

10. A cartridge as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cup-shaped member is spaced from a bottom of the cartridge, such that the aqueous medium flow path passes between the cup-shaped member and the bottom of the cartridge.

11. A cartridge as claimed in claim 10 wherein the at least a proportion of the liquid beverage ingredients in the cup-shaped member drain by gravity through the one or more apertures in use vertically downwards into the aqueous medium flow path.

12. A cartridge as claimed in claim 11 comprising an inner member and an outer member, wherein the inner member comprises the cup-shaped member.

13. A cartridge as claimed in claim 12 further comprising means for producing a jet of the beverage, wherein said means for producing the jet of the beverage comprises an aperture in the aqueous medium flow path.

14. A cartridge as claimed in claim 13 wherein the aperture is delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member.

15. A cartridge as claimed in claim 14 further comprising at least one inlet for air and means for generating a pressure reduction of the jet of beverage, whereby, in use, air from the at least one air inlet is incorporated into the beverage as a plurality of small bubbles.

16. A cartridge as claimed in claim 15 wherein the at least one air inlet is provided in the inner member downstream of the aperture.

17. A cartridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein the at least one air inlet and means for producing a pressure reduction in the jet of beverage produces a foaming of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients of greater than 40%.

18. A cartridge as claimed in claim 17 wherein the foaming is greater than 70%.

19. A cartridge as claimed in claim 18 wherein the cartridge is disc-shaped.

20. A cartridge as claimed in claim 19 wherein the outer member and/or inner member are formed from polypropylene.

21. A cartridge as claimed in claim 20 wherein the outer member and/or inner member is formed by injection moulding.

22. A cartridge as claimed in claim 21 wherein the liquid beverage ingredient is a concentrated liquid milk composition.

23. A cartridge as claimed in claim 22 wherein the concentrated liquid milk contains between 25 and 40% total solids.

24. A cartridge as claimed in claim 23 wherein the concentrated liquid milk contains 30% total solids.

25. A cartridge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the concentrated liquid milk contains between 0.1 and 12% fat.

26. A cartridge as claimed in claim 21 wherein the one or more liquid beverage ingredients are selected from the group of cocoa solids, coffee, tea, sweeteners, cordials, flavourings, alcoholic beverages, flavoured milk, fruit juices, squashes, sauces and desserts.

27. A method of dispensing a beverage from a cartridge containing one or more liquid beverage ingredients during an operating cycle, comprising the steps of passing an aqueous medium through the cartridge to form a beverage by dilution of said one or more beverage ingredients, and dispensing the beverage into a receptacle, wherein the one or more liquid ingredients as dispensed has a concentration at the start of the operating cycle of between 30 and 70% total solids and a concentration at the end of the operating cycle of between 1 and 15% total solids.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the concentration at the start of the operating cycle is between 30 and 35% total solids.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the concentration at the end of the operating cycle is approximately 10% total solids.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the liquid ingredient is concentrated milk.

31. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the concentration at the start of the operating cycle is between 60 and 70% total solids.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31 wherein the concentration at the end of the operating cycle is between 12 and 15% total solids.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32 wherein the liquid ingredient contains cocoa solids.

34. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the concentration at the start of the operating cycle is between 40 and 70% total solids.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the concentration at the end of the operating cycle is between 1 and 2% total solids.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the liquid ingredient contains coffee.

40. A beverage as produced by the method of claim 27.

37. A method of dispensing a beverage from a cartridge containing one or more liquid beverage ingredients during an operating cycle, comprising the steps of passing an aqueous medium through the cartridge to form a beverage by dilution of said one or more beverage ingredients, and dispensing the beverage into a receptacle, wherein the one or more liquid beverage ingredients is foamed on dispense to a ratio of between 20 and 150%.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the one or more liquid beverage ingredients are foamed to a ratio between 70 and 100%.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the one or more liquid beverage ingredients includes one or more of concentrated milk, coffee and cocoa solids.