Beverage extraction assembly for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained in a cartridge

• US 7,836,819 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illycaffe SPA, Illy Caffe SpA
• Original Assignee: Illycaffe SPA
• Inventors: Dellapietra, Bruno, Mastropasqua, Luca, Suggi Liverani, Furio, Van Eeden, Frans
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/590,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 992/95, 993/02.R, 992/99, 426/77, 426/82, 426/115, 426/112
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges
• 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 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A cartridge for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising: a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to the base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to the rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of the cartridge, the internal volume of the cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining the particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough, the lid portion comprising a lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances, the base of the cup portion comprising a cup port defining a second passage for percolation fluid substances, wherein the base comprises a plurality of ridges directly formed thereon and protruding towards the internal volume of the cartridge, so as to support the filtering means and the particulate substance and to define a fine canalization between the filtering means and the cup port.

Claims

1. A cartridge, particularly for espresso coffee machines, for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising:

a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to said base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to said rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of said cartridge,

the internal volume of said cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining said particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough,

said lid portion comprising a lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances, the base of said cup portion comprising a cup port defining a second passage for percolation fluid substances,

said internal volume comprising valve means mounted on said cup port which are resiliently openable under pressure of said percolation fluid substances during a beverage extraction phase, so as to allow passage of said percolation fluid substances through said cup port during said beverage extraction phase,

said valve means comprising a pad or disc of a resilient material comprising a through slit that is normally closed, for insulating the internal volume of said cartridge from external environment and for retaining fluid residuals inside said internal volume when said beverage extraction has been terminated,

said valve means, in their opened condition, allowing passage of said percolation fluid substances through said slit, for increasing formation and stability of crema in the beverage extracted from said cartridge when said particulate substance comprises ground coffee, and

said cup port comprising fluid flow hurdles formed on its internal surface or mounted therein, for breaking direct fluid flow passing through said cup port.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein said valve means are normally closed when no pressure of said percolation fluid substances is applied, so as to insulate the internal volume of said cartridge from external environment when said cartridge is not installed into a beverage extraction machine.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein said valve means are resiliently closable as soon as said pressure of percolation fluid substances drops due to a termination of said beverage extraction phase, so as to retain fluid residuals inside said internal volume.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said resilient material is selected from the group comprising rubbers, elastomers, flexible plastics.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plurality of ridges directly formed thereon and protruding towards the internal volume of the cartridge, so as to support said filtering means and said particulate substance and to define a fine canalization for putting in a fluid communication said filtering means and said particulate substance with said cup port.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5, wherein said ridges are arc-shaped and arranged along concentric arcs so as to define a plurality of radial and circumferential channels directly on said cup base.

7. The cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said channels are substantially 1 mm wide.

8. An extraction assembly to be mounted on beverage extraction machines, further comprising a support connectable to a water outlet of a beverage extraction machine and a cartridge holder securable to said support, said cartridge holder for holding a cartridge according to claim 1.

9. The extraction assembly of claim 8, wherein said cartridge holder has an internal shape substantially corresponding to the external shape of said cartridge so that said cartridge can tightly fit within said holder.

10. A cartridge, particularly for espresso coffee machines, for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising:

a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to said base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to said rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of said cartridge,

the internal volume of said cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining said particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough,

said lid portion comprising a lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances, the base of said cup portion comprising a cup port defining a second passage for percolation fluid substances,

said internal volume comprising valve means mounted on said cup port which are resiliently openable under pressure of said percolation fluid substances during a beverage extraction phase, so as to allow passage of said percolation fluid substances through said cup port during said beverage extraction phase,

said valve means comprise a pad or disc of a resilient material comprising a through slit that is normally closed, for insulating the internal volume of said cartridge from external environment and for retaining fluid residuals inside said internal volume when said beverage extraction has been terminated,

said pad or disc comprising surface ribs for allowing fluid passage therebetween and for supporting said particulate substance and said filtering means.

11. A cartridge, particularly for espresso coffee machines, for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising:

a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to said base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to said rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of said cartridge,

the internal volume of said cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining said particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough,

said lid portion comprising a lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances, the base of said cup portion comprising a cup port defining a second passage for percolation fluid substances,

said internal volume comprising valve means mounted on said cup port which are resiliently openable under pressure of said percolation fluid substances during a beverage extraction phase, so as to allow passage of said percolation fluid substances through said cup port during said beverage extraction phase,

said valve means comprise a pad or disc of a resilient material comprising a through slit that is normally closed, for insulating the internal volume of said cartridge from external environment and for retaining fluid residuals inside said internal volume when said beverage extraction has been terminated,

said valve means comprising a shim mounted on said pad, for supporting said particulate substance and said filtering means and for allowing fluid passage towards said slit.