Serving size capsule.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a serving capsule containing a soluble food substance from which a beverage or beverage component can be prepared by spraying water.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a portioned capsule containing a soluble food substance from which a beverage or beverage component can be prepared by injecting water. Among beverage preparation systems, so-called coffee capsule systems (also available in tea preparation variants) are known, in which hot water is generally introduced into a capsule, usually under pressure, to prepare a beverage, for example, by extraction. Capsules are also known that are compatible with coffee capsule systems, but which contain a soluble substance, such as milk powder, instead of an extractable substance, to prepare a beverage component or a beverage.

[0002] EP1344722A1, DE102004056224A1, WO 2016 / 016819 A1 and EP 1 792 850 all show a capsule filled with coffee powder and containing a sieve-like insert. Unlike capsules filled with extraction material, capsules with soluble contents cannot simply be pressure built up inside the capsule to ensure that pressure is released across the contents throughout the entire preparation process and that the capsule contents are thoroughly saturated with the introduced liquid. Other measures must be taken to ensure proper mixing and even dissolution of the capsule contents.

[0003] EP 1 659 909 proposed injecting the liquid into a chamber containing the food substance at an angle to a vertical center plane. This is done to create a vortex around the center of the chamber, which mixes the liquid with the substance – similar to stirring a cup. The means of achieving such injection can be provided by the machine or integrated into the capsule. This solution may work well in many cases. However, with such a regular vortex, there is always a core of the vortex where no stirring occurs. Furthermore, the vortex may not develop sufficiently in the outer region of the chamber due to friction with the cup wall, which is why a sufficiently homogeneous dissolution behavior is not achieved for all configurations (depending on capsule geometry, ingredient, injection pressure, and water temperature).

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to create a portion capsule containing a soluble substance which enables good and as complete a dissolution of the substance as possible when water is injected.

[0005] This problem is solved by the capsule according to claim 1 and according to claims 2-10.

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, the capsule comprises an outer cup with a lid and an inner chamber containing the soluble substance. A central axis of the capsule runs between the lid and the bottom of the cup, for example, substantially perpendicular to the lid. The cup and lid can be substantially rotationally symmetrical about the central axis, although other capsule shapes, such as cubic ones, are not excluded. The capsule includes an injection element that delimits the chamber towards the lid or the bottom of the cup and has at least one injection opening configured such that liquid conveyed through it is injected into the chamber in a jet that runs in a plane through the central axis and at an angle to the central axis (i.e., not parallel to it).

[0007] In particular, the injection opening can be located near the central axis (e.g., no more than 20% of the capsule diameter measured perpendicular to the central axis at the level of the injection opening in question) and / or be designed such that the jet runs in the aforementioned plane towards the central axis, i.e., that injection takes place towards the center.

[0008] In particular, several such injection ports can be present, all of which must meet the aforementioned condition that the jet produced by each port travels in a plane passing through the central axis and at an angle to the central axis. This means that when the liquid is introduced, several jets of liquid can be directed away from or towards each other.

[0009] By distributing the jet directions – for example, evenly – not only is particularly good mixing achieved, but the capsule is also suitable for horizontal beverage preparation modules (i.e., modules in which the capsule is guided with its central axis approximately parallel to the horizontal), regardless of the capsule's orientation around its central axis. This is because it prevents, for example, only a downward or only an upward jet from being produced, thus ensuring that certain areas do not come into contact with the water.

[0010] Due to the inventive process, unlike in the prior art, a substantially laminar vortex is not formed, but rather a turbulent flow is created inside the capsule. It has been shown that this results in particularly good mixing between the liquid and the soluble substance. The process is especially efficient when several injection ports are present, particularly when these are oriented in different directions.

[0011] In one group of embodiments, the injection element is designed as a separate element from the cup and the lid, so that an injection chamber is formed between the capsule lid and the injection element, or alternatively between the capsule base and the injection element. For example, an externally sealed lid may be provided, which can be pierced for introducing the liquid, as is known from beverage preparation capsules.

[0012] However, as an alternative to designing the injection element as a separate element, it is not excluded that the injection element is formed by the lid or the bottom of the cup.

[0013] The removal of the beverage may also require, as a supplement or alternative, a pricking – on the corresponding opposite side.

[0014] The chamber can optionally also have a sieve element on the other side - i.e. towards the bottom or lid - which is separate from the cup and the lid and limits the chamber on the side opposite the injection element.

[0015] The angle of the jet to the central axis can be, in particular, plus or minus 63°–68°, for example, approximately 65°, 66°, or 67°. It has been shown that at such angles—the range can be defined as 45°–75°, specifically 55° to 70°—the mixing effect is particularly good.

[0016] The injection openings are generally small, their diameter is, for example, between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, especially about 1 mm, so that with the injection pressures of, for example, 5-15 bar that are common in beverage preparation machines, a full jet is produced in the desired direction.

[0017] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 , a view of a capsule according to the invention without a capsule lid; Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view of the capsule with some elements shown schematically; Fig. 3 a top view of the injection element; and Fig. 4 a section along the plane AA in Fig. 3 .

[0018] Capsule 1 according to Figures 1 and 2 shows one cup 2 and one for clarity in Fig. 1 lid 4 not shown (see Fig. 2The cup and lid can be made of plastic in a known manner; however, the invention is also applicable to capsules made of other materials, e.g., aluminum. The lid is also attached to the cup in a known manner, e.g., by ultrasonic welding or possibly by gluing.

[0019] An injection element 3, designed as an insert, is attached to the cup 2. The attachment of the insert to the cup can be achieved via a positive connection (e.g., with a groove or other undercut structures in the cup), via a friction connection (clamping), and / or via a material connection (welding, gluing).

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, the injection element 3 is located on the side of the lid and delimits the chamber 8 filled with the soluble substance (milk powder or similar) towards the side of the lid. Fig. 2that is, upwards. An injection chamber 5 is formed between the cover 4 and the injection element 3.

[0021] The capsule may optionally contain a sieve element 11, which opens the chamber 8 to the other side - into Fig. 2 downwards - limited, allowing the drink to pass through, and in Fig. 2 The diagram is only shown very schematically and with dashed lines. In such a case, a collection area 12 forms between the sieve element 11 and the bottom (or, in reversed arrangements, the lid), from which the beverage is drained from the capsule.

[0022] The in Figures 3 and 4The injection element 3, shown in more detail, has a conical projection 6 extending towards the interior of the capsule and centered on the central axis 10. This projection can accommodate a perforation tip for injecting water without damaging the injection element, provided the liquid is introduced via such a tip. The projection 6 also features the injection openings 7.

[0023] In the embodiment described here, three injection openings are present, the injection directions of which each form an angle β of 120° to each other, thus being evenly distributed in the circumferential direction. The angle α to the cover plane (the angle to the central axis is correspondingly 90°-α) is just under 25°, and the diameter of the injection openings 7 is approximately 1 mm.

[0024] In Figure 4One can also see an optional folded edge area 9, which is elastically deformable radially inwards and can serve to fasten the injection element 3 in the capsule cup.

[0025] The illustrated injection element is thus designed such that the injection ports are arranged centrally with respect to radial directions, i.e., near the central axis 10, and that the jets they generate point away from each other. Such an arrangement results naturally from the placement of the injection ports 7 in the projection 6. Particularly if the injection ports are arranged peripherally, an arrangement in which the jets point towards each other, in the direction of the central axis, can also be an option.

[0026] Other embodiments are possible.

Claims

1. Portion capsule with an outer cup (2) with a lid (4) and with a chamber (8) formed inside the cup containing a soluble substance and with a central axis (10), comprising an injection element (3) which delimits the chamber (8) towards a lid side or towards a base side and which has at least one injection opening (7), characterised in that the injection element has a projection (6) arranged centrally in relation to the central axis (10) and oriented towards the interior of the capsule, and the at least one injection opening is formed in the projection (6), and that the injection opening is designed such that liquid conveyed through it towards the chamber is injected into the chamber in a jet which runs in a plane passing through the central axis (10) and at an angle (90°-α) and not parallel to the central axis.

2. Portion capsule according to claim 1, wherein the injection opening is not more than 20% of the capsule diameter away from the central axis and / or is formed such that the jet runs towards the central axis.

3. Portion capsule according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injection element (3) has several of the injection openings (7).

4. Portion capsule according to claim 3, wherein the injection element (3) has three injection openings (7).

5. Portion capsule according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the injection openings (7) are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

6. Portion capsule according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the projection (6) is conical.

7. Portion capsule according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle (90°-α) to the central axis (10) is between 45° and 75°, in particular between 60° and 70°.

8. Portion capsule according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a diameter of the injection opening (7) is between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, in particular between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm.

9. Portion capsule according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the injection element (3) is designed as an element separate from the cup (2) and the lid (4) and attached to the cup and / or the lid, so that an injection space (5) is formed between the capsule lid and the injection element or, alternatively, between the capsule base and the injection element.

10. Portion capsule according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the soluble substance is milk powder.