A capsule structure

Abstract

The capsule structure comprises a shell (1) with a containing cavity (11) inside, a water inlet (12) and a water outlet (13), characterized in that it further comprises a sealing sheet (2) covering the water outlet (13) and having a perforation (21) at the middle position, and a plug rod (31) inserted in the perforation (21); the sealing sheet (2) is elastic and has at least two states: in the state without external force, the sealing sheet (2) is in interference fit with the plug rod (31) at the edge of the outer periphery of the perforation (21); in the state of water flow injection into the containing cavity (11), the edge of the outer periphery of the perforation (21) is bent outward against the elastic force of the sealing sheet (2) under the water flow pressure, and a water passing gap (211) is formed between the edge and the plug rod (31) when the water pressure reaches a set value. Compared with the prior art, the capsule structure can set the brewing pressure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of beverage extraction technology, specifically to a capsule structure. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, there are many types of brewing and extraction devices for preparing infusion beverages like coffee. Coffee machines are a representative product among them. Traditional beverage brewing devices include water tanks, heating elements, and water pumps. Various beverage preparation materials, such as roasted and ground coffee, instant coffee, tea, or other dehydrated products, are packaged in a sealed capsule similar to a jelly bag. When in use, the capsule containing the beverage extraction material is placed in the device for preparing the beverage extraction material. During use, heated water is pumped into the chamber where the packaged material is placed in the device for preparing the beverage extraction material. The water flows through the material to be extracted, such as coffee, and the beverage flows from the coffee machine's water outlet into the cup.

[0003] In order to obtain hot water under certain pressure to extract the beverage ingredients in the capsule, a one-way valve is usually installed at the water outlet of the coffee machine's water supply device. For details, please refer to the applicant's earlier Chinese invention patent application No. CN200910153126.1 (publication No. CN101669767A), entitled "A Beverage Brewing Apparatus". During the extraction process, at the beginning stage of extraction, because the water pressure is less than the opening force of the one-way valve assembly but greater than the sealing resistance between the piston and the inner wall of the second cavity, the water flows along the outer peripheral surface of the connecting seat to the rear end face of the piston. The piston, which functions to seal the first cavity, can move forward under the push of the water pressure and stick tightly to the rear end face of the first component, effectively ensuring that a well-sealed extraction space is formed between the piston and the first cavity. As the piston is blocked, the water pressure continues to increase until it exceeds the sealing force of the one-way valve assembly. The water will then enter the capsule through the channel of the rear needle, completing the beverage extraction process. It can be seen that the opening force of the one-way valve assembly almost determines the brewing pressure of the beverage extraction raw materials in the capsule, and the water outlet pressure of the existing one-way valve is determined by the selected spring.

[0004] However, there are many types of beverage capsules available, such as coffee powder, milk powder, goat milk powder, herbal tea, and health drinks. Each type of beverage requires a different brewing pressure. If the brewing pressure needs to be adjusted, the entire one-way valve must be disassembled and the spring replaced, which is a complicated operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a capsule structure that can set the brewing pressure, in view of the current state of the prior art.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problem is as follows: a capsule structure, including a shell, the interior of which has a cavity for accommodating beverage filler, and the shell having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the cavity, characterized in that: it further includes...

[0007] A sealing sheet, covering the water outlet, is fixed to the periphery relative to the housing, and has a through hole in the center; and

[0008] The insertion rod is fixed relative to the housing and inserted into the through hole;

[0009] The sealing sheet is elastic and has at least two states:

[0010] When no external force is applied, the sealing sheet is located at the edge of the perforation and forms an interference fit with the insertion rod.

[0011] When water is injected into the accommodating cavity, the edge of the sealing sheet located on the periphery of the perforation bends outward against its own elasticity under the action of water pressure, and a water passage gap is formed between the edge and the insertion rod when the water pressure reaches a set value.

[0012] In order to achieve the fixing and sealing fit of the sealing disc shaft on the housing, the bottom wall inside the housing has an annular groove, and the periphery of the sealing disc has an annular folded edge, which is engaged in the groove to form a sealing fit.

[0013] To prevent the extracted beverage residue from being discharged with the water flow and affecting the taste, a filter cover is provided in the receiving cavity. The filter cover covers the sealing sheet and forms a liquid outlet cavity between the filter cover and the sealing sheet. Multiple filter holes are arranged at intervals on the wall surface of the filter cover.

[0014] To facilitate the processing of the insert rod, the filter cover has the insert rod extending toward the sealing sheet at the middle position of the inner wall on the side opposite to the sealing sheet.

[0015] To prevent the high-pressure beverage water jet from affecting the brewing effect, the outer edge of the shell at the outlet is bent outward to form a surrounding part. A buffer seat is provided inside the surrounding part. The buffer seat has a buffer cavity inside and an opening on one side. The opening of the buffer seat is directly opposite the water passage gap. A liquid outlet channel is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat and the inner peripheral wall of the surrounding part. The liquid outlet channel is connected to the buffer cavity.

[0016] To maintain stable brewing pressure, the buffer seat has ribs extending toward the sealing sheet to limit the outward bending of the sealing sheet at the edge of the perforation.

[0017] To ensure stable positioning of the sealing strip edge, the number of the ribs is at least two, and they are arranged circumferentially at intervals at the periphery of the buffer seat located on the outer periphery of the opening.

[0018] To facilitate the discharge of the buffered beverage from the buffer chamber to the outlet channel, an outlet is formed between two adjacent ribs to connect the buffer chamber and the outlet channel.

[0019] To facilitate the fixing of the buffer seat inside the enclosure, at least two outwardly extending connecting arms are arranged circumferentially on the outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat, and the ends of the connecting arms are connected to the inner peripheral wall of the enclosure.

[0020] To ensure the airtightness of the accommodating cavity, the water inlet of the shell is covered with a sealing film.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: By covering the water outlet of the shell with a perforated sealing sheet and inserting the rod into the perforation, the sealing sheet is elastic. On the one hand, in the absence of external force, the edge of the sealing sheet on the outer periphery of the perforation forms an interference fit with the rod, thus ensuring the sealing of the water outlet of the shell. This eliminates the need for an additional sealing film and the capsule outlet does not require a complex needle structure. On the other hand, when water is injected into the receiving cavity, the edge of the sealing sheet on the outer periphery of the perforation bends outward under the pressure of the water flow, overcoming its own elasticity. When the water pressure reaches a set value, a water passage gap is formed between this edge and the rod, allowing the extracted beverage water to flow out through the water passage gap. By replacing the sealing sheet with a different perforation diameter or with a sealing sheet of different toughness and hardness, different brewing pressures can be achieved to meet the brewing requirements of different beverages. Furthermore, there is no need to install a one-way valve at the machine end, resulting in low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the capsule structure of the present invention in a non-extraction state;

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional exploded view;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the middle shell from another direction;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A longitudinal sectional view;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule structure of the present invention in the extraction state. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0028] like Figures 1 to 5 The image shows a preferred embodiment of the capsule structure of the present invention. The capsule structure includes a shell 1, a sealing sheet 2, a filter cover 3, a sealing membrane 4, a filter membrane 5, and a beverage filler 6.

[0029] Among them, shell 1 is bowl-shaped, such as Figure 3 As shown, the shell 1 has an internal cavity 11, an open top as a water inlet 12, and a water outlet 13 in the middle of the bottom wall of the shell 1; and an annular groove 111 at the edge of the bottom wall inside the shell 1.

[0030] The sealing sheet 2 is tightly attached to the bottom wall inside the housing 1 and covers the water outlet 13. Specifically, a through hole 21 is provided in the middle of the sealing sheet 2 in the vertical direction; the periphery of the sealing sheet 2 extends downward to form an annular folded edge 22, which is engaged in the groove 111 and forms a sealing fit, thereby fixing the periphery of the sealing sheet 2 relative to the housing 1.

[0031] The filter cover 3 is disposed in the receiving cavity 11 and covers the sealing sheet 2, forming a liquid outlet cavity 30 between the filter cover 3 and the sealing sheet 2. Specifically, the filter cover 3 has a downwardly extending insertion rod 31 at the middle position of the downward-facing inner wall, which is inserted into the aforementioned through hole 21; the top wall of the filter cover 3 has a plurality of filter holes 32 arranged circumferentially along the insertion rod 31 through it in the vertical direction.

[0032] A sealing film 4 covers the water inlet 12 of the shell 1. Specifically, a food-grade film can be used as the sealing film 4. During extraction, the needle structure at the inlet end of the capsule will puncture the sealing film 4 to form a water inlet passage.

[0033] There are two filter membranes 5. One filter membrane 5 is tightly attached to the bottom surface of the sealing film 4, and the middle and peripheral parts of the other filter membrane 5 are tightly attached to the top surface of the filter cover 3 and the inner peripheral wall of the lower part of the housing 1, respectively. Specifically, non-woven filter paper can be used as the filter membrane 5.

[0034] The beverage filler 6 is housed in the receiving cavity 11 of the housing 1 and sandwiched between the two filter membranes 5. Specifically, the beverage filler 6 can be coffee powder, milk powder, goat milk powder, herbal tea, health drinks, etc.

[0035] The aforementioned sealing sheet 2 is elastic and has at least two states:

[0036] In the absence of external forces, such as Figure 4As shown, the sealing plate 2 is located at the edge of the outer periphery of the perforation 21 and forms an interference fit with the insertion rod 31;

[0037] With water flowing into the accommodating cavity 11, as follows Figure 5 As shown, the edge of the sealing sheet 2 located on the outer periphery of the perforation 21 bends downward against its own elasticity under the action of water pressure, and when the water pressure reaches the set value, a water passage gap 211 is formed between the edge and the insertion rod 31 to allow water to flow through. In this way, the extracted beverage water can flow out of the brewing pressure through the water passage gap 211.

[0038] In addition, in this embodiment, the outer edge of the housing 1 at the water outlet 13 is bent downward to form a surrounding portion 14. A buffer seat 15 is provided inside the surrounding portion 14. The buffer seat 15 has a buffer cavity 150 inside and an opening at the top. The top opening of the buffer seat 15 is directly opposite the water passage gap 211. A liquid outlet channel 140 is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat 15 and the inner peripheral wall of the surrounding portion 14. At least two upwardly extending ribs 151 are arranged circumferentially at the periphery of the top of the buffer seat 15 to limit the edge of the outwardly bent sealing piece 2 at the periphery of the perforation 21. A liquid outlet 152 is formed between two adjacent ribs 151 to connect the buffer cavity 150 and the liquid outlet channel 140. At least two outwardly extending connecting arms 153 are arranged circumferentially at intervals on the outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat 15. The ends of the connecting arms 153 are connected to the inner peripheral wall of the surrounding portion 14. The buffer seat 15 has two main functions: First, when the high-pressure beverage water flows out of the water passage 211, it will be jet-like, which will affect the brewing effect of the beverage, such as the oil in coffee. The design of the buffer chamber 150 can buffer the beverage flowing out of the water passage 211 and reduce its flow rate before it flows out from the liquid outlet 152 to the liquid outlet channel 140. Second, the design of the rib 151 can control the deformation of the sealing plate 2 and maintain the stability of the brewing pressure.

[0039] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0040] (1) Before extraction, such as Figure 4 As shown, the sealing sheet 2 is located on the edge of the perforation 21 and forms an interference fit with the insertion rod 31. The inlet 12 and outlet 13 are both sealed and covered, which is convenient for storage. Since the bottom of the shell 1 has sufficient sealing performance, there is no need to use an additional sealing film for sealing. The capsule outlet end also does not need to be equipped with a complex needle structure.

[0041] (2) During extraction, such as Figure 5As shown, the needle structure at the capsule inlet punctures the sealing film 4 to form a water inlet passage. Hot water is injected into the receiving cavity 11 through the water inlet passage to extract the beverage filler 6. The extracted beverage enters the liquid outlet cavity 30 through the filter hole 32. The water pressure in the liquid outlet cavity 30 continuously increases. The edge of the sealing sheet 2 located on the periphery of the perforation 21 bends downward under the pressure of the water flow, overcoming its own elasticity. When the water pressure reaches the set value, a water passage gap 211 is formed between the edge and the insertion rod 31 to allow water to flow through. The beverage in the liquid outlet cavity 30 is sprayed into the buffer cavity 150 through the water passage gap 211 to reduce the flow rate. Then it flows out through the liquid outlet 152 to the liquid outlet channel 140, completing the entire brewing process.

[0042] For the above solution, by replacing the sealing sheet 2 with a different perforation diameter (different interference amount) or replacing the sealing sheet 2 with a different toughness and thickness, different brewing pressures (the adjustable pressure range is tentatively set at 0.5 to 16 bar) can be achieved to meet the brewing requirements of different beverages, and there is no need to install a one-way valve at the machine end, which is low in cost.

Claims

1. A capsule structure comprising a casing (1) having an internal accommodation cavity (11) for accommodating a beverage filling (6), the casing (1) having a water inlet opening (12) and a water outlet opening (13) in communication with said accommodation cavity (11), characterised in that: Also included are A sealing sheet (2) covering the water outlet (13), the peripheral part is fixed relative to the shell (1), and the middle position is provided with a through hole (21); A plug rod (31) is fixed relative to the shell (1) and is inserted into the through hole (21); And Two filter membranes (5), the beverage filling (6) is clamped between the two filter membranes (5); The sealing sheet (2) has elasticity and at least two states: In the state without external force, the sealing sheet (2) is located on the edge of the outer periphery of the through hole (21) and forms an interference fit with the plug rod (31); In the state of water flow injection into the containing cavity (11), the edge of the outer periphery of the through hole (21) is bent outward under the action of water flow pressure, and a water passage gap (211) is formed between the edge and the plug rod (31) when the water pressure reaches a set value; The edge of the outer periphery of the shell (1) at the water outlet (13) is bent outward to form a surrounding part (14), and the surrounding part (14) is provided with a buffer seat (15), and the buffer seat (15) has a protruding rib (151) extending towards the sealing sheet (2), which is used to limit the edge of the outer periphery of the sealing sheet (2) bent outward.

2. The capsule structure of claim 1, wherein: The bottom wall inside the shell (1) has an annular clamping groove (111), and the peripheral edge of the sealing sheet (2) has an annular folded edge (22) clamped in the clamping groove (111) and forming a sealing fit.

3. The capsule structure of claim 2, wherein: The containing cavity (11) is provided with a filter cover (3), the filter cover (3) covers the sealing sheet (2), and a liquid outlet cavity (30) is formed between the filter cover (3) and the sealing sheet (2), and a plurality of filter holes (32) are arranged on the wall surface of the filter cover (3).

4. The capsule structure of claim 3, wherein: The filter cover (3) has the plug rod (31) extending towards the sealing sheet (2) at the middle position of the inner wall of the side opposite to the sealing sheet (2).

5. The capsule structure of claim 1, wherein: The buffer cavity (150) is provided in the buffer seat (15), and one side of the buffer seat (15) has an opening, and the opening of the buffer seat (15) is opposite to the water passage gap (211), and the outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat (15) and the inner peripheral wall of the surrounding part (14) form a liquid outlet channel (140), which is connected with the buffer cavity (150).

6. The capsule structure of claim 5, wherein: The number of protruding ribs (151) is at least two, and they are arranged at the peripheral edge of the opening of the buffer seat (15) in a circumferential direction.

7. The capsule structure of claim 6, wherein: Adjacent two protruding ribs (151) form a liquid outlet (152) for connecting the buffer cavity (150) and the liquid outlet channel (140).

8. The capsule structure of claim 5, wherein: The outer peripheral wall of the buffer seat (15) is provided with at least two outwardly extending connecting arms (153) arranged in a circumferential direction, and the end of the connecting arm (153) is connected to the inner peripheral wall of the surrounding part (14).

9. The capsule structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The water inlet (12) of the shell (1) is covered with a sealing film (4).

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