Beverage pod system having improved seal - Patents.com

Abstract

A system for extracting beverage ingredients by supplying an extracting liquid into a pod, comprising an upstream part 2 and a downstream part 1 relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis XX' between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting a pod 3 and a closed position forming an extraction chamber 5 surrounding the pod during extraction, the upstream part defining a cage 21 and supporting an upstream piercing device 22 and a liquid injector 25 for opening the lower wall 313 of the pod, the downstream part defining a plate transverse to the axis, the plate having a downstream planar piercing device 12 for opening the lid 32 of the pod and a peripheral area 13, the periphery of the open end 211 of the cage defined by the upstream part is covered by a seal 24, the seal having a raised ridge 241 in the downstream direction, and in the closed position of the downstream part and the upstream part, a central part of the flange of the pod is clamped by the ridge of the seal of the upstream part against the peripheral area of ​​the plate of the downstream part.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of beverage preparation using a system including a single-serving container containing a beverage ingredient and a machine having a brewing chamber into which the container can be inserted, brewed and ejected. [Background technology]

[0002] Single serving containers for the automated preparation of beverages include various types of containers that may be relatively soft or flexible, such as pods, and may be made from any material, recyclable or non-recyclable, biodegradable or non-biodegradable, such as aluminum, plastic, filter paper, etc.

[0003] One problem faced by systems for extracting beverages from the above pods is the handling of the pods within the extraction device, specifically closing the chamber around the pod to carry out the extraction process and then properly ejecting the pod from the chamber. The pod typically needs to be placed into a housing by the user and then the device is closed around the pod, either manually or automatically.

[0004] It is important to position the pod correctly so that the device closes properly around the pod and forms a good seal to ensure good brewing conditions. Poor positioning can damage the pod and thus affect brewing conditions. Loading also needs to be as quick as possible and not require excessive manipulation.

[0005] Finally, at the end of the beverage preparation, the pod should be easily ejected without risk of misorientation and blocking the machine.

[0006] EP 1 859 714 and WO 2013 / 026844 describe systems for extracting beverages from soft or flexible pods, these pods being: The pod is made of aluminum or plastic material; the pod has a shape that is symmetrical about a plane that includes the flange of the pod; The pods have the specific feature that they always have the same shape, size and volume, and the brewing chamber is designed to accept this single type of pod shape.

[0007] WO 2020 / 089404 describes another system for extracting beverages from soft or flexible pods, these pods being: the pod has an asymmetric shape with respect to a plane containing the flange of the pod; A variety of different pods having different shapes and volumes are available and the brewing chamber is designed to receive these different pods; A particular feature of the pod is that it can be made from aluminum.

[0008] The brewing device comprises a brewing chamber configured to adapt its size to the shape and volume of the pod to be introduced therein.

[0009] The use of asymmetrical shapes and different sized pods makes it impossible to use the brewing devices of the above systems which are designed for a single sized symmetrical pod.

[0010] In addition, environmental considerations nowadays call for the use of pods made of biodegradable and / or compostable materials, in particular thick paper in nature. These new materials bring certain characteristics and, as a result, cause certain problems during beverage preparation and during the handling of the pods in the brewing device.

[0011] In addition, in order to provide paper pods that are home compostable and at the same time ensure good handling in the extraction device, specific paper materials have been defined, these materials having a thickness greater than that of normal materials such as aluminum or paper filters.

[0012] Said thickness of the paper material causes wrinkles to form around the entire periphery of the flange during the moulding of the body of the pod, which directly affect the airtightness of the brewing chamber during beverage preparation, since these wrinkles provide a path for the liquid injected into the cage.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to address at least the above-mentioned existing problems. Summary of the Invention

[0014] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system comprising an extraction device and a pod, The above pod, A pod body, the pod body comprising: side and bottom walls defining a chamber, said chamber extending axially between a bottom and a top opening; a peripheral annular flange projecting radially outwardly from the upper opening, the peripheral annular flange having an upper surface opposite the chamber with respect to the opening; A pod body containing beverage ingredients; an upper lid attached to an upper surface of the peripheral flange and closing an upper opening of the pod body; The extraction device comprises: an upstream pod surrounding portion and a downstream pod surrounding portion relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting a pod and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber surrounding the pod during brewing, an upstream portion defining a cage for surrounding the pod body and supporting an upstream piercing device and a liquid injector for opening a lower wall of the pod body; The downstream portion defines a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX'), said plate comprising: a downstream planar piercing device for opening the pod lid; an upstream pod surrounding portion and a downstream pod surrounding portion, an insert for inserting the pod into the device, the insert designed to position the pod with its lid facing a downstream piercing device; a seal covers a periphery of the open end of the cage defined by the upstream enclosure portion; the ridge is configured to press against a peripheral region of the downstream portion plate when the first and second enclosing portions are in a closed position; the seal includes a raised ridge extending in an upstream direction; In the closed position of the downstream and upstream enclosure portions, a central portion of the pod flange is pinched by a seal ridge of the upstream enclosure portion against a peripheral region of the downstream portion plate.

[0015] In this system, the device for extracting the beverage raw material is typically included in a beverage preparation machine configured to receive the pod. For example, the machine is a coffee, tea, chocolate or soup preparation machine, preferably a coffee machine. In particular, the machine is configured to prepare the beverage in the extraction chamber by passing water, preferably hot water or another liquid, through a pod containing the raw material of the beverage to be prepared, such as roasted and ground coffee, or tea leaves, or instant coffee, or instant tea, or chocolate, or cocoa, or milk powder, or dried soup. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage raw material is roasted and ground coffee.

[0016] In the present system, preferably the body and lid of the pod are made of a paper material.

[0017] The paper material provides the pod with biodegradable and / or compostable properties.

[0018] In one preferred embodiment, the paper material is a multi-layered paper material comprising at least a layer of paper coated with a plastic film, preferably a compostable plastic film. The compostable plastic film may be a multi-layered plastic film. The film may provide additional properties such as an air barrier and a sealant to avoid delamination.

[0019] Preferably, the body is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

[0020] Preferably, the paper material has a density of 80 to 150 g / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight of 100 g.

[0021] Preferably, the pod body is manufactured by forcing a disc of paper material into a mould.

[0022] Specifically, the pod body may be formed from a disk of paper material by a blank slide process, a stamping process, or a deep drawing process.

[0023] Such manufacturing causes wrinkles in the pod, especially when the paper material is thick. Typically, when using the paper material as described above, specifically for a pod body having a diameter of about 48 mm, the lower surface of the body flange may include wrinkles having a depth of about 25 μm to 200 μm.

[0024] Preferably, the pod body of the present system is manufactured by stamping a disk of paper material, and the lower surface of the body flange includes corrugations.

[0025] Additionally, manufacturing such bodies can lead to inconsistent body diameters, especially when the paper material is thick.

[0026] The brewing device of the system is configured to brew beverage ingredients contained in a pod by supplying a brewing liquid, such as water, into the pod, and comprises upstream and downstream pod enclosing portions relatively movable between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting the pod and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber surrounding the pod during brewing of the beverage ingredients.

[0027] Typically, the pod may be inserted into the device from above under the influence of gravity. Ejection or removal of the pod upon reopening of the enclosure may also be gravity driven.

[0028] The upstream pod surrounding portion and the downstream pod surrounding portion are relatively translatable along the longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting a pod and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber that surrounds the pod during extraction.

[0029] The upstream portion defines an empty cage or cavity for surrounding the pod body and comprises an upstream piercing device in the form of one or more piercers for piercing the lower wall of the inserted pod, and at least one liquid injector for supplying liquid through the perforated lower wall of the pod.

[0030] The upstream perforation device may comprise perforators in the form of blades that may be designed and arranged to perforate the bottom wall of the pod body when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts are in the closed position. A liquid injector such as a shower in the upstream part of the cage may introduce brewing liquid through the pre-perforated openings.

[0031] In an alternative form, the upstream piercing device may comprise at least one hollow needle configured to pierce the bottom wall of the pod body, the hollow needle comprising an internal axial channel for guiding the brewing liquid into the chamber of the pod body.

[0032] The downstream part defines a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis. This plate therefore extends along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XX'. This plate of the downstream part comprises a downstream planar piercing device for opening the lid of the pod when the brewing liquid is introduced into the interior of the pod. Typically, this downstream planar piercing device is designed to open the lid by relative engagement with the lid under the effect of the pressure rise of the poured liquid in the pod body chamber and the expansion of the lid pressing against the piercing device. This downstream planar piercing device may comprise a rigid plate equipped on its surface directed towards the lid with an opening element such as a spike, which may have the shape of a cone or pyramid, optionally with a truncated end. In addition, the plate comprises a transverse hole for ejecting the brewed beverage from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle that collects the beverage and delivers it to a drinking cup.

[0033] In addition, the plate of the downstream portion includes a peripheral region that extends all around the downstream planar drilling device, so that this peripheral region extends in the same plane as the downstream planar drilling device.

[0034] The device includes an insert for inserting a pod into the device. Typically, the insert is positioned above the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion such that the pod is inserted between the two portions by gravity. The insert is designed such that the user is encouraged to position the pod so that the pod's lid faces the downstream perforation device.

[0035] Preferably, the insert may comprise a recognition device for recognizing or identifying a pod introduced inside the extraction device. a pod temporary blocking means for blocking the progress of the pod at the temporary recognition position; A device for recognizing a pod whose progress has been blocked at this temporary recognition position may be provided.

[0036] The recognition device is configured such that, when a pod is recognized, the pod temporary blocking means allows the pod to drop into a pod holder of the extraction device.

[0037] In this extraction device, the periphery of the open end of the cage defined by the upstream enclosing portion is covered by a seal configured to press against a peripheral region of the plate of the downstream portion when the first and second enclosing portions are in the closed position.

[0038] Additionally, the seal includes a ridge extending along the periphery of the seal, the ridge rising in the downstream direction, the ridge being sized and positioned relative to the downstream surrounding portion and the pod held within the closed brewing chamber such that the ridge pinches a central portion of the flange of the pod against the peripheral region of the plate of the downstream portion.

[0039] Preferably, the ridge is continuous and pinches continuously around the entire periphery of the flange.

[0040] Thus, in the closed position of the enclosure, the flange of the pod is pressed between the seal and the surrounding area and pinched tightly by the ridges, such that the flange closes the liquid path created by the presence of wrinkles around the flange of the pod and provides an airtight seal.

[0041] Preferably, the peripheral area of ​​the downstream surrounding portion is provided with a groove, and the ridge faces said groove when the upstream pod surrounding portion and the downstream pod surrounding portion are in the closed position.

[0042] Thus, in the closed position, the central portion of the flange is pressed by the ridge in the groove, resulting in the wrinkles being stretched between the ridge and the groove, flattening the material and enhancing the airtight function of the seal, thereby providing a stronger barrier against liquids.

[0043] Preferably, the shape of the groove can match the shape of the ridge of the seal.

[0044] Typically, the seal is made of a deformable, resilient material such as an elastomer. The seal can be made of EPDM rubber.

[0045] Preferably, the extraction device may comprise a pod holder attached to the peripheral area of ​​the downstream portion, the pod holder being supported by the peripheral area while attached. a first receiving position for receiving and holding a pod lid in front of the downstream planar drilling device; and a second, retracted position at the side of the downstream planar drilling device.

[0046] Typically, the pod holder comprises a pair of fixing and positioning elements which, in the receiving position of the pod holder, fix the pod vertically or at a slight inclination to the vertical and position the pod in front of the downstream planar drilling device.

[0047] Each of the paired elements of the pod holder may include a lower retaining surface and a lateral arcuate ridge. In their receiving positions, the paired elements are configured as follows: The lower support surfaces of these elements vertically secure the pod when it is dropped by gravity from the insert between the two enclosing portions into the interior of the device, and are positioned such that the pod's lid is aligned with the downstream piercing device. The transverse arcuate ridges fix the pods in the longitudinal direction so that the lids of the pods remain essentially parallel or slightly inclined away from the downstream plane drilling device. Preferably, these ridges extend in a transverse plane slightly inclined with respect to the plane of the downstream plane drilling device, the lower part of the element being closer to the downstream part than the upper part. This inclination provides a larger headroom for the insertion of the pod from the insert to the pod holder, limiting the risk of the pods going wrong. Due to the fact that the pods have an asymmetric shape with respect to the plane of the lid, the pods cannot be in an equilibrium position when the lids of the pods are oriented vertically, and even less so in the case of the largest pods, since their center of gravity is in the center of the pod body.

[0048] This inclination provides the additional advantage of limiting the movement of the pod within the pair of elements when the pod is moved from the receiving position to the retracted position, because the path of movement of the portion of the pod that is on the lower support surface during said movement is kept very short.

[0049] The lateral arcuate ridges may extend in a transverse plane inclined at several degrees relative to the plane of the planar drilling device.

[0050] Generally, the elements of the pair have a symmetrical shape with respect to a vertical plane containing a longitudinal axis XX' running through the centre of the downstream drilling device.

[0051] This pair of fixing and positioning elements is movable between two positions depending on the operating state of the extraction device: With a new pod inserted, the pair of fixing and positioning elements are in a receiving position for receiving and holding the pod. The pair of elements fix the pod in front of the downstream planar drilling device. The pair of elements extend in front of the downstream portion, specifically in front of the peripheral area of ​​the downstream portion. The pair of lateral arcuate ridges are preferably inclined with respect to the plane of the downstream planar drilling device. In the situation of extraction of the pod (ie introduction of liquid into the pod), the pair of elements are in a retracted position at the side of the downstream planar perforation device.

[0052] Additionally, the pair of fixing and positioning elements can be pushed from the receiving position to the retracted position by the upstream enveloping portion when said upstream enveloping portion is translated longitudinally from the open position to the closed position.

[0053] As a result, depending on the operating process performed in the extraction device, the pair of fixing and positioning elements can interact with the pod by fixing the pod, or can stop interacting with the pod, which can freely interact with the cage or be ejected.

[0054] Preferably, the fixation and positioning element moves from the received position to the retracted position along the extension direction.

[0055] By "extended direction" it is meant that the directions followed by the first and second securing and positioning elements are not parallel, and the distance between these elements is greater in the retracted position than in the received position.

[0056] As a result, in the receiving position, the pair of fixing and positioning elements defines an intermediate space dimensioned to hold at least the smaller pod, i.e. the pod having the smallest diameter due to inconsistent manufacturing. When these elements are pushed from this receiving position to the retracted position by the upstream surrounding portion, the space between these elements increases in the expansion direction, which causes the flange of the pod having the largest diameter does not remain pinched by these elements in the retracted position; and It is ensured that the upstream surrounding portion can lean against the downstream surrounding portion in order to uniformly form the brewing chamber along the entire circumference of the pod flange.

[0057] If the flange becomes partially pinched by one of the fixing and positioning elements during the closing operation of the chamber, this will result in uneven closure, liquid leakage, pressure build-up and incorrect extraction of the pod.

[0058] In particular, if the pod diameter is not consistent, even with small tolerances, the risk of pinching increases.

[0059] During movement to the retracted position, the extension direction of the elements avoids the risk of pinching.

[0060] Generally, as the fixation and positioning elements move from the receiving position to the retracted position, they can expand laterally by a dimension that corresponds to the tolerance on the diameter of the manufactured pod. For example, if the tolerance is about 1 mm, then each element can expand laterally by at least 0.5 mm, and preferably 1 mm, while the fixation elements move from the receiving position to the retracted position.

[0061] Preferably, the pod holder comprises guide portions configured to guide the movement of the fixing and positioning element between the fixing position and the retracted position, these guide portions may comprise slopes oriented to slide along a surface of the peripheral area of ​​the downstream surrounding portion according to the extension direction.

[0062] Preferably, the pair of fastening and locating elements are made from a single piece of material.

[0063] As a result, both elements are moved simultaneously and their movement is better guided.

[0064] Specifically, a pair of fixation and positioning elements may be connected by a lateral bridge that extends below the downstream drilling device.

[0065] Preferably, the pod holder can be locked to the peripheral area of ​​the downstream surrounding portion and can remain locked until the pod ejection operation is completed, preferably until a new pod has been introduced into the insert.

[0066] By locking the pod holder to the peripheral region while the pod ejection operation is completed, there is no risk of the pair of fixing and positioning elements moving during movement of the upstream pod surrounding portion back to the open position, and there is no risk of at least one of the pair of fixing and positioning elements pinching or pinching the flange of the extracted pod while the cage gradually releases the extracted pod.

[0067] Preferably, the side of the upstream wrapping portion facing the downstream wrapping portion includes a rising element configured to press against the pair of fixing and positioning elements during longitudinal translation of the upstream wrapping portion from the open position to the closed position.

[0068] The extraction device may be part of a beverage preparation machine. Generally, the beverage preparation machine comprises a liquid supply system connected to an upstream surrounding part. The liquid supply system comprises: A liquid supply unit such as a liquid tank; a pump means for driving liquid from the liquid supply to the extraction device; Heating and / or cooling means may be provided for adapting the temperature of the liquid before it is introduced inside the pod.

[0069] The liquid is usually water.

[0070] The beverage machine may be equipped with recognition means as described above.

[0071] The beverage machine usually comprises a motor which actuates the movement of the surrounding part of the extraction device.

[0072] Typically, the beverage machine comprises a control unit arranged to control the movement of the surrounding part of the extraction device and the supply of liquid to the extraction device.

[0073] The control unit may be configured to control the recognition operation of the recognition device, if present, or to display information to the user.

[0074] In another aspect, there is provided the use of a pod for preparing a beverage in a system or a brewing device or a beverage machine as described above, said pod comprising: A pod body, the pod body comprising: side and bottom walls defining a chamber, said chamber extending axially between a bottom and a top opening; a peripheral annular body flange projecting radially outwardly from the upper opening, the peripheral annular body flange including an upper surface opposite the chamber relative to the opening; A pod body containing beverage ingredients; a top lid having a peripheral annular region attached to an upper surface of the body flange, the top lid closing the top opening of the pod body.

[0075] Preferably, the body and lid of the pod are made from a paper material.

[0076] In one preferred embodiment, the paper material is a multi-layered paper material comprising at least a layer of paper coated with a plastic film, preferably a compostable plastic film. The compostable plastic film may be a multi-layered plastic film. The film may provide additional properties such as an air barrier and a sealant to avoid delamination.

[0077] The multi-layer paper material of the lid may include an additional layer of material to facilitate interaction with a downstream plate punching device, in particular to avoid remaining attached to said downstream plate punching device.

[0078] Preferably, the body is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

[0079] Preferably, the paper material has a density of 80 to 150 g / m 2 The sheet has a basis weight of 1.0 g.

[0080] Preferably, the pod body is manufactured by forcing a disk of paper material into a mould. In particular, the pod body can be formed from a disk of paper material by a blank slide process, a stamping process or a deep drawing process.

[0081] The manufacture of such bodies generally leads to inconsistent body diameters, especially when the paper material is thick.

[0082] Such manufacturing generally results in wrinkles in the pod, especially if the paper material is thick. Typically, when using the paper material as described above, specifically for a pod body having a diameter of about 48 mm, the lower surface of the body flange may include wrinkles having a depth of about 25 μm to 200 μm.

[0083] In this application: The term "pod" is used broadly to denote any type of single-dose container suitable for preparing a beverage or other edible product, such as a capsule, cartridge, portioned package, or individual package, without being limited to the shape of this container, particularly the shape of the body, or the type of piercing means required to extract the beverage therefrom. The term "longitudinally" refers to the orientation of the two enveloping parts one to the other and their movement along the longitudinal axis XX'. The term "laterally" therefore refers to an orientation that is lateral or perpendicular to the longitudinal orientation. In general, the longitudinal and lateral orientations extend in a horizontal plane. The term "lateral" is defined by reference to a vertical axis that includes the longitudinal axis XX'. The terms "vertically" and "downwardly" refer to the movement of the pod in the brewing device from the introduction of the pod above the two enclosures to the discharge of the pod below the two enclosures. The terms "upper" and "lower" also refer to this vertical axis. The terms "top" and "lower" refer to this vertical axis when considering the brewing element. With respect to the pod, the terms "top" and "bottom" are defined according to the description of FIG. 1A. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the path of liquid through the extraction device from an upstream enclosure to a downstream enclosure.

[0084] Generally, these terms are used to describe the relative placement of features of a brewing device and should be understood to refer to the normal orientation of said device when placed in a beverage preparation machine to produce a beverage, as shown in Figures 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and 3C.

[0085] The above aspects of the invention may be combined in any suitable combination. Moreover, various features herein may be combined with one or more of the above aspects to provide combinations other than those specifically shown and described. Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, detailed description, and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0086] Particular embodiments of the invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: [Figure 1A] 1A-1D are various perspective views of a pod used in the extraction device of the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1A-1D are various perspective views of a pod used in the extraction device of the present invention; [Figure 1C] 1A-1D are various perspective views of a pod used in the extraction device of the present invention; [Figure 1D] 1A-1D are various perspective views of a pod used in the extraction device of the present invention; [Figure 2A] 1A and 1B are side and top views of a device according to the invention in a closed position. [Figure 2B] 1A and 1B are side and top views of a device according to the invention in a closed position. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is an isolated side view of the upstream and downstream pod surrounding portions of a device according to the invention in an open position. [Figure 3B]FIG. 3B is an isolated side view of the upstream and downstream pod enclosing portions of FIG. 3A in a closed position. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3B is an isolated side view of the upstream pod surrounding portion and the downstream pod surrounding portion of FIG. 3A in a pod discharge position. [Figure 4A] FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view of the downstream pod surrounding portion of FIG. 3A. [Figure 4B] FIG. 3C is an exploded perspective view of the downstream pod surrounding portion of FIG. 3B. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3C is an exploded perspective view of the upstream pod surrounding portion of FIGS. 3A and 3B. [Figure 6] 3B, with an enlarged interaction area Z of the surrounding portion. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0087] FIG. 1A (perspective view) and FIG. 1B (exploded view) illustrate a pod 3 that can be used in the extraction device of the present invention.

[0088] The pod 3 comprises a pod body 31 having one sidewall 311 extending axially from a bottom wall 313 to the top. The sidewall 311 extends to an upper opening 312. At the upper opening 312, the body comprises a peripheral annular flange 314 extending radially outward from the sidewall 311 along the periphery of the opening 312.

[0089] The flange has an upper surface 3142 facing the top and a lower surface 3141 .

[0090] Generally, any transverse cross section of the body will be circular from base to top and the flanges will also be circular.

[0091] The body defines a chamber for containing a beverage ingredient.

[0092] The packaged beverage ingredients are preferably ingredients that can be brewed, such as roast and ground coffee.

[0093] In a second preferred method, the beverage raw material may be tea leaves or a water-soluble powder raw material such as instant coffee powder, milk powder, cream powder, instant tea powder, cocoa powder, soup powder, fruit powder or a mixture of the above powders, or a soluble liquid raw material or a beverage concentrate such as a syrup or a milk concentrate. The powder may be agglomerated or sintered.

[0094] The capsule includes a lid 32 that is secured, sealed or otherwise attached to at least a portion of the upper surface 3142 of the peripheral flange, thus covering and closing the top opening 312 .

[0095] The lower wall 313 is adapted to be perforated so that liquid can be injected into the pod through the perforated openings.

[0096] The lid 32 is adapted to be opened by relative engagement with a piercing device under the effect of an increase in liquid pressure inside the pod during injection of liquid.

[0097] The pod shape is symmetrical about a central axis ZZ' that extends from the bottom wall to the lid, and the pod shape is asymmetrical about the plane and flange of the lid.

[0098] Figure 1C illustrates another pod 3' that can be used in the brewing device of the invention and that differs from the pod 3 of Figure 1A only in the longitudinal size (along ZZ') of the pod body 31'. The pod body 31 of the larger pod 3 defines an ingredient chamber having a larger volume than the pod body 31' of the smaller pod 3', and the side wall 311 is taller than the side wall 311'. The diameters of the lid 32' of the smaller pod and the lid 32 of the larger pod are identical.

[0099] This difference in size allows for the preparation of different beverages, preferably different coffee beverages such as ristretto, espresso, lungo (long cup), americano, etc.

[0100] Sizes other than those illustrated may be provided, such as intermediate sizes.

[0101] If the pod contains roast and ground coffee, the amount of coffee may range from 4 to 15 g. The axial dimension of the pod may extend from 5 mm to 30 mm, for the same diameter of the body of about 53 mm.

[0102] Preferably, the pod 3 is made of an essentially biodegradable or compostable material, preferably a home compostable material, since the coffee cake after brewing can be easily composted at home.

[0103] Preferably, the material of the pod comprises a paper layer, which is mouldable, i.e. a sheet of paper capable of being given a three-dimensional shape in the shape of the body of the pod as described above, in contrast to typical pods made of filter paper, this paper is thick and maintains the three-dimensional shape provided during the moulding process of the manufacture of the pod.

[0104] Preferably, the paper layer of the pod is at least 20 g / m 2 , preferably up to 150 g / m 2 The body paper can have a basis weight of 1.0 g / m2 or more. The body paper can exhibit a higher basis weight than the lid paper because it needs to be stretched and deformed during manufacture.

[0105] The paper weight of the main body is 80 to 150 g / m 2 It can be said that:

[0106] The lid is 20 to 120 g / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight comprised between 1.

[0107] Both papers are approximately 100 g / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight of 100 g.

[0108] The material of the pod may include a layer of paper and some other material to provide additional properties such as air barrier properties, stretchable properties, or deformable properties. These additional properties may be provided by at least one plastic layer, for example as described in WO 2020 / 114995. Some additional layers of the body and lid may be different.

[0109] In fact, the paper must be thick enough to be molded into a beverage container and to form a barrier to protect the beverage ingredients. In addition, the paper layer is preferably coated with a compostable plastic film to create a barrier against the atmosphere, specifically against oxygen, to which roast and ground coffee is particularly sensitive. A sealant layer is often necessary to attach the different layers together and prevent delamination. For example, such a multi-layer paper material can be the material described in WO 2020 / 114995 or the applied WO 2022 / 022899.

[0110] In such pod materials, the thickness of the multi-layer paper material of the body may be about 200 μm and the thickness of the multi-layer paper material of the lid may be about 140 μm, which means that the flange thickness is usually more than 200 μm or even more than 300 μm.

[0111] The production of pods generally involves: - preparing a first sheet of deformable paper material of circular shape, the diameter of said first sheet being adapted to the size of the pods to be produced (small or large); A step of deforming the first sheet to form a pod body having a flange from the pod body, which step is usually performed by molding the first sheet in a dedicated recess, die, or mold having the shape of the pod body. filling the shaped body with a serving of beverage ingredient, preferably roast and ground coffee, and compressing the serving of roast and ground coffee preferably inside the shaped pod; Providing a circular second sheet of material, the diameter of said second sheet corresponding to the diameter of the pod lid, regardless of the size of the pod (small or large) to be manufactured; and sealing the second sheet onto the flange of the filled molded body.

[0112] Due to the nature of the paper material being a non-uniform material (the position of the plant fibres within the sheet is random) and due to the thickness of the paper material, the shaping of the first sheet of material produces pods with specific characteristics that affect the preparation of the beverage in the extraction device.

[0113] When the paper material is formed in the mold, wrinkles 35 are formed along the entire periphery of the sidewall 311 and the lower surface 3142 of the flange, as shown in FIG. 1D. In larger pods, the wrinkles are more severe and deeper, since the original diameter of the first sheet is much larger than the final diameter of the pod. For example, in a first sheet disk having a thickness of about 200 μm and a diameter of 70 mm, used to produce a final pod with a lid diameter of about 53 mm and a pod body diameter (below the flange) of about 48 mm, the wrinkle depth in the formed body may vary between 25 and 200 μm (measured by interferometer). These wrinkles affect the airtightness of the brewing chamber during beverage preparation. In larger pods (FIG. 1A), the wrinkles are more severe and deeper, since the original diameter of the first sheet disk is much larger than the final diameter of the pod. The wrinkle depth of the more severe wrinkles may reach almost 200 μm.

[0114] In addition, it has been observed that when a first sheet of paper material is shaped by forcing a disk of the sheet into a mold, the final diameter between the edges of the flanges of the pod body is inconsistent. For example, it has been observed that a first sheet having a thickness of about 200 μm and a diameter of 70 mm is used to produce a final pod having a lid diameter of about 53 mm and a pod body diameter of about 48 mm, with the diameter varying between 54.5 mm and 51.5 mm. These inconsistent diameter values ​​affect the correct handling of the pod by the brewing device during beverage preparation.

[0115] FIG. 2A is a side view of an extraction device according to the invention, comprising an upstream pod enclosing part 2 and a downstream pod enclosing part 1, which are relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis XX'. Usually, this axis XX' is essentially horizontal. In FIG. 2A, these two parts are in a closed position, forming an extraction chamber configured to enclose the pod during extraction. The pod is introduced through an insert 4 arranged above the two enclosing parts 1, 2 and can fall from the insert 4 into these two enclosing parts 1, 2 by gravity. After extraction, when the two enclosing parts 1, 2 move away from each other, the pod can again fall below these two enclosing parts 1, 2 by gravity. The arrow F indicates the movement of the pod from its insertion into the interior of the extraction device to its ejection from said device.

[0116] The two pod enveloping parts 1, 2 are held and movable between two lateral longitudinal metal sheets 6a, 6b. At least one of these parts is translationally movable between these two sheets in order to assess different relative and functional positions. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the downstream enveloping part 1 is fixed and only the upstream enveloping part 2 is movable back and forth along the longitudinal axis XX'.

[0117] 2B is a top view of the extraction device with the upstream pod enclosing part 2 and the downstream pod enclosing part 1 in the same relative position. The insert 4, and in particular its housing, is designed in such a way that the pod 2 can be introduced with its lid 32 facing the downstream pod enclosing part 1 and therefore facing the perforation device 12 of said enclosing part as described below. As a result, the user is prompted to correctly position the asymmetric pod 3 inside the extraction device.

[0118] Preferably, this insert 4 can be equipped with a recognition device for recognizing or identifying the pod 2 introduced inside the extraction device. a pod temporary blocking means for blocking the progress of the pod at the temporary recognition position; A device for recognizing a pod whose progress has been blocked at this temporary recognition position may be provided.

[0119] The recognition device is configured such that, when a pod is recognized, the pod temporary blocking means allows the pod to drop into a pod holder of the extraction device.

[0120] Figures 3A and 3B are isolated side views of the upstream pod enclosing part 2 and the downstream pod enclosing part 1 of the extraction device of Figures 2A and 2B in different relative and functional positions. In these isolated views, the insert 4 and the longitudinal sheets 6a, 6b have been removed to better see the different elements of the parts 1, 2. In addition, the position of the pod 3 is illustrated diagrammatically with dotted lines.

[0121] In Figure 3A, the upstream pod enclosing portion 2 and the downstream pod enclosing portion 1 are arranged in an open position for inserting a pod from above. A pod holder 11 is visible in front of the downstream pod enclosing portion 1 in a receiving position for receiving and holding a pod, as will be further described below in connection with Figure 4A.

[0122] In Figure 3B, the upstream pod enclosing portion 2 and the downstream pod enclosing portion 1 are disposed in a closed position to form a brewing chamber that encloses the pod 3 during brewing, in which the pod holder 11 is in a retracted position, as will be further described below in relation to Figure 4B.

[0123] Figure 4A is an isolated perspective view of the downstream pod enveloping part 2 of Figure 3A. The downstream part 1 defines a plate perpendicular (i.e. transverse) to the longitudinal axis XX'. This plate comprises a central downstream planar piercing device 12 for opening the pod lid 32 when the brewing liquid is introduced into the interior of the pod causing the lid to expand.

[0124] Typically, this central downstream flat perforator 12 is circular like a pod lid.

[0125] The opening occurs by relative engagement of the spike with the lid under the effect of the pressure increase of the liquid injected in the pod body chamber. This downstream planar piercing device may comprise a rigid plate with an opening element 121, such as a spike, which may have the shape of a cone or pyramid, optionally with a truncated end, on its surface facing the lid. In addition, the plate comprises a transverse hole for ejecting the extracted beverage from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle that collects the beverage and delivers it to a drinking cup.

[0126] In addition, the plate comprises a peripheral area 13 surrounding the perforation device 12 .

[0127] The downstream part 1 comprises a pod holder 11 mounted in a peripheral area 13 .

[0128] The pod holder can be moved between two positions while installed: In Figure 4A, the pod holder 11 is in a first position for receiving and holding a pod lid in front of the downstream planar drilling device.

[0129] The pod holder 11 comprises a pair of elements 11a, 11b which secure and position the pod when the pair is in the first receiving position. In this position of the pod holder, these elements secure the pod vertically, i.e. stop the vertical fall of the pod falling from the insertion position. In addition, in this position, these elements position the pod's lid in front of the downstream planar piercing device 12, i.e. they align or center the pod's lid with the downstream planar piercing device 12. In fact, due to the asymmetric shape of the pod, the center of gravity of the pod is outside the plane of the lid, and the introduced pod would tip over in the space between the two enclosing parts if it was not also fixed longitudinally.

[0130] Typically, the pair of elements 11a, 11b have a symmetrical shape along a central vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis XX'.

[0131] The pair of fixing elements 11a, 11b are movable from the receiving position to a second retracted position at the side of the downstream plane drilling device as shown in Fig. 4B, an exploded perspective view of the downstream pod enclosing part 2 of Fig. 3B. In this situation, the pair of fixing and positioning elements 11a, 11b are pushed from the receiving position to the retracted position by the upstream enclosing part 2 when said upstream enclosing part is translated longitudinally from the open position to the closed position.

[0132] At the end of this movement of the fixing elements 11a, 11b from the receiving position to the retracted position, the fixing elements are aligned to the sides of the downstream surface drilling device 12 in respective receiving areas 134a, 134b (see FIG. 4A) designed in the peripheral plate.

[0133] During this movement of the fixing elements relative to one another, the pod is moved from a position in which its lid 32 is slightly inclined relative to the plane of the punching device 12 to a position in which the lid 32 extends along said plane. During this movement, the fixing elements 11a, 11b pass from the side of the lower surface 3142 of the pod flange to the side of the upper surface 3141 of the pod flange. During this movement, the pod flange 314 is successively pressed, bent and then released by the fixing elements 11a, 11b.

[0134] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the upstream pod enclosure portion 2 of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0135] The upstream portion defines an empty cage or cavity 21 for enclosing the pod body.

[0136] The upstream wall of the cage supports an upstream piercing device 22 for opening the lower wall 313 of the pod body. The upstream wall is provided with at least one liquid injector 25 for supplying liquid into the pod through holes drilled in the lower wall of the pod. This upstream piercing device may comprise a perforator in the form of a blade. These blades may be designed and positioned to pierce the bottom wall of the pod body when the upstream pod enclosing part and the downstream pod enclosing part are in the closed position, as in FIG. 3B. The liquid injector 25, such as a shower in the upstream wall of the cage, may introduce the extract through its pre-drilled opening.

[0137] Since pods 2 of different sizes can be introduced and extracted, the bottom of the cage 21 can be made movable in order to adapt the cage's internal volume to the pods, as described, for example, in WO 2020 / 089404.

[0138] When the upstream enclosure portion 2 and the downstream enclosure portion 1 enclose the pod, the flange of the pod is held between the periphery of the open face of the upstream enclosure portion and the peripheral area of ​​the downstream enclosure portion.

[0139] The edge 211 of the open face of the cage is surrounded by a seal 24 to ensure the tightness of the chamber formed by the two parts 1, 2 in the closed position, in particular to prevent the liquid injected into the brewing chamber from leaking around the flange of the pod held in the chamber. This seal 24 covers the periphery of the edge of the cage.

[0140] As shown in Figure 6, this seal 24, instead of being flat, comprises a ridge 241 rising from the plane P of the open face of the cage in the direction of the downstream portion, said ridge extending along the entire periphery of the seal.

[0141] According to a preferred embodiment, the downstream part 2 preferably comprises a groove 137, which preferably matches the shape of the ridge of the seal, i.e. is configured to engage with said ridge 241 of the seal when the two enclosing parts 1, 2 are in the closed position to form the extraction chamber 5. This groove 137 can be designed in the peripheral region 13, in particular around the central part 131.

[0142] The pod 3 (schematically shown in FIG. 6 with transparent lines 32, 311) used with the brewing device is configured to be placed inside the brewing chamber with the flange 314 extending diametrically outside the annular central portion 131, so that when the pod 3 is enclosed inside the brewing chamber 5, the ridge 241 of the seal flattens the wrinkles and forms a barrier against liquids in a more efficient way than the flat area part of the seal area. In addition, if a corresponding groove 137 is present, the ridge presses the central part of the annular flange 314 into the groove 137 along its entire circumference. As a result, the flange, which is the part of the pod that contains many wrinkles, is stretched between the ridge and the groove, which has the effect of flattening the material and reducing the wrinkles. In addition, the ridge closes the path of the liquid through the channel formed by the wrinkles. The ridge is designed on the seal such that the top 242 of the ridge interacts with the central part of the flange of the pod introduced between the two pod enclosing parts. As a result, the two faces of the ridge extending from the top are used to flatten out any wrinkles in the flange, improving the barrier against liquids.

[0143] The seal is preferably made of a deformable elastic material such that when the two upstream and downstream portions are in the closed position, the ridges pressed against the peripheral region of the downstream portion are also deformed and flattened along the peripheral region, thereby simultaneously improving the flattening of wrinkles in the pod flange.

[0144] In an alternative and less preferred embodiment of the invention, the peripheral area of ​​the plate in the downstream portion may be provided with a raised ridge extending in the upstream direction, The open end of the cage defined by the upstream enclosing portion is covered by a seal configured to press against a peripheral region of the plate of the downstream portion when the first and second enclosing portions are in the closed position, such that the flange of the pod is pressed between a ridge of the peripheral region and the seal when the two enclosing portions are in the closed position, with the effect of closing the path of liquid through the corrugations of the pod.

[0145] While the invention has been described with reference to the above illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that the invention as claimed is in no way limited to those illustrated embodiments.

[0146] Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to herein.

[0147] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," and similar terms should not be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to." [Explanation of symbols]

[0148] 1. Downstream Enclosure 11 Pod Holder 11a, 11b Fixing and positioning elements 12 Downstream plate drilling device 121 Spike 13 Surrounding Areas 131 Central part 134a, 134b Reception area 137 Groove 14 Chassis 2. Upstream Enclosure 21 Cage 211 Edge 22 Upstream drilling device 23 Rising element 24 Seal 241 Ridge 242 Top 25 liquid syringe 3, 3' pod 31, 31' Main body 311, 311' side wall 312 Upper opening 313 Lower Wall 314 Annular flange 3141 Top surface 3142 Bottom surface 35 wrinkles 32 Lid 33 Beverage ingredients 4 Insertion section 5 Extraction chamber 6a, 6b Side walls / sheets

Claims

1. A system comprising an extraction device and a pod, The pods (3, 3') A pod body (31), comprising: a side wall (311) and a bottom wall (313) defining a chamber, said chamber extending axially between a bottom and a top opening (312); a peripheral annular flange (314) projecting radially outwardly from said upper opening, said peripheral annular flange having an upper surface opposite said chamber with respect to said opening; A pod body containing a beverage ingredient (33); a top cover (32) attached to the top surface of the peripheral flange and closing the top opening of the pod body; The extraction device comprises: an upstream pod enclosing part (2) and a downstream pod enclosing part (1) relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting said pod (3) and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber (5) surrounding said pod during brewing, the upstream part (2) defines a cage (21) and carries an upstream piercing device (22) for opening the lower wall (313) of the pod, and a liquid injector (25); The downstream portion (1) defines a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX'), the plate comprising: a downstream plane piercing device (12) for opening the lid (32) of the pod; an upstream pod surrounding portion and a downstream pod surrounding portion, each of which comprises a peripheral region (13); an insert (4) for inserting the pod into the device, the insert being designed to position the pod with the lid facing the downstream perforation device (12), the periphery of the open end (211) of the cage defined by the upstream surrounding portion is covered by a seal (24); the seal is configured to be pressed against the peripheral area (13) of the plate of the downstream portion when the first and second enclosing portions (1) and (2) are in the closed position, The seal comprises a downstream raised ridge (241); In the closed position of the downstream surrounding part (1) and the upstream surrounding part (2), a central portion of the flange of the pod is clamped to the peripheral area (13) of the plate of the downstream part by the ridge (241) of the seal of the upstream surrounding part.

2. the peripheral region (13) of the downstream surrounding portion comprises a groove (137); The system of claim 1 , wherein the ridge (241) faces the groove (137) when the upstream pod surrounding portion (2) and the downstream pod surrounding portion (1) are in the closed position.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the body (31) and the lid (32) of the pod are made of a paper material.

4. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (31) is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pod body (31) is manufactured by forcing a disk of paper material into a mould.

6. the lower surface (3142) of the body flange includes corrugations (35); The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wrinkles have a depth of about 25 μm to 200 μm.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the extraction device is part of a beverage preparation machine.

8. A device for extracting a beverage ingredient by supplying an extracting liquid, such as heated water, into a pod (3, 3'), said pod (3, 3') comprising: A pod body (31), comprising: a side wall (311) and a bottom wall (313) defining a chamber, said chamber extending axially between a bottom and a top opening (312); a peripheral annular flange (314) projecting radially outwardly from said upper opening, said peripheral annular flange having an upper surface opposite said chamber with respect to said opening; A pod body containing a beverage ingredient (33); a top cover (32) attached to the top surface of the peripheral flange and closing the top opening of the pod body; The device, an upstream pod enclosing part (2) and a downstream pod enclosing part (1) relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting said pod (3) and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber (5) surrounding said pod during brewing, the upstream part (2) defines a cage (21) and carries an upstream piercing device (22) for opening the lower wall (313) of the pod, and a liquid injector (25); The downstream portion (1) defines a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX'), the plate comprising: a downstream plane piercing device (12) for opening the lid (32) of the pod; an upstream pod surrounding portion and a downstream pod surrounding portion, each of which comprises a peripheral region (13); an insert (4) for inserting the pod into the device, the insert being designed to position the pod with the lid facing the downstream perforation device (12), the periphery of the open end (211) of the cage defined by the upstream surrounding portion is covered by a seal (24); the seal is configured to be pressed against the peripheral area (13) of the plate of the downstream portion when the first and second enclosing portions (1) and (2) are in the closed position, The seal comprises a downstream raised ridge (241); the peripheral area (13) of the downstream surrounding portion comprises a groove (137), the groove having a shape that matches the shape of the ridge of the seal; A device, wherein the ridge (241) faces the groove (137) when the upstream pod surrounding part (1) and the downstream pod surrounding part (2) are in the closed position.

9. A beverage preparation machine comprising an extraction device according to claim 8.

10. Use of a pod (3, 3') for preparing a beverage in a system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in a device for extracting beverage ingredients according to claim 8 or with a beverage machine according to claim 9, comprising: The pods (3, 3') A pod body (31), comprising: a side wall (311) and a bottom wall (313) defining a chamber, said chamber extending axially between a bottom and a top opening (312); a peripheral annular body flange (314) projecting radially outwardly from said upper opening, said peripheral annular body flange having an upper surface (3141) opposite said chamber with respect to said opening; A pod body containing a beverage ingredient (33); A top cover (32) having a peripheral annular region (322) attached to the top surface (3141) of the body flange, the top cover closing the top opening of the pod body.

11. The use according to claim 10, wherein the body and the lid of the pod are made of a paper material.

12. 12. Use according to claim 11, wherein the body is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

13. The body is 80 g / m ２ and 150 g / m ２ The use according to any one of claims 10 to 12, which is made of a paper material having a basis weight of

14. The use according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the pod body (31) is manufactured by forcing a disk of paper material into a mould.

15. The use according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the lower surface (315) of the body flange comprises corrugations (35), the corrugations having a depth of about 25 μm to 200 μm.

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