Beverage or food container and preparation system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for use with a machine for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods. The container comprises a storage part for containing a precursor material, a closure member for closing the storage part, and an annular flange-like rim made of a cellulose pulp-based material. The flange-like rim comprises an annular force ring and at least two other additional parts, namely a first part (61) connected to the annular force ring (63) and a second part (62) extending from the storage part (58) to which a closure membrane (56) is sealed, the second part (62) connecting the storage part (58) and the closure membrane (56). The present invention also relates to a set of different containers, and a container system and a system comprising a container and a beverage preparation machine are also proposed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pre-divided container for containing a beverage or food precursor, and an electrically operated beverage or food preparation system for preparing a beverage or food from the pre-divided container.

Background Art

[0002] A system for preparing a beverage includes a beverage preparation machine and a capsule. The capsule contains a one-cup portion of a beverage-forming precursor material, such as ground coffee or tea. The beverage preparation machine is typically configured to perform a beverage preparation process on the capsule by exposing the precursor material to pressurized and heated water. As part of this preparation process, the capsule is guided through the machine by a series of complex interactions for loading, processing, and ejecting the capsule, mainly by various mechanisms of the machine and the flange portion of the capsule. By processing the capsule in this way, the precursor material is at least partially extracted from the capsule as a beverage.

[0003] This configuration of the beverage preparation machine is becoming popular because it offers improved user convenience compared to conventional beverage preparation machines (e.g., compared to a manually operated moka pot / direct-fire espresso maker).

[0004] Due to the complex movement of the capsule through the machine and its exposure to pressurized and heated water, only aluminum-based capsules have been implemented with high reliability to date. In fact, other materials (such as paper-based or pulp-based materials) have been found to tend to adhere inside the machine, have uncertain adhesion to the machine, or cause errors associated with other materials. As a result, the aluminum capsule design (dimensions and geometric design) cannot be directly applied to capsules made of materials different from aluminum, such as capsules made of cellulose-based materials.

[0005] As an example, due to technical reasons related to the manufacturing process, certain designs available for specific capsules, such as the flange of the rim portion of Nespresso® capsules and the curvature (with bending) of aluminum capsules, cannot be achieved for cellulose-based capsules.

[0006] In particular, in the Nespresso® VertuoLine system, the total thickness at the position of the rim (including the rim itself, the membrane closing the capsule, and the coding system) should be reduced to a minimum for compatibility with existing beverage preparation machine specifications.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to develop a capsule design that can be manufactured according to currently available processes and is compatible with capsules made of cellulose-based materials that can be extracted with existing beverage preparation machines.

[0008] Therefore, despite the efforts that have been invested in the development of capsules made of materials other than aluminum or plastic for some time, further improvements are desired.

Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure provides a container for use with a machine for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods, the container comprising a storage portion having a cavity with a base for containing a precursor material, a closure membrane for closing the storage portion, and a flange portion having the features of claim 1.

[0010] More specifically, the container is designed to be inserted into and used with a preparation machine, which is a preparation machine for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods by introducing a liquid into the container and passing the liquid through the precursor material stored in the container. The container A cup-shaped body having a bottom end portion and an open end portion, the cup-shaped body forming a storage portion for accommodating a precursor material A closure film that closes the storage portion at the open end of the cup-shaped body An annular flange-shaped rim that at least partially engages with a closure member of a beverage preparation machine, the annular flange-shaped rim being made of a cellulose pulp-based material and extending outwardly from the cup-shaped body and comprising an annular force ring

[0011] According to the present invention, the flange-shaped rim A first portion connected to the annular force ring A second portion extending from the storage portion and to which the closure film is sealed, the second portion connecting the storage portion and the closure film, further comprising at least two other portions

[0012] A particular proposed design enables the manufacture of cellulose-based containers that can be used in existing beverage preparation machines in an accurate and safe manner by providing another surface for the sealing of the closure film

[0013] In particular, the flange-shaped rim including the first portion, the second portion, and the annular force ring is integral with the cup-shaped body. This enables a one-step forming process of the capsule without the need to connect different parts of the capsule body

[0014] In the proposed embodiment, the first portion and the second portion of the flange-shaped rim are parallel to each other. The particular arrangement of the second portion of the flange-shaped rim that supports the closure film enables easier piercing of the outlet opening on the closure film. Further, the proposed design is advantageously considered to be proposed in a cellulose-based material, such as a wood pulp-based material

[0015] In the proposed alternative embodiment, the first part and the second part are inclined with respect to each other by an angle α. Specifically, the angle α between the first part and the second part can be between + / −0.1° and + / −88.5°. This inclination between the first part and the second part allows for an increase in the sealing surface between the closure film and the second part of the flange-like rim.

[0016] In the proposed design, the first part of the flange-like rim has a total thickness of less than 220 μm, allowing the capsule to be used in all existing beverage preparation machines and ideally being about 200 + / −20 μm.

[0017] In the proposed embodiment, the flange-like rim comprises a cord element. The cord element can be located on the side facing the storage part of the flange-like rim. As a preferred option, the cord element can be located on the first part of the flange-like rim.

[0018] According to a further feature, the width of the second part of the flange-like rim is between 0.2 and 1 cm. The proposed dimensions allow for a sufficient sealing surface for an effective sealing of the closure film, thereby ensuring a complete sealing of the capsule.

[0019] More specifically, the depth (d) between the first part and the second part of the flange-like rim can be between 0.1 and 5 mm. The defined depth between the two parts, which results in the positioning of the film at different depths, allows for membranes with different elastic properties and then makes it possible to explore new materials for the perforated membrane.

[0020] The container containing the flange-like rim has a density of a cellulose pulp-based material between 150 and 500 gsm. The proposed density range allows for limiting the water absorption of the final container. It also allows for adjusting the softness / hardness of different parts of the container as required.

[0021] In addition to relating to a container, the present invention also proposes a set of different containers for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods from a precursor material in a preparation machine, the set comprising a container body having different overall depths for at least two containers of the set, preferably at least three containers of the set. This makes it possible to propose beverages of different sizes in relation to consumer requirements or habits.

[0022] The present invention also proposes a container system for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods from a precursor material in a preparation machine, the container system comprising one or more containers of the set of containers according to the claims, the containers further being designed to form a restriction or restriction valve for the beverages and / or foods and / or precursors exiting the container, either alone or in combination with a closure member of the preparation machine. This makes it possible to adjust the extraction parameters of the container and regulate the amount of crema generated during extraction.

[0023] The proposed invention further relates to a system comprising one or more containers of the set of containers and a machine for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of beverages and / or foods, the machine comprising a container holder for holding a capsule at least in a flange-like rim, liquid injection means for supplying liquid into the container, valve means for engaging at least a part of the flange-like rim of the container when the capsule is inserted into the machine, a processing unit for processing the precursor material of the container, the processing unit comprising a penetrator, and an electric circuit for controlling the processing unit.

[0024] The present invention also relates to the use of a container, or one or more containers of a set of containers, in a centrifugal beverage machine, the container being subjected to a centrifugal action within the beverage preparation machine, at least a part of the flange-like rim being engaged by a part of a closure member of the beverage preparation machine, thereby forming part of valve means for selectively blocking and / or restricting the flow of liquid exiting the container under centrifugal action.

[0025] The foregoing summary is provided for the purpose of summarizing some embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, the above features are merely examples and should in no way be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein. Further, the above and / or preceding embodiments may be combined in any suitable combination to provide further embodiments. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments, the brief description of the drawings, and the claims.

[0026] The present invention will be further described with reference to the following examples. It will be understood that the claimed invention is in no way intended to be limited by these examples.

[0027] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described as examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028]

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MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0029] As used herein, the words "comprises", "comprising" and similar words should not be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including but not limited to".

[0030] Any reference to prior art documents in this specification should not be construed as an admission that such prior art is well known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

[0031] Before describing some embodiments of the system, it should be understood that the system is not limited to the details of the configurations or method steps described in the following description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure that the system can have other embodiments and can be implemented or executed in various ways.

[0032] The present disclosure can be better understood in view of the following description.

[0033] As used herein, the term "machine" can refer to an electrically operated device that can prepare beverages and / or foods from precursor materials, or prepare precursor materials from pre-precursor materials that can later be prepared into beverages and / or foods. The machine can perform such preparation by one or more of the following processes: dilution, heating, pressurization, cooling, mixing, foaming, dissolving, soaking, dipping, extracting, adjusting, brewing, crushing, freezing, shaking, and other similar processes. The machine may be dimensioned for use on a cooking counter. For example, this preparation machine has a length, width, and height of less than 70 cm. As used herein, the term "preparation" with respect to beverages and / or foods can refer to the preparation of at least a portion of the beverage and / or food (e.g., the beverage is prepared in whole or in part by the machine, and the end user can manually add additional fluids including milk and / or water prior to consumption).

[0034] As used herein, the term "container" can refer to any configuration for containing a precursor material, for example, in a pre-portioned amount for one serving. The container may have a maximum capacity such that it can contain only one serving of the precursor material. The container may be single-use and may include, for example, one or more of perforations for physically changing the container after the preparation process, for supplying fluid to the precursor material, for supplying beverage / food from the container, or for user opening to extract the precursor material. The container may be configured to operate with a container handling unit of a machine and may include, for example, a flange for aligning and orienting the container through or on the unit. The container may include an opening / rupture portion configured to rupture upon receiving a specific pressure to deliver the beverage / food. The container may have a membrane for closing the container, which may also be in the form of a rigid lid if necessary. The container may have various forms including one or more of a cone, cylinder, disk, hemisphere, and other similar shapes. The container may be formed from various materials such as metal, plastic, wood pulp-based, or combinations thereof. The material may be selected to be safe for food and withstand the pressure and / or temperature of the preparation process. The container may be defined as a capsule (both terms may be used interchangeably), and the capsule may have an internal volume of 20 to 100 mL. The capsule may include coffee capsules, for example, Nespresso® capsules (including Classic, Professional, Vertuo, Dolce Gusto, or other capsules).

[0035] As used herein, the terms "external device", "external electronic device", or "peripheral device" may include electronic components external to a machine, such as electronic components located in the same location as the machine or electronic components remote from the machine, that communicate with the machine via a computer network. The external device may comprise a communication interface for communicating with the machine and / or server system. The external device may include devices including, but not limited to, smartphones, PDAs, video game controllers, tablets, laptops, or other similar devices.

[0036] As used herein, the term "server system" may refer to an electronic component external to a machine, such as an electronic component located at a remote location from the machine and communicating with the machine via a computer network. The server system may comprise a communication interface for communicating with the machine and / or external device. The server system can include network-based computers (e.g., remote servers), cloud-based computers, any other server system, and the like.

[0037] As used herein, the terms "system" or "beverage or food preparation system" may refer to a combination of two or more of a beverage or food preparation machine, a container, a server system, and a peripheral device.

[0038] As used herein, the term "beverage" can refer to any substance that can be processed into an ingestible substance that can be refrigerated or at a high temperature. A beverage can be one or more of a solid, a liquid, a gel, or a paste. A beverage can be tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, juice, a vitamin composition, a herbal tea / infusion, an infused / flavored water; or one or a combination of other substances. As used herein, the term "food" can refer to any substance that can be processed into nutrients for eating that can be refrigerated or at a high temperature. A food can be one or more of a solid, a liquid, a gel, or a paste. A food can include yogurt, mousse, parfait, soup, ice cream, sherbet, custard, smoothie, and other substances. There is some overlap between the definitions of beverage and food, for example, a beverage can also be a food, and thus it will be understood that a machine said to prepare a beverage or a food does not exclude the preparation of both.

[0039] As used herein, the term "precursor material" can refer to any material that can be processed to form part or all of a beverage or a food. A precursor material can be one or more of a powder, a crystal, a liquid, a gel, a solid, etc. Examples of beverage-forming precursor materials include ground coffee, milk powder, tea leaves, cocoa powder, vitamin compositions, herbs for forming, for example, herbal tea / infusions, flavorings, and other similar materials. Examples of food-forming precursor materials include dried vegetables or stocks as dehydrated soup powders, powdered milk, flour-based powders containing custard, powdered yogurt or ice cream, and other similar materials. A precursor material can also refer to any pre-precursor material that can be processed into a precursor material as defined above, i.e., any precursor material that can later be processed into a beverage and / or a food. In one example, a pre-precursor material includes coffee beans that can be ground and / or heated (e.g., roasted) to form a precursor material.

[0040] As used herein, the term "fluid" may include one or more of water, milk, and others (with respect to the fluid supplied by the fluid conditioning system). As used herein, the term "conditioning" with respect to a fluid may refer to changing its physical properties and may include one or more of the following: heating or cooling, agitation (including frothing by whipping to introduce bubbles and mixing to introduce turbulent flow), dispensing into single-serve amounts suitable for use with a single-serve container, e.g., pressurization up to an overflow pressure, carbonation, filtration / purification, and other conditioning processes.

[0041] As used herein, the term "processing unit" may refer to a configuration capable of processing a precursor material into a beverage or food product. This may refer to a configuration capable of processing a pre-precursor material into a precursor material.

[0042] As used herein, the term "container processing unit" may refer to a configuration capable of processing a container to derive a related beverage or food product from a precursor material. The container processing unit may be configured to process the precursor material by one or more of dilution, heating, cooling, mixing, frothing, dissolving, dipping, soaking, extracting, conditioning, pressurizing, brewing, and other processing steps. Thus, the container processing unit may implement various units depending on the processing step, and those units may include an extraction unit (capable of performing a pressurization and / or heat, e.g., heating or cooling, overflow process), a mixing unit (mixing the beverage or food product within the container for consumption by the end user), a dispensing and dissolving unit (extracting a portion of the precursor material, processing it by dissolving, and dispensing it into the container), and other similar units.

[0043] As used herein, the term "preparation process" may refer to a process for preparing a beverage or food from a precursor material, or a process for preparing a pre-precursor material from a precursor material. The preparation process may refer to a process executed by an electric circuit to control a container processing unit to process the precursor or pre-precursor material.

[0044] As used herein, the term "electric circuit" or "circuit" or "control electric circuit" may refer to one or more hardware and / or software components, examples of which include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic / electrical components (which may include combinations of transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc.), one or more processors, non-transitory memories (e.g., implemented by one or more memory devices) that may store one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuits, and the above interconnections. The electric circuit may be entirely disposed in a machine, or may be distributed among one or more of a machine, an external device, a server system.

[0045] As used herein, the term "processor" or "processing resource" may refer to one or more units for processing, examples of which include ASICs, microcontrollers, FPGAs, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), state machines, or other suitable components. The processor may be configured to execute a computer program, and may take the form of machine-readable instructions that may be stored, for example, in non-transitory memory and / or programmable logic. The processor may have various configurations corresponding to the configurations described for the circuit, and may be implemented in a machine, for example, or distributed as part of a system. As used herein, any machine-executable instructions or computer-readable media may be configured to cause a machine or system, such as those disclosed herein, to execute the disclosed method, and may thus be used synonymously with the term method.

[0046] As used herein, the terms "code" or "code element" may refer to a storage medium that encodes preparation information. The code can be an optically readable code (e.g., bar code), a magnetically readable code, or any suitable readable code. The code can be formed from a plurality of units that can be referred to as elements or markers.

[0047] As used herein, the term "cellulose pulp" refers to pulp containing cellulose fibers in a percentage of 80% to 100% by weight. The term "cellulose fiber" is hardwood cellulose fiber, softwood cellulose fiber, wheat fiber, corn fiber, bagasse fiber, bamboo fiber, hemp fiber, other similar vegetable or plant fibers, or a combination thereof. The length of the fiber is preferably 1 to 1000 μm, more preferably 15 to 250 μm.

[0048] Terms such as "cellulose pulp-based material", "cellulose-based layer", etc. refer to materials, layers, etc. made from at least 80% by weight of cellulose pulp, preferably made from at least 90% by weight of cellulose pulp.

[0049] As used herein, the term "wood pulp-based" may refer to a part of the material forming the container, and the container is porous; fibrous; cellulose-based; formed from a cellulose-based material; formed from a natural cellulose pulp-based material; formed from a reconstituted or regenerated cellulose-based material; non-woven; completely composed of a wood pulp composition or a wood pulp composition; and wet-formed, among others. The thickness of the wood-based material may be 0.1 mm to 0.75 mm or about 0.5 mm. The density of the wood-based material may be 200 to 500 gsm.

[0050] As used herein, the term "non-woven" can refer to a fabric-like material that is neither woven nor knitted. A non-woven material can be made from fibers that are bonded to each other. As used herein, the term "porous" can refer to a material configured to have gaps for allowing water (or other liquids) to permeate therethrough. As used herein, the term "fibrous" can refer to a material composed of fibers that may be present in one or more of the material components. As used herein, the term "cellulosic" or "cellulosic material" can refer to conventional woody and / or non-woody materials, such as manila hemp, sisal hemp, jute, bleached and unbleached softwood and hardwood species. Cellulosic materials can include regenerated or reconstituted cellulose. As used herein, the term "natural cellulosic material" can refer to conventional wood materials that have not been regenerated. As used herein, the term "reconstituted or regenerated cellulosic material" may refer to natural cellulosic materials that have been subjected to processing including reconstitution or regeneration, examples of which include rayon and lyocell. As used herein, the term "wood pulp" can refer to a lignocellulosic fiber material that can be prepared by mechanically or chemically separating cellulose fibers from one or more of wood, fiber crops, paper, or cloth scraps. As used herein, the term "wet forming" can refer to a process of forming from an aqueous solution of fibers. The aqueous solution of fibers can be heated, pressed in a mold to cure the material, and water can be removed therefrom.

[0051] [Overview of the System] Referring to FIG. 1, system 2 includes a machine 4 (also referred to as a beverage preparation machine 4), a container 6, a server system 8, and a peripheral device 10. The server system 8 communicates with the machine 4 via a computer network 12. The peripheral device 10 communicates with the machine 4 via the computer network 12.

[0052] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the peripheral device and / or the server system is omitted.

[0053] Computer network 12 is shown as the same among machine 4, server system 8, and peripheral device 10, but other configurations are possible, including different computer networks for mutual communication between each device, i.e., the server system communicates with the machine via the peripheral device instead of directly. In a specific example, the peripheral device communicates with the machine via a communication interface, for example, using the Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol, and the server system communicates with the machine via a wireless interface, for example, using the IEEE802.11 standard and also via the Internet.

[0054] [Machine] Referring to FIG. 2, machine 4 includes a processing unit 14 for processing a precursor material, an electric circuit 16, and a code reading system 18.

[0055] The electric circuit 16 controls the code reading system 18 to read / detect a code (not shown in FIG. 2) from the container 6 and determine preparation information therefrom. The electric circuit 16 uses the preparation information to control the processing unit 14 to execute a preparation process in which the precursor material is processed into a beverage or food or a precursor of a beverage and / or food.

[0056] In a modified embodiment not shown, the code and the code reading system are omitted, and the machine executes one or more preparation processes stored in the electronic memory of the electric circuit.

[0057] [Fluid adjustment system] Referring to FIG. 3, the fluid conditioning system 22 includes a reservoir 24, a pump 26, a heat exchanger 28, and an outlet 30 for the conditioned fluid. The reservoir 24 typically contains sufficient fluid for a plurality of preparation processes. The pump 26 moves fluid from the reservoir 24, through the heat exchanger 26, to the outlet 30 (which is connected to the container processing unit 20). The pump 26 can be implemented as any suitable device for driving the fluid, and any suitable device can include a reciprocating pump, a rotary pump, and other suitable configurations. The heat exchanger 28 is implemented to heat the fluid and can include an in-line thermoblock heater, a heating element for directly heating the fluid in the reservoir, and other suitable configurations. The heat exchanger 28 can also be used to cool the fluid depending on the selected beverage recipe.

[0058] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the pump is omitted and, for example, the fluid is supplied to the container processing unit by gravity or pressurized by the main water supply, the reservoir is omitted and, for example, water is supplied by the main water supply, the heat exchanger is configured to cool the fluid and can include, for example, a refrigeration cycle heat pump, the heat exchanger is omitted and, for example, the main water supply supplies water at the desired temperature, and the fluid conditioning system includes a filtration / purification system, for example, a UV light system whose application level to the fluid is controllable, and a carbonation system that controls the degree to which the fluid is carbonated.

[0059] [Container Processing Unit] The container processing unit 20 can be implemented in various configurations, as shown in Examples 1-4 below.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a first example of the container processing unit 20 is for processing a container configured as a capsule 6 (a suitable example of the capsule is shown in FIG. 6 and will be described later) for preparing a beverage. The container processing unit 20 is configured as an extraction unit 32 for extracting a beverage from the capsule 6. The extraction unit 32 includes a container / capsule holding part 34 and a closing member 36. The extraction unit 32 is movable to a capsule receiving position (FIG. 4A) where the capsule holding part 34 and the closing member 36 are configured to receive the capsule 6. The extraction unit 32 is movable to a capsule extraction position (FIG. 4B) where the capsule holding part 34 and the closing member 36 form a chamber around the capsule 6 and the beverage can be extracted from the capsule 6. The extraction unit 32 may be actuator-driven or may be manually movable between the positions.

[0061] The extraction unit 32 integrates an image capture unit 46, which is part of the code reading system 18 disclosed in relation to FIG. 2, within the capsule holding part 34. Thus, when the extraction unit 32 is within the capsule extraction unit (FIG. 4B), preparation information is encoded and a code (not shown) disposed on the capsule 6 is read.

[0062] The outlet 30 (FIG. 3) of the fluid adjustment system 22 is configured as an injection head and / or penetrator 38 for piercing the container and forming one or more inlets for injecting the fluid adjusted at the capsule extraction position into the capsule 6. The beverage outlet 40 is perforated (perforating means not shown) / configured to capture the extracted beverage and convey it from the extraction unit 32 to a consumer's cup (not shown).

[0063] In this case, the extraction unit 32 is configured to prepare a beverage by applying a conditioned fluid (generally water) at a low pressure (less than 8 bar) to the precursor material within the capsule 6, thanks to the inlet(s) formed by the piercing tool 38. The capsule is rotated at a given rotational speed (inter alia, depending on the desired sensory profile of the precursor material within the capsule and / or of the resulting beverage), and the beverage is extracted from the capsule 6 by centrifugal action. An example of a suitable aluminium capsule is the currently commercially available Nespresso® Vertuo capsule. Examples of suitable capsules are presented in European Patent No. 2594171 (A1), and examples of suitable extraction processes are presented in European Patent No. 2155019 (A1), both references being incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] In a variant embodiment not shown, the extraction unit is configured to prepare a beverage by applying a pressurized (e.g. at 10 - 20 bar) and heated (e.g. at 50 - 98 °C) fluid to the precursor material within the capsule 6. The pressure is increased over a given time until it exceeds the pressure of the rupture part, which is the closing member of the capsule, thereby causing the opening / rupture of said member and the distribution of the beverage to the beverage outlet.

[0065] In a second embodiment not shown, the injection head and the beverage outlet are shown as being arranged on the holding part and the closing member respectively, but the injection head and the beverage outlet can alternatively be arranged including the cases where the injection head and the beverage outlet are arranged on the closing member and the holding part respectively, or where both are on the same part. Further, the extraction unit can include both parts arranged as a capsule holder for capsules that are symmetric with respect to the flange, including, for example, Nespresso® Professional capsules.

[0066] In a third example (not shown), the capsule processing unit operates by dissolution of a beverage precursor selected to dissolve under high pressure and high temperature fluid. This configuration is the same as the extraction units of the first and second examples, but since the pressure is lower, a sealed extraction unit is not required. In particular, the fluid can be injected into the lid of the capsule, and the breaking part is arranged at the base of the storage part of the capsule. An example of a suitable capsule is the Nespresso® Dolce Gusto capsule. Examples of suitable extraction units are disclosed in European Patent No. 1472156 (A1) and European Patent No. 1784344 (A1), which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] In a fourth example (not shown), the container processing unit is configured as a mixing unit for preparing a beverage or food precursor stored in a container that is a receptacle for the end user to consume therefrom. The mixing unit includes a stirrer for mixing (e.g., a planetary mixer or a spiral mixer or a vertical cut mixer) and a heat exchanger for heating / cooling the beverage or food precursor in the container. The fluid supply system can also supply fluid to the receptacle. An example of such a configuration is provided in International Publication No. 2014067987 (A1), which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] [Control electric circuit] Referring to FIG. 5, the electric circuit 16 is implemented as a control electric circuit 48 for controlling the processing unit 14 to execute the preparation process. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, for illustrative purposes, a processing unit 14 including a container processing unit 20 and a fluid supply unit 22 is shown as the first example.

[0069] The electrical circuits 16, 48 implement, at least in part, (e.g., in combination with hardware), an input unit 50 for receiving from a user an input that determines that the machine 4 executes a preparation process, a processor 52 that receives the input from the input unit 50 and provides a control output to the processing unit 14, and a feedback system 54 that provides feedback from the processing unit 54 during the preparation process and can be used to control the preparation process.

[0070] The input unit 50 is implemented as a user interface and can include one or more of buttons such as joystick buttons or push buttons, a joystick, an LED, a graphic LDC or a character LDC, a graphical screen with touch sensing buttons and / or screen edge buttons, other similar devices, and a sensor for determining whether a container has been supplied to the machine by the user. The input unit 50 can also be considered as a touchless user interface.

[0071] The feedback system 54 is a flow sensor for determining the flow rate / volume of fluid to the outlet 30 (shown in FIG. 3) of the fluid supply system 22, which can be used to meter the exact amount of fluid to the container 6 and thereby adjust the power to the pump 26, a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the fluid to the outlet 30 of the fluid supply unit 22, which can be used to ensure that the temperature of the fluid to the container 6 is accurate and thereby adjust the power to the heat exchanger 28), a level sensor for determining that the level of fluid in the reservoir 24 is sufficient for the preparation process, one or more of position sensors for determining the position of the extraction unit 32 (e.g., the capsule extraction position or the capsule receiving position), or one or more of other feedback controls based on operation.

[0072] The electric circuits 16, 48 are understood to be suitably adapted to other examples of the processing unit 14 as well. For example, in the case of a second example of a container processing system, a feedback system may be used to control the rotational speed of the capsule.

[0073] [Container] Referring to FIG. 6, a container 6 for use with a first example of the processing unit 14 includes a container configured as a capsule 6.

[0074] The capsule is preferably a single-use or refillable capsule. The capsule contains a certain dose of precursor material, such as coffee, for the preparation of a coffee beverage.

[0075] The capsule 6 includes a closure membrane 56, a storage portion 58, and an annular flange-like rim 60 surrounding the capsule 6. The storage portion 58 and the annular flange-like edge 60 form the container body. The details of the flange-like rim 60 and the position of the closure membrane 56 are not shown in detail in FIG. 6 and will be described in detail in connection with FIG. 8 and below.

[0076] The local container coordinate axes include a depth direction 100, a longitudinal direction 102, and a transverse direction 104. The rotation axis 106 extends in the depth direction 100 and defines a radial direction 108 within the plane defined by the longitudinal direction 102 and the transverse direction 104.

[0077] The capsule 6 has a circular cross-section when viewed in the plane defined by the longitudinal direction 102 and the transverse direction 104 and is preferably designed to be rotationally symmetric about the central axis 106.

[0078] The storage portion 58 includes a closed bottom end forming a base 78 and an open end defining a cavity 74 for the storage of a precursor material (not shown). The cavity 74 includes a side wall 76 connecting the open end and the base 78. The side wall 76 mainly extends in the depth direction 100 from the base 78 to a proximal edge 82 connected to the flange-like rim 60, and proximal and distal are defined with respect to the base 78. The side wall 76 is in the form of a convex portion from the base 78 to the proximal edge 82.

[0079] The closing membrane 56 is arranged in a plane defined by the longitudinal direction 102 and the transverse direction 104. The closing membrane 56 closes the storage part 58 at the opening of the storage part and is composed of a flexible membrane. The closing membrane 56 has an outer surface 55 facing away from the storage part 58 and an inner surface 57 facing the storage part 58. If necessary, the closing membrane may be a rigid closing element, for example, considered as a lid.

[0080] In the proposed embodiment, the closing membrane 56 is made of a food-grade material and forms a gas barrier layer. The closing membrane may be made of an aluminum alloy, plastic (such as PP, EVOH, etc.), a laminate of plastic and aluminum alloy, or a paper-based material having oxygen barrier properties, or preferably any suitable material that is compostable and / or biodegradable. The closing membrane may also be a water / moisture barrier if necessary. The closing membrane usually has a thickness of 10 to 250 μm, preferably approximately 100 μm.

[0081] The flange-like rim 60 is configured to interconnect the storage part 58 and the closing membrane 56 to hermetically seal the precursor material within the storage part 58. The flange-like rim 60 is configured as an annular ring element extending in the radial direction 108 from the inner edge 66 to the outer edge 67.

[0082] The flange-like rim 60 includes an annular force ring 63 that terminates at the outer edge 67 and further includes a first portion 61 connected to the annular force ring 63. At least a part of the flange-like edge 60 can engage with the closing member of the beverage preparation machine and / or the capsule holder according to the design of the beverage preparation machine. The first portion 61 is arranged in a plane P defined by the longitudinal direction 102 and the transverse direction 104.

[0083] The flanged rim 60 is contemplated for use in adapting to different generations of beverage preparation machines. For example, in the case of a first-generation beverage preparation machine, the annular force ring 63 engages with the closure member 36, thereby forming part of a valve means for selectively blocking and / or restricting the flow of liquid exiting the container under centrifugal action. In more recent generations of beverage preparation machines, the valve means is formed by the interaction between the closure member of the beverage preparation machine and the first portion 61 of the flanged rim 60.

[0084] The flanged rim 60 extends from the side wall 76 of the storage portion 58 and includes an additional portion defined as a second portion 62 to which the closure membrane 56 is sealed, and the second portion 62 connects the side wall 76 of the storage portion 58 and the closure membrane 56.

[0085] The second portion 62 has an upper surface 70 that is connected by an adhesive, a mechanical seal, or any sealing means around the inner surface 57 of the closure membrane 56. The lower surface 71 of the first portion 61 and the lower surface 72 of the second portion 62 of the flanged rim 60 face the storage portion 58.

[0086] As shown in the drawing, the distal edge 82 of the side wall 76 is adjacent to the inner edge 66 of the flanged rim 60.

[0087] In the present disclosure, the storage portion 58 and the flanged rim 60 are integrally formed, thereby forming the capsule 6.

[0088] The flanged rim 60 is made of a cellulose pulp-based material, such as a wood pulp-based material.

[0089] A method of forming a capsule (having a flanged rim and a storage portion) may include wet-forming one or both of the flanged rim and the storage portion and pressing them, for example, via the same mold / press.

[0090] The capsule 6 has a diameter of 2 to 8 cm and an axial length of 2 to 8 cm. Details of the structure, manufacture, and / or (beverage) extraction of the container and / or the closure member are disclosed, for example, in European Patent No. 2155021, European Patent No. 2316310, European Patent No. 2152608, European Patent No. 2378932, European Patent No. 2470053, European Patent No. 2509473, European Patent No. 2667757, and European Patent No. 2528485.

[0091] In alternative embodiments not shown, the capsule may have other cross-sectional shapes including square, other polygons, or elliptical; the closure membrane may be a rigid structure or other non-membrane structure; the flange may alternatively be connected to the upper surface of the closure membrane, for example by crimping; the side wall may alternatively be configured to include reverse taper, depth alignment, or curvature; the base may alternatively be configured to include flat or curvature; the flange portion is not integrally formed with the storage portion but is connected to the storage portion; the closure membrane is configured as a storage portion, for example, with a cavity; the flange portion is omitted, for example, the closure membrane is directly connected to the storage portion.

[0092] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the closure membrane 56 that closes the storage portion 58 is perforated by the penetrator 38 to form at least one inlet for injecting a regulated fluid into the cavity 74, as described below. The penetrator 38 may be configured as a separate blade or as a single blade integrated with an injector.

[0093] Referring further to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the flange-like rim 60 includes a cord zone (not shown) on the side facing the storage portion 58. The cord zone may include a code for being read / analyzed by the code reading system 18.

[0094] In the disclosed embodiment, the closure membrane 56 is further perforated by one or more needles (not shown) to form an outlet opening 40 for the prepared beverage to exit the capsule 6.

[0095] [Preparation Process] Referring to Figure 7, the execution of a process for preparing a beverage / food from a precursor material is shown.

[0096] Block 70: The user supplies container 6 to machine 4.

[0097] Block 72: The electric circuit 16 (e.g., its input unit 50) receives a user command for preparing a beverage / food from a precursor, and the electric circuit 16 (e.g., the processor 52) starts the process.

[0098] Block 74: The electric circuit 16 controls the processing unit 14 to process the container (e.g., in the first example of the container processing unit 20, the extraction unit 32 is moved from the capsule receiving position (Figure 4A) to the capsule extraction position (Figure 4B)).

[0099] Depending on the beverage preparation machine, blocks 72 and 74 can be exchanged.

[0100] Block 76: The electric circuit 16 executes the preparation process by controlling the processing unit 14 based on preparation information that is either read from a code on the container or stored in the memory. In the first example of the processing unit, this preparation process includes controlling the fluid adjustment system 22 to supply fluid to the container processing unit 20 at the temperature, pressure, and duration specified by the preparation information.

[0101] Subsequently, the electric circuit 16 moves from the capsule extraction position through the capsule discharge position, discharges the container 6, and controls the container processing unit 20 to return to the capsule receiving position. In some cases, the discharge may be completely mechanical.

[0102] In a modified embodiment not shown, the above blocks can be executed in a different order, for example, block 72 can be executed before block 70, and some blocks can be omitted, for example, when the machine stores the capsule magazine, block 70 can be omitted.

[0103] In block 74, as shown in FIG. 7, the aforementioned preparation process can be carried out by placing the container 6 in the container holding part 34 of the processing unit 14 of the machine 4. The container 6 can be pierced by a penetrator 38 (shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B) to form an inlet. The penetrator 38 includes one or more, for example, three perforating elements. Next, the container 6 is processed by the extraction unit 32.

[0104] As part of the preparation process, the electrical circuit 16 can obtain additional preparation information from the server system 8 and / or the peripheral device 10 via the computer network 12 using the communication interface (not shown) of the machine.

[0105] [Container flange-like rim] Referring to FIGS. 8 to 12, the container configured as the capsule 6 associated with the embodiment of FIG. 6 includes an annular flange-like rim 60 formed of a cellulose-based material, more specifically, a wood pulp-based material (as defined above).

[0106] In the proposed embodiment, the storage part 58 (forming a cup-shaped body) is also formed from a wood pulp-based material and is integrated with the annular flange-like rim 60. Thus, the entire capsule 6 is made of a wood pulp-based material.

[0107] As disclosed, the flange-like rim 60 extends outwardly from the cup-shaped body forming the storage part 58 and connects the storage part and the closure film. As shown in FIG. 8, the flange-like rim 60 extends outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction to a width W of 2 to 5 mm.

[0108] As already presented, the flange-shaped rim 60 comprises a first part 61, a second part 62, and an annular force ring 63.

[0109] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a code zone (not shown) is disposed on the first part 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60. This first part 61 is represented as a flat part. Due to the position of the image capture unit 46 (as part of the code reading system 18 of the extraction unit 32), the code zone is disposed on the lower surface 71 of the first part 61. This lower surface 71 faces the storage part 58 and thus faces the disposed image capture unit 46. When the capsule is installed in the beverage preparation machine, upon closing of the closing member 26 of the beverage preparation machine, the lower surface of the first part 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60 contacts the holding part 34 of the beverage preparation machine.

[0110] The annular force ring 63 projects from the flange-shaped rim 60 to the outside of the capsule. Thus, the capsule 6 is circumferentially surrounded by the annular force ring 63 that projects to the outside of the capsule 6.

[0111] The capsule 6 with the outwardly projecting force ring 63 preferably has an outer diameter OD of 50 to 70 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the outer diameter OD is 52 to 61 mm.

[0112] The annular force ring 63 can further extend upward from the flange-shaped rim 60 and be designed to engage with the preparation machine 4. The total depth D of the capsule shown in FIG. 9 can vary between 18 and 40 mm.

[0113] More specifically, and as described above, the annular force ring 63 can constitute an engagement member designed to be engaged by the extraction unit 32 of the preparation machine 4, more precisely by a dedicated press surface (not shown) of the closing member 36 of the extraction unit, when the capsule is disposed within the container holding part 34. In some specific machines, it is not the annular force ring 63 that interacts with the extraction unit, but another part of the flange-shaped rim 60, for example, the first part 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60.

[0114] The annular force ring 63, together with the storage portion 58, is made of a cellulose pulp-based material as part of the flange-shaped rim 60.

[0115] As shown, the annular force ring 63 is essentially S-shaped when viewed in cross-section as in FIG. 9. The force ring mainly extends beyond the plane P including the flat segment 61 of the rim in a direction opposite to the storage portion.

[0116] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the side wall 76 has a shoulder 120 configured to be adjacent to the flange-shaped rim portion 60. The shoulder 120 extends in the depth direction 100 from the inner edge 66 of the flange-shaped rim 60 towards the rim 122 of the side wall 76, defining a tapered surface with a decreasing radial range from the flange portion 60 to the rim 122. By tapering in this way, it can facilitate a more convenient placement of the container 6 into the container holding portion 34. Also, it can facilitate separating the storage portion 58 when stacked on top of each other during manufacturing and / or storage before filling.

[0117] As described above, the first portion 61, the second portion 62, and the annular force ring 63 are sections of the flange-shaped rim and are integral with the flange-shaped rim 60. Further, the flange-shaped rim including the first portion, the second portion, and the annular force ring is integral with the cup-shaped body. In the proposed embodiment, the capsule 6 is made of a cellulose-based material, preferably a high-temperature or low-temperature wood-based material processed by compression / calendering.

[0118] In the capsule 6, the density of the wood-based material of the flange-shaped rim 60 including the annular force ring is 150 - 500 gsm. However, the density of the material may vary for different elements of the flange-shaped rim 60 depending on the manufacturing process.

[0119] Regarding the capsule 6 made of the wood-based pulp in FIG. 9, the various elements of the flange-shaped rim 60 including the first portion 61, the second portion 62, and the annular force ring 63 may have substantially the same thickness. The thickness can be 40 - 500 μm.

[0120] However, in order to ensure an optimized and efficient interaction between the capsule 6 and the beverage preparation machine 4, it can be envisaged that different elements of the flanged rim 60 have different thicknesses. It is proposed that at least a first part of the flanged rim has a thickness of less than 240 μm.

[0121] [Container with liner and / or coating] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the proposed capsule 6 further incorporates a liner 90 and / or a coating 91 applied inside the storage portion 58.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 10, the capsule 6 comprises a liner 90 applied to the inner wall of the capsule.

[0123] In FIG. 10, the liner 90 extends inside the storage portion 58 and partially onto the flanged rim 60. Here, the liner 90 covers only the second part 62 of the flanged rim 60, and the first part 61 of the flanged rim and the annular force ring 63 are not covered by the liner 90. The closure membrane 56 is fixed to the liner 90 at the location of the second part 62 of the flanged rim 60 to close the opening of the capsule 6. Thanks to this assembly, the thickness of the part interacting with the beverage preparation machine is limited.

[0124] In this case, the first part 61 of the flanged rim 60 has an overall thickness of less than 240 μm corresponding to the single thickness of the pulp body of the capsule.

[0125] The liner 90 can be applied inside the capsule using, for example, a lamination process or a thermoforming process using a plunger or compressed air. Other alternative means are also available and are known to those skilled in the art.

[0126] In an alternative example not shown, the liner 90 is applied to the entire surface of the capsule including the annular force ring 63 and the first part 61 of the flanged rim 60.

[0127] In order to obtain a maximum thickness of 240 μm at the location of the first part 61 of the flange-shaped rim, in an additional step, it can be assumed that the capsule 6 is compressed at the location of the first part 61. This additional compression will be described in more detail later in this specification.

[0128] In the proposed embodiment, the liner is biodegradable and preferably compostable, so that once filled and sealed, the capsule is guaranteed to be completely biodegradable / compostable after being extracted in a beverage preparation machine. The liner structure will be briefly described, but its multilayer structure will not be described.

[0129] For example, the liner 90, which is preferably biodegradable, may include a laminated multilayer structure. As proposed, the liner 90 provides an oxygen barrier to ensure that the beverage components / precursors are stored in a state that avoids oxidation.

[0130] In this case, the laminated multilayer structure may include an inner cover layer containing a certain amount of biodegradable aliphatic polyester, a first intermediate layer of biodegradable material for connecting and / or sealing adjacent layers, a functional layer containing a vinyl alcohol polymer, a second intermediate layer of biodegradable material for connecting and / or sealing adjacent layers, and an outer cover layer containing a certain amount of biodegradable aliphatic polyester, and the food packaging unit is a compostable food packaging unit.

[0131] The inner and outer cover layers contain a certain amount of biodegradable aliphatic polyesters, such as PBS, PHB, PHA, PCL, PLA, PGA, PHBH, and PHBV. The inner and outer cover layers may also contain a biodegradable composition of materials, such as a combination of starch and one of the aforementioned biodegradable aliphatic polyesters such as PBS and / or PLA. This improves the surface properties of the laminated multi-layer and the capsules provided therewith. This includes the so-called wipeability of the capsules. Wipeability relates to the possibility of removing dirt from the surface and reducing or preventing penetration into the material. Also, wipeability may provide more possibilities for promoting the compostable effect of the capsules. The surface properties are also related to, for example, the grease / oil resistance such that the (chemical properties) of the capsules can be maintained during their use. Also, the penetration of oil derived from beverage raw materials / precursors such as coffee into the capsules can be reduced. Also, the water barrier properties can be improved to reduce the penetration of water into the packaging unit, thereby reducing, for example, the leaching problems during extraction.

[0132] Furthermore, the laminated multi-layer includes a functional center layer containing a biodegradable and compostable vinyl alcohol polymer. This functional layer contributes to the multi-layer properties, such as acting as a gas barrier. For example, the functional layer can provide an effective oxygen barrier. This improves the shelf life of the food(s) within the packaging unit.

[0133] The vinyl alcohol polymer may include a highly amorphous vinyl alcohol polymer such as HAVOH and / or a butanediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOFl). Such polymers or polymer mixtures also provide effective barriers, particularly gas barriers, more specifically oxygen barriers. Such barriers can be effectively used to further improve the shelf life of beverage components / precursors. Experiments have shown an improvement in the oxygen barrier. As an important advantage, the vinyl alcohol polymer is moldable and extrudable. An example of BVOH is the G-polymer.

[0134] The inner cover layer and the outer cover layer are separated from the central functional layer by an intermediate layer, which can also be called a bonding layer. Such an intermediate layer is substantially made of a biodegradable material and connects and / or seals its adjacent layers. Preferably, the intermediate layer contributes to improving or at least maintaining the desired properties of the central functional layer, such as acting as a gas barrier. For example, the intermediate layer seals the central functional layer against liquid penetration to maintain the gas barrier properties of the functional layer.

[0135] Ideally, the multilayer structure is considered to be compostable / biodegradable as an overall structure where each of the layers can be compostable / biodegradable itself. Additional layers can be provided in the laminated multilayer, for example, 7, 9, or 11-layer materials can be provided to improve the overall properties of the laminated multilayer, including, for example, a grease barrier and an odor barrier.

[0136] Depending on the liner structure, the thickness of the liner can vary in the range of 50 - 150 μm.

[0137] Here again, thanks to the proposed structure where the extension of the liner 90 stops between the second part 62 and the first part 61 of the flanged rim, the thickness of the capsule 6 at the position of the annular force ring 63 of the flanged rim and the first part 61 is limited to the thickness of the pulp body, i.e., about 150 - 250 μm. This thickness range is ideal for the interaction with the beverage preparation machine, especially to enable an efficient seal between the capsule and the capsule cage (formed by the capsule holder 34 and the closing member 36) of the beverage preparation machine.

[0138] To further improve the capsule and avoid the capsule sticking in the beverage machine after extraction, it can be envisaged to apply a coating (not shown) with a thin thickness (less than 30 μm). The coating can help improve the waterproofness of the pulp structure of the flanged rim (the annular force ring 63 and the first part 61 of the flanged rim 60) when the flanged rim of the capsule is in contact with water during the extraction of the capsule.

[0139] As can also be seen in FIG. 10, the first portion 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60 comprises a code element 19 in the form of a code. The code 19 is located on the lower surface 71 of the first portion 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60, i.e., facing the storage portion 58.

[0140] The code 19 can be of any type known in the prior art and can be applied using any known technique.

[0141] For example, the code 19 can be a bar code, a rounded stripe code, an OID code, a magnetic code, or any other suitable form of code.

[0142] The code can be applied by labeling, pad printing ( tampography), laser engraving, in-mold labeling, or any other suitable process.

[0143] In an embodiment of the present disclosure where the first portion 61 and the second portion 62 are flat parallel portions, since the image capture unit 46 of the code reading system 18 should be able to read the code 19, the code 19 can be positioned on the second portion 62 of the flange-shaped rim according to the position of the code reading system 18 within the beverage preparation machine.

[0144] In the capsule shown in FIG. 11, the capsule 6 does not include a liner (as shown in FIG. 10), but a coating 91 is applied to its inner surface. The coating 91 can extend over the entire inner surface of the capsule including the flange-shaped rim portion 60. Next, the coating stops at the outer edge 67 of the flange-shaped rim portion 60, completely covering the entire inner surface of the capsule.

[0145] Since the thickness of the coating 91 in the range of 2 - 50 μm is smaller than the thickness of the liner, the coating 91 can be applied over the entire inner wall surface of the capsule including the flange-shaped rim portion 61. Then, the closing film 56 is sealed on the second portion 62 of the flange-shaped rim 60 (as shown in connection with FIG. 10).

[0146] In this configuration, the thickness of the capsule 6 at the position of the annular force ring 63 of the flange-shaped rim and the first portion 61 is the sum of the thickness of the pulp body and the thickness of the coating. By appropriately selecting the pulp body and coating characteristics, the total thickness of the capsule at the position of the first portion of the flange-shaped rim can remain within the range of about 150 to 250 μm.

[0147] The coating can be composed of one or more coating layers of BVOH, PVOH, or any other material that provides the necessary barrier, such as an oxygen or moisture barrier.

[0148] The coating can be applied using spray coating, lamination, dipping, and any suitable coating process.

[0149] In summary, the possible thickness ranges of the different elements of the capsule 6 are shown below.

[0150]

Table 1

[0151] Figures 12A to 12D propose different configurations of the flange-shaped rim portion 60 as seen in cross-section, more specifically, different configurations of the first portions 61 and 62 of the flange-shaped rim that can be used in relation to Figures 10 and 11. These configurations can be integrated into the aforementioned capsule 6. The flange-shaped rim 60, and in particular the annular ring 63, are not shown in detail.

[0152] In Figure 12A, the first portion 61 and the second portion 62 of the flange-shaped rim 60 are parallel to each other and are connected to each other by a substantially vertical portion.

[0153] In FIGS. 12B and 12C, the first part 61 and the second part 62 of the flange-shaped rim 60 are inclined with respect to each other by an angle α. The angle α can vary from 0.1° to 88.5° in absolute value. In FIG. 12B, the first part 61 and the second part 62 are arranged obliquely according to an angular value of -α°. In FIG. 12C, the first part 61 and the second part 62 are arranged obliquely according to an angular value of +α°.

[0154] In the corresponding embodiment, the upper surface of the second part 62 (opposite to the lower surface 72) is textured to improve the sealing with the lower surface 55 of the closure film 56.

[0155] Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the widths of both the first part 61 and the second part 62 of the flange-shaped rim can vary. For example, the width w2 of the second part 62 (as seen in FIG. 12A) can be from 0.2 to 3 mm.

[0156] Similarly, the depth d between the first part 61 and the second part 62 of the flange-shaped rim can be from 0.1 to 5 mm.

[0157] [Container flange-shaped rim function] As disclosed in connection with the figures shown, the capsule 6 can be considered to be extracted, for example, using a centrifugal extraction process as disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 2155019 (A1), which is incorporated herein by reference. In such an extraction process used in the Nespresso® Vertuo® line, the flange-shaped rim 60 of the capsule 6, more specifically its outer extension (annular force ring 62), can interact with the preparation machine and perform a flow restriction or flow restriction valve function. This is disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 2667757 (A1), which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0158] Specifically, the force ring 63 extending upward from the first part 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60 can be designed to form part of the valve means for selectively blocking and / or restricting the flow of liquid exiting the capsule 6 under centrifugal action during the extraction process.

[0159] More specifically, the power ring 63 preferably extends upward from a plane including the first portion 61 to a depth of 0.5 to 2.5 mm (defined as the upward extension distance) in order to adapt to the back pressure applied by a dedicated press surface of a beverage manufacturing device used in conjunction with this capsule.

[0160] In a preferred embodiment, the depth of the power ring 63 of the capsule 6 is preferably 1 to 1.8 mm in height in order to apply a high back pressure to the capsule 6, so that not only a high crema quality and quantity but also an appropriate flow rate can be achieved.

[0161]

[0162]

[0163]

[0164] Referring to FIGS. 8 to 12, the container configured as the capsule 6 associated with the presented embodiment includes an annular flange-shaped rim 60 formed of a cellulose-based material, more specifically, a wood pulp-based material (as defined above).

[0165] In addition to the aforementioned flange-shaped rim, the flange-shaped rim 60 or at least a part thereof (for example, the first portion 61 of the flange-shaped rim 60) is compressed (using a thermal or cold process) so as to integrate a liner and / or a coating, thereby providing better interaction with the preparation machine.

[0165] Further, when the capsule incorporates a code, the capsule provides an improved surface for carrying the code (not shown) on the lower surface 71 of the first part 61 of the flange-like rim 60.

[0166] In particular, to ensure compatibility with existing machinery, when formed from a wood pulp-based material, a pressing process, with or without heating, can be applied to reduce the thickness of the flange-like rim 60 at specific locations. The pressing process (with any heating process) can also provide a more uniform surface that functions as a substrate for the code, which can improve the reliability of code reading. In such an example, the preparation process can include steps of reading the code and extracting preparation information therefrom. The step of reading the code can include, for example, rotating the code relative to a code reader by rotating the container about the axis of rotation 106. The Nespresso® Vertuo® container may implement a part of such a flange-like rim.

[0167] The pressing process applies a pressure of 1×105 to 1×107 Pa to the flat segment of the flange-like rim to compress the wood pulp-based material. The pressing process can optionally be completed with a heating process using a temperature of 50 to 300 °C. It is understood that any suitable combination of pressure and temperature can be selected. The pressing pressure can be applied for 5 to 60 seconds.

[0168] During the proposed pressing process, the code can be added by engraving.

[0169] In a variant embodiment, alternative treatments are carried out including applying a coating and making indentations to reduce the material cross-section. As used herein, the term "applying a coating" can refer to applying a coating to the wood pulp-based material to close the pores / gaps between the fibers and / or to act as a barrier. This can reduce water absorption and can be advantageous for the reasons described above.

[0170] [Set of containers of different sizes] Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, a set of capsules 6a, 6b is shown. Each capsule 6a, 6b of the set is similar to the capsule 6 disclosed in connection with the previous figures and includes a closure membrane 56, a cup-shaped body designed as a storage portion 58, and an annular flange-like rim 60 as previously disclosed. The capsules within the set may have similar or different dimensions as described below.

[0171] The closure membrane 56 is connected to a part 60 of the flange-like rim to form a seal of the storage portion 58.

[0172] The cup-shaped body of each capsule 6a, 6b has a single convex storage portion with variable depths Da, Db as seen in the figure.

[0173] The flange-like rims 60 of the capsules 6a, 6b of the set have the same dimensions for all the capsules in the set so as to fit precisely into the container holding portion 34 of the previously disclosed machine 4. The flange-like rim 60 has the same configuration as that disclosed in connection with FIGS. 6 and 8 - 12 for each capsule 6a, 6b of the set and is similarly engaged by the extraction unit 32 of the preparation machine 4 (the container holding portion 34 and the closure member 36 as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B) and provides the same valve function (as that previously disclosed herein).

[0174] The capsules 6a, 6b of the set have different volumes with the same insertion diameter ID. The insertion diameter ID is determined at the intersection line between the lower surface 72 of the flange-like rim and the storage portion 58 at the position of the distal edge portion 82.

[0175] The capsule of FIG. 13A is a large-capacity capsule, and the capsule of FIG. 13B is a small-capacity capsule. The volume difference between the small capsule and the large capsule is obtained by changing the depths Da, Db of the storage portion 58 (cup-shaped body) of the capsules in the set. Specifically, the depth of the storage portion 58 of the large capsule 6a (FIG. 13A) is larger than the depth of the storage portion of the small capsule 6b (FIG. 13B).

[0176] In addition, different containers in the set of containers may further include annular force rings having different upward extension distances (ha1, ha2, ha3) from the plane (P), which are different for different containers according to the expected type of extraction.

[0177] A small capsule that houses a small amount of precursor material, such as the capsule 6b, houses a smaller amount of precursor material than the amount of precursor material housed in the large capsule 6a. Taking the example where the precursor material is coffee, the small capsule 6b is generally intended to deliver a short coffee of 10 mL to 60 mL containing an amount of ground coffee of 4 to 8 grams.

[0178] The large capsule 6a is intended to deliver a long-sized coffee of 200 to 500 mL having a coffee amount of 8 to 30 grams.

[0179] An intermediate-sized capsule (not shown) may be defined to deliver an intermediate-sized coffee of 60 to 120 mL with a coffee amount of 6 to 15 grams. Additional intermediate-sized capsules may be further defined. An example of a suitable capsule set is disclosed in International Publication No. WO 2011 / 069830 (A1).

[0180] In the present disclosure, a set of two capsules is detailed, but the set of capsules may be formed from more than two capsules of different sizes.

[0181] A system is presented that includes the described container or set of containers, as used in a beverage preparation machine, in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0182] Any of the disclosed methods (or corresponding devices, programs, data carriers, etc.) may be executed by either a host or a client, depending on a particular implementation (i.e., the disclosed method / device is in the form of communication(s), and thus can be executed from any "perspective", i.e., corresponding to each other). Further, it should be understood that the terms "receiving" and "transmitting" include "inputting" and "outputting", and are not limited to the RF context of transmitting and receiving radio waves. Thus, for example, a chip, other device or component for implementing an embodiment can generate output data for another chip, device or component, or can have input data from another chip, device or component, and such output or input can be referred to as "transmitting" and "receiving", including the gerunds, i.e., "transmitting" and "receiving", and "transmitting" and "receiving" within the RF context.

[0183] As used herein, any expression used in the phrase "at least one of A, B, or C", as well as the expression "at least one of A, B, and C", uses the disjunctive "or" and the disjunctive "and" selectively, such that these expressions include any or all combinations of A, B, C, i.e., A only, B only, C only, A and B in any order, A and C in any order, B and C in any order, A, B, C in any order. There may be more or fewer than three features present in such expressions.

[0184] In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. Further, as used herein, the terms "a" or "an" are defined as one or more than one. Also, the use of introductory phrases such as "at least one" and "one or more" in the claims shall not be construed to limit a particular claim that includes such an introductory phrase to inventions that only include one such element introduced by the indefinite article "a" or "an", even if the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an". The same holds true for the use of definite articles. Unless otherwise stated, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to arbitrarily distinguish between elements described by such terms. Accordingly, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate a temporal or other priority of such elements. The mere fact that particular measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously.

[0185] Unless explicitly stated otherwise as being non-interchangeable, or the physical nature or others of the embodiments, examples, or claims do not prevent such combinations, the features of the foregoing embodiments, examples, and the appended claims can be integrated together in any suitable configuration, especially in those that are beneficial in doing so. This is not limited to only any specific benefit, but instead may result from "after-the-fact" benefits. This means that the combination of features is not limited by the form in which they are described, especially by the dependency of the example(s), embodiment(s), or claim(s). Furthermore, this also applies to phrases such as "in one embodiment", "according to one embodiment", etc., which are merely a style of language and should not be construed as limiting the following features to another embodiment for all other examples of the same or similar language. This means that references to "an", "one", or "some" embodiment(s) can be references to one or more of the disclosed, and / or all of the embodiments, or combinations (singular or plural) thereof. Also, similarly, references to "the" embodiment may not be limited to the immediately preceding embodiment.

[0186] As used herein, any machine-executable instructions, or computer-readable media, can execute the disclosed method and, thus, can be used synonymously with the term method, or interchangeably with each other.

[0187] The foregoing description of one or more implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the exact form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, or may be acquired from experience with the various implementations of this disclosure.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0188] 2 System 4 Machine - Beverage Preparation Machine 14 Processing Unit 20 Container Processing Unit 32 Extraction unit 34 Container holding part 36 Closing member 38 Injection head / Penetrator 40 Beverage outlet 22 Fluid adjustment system 24 Reservoir 26 Pump 28 Heat exchanger 30 Outlet 16 Electric circuit 48 Control electric circuit 50 Input unit 52 Processor 54 Feedback system 18 Code reading system 46 Image capture unit 19 Code / Code element 8 Server system 10 Peripheral device 6 Container 56 Closing film 55 Inner surface 57 Outer surface 58 Storage part (cup-shaped body) 74 Cavity 76 Side wall 82 Distal edge part 120 Shoulder 122 Rim 78 Base 84 Peripheral edge part 60 Flange-shaped rim 61 First part 62 Second part 63 Annular force ring 66 Inner edge flange 67 Outer edge flange 70 Upper surface of the second part 62 71 Lower surface of the first part 61 72 Lower surface of the second part 62 90 Liner 91 Coating 70 Block 72 Block 74 Block 76 blocks 100 Depth direction 102 Longitudinal direction 104 Transverse direction 106 Central axis 108 Radial direction

Claims

1. A container that is inserted into a preparation machine and designed to be used with the preparation machine, wherein the preparation machine is a preparation machine for preparing beverages and / or foods or precursors of the beverages and / or the foods by introducing a liquid into the container and passing the liquid through the precursor material stored in the container from the precursor material stored in the container, and the container is A cup-shaped body having a bottom end portion and an open end portion, and forming a storage portion (58) for storing the precursor material, a cup-shaped body; A closing film (56) for closing the storage portion at the open end portion of the cup-shaped body; An annular flange-shaped rim (60) that at least partially engages with a closing member (36) of the beverage preparation machine (4), is made of a cellulose pulp-based material, extends outward from the cup-shaped body, and includes an annular force ring (63); The flange-shaped rim (60) is A first portion (61) connected to the annular force ring (63); A second portion (62) extending from the storage portion (58) and to which the closing film (56) is sealed, and connecting the storage portion (58) and the closing film (56), and further includes at least two other portions; A container.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the flange-shaped rim (60) including the first portion (61), the second portion (62), and the annular force ring (63) is integral with the cup-shaped body.

3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) of the flange-shaped rim (60) are parallel to each other.

4. The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) are inclined with respect to each other by an angle α.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the angle α between the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) is + / −0.1° to + / −88.5°.

6. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first portion (61) of the flange-shaped rim (60) has a total thickness of less than 240 μm.

7. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first portion (61) of the flange-shaped rim (60) includes a cord element (19).

8. The container according to claim 7, wherein the code element (19) is located on the side facing the storage portion (58) of the flange-shaped rim (60).

9. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the width of the second portion (62) of the flange-shaped rim is 0.2 to 1 cm.

10. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the depth (d) between the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) of the flange-shaped rim (60) is 0.1 to 6 mm.

11. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the density of the cellulose pulp-based material of the flange-shaped rim (60) is 150 to 500 gsm.

12. A set of different containers (6a, 6b...) for preparing a beverage and / or food or a precursor of the beverage and / or food from a precursor material in a preparation machine, wherein the container system comprises a set of different containers (6a, 6b...) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The set, wherein the containers (6a, 6b...) comprise a container body having different total depths (Da, Db) for at least two containers, preferably at least three containers, in the set.

13. A container system for preparing a beverage and / or food or a precursor of the beverage and / or food from a precursor material in a preparation machine (4), comprising a container (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, or one or more containers from the set of containers (6a, 6b...) according to claim 12, The container (6) is designed to form a restriction or a restriction valve for the beverage and / or the food and / or the precursor exiting the container, either alone or in combination with a closure member (36) of the preparation machine (4).

14. A system comprising one or more containers from the set of containers (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, or the set of containers (6a, 6b...) according to claim 12, and a beverage preparation machine (4) for preparing a beverage and / or food or a precursor of the beverage and / or food, wherein the machine comprises At least a container holder (34) for holding a capsule in the flange-shaped rim, Liquid injection means (38) for supplying liquid into the container, A valve member for engaging at least a part of the flange-like rim (60) of the container (6) when the container (6) is inserted into the beverage preparation machine (4); A processing unit (20) for processing the precursor material of the container (6), the processing unit comprising a penetrator; An electric circuit (16) for controlling the processing unit, a system comprising the electric circuit.

15. Use of one or more containers from a set of containers (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or containers (6a, 6b...) according to claim 12 in a centrifugal beverage machine, wherein the container is subjected to a centrifugal action within the machine (4), at least a part of the flange-like rim (60) is engaged by the closing member (36) of the beverage machine, and the part of the flange-like rim forms part of valve means for selectively blocking and / or restricting the flow of the liquid exiting the container under the centrifugal action.

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