Capsule for preparation of beverages

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capsule (1) for a soluble edible product comprising a closed container (2), which contains a hollow interior containing an individual dose of a soluble edible product, the container (2) being delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet cover element (22) and an edible product outlet cover element (23), wherein said water inlet cover element (22) comprises a recess (3), which comprises a through-hole (4), wherein the surface of the recess (3) facing the interior of the container (2) is coated, at least partially, by a microfilm (5) that covers said through-hole (4).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] "CAPSULE FOR PREPARING SOLUBLE EDIBLE PRODUCTS"

[0003] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to the field of single-use capsules for preparing soluble edible products, such as espresso coffee, tea or other soluble products.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The state of the art includes several solutions relating to single-use capsules for preparing edible products, such as espresso coffee, tea and other soluble products.

[0007] Capsules are small containers containing the edible product, used in compatible machines, and allow for quick preparation of the edible product. Generally, a capsule consists of two elements: a base cup and a lid. The base cup has a bottom that is either completely closed or pre-perforated, in either case being perforated by the punches of the edible product machine where the capsule is placed. The mouth of the capsule cup has a peripheral lip that then serves as a surface for the lid, which usually consists of a plastic lid, aluminum foil, filter paper, or micro-perforated plastic.

[0008] The capsules used in edible product machines, after being placed in the machine, are perforated on both sides by a mechanized system of punches, in which some are perforated when closing the lid of the machine compartment where the capsule is placed and others are perforated by a punch mechanism that is incorporated into the machine and is driven by an electrical system, which ensures the pumping and heating of water.

[0009] There are also capsule coffee machines that operate with the help of a lever that opens an extraction unit consisting of a container that houses the capsule after its insertion into the machine and a sealing lid that breaks or opens the capsule and introduces hot water. Once filled and under high pressure, the capsule opens and releases the water mixture that passes through the edible substance to the outside of the machine. Finally, the capsule is ejected by repeating the lever opening movement.

[0010] In the state of the art, there are several types of capsules made of numerous shapes and materials (paper, plastic, and metal-aluminum). Therefore, these capsules have different compositions that influence their performance in preserving the edible product. The use of different types of materials in capsule production not only increases production costs, but also creates problems with the collection, separation, and sorting of waste products, especially when the capsules are collected for recycling. This is why they are sometimes more commonly disposed of in the regular trash. Many existing capsules are non-recyclable or difficult to recycle. Currently, aluminum is the best material for capsule production, as it ensures more effective maintenance of the properties of edible products and also has the advantage of being "infinitely recyclable," meaning it can quickly be reused, and is a very lightweight material.However, this material has very different rigidity and resistance characteristics to those of plastic, which may bring some disadvantages in terms of its plastic deformation, when applied to the part of the lid that is subject to opening by the machine.

[0011] Current coffee capsules have accustomed consumers to enjoying fast, hygienic, and high-quality coffee. However, the material used to make the capsules—plastic or metal—combined with the organic matter inside the coffee make their recycling process complex and difficult. One of the main concerns of coffee brands today is the development and implementation of solutions that reduce the ecological footprint caused by capsule consumption.

[0012] There are coffee capsules on the market that are very difficult to recycle, both because they use two aggregate materials: plastic and aluminum, and because the lid and container are welded together, making access to the organic matter contained within them virtually impossible. Currently, there are some state-of-the-art solutions that support a more eco-responsible and sustainable approach, using recyclable materials and limiting the amount of material used in capsule manufacturing.

[0013] Another difficulty that currently exists in edible product capsules is the fact that they present a very demanding mechanical performance for coffee machines, since their opening depends on the rupture of a plastic "door" at one of the tops of the cylinder through the application of a force that, over the course of continued use, damages the sealing behavior required of the machine's extraction groups.

[0014] Document PT 109815B discloses a capsule with a configuration that optimizes the positioning and perforation of the capsule, through its circular lid-type construction element, which is adapted to provide a flow entry passageway into the container-shaped construction element. The passageway has a region of weakened material that is adapted so that it ruptures under a certain flow pressure. The existence of a projection element that exerts a mechanical force of the lever type on the region of weakened material is also mentioned. In this case, the circular lid-type construction element that undergoes the perforation is made of plastic material.

[0015] In turn, document PT 107043B presents a capsule comprising a lid portion that may have at least one facilitated rupture formation for the entry of water. The lid has at least one facilitated rupture formation for the entry of infusion water into the container. The container, the lid, the base and the piercing element are made of plastic, while the protective element is an aluminum plate. The piercing of the capsule lid is not of the mechanical type, but only of the hydraulic type.

[0016] Finally, document PT 2139791 discloses a single-use aromatic essence retention capsule for producing an infusion, comprising a container with a lid and a perforated base covered externally with a protective element, and a perforating element present on the inner face of said protective element, which acts by the pressure of the fluid created inside the capsule container, allowing the infusion to flow out. The flat lid has at least one groove to facilitate the infusion water inside the container. It is also mentioned that the container, lid, base and perforating element are made of plastic, and only the protective element is an aluminum plate. In this case, the perforation of the lid is of the hydraulic type.

[0017] The solutions disclosed in the prior art are mainly aimed at optimizing capsules to obtain a more efficient and precise opening by the machine, since an incorrect opening can negatively influence the achievement of an ideal infusion, as well as cause the release of materials, which contaminate the infusion, as well as the unwanted exit of edible product from the capsule.

[0018] However, none of the state-of-the-art solutions address the problem of capsules having a very demanding mechanical performance for coffee machines, which, over the course of their continued use, damages the sealing behavior required of the machine's extraction groups.

[0019] Therefore , there is a need in the technology of capsules for machines of soluble edible products , with characteristics that allow a correct rupture and passage of water and consequent extraction of edible product , also providing an effective opening when used in the compatible machine , without requiring a very demanding mechanical performance for coffee machines , allowing them to have a superior durability . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention is now described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0021] Fig. 1 represents the perspective view of the capsule (1) in which the water inlet covering element (22) comprises a recess (3), which in turn comprises a through hole (4).

[0022] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the capsule (1) in which the soluble edible product outlet covering element (23) comprises through openings (6).

[0023] Fig. 3 represents the view of the water inlet covering element (22), which comprises a recess (3) and this comprises a through hole (4).

[0024] Fig. 4 shows a view of the covering element (23) for the edible product outlet of the capsule (1) which comprises through openings (6).

[0025] Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of the capsule (1) in which the side wall (21), the water inlet covering element (22) and the edible product outlet covering element (23) define the interior surface (7) of the container (2) and in which the hole (4) through the water inlet covering element (22) is covered by a microfilm (5).

[0026] Fig. 6 represents the perspective section view of the capsule (1). Fig. 7 represents the exploded section view of an embodiment of the capsule (1) which comprises an external structure (8) in porous material that is laminated with the microfilm (5) of a bio-polymer.

[0027] Fig. 8 shows the exploded sectional view of the embodiment of the capsule (1) in which the closed container (2), delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and an edible product outlet covering element (23), comprises a porous material laminated with microfilm (5) of a bio-polymer.

[0028] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present invention relates to a capsule (1) for a soluble edible product comprising a closed container (2) containing a hollow interior (24) containing a single dose of a soluble edible product, the container (2) being delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and an edible product outlet covering element (23), in which the side wall (21), the water inlet covering element (22) and the edible product outlet covering element (23) define an interior surface (7) of the container (2), in which said water inlet covering element (22) comprises a recess (3) which comprises a through hole (4), in which a surface (31) of the recess (3) facing the interior (24) of the container (2) is at least partially coated with a microfilm (5) covering said through hole (4).In one aspect of the present invention, the inner surface (7) of the container is coated partially or completely with a microfilm (5).

[0030] In another aspect, the capsule (1) comprises a material selected from the group comprising plastic, aluminum, polymeric material, cellulosic material or composites and combinations thereof.

[0031] In a further aspect of the invention, the capsule (1) comprises a porous material.

[0032] In another aspect, said porous material is a cellulosic material.

[0033] In a further aspect, the cellulosic material is cellulosic pulp, e.g., paper pulp.

[0034] In another aspect of the invention, the microfilm (5) is selected from the group comprising poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHBHx).

[0035] In another additional aspect, the edible product outlet covering element (23) comprises through openings (6).

[0036] In one aspect, the through openings (6) are coated with said microfilm (5).

[0037] In a further aspect, the side wall (21) is heat-welded or ultrasonically welded to the water inlet cover element (22). The capsule (1) of the present invention is suitable for the preparation of soluble edible products in soluble edible product machines.

[0038] In one aspect of the invention, the capsule (1) is suitable for preparing espresso coffee, tea or other soluble edible products.

[0039] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] The capsule (1) of the present invention is designed for use in machines for soluble edible products, such as espresso coffee, tea or other soluble products, in which the capsule is opened in its water inlet covering element (22), whether this is located in the top or bottom part of the capsule (1).

[0041] The objective of the present invention is to provide a single-use capsule for espresso, tea, or other instant coffee machines, adaptable to any machine currently on the market, in which the opening for water entry into the capsule results from the interaction of water pressure (approximately 15 bar) that the machine exerts on a microfilm (5) present on the water inlet cover element (22), allowing its rupture to allow water to pass through and, consequently, the extraction of edible product. This rupture of the microfilm (5) present on the water inlet cover element (22) is also achieved due to the presence of a second material surrounding the microfilm (5), which will support and serve as counterpressure to the deformation of the microfilm when water pressure is exerted. This second material can be any selected from plastic, metal, cellulose material, polymeric material, or composites and their combinations.

[0042] For this purpose, the present invention provides a capsule (1) for a soluble edible product comprising a closed container (2) containing a hollow interior (24) containing a single dose of a soluble edible product, the container (2) being delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and an edible product outlet covering element (23), in which the side wall (21), the water inlet covering element (22) and the edible product outlet covering element (23) define an interior surface (7) of the container (2), in which said water inlet covering element (22) comprises a recess (3) which comprises a through hole (4), in which the surface (31) of the recess (3) facing the interior (24) of the container (2) is covered, at least partially, by a microfilm (5) which covers the said through hole (4).

[0043] Within the scope of the present invention, the terms "water inlet covering element" and "edible product outlet covering element" should be understood as elements that close the side wall at the top and bottom, in any order. That is, the "water inlet covering element" can close the side wall at the top or bottom, and the "edible product outlet covering element" can close the side wall at the top or bottom. These two covering elements and the side wall thus define a hollow internal cavity of the container, which is essential for the container to contain a single dose of an edible product. According to the present invention, the term "inner surface of the recess" is understood to be the face of the recess that is on the interior surface of the container together with the interior faces of the side wall and the water inlet and edible product outlet covering elements.

[0044] Within the scope of the present invention, "microfilm" is understood as being a film of a biopolymer whose thickness is comprised in the range of 1-200 pm and the biopolymer can be selected from the group comprising poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHBHx).

[0045] According to the present invention, "recess" is understood to mean an element that is recessed relative to the outer face of the water inlet covering element, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0046] Within the scope of the present invention, "porous material" is understood to be any material that contains pores (voids or hollows), which are filled with a fluid (liquid or gas). Examples of porous materials include: plasterboard, untreated wood, cement and bricks, paper, cardboard, etc.

[0047] In the context of this description, the term "comprising" should be understood as "including, among others". As such, the said term should not be interpreted as "consisting only of".

[0048] It should be noted that any X value presented in the course of this description should be interpreted as an approximate value of the actual X value, since such an approximation to the actual value would reasonably be expected by the person skilled in the art due to experimental and / or measurement conditions that introduce deviations from the actual value. Thus, for example, the reference to "80%" means a value of "about 80%".

[0049] Unless otherwise indicated, the value ranges presented in this description are intended to provide a simplified and technically accepted way of indicating each individual value within the respective range. By way of example, the expression "15% to 25%" or "between 15% and 25%" means any value within this range, for example 15%; 16%; 17%; 18%; 19%; 20%; 21%; 22%; 23%; 24%; 25%; or others, for example, including one decimal place.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, said surface (31) of the recess (3) facing the inside (24) of the container (2) is coated, at least partially, by a microfilm (5) that covers said through hole (4). The microfilm (5) has the function of creating a barrier between the soluble edible product contained inside the capsule (1) and the air of the external environment, allowing the soluble edible product to be preserved, maintaining its quality and validity for more than 12 months. The microfilm (5) comprises a film of a bio-polymer whose thickness is in the range of 1-200 µm. The bio-polymer can be selected from the group comprising poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHBHx).

[0051] In another embodiment of the present invention, the union of the side wall (21) with the water inlet covering element (22) is carried out by fitting and is subsequently heat-welded or ultrasonically welded, and any other method that allows easy opening of the capsule (1) of the invention may also be used.

[0052] In another embodiment of the present invention, the soluble edible product outlet covering element (23) comprises through openings (6) that are covered, at least partially, by a microfilm (5), which covers said through openings (6) from the inside of said container (2). This microfilm (5) is broken by the pressure of the water that is injected by the machine through the recess (3), in the water inlet covering element (22) of the capsule (1), and which causes the soluble edible product to exit through said through openings (6).

[0053] As mentioned previously, edible product capsules, like coffee capsules, have the advantage of allowing consumers to enjoy their edible beverage quickly, hygienically, and with high-quality ingredients. However, the materials used to make the capsules—plastic or metal—combined with the organic matter inside the edible product, make their recycling process very complex and difficult. Developing solutions that reduce the ecological footprint caused by capsule consumption is a major concern for edible product brands. In this sense, the present invention also aims to create sustainable edible product capsules, offering a technical solution in terms of the materials used.

[0054] Thus, in another embodiment of the present invention, the capsule (1) of the invention comprises 100% compostable materials, in which the material of the container (2), which is delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and an edible product outlet covering element (23), comprises a cellulosic pulp, for example paper pulp, laminated with a microfilm of a bio-polymer. After use, these materials are suitable for placement in the undifferentiated waste or in the organic waste. Other sustainable cellulosic materials may be applied in the capsule (1) of the present invention, namely: paper, cardboard, paperboard, among others, or mixtures thereof.

[0055] In this embodiment of the capsule (1) of the present invention, the cellulose pulp constitutes an external structure (8) whose functions are to provide support, structure and protection to the microfilm (5). This external structure (8) is laminated internally with a microfilm of a bio-polymer, the microfilm (5), whose main function is to prevent contact of the edible product with air, either through the through hole (4) in the water inlet covering element (22) or through the through openings (6) in the edible product outlet covering element (23), or through the cellulose pulp itself, as it is a porous material.

[0056] Thus, the new geometry of the water inlet cover element (22) and its opening mechanism ensures proper functional performance of edible product extraction without requiring the mechanical opening performance that is too demanding for coffee machines. In turn, the use of environmentally friendly, more sustainable, and 100% compostable materials reduces the negative impact that plastics and aluminum currently have on consumers and the environment.The new geometry of the water inlet covering element (22) of the capsule (1) is adaptable to any type of edible product capsule machine, since the capsule is opened in the water inlet covering element (22) and this can be located in the upper or lower part of the capsule (1) and, therefore, the capsule (1) of the present invention can be used in edible product machines that open the capsule in the upper or lower part.

[0057] The geometry and weight of the capsule (1) of the present invention are compatible with the operation of edible product packaging lines.

[0058] EXAMPLE

[0059] With reference to Figs. 1 to 8, the soluble edible product capsule (1) comprises a closed, hollow container (2) containing a single dose of a soluble edible product, which is delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and a soluble edible product outlet covering element (23).

[0060] When in use, the capsule is placed in the capsule compartment of a machine that prepares instant edible products, such as an espresso machine. The capsule (1) is kept in said compartment and the machine's opening element is activated, which will affect the recessed area (3), but will not pierce the capsule (1) due to its geometry. The concentration of the machine's water pressure in the recessed area (3) of the capsule (1) will cause the microfilm (5) located in the through hole (4) to rupture, thus allowing water to enter the capsule (1). The water is then mixed with the ground coffee inside the capsule (1). The accumulation of pressure inside the capsule and, consequently, the greater pressure on the microfilm (5) present in the through openings (6), generates coffee extraction. The microfilm (5) is ruptured and the coffee is released into the espresso receiving container.The resistance of the microfilm (5) until it breaks, combined with the diameter of the holes in the through openings (6), will determine the coffee extraction time.

[0061] It should be noted that although the present invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments, many modifications and alternatives can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A capsule (1) for a soluble edible product comprising a closed container (2) containing a hollow interior (24) containing a single dose of a soluble edible product, the container (2) being delimited by a side wall (21), a water inlet covering element (22) and an edible product outlet covering element (23), wherein the side wall (21), the water inlet covering element (22) and the edible product outlet covering element (23) define an interior surface (7) of the container (2), characterised in that said water inlet covering element (22) comprises a recess (3) comprising a through hole (4), wherein a surface (31) of the recess (3) facing the interior (24) of the container (2) is at least partially covered by a microfilm (5) covering said hole (4). passerby.

2. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface (7) of the container is partially or completely coated with a microfilm (5).

3. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a material selected from the group comprising plastic, aluminum, polymeric material, cellulosic material or composites and their combinations.

4. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product, according to claim 3, characterized in that it is made of porous material.

5. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to claim 4, characterized in that said porous material is cellulosic material.

6. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to claim 5, characterized in that the cellulosic material is paper pulp.

7. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the microfilm (5) is selected from the group comprising poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHBHx).

8. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the edible product outlet covering element (23) comprises through openings (6).

9. The capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to claim 8, characterized in that the through openings (6) are coated with said microfilm (5). Capsule (1) for a soluble edible product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the side wall (21) is heat-welded or ultrasonically welded to the water inlet covering element (22).

11. Use of the capsule (1) as claimed in claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is for the preparation of soluble edible products in soluble edible product machines.

12. Use of the capsule (1), according to the previous claim, characterized in that it is for the preparation of espresso coffee, tea or other soluble edible products.

Images