Beverage ingredient capsule sealing material and beverage ingredient capsule

Abstract

This sealing material is an annular sealing material 4 disposed on a surface of a flange part 24 facing a bottom wall 22 side in a beverage ingredient capsule 1 comprising: a cup-shaped container 2 which has a peripheral wall 21 and a bottom wall 22 and contains a beverage ingredient and in which the flange part 24 facing outwards is provided on a peripheral edge of an opening 23; and a lid material 3 having an outer peripheral edge part fixed to the flange part 24 so as to cover the opening 23 of the container 2. The sealing material 4 has a paper layer 41 and a sealing layer 42 which is made of a thermoplastic resin and covers a surface of the paper layer 41 opposite to a surface facing the flange part 24 side.

Description

Sealing material for beverage ingredient capsules and beverage ingredient capsules

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage ingredient capsule sealant and a beverage ingredient capsule.

[0002] In this specification, the term "aluminum" includes aluminum alloys as well as pure aluminum.

[0003] Patent documents 1 to 3 disclose beverage ingredient capsules and devices for producing beverages such as coffee, black tea, and green tea using the beverage ingredients enclosed in the beverage ingredient capsules.

[0004] The beverage ingredient capsules disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 include a container having a peripheral wall and a bottom wall and an outward flange around the periphery of the opening, containing beverage ingredients, a lid having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the flange so as to cover the opening of the container and close the opening of the container, and an annular sealing material fixed to the surface of the flange of the container facing the bottom wall. The sealing material of the beverage ingredient capsule disclosed in Patent Document 1 is made of an elastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer or silicone, while the sealing material of the beverage ingredient capsules disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 is made of paper, a fibrous material, cellulose, etc.

[0005] The beverage manufacturing devices that use beverage ingredient capsules disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are known to include a capsule holder that has an annular mounting portion for mounting the flange portion of the beverage ingredient capsule with the lid facing downwards, and a breaking portion that breaks the lid material in the area surrounded by the mounting portion, a capsule storage member that has a capsule storage space that opens downwards and a sealing portion that is provided on the opening periphery of the capsule storage space, and is arranged above the capsule holder so that it can move up and down relative to the capsule holder, and a water supply member that breaks the bottom wall of the beverage ingredient capsule and supplies high-temperature, high-pressure water into the beverage ingredient capsule.

[0006] The beverage preparation using the beverage ingredient capsules by the beverage preparation device described above is performed as follows: First, the flange portion of the beverage ingredient capsule, with the lid facing downward, is placed on the mounting portion on the upper surface of the capsule holder of the beverage preparation device. In this state, the capsule holder descends relative to the capsule holder, pressing the sealing portion of the capsule holder against the sealing material of the beverage ingredient capsule, sealing the capsule storage space of the capsule holder. Next, the water supply member descends relative to the beverage ingredient capsule, piercing the bottom wall of the beverage ingredient capsule and supplying high-temperature, high-pressure water into the beverage ingredient capsule, extracting the beverage. This increases the internal pressure of the beverage ingredient capsule, deforming the lid downward. When the internal pressure reaches a certain pressure, the lid is broken by the breaking portion of the capsule holder, allowing the beverage to flow out and into a cup (not shown). In this way, the beverage is prepared.

[0007] Patent No. 5017361 Publication Special Publication No. 2012-530529 Publication Patent No. 7349434

[0008] However, in the case of the beverage ingredient capsule disclosed in Patent Document 1, the sealing material is made of an elastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer or silicone, which results in a problem of relatively high costs.

[0009] Furthermore, when extracting green tea using a beverage ingredient capsule containing green tea leaves as a beverage ingredient in a beverage manufacturing device, the same beverage ingredient capsule may be used two or more times in succession. In this case, if the beverage ingredient capsules described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are used, the sealing material is made of paper, fibrous material, cellulose, etc., and there is a risk of water leakage during the second or subsequent tea extractions.

[0010] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule and a beverage ingredient capsule that can suppress water leakage even when the same beverage ingredient capsule is used more than once, and that is relatively inexpensive.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

[0012] 1) In a beverage ingredient capsule comprising a cup-shaped container having a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, an outward flange portion provided around the periphery of the opening, containing beverage ingredients, and a lid material having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the flange portion so as to cover the opening of the container, a ring-shaped sealant is placed on the surface of the flange portion facing the bottom wall, the sealant having a paper layer and a sealing layer made of a thermoplastic resin and covering the surface of the paper layer opposite the surface facing the flange portion.

[0013] 2) The basis weight of the paper forming the paper layer is 85 to 500 g / m ２ The sealing material for beverage ingredient capsules according to 1) above.

[0014] 3) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 1) above, wherein the number average fiber length of the paper forming the paper layer is 1.5 to 4.0 mm.

[0015] 4) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 1) above, wherein the sealing layer is made of a thermoplastic resin film selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters and polyamides.

[0016] 5) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 4) above, wherein the sealing layer is formed by extrusion laminating the film onto the surface of the paper layer.

[0017] 6) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 1) above, wherein the melting point of the sealing layer is 100°C or higher.

[0018] 7) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 1) above, wherein the thickness of the paper layer is 150 to 650 μm and the thickness of the sealing layer is 10 to 40 μm.

[0019] 8) A sealing material for a beverage ingredient capsule according to 1) above, in which a thermoplastic resin layer is formed on the surface of the paper layer opposite to the surface on which the sealing layer is formed.

[0020] 9) A beverage ingredient capsule comprising a container having a peripheral wall and a bottom wall and an outward flange portion around the periphery of the opening, containing beverage ingredients, and a lid material having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the flange portion so as to cover the opening of the container, wherein the peripheral wall, bottom wall and flange portion of the container are integrally formed by a laminated material in which a protective layer, a barrier layer and a heat seal layer are laminated in that order, with the protective layer being positioned on the outer surfaces of the peripheral wall and bottom wall and on the surface of the flange portion facing the bottom wall, and wherein a sealing material described in any of 1) to 8) above is arranged on the surface of the flange portion of the container facing the protective layer so as to cover the entire surface of the flange portion.

[0021] The sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsules described above in 1) to 8) has a paper layer and a sealing layer made of a thermoplastic resin that covers the surface of the paper layer opposite the surface facing the flange portion, ensuring the necessary heat resistance when used in beverage ingredient capsules. Furthermore, hot water is less likely to penetrate the paper layer and is prevented from seeping out of the paper layer, improving water resistance. Therefore, heat resistance and water resistance can be ensured and water leakage can be suppressed even when the same beverage ingredient capsule is used more than once. Furthermore, contamination of the beverage production device when the same beverage ingredient capsule is used more than once can be prevented.

[0022] The sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsule described above in 2) can provide cushioning properties (shrinkage when crushed and resistance after crushing) to prevent high-pressure water from leaking from the sealed portion where the sealed portion of the capsule storage member of the beverage manufacturing device is pressed against the sealing material when the beverage ingredient capsule equipped with this is used.

[0023] According to the sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsule described above in 3), when a beverage ingredient capsule equipped with this is used, cushioning properties and durability can be maintained to prevent high-pressure water from leaking from the sealed portion where the sealing portion of the capsule holding member of the beverage manufacturing device is pressed against the sealing material.

[0024] According to the sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsules in 4) above, the resin has good conformability under high temperature and pressure conditions, and the sealing layer is less likely to break down, making it even more difficult for water to penetrate the paper layer.

[0025] According to the sealing material for beverage ingredient capsules in 5) above, the paper layer and the sealing layer are bonded uniformly over the entire surface, so that the penetration of water into the paper layer can be more reliably prevented.

[0026] The sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsules in 6) above has excellent durability against high-temperature water.

[0027] According to the sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsules of 7) above, when a beverage is produced by the beverage production device, the sealing material is easily deformed, improving the sealing performance of the capsule-accommodating space of the beverage production device.

[0028] According to the sealing material for the beverage ingredient capsules described above in 8), the provision of a thermoplastic resin layer is expected to improve the heat resistance and sealing performance of the sealing material. Furthermore, the thermoplastic resin layer can be used to attach the sealing material to the flange of the beverage ingredient capsule by heat sealing, making it relatively easy to attach the sealing material to the flange.

[0029] The beverage ingredient capsule of 9) above provides the same effects as those provided by the sealing materials of 1) to 8). Furthermore, there is almost no gap between the outer surface of the side wall of the beverage ingredient capsule and the end surface of the sealing material, so there is no risk of hot water leaking out of the capsule penetrating the end surface of the sealing material. Therefore, hot water does not easily penetrate the paper layer, improving the water resistance of the paper layer and allowing the beverage ingredient capsule to be used multiple times.

[0030] The present invention relates to a beverage ingredient capsule having a sealing material, and a beverage preparation device for extracting a beverage using the beverage ingredient capsule of the present invention.

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0032] In the following description, the top and bottom of FIGS. 1 to 3 will be referred to as top and bottom.

[0033] Figures 1 and 2 show a beverage ingredient capsule using a sealing material according to the present invention, and Figure 3 shows a schematic configuration of a beverage production apparatus for extracting a beverage using the beverage ingredient capsule of Figures 1 and 2.

[0034] In Figure 1, the beverage ingredient capsule (1) has a peripheral wall (21) and a bottom wall (22), and an outward flange portion (24) is integrally formed around the periphery of an opening (23) formed at either end in the vertical direction (the lower end in Figure 1). The beverage ingredient capsule (1) comprises a container (2) containing beverage ingredients (not shown), a lid (3) whose outer peripheral edge is heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (24) opposite the bottom wall (22) (the lower surface in Figure 1) so as to cover the opening (23) of the container (2), and an annular sealing material (4) covering the surface of the flange portion (24) facing the bottom wall (22) (the upper surface in Figure 1), and contains tea-based beverage ingredients such as green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or herbal tea.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the container (2) is formed by drawing, bulging, or other processes on a laminate (5) consisting of a metal layer (51) as a barrier layer, a protective layer (52) laminated on one side of the metal layer (51), and a heat-seal layer (53) laminated on the other side of the metal layer (51). The protective layer (52) covers the outer surfaces of the peripheral wall (21) and bottom wall (22) and the surface of the flange (24) facing the bottom wall (22) (the upper surface in Figure 2). The heat-seal layer (53) covers the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall (21) and bottom wall (22) and the surface of the flange (24) facing the opening (23) (the lower surface in Figure 2). The protective layer (52) functions to prevent corrosion of the metal layer (51). The heat-seal layer (53) is used when heat-sealing the lid (3) to the flange (24). A curled edge (25) is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the flange (24).

[0036] The metal layer (51) is made of a metal foil, such as aluminum foil, that provides barrier properties against water, air, and light, while also allowing for relatively easy penetration by the bottom wall penetration member of the beverage production device described below. Aluminum foils made of 1000, 3000, or 8000 series aluminum foils as specified in JIS H4160:1994 are used. However, considering processability, foil made of soft aluminum (O material) from 1000 or 8000 series aluminum is preferred. Specifically, A8021H-O material, A8079H-O material, and A1N30H-O material are preferred. The Si content as an impurity in A8021H-O material is preferably 0.10% by mass or less.

[0037] Examples of materials that can be used to form the protective layer 52 include coating layers made of cellulose resins, shellac resins, urethane resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, polyolefin resins (polyethylene, etc.), etc. The thickness of the protective layer 52 is preferably about 1 μm to 5 μm, which makes it easier to break the bottom wall 22 when using the beverage ingredient capsule 1.

[0038] Examples of materials constituting the heat seal layer 53 include coating layers of acrylic resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resins, polyolefin resins, etc. The thickness of the heat seal layer 53 is preferably about 1 μm to 5 μm, which, like the protective layer 52, makes it easier to break the bottom wall 22 when using the beverage ingredient capsule 1.

[0039] The material constituting the lid material (3) is not particularly limited, but due to the nature of the beverage ingredient capsule (1), the lid material (3) is preferably constructed so that the beverage production device can easily pierce it, and is basically composed of a protective layer, a metal layer acting as a barrier layer, and a heat-seal layer. The protective layer and the heat-seal layer are preferably coating layers of the same material and thickness as the container (2). The metal layer is preferably aluminum foil, the same material as the container (2), and because the lid material (3) does not require as much strength as the container (2), it is formed using foil that is about 5 to 15 μm thick, which is thinner than the container (2).

[0040] The sealing material (4) comprises a paper layer (41), a sealing layer (42) made of a thermoplastic resin and covering the surface of the paper layer (41) opposite to the surface facing the flange portion (24) of the container (2), and a thermoplastic resin layer (43) covering the surface of the paper layer (41) facing the flange portion (24) of the container (2). It is preferable that the sealing material (4) covers the entire upper surface of the portion between the rolled edge (25) of the flange portion (24) of the container (2) and the peripheral wall (21).

[0041] The basis weight of the paper forming the paper layer (41) of the sealing material (4) is 85 to 500 g / m ２ The basis weight of the paper forming the paper layer (41) is preferably 85 g / m ２ If it is less than 500 g / m, sufficient cushioning properties cannot be obtained and the sealing properties are reduced. ２ If the thickness exceeds 1000 μm, the sealing material becomes too bulky and a sufficient sealing effect cannot be obtained. ２ More preferably, it is 200 to 400 g / m ２ It is preferable that the number average fiber length of the paper forming the paper layer (41) of the sealing material (4) is 1.5 to 4.0 mm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009. If the number average fiber length of the paper forming the paper layer (41) is less than 1.5 mm, the paper layer (41) becomes hard and does not provide sufficient cushioning, resulting in reduced sealing performance. If it exceeds 4.0 mm, the durability of the paper layer (41) decreases. Furthermore, the thickness of the paper layer (41) is preferably 150 to 650 μm, and more preferably 170 to 550 μm. If the thickness of the paper layer (41) is less than 150 μm, the sealing performance decreases, and if it exceeds 650 μm, a sufficient sealing effect cannot be obtained.

[0042] The sealing layer (42) of the sealing material (4) is preferably composed of a monolayer film or a multilayer film composed of multiple laminated monolayer films of one type selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, polyester, and polyamide. The monolayer film is preferably used as a non-oriented film. Examples of polyolefins include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), homopolypropylene (hPP), ethylene-propylene random copolymer (rPP), and ethylene-propylene block copolymer (bPP). Examples of polyesters include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Examples of polyamides include nylon 6 (PA6). The sealing layer (42) is preferably formed by extrusion laminating the film onto the surface of the paper layer (41). The thickness of the sealing layer (42) is preferably 10 to 40 μm. If the thickness of the sealing layer (42) is less than 10 μm, the durability of the sealing layer (42) decreases and water becomes more likely to penetrate the paper layer (41). If the thickness exceeds 40 μm, the paper layer (41) does not provide sufficient effect, the cushioning properties of the sealing material become weak, and the sealing properties decrease.

[0043] Of the resins mentioned above, polyethylene is preferably used for the sealing layer (42). Because polyethylene has excellent flexibility, a sealing layer (42) made of polyethylene improves cushioning and easily conforms to the deformation of the paper layer (41). Furthermore, when producing a beverage using the beverage ingredient capsule (1), if the temperature of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) or the ambient temperature within the capsule storage space (81) of the capsule storage member (8) described below increases, the sealing layer (42) softens, improving its sealing performance and preventing water leakage. Furthermore, polyethylene can be extrusion-laminated relatively easily, making it relatively easy to form the sealing layer (42) on one side of the paper layer (41). Of all polyethylenes, low-density polyethylene is particularly suitable. Low-density polyethylene has lower physical strength such as tensile strength and rigidity than other polyethylenes, and has excellent cushioning properties. Therefore, when producing a beverage using the beverage ingredient capsules (1) in the beverage production device (6) described below, low-density polyethylene improves adhesion with the sealing portion (82) of the capsule holding member (8), thereby more effectively sealing the capsule holding space (81) of the capsule holding member (8).

[0044] The thermoplastic resin layer (43) of the sealing material (4) is expected to have the effect of improving the heat resistance of the sealing material (4) and the sealing performance of the sealing material (4), and is made of, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), etc. The thermoplastic resin layer (43) is made up of one or more layers, and the upper limit of its thickness is preferably 160 μm.

[0045] Although the sealing material (4) does not necessarily need to be bonded to the flange portion (24) of the container (2), bonding to the flange portion (24) fixes the positions of the sealing material (4) and the container (2), thereby improving the sealing performance. The thermoplastic resin layer (43) of the adhesive sealing material (4) can also be used to bond the sealing material (4) to the flange portion (24) of the container (2) by heat sealing. However, if the thickness of the thermoplastic resin layer (43) exceeds the upper limit of 160 μm, it may become difficult to heat seal the sealing material (4) to the flange portion (24) of the container (2).

[0046] If the sealing material (4) is previously attached to the flange portion (24) of the container (2), it becomes difficult to heat-seal the lid material (3) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) to the flange portion (24) of the container (2), so it is preferable to simultaneously heat-seal the sealing material (4) to the flange portion (24) and the lid material (3) to the flange portion (24).When the sealing material (4) is to be attached to the flange portion (24) after the lid material (3) has been heat-sealed to the flange portion (24), it is preferable to attach the sealing material (4) to the flange portion (24) with double-sided adhesive tape or an adhesive.

[0047] Furthermore, the overall thickness of the sealing material (4) is preferably 300 to 720 μm, and more preferably 330 to 650 μm, provided that the paper layer (41), thermoplastic resin layer (43), and sealing layer (42) satisfy the thickness requirements described above. If the overall thickness of the sealing material (4) is less than 300 μm, the expected cushioning effect will not be obtained, resulting in a decrease in sealing performance, while if it exceeds 720 μm, a sufficient sealing effect will not be obtained.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a method for producing a beverage using a beverage ingredient capsule (1) by a beverage production apparatus.

[0049] The beverage production device (6) comprises a capsule holder (7) on which a beverage ingredient capsule (1) is placed with its lid member (3) facing downward, a capsule storage member (8) arranged above the capsule holder (7) so as to be movable up and down relative to the capsule holder (7) and having a capsule storage space (81) that opens downward, and a water supply member (9) arranged so as to be movable up and down relative to the capsule storage member (8) and which breaks through the bottom wall (22) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) and supplies high-temperature, high-pressure water into the beverage ingredient capsule (1).

[0050] The capsule holder (7) has a peripheral portion provided with an annular mounting portion (71) on which the flange portion (4) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) with the lid member (3) facing downward is placed, and a plurality of breaking portions (72) for breaking the lid member (3) are provided in the portion of the upper surface of the capsule holder (7) surrounded by the mounting portion (71). A plurality of beverage passages (73) through which the extracted beverage passes are also provided in the portion of the capsule holder (7) surrounded by the mounting portion (71). The opening periphery of the capsule storage space (81) on the lower surface of the capsule storage member (8) is a sealing portion (82). The flange portion (4) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) placed on the mounting portion (71) of the capsule holder (7) is sandwiched between the mounting portion (71) and the sealing portion (82) of the capsule storage member (8), thereby sealing the capsule storage space (81).

[0051] The beverage preparation using the beverage ingredient capsule (1) in the beverage preparation device (6) is carried out as follows: First, the flange portion (24) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) is placed on the placement portion (71) on the upper surface of the capsule holder (7) of the beverage preparation device (6), with the lid member (3) facing downward. In this state, the capsule container (8) descends relative to the capsule holder (7), and the sealing portion (82) of the capsule container (8) is pressed against the sealing material (4) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1), sealing the capsule storage space (81) of the capsule container (8). Next, the water supply member (9) descends relative to the capsule container (8), piercing the bottom wall (22) of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) and supplying high-temperature, high-pressure water into the beverage ingredient capsule (1), thereby extracting the beverage. Then, the internal pressure of the beverage ingredient capsule (1) increases, causing the lid member (3) to deform downward, and when the internal pressure reaches a certain level, the rupture portion (72) of the capsule holder (7) breaks the lid member (3), causing the beverage to flow out and enter a cup or the like (not shown) through the beverage passage (73), thus producing the beverage.

[0052] Examples of the present invention will be described below together with comparative examples. [Example 1] A container (2) having a peripheral wall (21), a bottom wall (22), and an outward flange portion (24) integrally formed around the periphery of an opening (23) formed at one end of the peripheral wall (21) was produced by drawing a laminated material comprising a 120 μm thick metal layer (51) made of aluminum foil of A8021H-O material specified in JIS H4160:1994, a 3 μm thick protective layer (52) made of epoxy resin laminated on one side of the metal layer (51), and a 6 μm thick heat seal layer (53) made of vinyl chloride acetate laminated on the other side of the metal layer (51). Also, a sheet material consisting of a 25 μm thick metal layer made of aluminum foil of A8021H-O material specified in JIS H4160:1994, a 3 μm thick protective layer made of epoxy resin laminated on one side of the metal layer, and a 6 μm thick heat seal layer made of vinyl chloride acetate laminated on the other side of the metal layer was punched out into a predetermined shape to produce a lid material (3).

[0053] Furthermore, the basis weight is 350 g / m ２ A laminate for the sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 2.0 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with polyethylene terephthalate to form a polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 20 μm. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a paper layer (41) having a thickness of 460 μm and a sealing layer (42) having a thickness of 20 μm.

[0054] Next, after placing green tea leaves in the container (2), the outer edge of the lid member (3) was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. After that, an acrylic adhesive was applied to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side to a thickness of 160 μm, and the adhesive was used to adhere the surface of the paper layer (41) side of the sealing material (4). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 2] Basis weight 350 g / m ２A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.0 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with polypropylene to form a 20 μm thick polypropylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with polypropylene to form a 20 μm thick polypropylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43).Then, the laminate was punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0055] Next, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid (3) was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. An acrylic adhesive was then applied to the top surface of the flange (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side to a thickness of 160 μm, and the adhesive was used to adhere the surface of the paper layer (41) of the sealing material (4). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 3] Basis weight 350 g / m ２ A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.5 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0056] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealing material (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 4] Basis weight 350 g / m ２ A laminate for the sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 2.5 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with nylon to form a 20 μm thick nylon film that would serve as the sealing layer (42).Then, the laminate was punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm thick paper layer (41) and a 20 μm thick sealing layer (42).

[0057] Next, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid (3) was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. The paper layer (41) side of the sealant (4) was then adhered to the top surface of the bottom wall (22) side of the flange (4) of the container (2) using double-sided adhesive tape. In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 5] Basis weight 350 g / m ２ A laminate for the sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 2.0 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with polybutylene terephthalate to form a 20 μm thick polybutylene terephthalate film that would serve as the sealing layer (42).Then, the laminate was punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm thick paper layer (41) and a 20 μm thick sealing layer (42).

[0058] Next, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid (3) was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. The paper layer (41) side of the sealant (4) was then adhered to the top surface of the bottom wall (22) side of the flange (4) of the container (2) using double-sided adhesive tape. In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 6] Basis weight 350 g / m ２ A laminate for the sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.5 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as the sealing layer (42).Then, the laminate was punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm-thick paper layer (41) and a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42).

[0059] Then, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. Then, a sealant (4) was placed on the top surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side, with the paper layer (41) facing the flange portion (4). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 7] Basis weight 350 g / m ２A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.5 mm and a thickness of 460 μm, as measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43). The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 460 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0060] Then, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. Then, a sealing material (4) was placed on the top surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side, with the thermoplastic resin layer (43) facing the flange portion (4). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 8] Basis weight: 85 g / m ２ A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 1.5 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 100 μm with low-density polyethylene to form a 40 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 40 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 100 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 40 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 40 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0061] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealing material (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 9] ２ A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 2.5 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 200 μm, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 200 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0062] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealing material (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 10] Basis weight 250 g / m ２A laminate for the sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 4.0 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 300 μm, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as the sealing layer (42).Then, the laminate was punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 300 μm-thick paper layer (41) and a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42).

[0063] Then, green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. Then, a sealant (4) was placed on the top surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side, with the paper layer (41) facing the flange portion (4). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 11] Basis weight 150 g / m ２ A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 2.0 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 170 μm, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 170 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0064] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealing material (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 12] ２ A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.0 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 450 μm, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 450 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0065] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealing material (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Example 13] ２A laminate for a sealing material (4) was produced by extrusion coating one side of paper having a number average fiber length of 3.0 mm, measured by the "Sieving Test Method for Paper Pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009, and a thickness of 600 μm, with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a sealing layer (42), and extrusion coating the other side of the paper with low-density polyethylene to form a 20 μm-thick low-density polyethylene film that would serve as a thermoplastic resin layer (43) for heat sealing. The laminate was then punched into a ring using a Thomson blade to produce a ring-shaped sealing material (4) consisting of a 600 μm-thick paper layer (41), a 20 μm-thick sealing layer (42), and a 20 μm-thick thermoplastic resin layer (43).

[0066] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves, and at the same time, a sealant (4) was heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) on the bottom wall (22) side using a thermoplastic resin layer (43). In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Comparative Example 1] A ring-shaped sealant was produced using a polypropylene film with a thickness of 300 μm.

[0067] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. After that, an acrylic adhesive was applied to one side of the sealing material (4) to a thickness of 160 μm, and the sealing material (4) was adhered to the upper surface of the bottom wall (22) side of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1 using this adhesive. In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Comparative Example 2] Basis weight: 700 g / m ２ A ring-shaped sealing material was produced using paper having a number average fiber length of 2.0 mm and a thickness of 1.0 mm, as measured by the "Sieving test method for paper pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009.

[0068] Then, after placing green tea leaves in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. After that, an acrylic adhesive was applied to one side of the sealing material (4) to a thickness of 160 μm, and the sealing material (4) was adhered to the upper surface of the bottom wall (22) side of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1 using this adhesive. In this way, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Comparative Example 3] Basis weight 350 g / m ２ A ring-shaped sealing material was produced using paper having a number average fiber length of 2.0 mm and a thickness of 0.5 mm, as measured by the "Sieving test method for papermaking pulp" specified in JIS P8207:2009.

[0069] After placing green tea leaves in the container (2), the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. An acrylic adhesive was then applied to one side of the sealing material (4) to a thickness of 160 μm, and the sealing material (4) was adhered to the upper surface of the bottom wall (22) of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1 using the adhesive. In this manner, a beverage ingredient capsule (1) was produced. [Comparative Example 4] After placing green tea leaves in the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. A hot-melt resin made of ethylene vinyl acetate resin was then applied to the entire upper surface of the bottom wall (22) of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1 to form a sealing material. Comparative Example 5 A ring-shaped sealing material was produced using a polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 300 μm.

[0070] Green tea leaves were placed in a container (2) similar to that used in Example 1, and the outer edge of the lid material was heat-sealed to the surface of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) opposite the bottom wall (22) to enclose the tea leaves. An acrylic adhesive was then applied to one side of the sealing material (4) to a thickness of 160 μm, and the sealing material (4) was adhered to the upper surface of the bottom wall (22) side of the flange portion (4) of the container (2) similar to that used in Example 1 using this adhesive. In this way, beverage ingredient capsules (1) were produced. [Evaluation Test] Five beverage ingredient capsules (1) each from Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 were used to extract green tea using a beverage production device.

[0071] As a result, green tea was extracted using the beverage ingredient capsules (1) of Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4, but water leakage occurred in the beverage ingredient capsules (1) of Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 5, and green tea could not be extracted normally.

[0072] Next, a second extraction of green tea was carried out without removing the beverage ingredient capsules (1) of Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4 from the beverage production apparatus.

[0073] As a result, green tea was extracted using the beverage ingredient capsules (1) of Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Example 4, but water leakage occurred in the beverage ingredient capsule (1) of Comparative Example 3, and green tea could not be extracted normally.

[0074] When the beverage ingredient capsule (1) was removed from the beverage production device after the second beverage extraction, the beverage ingredient capsules (1) of Examples 1 to 13 had no dirt attached to the sealed portion of the capsule (1) containing member of the beverage production device, but the beverage ingredient capsule (1) of Comparative Example 4 had dirt attached to the sealed portion of the capsule (1) containing member of the beverage production device.

[0075] The results of the evaluation tests are summarized in Table 1.

[0076]

[0077] In Table 1, a circle in the "condition after beverage production" column indicates that, for Examples 1 to 13, beverages were extracted normally without bleeding or water leakage onto the outer surface of the paper layer in all five beverage ingredient capsules, and for Comparative Example 3, beverages were extracted without bleeding or water leakage onto the outer surface of the paper in all five beverage ingredient capsules. A triangle indicates that beverages were extracted normally in one or two of the five beverage ingredient capsules, but bleeding onto the outer surface of the paper layer occurred. Furthermore, an "x" indicates that water leakage occurred, and green tea was not extracted normally. In Table 1, a double circle in the "overall evaluation" column indicates that, for all five beverage ingredient capsules, the condition after the first and second beverage productions was circle, and no staining occurred after the second production. Similarly, a circle indicates that, for all five beverage ingredient capsules, the condition after the first beverage production was circle, the condition after the second beverage production was triangle, and no staining occurred after the second production. Similarly, an "x" indicates that, for all five beverage ingredient capsules, the condition after the first beverage production was circle, the condition after the second beverage production was triangle, and no staining occurred after the second production.

[0078] As is clear from the above results, the sealing material (4) of Examples 1 to 5, which has a paper layer (41) and a sealing layer (42) made of a thermoplastic resin covering one side of the paper layer (41), ensures heat resistance and water resistance when the same beverage ingredient capsule is used more than once, making it possible to suppress water leakage, and also to prevent contamination of the beverage production device when used more than once.

[0079] (1): beverage ingredient capsule, (2): container, (21): peripheral wall, (22): bottom wall, (23): opening, (24): flange portion, (3): lid material, (4): sealing material, (41): paper layer, (42): sealing layer, (43): thermoplastic resin layer.

Claims

1. A beverage ingredient capsule comprising a cup-shaped container having a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, an outward flange around the periphery of the opening, containing beverage ingredients, and a lid having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the flange so as to cover the opening of the container, the beverage ingredient capsule comprising an annular seal placed on the surface of the flange facing the bottom wall, the seal having a paper layer and a sealing layer made of a thermoplastic resin and covering the surface of the paper layer opposite the surface facing the flange.

2. The basis weight of the paper forming the paper layer is 85 to 500 g / m ２ The beverage ingredient capsule sealing material according to claim 1, 3. The sealing material for beverage ingredient capsules according to claim 1, wherein the number average fiber length of the paper forming the paper layer is 1.5 to 4.0 mm.

4. The beverage ingredient capsule sealer of claim 1, wherein said sealing layer comprises a thermoplastic resin film selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters and polyamides.

5. The beverage ingredient capsule sealer according to claim 4, wherein the sealing layer is formed by extrusion laminating the film onto the surface of the paper layer.

6. The beverage ingredient capsule sealant according to claim 1, wherein the sealing layer has a melting point of 100°C or higher.

7. The beverage ingredient capsule sealer according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the paper layer is 150 to 650 μm, and the thickness of the sealing layer is 10 to 40 μm.

8. The beverage ingredient capsule sealer according to claim 1, wherein a thermoplastic resin layer is formed on the surface of the paper layer opposite to the surface on which the sealing layer is formed.

9. A beverage ingredient capsule comprising a container having a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, an outward flange portion provided around the periphery of the opening, containing beverage ingredients, and a lid material having an outer peripheral edge fixed to the flange portion so as to cover the opening of the container, wherein the peripheral wall, bottom wall and flange portion of the container are integrally formed from a laminated material in which a protective layer, a barrier layer and a heat seal layer are laminated in that order, with the protective layer being positioned on the outer surfaces of the peripheral wall and bottom wall and on the surface of the flange portion facing the bottom wall, and wherein a sealing material according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is arranged on the surface of the flange portion of the container facing the protective layer so as to cover the entire surface of the flange portion.

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