Technical field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to the field of the preparation of hot beverages in form of infusion - such as for example coffee, tea, herbal teas and the like - starting from a capsule, the latter in particular of single-dose and single-use type, which is introduced in a dispensing machine.

Brief overview of the state of art and advantages thereof

Several models of machine for the extemporary preparation of hot beverages in form of infusion, for example coffee, tea, herbal teas and the like, starting from a capsule, are known and widely used. The machines at issue are placed in work environments, in public places and even in the domestic environment.

The used - generally single-use and single-dose - capsules typically have a main body in form of cup, in particular truncated-conical body, often re-closed at an upper base thereof by a gas-tight film. Within the main body the capsule receives, that is it is pre-packed with, a preparation, typically in granular form. The final beverage is obtained by means of a process of so-called“extraction”, which consists in making the capsule to be crossed by a liquid at high temperature, typically water. The liquid, downstream of such“infusion” through the product contained in the capsule, implements the beverage which is dispensed to the consumer.

During the infusion cycle, in order to allow the extraction step, the capsule is housed in an infusion chamber of the dispensing machine and perforated, generally at the bottom of its own main body, with special perforators of the machine itself. The so-obtained holes allow the passage of a liquid flow longitudinally through the capsule. Depending upon the type of dispending machine, the liquid can proceed from the bottom of the cup-shaped body towards the top or in the opposite direction.

Each dispensing machine uses its own specific operating head and/or a dedicated infusion chamber and, consequently, it works only with a particular type of single-dose capsule, typically characterized by a particular shape of the main body.

Even to amortize the costs associated to types of different moulds and to the used plastic or compostable materials, a productive tendency would be that of reducing the overall thicknesses of the main body of the capsule. However, this need is to be related with the need to guarantee an adequate pressure tightness during the infusion cycle and to avoid possible deformations of the capsule in the transportation and storage steps.

Moreover, the inventors have noted that it is of fundamental importance to guarantee a stable housing of the capsule within the infusion chamber, in order to avoid its possible deformations or even uncontrolled tears during the different steps of the operating cycle, from the insertion of the capsule in the chamber itself and up to the real infusion process. Said uncontrolled deformations, in fact, can worsen the infusion conditions, since they make less controllable the conditions of inflow and/or outflow of the liquid and the pressure regime inside the capsule and, consequently, they can jeopardize the aroma, the taste and the organoleptic properties in general of the final dispensed beverage.

Summary of the invention

The technical need detected and solved based upon the present invention is then to provide a capsule, in particular single-dose and/or single-use capsule, to be used in machines dispensing beverages in form of infusion or syrup allowing to obviate one or more drawbacks mentioned with reference to the known art, with increased use utility and effectiveness with respect to the known capsules. Said technical need is solved by a capsule according to claim 1 and by a capsule in combination with a dispensing machine according to claim 20.

Preferred features of the present invention are set forth in the depending claims. The capsule according to the invention has a substantially cup-like shape, defined by a main body formed by a side skirt and by a bottom wall, or base. The side skirt is defined by a plurality of areas or portions with revolution geometry, one or more thereof having a tapering towards the bottom wall. Advantageously, at the transition area or portion between side skirt and bottom wall a localized thickening of the wall of the main body is provided. The described configuration allows the capsule to fit to the internal shape of the infusion chamber during an extraction process, by avoiding the presence of gaps, empty spaces or asymmetries which can favour a deformation of the capsule itself. Consequently, the performance of coffee dispensing both in terms of taste and quality result to be optimum.

Advantageously, the capsule according to the invention can have, at its own bottom and in particular the internal face thereof faced towards the packaged product, one or more reinforcement areas, in particular one or more areas with increased thickness or one or more raised areas. In other words, the bottom of the capsule has portions with differentiated thickness, or level, and in particular alternating portions with larger thickness and smaller thickness or alternating raised and lowered areas which can, or cannot, share the same lower or bottom surface. The area(s) with smaller thickness are intended to be perforated by means of one or more perforators of the machine dispensing beverages. Still otherwise said, on the capsule bottom, thickening areas are obtained alternated by perforation areas with thin thickness.

The proposed capsule structure then can provide one or more ribs or reinforcements in combination with the thickening of the transition portion between side skirt and bottom.

Based upon a maximally preferred configuration, the hole is obtained in an area of smaller thickness, or lowered area, having at least an adjacent portion with increased thickness, or raised portion. More preferably, the area with smaller thickness, or lowered area, is obtained between two areas, in particular concentric thereto, with increased thickness or raised areas. In this way, the area(s) with increased thickness prevent the formation or propagation of cracks or widenings which have formed at the edges of the hole.

In other words, the advantage brought by the thicker or raised areas is to not allow the material to form cracks and to produce crevices in the perforation point known as "partridge eyes ".

Advantageously, the perforation and reinforcement area(s) have circumferential development. In particular, they are implemented in form or concentric circular crowns arranged alternated radially. The capsule structure of the invention results to be particularly suitable and advantageous in case the main body of the capsule itself is made of recyclable, in particular compostable, material. This type of material, in fact, is known to be more fragile than others.

Moreover, the capsule is particularly suitable and advantageous in case of implementation in injection or co-injection, for example with a capsule structure and/or packaging method as set forth by the Italian Patent Nr. 102014902270816 and published International Application (PCT) Nr. WO 2017/103952.

The possibility of using a plastic injection process allows implementing the above-mentioned transition area with locally increased thickness in an extremely effective and efficient way, and, if required, differentiated depending upon the capsule type.

The capsule of the invention can be configured to contain both products in granular form, that is particle with any size or shape, and products in form of concentrated liquid, like syrup. Other advantages, features and use modes of the present invention will result evident from the following detailed description of some embodiments, shown by way of example and not for limiting purposes.

Brief description of figures

The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to, wherein:

^■ Figures 1 and 1 A relate to a preferred embodiment of a capsule according to the present invention, by showing, a side view and a view in longitudinal section thereof performed according to line A-A of Figure 1 , respectively; ■ Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section view of the capsule of Figure 1 , received in a dispensing machine during an infusion cycle. The thicknesses and curves shown in the above-illustrated figures are to be meant by way of example and not necessarily in proportion. For greater clarity of representation, no upper closing element, for example in form of a pellicle film, has been shown for the capsule.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

By firstly referring to Figures 1 and 1 A, a capsule according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is designated as a whole with 100.

The capsule 100 is of single-dose and single-use type and it is meant, in the present example, for use in a machine for dispensing beverages in form of infusion or mix.

The capsule 100 comprises a shaped main body 1 10 and substantially shaped like a cup. In particular, the main body 1 10 has a geometry substantially like a solid of revolution, with a longitudinal development axis L, which in the present case is also an axis of symmetry.

Advantageously, the main body 1 10 is mainly defined by a side skirt 101 , which develops according to the axis L, and by a bottom wall, or base, 102, arranged transversally and developing according to a plane substantially orthogonal to the axis L. The side skirt 101 has a shape generally tapered towards the bottom wall 102.

More particularly, the side skirt 101 comprises a plurality of portions, each one with cylindrical or truncated conical geometry, arranged in sequence according to the axis L and advantageously integral with one another.

In particular, on the side longitudinally opposite to the bottom wall 102 the side skirt 101 provides a first widened upper portion 121 , with substantially cylindrical or tapered geometry, in the latter case in particular truncated conical with minimum coning.

The widened portion 121 ends, at its own open upper longitudinal end, with a radial flange 1 15 with circumferential geometry and prevailing extension according to a plane orthogonal to the axis of symmetry L.

The side skirt 101 then has a second tapered portion 122, in particular a substantially truncated conical portion with coning defined by an angle a with respect to the longitudinal axis L, that is, in the present case, with respect to the vertical. The portions 121 and 122 are integral with one another and constrained at, that is with interposition of, a transition portion 131 defining substantially a step with jointed profile.

The side skirt 101 then has a third tapered portion 123, in particular a substantially truncated conical portion with coning defined by an angle b with respect to the longitudinal axis L, that is, in the present case, with respect to the vertical. Advantageously, b < a, that is, in more general terms, the third portion 123 has a tapering lower than or equal to that of the second portion 122.

The portions 122 and 123 are integral with one another and, in the present example, directly constrained, by defining therebetween, outside the capsule 100, an obtuse convex angle m. Preferably, m is equal to about 175 or 176 degrees, advantageously comprised in a range of 170-180 degrees.

The side skirt 101 then has a fourth portion 124 directly connected to the third portion 123 by means of a second transition portion 132 and, on the opposite side, to the bottom wall 102 by means of an additional transition portion or connection 133.

The second connecting portion 132 in turn is tapered, by defining an undercut to connect the minimum lower cross section of the third portion 123 with the maximum upper cross section of the fourth portion 124, the latter having smaller diameter, or however size, than the minimum lower cross section of the third portion 123.

The fourth portion 124 is advantageously tapered with coning defined by an angle g, wherein, in the present example, b < g. Advantageously, a = g.

In embodiment variants, the fourth portion 124 can have, wholly or partially, a substantially cylindrical profile or however with constant internal or external cross section along its own longitudinal extension.

Based upon an embodiment example, a is comprised in a range of 6-10 degrees, preferably in a range of 8-9 degrees.

Based upon an embodiment example, b is comprised in a range of 2-6 degrees and preferably equal to 4 degrees.

Based upon an embodiment example, g is comprised in a range of 6-10 degrees, preferably in a range of 8-9 degrees. At the connection portion 133 a thickening of the wall of the side skirt 101 is provided with respect to the other portions, by defining a reinforced area 150. Advantageously, such thickening indeed relates to the connection, or transition, portion between the side skirt 101 and the bottom wall 102. It extends peripherally at the whole bottom wall 102 and/or lower section of the fourth portion 124.

Said thicknesses are meant to be measured orthogonally to the longitudinal development of the involved wall portions of the side skirt 101. In case of the connection portion 133, this can be measured radially, that is in direction orthogonal to the tangent to one or both internal and external faces which define locally the side skirt 101 and the bottom portion 102.

In the present example, the third tapered portion 123 has greater longitudinal extension h than the remaining ones, followed by the second portion 122 with extension I ₂ , by the first portion 121 with extension h and by the fourth portion 124 with extension U.

Based upon an embodiment example, h is comprised in a range of 2.00-4.00 mm, preferably equal to about 3.08 mm.

Based upon an embodiment example, I ₂ is comprised in a range of 3.00-5.00 mm and preferably equal to about 4.25 mm.

Based upon an embodiment example, I ₃ is comprised in a range of 5.00-7.00 mm and preferably equal to about 6.22 mm.

Based upon an embodiment example, I ₂ is comprised in a range of 2.00-4.00 mm and preferably equal to about 3.19 mm.

The main body 1 10 then defines an internal compartment 130 for receiving a preparation or concentrated product in granular or liquid form, for example coffee in powder or syrup, not shown in figures for greater clarity of representation of the capsule. The compartment is defined laterally by the skirt 101 and it is closed on the lower side by the bottom wall 102.

The compartment 130 is accessible during packing, for inserting a pre- established amount of product, at an upper opening defined peripherally by the flange 1 15. Along the flange 1 15 it is possible to apply a pellicle, or a different thin closing element, in particular in form of a film. Preferably, such closing element is gas- tight and suitable to seal in the capsule 100 the above-mentioned concentrated product.

According to the present embodiment, at the bottom wall 102 the capsule has a plurality of perforation areas, each one designated generically with 103, in particular two areas 103A and 103B in the represented example. Each perforation area 103 is arranged alternated to a reinforcement area 104 of a corresponding plurality. In the represented example two reinforcement areas 104A and 104B are provided, arranged respectively outside the perforation areas 103A and between the two areas 103A and 103B. The reinforcement areas 104 have increased thickness with respect to the perforation areas 103, then defining ribs, thickening or raised portions of the bottom wall 102.

Advantageously, the present embodiment variant provides that each one of said areas 103 and 104 is in form of a complete circular crown. In particular, such circular crowns are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis L. The radial space external to the two perforation areas 103 and the one interposed therebetween is occupied by the adjacent reinforcement area 104.

Figure 2 shows the capsule 100 during an infusion cycle, in particular received in an infusion chamber 500 of a machine for preparing beverages. It is appreciated that the external shaping of the capsule 100 - and in particular the different portions or areas constituting the main body 1 10 - allow to follow the internal profile of the walls of the infusion chamber 500, substantially without asymmetries, gaps and/or empty spaces between the chamber 500 and the capsule 100. The reinforced area with larger thickness 150 allows a complete filling-in of the infusion chamber 500 even at a base thereof.

As exemplified in Figure 2, in use the capsule 100 is perforated by several perforating elements 201 , each one thereof implements indeed a hole at a respective perforation area 103.

The described configuration makes that the reinforcement areas prevent fissures or cracks from propagating, which branch off from a hole made on the adjacent perforation area. The main body of the capsule can be made of compostable material.

Advantageously, the main body can be obtained by means of an injection or co injection process, allowing to shape effectively and simply the body itself in the wished shape.

In embodiment variants, the main body can be of multi-layered type and, for example, can comprise an internal layer and an external layer made of a structural material, come for example polypropylene, and an intermediate layer made of a barrier material apt to prevent the oxygen from passing from the external environment to the internal compartment. Materials with barrier function suitable to the use are for example copolymers of ethylene vinyl alcohol known with the acronym EVOH.

The main body, if made of multi-layered material, can be obtained with processes of co-injection of the structural material and of the material with barrier function, which use injection nozzles with coaxial channels, as for example the one described in the European parent EP 1426160 B1. In such processes, the barrier material is injected through a central channel of the nozzle, whereas the structural one, whereas the structural one is injected through a channel coaxial thereto, so that the flow results to be constituted by a “core” of barrier material surrounded by a“skin” of structural material.

The use of a multi-layered material as described above, obtained by co-injection of a structural material and of a barrier material, allows to make a capsule intrinsically protected against the entrance of oxygen without requiring to have recourse to special and expensive packages dedicated to the purpose.

In general terms, the capsule structure and/or packaging method can be obtained in accordance with the Italian Patent Nr. 102014902270816 and corresponding International Application Nr. WO 2017/103952, herein incorporated by this reference.

Embodiment variants can provide a thermoforming implementation of the main body 1 10. The present invention has been sofar described with reference to preferred embodiments. It is to be meant that other embodiments belonging to the same inventive core may exist, as defined by the protection scope of the herebelow reported claims.