BEVERAGES

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to the preparation of infused beverages, such as coffee, tea, herbal teas and the like, starting from disposable capsules, and in particular to a disposable, single-dose or multi-dose capsule for machines for preparing infused beverages. Background

The disposable capsules used in machines for the dispensing of infused beverages contain a granular or particulate product such as e.g. coffee. It is known that a beverage is obtained through an "infusion" process that consists in making an infusion liquid to cross the capsule with the granular product. The infusion liquid, typically water, is supplied under pressure and at high temperature. The infusion liquid that exits the capsule enriched by the aroma of the granular product is the desired beverage, which is suitably channeled within a dispensing machine and served from a dispensing head e.g. into a cup.

Known disposable capsules comprise a cup-shaped, hollow body whose open top is provided with a flange on which a lid generally formed by a gas-impermeable film is applied. This film seals the cavity of the cup-shaped body so as to allow to preserve the granular or particulate product contained therein over time.

During the infusion process the capsule is fitted into an infusion chamber and subsequently perforated with special perforators both at the bottom of the cup-shaped body and at the top sealed by the gas-impermeable film. The holes thus obtained allow a flow of liquid to pass through the capsule from one of its ends to the opposite end. Depending on the type of dispensing machine, the liquid may proceed from the bottom of the cup-shaped body towards the top or in the opposite direction.

A typical technical problem of known capsules is to maximize infusion of the beverage, which particularly depends on the uniformity of the flow of infusion liquid through the cup-shaped body. The way a beverage is infused also has an influence on its aroma, and thus on the reproducibility of its organoleptic qualities.

This problem is particularly felt when dealing with in capsules which are opened under the effect of the pressure of the infusion liquid, wherein it is not possible to ensure the formation of uniform apertures at the desired positions. Apertures of a large size may in fact cause flow of the granular product together with a beverage, whereas apertures of a small size may impede the flow of the infusion liquid thus penalizing the beverage infusion process.

A solution to these technical problems is provided by the European patent EP 1344722 B2, which describes a disposable capsule comprising distribution elements for the infusion liquid and/or collection elements for of the infused beverage, these elements being provided with a plurality of axial holes and a plurality of protruding members, and being arranged at one or both ends of the capsule in the axial direction. The distribution and collection elements are respectively arranged between the film sealing the top of the capsule and the measured dose of granular product contained therein, as well as between the latter and the bottom of the cup-shaped body.

The distribution and collection elements for the infusion liquid prevent loss of coffee powder independently of the number and size of the holes formed on the top and on the bottom of the capsule by the machine that receives it. The distribution and collection elements also allow to channel both the infusion liquid and the infused beverage thanks to the presence of protruding members that define channel-like paths.

The distribution elements for the infusion liquid and the collection elements for the infused beverage allow to maximize infusion of a beverage and to solve the problems related to the size of the inlet and outlet apertures formed in a capsule for the infusion liquid. However, they are additional components that affect the total cost of a capsule from the point of view of manufacturing and assembly.

Moreover, in order to accommodate the distribution and collection elements the body of a disposable capsule must have suitable seats. This makes the design of a capsule body complex and has an impact on its manufacturing equipment, as well as on the assembly and packaging equipment of the finished capsules.

Summary of the invention The technical problem underlying and solved by the present invention is therefore to provide a disposable capsule for dispensing machines of infused beverages that allows to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to prior art.

This problem is solved by a disposable capsule according to claim 1 . Preferred features of the present invention are object of the dependent claims.

The capsule according to the invention is provided with an insert stretching out axially from its open top to its base or bottom. At the top end of the capsule the insert comprises a glass-shaped portion having a plurality of radial openings.

At the opposite end, i.e. at the base or bottom of the capsule, the insert comprises a disk-shaped portion whose peripheral edge rests on the bottom of the capsule. In the disk-shaped portion a plurality of through openings are formed in the axial direction. The disk-shaped portion is configured so as to define with the bottom of the capsule a cavity that serves as a collector for an infused beverage.

The glass-shaped portion and the disk-shaped portion are interconnected by a rod- shaped portion and forming a single body therewith.

During the infusion of the beverage, the infusion liquid is received in the glass- shaped portion, it flows out through its radial openings, thus homogeneously and uniformly reaching the granular product contained in the capsule that surrounds the rod- shaped portion of the insert.

The main advantage offered by the invention is to allow the manufacturing of a single component that serves both as a distributor element for the infusion liquid and as a collector element for the infused beverage. Such distributor-collector element may be fitted into the hollow body of a disposable capsule simply and quickly, because it only abuts the bottom of the capsule.

Compared to single-use capsules comprising a separate distribution element for the infusion liquid and collection element for the infused beverage, the provision of a single multipurpose insert also provides the advantage of simplifying the manufacturing and assembly equipment of the components of the capsule as a whole.

Consequently, the manufacturing and assembly times, as well as the overall costs of the capsule assembly are reduced.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the glass-shaped portion of the insert comprises a flange which, in an assembled configuration of the capsule, is aligned with the top of the capsule body. The flange is tightly fixed to a lid of the disposable capsule, so that the glass-shaped portion defines with the lid a chamber adapted to receive an infusion liquid through a perforator-injector member of a machine for dispensing infused beverages.

According to a variant of the invention, the flange of the glass-shaped portion of the insert is radially extended up to the peripheral wall of the capsule body, where it sealingly engages a circumferential groove formed therein. In this case a direct connection between the flange portion of the glass-shaped portion and the lid is not necessary, because the chamber intended to receive the infusion liquid is defined by the glass-shaped portion, the flange of the insert, the portion of the peripheral wall of the capsule body arranged between the flange and the lid and by the lid itself.

Both variants of the invention allow to collect the infusion liquid supplied by an injector member of a machine for the preparation of infused beverages in order to optimize distribution of the infusion liquid towards the granular product contained in a capsule.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the edges of the radial openings formed in the glass-shaped portion of the insert may advantageously be tapered, thus allowing to create directional effects of the respective streams of infusion liquid towards the granular product.

Further advantages, features and implementation modes of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, which are disclosed as non-limiting examples. Brief description of the drawings

Reference will be made to the figures of the attached drawings, wherein:

figure 1 shows a longitudinal, sectional view of a capsule according to the invention;

figure 1 a shows a detail of figure 1 ;

- figure 2 is a perspective view showing an insert of the capsule of figure 1 ;

figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a capsule according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

figure 4 is an exploded view showing the components of the capsule of figure 3; figures 5 and 6 are exploded, perspective views showing and insert of the capsule of figure 3 as a whole and partially cut away, respectively;

- figures 7 and 8 are perspective views showing a collector portion of the capsule of figure 3 as a whole and partially cut away, respectively.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Referring to figures 1 and 2, a disposable capsule according to the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 100.

The capsule 100 comprises a hollow, cup-shaped body 1 10 adapted to receive a measured dose of a product in granular or particulate form (not shown), for example coffee.

The hollow body 1 10 includes a base or bottom 1 1 1 , a peripheral wall 1 12 and an open top 1 13 along the peripheral edge of which a flange 1 14 is formed. The top 1 13 of the capsule is closed by a lid 120 sealed on the flange 1 14 of the hollow body 1 10, for example by a film made of a polylaminate material, which serves to seal the cavity of the body 1 10 so as to allow to store over time the granular or particulate product contained therein over time.

According to the invention, the capsule 100 further comprises an insert 200 housed in the cavity of the body 1 10.

The insert 200 stretches out axially from the base 1 1 1 to the top 1 13 of the body

1 10.

With particular reference to figure 2, the insert 200 comprises a glass-shaped portion 210 arranged close to or at the top 1 13, a disc-shaped portion 220 positioned close to or at the base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 and a rod-shaped portion 230 connecting the glass-shaped portion 210 to the disk-shaped portion 220.

As shown in figures l a and 2, the glass-shaped portion 210 comprises a plurality of radial through openings 21 1 formed in its peripheral wall and a flange 212 connected to its top edge. The disk-shaped portion 220 includes a plurality of through openings 221 formed in the axial direction. The diameter of the rod-shaped portion 230 may advantageously be differentiated according to the type of the capsule wherein the insert 200 is intended to be fitted, as well as to the type and the expected amount of granular product.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in figures 1 and 2, the insert 200 is configured such that the flange 212 of the glass-shaped portion 210 is aligned with the top 1 13 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100. Furthermore, in an assembled configuration of the capsule 100, the flange 212 is sealed to the lid 120, so that the glass-shaped portion 210 defines with the latter a chamber 213 adapted to receive an infusion liquid through a perforator-injector member of a machine for dispensing infused beverages (not shown).

Still with reference to figures 1 , 1 a and 2, the disk-shaped portion 220 may e.g. have a frusto-conical shape adapted to define with the substantially flat base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 a cavity 222 suitable to collect an infused beverage.

Alternatively, the disk-shaped portion may be flat and define the cavity 222 by way of spacers, for example ribs, fonned on the basis 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100.

During an infusion step of a beverage, the infusion liquid fills the chamber 213 and flows therefrom through the radial through openings 21 1 of the glass-shaped portion 210, thus reaching the granular product contained in the capsule 100, which is arranged about the rod-shaped portion 230 of the insert 200. The infusion liquid wets the granular product in a homogeneous and uniform way so as to allow the infusion of the beverage.

The through openings 21 1 may advantageously comprise one or more tapered portions of the respective peripheral edges, which allows to generate directional effects of the respective streams of infusion liquid towards the granular product contained in the body 1 10 of the capsule 100.

As shown for example in the detailed view of figure l a, each through opening 21 1 has the shape of a rectangle whose base side is tapered and has a surface inclined from the bottom of the glass-shaped portion 210 toward the top 1 13 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100. This configuration allows to direct the streams of infusion liquid flowing from the chamber 213 towards the top 1 13 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 so as to obtain an "rain-like" infusion effect of the granular product.

It will be appreciated that depending on the type of granular product and the recipe of preparation of an infused beverage, different configurations of the tapered portions of the through apertures 21 1 may be conceived, e.g. in order to generate turbulence within the body of the capsule and to obtain a mixing effect between the granular product and the infusion liquid, or in order to accelerate the flow of infusion liquid and generate a deeper penetration effect into the granular product.

The infused beverage extracted from the granular product is collected onto the bottom of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 in the cavity 222 defined between its base 1 1 1 and the disk-shaped portion 220 of the insert 200, and flows out from the base 1 1 1 through one or more openings e.g. formed by way of perforating elements upon introduction of the capsule into the infusion assembly of a machine for the preparation of infused beverages (not shown), or being integrally formed in the capsule body and suitably sealed by removable or pierceable barrier films.

On the surface of the disk-shaped portion 220 intended to face the base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 a filter element may advantageously be fixed (not shown), the filter element being adapted to prevent loss of granular product particles from the through openings 221. These particles might in fact come out from the capsule together with the infused beverage, thus penalizing its quality.

Now referring to figures 3 to 6, according to a variant of the invention the glass- shaped portion 210 of the distributor-collector insert 200 is radially extended up to the peripheral wall 1 12 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100, where its flange 212 sealingly engages a circumferential groove 1 15 formed therein.

In this case the chamber 213 intended to receive the infusion fluid is defined by the glass-shaped portion 210 and the flange 212 of the insert 200 together with the portion of the peripheral wall 1 12 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 comprised between the flange 212 and the lid 120.

As in the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, also in this embodiment of the invention the radial openings 21 1 of the cup-shaped portion may advantageously comprise one or more tapered portions of the respective peripheral edges, which allow to create directional effects of the respective flows of infusion liquid towards the granular product contained in the body 1 10 of the capsule 100.

Similarly to the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, the disk-shaped portion 220 has a frusto-conical shape which rests on the periphery of the base 1 1 1 , also having a frusto-conical shape, of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100, thus defining the cavity 222.

A barrier film 300, such as a multilayer comprising a layer of aluminum, may be arranged at the periphery of the base 1 1 1 so as to seal the inner cavity of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100 in order to preserve the granular product contained therein over time.

In order to allow delivery of an infused beverage from the capsule base it is therefore necessary to pierce the barrier film 300 and for this purpose the disk-shaped portion 220 comprises one or more sharpened members 223, e.g. having a pyramid shape, which protrude from its surface facing the base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100. The sharpened members 223 preferably stretch out up to the barrier film 300.

As shown in figures 3, 4 and 5, the rod-shaped element 230 of the insert 200 may be disassembled in an axial direction and comprises a first portion 231 associated with the glass-shaped portion 210 and a second portion 232 associated with the disk-shaped portion 220, the first and second portions being telescopically fitted into one another and having respective cylindrical matching shapes. The first and the second portions 231 , 232 of the rod-shaped element 230 may be respectively connected to the glass- shaped portion 210 and the disk-shaped portion 220, or, more advantageously, integrally formed therewith as in the illustrated embodiment.

This structure of the insert 200 allows to simplify filling of the capsule cavity with the granular product. In an assembled configuration of the capsule 100, in fact, the top opening 1 13 is closed by the glass-shaped portion 210.

The structure of the insert 200 also allows to use the infusion liquid as a thrust means to press the sharpened members 223 against the film 300 during an infusion step and to form therein a plurality of passages for the delivery of an infused beverage, as it will be described in detail hereinafter.

Still with reference to figures 3 to 5, the first portion 231 includes a through opening 231 a formed on the bottom, while the second portion 232 is provided with a base 232a formed by a wall arranged at an intermediate height between its free end and the disc-shaped portion 220.

In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the first portion 231 is telescopically fitted in the second portion 232. As shown, in an assembled configuration the first portion 231 abuts a shoulder 232b that is axially spaced from the base 232a of the second portion 232, which serves as a stop member for the first portion 231.

It will be appreciated that the second portion 232 may alternatively be telescopically fitted into the first portion 231 and that in this case, in an assembled configuration, the second portion 232 may abut a shoulder formed by one or more radial projections formed in the first portion 231. However the latter configuration is less preferred than the first configuration disclosed above, because it has a higher structural complexity.

During an infusion step the infusion liquid supplied under pressure into the capsule 100 is received into the glass-shaped portion 210 of the insert 200, then flows through the first portion 231 and reaches the base 232a of the second portion 232 thus exerting a pressure thereon. Urged by the pressure of the infusion liquid, the second portion 232 of the rod-shaped element 230 is thus telescopically displaced relative to the first portion 231 and moved axially towards the capsule base, whereby the disk-shaped portion 220 pressed by the second portion 232 is deformed toward the base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100, thus piercing the barrier film 300 by way of its sharpened members 223. The deformation of the disk-shaped portion 220 occurs in the elastic field thanks to its frusto-conical shape.

The infusion liquid simultaneously flows out from the glass-shaped portion 210 tlirough the radial openings 21 1 formed therein, thus obtaining a beverage from the granular product; the beverage is collected in the cavity 222 and flows out from the capsule 100 through the openings formed in the barrier film 300.

It will be appreciated that the provision of a rod-shaped portion 230 that may be disassembled in the axial direction and that is configured as disclosed above is not a peculiarity of the embodiment shown in figures from 3 to 6. This feature in fact may also be combined with the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, wherein the glass- shaped portion 210 of the insert 200 is sealed to the lid 120 of the capsule 100.

In the space between barrier film 300 and the bottom of the capsule 100 a collector element 400 is preferably arranged.

With particular reference to figures 7 and 8, the collector element 400 has a flat e.g. disk-shaped shape and comprises a plurality of protruding members 410 that face the barrier film 300 and serve as contrast elements for the sharpened members 223 of the disk-shaped portion 220 to limit its movement in the axial direction. The protruding members 410 also define at the same time with the barrier film 300 a plurality of collecting channels for the infused beverage.

The collector element 400 further comprises a plurality of through openings 41 1 formed in the axial direction for the drainage of the infused beverage flowing out from the capsule, and also an appendix 412 having a tubular hollow shape, which extends towards the base 1 1 1 of the cup-shaped body 1 10 and engages an outlet opening 1 16 which may be optionally sealed by a pierceable film or by a removable lid (not shown).

The through openings 41 1 and the appendix 412 allow to channel and guide the infused beverage out from the capsule 100.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the collector element 400 may be integrally formed in the base 1 1 1 of the body 1 10 of the capsule 100, for example by way of an injection molding process.

The present invention has hereto been disclosed with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It will be appreciated that there may be other embodiments relating to the same inventive idea, as defined by the scope of protection of the claims set out below.