Cartridge for preparing a liquid product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787310-B2
Application number	US-201113992803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2011
Priority date	Dec 10, 2010
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

A cartridge ( 10 ) containing a dose ( 12 ) of at least one substance, such as powdered coffee, for preparing a liquid product by means of liquid and/or steam introduced at a given temperature into the cartridge ( 10 ) comprises a casing ( 14 ) containing the aforesaid dose ( 12 ) with a side wall ( 140 ) and a bottom wall ( 142 ) through which the liquid product flows out from the cartridge ( 10 ). The aforesaid bottom wall ( 142 ) has a layered structure with: at least one layer ( 1420 ) made of a first compostable material designed to undergo softening and/or melting at a temperature ranging between 70° C. and 120° C.; and—at least one layer ( 1422 ) made of a second compostable material that does not undergo appreciable softening and/or melting at said temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cartridge with a filling of at least one substance for preparing a liquid product by means of liquid and/or steam introduced at a given temperature into the cartridge, said cartridge including a casing containing said filling with a side wall and a bottom wall for said liquid product to flow from the cartridge, wherein said bottom wall has a layered structure with:
at least one layer of a first compostable material softenable and/or meltable at a temperature between 70° C. and 120° C., selected from the group consisting of: polymers derived from biomasses, synthetic polymers, polymers produced by micro-organisms or genetically modified bacteria, polymers from fossil monomers, mixtures of said polymers with or without additives and
at least one layer of a second compostable material exempt from appreciable softening and/or melting at said temperature selected from the group consisting of: paper, paperboard, cellophane, cellulose acetate,

wherein said at least one layer of a first compostable material and said at least one layer of a second compostable material are coupled to form a composite material, and wherein
the at least one layer of said first compostable material enables, during bottom wall perforation, fluid-tightness around orifices provided by needles or tips, designed to perform the perforation, thus preventing the undesirable dispersion of the liquid product that is being prepared,
the at least one layer of the second compostable material ensures preservation of the bottom wall structure,
so that said layered structure of the bottom wall prevents undesirable rupture and/or undesirable obstruction of the outflow of the liquid product that is being prepared,
wherein said bottom wall includes a sandwich structure wherein two layers of said first compostable material includes a sandwich structure wherein at least one layer of said second compostable material is between the two layers of said first compostable material.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said first compostable material has an elongation at break at least 20% higher than said second compostable material.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , including a layer of said first compostable material arranged on the exterior of the cartridge with respect to a layer of said second compostable material.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said bottom wall is connected to said side wall by said at least one layer of said first compostable material being one-piece with said side wall.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said bottom wall is connected to said side wall by heat sealing, ultrasound sealing, co-moulding or gluing.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said cartridge casing integrally comprises compostable material.

7. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the casing of the cartridge is closed, at the end opposed to said bottom wall, by a sealing foil of a compostable material.

8. The cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said sealing foil includes a compostable material selected from the group consisting of: polymers derived from biomasses; synthetic polymers; polymers produced by micro-organisms or genetically modified bacteria; polymers from fossil monomers; mixtures of said polymers with or without additives.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said bottom wall:
is puncturable to permit flow of said liquid product from the cartridge; or
has an apertured structure adapted to be traversed by said liquid product flowing out of the cartridge.

Assignees

• Vanni Alfredo
• Cabilli Alberto
• Mandelli Marco
• Lavazza Luigi Spa

Inventors

• Vanni Alfredo
• Cabilli Alberto
• Mandelli Marco

Classifications

• B65D85/8046 Primary

  Pods, i.e. closed containers made only of filter paper or similar material · CPC title

• A47J31/3676 Primary

  Cartridges being employed · CPC title

• B65D65/466

  Bio- or photodegradable packaging materials · CPC title

• Y02W90/10

  Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics · CPC title

• B65D85/8043 Primary

  Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents (B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06) · CPC title