Capsules, apparatus and methods for preparing a beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687107-B2
Application number	US-201214128096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2012
Priority date	Jun 24, 2011
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule. Also provided are a beverage preparation apparatus and system comprising the clamp assembly, and a method of preparing a beverage from the apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, the beverage capsule comprising:
a body having side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient;
and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with said chamber for escape of beverage from said chamber; and wherein the body is formed from front and back sheets of the substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials, at least one of which is of flexible film material, said front and back sheets being bonded together in face-to-face relation along a top edge and opposed side edges, further comprising a bond between said front and back sheets and extending across said capsule between said opposed side edges below said top edge, said bond having a gap defining said outlet channel;
a filter element;
wherein the beverage capsule is configured so that, prior to injection of water into the beverage preparation capsule, at least a region of the filter element is located in said outlet channel;
and
wherein a first mean cross-sectional area of the outlet channel is about 10% or less of a second mean cross-sectional area of the chamber containing the beverage preparation ingredient.

2. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element is in the form of a plug of filtration material located in said outlet channel.

3. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element is in the form of two or more stacked layers of filtration sheet.

4. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 3 , wherein said two or more stacked layers are formed from a single filter sheet having first and second edges bonded to opposite side walls of said body, respectively, said sheet being V-folded or W-folded between said side walls to form said stacked layers in said outlet channel.

5. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element projects from the outlet channel into the chamber containing the beverage preparation ingredient.

6. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein said capsule further comprises an outlet chamber in fluid communication with a downstream end of said outlet channel, said outlet chamber having one or more outlets.

7. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 6 , wherein said outlet chamber is a conditioning chamber having a bifurcated shape and two outlets located on opposite sides of the capsule.

8. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 6 , wherein said outlets are sealed by a heat-releasable adhesive prior to use of the capsule.

9. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , further comprising an inlet nozzle in fluid communication with said chamber.

10. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheet of filter material having first and second opposed edges bonded to inside surfaces of said front and back sheets, respectively, said sheet of filter material having a V-fold line located below said opposed edges in or below said outlet channel, whereby said folded filter sheet forms said filter element in said outlet channel.

11. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 10 , further comprising an outlet chamber in fluid communication with a downstream end of said outlet channel, said outlet chamber having one or more outlets for escape of beverage from the capsule, wherein said outlet chamber and outlet(s) are formed integrally with said body and said outlet channel by bonding of said front and back sheets below said outlet channel.

12. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 11 , wherein said outlet channel and outlet chamber are located in an axially central region of said capsule, and said outlet chamber has a width of from about 20% to about 70% of the width of the beverage ingredient chamber.

13. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein said outlet channel has a width of from about 5 mm to about 25 mm.

14. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 10 , wherein said outlet channel has a width of from about 5 mm to about 25 mm.

15. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 10 , further comprising an outlet chamber formed as a conditioning chamber having a bifurcated shape and two outlets located on opposite sides of the capsule, wherein said outlet chamber and outlet(s) are formed integrally with said body and said outlet channel by bonding of said front and back sheets below said outlet channel.

16. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 14 , wherein the width of the outlet channel is from about 8 mm to about 15 mm.

17. The beverage preparation capsule according to claim 1 , wherein said outlet channel has a width of from about 8 mm to about 15 mm.

18. A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, the beverage capsule comprising:
a body having side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient;
and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with said chamber for escape of beverage from said chamber; wherein the body is formed from front and back sheets of the substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials, at least one of which is of flexible film material, said front and back sheets being bonded together in face-to-face relation along a top edge and opposed side edges, further comprising a bond between said front and back sheets and extending across said capsule between said opposed side edges below said top edge, said bond having a gap defining said outlet channel;
wherein the body has a first end and a second end;

an inlet nozzle in fluid communication with the chamber located at the first end of the body;
a filter element;
wherein the beverage capsule is configured so that, prior to injection of water into the beverage preparation capsule, at least a region of the filter element is located in said outlet channel; and
wherein the outlet channel is located opposite the inlet nozzle at the second end of the body.

Assignees

• Austin Peter
• Fletcher Paul
• Knowles David
• Hyde Sam
• Mars Inc

Inventors

• Austin Peter
• Fletcher Paul
• Knowles David
• Hyde Sam

Classifications

• B65D2575/583

  the non-integral spout having an elongate cross-sectional shape, e.g. canoe or boat shaped · CPC title

• B65D75/5883

  connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls · CPC title

• A47J31/407 Primary

  with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means · CPC title

• A47J31/3695

  Cartridge perforating means for creating the hot water inlet (cartridge perforating means of the filter holder for creating the beverage outlet A47J31/0673) · CPC title

• A47J31/14

  Coffee or tea-making apparatus with filters placed in or behind pouring spouts · CPC title