Multicompartment capsules of a beverage forming apparatus and methods of making thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963291-B2
Application number	US-201615092353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A multicompartment capsule for use with a beverage forming apparatus includes a base and a sidewall extending upwardly from the base. The sidewall includes a rim extending outwardly from an upper end thereof. The rim surrounds an opening of the multicompartment capsule wherein an upper surface of the outwardly extending rim is sealed to a lower surface of a lid. At least one partition extends through an interior of the multicompartment capsule so as to form a first sealed compartment that is fluidly isolated from a second sealed compartment. The first sealed compartment includes a first beverage formulation and the second sealed compartment includes a second beverage formulation. The first beverage formulation is reactive with the second beverage formulation and the partition separates the first beverage formulation from the second beverage formulation to extend the shelf life of the multicompartment capsule.

First claim

We claim:

1. A multicompartment capsule for use with a beverage forming apparatus, comprising at least a first compartment and a second compartment formed of a single sheet of polymer material;
the first compartment formed from the single sheet of polymer material including a first compartment base and a first compartment sidewall extending upwardly from the first compartment base wherein the first compartment sidewall includes a first compartment rim extending outwardly from an upper end thereof which surrounds an opening of the first compartment;
the second compartment formed from the single sheet of polymer material including a second compartment base and a second compartment sidewall extending upwardly from the second compartment base wherein the second compartment sidewall includes a second compartment rim extending outwardly from an upper end thereof which surrounds an opening of the second compartment;
wherein a folded portion of the single sheet of polymer material extends between an edge of the first compartment rim and an edge of the second compartment rim, and an upper surface of the first compartment rim is sealed to a lower surface of the second compartment rim such that the second compartment base and a portion of the second compartment sidewall are located in an interior of the first compartment and the interior of the first compartment is fluidly isolated;
wherein a lower surface of a lid is sealed to an upper surface of the multicompartment capsule such that the opening of the second compartment is sealed and an interior of the second compartment is fluidly isolated.

2. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , further comprising a third compartment wherein the first, second, and third compartments are formed of the single sheet of polymer material, the third compartment including a third compartment base and a third compartment sidewall extending upwardly from the third compartment base wherein the third compartment sidewall includes a third compartment rim extending outwardly from an upper end thereof which surrounds an opening of the third compartment;
wherein a folded portion of the material extends between an edge of the second compartment rim and an edge of the third compartment rim, and an upper surface of the second compartment rim is sealed to a lower surface of the third compartment rim such that the third compartment base and a portion of the third compartment sidewall are located in an interior of the second compartment and the second compartment is fluidly isolated;
wherein the lower surface of the lid is sealed to an upper surface of the third compartment rim such that the opening of the third compartment is sealed.

3. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment includes a first liquid beverage formulation in the interior thereof and the second compartment includes a second liquid beverage formulation therein; and
(a) the first liquid beverage formulation is reactive with the second liquid beverage formulation; or
(b) the first liquid beverage formulation includes aroma compounds in ethanol and the second liquid beverage formulation includes taste and/or mouthfeel compounds in water.

4. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein
the lid is sealed to the upper surface of the second compartment rim with an adhesive.

5. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein
the single sheet of polymer material is formed of polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified (PETG), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, polyethylene teraphalate (PET), Polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC), Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), or Acrylonitrile-Methyl acrylate copolymer.

6. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid is ultrasonically welded to the upper surface of the second compartment rim.

7. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid is heat sealed to the upper surface of the second compartment rim.

8. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid is formed of polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified (PETG), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, polyethylene teraphalate (PET), Polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC), Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), or Acrylonitrile-Methyl acrylate copolymer.

9. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a multilayer construction formed of respective layers of PET/EVOH/PET, PET/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, or PET/PTFE/PET.

10. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a multilayer construction formed of respective layers of PET/EVOH/PET, PET/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, or PET/PTFE/PET and the multilayer construction of the lid includes a layer of metal foil.

11. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the lid is formed from the single sheet of polymer material.

12. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the single sheet of polymer material has a multilayer construction formed of respective layers of PET/EVOH/PET, PET/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, PP/PVDC/PET, or PET/PTFE/PET.

13. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the single sheet of polymer material has a multilayer construction including a metal film.

14. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the first compartment rim is sealed to the lower surface of the second compartment rim with an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, or heat sealing.

15. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment base is circular, rectangular, or oval shaped and the first compartment sidewall is a contoured sidewall that includes one or more upwardly extending sections, one or more outwardly extending sections, and/or one or more upwardly and outwardly extending sections.

16. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment base is circular, rectangular, or oval shaped and the first compartment sidewall extends upwardly and outwardly from the first compartment base along a first portion, upwardly from an upper end of the first portion along a second portion, and upwardly and outwardly from an upper end of the second portion along a third portion, wherein the outwardly extending rim extends outwardly from an upper end of the third portion.

17. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment base is circular, rectangular, or oval shaped and the second compartment sidewall is a contoured sidewall that includes one or more upwardly extending sections, one or more outwardly extending sections, and/or one or more upwardly and outwardly extending sections.

18. The multicompartment capsule of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment base is circular, rectangular, or oval shaped and the second compartment sidewall extends upwardly and outwardly from the first compartment base along a first portion, upwardly from an upper end of the first portion along a second portion, and upwardly and outwardly from an upper end of the second portion along a third portion, wherein the outwardly extending rim extends outwardly from an upper end of the third portion.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Karles Georgios
• Watson Jonathan David
• Griscik Gregory James
• Schuh Christian
• Mishra Munmaya
• Tipton Lawrence E
• Simpson Christopher L
• Ogbonlowo Tracy M
• Altoveros Rosana C
• Masiarz Dariusz

Classifications

• A47J31/407

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

• B65D85/00

  Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials (bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport B65D71/00) · 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

• B65D1/36

  with moulded compartments or partitions · CPC title