EP2560897B1

EP2560897B1 - Capsule for infusion products

Info

Publication number: EP2560897B1
Application number: EP11727306.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Raffaele Rondelli
Original assignee: Macchiavelli SRL
Current assignee: Macchiavelli SRL
Priority date: 2010-04-22
Filing date: 2011-04-22
Publication date: 2015-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2031-04-22
Also published as: WO2011132214A1; IT1399451B1; ES2547883T3; PT2560897E; EP2560897A1; ITBO20100249A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a capsule for infusion of products in granular form, in powder form, or in the form of leaves, such as for example coffee, barley, powdered milk, tea, camomile, etc.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, capsules for infusion products comprise a cup made of plastic material, housed within which is the infusion product, and a lid, which is provided for closing the cup and is also made of plastic material or else of a perforatable film.
When the capsule is inserted within a percolation chamber of a machine for extraction of beverages, hot water is injected under pressure into the cup through holes made in the lid. In particular, the holes can be already present in the lid of the capsule or else can be made with purposely provided perforating means present within the percolation chamber.
The water is mixed with the product and exits from the capsule through holes present in the bottom wall of the cup. Also in this case, the holes can be already present in the bottom wall or else can be made with purposely provided perforating means present within the percolation chamber.
Capsules according to the known art at times may present the drawback of not guaranteeing an effective entry of the water and/or of providing openings for inlet of water that may cause problems both during storage and during infusion.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a capsule for infusion of products in granular form, in powder form, or in leaves that will adopt a solution for the openings for inlet of water that is alternative to capsules according to the known art.
The subject of the present invention is a capsule for infusion products comprising a cuplike structure made of plastic material defined by a bottom wall and by a side wall, and a lid, which is provided for closing said cuplike structure and through which the infusion prepared exits, said capsule for infusion products comprising said bottom wall at least one tearable portion defining an opening for inlet of the water and a hinge portion defined by a thickened portion of the bottom wall and about which said tearable portion turns.
According to a preferred embodiment, made in said bottom wall is at least one recess provided in a region corresponding to each of the tearable portions and facing outwards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, a description of an embodiment is provided hereinafter purely by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures of the annexed plate of drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the capsule forming the subject of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross section of the capsule of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a side view of the capsule of Figure 1 with parts removed for reasons of clarity.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the attached figures designated as a whole by 1 is a preferred embodiment of the capsule for infusion products according to the present invention.
The capsule 1 comprises a cuplike structure 2 made of a single body, which has a frustoconical shape and is defined by a side wall 3, a bottom wall 4, and an annulus 5 extending radially from a top edge of the side wall 3. In particular, extending inwards and longitudinally from the side wall 3 are three anti-stacking ribbings 3a set at equal angular distances apart of 120°.
The cuplike structure 2 is made of rigid plastic material or of thermoformed plastic material. Both of these types of material are biodegradable.
The capsule 1 further comprises a lid 6 set in a position for closing the cuplike structure 2 itself. As illustrated in Figure 2, the lid 6 is set inside the cuplike structure 2, in such a way that the top edge of the side wall 3 is located above of the lid 6 itself.
In the particular embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the lid 6 is also made of rigid plastic and has a plurality of holes, provided for enabling outlet of the infusion obtained by mixing of the hot water with the infusion product. Alternatively, the lid can be provided with a film that can be appropriately perforated directly within the percolation chamber to enable outlet of the infusion that has formed.
The bottom wall 4 comprises three tearable portions 7 spaced at equal angular distances apart of 120°, each of which is defined by a line of preferential failure 8 and is connected to a hinge portion 9 about which it turns once it has been torn.
As is clearly illustrated in Figure 3, the hinge portion 9 is defined by a thickening of the bottom wall 4. In particular, each of the tearable portions 7 has a rectangular layout and a longitudinal frustoconical, section and extends completely within the capsule 1, thus providing a respective recess 10.
The tearable portions can be torn either by exerting pressure from inside outwards or exerting pressure from outside inwards. In the first case, the tearable portion will enter into the capsule 1, whereas in the second case it will come to occupy the space provided by the recess 10.
In use, once the capsule 1 has been filled with the infusion product, a pressure can be exerted thereon in the direction of the bottom wall 4, such as to tear the tearable portions as described above. Next, once the capsule thus provided is inserted in a position where it is set upside down in the percolation chamber, the hot water will exert a pressure on the bottom wall 4 such as to cause the tearable portions 7 to turn towards the inside of the capsule and thus enable entry of water.
Alternatively, if the pressure of the water is sufficiently high, it is possible not to tear beforehand the tearable portions 7, but to use the capsule appropriately filled maintaining the lines of preferential failure 8 intact and leaving it to the pressure of the water to perform tearing of the tearable portions 7, sending them directly inside the capsule.
As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the bottom wall 4 comprises an annular recess 11 set in a symmetrical position with respect to the centre of the bottom wall 4. The annular recess 11 provides a respective annular groove 12 facing the outside of the capsule 1. The presence of the annular recess 11 is explained by the need to bestow on the bottom wall 4 an appropriate stiffening, in particular by virtue of the high pressure of the water to which the bottom wall itself will be subjected.
As emerges from the above description, the capsule for infusion products according to the present invention adopts a solution for the openings for inlet of the water that is alternative to those of capsules of the known art. Unlike similar capsules according to the known art, the capsule forming the subject of the present invention is designed for being used in a position set upside down in such a way as to be able to provide the openings for the water in the bottom wall instead of in the lid. In this way, in addition to comprising a system of openings that is particularly efficient and reliable, it also presents a greater freedom and versatility in the choice and in the replacement of the lid. In fact, it will be possible to adapt the capsule of the present invention both to machines for extraction of beverages that comprise the perforation means for exit of the infusion that has formed and to machines for extraction of beverages that do not comprise said means, but that envisage that the lid has itself holes for exit of the infusion.

Claims

A capsule for infusion products (1) comprising a cuplike structure (2) made of plastic material defined by a bottom wall (4) and by a side wall (3), and a lid (6), which is set for closing said cuplike structure (2) and through which the infusion prepared exits; said capsule for infusion products comprising in said bottom wall at least one tearable portion (7) defining an opening for inlet of the water and a hinge portion (9), said hinge portion being characterized by a thickened portion of the bottom wall and about which said tearable portion (7) turns.
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that made in said bottom wall (4) is a recess (10), which is made in a position corresponding to each of the tearable portions (7) and faces the outside of the capsule.
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that each of the tearable portions (7) is defined by a line of preferential failure (8).
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises three tearable portions (7) spaced at equal angular distances apart of 120°.
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the tearable portions (7) has a rectangular layout and a longitudinal frustoconical section and extends completely within the capsule (1).
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall (4) comprises an annular recess (11), which is set in a symmetrical position with respect to the centre of the bottom wall (4) and is such as to provide a respective annular groove (12) facing the outside of the capsule (1).
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises thee anti-stacking ribbings (3a), each of which extends inwards from said side wall (3).
The capsule for infusion products (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of rigid plastic material or thermoformed plastic material, said types of material being biodegradable.