WO2022156837A1 - New system for coffee capsules - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for a capsule brewing system for aroma-bearing substances which automatically cleans the capsules used for an extraction upon completion of the extraction process.

Description

Title: Novel system for coffee capsules

Description of the invention

The present invention is a further development of the previously used portion systems and capsule systems for coffee capsules and other aromas. With these capsules, there has so far been a contradiction between the preservation of the coffee aromas and good environmental compatibility in all systems:

Either coffee capsules perfectly preserve the aroma, which according to all previous experience can only be guaranteed by capsules made of aluminum, although aluminum does not have a good environmental record. On the other hand, there are capsules made of more environmentally friendly materials, which experience has shown cannot preserve aromas well and for long.

If expectations of the environmental compatibility of packaging continue to increase - which has been the case continuously over the past 20 years - it could happen that coffee capsules (made of aluminium) will one day be banned, or only substances for capsule manufacture will be permitted , which are environmentally friendly and biodegradable, but which no longer allow the coffee aromas contained in them to be perfectly preserved.

The previous capsules made of biodegradable material, which can only insufficiently secure flavors and are said to be "environmentally friendly", are not even remotely so on closer inspection:

The existing composting plants for biodegradable material work with a composting cycle of approx. 2-4 weeks. However, the previous, biodegradable capsules require between 1 and 2 years to decompose, depending on the environmental conditions.

Until the first capsules are broken down, a gigantic mountain of "biodegradable" capsules inevitably accumulates, which largely contradicts the idea of manageable, controllable and controllable recycling.

If organic waste is collected in a separate bin in the respective area (e.g. in the "yellow bin" - not in Bavaria), the laboriously collected capsules are removed manually from the existing organic waste because they do not conform to the composting rhythm and actually burned. The "environmental compatibility" of these capsules is therefore mainly on paper and, as cynical as it sounds, primarily serves to give the consumer a good feeling about how wonderfully environmentally friendly and clever he lives and acts (!).

In addition, there is another, serious obstacle to an environmental contribution from "organic capsules": If 3-5 years pass before the collected capsules rot, by then there would be gigantic mountains of coffee capsules, which has little to do with the idea of recycling.

Apart from aroma capsules made of biodegradable material, there are also aroma capsules that can be opened and refilled by the user himself.

Unfortunately, these capsules are a complete contradiction to the actual purpose of a capsule and therefore these capsules are also completely pointless in terms of aroma technology:

The primary purpose of the capsule is to capture the freshly roasted aroma after the coffee has been ground and to keep it perfectly fresh until it is actually used.

If the capsule, regardless of the material, is opened after the brewing process and then filled with normal coffee that has also been exposed to the air since the pack was first opened, there is logically no more coffee in the capsule, and its roasted aromas are optimally protected until use in order to then give them completely to the coffee or espresso, but conventional, ground coffee or espresso powder that was roasted and ground months ago and whose packaging may also have been opened weeks ago.

This application can therefore only make sense if the user grinds the espresso beans himself shortly before use.

If you take a look into the cupboards of coffee drinkers, you will also see that in many cases the already ground coffee is simply open in a torn package in the cupboard, so that the oxidation and aging process has already been able to partially carry out its aroma-destroying work.

As a result, the refilled capsule can only release what is in it, namely the normal, weak coffee aroma.

When refilling, there is a special feature that is not to everyone's taste and can also be unpleasant for users with a sensitive stomach: namely that filter coffee that is put through an espresso machine has a significantly higher acid content than if it was used for its intended purpose and in a regular coffee filter.

The acidity of espresso coffee is lower due to the double roasting and what hardly anyone suspects is that the caffeine content of espresso coffee is also significantly lower than that of coffee. Most people think it's the other way around, and admittedly, I made that mistake myself at first.

Since the person we lie to most often is, as we know, ourselves, these refill devices can at least fool some users into thinking that they are now drinking a particularly environmentally friendly coffee and are doing good at the same time, and if you have enough imagination with you, you can probably also imagine that this weak, sour infusion is a great coffee. The main problem for a recycling solution for aluminum capsules is that the small amounts of aluminum capsules collected in relation to the total waste are also very heavily contaminated by old, dried coffee powder (approx. 70-90% of the capsule volume consists of Coffee residues), which means that such capsules have such a high degree of contamination that they can no longer be used and thrown away or have to be burned, which is energy-consuming.

In order to counter this problem, devices were introduced a few years ago that were supposed to squeeze the coffee residues out of the capsules (e.g. "Outpresso").

However, it turned out that this measure is not effective enough to reuse the empty capsules.

If these capsules have remained moist in a warm environment for a longer period of time before drying up, there is also a high probability that they are also contaminated with toxic mold.

object of the invention

The present invention has therefore set itself the task of making capsules available which a.) ensure perfect preservation of the aroma and b.) at the same time have the best environmental balance of all those on the market

portion coffees, which is a completely irreconcilable contradiction up to now.

This can be achieved in a first step in that used aroma or coffee capsules are completely cleaned of coffee powder immediately after the brewing process by a preferably automatic rinsing process before they are ejected and fall into the waste container. First of all, this means that such a capsule can be stored by the consumer without getting dirty and without such residues developing unpleasant odors or producing mold.

To put it bluntly, this makes the capsule more or less "socially acceptable" and capable of doing business.

First of all, capsules that are so perfectly cleaned could immediately be melted down again and put to further use. But even this would not have much to do with "recycling" in the actual sense, because melted, pure and clean aluminum cannot really be recycled and used for new capsules.

With the current state of recycling technology and research, when aluminum capsules are re-melted, various inclusions and aluminum oxide are formed, resulting in lower quality aluminum. Finally, if aluminum is produced for marketing reasons, which nevertheless produces the required purity and stability, this requires technical effort and so many intermediate cleaning steps that such aluminum becomes almost as expensive as new aluminum, which makes no sense from an economic point of view.

If you want to create a really sustainable solution to the environmental problem of aroma and coffee capsules or portioned coffee of any kind, the capsules perfectly cleaned with the present system can also be used for a deposit system, which is the first, economically functioning deposit system for aroma and coffee capsules in the world can be created.

An economically viable recycling system is currently impossible for 5 reasons and with the solution proposed here, all 5 problems can be solved at the same time.:

1.) The ejected capsules are contaminated to a high degree up to 95% of their mass,

2.) the capsules have also been punctured and pierced in several places and would therefore leak when refilled.

3.) The quantities of capsules that can be collected with the existing waste systems are too small to be able to work economically

4.) Used capsules have often been deformed by being punctured and could therefore no longer be used without problems

5.) Used melted down aluminum capsules are unsuitable for the production of new capsules and can only be used in down-cycling for less demanding applications, e.g. heat sinks or window frames, etc.

Since the subsequent, private filling of already opened capsules with loose coffee does not make any sense in terms of aroma, as already mentioned, it is essentially about a real recycling cycle with the return of used, clean and undamaged capsules and their refilling Manufacturer.

This is roughly comparable to how glass milk bottles used to be returned and refilled, which is already being done in some areas again.

The main difference here is that recycling and refilling coffee capsules can be done infinitely more easily.

Since the proposed process enables a perfect recycling cycle, it makes sense not to melt down these capsules for down-cycling:

If you are already launching a new, perfectly environmentally friendly process on the market, it seems more obvious to start with perfect recycling right away possible, because it seems obvious that the waste regulations will be further tightened in the future, so that one is already perfectly prepared for all eventualities.

The present invention thus undertakes the cleaning of the spent capsules for 5 reasons:

1.) Because only the complete cleaning directly after the brewing process, i.e. before the coffee residues become a hard mass, cleans the capsules so well that they can be recycled for further industrial use.

2.) because only the complete cleaning and drying of the capsules directly after the brewing process can remove any organic residues and thus the formation of toxic mold can be perfectly avoided,

3.) Because only perfectly clean capsules are collected and accepted by the consumer as recycling goods.

4.) because only capsules that are undamaged can be used for a recycling cycle

5.) so that the cleaned capsules can be cleaned again with high pressure by the manufacturer for hygienic reasons and refilled with highly aromatic espresso, so that the world's first, economically working deposit system for coffee capsules can be installed, which for the first time represents the optimal synthesis of perfect aroma preservation and perfect environmental balance.

Due to the shape adapted for this purpose, the capsules can be perfectly nested after cleaning and put back into the somewhat more durable delivery box, whereby in a box with 10 new capsules, then preferably exactly 100 or 150 empty, cleaned capsules fit, so that the new purchase with the Return of the 100 old capsules, e.g. ä 10 cents each, which bring in e.g. 10 or 15 euros, can be connected very easily. 10 or 15 euros is also an amount that even wealthy customers do not simply throw away and are happy to collect and take with them to their next purchase. (If a customer does get lazy, their kids will certainly use this as a welcome source of pocket money.)

As soon as the retail trade has understood that, in a similar way to PET beverage bottles, particularly good customer loyalty can be established, experience has shown that such a system will be readily adopted.

This is especially the case if the used capsules are returned automatically (as is the case with beverage PET bottles) and the machine for returning the used capsules and buying new capsules is optimally set up opposite the machines for the return of beverage bottles , so that when customers have to wait for the vending machine, they can use the time and do it conveniently compared to returning and buying new coffee capsules. For quick and easy recognition of the returned capsule quantity, the individual capsules are provided with a very inexpensive identification mark or a recognition tag, which immediately displays the amount to be credited and prints out a corresponding receipt when the box with the old capsules is placed.

As a good side effect, such systems can now be used to identify each individual capsule at no cost, making attempts at fraud almost impossible.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the capsule according to the invention itself no longer has any closures (Fig. 1D) but the inlet of hot brewing water and the outlet of brewed coffee through associated, extra attached frames (Fig. 1F and Fig. 2) takes place, in which the foils required for the brewing process are clamped.

From a mechanical point of view, such a capsule is merely a short tube that is open at the front and rear.

Because the inlet and outlet foils are not connected to the capsule itself, but are clamped in foil frames that are connected to it in an aroma-tight manner, but ultimately located outside of the capsule, and which in turn are connected to the capsule body in an aroma-tight manner, the inlet and outlet foil can be mechanically recorded in the device for the first time and be removed cleanly and perfectly automatically after the brewing process.

After the brewing process, hot water is again pressed at high pressure into the used, but now completely unsealed and thus resembling a short tube capsule, which takes all coffee residues with it, which automatically causes all coffee residues that are still soft before the capsule is ejected be rinsed and removed.

Since this process only takes about one and a half seconds, water consumption can increase by about 20%. In this case, it is advantageous to adapt the water reservoir accordingly and make it slightly larger than in previous devices.

If the devices are used very often or used professionally, it can be advantageous to connect the devices according to the invention to the water supply, preferably with a line, similar to a boiler.

Although such a cleaning process with high pressure in a capsule that is open at the front and back does not take longer than about one and a half seconds, logically a little more water will be used than with previous devices, especially since it is advisable to rinse briefly after the cleaning process in order to to rinse the used and rinsed coffee to the exit.

If devices are used more frequently or even professionally, they can preferably also be connected to a waste water connection. Since most coffee-making devices are in the kitchen anyway, in the simplest case this can preferably be a small waste water discharge into the kitchen sink.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig.lA. Figure 1A. shows a partial cross section of a first embodiment of the capsule system according to the invention in the brewing state,

Fig.l B. Figure 1 B. shows a partial cross section of the embodiment according to Fig.lA changing from brewing to cleaning mode, by removing the inlet and outlet foils (14) and by swiveling away the aroma drain - grid (9)

Figure 1C. Figure 1C. shows a partial cross section of the embodiment according to FIG.

1D shows a cross section through a used, cleaned and undamaged capsule according to the invention, which can be refilled immediately.

Fig. 1E shows a cross-section through 10 nested, used, cleaned and undamaged capsules which can be equipped with up to 10 billion different ID codes in order to avoid return fraud.

1F shows a top view of the capsule film (3/7), a used conical capsule 2, with inlet punctures (21), which is clamped in a film frame (14),

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a film clamping frame (14) with used outlet film (7/10) of the conical capsule (2)

Fig. 3 shows a top view of a double conical aroma capsule (2)

Fig. 4 shows a cross section through a detail of a further embodiment of the invention, in which the foil frames 14 can be separated from the capsule (2) by a foil release wedge (39).

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the diffusion converter (44) of the device according to the invention

Figure 5a. shows the direction of flow after the water has passed through the diffusion converter (44) Fig. 6 shows the direction of flow after the water has passed through a mechanical radial converter (46)

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of a diabolus-shaped capsule shape

Fig. 8 shows an enlarged top view of a preferably octagonal capsule film 51, a used aroma capsule 42, with inlet and outlet passages 38 and 49 which is clamped in a film frame 52,

9a shows a cross section through a capsule 42 according to the centrifugal system, which is cleaned according to the invention after the brewing process.

Fig. 9b shows a cross section through the capsule 42 according to 9a with the sealing film 51 removed

Fig. 9c shows a cross section through the capsule 42 according to 9a in the flushing mode

9d shows a cross section through the cleaned capsule 42 according to 9a

Description of the figures

The first embodiment of the capsule according to the invention together with the corresponding device to use such capsules, also called "capsule system" in the following, is a capsule system in which, after the brewing process, no more capsules heavily contaminated with used coffee powder or other contaminated capsules are ejected. but rather completely clean capsules that contain no coffee residues and are so well cleaned that they can either be returned to a production process immediately, or they can be made part of a new, perfectly environmentally friendly and at the same time economically working return and deposit system, as explained in more detail below.

In the following we prefer to refer to capsules made of aluminum or other materials suitable for worthwhile recycling.

Although aluminum would theoretically be suitable for recycling, previous capsules are not really suitable for recycling due to the way they work and the function of the associated machines: On the one hand, these capsules are usually so heavily contaminated with coffee powder that has become very hard (approx. 70-90% of the capsule volume ) that you can no longer use them for the production process without enormous effort, which means that they are usually disposed of and incinerated, which consumes a great deal of energy.

Devices introduced years ago to remove the coffee mechanically (e.g. "Outpresso") were not effective enough to change this situation.

But even if they are cleaned, they cannot be reused because the nature of the brewing process destroys their outer shell or creates numerous holes so that they can no longer be aroma-tight. So the only option left would be to melt down the used capsules again to make new capsules. In reality, this is not feasible either, since melted aluminum no longer has the properties of new aluminum and can therefore only be used for so-called "down-cycling", so that heat sinks or window frames can be made from it, but nothing has to do with a real recycling process.

On the other hand, after the increasing demands on the environmental compatibility of products, which have been increasing for years, there are also increasing demands in politics to ban aluminum capsules. At the same time, however, no economically viable alternative to aluminum has been shown to develop capsules that are both environmentally friendly and guarantee perfect aroma protection.

With the present invention, the previous impossibility of producing an optimally delicious aroma and at the same time an extraordinarily good environmental balance of capsules is now overcome and brought into perfect harmony.

So it could be that the perfect aroma experience is possibly saved by aroma-protecting capsules!

In order to achieve such an effect, a novel capsule according to the invention is first used, FIG. 1D, which no longer has its own closures, neither in the injection area of the brewing water nor in the outlet area of the brewed coffee.

Rather, these capsules have external clamping frames, FIG. 1 F and FIG. The foils are connected to the clamping frame in an aroma-tight manner and the clamping frame is in turn connected to the capsule in an aroma-tight manner, so that these capsules, preferably made of aluminum (FIG. 3), provide an aroma seal that is just as good as conventional aluminum capsules.

First, the double-conical aroma capsule (2) according to the invention is introduced into a corresponding device, whereupon the brewing process begins here, as in almost all other coffee capsule devices, FIG.

The double taper refers to the longitudinal axis (see Fig.1A-1E) of the capsule, as well as to the cross section of the capsule (Fig.1F). With the double taper, a clearly defined position of the capsule in the device can preferably be achieved, which is advantageous for various of the following functions.

With the conclusion of the scalding or extraction process, the mechanical part of the inventive innovation begins.

Here, the brewing chamber 17 is pulled back a little, as a result of which the capsule 2 is no longer fixed. By withdrawing the brewing chamber 17 (Fig. 1B). at the same time the closure frame (40) is pulled off the capsule by the stop bolt 36 and the foil frame (14) by the removal projections 56 so that these fall into collection containers (not shown) specially arranged for this purpose.

As a result, the capsule is now open at the front and back and, mechanically speaking, resembles a very short piece of pipe with some coffee in it.

Instead of using the longitudinal movement of the brewing chamber 17 , the film frames 40 and 14 can also be detached via a lateral film detachment wedge 39 which strikes between the capsule collar 1 and the film projection 4 . (Fig.4).

Now the brewing chamber 17 moves forward again with the brewing water connection 8 and closes again around the now open capsule.

At the same time, the path changeover switch 23 switches the discharge path after the capsule has run out from the aroma line 11 to the flushing line 26, which is equipped with a significantly larger diameter, and at the same time the aroma discharge grid 9 is removed from the brewing water via the axis 9a -Flow path out, swung to the side (Fig. 1B).

The brewing process then starts again for 1-2 seconds, with the hot brewing water now hitting a capsule that is completely open on both sides. Because there is no longer any mechanical resistance in the flow of brewing water, the used and still soft coffee residue that is still in the capsule is now completely removed from the capsule by the flow of brewing water without any problems. Since the waste water, which was briefly saturated with coffee, is now fed into a large-sized waste water line 26, the old coffee in it cannot get stuck or clog anywhere.

The resulting cleaning of the capsule works so perfectly and completely that the capsule (2) can be used again immediately, because this works with aluminum capsules even with almost pressure-free, warm water in a few seconds and even more so if the water with Pressure is passed through the capsule and possibly swirled.

A turbulence of the water, preferably in the case of professionally used devices, can be intensified by a turbulator, the diffusion converter (44), connected downstream of the brewing water connection (8).

The main reason why the capsule can be immediately reused or e.g. collected is that, unlike all capsules on the market, it is perfectly clean after the brewing process and has no punctures or is completely intact.

It is not necessary to feed the hot water into the capsule with such high pressure as is done when preparing espresso, for example (up to 19atü). on the contrary, a few atü are preferably completely sufficient here, although somewhat larger amounts of water are required than for an espresso.

However, an absolute prerequisite for problem-free rinsing is that this happens immediately after the brewing process and not hours or days later, when the pulpy mass has solidified into a hard, difficult-to-dissolve substance.

It is therefore advantageous if the rinsing process begins automatically after each brewing process and does not first wait for an input from the user, who may forget this in the morning rush.

Even if the rinsing process only takes a few seconds, the amount of water required for the rinsing process is often slightly larger than the amount of water required to brew an espresso, lungo espresso, or something larger. The volume of the water tank (not shown) is therefore preferably dimensioned to be correspondingly larger than in previous devices.

This in particular because it is advantageous if, after rinsing out the coffee water, it is preferably rinsed with more hot water so that no coffee powder can collect in the waste water line (26) Fig. 1 C.

Should this nevertheless come up against its limits, a fresh water connection to a normal water pipe may make sense, similar to a boiler (not shown). In this case, the fresh water is preferably first fed into the fresh water tank, then heated up and then put to use.

If the device is used professionally, e.g. in public cafes, it can be advantageous to supplement the cleaning water with a cleaning substance from time to time (not shown).

In the case of frequently used devices, the device can preferably also be equipped with an additional rinsing mode. A capsule that has already been rinsed empty by the rinsing mode is preferably switched back to the brewing mode and the hot water is then pumped not into the waste water and rinsing drain (9) but into the aroma and coffee connection (11) to remove any impurities remove.

This can reliably prevent the problem frequently found in coffee machines of the accumulation of harmful mold or bacteria.

The amounts of water that are used for the rinsing processes must then be disposed of again. Therefore, there is preferably also a container on the devices according to the invention, which can hold the used water (not shown).

Since this can also reach its limits, it can be advantageous to direct the used water from the device via the corresponding line (26) together with the washed-out coffee powder directly to the sewage system. Since devices for the preparation of coffee beverages are usually in the kitchen, the flexible flushing water line (26) is advantageously routed directly to the sink there.

Thanks to this virtually unlimited container, it is also possible to rinse the lines generously, if necessary, to keep them clean.

In order to avoid the possible occurrence of microorganisms or mold in the rinsed capsules in the time until refilling, the capsules that may still be damp in places after the rinsing process can be dried briefly with a jet of hot air.

For the distribution of the brewing water when brewing or rinsing, it can be advantageous to distribute it more widely in the capsule. A mechanical radial converter 46 can advantageously be inserted in the brewing water inlet (8) just before the capsule, which ensures that the brewing water is also optimally distributed in the edge area of the coffee capsule.

The brewed coffee or espresso can thus optimally transfer its aroma to the brewing liquid.

Because the coffee powder is optimally swirled and flowed through by the radial converter (46), it is also possible to brew larger portions of coffee than with the previous capsule sizes. The details of this are explained in a separate application.

In the rinsing mode Fig. 1C, a radial converter 46 can also ensure that the used coffee powder is completely rinsed out of the capsule and the edge areas are also completely cleaned, which is done directly after the brewing mode that has just taken place, with very little Effort and pressure is possible.

The first, economical deposit system for aroma capsules

In order to be able to set up a really working recycling system for e.g on the one hand perfectly cleaned and on the other hand not punctured or injured by the brewing process.

The connection between the film clamping frame (40) and preferably the capsule collar (1) can be made via grooves, a detachable adhesive connection, a snap connection or other suitable measures that make the connection detachable but aroma-tight. Insofar as the connection between the capsule and the film frame is purely mechanical, between the film clamping frame (40) and the part of the capsule adjacent to it, to which the film clamping frame is attached, preferably the capsule collar (1), preferably a sealing and/or gummy substance 14a applied in order to ensure a perfect aroma density there as well. This sealing lip (not shown) is preferably designed in such a way that it is also removed during the last cleaning process before the industrial refilling with new, aromatic espresso powder in order to prevent possible inclusions of bacteria or viruses.

After the capsules have already been completely cleaned of coffee powder and any impurities by the devices proposed here, the last hot cleaning before refilling essentially serves to ensure that the capsule can be filled again in a hygienically perfect condition.

This can be done in a relatively short cycle, in which there is less further cleaning of the capsule than a heat-controlled and adequate disinfection of the capsule, preferably with high pressure.

As mentioned, a perfectly aroma-sealing aluminum housing is used as the material for the capsule housing.

According to the more frequent use, however, aluminum of a somewhat more stable alloy is preferably used and at the same time the capsules are produced with a somewhat thicker wall.

Since aluminum capsules that have been melted down again can only be used with reasonable effort in the course of downcycling for applications with lower requirements and these are not suitable for producing new capsules, the decisive advantage here compared to all previous recycling attempts for aroma capsules lies in the fact that the capsules according to the invention do not have to be melted down in order to use them again, since they are: a.) completely intact and b.) because they are already perfectly cleaned of coffee and other contaminants upon arrival for recycling and therefore no laborious removal of dried-on ones Coffee residues must take place, which can actually only be perfectly removed by melting them down again.

This results in further, even more environmentally friendly possibilities, which according to the current state of knowledge cannot be increased any more and still do not entail any losses in aroma quality, sales or handling, on the contrary:

As a result of this and the cleanliness of the used capsules that is automatically generated for the first time, there is also the possibility of a sensible and economically working deposit system for aroma capsules for the first time.

Due to the fact that a large number of the clean, used capsules can be plugged into one another in a small space due to the lack of any foil, closures and impurities (see FIG. 1 E), a large deposit value can also be realized in a very small space.

For example, if the deposit for a used capsule is 10 euro cents, a box with 100 or 150 used capsules has a return value of 10 or 10 euro cents. 15 euros, which means amounts that you don't just throw away, which ensures a very high return rate. Wealthier customers will also be happy to take this with them when shopping for new capsules.

At the latest when the children realize that they can use it to top up their pocket money, a secure return should be ensured several times over!

Due to the very simple handling, customers like to buy new capsules and feel wonderful about it because, despite perfect enjoyment, they protect the environment and resources at the same time.

As soon as retailers have understood that this can create significantly better customer loyalty, similar to the very successful return system for PET plastic bottles, nothing should stand in the way of introducing such a system.

Here are ID identifiers 20 (Fig.l E) for the deposit capsules advantageous, which immediately provide an overview of the returned amount of capsules when setting the box in the return machine and print out a deposit receipt for the customer in the appropriate amount , which is credited when buying new capsules or anything else, just like the deposit on bottles.

With the now very cost-effective recording of each individual capsule, it is also immediately recognizable whether a capsule has already been scanned, which means that any deposit fraud can be largely ruled out, which sometimes causes major problems with bottle deposits.

The details of this are explained in a separate application.

Environmentally conscious consumers, journalists and politicians look up to "environmental sinners" who, from their point of view, treat the environment irresponsibly, often with a certain contempt. Blogs about capsules always contain a large and growing number of posts calling for a ban on aromatherapy and coffee capsules, especially aluminum capsules, because of their "harmfulness to the environment". Such advances have meanwhile penetrated into politics and up to the European Parliament.

Such demands should once and for all be a thing of the past with the new capsule according to the invention, which combines a perfect aroma with an environmental balance that can hardly be surpassed.

The capsule according to the invention proposed here is likely to be the future of capsule use for aroma and coffee products of all kinds due to the perfect aroma preservation in connection with the simultaneous exclusion of any environmental problems for the first time.

Since quite a few customers do not use capsules mainly because they are harmful to the environment, the market with the super capsule, which excludes any environmental problem while enjoying the greatest aroma, could also grow quite a bit. In a further embodiment of the aroma capsule according to the invention, not shown, the aroma seals on both sides of the capsule are not held by adhesive or other connections, but are only slightly connected to the capsule. The closures are fixed to the capsule by a kind of clamp, an insert or a capsule slipcase. When inserted into the capsule machine, the clip remains around the capsule until the rinsing process begins. With the onset of the rinsing process, the capsule clamp is preferably removed automatically.

In a further embodiment of the invention, not shown, there is a type of bayonet connection between the capsule and the film frame. A lateral blow to a projection of the film frame opens the bayonet lock, whereupon the jagged film catch springs back from the capsule and falls into a container provided for this purpose.

In a further, not shown embodiment of the aroma capsule according to the invention, the rinsing process takes place in a device separate from the brewing unit, so that in cooperation with capsules that fit exactly into the previous capsule brewing device from the outside, but have the present technology installed inside, the Users can continue to use their previous capsule brewing device and at the same time use the present, environmentally friendly and waste-free technology by placing the used capsule in the cleaning device after brewing, where it is then cleaned of any coffee residue and impurities.

This method can be adapted to the capsules of almost all major capsule systems on the market with essentially the same functionality.

In a preferred variation of this device, after brewing, the used capsule automatically falls through a connection to the capsule brewing device into the cleaning device and is cleaned there, so that after cleaning the capsule is corona-safe and no longer touched by the user's possibly germ-ridden hand. but 'after cleaning, it falls into the collection box sparkling clean and germ-free.

In a further embodiment of the aroma capsules according to the invention, capsules 42, which work according to a completely different extraction method, are also provided with an automatic cleaning mode after the brewing process.

These are capsules 42 whose extraction pressure is not primarily generated by high pressure from the brewing water supply. Rather, the brewing water is introduced into the center of the capsule 42 and then flows through the coffee powder to the edge and out of the capsule by centrifugal forces in the rapidly rotating capsule, after which it is guided into a collector and then to the coffee cup or similar. directed towards (not shown).

In this system, too, the capsules 42 according to the invention are not closed directly with an aluminum foil. Rather, the aluminum closure as shown in Fig.9a shown, clamped onto a film frame 52, which in turn is aroma-tightly connected to the capsule collar 1 of the capsule 42.

After the brewing process, the foil frame 52 is removed together with the foil 51 for the rinsing process.

In this embodiment, the film frame 52 also has straight areas in accordance with the extraction principle of very rapid rotation, in order to "grip" it. In this case, however, the straight areas, taken together, are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner.

In order to reconcile both requirements: a.) straight planes for attaching gripping systems and b.) rotational symmetry, a polygon, preferably a 10- or 8-corner, is used for the film frame 52 as a kind of "mixed shape". (Fig.8).

In a further embodiment of the invention, not shown, there is a kind of snap connection between the capsule and the film frame, with a rubber-like seal 14a also being located on the side of the film frame for the purpose of perfect aroma sealing.

As soon as any corner of the foil frame is pulled, the foil frame automatically jumps off the capsule collar and falls into the waste chute below (not shown).

Naturally, this type of capsule 42 cannot be flown through in the longitudinal direction, since these capsules have only one opening and the brewed coffee is conveyed on by centrifugal forces.

In order to rinse such a capsule, it can be advantageous to use a method other than centrifugal forces for the rinsing process, since the water located between the ground coffee grains can be conveyed outwards and to a certain extent "around the curve" by centrifugal forces, but not but the coffee itself.

Due to the centrifugal brewing process, the coffee powder tends to be "baked" into a type of relatively firm but water-permeable "coffee powder cake" 53 .

A coffee powder cake 53 of this kind develops properties that are almost solid-like and such a semi-solid coffee powder cake 53 cannot, like water, be “guided around the corner” out of the capsule with centrifugal forces, as it were.

So even if the film clamping frame 52 with the closing film 51 is completely removed and the capsule 42 is thus completely open, a coffee powder cake 53 retains its shape and dissolves completely during a further brewing process, despite hot water flowing in and thousands of revolutions for rinsing not even remotely. A removal of the coffee powder cake by centrifugal forces can be achieved with great effort, offset spraying devices and even higher water pressure and even higher rotational speeds, but this has the consequence that the coffee residues then settle in the normal brewing process and in the following brewing processes in each case deposit the fresh espresso, which causes an undesirable side effect for customers.

In order to separate such capsules cleanly from the coffee powder after the brewing process, it is therefore advantageous to use a method other than the centrifugal method for the rinsing process.

In a preferred method in this regard, the capsule is clamped with the closing film 51 by an automatically operating gripping mechanism 60 after the film clamping frame 52 has been removed and initially moved a little to the side, away from the centrifugal mechanism.

Here, the capsule 42 is automatically rotated by preferably 105° and held in a collecting container 55 (FIG. 9c).

Now comes out of the rinsing line of the centrifugal system 54, or out of a second line arranged directly next to it, a broad, hot jet of water, which injects into the upper part of the open capsule rotated by 105° with little pressure, Fig. 9c.

Here, the capsule is preferably moved back and forth a little and/or rotated a little sideways by the automatic gripping mechanism 60, so that the water jet can reach all parts of the capsule and rinse it empty.

Since this rinsing process also starts immediately after the brewing process and the coffee powder cake 53 is not yet very firmly baked, the coffee powder cake 53 dissolves very easily and quickly and falls together with the rinsing water into the collecting container 55 now located underneath, Fig .9c.

After the successful rinsing process, the capsule is preferably moved back by 105° and into the original position, whereupon it preferably falls into the capsule collecting container (not shown) in such a way that the empty, clean capsules combine to form a small tower, so that they can be placed back in the original container. With regard to the stackability of the empty capsules, it can be advantageous to slightly change the side angles of the capsules.

It is advantageous here if the containers for the new capsules, into which the used capsules are now stacked one inside the other, have a lateral slot which allows the return machine to check the number of capsules quickly and automatically.

Further explanations on this are given in a further, separate application. REFERENCE NUMBER LIST . Capsule collar a. inner capsule collar . double conical aroma capsule a. Cross-section through a clean, rinsed and undamaged capsule 2b. Cross section through 10 clean rinsed, undamaged and nested aroma capsules. Puncture foil for the scalding water inlet. Protrusion or handle of foil frame for removing foils 7 or 3. Connection to protrusion 4. Coffee and aroma feed . Puncture area for the brewing water outlet or for the aroma outlet and at the same time detachable washing outlet of the capsule (2). Fresh and scalding water connection . pivoting aroma drain - grille a. Axis of the aroma drain - grid. outlet slide . Aroma line . detachable film carrier . Recess for the capsule collar. detachable film stretching frame a. Foil Frame Inner Flavor Seal . Aroma and rinsing line . Aroma and coffee connection . Hot water and brewing chamber. flexible steel mesh line for scalding water supply . conical capsule shaft . one (of 10 billion) identifiers of the capsule. passage punctures . pivoting capsule holder . way switch a. Coffee and aroma path switched b. Rinsing path switched . Aroma and rinsing drainage. Forwarding to the coffee or aroma spout. Large dimensioned waste water pipe to the flushing sink. Freshwater Tank . fresh water connection . service water tank . Rinse and service water drain . espresso cup . espresso or coffee inlet . Coffee powder cake after brewing . Brewing and hot water connection Continued : REFERENCE SIGN LIST. open capsule outlet . Stop bolt for the film stretching frame 40 . Stop bolt for the aroma capsule. Injection port for scalding water. swiveling film release wedge . detachable foil clamping frame . Foil of the foil stretcher frame . rotationally symmetrical capsule. frame handle a. Inlet slide frame handle b. alternative frame handle attachments . Diffusion Converter . Connection groove to the capsule body. mechanical radial converter . . Capsule of a centrifugal system. Centrifugal Brew Coffee Drainage Holes . Foil carrier in the flow area . Closing and aroma-tight film after the brewing process. detachable film clamping frame of a centrifugal system. solid coffee powder cake of a centrifugal system after the end of the brewing process. Flushing water inlet of the centrifugal system . Collection container for rinsing water and coffee powder of the centrifugal system. asymmetrically arranged removal projections for the foil frame 14. frame handle running all around. automatic gripping mechanism

Claims

patent claims 1.) Process for a capsule brewing system for aroma-carrying substances, which cleans the capsules used for an extraction process after an extraction itself. 2.) Method according to claim 1, in which the cleaning of the capsule takes place automatically after an extraction process. 3.) Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aroma-carrying substance is preferably coffee powder. 4.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, which uses water (H2O) as the cleaning medium. 5.) Method according to claim 4, wherein the water is taken from a connection to the general water supply. 6.) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a second collection container is kept ready for the disposal of a used cleaning medium. 7.) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an extraction device for the disposal of the cleaning medium used is connected to the general sewage system. 8.) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein part of the capsules, which has outlet nozzles, is removed before or during the cleaning process. 9.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the part of the capsules with the inlet nozzles is also removed before or during the rinsing process. 10.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which before and during the rinsing process an aroma drain - grid (9) is removed. 11.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which a medium for the rinsing process is preferably heated before the rinsing process. 12.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which part of the capsules is removed for a cleaning process. 13) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein sealing foils (3), (7), (41) on both sides of the capsules on a separate support ring (14), (40) are attached, which by connections with the capsule is connected airtight, so that the sealing films after use of the capsules in cooperation with suitable Mechanisms can also be removed by removing the carrier ring (14), (40). 14.) Method for aroma-carrying substances according to one of claims 1 to 13, in which the cleaning process takes place in a device separate from the brewing unit, so that in cooperation with capsules that fit exactly into the previous capsule brewing device from the outside, but inside the present one Have installed technology, the user can continue to use his previous capsule brewing device and at the same time can use the present environmentally friendly and waste-free technology by placing the used capsule in the cleaning device after brewing. 15.) Method according to one of claims 1 to 14, in which the cleaning process takes place in a device separate from the brewing unit, so that in cooperation with capsules that fit exactly into the previous capsule brewing device from the outside, but have the present technology installed inside , the user can continue to use his previous capsule brewing device and at the same time can use the present environmentally friendly and waste-free technology by the used capsule automatically falling into the cleaning device after brewing through a connection to the capsule brewing device and being cleaned there. 16.) Method according to claim 14 or 15, in which the separate cleaning device for capsule types of various other capsule systems can be adapted. 17.) Device for a capsule brewing system for aroma-carrying substances, which cleans the capsules used for an extraction process after an extraction itself. 18.) Device according to claim 17, in which the cleaning of the capsules takes place automatically after an extraction process. 19.) Device according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the aroma-carrying substance is preferably coffee powder. 20.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 19, which preferably uses water (H2O) as the cleaning medium. 21.) Device according to claim 20, wherein the cleaning water is taken from a connection to the general water supply. 22.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 20, which holds ready for the disposal of a cleaning medium used a second collection container. 23.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 22, which is connected to the general waste water system for the disposal of a used cleaning medium. 24.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 23, in which the part of the capsules which has outlet nozzles is removed before or during the cleaning process. 25.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 24, in which also a part of the capsules with inlet nozzles is removed before or during the rinsing process. 26.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 25, in which before and during the rinsing process an aroma drain - grid (9) is removed. 27.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 26, in which a medium for the cleaning process is preferably heated before the rinsing process. 28.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 27, in which part of the capsules is removed for a cleaning process. 29.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 28, in which sealing foils (3), (7), (41) on both sides of the capsules on a separate carrier ring (14), (40) are attached, which by connections is connected to the capsule in an airtight manner, so that after the capsules have been used, the sealing foils can also be removed in cooperation with suitable mechanisms by removing the carrier ring (14), (40). 30.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 29, in which the cleaning process takes place in a device separate from the brewing unit, so that in cooperation with capsules that fit exactly into a previous capsule brewing device from the outside, but have the present technology installed inside , the user can continue to use his previous capsule brewing device and at the same time can use the present environmentally friendly and waste-free technology by putting the used capsule into the cleaning device after brewing. 31.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 29, in which the rinsing process takes place in a device separate from the brewing unit, so that in cooperation with capsules that fit exactly into a previous capsule brewing device from the outside, but have the present technology installed inside , the user can continue to use his previous capsule brewing device and at the same time can use the present environmentally friendly and waste-free technology by the used capsule automatically falling into the cleaning device after brewing through a connection to the capsule brewing device and being cleaned there. 32.) Device according to one of claims 17 to 31, in which the separate cleaning device for capsule types of different, other capsule systems can be adapted.