巴西专利BR112014024158B1 infusion method

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专利摘要:
PREPARATION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREPARING INFUSION PRODUCTS. The present invention relates to an infusion method which comprises the steps of supplying the capsule (1) as a closed capsule with a capsule wall, which has a cover surface on the extraction side, a cover surface on the injection side and a circumferential side surface that extends between the cover surface on the extraction side and the cover surface on the injection side, inserting the capsule into an infusion module with an injector for introducing an infusion liquid into the capsule and a discharge device for discharging an infusion product, wherein the injector comprises at least one piercing element on the injection side (12) and the discharge device comprises at least one piercing element on the extraction, closure side an infusion chamber of the infusion module so that at least one piercing element on the injection side pierces the cover surface on the injection side over a period of time. cutting line, introduction, under pressure, of an infusion liquid in the region between the surface of (...).
公开号:BR112014024158B1
申请号:R112014024158-9
申请日:2013-04-03
公开日:2021-01-19
发明作者:Louis Deuber
申请人:Qbo Coffe Gmbh；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

[001] The present invention relates to the preparation of beverages or the like, from an extraction material such as ground coffee, which is contained in a capsule. It also refers to an infusion method, as well as a system for preparing infusion products.
[002] Extraction devices for preparing drinks from an extraction material present in a portion package are known, for example, as coffee machines or espresso machines and, as has been the case until now, enjoy increasing popularity. In several corresponding systems, the portion packs are designed as capsules, in which the extraction material is sealed, for example, under vacuum. The capsule is perforated on two opposite sides for extraction. An infusion fluid - usually hot water - is introduced on the first side. The infusion product is discharged from the capsule by the second side. In this way, a considerable pressure of, for example, 5 to 20 bar must prevail inside the capsule, depending on the drink to be prepared and the system.
[003] Particularly, aluminum and plastic, such as polypropylene, have become known as capsule materials. Aluminum capsules provide very good durability (aroma protection) of the extraction material, but its manufacture consumes a lot of energy. Polypropylene capsules are advantageous in terms of energy expenditure and disposal, but impose requirements on the drilling mechanism and aroma protection.
[004] Capsules with integrated filter medium as well as capsules that simply comprise an envelope surrounding the extraction material can be obtained on the market and the perforation mechanism, therefore, must be designed for them in such a way that the extraction material it is not undesirably discharged from the capsule with the extraction product.
[005] A coffee portion capsule that is approximately cubic in shape and, unlike the known cup-like capsules, has no peripheral collar on the plane of the single cover surface (upper side) is known through WO 2010 / 118543. This peripheral collar is required with state-of-the-art capsule systems, primarily to guide the capsule during insertion into the coffee machine and to keep it in an intermediate position after insertion. Second, this collar is necessary to close the capsule by means of ultrasonic welding or heat sealing by means of a flat cap (which can also be designed as a sheet of metal). The collar is required by closing by means of ultrasonic welding to accommodate an energy driver. If the capsule is closed by means of the thermal seal, the collar is necessary for the cap to rest on a sufficiently large surface. In contrast, an arcuate cover is used according to WO 2010/118543 and the closure is carried out by means of ultrasonic cutting and sealing. The capsule manufactured in accordance with the teachings of WO 2010/118543 therefore has, regardless of its shape ("cubic"), instead of gluing, a weld sphere that is peripheral between the planes defined by the covering surface and whose extension / lateral projection is significantly reduced compared to known collars and represents only insignificant departure from the shape - for example, similar to a cube - from the body of the capsule. In addition, devices for discharging an infusion product from a serving capsule as well as for introducing an infusion fluid into a serving capsule are known from WO 2010/118544. These devices comprise drilling elements that protrude away from a support surface. Injection or discharge is carried out by passing through these piercing elements and not through them. In addition, retention screens can be assigned to the perforation elements and these screens do not have a cutting edge that prevents the support of a capsule wall on the support surface in an environment of the retention screen through the capsule wall that supports on the corner.
[006] For a qualitatively good infusion drink, it is often important that the extraction material is compact during the infusion process and does not rotate. The problem of the extraction material in the capsule not being able to be infinitely compacted, however, also exists due to reasons of manufacturing technology and / or due to the predefined dimensioning and amount of filling of the capsule.
[007] It is suggested in WO 2008/015642 to compress the extraction material into capsule tablets during filling and the subsequent closure of the capsules under vacuum conditions, so that the cap of the capsule after closing is pressed against the surface of the capsule and glued there. The disadvantage of this solution is the fact that the extraction material can be sprayed again during transport and the tablets do not have stability inside the capsule, although the vacuum inside the capsule prevails.
[008] A system is also known by means of WO 2010/118545, with which the capsule is compressed during the infusion procedure by means of pressure screws that fit laterally. This solution, which in itself works relatively well, however, has the disadvantages of requiring additional mechanical parts and that the screws that fit from the outside into the infusion chamber are difficult to accommodate for geometric reasons, depending on of the infusion chamber design.
[009] Consequently, it is the object of the present invention to provide solutions to the problems that were discussed above. These, in particular, should allow an infusion procedure under compression conditions and, specifically, also in situations in which the capsule cannot be completely filled with compacted extraction material or cannot be filled completely for other reasons.
[010] This object is achieved by the present invention as defined in the patent claims.
[011] According to one aspect, the present invention relates to an infusion method, with which an infusion product (particularly a hot drink) is produced in a process of extraction from an infusion fluid (particularly hot water) introduced in a capsule, with the following steps: - delivery of the capsule as a closed capsule with a capsule wall comprising a cover surface on the extraction side, a cover surface on the injection side and a peripheral side surface which extends between the cover surface on the extraction side and the cover surface on the injection side, as well as with an extraction material that is surrounded by the wall of the capsule and is located inside the capsule; - guiding the capsule to an infusion module of an infusion product preparation machine, wherein said infusion module comprises an injector for introducing an infusion fluid into the capsule and a discharge device for discharging an infusion product, that the injector comprises at least one piercing element on the injection side that protrudes away from a support surface on the injection side and the discharge device comprises at least one piercing element on the extraction side that protrudes away from a support surface on the extraction side; - closing an infusion chamber of the infusion module until now, until the capsule is located in the infusion chamber, the peripheral lateral surface of the capsule on the injection side is surrounded / enclosed by a capsule seal (43) and the hair at least one perforation element on the injection side perforate the cover surface on the injection side along a cut line (for example, two-dimensional), for example, in such a way that at least one flap is raised on the injection side of the cover surface on the injection side; - introduction of an infusion fluid in the region between the support surface on the injection side and the cover surface on the injection side of the capsule, under pressure, so that, due to the pressure of the fluid, the cover surface on the injection side injection is pressed against the inside of the capsule and moves at least partially into the capsule, while the seal around the capsule retains the peripheral lateral surface, so that the infusion fluid passes through at least part of the side injection of the capsule wall which is pressed into the capsule - in this case, it may be the flap, for example - into the capsule; and - maintaining pressure on the infusion fluid at least until the product leaves the infusion through the discharge openings that are formed in the cover surface of the extraction side by means of perforation by at least one perforation element on the extraction side.
[012] The displacement of the cover surface on the injection side under pressure can, for example, be a parallel displacement of a central portion of the cover surface on the injection side or arching of the cover side on the injection side into the interior of the capsule. Shapes mixed with arching regions and those that remain flat and offset in parallel are also possible.
[013] A two-dimensional cut line rises if the piercing element is not only pierced in a shape similar to a point, in the form of a fine needle, or simply a single, straight (one-dimensional) cut line, if the projection of the drilling element on the support surface (and thus also on the cutting line) covers a surface and the drilling element has an angled or curved shape or if it is constructed with several integral parts that are at an angle to each other. In particular, the perforating element may comprise a flat element which projects, for example, approximately perpendicularly from the support surface, wherein said flat element is particularly a sheet or sheet metal part (in which the expression part of sheet does not represent limitations on material selection and also includes flat plastic elements formed in a corresponding way), which is curved, folded (for example, inclined) or is made up of several sheet pieces which are at an angle to each other. A one-dimensional cut line in combination with a retaining screen that is at an angle to that and cuts a hole similar to a fish mouth in the capsule wall cut by the cut line can also be used as an alternative to the line two-dimensional cutting. Consequently, the present invention is based, among other things, on the idea of using the infusion fluid itself to compress the capsule, while the capsule is retained by an elastic means, specifically the seal that encloses the capsule. This idea uses, among others, the fact that the possibility of deformation of the capsule's plastic with capsules with plastic walls also depends on the temperature and the infusion fluid with the infusion processes is usually introduced into the capsule in a hot way (at least 80 ° or at least 90 °, for example, to the boiling point (100 ° at sea level) or up to 95 °). The capsule, after plastic deformation, also remains in the compressed condition when the pressure between the outer side of the capsule (injection side) and the inside of the capsule has been essentially compensated. Therefore, the method acts, specifically favorably, in combination with capsules whose walls have a glass transition temperature of just slightly below room temperature or even above, whereby the room temperature step to infusion temperature carries specific weight and greatly influences the deformation capacity of the plastic. In particular, the glass transition temperature of the capsule is - 50 ° to 50 °, particularly from -30 ° to 20 ° and especially from -20 ° to 5 ° (all temperature specifications are in ° C).
[014] The wall thickness of a plastic capsule wall can, for example, be from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, particularly from 0.25 mm to 0.35 mm, which allows the use of the capsules deep drawing. Polypropylene, for example, is considered a material, but also other plastics - particularly but not exclusively - with glass transition temperatures in the range specified above.
[015] However, the application of other materials, including non-plastics, is not excluded.
[016] The perforation elements are generally free of passages that run essentially axially through the perforation elements (axial at present indicates the direction perpendicular to the support surface). They are simply used for piercing the capsule. The injection of fluids in the capsule and its discharge from it are carried out by passing through the perforation elements, which is explained in even more detail below. The perforating elements themselves, therefore, can be relatively simple, free-opening, crevice-free and compact elements and, for example, designed in a similar way to sheet (metal or plastic).
[017] It is particularly favorable if at least the extraction side and, for example, also the elements of the injection side comprise a non-cutting retaining screen each, whose axial extension is less than the axial extension of a drilling portion and / or cutting of the respective drilling element. During drilling, the cutting portion will therefore first form a two-dimensional cutting line (that is, not only representing a line), which, at the same time, however, is closed again by the cutting portion (for example, elements similar to the sheet). With the additional penetration of the piercing elements inside the capsule, a flap of material is lifted by means of the corresponding retaining screens, so that an opening for the fluid is formed.
[018] The infusion module and the capsule can be dimensioned in such a way that the distance between the cover surface on the injection side and the cover surface on the extraction side of the capsule corresponds approximately to the distance between the support surfaces on the side injection and extraction side, considering a closed infusion chamber, or smaller than that, so that - for example, among other things, due to the elastic deformation of the capsule through contact with the piercing elements due to the resistance that the plastic material faces when cutting the drilling elements - the cover surfaces do not rest on the support surfaces before the infusion fluid is introduced. In this way, an intermediate space between the respective support surface and the corresponding cover surface of the capsule remains on the injection side and / or on the extraction side, even with a closed infusion chamber. The piercing elements also do not fully penetrate the capsule until they touch. In particular, perforation can be carried out in such a way that a flap on the injection side of the cover surface can be pressed into the capsule (for example, when present, by means of a corresponding retaining screen and / or by means of the pressure of the infusion fluid that acts from the outside), but that the capsule, at least with its covering surface on the extraction side, does not rest completely on the contact surface on the extraction side, that is, distant from it in a distance that corresponds, for example, to 30% to 100% of the height of the drilling elements on the extraction side.
[019] The method can then be carried out in such a way that, due to the introduction of the infusion fluid, pressure is established inside the capsule for a certain time, until the cover surface of the extraction side is displaced to the support surface. on the extraction side due to the internal pressure accumulated in the capsule, where the discharge openings are produced in the capsule or enlarged due to the perforation elements on the extraction side and, through these openings, the infusion product can be discharged from the capsule.
[020] However, with this variant of the method, according to the present invention, a drilling can also be carried out, optionally, on the extraction side already with the closing stage of the infusion chamber. In particular, the perforation elements on the extraction side can project so deeply into the capsule that crevice-like perforation openings appear, which can, however, be closed by the perforation elements themselves, so that it is very difficult for the product of the infusion passes through these perforation openings. After the build-up of internal pressure, the cover surface of the extraction side, for example, is so pressed against the drilling elements that the retaining screens of the drilling elements in each case press a flap on the extraction side of the covering surface. from the extraction side to the inside of the capsule, so that discharge openings appear. The procedure according to this embodiment improves, therefore, the possibilities of accumulation of great internal pressure inside the capsule. This results in a pre-infusion process in the compacted coffee powder. A pre-brewing process, for example, is known from fully automatic coffee machines with a grinder and there are deliberately efforts to, by first compressing the ground coffee by mechanical means, that the brewing fluid is introduced until the compressed coffee powder is impregnated, in which the infusion fluid supply is suspended for a moment (fraction of a second to a few seconds) and only then is the actual infusion procedure established. Although the procedure according to the present invention, of interrupting the infusion fluid supply in a directed manner by means of adequate control, is not ruled out, nor is it necessary for the pre-infusion process due to the measures according to the present invention. .
[021] The capsule seal (injection side) is generally made of a flexible elastic material, particularly an elastomeric and / or elastic rubber material. For example, it can cover the capsule along the peripheral side surface and thereby be pressed against the capsule wall due to its elasticity, such that the capsule is retained by the capsule seal.
[022] Particularly, the capsule seal is conveniently dimensioned and combined with the capsule, in such a way that a characteristic of the peripheral seal (particularly a sealing edge or a sealing sphere) protrudes so radially inward that the peripheral side surface is deformed locally and moved inward along the sealing feature during the closing of the infusion chamber. In other words, not only does a pressure (which exerts a force) against the wall occur because of the elasticity of the seal, but the characteristic of the seal protrudes so deeply inward that a deformation of the capsule also occurs - characteristics corresponding to the characteristic of the seal they are at least temporarily recessed on the wall of the capsule - for example, a groove that corresponds to a sealing edge / a sealing sphere or with various similar characteristics a corresponding series of grooves.
[023] The temperature of the infusion, material and dimensioning of the capsule wall can be combined with each other in such a way that this deformation is plastic and remains during and after the infusion process, which can have a particularly stabilizing effect as mentioned below.
[024] The radial deformation that is carried out by sealing the capsule can still cause slight additional compaction of the capsule filling, which can also be favorable.
[025] It can be particularly favorable if the sealing of the capsule on the injection side comprises a series of sealing edges and / or peripheral sealing balls that, because of their elasticity, press the capsule wall against its interior, where a recess is arranged in each case between two consecutive sealing edges or sealing balls, in such a way that a peripheral cavity is formed in the operating condition between the consecutive sealing edges or sealing balls and the capsule.
[026] If the material characteristics of the capsule - for example, through the selection of a material with a glass transition temperature selected as discussed above, an infusion pressure of 8 to 20 bar and a temperature of 80 ° to the point of boiling water - are combined with the infusion pressure and the infusion temperature in such a way that plastic deformation of the capsule is possible, they can also be used for fixed support of the capsule during the infusion process and then until the ejection. Specifically, no arching between the sealing edges or the sealing balls in the peripheral cavities is due to the internal pressure and this acts as a stabilizer against axial sliding of the capsule. Capsule seals can also be present on both sides, that is, in addition to the injector side, also on the discharge device side. In the embodiments, the sealing collar on the injector side, however, is more extended and / or the capsule seal on the injector side comprises more sealing edges than the capsule seal on the extraction side. For this reason, generally with these achievements, the capsule on the side of the injector is also retained with a greater frictional force than on the extraction side.
[027] The capsule may have an almost arbitrary shape that coincides with the infusion chamber. The present invention is particularly favorable with respect to capsules without a peripheral collar of the capsule on one of the cover surfaces, as is known from products that are mainly available on the market. This peripheral necklace, although it is possible as was the case here, however, is no longer necessary. Capsule forms without peripheral glue are even particularly preferred. Capsule shapes that are no longer anisotropically stiffened by means of a peripheral collar are also considered a consequence of this, which allows for more degrees of freedom.
[028] The present invention is particularly favorable in the context of a capsule that essentially has the shape of a straight cylinder (in the broader context, that is, according to the geometric definition of the term "cylinder") that is not limited to cylinders of rotation), that is, the covering surfaces are essentially flat and approximately equal and the peripheral covering surface is approximately perpendicular to the covering surfaces. This does not exclude inclination of the lateral surface perpendicular to the covering surface, for example, at most 3 °, particularly at most 2 ° or at most 1.5 °. Likewise, the presence of a peripheral welding sphere in the region of the lateral surface and inherent to the manufacturing technology is not excluded. The capsule, however, may comprise peripheral edges (for example, a weld sphere) that are inherent in manufacturing technology, projecting laterally at a maximum of 1.5 mm, 1 mm or less and, for example, being supported by an end plane. A capsule shape that is polygonal in cross-section perpendicular to the axis, particularly a rectangular shape of the capsule, for example, a capsule essentially in the form of a cube, is preferred for various applications. The advantages of this way in relation to logistics, as already described elsewhere - in fact surprisingly - are supplemented by improved stability with the infusion process between lateral retention by elastic sealing and plastic deformation of the covering surface on the injection side. The lateral edges during compression, due to the infusion fluid, surprisingly act as a stabilizer, which can be verified in tests through the shape of the resulting capsule after the infusion process.
[029] The design and layout of the drilling elements can be affected differently, in which optimization can be performed for certain configurations through the following characteristics that can be perceived independently of each other or in combination: - Arrangement of the drilling elements on the injection side near the guide portion of the capsule seal, that is, peripherally with respect to the cover surface on the injection side. This acts in a mechanically stabilizing manner during drilling, that is, the material of the capsule may have a lower yield and, in addition, ensure good impregnation of the extraction material. Particularly, with a rectangular base surface, four perforation elements on the injection side can be present on each corner of the surface base. - Arrangement of the drilling elements on the extraction side close to the axis, that is, less peripherally, than the drilling elements on the injection side. In this way, only partial (or none) perforation by the piercing elements on the extraction side of the capsule can be encouraged prior to the infusion procedure, and there is no complete opening of the discharge openings on the extraction side until the internal pressure of the capsule increase. - Sizing of the perforation elements on the injection side in relation to the perforation elements on the extraction side, so that the perforation elements have a greater axial extension (or distance from the tip to the support surface, measured perpendicularly). - Providing a passage for each drilling element, particularly in the region covered by the drilling elements (considering a two-dimensional cut line, the drilling elements in a projection on the support surface cover a surface that is described in detail in PCT / CH2010 / 000098; a flap that can be lifted by means of the retention screen results in this configuration). A retention screen extends conveniently through the passage.
[030] With some realizations, the height of the drilling elements on the injection side from 110% to 160% of the height of the drilling elements on the extraction side was specifically considered advantageous. The distance between the drilling elements on the injection side and the central axis, for example, corresponds to 110% to 150% of the distance between the drilling element on the extraction side and the central axis.
[031] The ideal height of the injection side drilling elements is from 6 mm to 10 mm, particularly from 7 mm to 9 mm, with approximately cube-shaped capsules ranging in size from 25 mm to 30 mm (edge length). If the perforation elements are in the form of two plates (sheets) which are at an angle to each other, the extension of the plates on the support surface is preferably slightly less than the height, for example, from 4 to 7 mm. The height of the drilling elements on the extraction side can be from 5 mm to 8 mm and the length of the plates forming the drilling elements can be from 3 mm to 6 mm. The distance between the perforation elements on the injection side and the central axis can be 10 to 17 mm and the distance from the edge of the cover surface on the injection side (that is, to the plane defined by the peripheral wall surface. , measured perpendicular to the plane) is 3 to 7 mm.
[032] With larger capsules with edge lengths of up to 35 mm or more, the dimensioning can be the same or slightly larger drilling elements can be selected.
[033] The object of the present invention is also a system for preparing an infusion product - for example, a coffee capsule system with a coffee machine - in which the machine comprises an infusion chamber that is combined with the capsule in the manner described above, to prepare the infusion product.
[034] In some embodiments, in this way, the infusion chamber in the closed condition completely covers the capsule and the injector and the discharge device comprise elements that correspond to each other in the form of an exact fit and, in the closed position, form together the infusion chamber. The walls in the axial direction (with respect to the infusion fluid guide and / or the direction of movement of the relative movement of the parts of the infusion module), for example, form an injection plate with at least one drilling tip on the side injection and the discharge plate with the drilling element on the extraction side that protrudes from the plate into the infusion chamber. The upper, lower and side walls are formed by corresponding wall parts of the injector and the discharge device, in which the aforementioned wall parts are touching each other. The respective wall parts can be sealed together in the closed position, for example, by means of a molded peripheral seal. This seal may comprise, for example, an edge seal which is attached to one part of the infusion module and, during the closing of the infusion chamber, reaches a surface of the other part of the infusion module. An infusion chamber that is closed in this way allows the extraction device or infusion module to be discharged without the need to insert a capsule - which is of significant convenience to the user. This, however, does not exclude the use of a flushing or rinsing capsule or a filling capsule during the rinsing or cleaning procedure - with an infusion chamber that is closed or not completely closed.
[035] Realizations of the present invention are described below by means of figures. The same reference figures indicate identical or analogous elements in the figures. The figures are not to scale and, to a certain extent, exhibit elements that partially correspond with each other, with different sizes from figure to figure. They are shown in: - Figure 1: a capsule; - Figure 2: detail of a sectional representation of an infusion module; - Figure 3: infusion sieve plate with perforation elements; - Figure 4: drilling elements on the injection side with a conductor; - Figure 5: detail with a capsule seal, perforation plate and capsule (partially represented); - Figure 6: cut along line VI-VI in Figure 7 through a capsule after the infusion process; - Figure 7: view of the capsule from the injection side, after the infusion process; - Figure 8: view from the inside, on a perforated wall of the capsule; - Figure 9: schematic diagram of a coffee machine; and - Figure 10: section corresponding to Figure 6.
[036] Capsule 1 according to Figure 1 essentially has the shape of a cube with rounded edges, so that the capsule wall defines two cover surfaces 1.1, 1.2 (the single cover surface on the bottom side in Figure 1 does not is visible due to the orientation selected in the Figure) and a peripheral side surface 1.3. The side at the top of the figure, however, is slightly smaller than the bottom, so that the capsule has a truncated pyramid shape in the pure mathematical sense. The angle of inclination of the surfaces that are lateral in the figure, perpendicular to the surface of the base (meaning, of course, the plane perpendicular to the surface of the base, which runs through the edge between the surface of the base and the corresponding side surface), is very small and at most is preferably 2 °, for example, only about 1 °. In addition, the height of the capsule above the base surface corresponds approximately to the length of the edges of the base surface. A weld sphere 1.4 is also visible and protrudes laterally on all sides by a maximum of about d = 0.6 mm and therefore a maximum of about 2 to 3% of the length of the cube's edge .
[037] As is intrinsically known, the capsule wall of the present is manufactured with a suitable plastic material, such as polypropylene with a wall thickness of 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to 0, 4 mm, for example, from 0.25 mm to 0.35 mm. Other materials are also conceivable, particularly other food-compatible plastics. A barrier layer is formed on the wall of the capsule and has a barrier property for oxygen, preventing diffusion of oxygen to the capsule. The barrier layer, for example, comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). The capsule wall can be composed of a base body and a lid that are manufactured using the deep drawing method in each case. The closure of the capsule can be performed using the ultrasound cutting and sealing method. A feature is also the fact that the weld sphere is not in the plane of one of the covering surfaces, but is axially level with them.
[038] The wall thickness of the outer wall, for example, is approximately the same on all sides. The outer length of the cubic edges, for example, is 24 mm to 30 mm, for a filling amount of about 6 g to about 10 g of coffee or 30 mm to 35 mm for a filling amount of about 9 about 14 g of coffee. The capsule can also be designed so that it only consists of the wall and the filling that touches the wall directly (without filter medium or the like) or it can also be constructed in a more complicated way, comprising filter medium, liquid conduction medium or others, present in the capsule.
[039] The International Patent Application PCT / CH2010 / 000097 is also indicated with respect to the outer wall of the capsule and corresponding methods of its manufacture.
[040] As will be explained below, for the realization described in the present, the infusion module is combined with the solder sphere 1.4 in such a way that the orientation of the capsule in the infusion module is defined. Thus, the covering surface on the upper side of the figure is the covering surface on the extraction side and the covering surface 1.2 which is on the lower side of the figure is the covering surface on the injection side. The four remaining cubic surfaces together form the peripheral side surface 1.3. This terminology is maintained below. The present invention can also be implemented if: - the orientation is selected differently, that is, in an inverse way, in which the covering surfaces on the upper and lower sides correspond to the covering surfaces on the injection side and on the extraction, respectively; - guidance is not provided on the infusion module, but the insertion can be performed in any orientation; - the shape is not a cubic shape but, for example, a cylindrical shape or a different shape with two cover surfaces and a peripheral side surface between them; and / or - at least one of the covering surfaces (particularly the covering surface on the extraction side) is not flat, but has a different shape, such as curving or similar.
[041] The configuration described here with approximately cubic shape or another shape of parallelepiped and with the arrangement in which a peripheral weld sphere 1.4 or other thickener is closer to the cover surface on the extraction side than to the cover surface on the side injection; in some embodiments, however, it is advantageous, particularly because the solder sphere 1.4 forms a thickening that mechanically stabilizes the capsule on the extraction side.
[042] Figure 2, in a sectional representation, shows an infusion module that is still open, with a capsule 1 inserted. The infusion module comprises a discharge device 3 and an injector 4. The discharge device 3 and the injector 4 are movable with each other by activating a suitable mechanism - for example, with an operating lever. In the shown embodiment, the injector 4 is movable in the direction of the discharge device, while the latter is not mobile with respect to the external shelter.
[043] In the operating condition, the infusion module serves as the horizontal infusion module of a coffee machine, which, in addition to the infusion module comprising a water tank, a water heating device (for example, heater type flow) and a pump to feed the infusion water to the injector 4. The capsule 1 can be inserted through an insertion opening 7 in the external housing, into the infusion chamber. The capsule 1 rests on a resting element 21 as well as a support surface 35 of the discharge device 3 after insertion, as shown in Figure 2. The resting element 21 is moved away from the position shown in Figure 2 by means of the closing of the infusion chamber, which is described in more detail in European Patent Application 12,405,010.5.
[044] As is evident in Figure 2, the infusion module is designed in such a way that the axial direction - in which axis 5 connects the injector and the discharge device and along which the mobile part of the infusion module ( that is, the injector in the present) is moved by opening and closing the infusion chamber - it is slightly inclined, for example, by about 5 ° with respect to the horizontal and specifically in such a way that the mobile part of the infusion module ( that is, the injector in the presnete) move slightly downwards when it is moved to the stationary part of the infusion module (ie, the discharge device at present).
[045] The injector comprises at least one piercing element 12 (four piercing elements in the example shown) with a designated feed opening, so that the capsule can be pierced and infusion fluid can be delivered through the opening feed. The coffee machine further comprises, for example, a capsule container which is disposed below the infusion chamber, into which the capsule is automatically ejected after the infusion procedure, by raising the operating lever.
[046] In addition, the discharge device 3 comprises a conductor that has defined the support surface and a series of perforation elements 11 that protrude away from it, in each case with a designated passage. The infusion product can flow through a discharge channel 19.
[047] The injector 4 comprises a capsule seal 43 with a sealing collar that comprehensively retains the capsule or encompasses by closing the infusion chamber. The discharge device 3 is also equipped with a capsule seal 33, on which a sealing collar is formed.
[048] The parts of the injector and the discharge device that form the infusion chamber coincide with each other in such a way that they correspond to each other in exact fit mode and, in the closed position, form the infusion chamber together. The upper, lower and side walls are formed by the corresponding wall parts of the first and the second part of the infusion module, in which the aforementioned wall parts are in contact with each other. The wall parts that are formed by the injector 4 and the wall parts that are formed by the discharge device 3 are sealed to each other in the closed position by means of a molded peripheral seal 49. In the closed condition of the infusion chamber, the The infusion is additionally sealed to the outside due to the effect of capsule seals. This, for example, allows for a rinsing process without a capsule inserted.
[049] Figure 3 shows the drilling elements on the extraction side 11 with the conductor 30 in the form of an infusion sieve plate. This infusion sieve plate with perforation elements is described in publication WO 2010/118544. In Figure 3, a person can see that each perforation element is constructed from two pieces of sheet 51 that are at an angle to each other and taper towards a perforation point 53. The edge that protrudes away from the conductor is projected in the form of a cutting edge 52 in each case, so that a cutting line that forms an angle (therefore, two-dimensional) appears on the capsule wall after drilling the capsule wall through the drilling tip 53 by means of additional pressure of the piercing elements in the capsule. Each piercing element further comprises a retaining screen 54 which, in the axial direction, projects less into the capsule than the piercing tip and comprises a non-cutting edge. A passage 57 which is represented schematically as a trace only for a drilling element in the figure and over which retaining screens extend, for example, is assigned to each drilling element. The passages are covered by the micro-sieve sheet 56, which, as described in WO 2010/118544, has the function of a sieve similar to a fully automatic coffee machine. The micro-sieve sheet 56 is optional at this point.
[050] The piercing elements of the injection side 12 with their conductor 40 are shown in Figure 4. The piercing elements of the injection side in each case also comprise two pieces of sheet 61 with a cutting edge 62, in which the mentioned pieces of sheet are angled with each other and taper towards a drill bit 63. A designated retention screen 65 is also present. As it is also an option for the extraction side, the sheet pieces 61 can be fixed on a conductive plate of the conductor, while the retaining screens are formed from a body of the infusion module 68 that retains the conductive plate and projects in the axial direction, through corresponding openings of the conductive plate, to the infusion chamber. A person can clearly perceive passages 66 in Figure 4, which are projected in the region of the conductive plate which is, at least partially, covered by the pieces of sheet 61.
[051] Figure 5 shows a detail of the construction before the start of the infusion process. The sealing of the capsule on the injection side 43, the conductor 40 with the piercing elements on the injection side 12 and a part of the capsule are shown after closing the infusion chamber. The body of the infusion module 68 is not shown in Figure 5. During the closing of the infusion chamber, the peripheral collar 45 of the capsule seal fits around the capsule 1 or surrounds it in such a way that, due to its elasticity, the edges of the seal 48 or the sealing balls are pressed laterally against the wall of the capsule. The piercing elements 12 pierce the cover surface on the injection side of the capsule and are pressed into it.
[052] The infusion chamber is designed and its dimension coincides with the size of the coffee capsule, in such a way that the support surfaces of the injection side and the extraction side do not rest on the respective cover surfaces of the capsule, considering an infusion chamber completely closed before the infusion process starts (ie before introducing hot water under pressure). The distance from the support surfaces in the closed condition of the infusion chamber corresponds to the extension of the capsule along axis 5 (corresponding to the extension from top to bottom in Figure 1) before its insertion into the infusion chamber, that is, without the application of a force from the outside. The resistance against penetration of the piercing tips, which is present due to the rigidity of the material, causes slight deformation of the capsule, in such a way that at least one of the covering surfaces does not rest on the respective support surface.
[053] In the representation according to Figure 5, a certain intermediate space between the conductor 40 and the covering surface on the injection side of the capsule is visible on the injection side and this intermediate space is also formed on the extraction side , in which, on the extraction side, the capsule, for example, is perforated only as far as the perforation elements produce only a cut line, but the retaining screens, however, still do not protrude into the interior of the capsule, due to dimensioning and / or available.
[054] In the embodiment according to Figure 5, the piercing elements of the injection side 12, however, have penetrated so deep into the capsule that, in each case, a flap 70 of the material of the capsule wall that is produced by the line of two-dimensional cutting is pressed into the capsule due to the effect of the retaining screens 65, so that this would be done by means of fluid pressure without the retaining screens and not before it.
[055] With the infusion process, this hot infusion fluid is introduced under pressure through the passages 66. This contrasts with the ideas according to the state of the art, with which the infusion fluid is guided through the elements of perforation and thus reaches the inside of the capsule directly. With the idea according to the present aspect of the present invention, on the other hand, pressure builds up from the outside on the capsule wall first due to the limited flow passage capacity of the openings in the capsule wall, in which fluids arrive to the intermediate space between the conductor 40 and the capsule wall, so that the pressure acts on the surface of the capsule wall. At the same time, the plastic deformation capacity of the capsule wall increases due to the increase in the temperature of the infusion fluid (the transition temperature in polypropylene glass is about 0 ° C or slightly below). The capsule wall is further pushed inwards, thereby compressing and compacting the contents of the capsule, before larger amounts of fluid penetrate the capsule. This arching is possible due to the stabilizing effect of the seal surrounding the capsule 43 (or the sealing collar comprising 45) that keeps the peripheral wall in position and in place. After some time (usually after 1 s to a few seconds), it also it builds up excess pressure inside the capsule due to the infusion fluid that has penetrated the capsule in larger quantities and pressure compensation occurs between the inside of the capsule and the injector. At this time, a pre-infusion process took place inside the capsule, using the now compact extraction material that is protected against agitation that is impregnated with the infusion fluid. For this, the covering surface is pressed slightly outwards and superficially against the infusion sieve plate, on the extraction side, due to the higher internal pressure of the capsule; therefore, the capsule wall on the extraction side is pressed onto the support surface on the extraction side. As a result, the drilling elements on the extraction side (which, for example, are arranged less peripherally with respect to axis 5 than the drilling elements on the injection side, whereby the arching becomes larger) penetrate deeper. in the capsule, until the flaps produced by the piercing elements of the retention screens are lifted significantly into the cover surface and, in this way, release a discharge opening, through which the ready-made infusion product leaves the capsule. Figures 6 and 7, in a sectional view or in view of the injection side, show the shape of the capsule. A person clearly perceives the arching or inward curvature, so that the volume of the capsule reduced by the compression volume 75 appears. Ribs 74 appeared in the region of the edge due to the effect of the comprehensive sealing collar. The openings on the injection side 71 in the capsule wall are similarly represented in the figures.
[056] The volume of compression can therefore correspond approximately to the volume by which the capsule was not filled in its manufacture. For example, the cover used for the embodiment described herein is slightly arched. During the filling of the capsule, the volume of the cap that is defined by the bow of the cap cannot be filled, even with complete filling of the cup (which forms the bottom cover surface 1.2 and the side walls 1.4) which is closed by the cap and is that is why, in this case, the residual volume - and thus also the compression volume 75 - corresponds approximately to this cap volume. As shown in Figure 10, a person can therefore mainly observe that the displacement of the lower covering surface 1.2 inwards, in which the aforementioned displacement is indicated with "y" in the figure, corresponds approximately to the magnitude "x" by which the cover is arched.
[057] As can be seen particularly well in Figure 6, the capsule after the infusion process is deformed in such a way that the peripheral side surface 1.3 is lightly pressed together on the injection side due to the action of the comprehensive seal, while on the the extraction side it is slightly enlarged, due to the pressure inside the capsule. On the injection side, the peripheral side surface may, in addition, have light ribs as a seal impression with the various sealing edges 48.
[058] Coffee (or similar) that leaves the capsule from the discharge opening 3 goes to an outlet opening through suitable channels, from which it can flow into the supplied cup.
[059] Figure 8, in a view from the inside (without extraction material), shows the cover surface on the perforated injection side 1.2 of the capsule. A person can see the flap (70), which is also pressed inwardly, out of the plane of the covering surface by means of the effect of the retaining screen 65 and which, in this way, maintains a free opening between the wall of the capsule and the knives of perforation (pieces of leaf 61). A similar effect occurs on the extraction side, in which the stabilizing effect of the comprehensive seal is absent.
[060] A coffee machine according to the present invention and with an infusion module, as shown schematically in Figure 9, separate from the infusion module, comprises a water tank 91, a pump 92 to supply infusion water to the injector 4 and a water heating device 93 (e.g., flow heater type). A capsule container 95 is disposed below the infusion module, and in that capsule container, capsules 1 fall or are transported after the infusion process. Reference number 98 indicates a cup of coffee.
[061] Finally, it should be noted that the application of the procedure according to the present invention is not limited to coffee infusion. Other infusion drinks, particularly tea or additional infusion products, can be created with the method described herein and / or with the means described herein.

权利要求:
Claims (8)
[0001]
1. Infusion method, with which an infusion product is produced in an extraction process from an infusion fluid introduced into a capsule (1), CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises the following steps: - supply the capsule (1) as a closed capsule with a capsule wall comprising a cover surface on the extraction side (1.1), a cover surface on the injection side (1.2) and a peripheral side surface (1.3) that extends between the cover surface on the extraction side and the covering surface on the injection side, as well as with an extraction material surrounded by the capsule wall, inside the capsule; - inserting the capsule (1) into an infusion module of a machine for preparing the infusion product, said infusion module comprising an injector (4) for introducing an infusion fluid into the capsule and a discharge device (3) for discharge an infusion product, the injector comprising at least one injection side piercing element (12) projecting away from a support side of the injection side and the discharge device comprising at least one piercing element on the extraction side (11) that protrudes away from a support surface on the extraction side; - close an infusion chamber of the infusion module until the capsule is located in the infusion chamber, the peripheral lateral surface of the capsule is enclosed on the injection side by a capsule seal (43) and at least one perforation element in the injection side (12) perforate the cover surface on the injection side (1.2) along a cutting line; - introduce an infusion fluid in the region between the support surface on the injection side and the cover surface on the injection side (1.2) under pressure, so that, due to the pressure of the fluid, the cover surface on the injection side it is pressed into the capsule and moves at least partially into the capsule, while the capsule seal (43) that encloses it retains the peripheral lateral surface (1.3), so that the infusion fluid passes through at least a part of the injection side (70) of the capsule wall which is pressed into the capsule, into the capsule; and - maintaining pressure on the infusion fluid at least until the infusion product leaves at least one discharge opening that is produced on the cover surface on the extraction side by drilling through at least one perforation element on the side extraction.
[0002]
2. Method, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the infusion module and the capsule (1) are dimensioned in such a way that the cover surfaces (1.1, 1.2) do not rest on the support surfaces before the introduction of the infusion fluid.
[0003]
3. Method according to claim 2, CHARACTERIZED because, after the introduction of the infusion fluid, the pressure on the infusion fluid is maintained until the cover surface of the extraction side (1.2) is displaced to the surface of support on the extraction side by means of internal pressure accumulated in the capsule (1), so that discharge openings are produced in the capsule by means of the drilling elements on the extraction side (11) and, through these discharge openings, the product infusion can be discharged from the capsule.
[0004]
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the perforation element on the extraction side (11) or the perforation elements on the extraction side is / are selected in such a way that each perforation element comprises a screen retaining plate on the non-cutting extraction side (54), which protrudes away from the support surface on the extraction side.
[0005]
5. Method, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED because the infusion module and the capsule are dimensioned and coincide with each other, in such a way that the retention screens on the extraction side (54) essentially do not protrude into the interior of the capsule prior to the introduction of the infusion fluid.
[0006]
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the at least one piercing element on the injection side (2) has a greater axial extension than the at least one piercing element on the extraction side (11).
[0007]
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because several elements of perforation on the injection side (12) and several elements of perforation on the extraction side (11) are present, in which the elements of perforation on the side of injection have a greater distance to an axis (5) that is perpendicular to the supporting surfaces than the drilling elements on the extraction side.
[0008]
8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that a capsule seal made of an elastomeric material and / or elastic rubber is used as a seal around the capsule (43).

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同族专利:

公开号 | 公开日

WO2013149354A2|2013-10-10|

CA2873719A1|2013-10-10|

ES2550991T3|2015-11-13|

PT2647317E|2015-02-09|

RU2014143716A|2016-05-27|

PL2647317T3|2015-04-30|

DK2742832T5|2015-10-26|

KR102159413B1|2020-09-24|

NZ630758A|2015-09-25|

CA2873719C|2020-05-12|

PT2742832E|2015-11-17|

EP2742832A1|2014-06-18|

CN104334062A|2015-02-04|

AU2013243206A1|2014-10-02|

PL2742832T3|2016-02-29|

HK1190050A1|2014-06-27|

JP2015516198A|2015-06-11|

DK2647317T3|2015-02-09|

KR20140148425A|2014-12-31|

US9713400B2|2017-07-25|

US20150056351A1|2015-02-26|

WO2013149354A3|2013-11-28|

RU2636369C2|2017-11-22|

EP2647317A1|2013-10-09|

HUE027926T2|2016-11-28|

JP6196660B2|2017-09-13|

EP2647317B1|2014-11-26|

SG11201406304VA|2014-11-27|

EP2742832B1|2015-07-22|

CN104334062B|2016-10-12|

ES2531245T3|2015-03-12|

DK2742832T3|2015-10-05|

AU2013243206B2|2017-07-13|

NZ711009A|2016-10-28|

IL234529A|2020-09-30|

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法律状态:
2018-03-20| B25D| Requested change of name of applicant approved|Owner name: QBO COFFE GMBH (CH) |

2018-04-10| B25G| Requested change of headquarter approved|Owner name: QBO COFFE GMBH (CH) |

2018-12-04| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|

2019-12-10| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|

2020-07-28| B06A| Patent application procedure suspended [chapter 6.1 patent gazette]|

2020-12-01| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

2021-01-19| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted [chapter 16.1 patent gazette]|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 03/04/2013, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

EP12405034.5A|EP2647317B1|2012-04-05|2012-04-05|Method and preparation system for preparing a brewed product|

CHCH12405034.5|2012-04-05|

PCT/CH2013/000057|WO2013149354A2|2012-04-05|2013-04-03|Method and preparation system for preparing a brewed product|

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