Patent Application
20250057353
The present invention relates to the field of preparation of beverages with a system including a single-serve container comprising a beverage ingredient and a machine that has an extraction chamber in which the container can be inserted, extracted and from which it can be ejected.
Single serve containers for the automatic preparation of beverages encompass various formats of containers that can be relatively soft or flexible, such as pods, and made of any material, recyclable or non-recyclable, biodegradable or non-biodegradable, such as aluminium, plastic, filter paper.
One problem encountered with the systems extracting beverages from said pods is the handling of the pod in an extraction device, specifically the closing of the chamber around the pod to perform the extraction process and then the proper ejection of the pod from the chamber. The pod usually has to be positioned by the user in a housing, then the device is closed manually or automatically around the pod.
It is important to correctly position the pod so that the device closes properly around the latter and to form a good seal to ensure good conditions of extraction. Bad positioning may damage the pod, and thus affect the conditions of extraction. The loading must also be as rapid as possible and not require excessive manipulations.
Finally, at the end of the beverage preparation, the pod shall be easily ejected without risk of false orientation and machine blocking.
EP 1859714 and WO 2013/026844 describe beverage preparation systems and means to handle soft or flexible pods inside the extraction device. These pods present specific characteristics:
WO 2020/089404 describes another system extracting beverages from soft or flexible pods presenting other characteristics:
The extraction device is provided with an extraction chamber configured to adapt its size to the shape and volume of the pod introduced.
Due to the asymmetrical shape and the use of different sizes of pods, the extraction devices of the precedent cited systems designed for single size of symmetrical pods cannot be used.
In addition, in order to respect environment, it is required today to use pods made of biodegradable and/or compostable materials, in particular essentially made of paper. These new materials lead to particular properties and consequently to specific problems during the beverage preparation and the handling of the pod in the extraction device.
In particular, the paper nature of the pod can make the properties of the pod very different between the moment it is inserted inside the extraction device and the moment it is ejected therefrom that is after liquid was introduced inside the cage. The dry pod does not present the same mechanical properties as the wet pod.
Whereas the material is rigid when its is dry, it becomes extremely soft when it is wet. As a result, handling the pod before the injection of liquid is different from the manner to handle the pod after the injection of liquid. In particular, once it is wet, the handling is much more difficult because the material is so soft that it is difficult to push it and eject it from the extraction device. Some parts of the pod become fragile and the risk of tearing or opening the pod is increased with the result of dirtying the internal parts of the machine.
An object of the invention is to address at least the above existing problems.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for extracting a beverage ingredient by supplying an extraction liquid such as heated water into in a pod, said pod comprising:
The invention relates to a device for extracting a beverage ingredient typically comprised in a beverage preparation machine configured for receiving pods. For instance, the machine is a coffee, tea, chocolate or soup preparation machine, preferably a coffee machine. In particular, the machine is arranged for preparing within the extraction chamber a beverage by passing water, preferably hot, or another liquid through a pod containing an ingredient of the beverage to be prepared, such as roasted ground coffee or tea leaves or instant coffee or instant tea or chocolate or cacao or milk powder or dehydrated soup. In the preferred embodiment, the beverage ingredient is roasted and ground coffee.
The device is configured for extracting a beverage ingredient contained in a pod by supplying an extraction liquid such as water into the pod. The device comprises upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts relatively movable between an open position for inserting and/or ejecting such pod and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber enclosing the pod during beverage ingredient extraction.
Typically, the pod can be inserted into the device from above under the effect of gravity. Ejection or removal of the pod upon reopening of the enclosing parts may also be driven by gravity.
The upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts are relatively translatable along a longitudinal axis (XX′) between an open position for inserting and/or ejecting the pod and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber enclosing the pod during extraction.
The upstream part defines an empty cage or cavity for enclosing the pod body and comprises an upstream piercing arrangement in the form of one or more piercers for piercing the bottom wall of the inserted pod and at least one liquid injector for supplying liquid through the pierced bottom wall of the pod.
This upstream piercing arrangement can comprise piercers in the form of blades. These blades ca be designed and positioned to pierce the wall of the bottom of the pod body when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts are brought to the closed position. The liquid injector, such as a shower at the upstream part of the cage, can introduce the extracting liquid through the pre-pierced openings.
In an alternative, this upstream piercing arrangement can comprise at least one hollow needle configured to pierce the wall of the bottom of the pod body and hollow needle(s) can comprise an internal axial channel for guiding the extracting liquid in the chamber of the pod body.
The downstream part defines a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis. Accordingly, this plate extends along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XX′. This plate of the downstream part comprises a downstream plane piercing arrangement for opening the lid of the pod when the extracting liquid is introduced inside the pod. This downstream piercing arrangement is fixed, that is to say not movable. Usually, this downstream plane piercing arrangement is designed for opening the lid by relative engagement with the lid under the effect of the rise in pressure of the injected liquid in the pod body chamber and inflation of the lid against the piercing arrangement. This downstream plane piercing arrangement may comprise a rigid plate comprising opening elements such as spikes, that can present the shape of cones or pyramids, optionally truncated at their ends, on its surface turned to the lid. In addition, the plate comprises traversing holes to evacuate the beverage dispensed from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle collecting and dispensing beverage to a drinking cup.
In addition, the plate of the downstream part comprises a peripheral area that extends around the whole periphery of the downstream plane piercing arrangement except during pod ejection as mentioned below. Consequently, except during pod ejection, this peripheral area extends in the same plane as the downstream plane piercing arrangement. Generally, the peripheral area is essentially plane to interact with the plane top lid of the pod.
The device comprises an insertion section for inserting the pod in the device. Generally, this section is positioned above the upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts so that the pod is inserted by gravity between these two parts. This insertion section is designed so that the user is urged to position the pod with its lid facing the downstream piercing arrangement. Preferably, this insertion section can comprise a recognition device to recognise or identify the pod that is introduced inside the extraction device. The recognition device can comprise:
The recognition device is configured to enable the pod temporary blocking means to let the pod fall to the pod holder of the extraction device once the pod has been recognised.
In the closed position of the downstream and upstream enclosing parts, the central part of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part, the downstream plane piercing arrangement and the cage of the upstream enclosing part form the extraction chamber.
Accordingly, when a pod is present, the pod body is surrounded by the cage of the upstream part and the pod lid extends along both the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part and the downstream plane piercing arrangement.
The cage of the upstream enclosing part and the central part of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part are designed so that the periphery of the opened end of the cage faces the central part of the peripheral area. As a result, when a pod is enclosed inside the two enclosing parts, which are positioned in the closed position, then the central part of the peripheral area faces and supports the circumference of the top edge of the sidewall of the pod body. Consequently, this central part of the peripheral area supports a part of the pod that is more rigid than the flange of the pod, particularly when an aqueous liquid was introduced in the pod and the material of pod is wetted and becomes soft.
In addition, the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part is able to pivot around a bottom transversal axis (YY′) and in the upstream direction.
Accordingly, during the operation of ejection of the pod where the upstream enclosing part is moved away from the downstream enclosing part, the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part can be pivoted around this bottom transversal axis (YY′) and can push the pod away from the fixed downstream piercing arrangement, which helps the ejection of the pod from the extraction device
This pivoting movement happens at the end of the beverage preparation extraction and when the two enclosing parts are moved to the open position.
During this pivoting movement, the pivoting central area of the peripheral area pushes the circumference of the top edge of the sidewall of the pod body. Even if the wet pod has become soft, pushing this part of the pod rather than the flange of the pod, that is thin compared to the sidewall of the pod taken along its axial direction, provides a better support to push the whole pod and guarantees that the peripheral area does not tear the lid in the area of the flange only with the effect of not entraining the pod (the flange being totally soft and flexible) or of pivoting and entraining the flange only and leaving the central part of the lid attached to the downstream piercing arrangement since the wet and soft material of the pod often sticks to the downstream piercing arrangement in particular its spikes. By pushing the annular area of the lid that faces the sidewall, the risk of tearing and opening the pod in this area is reduced and the ejection is ensured.
Usually, the downstream plane piercing arrangement is circular and the central part of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part forms an annular area.
Preferably, the upstream pod enclosing part comprises pulling means configured to engage with upper parts of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part, when the upstream pod enclosing part is moved from the closed position to an open position for ejecting the pod. Accordingly, the ejection of the pod is automatically facilitated by the movement of the upstream enclosing part.
Usually, the device comprises a pod holder attached to the peripheral area of the downstream part. While being attached, that is to say supported by the peripheral area, the pod holder can be moved between two positions:
Usually in the receiving position of the pod holder, these elements retain the pod vertically or slightly inclined versus vertical and position the pod in front of the downstream plane piercing arrangement.
Each of these pair of elements of the pod holder can comprises a lower holding surface and a transverse arc-shaped ridge.
Such a pair of elements are configured so that in their receiving position:
This inclination provides the additional advantage of limiting the movement of the pod inside the pair of elements when they are moved from the receiving to the retracted position since during said movement, the path of movement of the part of the pod laying on the lower holding surfaces is kept very short.
The transverse arc-shaped ridges can extend in a transverse plane that is inclined by few degrees relatively to the plane of the plane piercing arrangement.
Generally, the elements of the pair present symmetric shapes versus the vertical plane comprising the longitudinal axis XX′ extending through the centre of the downstream piercing arrangement.
The pair of retaining and positioning elements can be configured to be movable between two positions depending on the status of the operation of the extracting device:
In addition, the pair of retaining and positioning elements are pushable from the receiving position to the retracted position by the upstream enclosing part when said upstream enclosing part is translated longitudinally from the open position to the closed position.
Consequently, depending on the operation step implemented in the extraction device, the pair of retaining and positioning elements are able either to interact with the pod by retaining it or to stop any interaction with the pod which can interact freely with the cage or can be ejected.
Preferably, the pod holder is able to be locked in the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part and to remain locked until the operation of ejection of the pod is finished, preferably until a new pod is introduced in the insertion section.
By locking the pod holder in the peripheral area during the complete operation of ejection of the pod, there is no risk that the pair of retaining and positioning elements move during the movement of the upstream pod enclosing part back to the open position, and then no risk that at least one of the pair of retaining and positioning elements pinch or retain the flange of the extracted pod while the cage progressively liberates the extracted pod.
Preferably, the retaining and positioning elements move from the receiving position to the retracted position along diverging directions.
By “diverging directions”, it is meant that the directions followed by the first retaining and positioning element and the second retaining and positioning element are not parallel and that the distance between these elements is greater in the retracted position than in the receiving position.
Consequently, in the receiving position, the pair of retaining and positioning elements define an intermediate space that is sized to retain at least the smaller pods, that is the pods presenting the smallest diameters due to the inconsistent manufacturing. When these elements are pushed by the upstream enclosing part from this receiving position to the retracted position, the diverging directions cause the space between these elements to increase which guarantees:
A flange that would be partially pinched in one of the retaining and positioning elements during the movement the closure of the chamber would lead to inequal closure, liquid leaking, impossibility to get pressure increase and correct extraction of the pod.
The risk of pinching is particularly increased with pods presenting inconsistent diameter even if the tolerance is small.
The diverging directions of the elements during movement to the retracted position avoid the risk of pinching.
Generally, when the retaining and positioning elements move from the receiving position to the retracted position, these elements can diverge transversally by a dimension corresponding to the tolerance about the diameters of the manufactured pods. For example, for a tolerance of more or less 1 mm, each element can diverge transversally by at least 0.5 mm, preferably 1 mm during the movement of the retaining elements from the receiving position to the retracted position.
Preferably, the pod holder comprises guiding parts that are configured to guide the movements of the retaining and positioning elements between the retaining position and the retracted position. These guiding parts can comprise slopes oriented to slide along surfaces of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part according to diverging directions.
Preferably, the side of the upstream enclosing part facing the downstream enclosing part comprises rising elements configured to push the pair of retaining and positioning elements during the longitudinal translation of the upstream enclosing part from the open position to the closed position.
Preferably, the opened end of the cage defined by the upstream enclosing is covered by a seal and this seal comprises a ridge configured to press the flange of the pod against the peripheral area of the plate of the downstream part.
Accordingly, the flange of the pod is pinched between the seal and the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part strongly. The paths for liquid due to the presence of wrinkles around the flange of the pod are closed by the engagement of the seal.
Even more preferably, the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part comprises a groove conformal to the shape of the ridge of the seal.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage preparation machine comprising an extraction device such as described above.
Generally, this beverage machine comprises a liquid supply system connected to the upstream enclosing part. This liquid supply system can comprise:
The liquid is usually water.
This beverage machine can comprise recognition means as mentioned above.
This beverage machine usually comprises a motor to actuate the movement of the enclosing parts of the extraction device
Usually, this beverage machine comprises a control unit configured to control the movement of the enclosing parts of the extraction device and the supply of liquid to the extraction device.
The control unit can be configured to control the recognition operation of the recognition device if present or to display information to the user.
In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising an extraction device such as described above and a pod or comprising a beverage preparation machine such as described above and a pod, wherein:
Preferably, the body and the lid of the pod are made of paper material.
The paper material provides the pod with biodegradable and/or compostable properties.
In one preferred embodiment, the paper material is a multilayer paper material comprising a layer of paper coated with at least a plastic film, preferably a compostable plastic film. This compostable plastic film can be a multilayer plastic film. This film can provide additional properties such as air barrier and sealants to avoid delamination.
Generally, the mechanical properties, such as the stiffness, of the dry paper material decreases when it is wetted. In particular, the elastic modulus of the paper material can become ten times less when it is wetted.
The paper material of the pod can present:
In a fourth aspect, there is provided the use of a pod for preparing a beverage in a device for extracting a beverage ingredient such as described above or with a beverage machine such as described above,
said pod comprising:
Preferably, the body and the lid of the pod are made of paper material.
The paper material provides the pod with biodegradable and/or compostable properties.
In one preferred embodiment, the paper material is a multilayer paper material comprising a layer of paper coated with at least a plastic film, preferably a compostable plastic film. This compostable plastic film can be a multilayer plastic film. This film can provide additional properties such as air barrier and sealants to avoid delamination.
Generally, the mechanical properties, such as the stiffness, of the dry paper material decreases when it is wetted. In particular, the elastic modulus of the paper material can become ten times less when it is wetted.
The paper material of the pod can present:
In the present application:
Generally, these terms are used to describe the relational positioning of features of the extraction device. These terms should be understood to refer to said device in its normal orientation when positioned in a beverage machine for the production of a beverage as shown in the
The above aspects of the invention may be combined in any suitable combination. Moreover, various features herein may be combined with one or more of the above aspects to provide combinations other than those specifically illustrated and described. Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the claims, from the detailed description, and annexed drawings.
Specific embodiments of the invention are now described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:
The pod 3 comprises a pod body 31 with one sidewall 311 that extends axially from a bottom wall 313 towards a top. The sidewall 311 extends towards a top opening 312. At the top opening 312, the body comprises a circumferential annular flange 314 that extends radially outward from the sidewall 311 along the circumference of the opening 312.
The flange comprises a top surface 3142 facing the top and a bottom surface 3141.
Generally, any transversal cross section of the body is circular from the bottom to the top and the flange is circular too.
The body delimits a chamber for containing a beverage ingredient.
This beverage ingredient packed is preferably an ingredient able to be extracted like roast and ground coffee.
In a less preferred manner, the beverage ingredient can be tea leaves or a water soluble powder ingredient such as: instant coffee powder, milk powder, cream powder, instant tea powder, cocoa powder, soup powder, fruit powder or mixture of said powders or even a soluble liquid ingredient or a beverage concentrate such as a syrup or milk concentrate. The powders can be agglomerated or sintered.
The capsule comprises a plane lid 32 that is fixed, sealed or attached to at least a part of the top surface 3142 of the circumferential flange and accordingly covers and closes the top opening 312.
The bottom wall 313 is adapted to be pierced so that liquid can be injected in the pod through the pierced openings.
The lid 32 is adapted to be opened by relative engagement with a piercing arrangement under the effect of the liquid pressure increase inside the pod during injection of liquid.
The pod shape is symmetric relatively to the central axial axis ZZ′ extending from the bottom wall to the lid and the pod shape is asymmetrical relatively to the plane of the lid and the flange.
This difference in sizes enable the preparation of different beverages, preferably different coffee beverages like ristretto, espresso, lungo (long cups), americano, . . . .
Other sizes than those illustrated can be provided, like an intermediate size.
When the pod comprises roast and ground coffee, quantities of coffee can range between 4 and 15 g. The axial dimension of the pod can extend from 5 mm to 30 mm for a same diameter of the body of about 53 mm.
Preferably the pods 3 are essentially made of a biodegradable or compostable material, preferably a home compostable material since extracted coffee cakes can easily be made composted at home.
Preferably, the material of the pod comprises a paper layer. This paper layer is formable, i.e. a sheet of paper can be given a three-dimensional shape that is the form of the body of the above described pod. Contrary to common pods made of filter paper, this paper is thick and keep the three-dimensional shape provided during a shaping step of manufacturing of the pod.
Preferably, the paper layer of the pod can have a grammage of at least 20 g/m2, preferably at most 150 g/m2. The paper of the body can present a higher grammage than the paper of the lid because it needs to be stretched and deformed during manufacturing.
The grammage of the paper of the body can be comprised between 80 and 150 g/m2.
The lid can present a grammage comprised between 20 and 120 g/m2.
Both papers can present a grammage of about 100 g/m2.
The material of the pod can comprise a layer of paper and some other materials to provide additional properties such as air barrier, stretchable or deformable properties. These additional properties can be provided with at least one plastic layer, for example as described in WO 2020/114995. Some additional layers of the body and of the lid can be different.
In fact, in order to shape the paper as a container for the beverage and to create a barrier to protect the beverage ingredient, the paper must be sufficiently thick. In addition, to create a barrier to atmosphere, in particular oxygen to which roast and ground coffee is particularly sensitive, the layer of paper is preferably coated with a compostable plastic film. Sealants layers are often necessary to attach the different layers and prevent delamination. For example, such a multilayer paper material can be the material described in WO 2020/114995 or in WO2022/022899.
With such pod materials, the thickness of the multilayer paper material of the body can be about 200 μm and the thickness of the multilayer paper material of the lid can be about 140 μm which means that the thickness of the flange is usually greater than 200 μm, even greater than 300 μm.
The manufacturing of the pods comprises generally the steps of:
The particular nature of the paper implies that the mechanical properties of the pod change before liquid, such as water, is introduced inside the cage and inside the pod and when the pod is filled with water. Once wet, the paper material loses its rigidity, becomes soft and easily tearable. Consequently, the handling of this pod is totally different between the step of introducing a new non-extracted pod inside the extraction device and the step of ejecting the wet and soft extracted pod from the extraction device. In particular, it was observed that the elastic modulus of the paper material can decrease considerably when it was wetted.
Tests about the stiffness properties of multilayer paper materials were realised. These multilayer paper materials presented at least one layer of paper and a compostable plastic film such as described in WO 2020/114995. The elastic modulus and the tensile strength of these materials were measured at 90° C. (temperature in the chamber of the apparatus used for the elastic modulus measure) according to the standard method ASTM D882 either on the dry material or on the wet material after 30 seconds soaking in hot water.
It was observed that these paper materials presented:
These differences of measure quantify the strong difference of rigidity of the pods between the dry state and wet state.
The two pod enclosing parts 1, 2 are hold and movable between two lateral and longitudinal metal sheets 6a, 6b. At least one of these parts is movable in translation between these two sheets in order to assess different relative and functional positions. In the preferred illustrated embodiments the downstream enclosing part 1 is fixed and only the upstream enclosing part 2 is movable back and forth along the longitudinal axis XX′.
Preferably, this insertion section 4 can comprise a recognition device to recognise or identify the pod 2 that is introduced inside the extraction device. The recognition device can comprise:
The recognition device is configured to enable the pod temporary blocking means to let the pod fall to the pod holder of the extraction device once the pod has been recognised.
In
In
Usually, this central downstream plane piercing arrangement 12 is circular like the lid of the pod.
Opening happens by relative engagement of spikes with the lid under the effect of the rise in pressure of the injected liquid in the pod body chamber. This downstream plane piercing arrangement may comprise a rigid plate comprising opening elements 121 such as spikes, that can present the shape of cones or pyramids, optionally truncated at their ends, on its surface turned to the lid. In addition, the plate comprises traversing holes to evacuate the beverage dispensed from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle collecting and dispensing beverage to a drinking cup.
In addition, the plate comprises a peripheral area 13 surrounding that piercing arrangement 12.
The downstream part 1 comprises a pod holder 11 that is attached to the peripheral area 13. While being attached the pod holder can be moved between two positions. In
The pod holder 11 comprises a pair of elements 11a, 11b that retain and position the pod when this pair is in the first receiving position. In this position of the pod holder, these elements retain vertically the pod, that is they stop the vertical fall of the pod falling from the insertion position. In addition, in this position, these elements position the lid of the pod in front of the downstream plane piercing arrangement 12, that is these elements align or centre the lid of the pod with the downstream plane piercing arrangement 12. Actually, due to the asymmetric shape of the pod, the centre of gravity of the pod is placed outside the plane of the lid and the introduced pod tips over in the space between the two enclosing parts if it is not retained longitudinally too.
Usually each of said elements of the pair comprises:
In the preferred illustrated embodiment, the retaining elements are attached to the bottom of the peripheral area 13 of the downstream plate piercing arrangement in a manner that enables the retaining elements to pivot around a transversal axis YY′. Accordingly, the retaining elements can move from their inclined position to a position in alignment with the plane of the plate defined by the downstream part, that is in retracted position.
Usually the pair of elements 11a, 11b present symmetric shapes along the central vertical plane comprising the longitudinal axis XX′.
The pair of retaining elements 11a, 11b are movable from the receiving position to a second retracted position at the lateral sides of the downstream plane piercing arrangement as illustrated in
During this movement of the retaining elements 11a, 11b from the receiving position to the retracted position, the retaining elements are progressively moved to a position where they are aligned on the lateral sides of the downstream plane piercing arrangement 12. In the specific illustrated embodiment, the retaining elements are progressively moved to the downstream plane piercing arrangement 12.
During this movement of the retaining elements, the pod is moved from a position where its lid 32 is slightly inclined versus the plane of the piercing arrangement 12 to a position where the lid 32 extends along said plane. During this movement, the retaining elements 11a, 11b passes from the side of the bottom face 3142 of the flange of the pod to the side of the top face 3141 of the flange of the pod. During this movement, the flange 314 of the pod is successively pressed, curved and then released by the retaining elements 11a, 11b.
The upstream part defines an empty cage or cavity 21 for enclosing the pod body.
The upstream wall of the cage bears an upstream piercing arrangement 22 for opening the bottom wall 313 of the pod body. The upstream wall comprises at least one liquid injector 25 for supplying liquid into the pod through the holes opened in the bottom wall of the pod.
This upstream piercing arrangement can comprise piercers in the form of blades. These blades can be designed and positioned to pierce the wall of the bottom of the pod body when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts are brought to the closed position as in
Since pods 3 of different sizes can be introduced and extracted, the bottom of the cage 21 can be made movable to adapt the cage internal volume to the pod, for example as described in WO 2020/089404.
Preferably, the edge 211 of the upstream opened face of the cage is surrounded by a seal 24 to ensure tightness of the chamber formed by the two parts 1, 2 in the closed position. This seal 24 covers the periphery of the edge of the of the opened face of the cage.
Preferably, the upstream enclosing part 2 comprises two longitudinal protrusions 26a, 26b extending at the downstream face of the upstream pod enclosing part, of which function is described below. Preferably, each of these two longitudinal protrusions 26a, 26b present a respective indentation 261a, 261b (as illustrated in
The edge 211 of the upstream opened face of the cage faces the central part 131 of the peripheral area of the downstream enclosing part.
The downstream side of the upstream enclosing part can comprise rising elements 23 configured to push the pair of retaining and positioning elements 11a, 11b during the longitudinal translation of the upstream enclosing part from the open position to the closed position. These rising elements 23 are positioned to contact different parts of the retaining and positioning elements from the top to the bottom of said retaining and positioning elements in order to guarantee a progressive and homogeneous movement of these elements 11a, 11b to their retracted position.
Preferably, each of the retaining and positioning elements 11a, 11b can be locked in the retracted position during the extraction of the pod and during the ejection of the pod.
The whole peripheral area 13 is pivoted, while the central piercing arrangement 12 remains fixed and immobile. This movement of the peripheral area and of the pod away from the piercing arrangement 12 guarantees that the extracted pod 2 is effectively ejected and does not remain partly attached to the spikes 121 of the piercing arrangement. Actually, when a pod made of a compostable paper material is used, the properties of such material change after it has been contacted by liquid like water. In particular, when in contact with aqueous liquid, the material of the lid retains liquid, inflates, goes soft, which makes it closely attached to the downstream piercing arrangement such as the spikes 121 of the piercing arrangement.
As a result, the simple return of the upstream enclosing part 2 to the opened position is not sufficient to guarantee the ejection of the pod from the extraction device.
The inclination of the peripheral area helps the ejection by inclining the pod downwardly and away from the piercing arrangement 12. This orientation of the pod helps its ejection since, due to its asymmetrical shape, its centre of gravity pulls its down and out of the downstream piercing arrangement in particular the spikes 121.
In addition, the inclinable peripheral area 13 comprises a central part 131 that forms part of the extraction chamber when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing parts 1, 2 are in the closed position as illustrated in
When a pod 3 is in the closed extraction device like in
Consequently, during the ejection movement, this annular central part 131 does not support and does not push the flange 314 of the pod but does push, through the lid, the circumference of the top end of the sidewall 311, that is a thick area of the pod material. The change in the properties of the compostable material of the pod comprise the stiffness of the material. It was observed that once wet, the material becomes easily tearable. As a result, if the peripheral area 13 pushes the flange 314 of the extracted pod only, the risk this flange is torn and the central part of the lid remains attached to the spikes of the piercing arrangement is important with the two undesired consequences that the pod is not ejected and part of the extracted beverage ingredient, like a coffee cake, goes out of the pod and dirties the internal parts of the extraction device.
By making this annular central part 131 of the peripheral area part of the brewing chamber and inclinable with peripheral area, the risk of tearing is avoided and efficient and proper ejection of the pod is obtained.
Preferably the width of the annular central part 131 can be of few mm.
Preferably, the pivotable peripheral area 13 it is pulled and pivoted by the upstream closing part and is spring loaded so that when the upstream closing part releases the pivotable peripheral area, the latter automatically comes back to its position around the downstream piercing arrangement 12 such as illustrated in
In general, the extraction device is configured for ejecting the pod just after the extraction to limit the risk that the lid dries on the downstream piercing arrangement 12 in particular around the spikes 121 and to facilitate ejection
This operation can be obtained by moving the upstream enclosing part 2 in direction of the downstream enclosing part 1 as developed above in relation with
Although the invention has been described with reference to the above illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not limited in any way by these illustrated embodiments.
Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.
As used in this specification, the words “comprises”, “comprising”, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean “including, but not limited to”.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21216607.8 | Dec 2021 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/086669 | 12/19/2022 | WO |
