Patent Application
20230382633
The invention is directed to a container enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient. The invention is further directed to an assembly including such a container and a food or beverage preparation machine, for preparing a food or beverage product.
Such containers are configured to enclose a dose of a food or beverage ingredient, e.g. coffee ground or tea extract, so as to prepare a food or beverage, e.g. coffee or tea, when placed in a food or beverage preparation machine. During a preparation process, the food or beverage preparation machine is configured to inject a drinkable liquid like water in the container. After interaction of the food or beverage ingredient with the injected liquid, the beverage is discharged out of the container and dispensed in a cup or a glass, from which the user may ingest the beverage or food. Such containers are commonly made of plastics or plastic laminates.
However, the materials composing these containers are difficult or long to recycle or compost. As a result, a certain amount of waste can be produced and it requires quite some energy to handle this waste.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a container enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient, which can alleviate or obviate the shortcomings of the existing containers. Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly including such a container and a food or beverage preparation machine. In the following are described various aspects and embodiments of the invention.
According to a first aspect, the invention is directed to a container for enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient,
Thus, the container, together with or separated from the food or beverage ingredient used, can be easily and quickly composted or recycled, while requiring little or no energy from the user to handle the produced waste. In particular, this is made possible since the container and the used food or beverage ingredient are wet, i.e. covered or impregnated by the liquid after the food or beverage preparation process.
Further, as the first and second regions may have relatively large surface areas with respect to the overall surface area of the container in order to respectively cooperate with a large injection device and a large puncturing device, the liquid may quickly cover and impregnate most or all of the container including the food or beverage ingredient. This increases the ease and speed of composting or recycling the container.
Further, the container may enhance the user experience, since the user does not need to open or empty any envelope or packaging before having the food or beverage product prepared. Also, the usual plastic waste due to such an envelope or packaging is not generated by a container according to the present invention.
In the present disclosure, the term “food or beverage ingredient” may be construed as encompassing also ingredients suitable for preparing a food product and a beverage product concomitantly.
In the present disclosure, the term “dissolvable” may be construed as qualifying a material that has a relatively high solubility in the liquid, say in water, in particular under the following conditions: A membrane made out of a dissolvable material and having 100 μm (microns) of thickness dissolves in water in less than 10 minutes at ambient temperature and under atmospheric pressure.
In the present disclosure, the term “consisting essentially in” may be construed as meaning that that specific further components can be present, namely those not materially affecting the essential characteristics of the container. For example, a container consisting essentially in the at least one dissolvable material may comprise between 90 and 99% of said dissolvable material.
In the present disclosure, the term “consisting only in” or “consisting in” may be construed as meaning that no further materials are present in the container other than the at least one dissolvable material.
In a pyramid plate, most or all of the puncturing elements may substantially be shaped as pyramids or truncated pyramids or similar polyhedrons like sharp tetrahedrons.
According to an embodiment, the container may be configured such that, when the container is arranged in an extraction cell of the food or beverage preparation machine during a food or beverage preparation process:
Thus, most or all of the container may resist dissolution during a predetermined length of time, which avoids that the container sticks or loses bits in the extraction cell.
In some embodiments, the thickness of the at least one dissolvable material may be selected such that most or all of the container may start dissolving after the predetermined length of time.
In some embodiments, the thickness of the at least one dissolvable material may be selected such that the container can hold water, injected under a pressure of 7 to 15 bar of and a temperature of 75 to 95° C. (Celsius) for a duration comprised in 10 to 120 seconds. Typically, a food or beverage preparation process, for example a brewing process, may be operated during 1 min at 90° C.
According to an embodiment, the at least one dissolvable material may have oxygen barrier properties.
Thus, the food or beverage ingredient may be relatively well preserved from oxidation before use, hence have a relatively long shelf life.
In the present disclosure, the term “oxygen barrier properties” may be construed as meaning that less than 3 cm3/m2/day/bar (cubic centimeter per square meter per day per bar) of oxygen may pass through a membrane consisting in the dissolvable material at 23° C. (Celsius) and 50% (percent) of relative humidity (RH).
According to an embodiment, the container may be coated with a film made of a material having high moisture barrier properties.
Thus, the high moisture barrier properties may enhance the preservation of the container and the food or beverage ingredient therein. Such film may be selected as at least partially dissolvable.
Preferably, such film may be secured to the container by lamination before shaping the container. Preferably, such a film may be selected in the group consisting of: gums, waxes, celluloses, and mixtures thereof. Optionally, the gum may be selected in the group consisting of: xanthan gum, gellan gum, seed gum, and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the wax may be selected in the group consisting of: bees wax, carnauba, paraffin, and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the cellulose may be selected in the group consisting of: methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC).
In the present disclosure, the expression “high moisture barrier properties” may be construed as designating a material that lets pass, through a membrane, less than 3 g/m2/day (grams per square meter per day) of humidity at 23° C. (Celsius) and 85% of relative humidity (RH) under atmospheric pressure.
In some embodiments, the container may include, in the formulation of the at least one dissolvable material, at least one additive selected to increase the moisture barrier properties of the dissolvable material. Preferably, such an additive may be a plasticizer, which may optionally be selected in the group consisting in: glycerol, alginates, and mixtures thereof.
In some embodiments, the container may be composed of a blend of dissolvable materials, for example: a blend of sodium alginate and pullulan film, a blend of calcium caseinate and citrus pectin, or a blend of various starches. Thus, the moisture barrier properties may be enhanced.
According to an embodiment, the at least one dissolvable material may consist essentially in at least one edible material, the container preferably consisting only in said at least one edible material.
Thus, the container may be eaten by a user, in particular after the preparation of the food or beverage product.
According to an embodiment, the at least one dissolvable material, preferably the at least one edible material, may be selected in the group consisting of: seaweed, seaweed extract, celluloses, polysaccharides, proteins, and mixtures thereof, the seaweed including in particular alginates, polysaccharides including in particular pullulan.
Thus, the edible material may preserve the food or beverage ingredient, and the container may be relatively easy to manufacture, manipulate and transport. Each one of these edible materials has been subject to a complete assessment under a number of criteria, including functional, mechanical and safety criteria as well as the suitability of the edible material for liquids. In particular, these edible materials may provide relatively high oxygen barrier properties and/or moisture barrier properties. Besides, some, most or all of these edible materials may be tasteless and odourless and offer a good processability to shape the container, in particular an ability to be printed on and heat-sealed.
In particular embodiments:
According to an embodiment, the food or beverage ingredient may be selected in the group consisting of: ground coffee, coffee extract, tea leaves, tea extract, milk powder, vegetable powder, fruit powder, and mixtures thereof.
Thus, the containers may be provided with various food or beverage ingredients in order to prepare various food or beverage products.
According to an embodiment, the thickness of the container may be comprised between 10 μm and 200 μm (microns).
Thus, the container may hold the liquid during the food or beverage preparation process, while being compostable in a relatively short time.
In some embodiments, the thickness of the container may be substantially constant. Alternatively, the thickness of the container may vary.
In some embodiments, the thickness of the container may be selected, in conjunction with a composition of the at least one dissolvable material, so as to achieve a composting over a certain length of time.
According to an embodiment, the container may comprise at least one part defining a cavity for housing the dose and at least one part configured to close said cavity, said parts having respective flanges sealed together, preferably in a liquid-tight manner, such that the container may be configured as a closed package.
Thus, the container may prevent an ingress of moisture or other external element that could otherwise alter the food or beverage ingredient.
According to an embodiment, the flanges may be flexible. Optionally, the flanges may have an annular protruding shape extending partially or totally around the cavity.
Thus, the container may easily be inserted in the food and beverage preparation machine. Since the flanges may accommodate slightly inaccurate positions, hence small stresses, during the manipulation, storage, transportation, and installation of the container in the food or beverage preparation machine, it may be avoided that the rest of the container be subject to such stresses.
According to an embodiment, the container may further comprise at least one paper layer including paper or paper fibers, said at least one paper layer preferably consisting in paper or paper fibers, said at least one paper layer surrounding the at least one dissolvable material.
Thus, such paper layer(s) may enhance the preservation, hence increase the shelf life, of the food or beverage ingredient, while enhancing its ability to be manipulated, stored, transported and used. The paper layer may form a secondary packaging, while the dissolvable material may form a primary packaging that is directly in contact with the food or beverage ingredient.
According to an embodiment, the first region may have a substantially flat surface, preferably a flat surface, and/or the second region may have a substantially flat surface, preferably a flat surface,
Thus, such design of the first region and/or of the second region may simplify the design and manufacturing of the injection device and/or of the puncturing device.
According to an embodiment, the first region may have substantially or exactly the shape of a circular disc, and/or the second region may have substantially or exactly the shape of a circular disc.
Thus, such design of the first region may promote a uniform distribution in the flow of the liquid entering the container and the food or beverage ingredient, which optimizes the use of the food or beverage ingredient. Further, such design of the second region may promote a uniform distribution in the flow of the food or beverage product exiting from the container, hence facilitate the collection of the food or beverage product.
A container according to the first aspect may form, together with a dose enclosed therein, a capsule, a pod, a cartridge or any similar portion enclosing the food or beverage ingredient.
According to a second aspect, the invention is directed to an assembly including a food or beverage preparation machine and a container according to any of the preceding aspect and embodiments, wherein the food or beverage preparation machine comprises:
Thus, such an assembly may enhance the ease and speed of composting or recycling of the containers used therein, while requiring little or no energy to handle the produced waste. The container may be part of the extraction cell itself.
In some embodiments, the pyramid plate may have most or all of the puncturing elements substantially shaped as pyramids or truncated pyramids or similar polyhedrons like sharp tetrahedrons.
According to a third aspect, the invention is directed to food or beverage preparation process for preparing a food or beverage product, the food or beverage preparation process comprising:
Thus, such a food or beverage preparation process may be operated easily, while enhancing the ease and speed of composting or recycling of the containers used therein, and requiring little or no energy to handle the produced waste.
Further features, details and advantages of the invention will now be described in relation to the embodiments of the enclosed figures.
The beverage preparation machine 102 comprises an extraction cell 104, a liquid injection device 106, a puncturing device 108 and a collecting chamber 110.
The extraction cell 104 is configured to hold the container 1 during a food or beverage preparation process, the so-called extraction. The extraction cell 104 may include an upstream component 112 and a downstream component 114. The upstream component 112 and the downstream component 114 may be movable between:
The liquid injection device 106 has a plurality of injectors 116, which are distributed over an injection area 118 as visible in
The upstream component 112 may further have an injection duct 117 as visible in
The puncturing device 108 has a plurality of puncturing elements 120 for puncturing the container 1. The puncturing elements 120 are distributed over a puncturing area 122 as visible in
The puncturing device 108 may be in the form of a pyramid plate, in which most or all of the puncturing elements 120 may substantially be shaped as pyramids or truncated pyramids or similar polyhedrons like sharp tetrahedrons. The puncturing device 108 may be integral with or secured to the downstream component 114. The puncturing device 108 may be configured to pierce a downstream part of the container 1.
The puncturing device 108 may be configured to guide out of the container 1 the beverage product resulting from an interaction of the liquid with the beverage ingredient inside the container 1. The puncturing device 108 may be configured to let the beverage product pass through it.
The downstream component 114 may further have a discharging duct 119 as visible in
The collecting chamber 110 may be configured to collect a container 1 after it has been removed from the extraction cell 104. The collecting chamber 110 may be formed by a receptacle of a volume suitable for receiving several used containers 1. The collecting chamber 110 may be detachably coupled to the beverage preparation machine 102. A user may detach the collecting chamber 110 to empty it from the used containers 1 and then recouple the collecting chamber 110 to the beverage preparation machine 102.
An exemplary structure of the container 1 will now be described in relation to
The container 1 may comprise a part 4 defining a cavity for receiving the dose 2 and a part 6 configured to close said cavity. The parts 4 and 6 may have respective flanges 4.1 and 6.1 sealed together in a liquid-tight manner, such that the container 1 may be configured as a closed package and prevent an ingress of, e.g., moisture. The parts 4 and 6 may be flexible. In particular, the flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may be flexible. The flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may have an annular protruding shape extending all around the cavity containing the dose 2. The flanges 4.1 and 6.1 may be flat.
The container 1 has a first region 8 configured to cooperate with the liquid injection device 106. In particular, the first region 8 may be configured to be pierced by the injectors 116. The container 1 has a second region 10 configured to be punctured by the puncturing device 108, in particular by the puncturing elements 120.
As visible in
As visible in
Then, the beverage product may flow through the discharging duct 119 and downstream to the dispensing unit and a user's cup.
The first region 8 and the second region 10 may have relatively large surface areas to enhance respectively the ingress of the liquid in the container 10 and the discharge of the liquid out of the container 10, as well as to reduce the time required for the complete composting or recycling of the container 10.
An exemplary nature or composition of the container 1 will now be described. The container 1 is composed of at least one dissolvable material. In the example of
In the example of
In addition, the container 1 may include a non-illustrated film be coated on a layer of the dissolvable material. The film may be secured to the dissolvable material by lamination before forming the container 1 into its final shape of
Thus, a used container 1, together with its dose 2, can be easily and quickly composted or recycled, while requiring little or no energy from the user to handle the produced waste. In particular, this is made possible since the container 1 and the used dose 2 are wet, i.e. covered or impregnated by the liquid after the corresponding beverage preparation process.
The first region 8 and the second region 10 may have relatively large surface areas with respect to the overall surface area of the container 1 in order to respectively cooperate with the injection device 106 and the puncturing device 108. Thus, the liquid may quickly cover and impregnate most or all of the container 1 including the dose 2, which increases the ease and speed of composting or recycling the container 1.
In the example of
Further, the thickness of the dissolvable material may be selected such that most or all of the container 1 may start dissolving after a predetermined length of time. Most or all of the container 1 may resist dissolution during the predetermined length of time, which approximately corresponds to the duration of the beverage preparing process.
For example, the thickness of the dissolvable material may be selected such that the container 1 can hold the liquid injected therein. The thickness of the container 1 may be selected between 10 μm and 200 μm (microns). The thickness of the container 1 may be substantially constant.
Further, the thickness of the container 1 and the composition of the dissolvable material may be selected, so as to achieve a composting over a certain length of time, for example of between a few hours and several weeks, e.g. up to 12 weeks.
The invention is not limited to the afore-described embodiments, and other embodiments may be implemented as long as they are covered by the scope of protection conferred by one of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20203093.8 | Oct 2020 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/077154 | 10/1/2021 | WO |
