The present invention relates to a single serve capsule for producing a beverage, said capsule having a capsule body with a capsule base and a filling side, wherein a cavity for receiving tea granules is configured between the capsule base and the filling side, and a filter element is disposed between the tea granules and the capsule base.
Such single serve capsules are generally known in prior art. Single serve capsules of the generic type preparing tea are disclosed in WO 2012/038063, for example.
Single serve capsules of this type in particular for producing a tea beverage are preferably shaped in the manner of a truncated cone or so as to be cylindrical, and are produced from a vacuum-forced plastic film or by plastics injection molding, for example. Said capsules usually have an open filling side with a collar periphery onto which a cover foil is sealed or adhesively bonded, and a capsule base, wherein a particle strainer which is supported on the capsule base is disposed between the tea granules and the capsule base.
In order for a tea beverage to be prepared, the single serve capsule is introduced into a brewing chamber of a preparation apparatus. After or during the closing procedure of the brewing chamber, the capsule, preferably on the closed base side thereof, is opened by means of an opening spike winch is disposed in the brewing chamber, the filling side of the single serve capsule, which is closed by a closing foil, being pierced by means of piercing means after the brewing chamber has been sealed. Pressurized hot water is subsequently conveyed into the single serve capsule. The water perfuses the tea granules, extracting and/or dissolving the substances required for preparing the beverage from the tea granules. The tea granules are Camellia sinensis leaves which may be present in their entirety and/or in a comminuted form, and/or tea-like granules. The single serve capsules according to the prior art have the disadvantage that the tea beverage has an undesirable foam on the surface.
It has therefore been the object of the present invention to provide a single serve capsule in which the disadvantages mentioned in the context of the prior art are avoided.
This object is achieved by a single serve capsule for producing a beverage, said capsule having a capsule body with a capsule base and a filling side, wherein a cavity for receiving tea granules is configured between the capsule base and the filling side, and wherein a filter element is disposed between the tea granules and the capsule base, and an acid is additionally added to the cavity.
As compared with the prior art, the single serve capsule according to the inversion has the advantage that the foam on the surface of the tea beverage is at least significantly reduced and/or very rapidly disintegrates after the tea has been brewed.
The present invention relates to a single serve capsule for producing a tea beverage. The single serve capsules are preferably shaped in the manner of a truncated cone or so as to be cylindrical, and are produced from a vacuum-formed plastic film or by plastics injection molding, for example. Said capsules usually have an open filling side with a collar periphery onto which a cover foil is sealed or adhesively bonded, a capsule base, and a filter element which is preferably supported on the capsule base. The tea granules which are composed in particular of Camellia sinensis leaves which may be present in their entirety and/or in a comminuted form, and/or of tea-like granules, that is to say of vegetable matter which does not originate from the tea shrub tout which is used in the fashion of tea, are provided upstream of the filter element in terms of the flow direction of the beverage to be produced. The filter element ensures that no or only a few particles make their way into the resulting beverage.
In order for a tea beverage to be prepared, the single serve capsule is introduced into a brewing chamber of a preparation apparatus. After or during the closing procedure of the brewing chamber, the capsule, preferably on the closed base side thereof, may be opened by means of an opening spike which is disposed in the brewing chamber, the filling side of the single serve capsule, which is closed by a closing foil, potentially being pierced by means of piercing means after the brewing chamber has been sealed. Pressurized hot water is subsequently conveyed into the single serve capsule. The preparation liquid perfuses the tea granules, extracting and/or dissolving the substances required for preparing the beverage from the tea granules. The tea granules are Camellia sinensis leaves which may be present in their entirety and/or in a comminuted form, and/or tea-like granules, that is to say vegetable matter which does not originate from the tea shrub foot which is used in the fashion of tea.
Prior to the extraction procedure, the single serve portion is preferably sealed in a substantially aroma-tight manner in relation to the environment. However, the single serve capsule need not be hermetically sealed but, prior to the use thereof, may also be provided in a hermetically sealed packaging which is then manually opened, for example, and/or openings which are potentially present in the capsule base and/or in the cover region are covered by a foil which prior to producing the tea is torn off and/or pierced through.
According to the invention, in addition to the tea granules an acid is provided in the cavity. This acid may be present so as to be pulverulent, liquid, and/or bonded to the tea granules. In the case or the acid being pulverulent, said acid is preferably mixed with the tea granules. Alternatively or additionally, the acid may be present together with the filter element, so as to be immobile. The acid may be part of an aroma and/or of a fruit-juice powder, or be of natural origin, for example in the form of lemon peel.
The hot water which flows into the single serve capsule, simultaneously, before and/or after, however in particular beforehand, extracts and/or desorbes the flavoring substances from the tea granules, and/or the acid particles are optionally simultaneously dissolved and mixed with the water, thus reaching the resulting tea beverage.
The acid may be a monovalent or multivalent acid.
The acid is preferably provided so as to be pulverulent.
The acid preferably has a minimum acid dissociation constant value of <6. In the case of a monovalent acid, the acid dissociation constant value of the first stage of protolytic reaction is preferably <6, particularly preferably <5, and most particularly preferably <4. In the case of a multivalent acid, the acid dissociation constant value of the first stage of protolytic reaction is preferably <6, particularly preferably <5, and most particularly preferably <4. Preferably, the acid dissociation constant value of the second stage and particularly preferably of all subsequent stages of protolytic reaction is likewise <6, particularly preferably <5, and most particularly preferably <4.
The acid constant Ks is a substance constant providing an indication as to the extent to which a substance reacts in an equilibrium reaction with water in a protolytic reaction. Ks is the equilibrium constant of this reaction, multiplied with [Y] (Y being the solvent which is capable of a protolytic reaction) and thus a measure for the strength of an acid. The equilibrium constant here is stated as the negative common logarithm thereof, i.e. as the acid dissociation constant value (pKs value).
The acid is preferably a carboxylic acid. The acid is most particularly preferably malic acid (hydroxybutadiene acid), ascorbic acid, citric acid (3-carboxy-3-hydroxy pentanoic diacid), and/or mixtures thereof.
The total proportion of the acid is preferably between 0.6 and 3% by weight in terms of the total mass of tea granules and acid, in particular of pulverulent acid.
The pH value of the resulting tea beverage is preferably <5.8, preferably <5.5, particularly preferably <5.3. However, the pH value should preferably not be less than 3.5, particularly preferably not less than 4.0.
The filter element preferably has a felted structure. This is in particular a needle-felted structure. The filter element is preferably composed of at least one felted structure and one carrier structure, in particular a woven-fabric structure, wherein the felted structure particularly preferably at least comprises a part-portion of the volume of the carrier structure. The felted structure preferably extends across the entire cross section of the carrier structure, but particularly preferably across only a part-region of the height of the carrier structure. The felted structure is preferably connected to the carrier structure in a formfitting, force-fitting, and/or materially integral manner. The filter element preferably has two or more felted structures which are preferably mutually separated by the carrier structure. The thicknesses of the two felted structures may be identical or dissimilar. Preferably, a felted structure which faces the tea granules may be thinner than the felted structure which faces the capsule base, or vice versa. The surface of the felted structure is preferably treated, for example heat treated, so as to fix loose fibers, for example. Preferably, the filter element having a felted structure is merely placed into the capsule, in particular onto the base thereof. However, the filter element may also be connected, in particular in a materially integral manner, to the capsule, in particular to the base thereof. During perforation, the perforation means may penetrate this filter element. Preferably, a plurality of filter elements which have one or a plurality of felted structures and a carrier structure are disposed and optionally mutually connected so as to be on top of one another in the capsule.
According to one preferred embodiment, the pulverulent acid may be immobilized in the felted structure.
The filter element which has the felted structure is produced in that a woven-fabric structure which is composed of longitudinal threads and transverse threads is provided, for example. Single fibers of 0.8-7 dtex are preferably selected for the construction of a felt, in particular of a needled felt. The mutual connection of the individual so as to form a felt, and/or anchoring the latter in the carrier structure preferably cakes places by way of line production process of needling. Herein, needles having reversed barbs pierce the infed fibrous pack at high velocity and are retracted therefrom. By way of the barbs, the fibers are interconnected and/or interlooped with the woven carrier fabric by way of a multiplicity of loops which are created.
The carrier element having one or a plurality of felted structures preferably comprises an area density (also referred to as grammage or as area weight) between 100 and 2000 grams per square meter, particularly preferably between 400 and 1500 grams per square meter, and most particularly preferably of 450-1400 grams per square meter.
The filter element preferably has a thickness between 0.8 and 3.3 millimeters, particularly preferably between 1.1 and 3.0 millimeters, and most particularly preferably 1.2-1.4 millimeters.
The filter element is preferably connected to the capsule base by a materially integral connection, in particular by welding, preferably by ultrasonic welding. The materially integral connection is preferably performed only in a localized manner, in particular along an annulus. The filter element is preferably sealed to the base of the capsule, in particular ultrasonically sealed, and is preferably tensioned. The filter element preferably completely or only partially covers the capsule base.
According to one preferred embodiment, the capsule base has a prefabricated exit opening which is preferably sealed by a foil, wherein the foil particularly preferably has a tear-off tab for manually tearing off the foil. However, the foil may also be pierced open by a perforation means in the brewing chamber. The exit opening preferably has a cross-sectional area of such a size that no appreciable loss of pressure arises when the prepared beverage flows out of the exit opening, even when a perforation means is located in the exit opening. Preferably, the tea beverage downstream of the filter element is substantially non-pressurized, that is to say has an environmental pressure. The exit opening preferably has a diameter between 10 and 14 mm.
The filter element preferably spans the exit opening.
A further subject matter of the present invention is the use of the single serve capsule according to the invention for producing tea.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and are explained in more derail in the description hereunder. The figures are described in a merely exemplary manner and do not limit the general concept of the invention. The description applies equally to the entire subject matter of the present invention. In the figures:
In the various figures, the same parts are always provided with the same reference signs, said parts thus typically also feeing referred to or mentioned only once, respectively.
An embodiment of the single serve capsule 1 according to the invention is illustrated in
A single serve capsule 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention which is illustrated in
A single serve capsule 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
A sectional view of a single serve capsule 1 according to a further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
A person skilled in the art will be aware that it is possible that the perforation means 16, when penetrating the capsule, tensions, pierces and/or pierces through the filter element, that is to say that the filter element is at least in portions connected in a materially integral manner to the base of the capsule, is provided and/or tens lowed so as to bear on the base on as large an area as possible, for example.
The following applies to all embodiments described:
The filter element 7 preferably has a carrier structure, for example a woven-fabric structure. A felted structure is disposed on this and/or into this woven-fabric structure on the entire surface which faces the tea, and is connected thereto by needle felting, for example.
One preferred embodiment has two felted structures which each are disposed on and/or in the carrier structure. Both structures preferably extend across the entire cross section, that is to say presently the entire circular surface, of the filter element. The felted structures may have identical or dissimilar thicknesses. Preferably, the one felted structure is embodied so as to be thinner than the other. Then, the carrier layer in relation to the center, and in terms of the thickness, of the filter element is provided so as to be offset. The structures may be produced from dissimilar or identical material(s). This relates not only to the substance from which said structures are produced but also to the thread diameters and/or the thread length from which the felted structures are made. A carrier structure in which no or only a minor amount of felted structure is located and which preferably permits transverse flows is preferably provided between the two structures.
Two filter elements 7 having a felted structure may also be disposed on top of one another. The filter elements may merely bear on one another or be interconnected. However, the filter elements 7 may also have only felt without a carrier structure.
All filter elements having a felted structure have the advantage that they have leas loss of pressure, or that the reduction in pressure takes place at a lesser gradient along the filter element. On account thereof, tea having a reduced foam may be produced, for example. The filter elements having a felted structure arc preferably merely placed into the capsule. The filter element having the felted structure preferably has a larger diameter than the base of the capsule such that the former in the peripheral region presses against the wail of the capsule.
Preferably, the filter element having a felted structure is in particular made entirely from PET.
According to one example of the present invention, 3 grams of Camellia sinensis leaves were weighed to form the granules, and 0.025 grams of pulverulent malic acid was fed. The acid dissociation constant value of the malic acid according to the literature (CD-Roempp, CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Beyer, Lehrbuch der organischen Chemie) is 3.40 for the first stage of protolytic reaction, and 5.11 for the second stage or protolytic reaction. Both substances were introduced into a single serve capsule of which the capsule base in the center had a clearance having a diameter of 12 mm. A felted structure with an area density of 1150 grams was provided as a filter element on the capsule base. For producing tea, 200 ml of hot water (95° C.) was routed through the single serve capsule, and the resulting tea was collected in a glass tumbler. The pH value of the resulting tea was 5.3. The latter was determined using a pH meter by the Knick company, a Knick 765 pH meter. A few bubbles on the surface of the tea could be established only in the peripheral region of the glass tumbler, said bubbles however vanishing after a short period of time.
20 Recess
22 Preparation-liquid flow
106 Central point in the capsule base
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2014 108 258.3 | Jun 2014 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2015/063022 | 6/11/2015 | WO | 00 |