Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Field of Invention
The invention relates to the preparation of a food/beverage product for human consumption. In particular, the invention relates to a food/beverage product cartridge that enhances the preparation of food and beverage by promoting mixing between the food/beverage product and a fluid within the cartridge. The invention is suitable in particular for the preparation of a beverage in an automatic brewing machine.
Background of the Invention
There are numerous devices designed to prepare a single serving of a food product or beverage. In particular, disposable containers containing coffee grounds are suitable for automatic beverage machines. The automatic beverage machine typically contains a relatively large reservoir of fluid solvent compared to the volume of the disposable container. First, the disposable container with the beverage solute is placed within the beverage machine, as an example in a brewing chamber. Next, the beverage machine punctures the disposable container creating orifices in the container lining. The fluid solvent flows (at pre-determined temperature, pressure and flow rate) through the orifices and mixes with solute inside the disposable container, generating a food product or beverage such as a cup of coffee or cappuccino. This method of mixing fluid through punctured orifices inside a disposable container can introduce preferential flow paths that result in insufficient mixing. This wastes the unmixed food product within the container and negatively affects the taste. Attempts to overcome these shortcomings have been met with indifferent success. One such construction increases the flow pressure of the fluid entering the disposable container to promote further mixing. However, the increased flow pressure may cause coagulation of certain food product such the curdling of milk and coagulation of milk proteins. Another construction decreases the size and or number of orifices in the disposable container lining to restrict the exiting flow and prolong the mixing process to promote further mixing. Such constructions can result in slow flow rate of the beverage outflow or a prolonged contact of the fluid solvent with the food product in the cartridge, negatively affecting the beverage taste.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to improve the mixing process within the disposable container for an automatic beverage to enhance the taste of the beverage or food product.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved disposable container shape that encourages static eddies in the flow entering the disposable container.
A further object of this invention is to provide a multiple-stage method of puncturing the container lining to prolong the mixing process within the disposable container.
A further object of this invention is to puncture the disposable container with spikes of differing number, orientation, and dimensions to minimize preferential flow paths.
A further object of this invention is to extract the beverage and or food product from the disposable container without causing coagulation of the food product.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved disposable container that is sealed against contamination.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved disposable container which maintains its structural integrity even when expanded and dually penetrated for inflow and outflow.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved disposable container made of a polymer of a thickness that safely expands, under predetermined temperature and pressure, to facilitate container puncturing for beverage dispensing.
A system for mixing and dispensing a beverage is provided including a disposable pod containing a solute therein, an inflow puncturing cap defining a plurality of spikes extending therefrom, an outflow puncturing cap defining a plurality of puncturing spikes extending therefrom and a translation mechanism for receiving the pod, translating the inflow puncturing cap towards the pod to puncture the pod upper surface and seat the pod proximate the outflow cap spikes. Heated, pressurized solvent fluid is injected into the pod, wherein the solvent and solute mix, causing the pod lower surface to expand against, and be punctured by the outflow puncturing cap spikes. The pod material, and pod thickness may be selected to allow puncture of the pod lower surface after a preferred brewing period has occurred.
In one embodiment the pod comprises a pierceable pod top and pod body defining sidewalls having a concave inner surface, and a base. The base preferably defines a base conical inward protrusion to facilitate alignment of the pod relative to the outflows puncturing cap. The base lower surface may be formed to extend concentrically about the pod central conical protrusion. A base outer rim may be formed to extend concentrically about the central conical protrusion, intermediate the base lower surface and the sidewalls.
The inflow puncturing cap may be formed to have first and second surfaces, and a plurality of solvent fluid receiving conduits extending therethrough. The inflow puncturing cap first surface may define a plurality puncturing spikes extending therefrom. The inflow puncturing cap may further define a plurality fluid distribution conduits extending across the inflow puncturing cap first surface, to distribute fluid received from one or more of the inflow puncturing cap fluid distribution conduits.
The outflow puncturing cap spikes may be formed to define inner channel fluid channels extending through the spikes. As the pod swells in response to receipt of the heated, pressurized solvent, the pod lower surface expands against the outflow puncturing cap spikes such that the spikes puncture the pod lower surface, and fluid within pod may be discharged through the spike channels, into a fluid discharge conduit.
The translation mechanism may be formed to define a pod receiving area for receiving the pod, an inflow puncturing cap receiving apparatus for receiving and supporting the inflow puncturing cap and an outflow puncturing cap housing for receiving and supporting the outflow puncturing cap. The outflow puncturing cap housing may define a pod seating surface for seating the pod such that the pod lower surface is disposed proximate the outflow puncturing cap spikes. The translation mechanism may further define a solvent infusion port in fluid communication with the inflow puncturing cap fluid conduits, for communicating the heated pressurized fluid solvent into the pod. The translation mechanism may further define a linkage assembly, mechanically coupled to the inflow puncturing cap, receiving apparatus, for translating the inflow puncturing cap between a first position, wherein the inflow puncturing cap spikes are outside of the pod, and a second position, wherein the inflow puncturing cap spikes puncture the pod top and the pod top rim abuts the pod seating surface. The period between the puncturing the pod top to allow heated pressurized fluid to enter the pod, and puncturing the pod lower surface, to allow the heated pressurized fluid to be discharged from the pod, may define the brewing period, which may be selected in accordance with a brewing requirement of a particular beverage.
In one embodiment, the pod base lower surface and sidewalls may be formed of materials selected to be permeable when subject to a desired fluid solvent temperature and pressure level for the brewing period.
In one embodiment the pod lower surface and sidewalls may be formed of a thermoplastic material that is approximately 900 microns thick.
In one embodiment the translation mechanism may further include a pod resilient guide member. The guide member may be formed to be displaceable upon insertion of the pod into the pod receiving area, to facilitate orientation of the pod within the pod receiving area.
The resilient guide member may further facilitate disengaging the pod from the inflow puncturing cap spikes, after the beverage has been discharged from the pod, and the inflow puncturing cap is retracted towards its initial position.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including various ways of seating and/or translating the inflow and/or outflow puncturing caps, in order to infuse and discharge fluid from the pod. The construction of the pod, as well as the temperature and pressure of the fluid injected into the pod may also vary as useful to facilitate brewing a particular beverage. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
Referring to the drawings,
Referring to
The pod upper surface 32 is preferably formed of a foil or other material that seals the pod for storage, but permits puncturing by the inflow puncturing cap spikes 53 to allow infusion of fluid into the pod.
As explained further below, the pod body 23 is formed of materials such as polypropylene, which, in specified thicknesses, will allow puncturing by the outflow puncturing cap when the pod swells in response to infusion of a pressurized heated fluid. In one embodiment, the pod body is approximately 900 microns thick and the solvent fluid is heated to a temperature of approximately 90° C., and pressurized to approximately 217 psi.
Referring to
The inflow puncturing cap 50 further includes a plurality of solvent fluid receiving conduits 55 extending therethrough. The inflow puncturing cap first surface 51 further defines a plurality of fluid distribution conduits 58, extending from the fluid receiving conduits 55 across the inflow puncturing cap first surface. The fluid distribution conduits 28 are each in fluid communication with at least one of the fluid inflow cap fluid receiving conduits 55, to facilitate distribution of the solvent flow 101 across the pod top surface 32.
Referring to
In one embodiment the outflow puncturing cap 70 further defines an outflow puncturing cap residual fluid discharge conduit 84 for receiving fluid flow discharged from the pod through the pod fluid discharge ports formed in the pod lower surface, after being punctured by the spikes 77.
As described further below, when the spikes 77 puncture the pod lower surface 33, fluid may be discharged from the pod through the spike conduits 79. Additional fluid is released through the resulting punctures in the pod lower surface may be discharged through the residual conduit 84 formed in the outflow puncturing cap 70. Spike conduit 79 and residual discharge conduit 84 are each in fluid communication with an outflow puncturing cap housing fluid discharge conduit 86, as further shown at
Referring to
After fluid infusion into the pod has occurred, the interior of pod 20 effectively serves as brewing chamber 28, wherein coffee or other beverages may be brewed prior to puncture of the pod lower surface and fluid discharge from the pod 20.
An important feature of the present invention relates to the ability of the present invention to facilitate full brewing of a beverage within the brewing chamber 28, before the pod lower surface 33 is punctured by the output flow puncturing cap spikes 77.
Referring to
As explained further below, the pod lower surface 33 also expands to be substantially flat, causing the pod lower surface 33 to abut against the output flow puncturing spikes 77, resulting in puncturing of the pod lower surface 33 and discharge of fluid from the pod.
The inflow puncturing cap apparatus 105 includes an inflow puncturing cap housing 106 for receiving and supporting the inflow puncturing cap 50, and an inflow puncturing cap retaining member 108, for securing the inflow puncturing cap 50 in place against the inflow puncturing cap housing 106.
The outflow puncturing cap 70 further defines an outflow puncturing cap residual fluid discharge conduit 84, formed through the outflow puncturing cap 70. The outflow puncturing cap discharge conduit 84 is formed to receive fluid discharge from the pod that does not enter the spike internal channels, but rather is discharged about the punctures formed after penetration of the pod lower surface by the outflow puncturing cap spikes 77.
During retraction the inflow puncturing cap 50 initially remains attached to the pod 20, as a result of frictional engagement between the inflow puncturing cap spikes 57 and the pod upper surface.
As it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the stiffness of the guide member 121, the size and shape of the input flow puncturing spikes 57 and the stiffness/thickness of the pod top surface 22 are selected such that the frictional engagement between the pod 20 and the inflow puncturing cap spikes 57 is such as to facilitate retraction of the pod from the outflow puncturing cap housing, but still allows the downward pressure of resilient guide/retention member 121 to overcome such frictional engagement as the inflow puncturing cap 50 translates to a fully retracted position.
Similarly, fluid discharged from the pod 20, that does enter the spike internal conduit 79, may be discharged through apertures formed in the pod lower surface by the outflow puncturing cap spikes, and also enters outflow puncturing cap housing conduit 85, which communicates the flow to outflow puncturing cap housing discharge port 87.
As indicated above, the temperature and pressure of the solvent fluid inflow may be varied in accordance a preferred brewing period and brewing temperature of a particular beverage. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the thickness and thermoplastic material characteristics of the material used to form the pod base may also be varied so that the pod base will puncture once subjected to a predetermined fluid inflow pressure, fluid inflow, and inflow temperature, for a desired brewing period. Similarly, the fluid inflow pressure may be varied to facilitate complete mixture of the fluid inflow solvent and the pod solute, during the preferred brewing period.
These and others modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art to facilitate use of the present invention in relation to preparation of variety of different beverages. As such, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the pressure, temperature, brewing period or pod base material used in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein.