GB2288972A

GB2288972A - Beverage dispensing filter pouches

Info

Publication number: GB2288972A
Application number: GB9511695A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Lewis Jeans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-21
Filing date: 1993-04-21
Publication date: 1995-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-21
Also published as: GB9511695D0; GB2288972B

Abstract

An ingredient web 20 is made from a suitable non-absorbent plastics material or other suitable material and holds, at regular intervals along the entire length of the web, round tea-bag pouches 22. Non-water-conducting bands are formed across the web between individual pouches 22. Cut-out portions 30 and 32 further reduce the tendency for liquid to flow along the web. Feed holes 24, 26 and 28 are provided to enable the web to be indexed for a sprocket feed mechanism. <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements relating to Beverage Dispensing Filter Pouches" This invention relates to the supply of filter pouches for use in an infusible product brewing dispenser.

Conventional systems have been unable to use linked paper filter bags containing an infusible product such as tea or coffee bags, because of the problems of liquid migration through the filter paper together with poor extraction rates. Such systems have a number of problems associated with them, namely hygiene, portion control and speed of extraction which leads inevitably to the impairment of the quality of the product.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a web comprising or incorporating water-pervious material defining windows in the form of regularly-spaced filter pouches in the same plane as the web, and each enclosing a charge of an infusible product, the web having non-water-conducting bands between the pouches to isolate the pouches from each other.

The non-water-conducting bands can comprise waterimpervious material extending around each pouch and/or across the width of the web. The web may be provided with a plurality of regularly spaced apart slots or other indexing means, whereby the web can be advanced and its position detected.

Preferably, the said filter pouches are formed from filter paper. Alternatively, porous sections can be isolated by impregnating filter paper strip with a nonporous flexible material in those bands and other areas where liquid conductivity is not desired. The flexible material can be a non-toxic flexible plastics material, providing a latex-like seal, for example suitable vinyl copolymers. Another alternative is to modify the normal process by which ingredient filter bags are made by widening or proliferating the heat sealed areas surrounding the porous ingredient section thereby providing non-waterconducting bands between porous areas and also providing an area to which pump components can seal.

As an alternative to infusible product the pouches may instead contain prepacked portions of "instant" or soluble ingredients affording the advantage of portion control at the packaging factory and easier ingredient handling.

The invention further extends to the combination of a web of the invention as hereinhefore defined stored within a closed container with one end of the web projecting through a dispensing outlet of the container, the dispensing outlet preferably being in the form of a flexible seal.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically and in sectional side views, part of a beverage dispenser utilising a tea-bag web of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates, in greater detail and in plan, a section of a web shown in Figure 1; and Figures 3 and 4 show designs of storage containers for webs of tea-bag pouches as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The equipment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings is a tea brewer but it should be appreciated that any infusible product may be used. The beverage dispenser 1 incorporates a flexible concertina bellows 2 which is shown in a partly expanded form. At its lowest end, the bellows 2 is connected to an adjustable ring seal 4. The lower section 6 of the dispenser has an inlet pipe 8 which feeds in hot water from a boiler (not shown) and an outlet pipe 10 to feed the resultant liquid usually via a mixing bowl where other ingredients are added into a collecting cup (not shown) from which the beverage will normally be consumed. Alternatively, all the ingredients may be contained all in one pouch. Outlet pipe 10 and inlet pipe 8, each have a one way flap or ball valve as indicated by numerals 12 and 14 respectively.An inwardly projecting flange 16 is positioned at the top of section 6 and lies spaced from and opposite to the ring seal 4.

An ingredient web 20 is made from a suitable nonabsorbent plastics material or other suitable material and holds, at regular intervals along the entire length of the web, round tea-bag pouches 22. In some circumstances, nonround pouches may be preferred, for instance to increase surface area and reduce the piston travel for the same volume of beverage. Also positioned at regular intervals along the length of the web are pairs of sprocket feed holes, three pairs of which are shown in Figure 2 and are indicated by the numerals 24, 26 and 28. Cut-out portions 30 and 32 reduce the tendency for liquid flow along the web and reduce the quantity of plastics material used and thereby reduce the overall cost of the web 20. The Web 20 is advanced tea-bag by tea-bag so that each tea-bag may be positioned between the bellows 2 and the lower section 6, as shown by tea-bag 34.The web 20 incorporating the tea-bags (or pouches enclosing some other infusible product) may take many forms. The objective is to provide a strip with regularly spaced pouches which can be isolated in such a way that the liquid can be passed through the pouch without migrating to an adjacent pouch. Non-water-conducting bands across the strip, between the pouches, can be extended down the sides of the strip and/or around the pouches.

Two arrangements for dispensing the strip of tea-bag pouches are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. In the first proposal shown in Figure 3 the web 20 is stored, concertinafashion, in a sealed rectangular box 73 formed from a convenient air-tight material such as a laminate construction incorporating aluminium foil or plastics sheeting. The strip is withdrawn from the box 73 through a mouth 74 at the top provided with flexible lips 75 which will reduce the ingress of air or moisture. In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 the outer container is in the form of a drum 76 with the web 10 being coiled up inside. Again, the web 10 is withdrawn through an opening 76 formed by flexible lips 77.

Claims

1. A web comprising or incorporating water-pervious material defining windows in the form of regularly-spaced filter pouches in the same plane as the web, and each enclosing a charge of an infusible product, the web having non-water-conducting bands between the pouches to isolate the pouches from each other.

2. A web according to Claim 1, wherein the non-waterconducting bands comprise water-impervious material extending around each pouch and/or across the width of the web.

3. A web according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the web is provided with a plurality of regularly spaced apart slots or other indexing means, whereby the web can be advanced and its position detected.

4. A web according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the pouches are formed from filter paper.

5. A web according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein porous sections of the web are isolated by impregnating filter paper strip with a non porous flexible material in these bands and other areas where liquid conductivity is not desired.

6. A web according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible material forming the web is a non-toxic flexible plastics material.

7. A web according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein heat sealed areas surrounding the porous ingredient pouches are so formed as to provide the non-water-conducting bands between porous areas.

8. The combination of a web according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, stored within a closed container with one end of the web projecting through a dispensing outlet of the container, the dispensing outlet preferably being in the form of a flexible seal.

9. The combination according to Claim 8, wherein the container is of rectangular form with the web folded in a stack or of drum-like form with the web coiled within the drum.

10. A continuous filter web, or a web and container combination, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.