HK1213451B - System for preparing a brewed product - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a system for brewing a product with a serving capsule containing an extraction product and an extraction device for brewing the product from the extraction product contained in the serving capsule, where the extraction device comprises an injection device for introducing a brewing liquid into the serving capsule and an extraction device for discharging an extraction product from the serving capsule, where the injection device and the extraction device are interposed between a reception area for the serving capsule and are relatively movable to each other for insertion of the capsule into the reception area and relative to each other for fixing the capsule.

Such a system is known in principle, for example from EP 2 647 317 A1 and is used in particular for the preparation of coffee.

EP 2 196 407 A1 shows a portion capsule with a flexible bottom that is pushed inwards by a stamp of the extraction device.

The purpose of the invention is to create a system which makes it possible to prepare a better brewing product and in particular to produce a higher quality coffee in the cup.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 637 (char 636)and the water flow rate decreases, as opposed to uncompressed coffee, while the pressure increases. This results in improved extraction of the aromas and a better cream due to the higher pressure, which is desirable especially in espresso-type coffee drinks. In a horizontal brewing process in which a serving capsule is not passed from top to bottom but in a horizontal direction, the inventive compression of the capsule and the extraction product contained in it is also used to compensate for gravity-induced irregularities in the distribution of the extraction product in the capsule.This effect is a known problem with the portion capsule used in the system of the invention, as it has a concave cap with no extraction product in it, i.e. the capsule is not fully filled but has a void. By compressing the portion capsule from the extraction side, as described in the invention, the compaction of the extraction product can be adjusted independently of the injection of the brewing fluid into the portion capsule, i.e. the compaction of the extraction product on the one hand and the injection of the brewing fluid on the other hand can be separated from each other, thus optimizing the best possible quality of the final product.

The following shall be construed as a useful description of the invention:

In one embodiment, the pressure medium is a passive component which penetrates the wall of the serving capsule when the injection device and the extraction device to fix the capsule are moved over each other, so that the pressure medium does not need to be controlled separately but acts automatically or automatically when the serving capsule is fixed in the reception area.

In particular, the pressing agent comprises at least one extraction spindle of the extraction device. The extraction spindle performs a dual function by compressing the portion capsule and compacting the extraction material contained in it and by discharging the extraction product from the portion capsule. This dual function of the extraction spindle contributes to a simpler and more cost-effective construction of the extraction device.

For example, the extraction spine may have a pyramidal or cone-shaped base and a mantle surface extending from a base element to a tip of the extraction spine facing the injection device.

The extraction spindle preferably has a dilatation, in particular a shoulder, in the area of its tip, which contributes to the fact that the extraction spindle not only penetrates the wall of the portion capsule facing the extraction device and penetrates smoothly into the portion capsule, but rather, with the expansion, rests on the wall of the portion capsule to move it inwards by a desired amount, i.e. to compress the extraction product.

For example, the extraction spine may have at least one protruding rib extending from the base element along the mantle towards the tip, preferably with at least three such ribs evenly distributed around the mantle, preferably ending at a distance to the tip.

The ribs, in turn, have a double function, not only by forming the extension of the extraction spine mentioned above, which leads to an improved compaction of the extraction well, but also by providing an improved discharge of the extraction product from the portion capsule. During the brewing process, the injection of brewing liquid into the portion capsule creates an overpressure in the portion capsule, through which the capsule wall facing the extraction device is pushed towards the extraction device and adheres to the mantle surface of the extraction device.

It is preferable to have a channel in the base element in the area of each rib for the extraction product to be drawn off, for example, a channel may be provided on each side of each rib.

The extraction product can be further improved by passing a channel, e.g. a groove, into a channel along each rib or ribs through which the extraction product can flow under control.

In order to equally optimise the compaction of the extraction product contained in the serving capsule and the discharge of the extraction product during the brewing process, the pressing medium preferably comprises five extraction thorns. For example, four of these extraction thorns may be arranged in the corners of a square, while a fifth is placed in the center of the square. A pressing medium of this type is particularly well suited to impress the wall of a cube or square serving capsule.

It is advantageous to adapt the arrangement of the extraction spindle to the size of the serving capsule, in particular so that the diagonals of the square stretched by the extraction spindle are shorter than a maximum diagonal or maximum diameter of the wall of the serving capsule leading to the extraction device.

In a particularly favourable embodiment, at least the wall facing the extraction device of the serving capsule should be made of plastic material, the plastic material facing the extraction device should be such that it can be pierced by the extraction thorns without tearing, but provides sufficient resistance to the extraction thorns to allow the capsule facing the extraction device to be sufficiently compressed to compact the extraction product contained in the serving capsule.

A particularly simple and cost-effective production of the serving capsule can also be achieved if all the walls of the serving capsule are made of one and preferably the same plastic material.

Preferably, the plastic material shall have a barrier layer which acts as an oxygen barrier and thus ensures an aroma protection for the contents of the capsule, for example, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) may be used for such a barrier layer.

For example, such a portion capsule can be made by deep drawing a five-sided polyhedral base, open on one-sixth side, filling the base with extraction material and then closing the open sixth side with a lid, which is welded or glued with the base, for example.

The lid can be produced either by injection molding or by deep drawing, which then approaches stamping due to the low depth of the lid.

In particular, for the wall facing the extraction device, i.e. the lid in the structure just described, the starting materials and process parameters shall be selected in such a way as to achieve the desired grip performance described above.

The present invention also concerns an extraction apparatus with the characteristics of claim 13 which can be used to achieve the above advantages.

The invention also concerns a process with the characteristics of claim 14 which also achieves the above advantages.

The following is a purely illustrative description of the invention, using a possible embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 a, b) Sections through a brewing unit of an extraction apparatus of the invention with a portion capsule incorporated before brewing, (a) in a plane passing through the centre of the portion capsule and (b) in a plane parallel to but further out from it;Fig. 2 a - c) Different views of an arrangement of extraction spines of an extraction unit of the brewing unit of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 a, b) the sections of Fig. 1 after brewing.

Figure 1 shows a brewing unit of an extraction apparatus, in this example of a coffee machine, in which a serving capsule containing an extraction product, in this case coffee powder, is placed.

The serving capsule 10 has a base shape at least approximately cubic and consists of six capsule walls 12 made of a plastic material, here polypropylene, each having a wall thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm. Before the serving capsule 10 is inserted into the brewing module, the individual capsule walls 12 are at least approximately flat. Due to their low wall thickness and their formation from plastic material, the capsule walls 12 can be easily deformed under pressure.

The brewing unit comprises an injection device 14 to introduce hot brewing liquid into the serving capsule 10 and an extraction device 16 to discharge an extraction product from the serving capsule 10 during a brewing operation. The injection device 14 and the extraction device 16 define between themselves a reception space 18 for the serving capsule 10. To insert a fresh serving capsule 10 into the reception space 18 or to remove a spent serving capsule 10 from the reception space 18, the brewing unit can be opened and the injection device 14 and the extraction device 16 moved apart, with the possibility of both devices being relatively immobile and actually moving or only one device 16 being moved while the other device 16 is fixed and is moved.

The injection device 14 consists of a centrally located delivery channel 20 through which brewing fluid is introduced into the intake chamber 18 during a brewing process, and several injection thorns 22 to insert a capsule wall 12a facing the injection device 14 into the serving capsule 10 received in the intake chamber 18 so that the brewing fluid introduced into the serving capsule 10 by the injection device 14 during the brewing process can enter the serving capsule 10.

Accordingly, the extraction device 16 comprises several extraction spines 24 to insert one of the extraction device 16 into the capsule wall 12b of the serving capsule 10 so that during the brewing process an extraction product, in this case coffee, can be extracted from the serving capsule 10 and drained through a drainage channel 26 of the extraction device 16.

As shown in Figure 2, the extraction device 16 has five extraction spines 24, four of which span a square, in the centre of which the fifth extraction spine 24 is located. The extraction spines 24 protrude from a plate-shaped base element 28 and each have a pyramidal base shape, here in the form of a four-sided pyramid. Along each side of the pyramid 30 extends from the base element 28 a protruding rib 32 towards the top of the extraction spine 24. Each rib 32 has a quadrilateral cross-section, with the base element 28 facing each rib 32 and running at a distance to the top of the extraction spine. Rippe 32 runs in each direction, opening at the end of the extraction spine, and is connected to the base element 26 by a 26 foot opening.

Injection nozzle 22 and extraction nozzle 24 are arranged to insert a serving capsule 10 into the intake compartment 18 on the injection or extraction side when the brewing unit is closed and the injection device 14 and extraction device 16 are moved over each other.

In addition, the minimum distance between the injection spines 22 and the extraction spines 24 is such that the capsule wall 12b, which leads to the extraction device 16, is not only punctured but also pushed inwards to some extent, as shown in Figure 1.

To perform the brewing process, brewing fluid, e. g. hot water, is introduced under pressure through the delivery channel 20 into the intake compartment 18 to provide additional compression of the serving capsule 10 at the injection site.

When the pressure in the capsule wall 12a facing the injection device 14 on one side and the gap 38 facing the injection device 14 on the other side is sufficiently large, the brew fluid enters the serving capsule 10 at the injection points created by the injection spindle 44.

As shown in Figure 3, the capsule wall 12b facing the extraction device 16 is pushed back outwards, i.e. towards the extraction device 16, in particular, the extraction spines 24 are pushed further and further into the portion capsule 10 until the capsule wall 12b is attached to the base element 28 of the extraction device 16.

Only the ribs 32 provided on the pyramidal sides 30 ensure that on either side of each rib 32 a certain distance remains between capsule wall 12b and the extraction torso 24. These spaces, together with the grooves running along the ribs 32, form 34 outlets through which the extraction product can exit the portion capsule 10 when the pressure in the portion capsule 10 has increased sufficiently. The extraction product exiting the portion capsule 10 flows through the grooves 34 at the extraction torso 24 and through the 36 outlets of the base element 28 into the extraction device 16's drainage channel 26 through which it is fed by a cup.

If the brewing unit is reopened after the brewing process and the injection device 14 and the extraction device 16 are moved relative to each other, the injection thorn 22 and the extraction thorn 24 are removed from the serving capsule 10 and the serving capsule 10 may be dropped into a reserved receptacle to make room for a fresh serving capsule 10 in the receptacle 18.

List of reference marks

10 serving capsule12 capsule wall14 injection device16 extraction device18 intake chamber20 supply channel22 injection tube24 extraction tube26 supply channel28 base element30 pyramid side32 rib34 groove36 passageway38 gap

Claims (14)

1. A system for preparing a brewed product with a portion capsule (10) comprising an extraction material and with an extraction appliance for preparing the brewed product from the extraction material contained in the portion capsule (10), wherein the extraction appliance comprises an injection device (14) for introducing a brewing fluid into the portion capsule (10) and an extraction device (16) for discharging an extraction product out of the portion capsule (10), wherein the injection device (14) and the extraction device (16) between them define a receiving space (18) for the portion capsule (10) and can be moved apart in a relative manner for inserting the portion capsule (10) into the receiving space (18) and can be moved to one another in a relative manner for fixing the portion capsule (10), wherein the extraction device (16) comprises a pressing means, by way of which a wall (12b) of the portion capsule (10) inserted into the receiving space (18), said wall facing the extraction device (16), can be pressed in in the direction of the capsule interior, for compacting the extraction material contained in the portion capsule, before the injection device (14) introduces brewing fluid into the portion capsule (10), characterised in that the pressing means comprises at least one extraction spike (24) of the extraction device (16).
2. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the pressing means is a passive component which presses in the wall of the portion capsule (10), when the injection device (14) and the extraction device (16) are moved to one another for fixing the portion capsule (10).
3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the extraction spike (24) has a pyramid-like or cone-like basic shape and comprises a lateral surface which extends from a base element (28) to a tip of the extraction spike (24) which faces the injection device (14).
4. A system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the extraction spike (24) comprises a widening, in particular a shoulder, in the region of its tip.
5. A system according to claim 4, characterised in that the extraction spike (24) comprises at least one projecting rib (32) which extends from the base element (28) along the lateral surface in the direction of the tip, and preferably at least three such ribs (32) are arranged in a uniformly distributed manner around the lateral surface.
6. A system according to claim 5, characterised in that the rib or each rib (32) ends at a distance to the tip.
7. A system according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that a passage opening (36) is provided in the base element (28), in the region of the rib or each rib (32), and in particular a passage opening (36) is provided in each case on both sides of the rib (32).
8. A system according to one of the claims 5 to 7, characterised in that a channel (24) which runs out into a passage opening (36) runs along the rib (32), and in particular in each case a channel (34) running out into a passage opening (36) runs on both sides of the rib (32).
9. A system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pressing means comprises five extraction spikes (24), in particular of which four are arranged in the corners of a square, and a fifth one is arranged in the centre of the square.
10. A system according to claim 9, characterised in that the diagonals of the square which is spanned by the extraction spikes (24) are shorter than a maximal diagonal or a maximal diameter of the wall (12b) of the portion capsule (10) which faces the extraction device (16).
11. A system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the portion capsule (10) has an essentially cubic or cuboid basic shape.
12. A system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least the wall (12b) of the portion capsule (10) which faces the extraction device (16) is formed from a plastic material, and in particular all walls (12) of the portion capsule (10) are formed from one and preferably the same plastic material.
13. An extraction appliance for preparing a brewed product from an extraction material contained in a portion capsule (10), comprising an injection device (14) for introducing a brewing fluid into the portion capsule (10), and an extraction device (16) for discharging an extraction product out of the portion capsule (10), wherein the injection device (14) and the extraction device (16) between them define a receiving space (18) for the portion capsule (10) and can be moved apart in a relative manner for inserting the portion capsule (10) into the receiving space (18) and can be moved to one another in a relative manner for fixing the portion capsule (10), wherein the extraction device (16) comprises a pressing means, by way of which a wall (12b) of the portion capsule (10) inserted into the receiving space (18), said wall facing the extraction device (16), can be pressed in in the direction of the capsule interior, for compacting the extraction material contained in the portion capsule (10), before the injection device (14) introduces brewing fluid into the portion capsule (10), characterised in that the pressing means composes at least one extraction spike (24) of the extraction device (16), said extraction spike (24) has a pyramid-like or cone-like basic shape and comprises a lateral surface which extends from a base element (28) to a tip of the extraction spike (24) which faces the injection device (14), wherein the extraction spike further comprises a widening, in particular a shoulder, in the region of its tip.
14. A method for preparing a brewed product from an extraction material, with which a portion capsule (10) containing the extraction material is inserted into a receiving space (18) of an extraction appliance, said receiving space being defined between an injection device (14) and an extraction device (16), wherein a wall (12b) of the portion capsule (10) inserted into the receiving space (10), said wall facing the extraction device (16), is pressed in in the direction of the capsule inferior by way of at least one extraction spike (24) of the extraction device (16), for compacting the extraction material contained in the portion capsule (10), before brewing fluid is introduced into the portion capsule (10) by way of the injection device (14), characterised in that the pressing means comprises at least one extraction spike (24) of the extraction device (16).