WO2012168764A1

WO2012168764A1 - A capsule for infusing a food product

Info

Publication number: WO2012168764A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/052518
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianpaolo Belloli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-09
Filing date: 2011-06-09
Publication date: 2012-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2013-12-09

Abstract

A capsule (10) for infusing a food product, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, camomile, herb tea, barley coffee, broth mix or other product, comprises a hollow supporting body (12) that can be used in suitable infusion equipment and constituting a housing (14) for holding said product; which is in the form of a food product tablet to be infused.

Description

A CAPSULE FOR INFUSING A FOOD PRODUCT

Description

Technical Field

This invention relates to a capsule for infusing a food product such as coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, camomile, herb tea, barley coffee, broth mix or other product.

Background Art

Known in the prior art are capsules for infusing a food product such as coffee or the like. Each capsule comprises a hollow supporting body with a shaped outside surface suitable for insertion in a suitable infusion machine or appliance furnished with a housing which is especially shaped to hold a capsule which in turn constitutes a housing for holding the product in loose powder form.

In prior art capsules of this kind, the capsule body is in the form of a cylindrical body closed by transversal walls which are solidly attached to the cylindrical body, the product remaining trapped inside the capsule even after use.

One problem connected with capsules, or pods, of this kind is that they cannot be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

In practice, the capsule, or pod, must be disposed of as unsorted waste even if the used food product it contains should really be disposed of as organic waste, while the capsule body, which is usually made of plastic material, should be disposed in a specific recycling bin used for collecting waste plastics.

Summary of the Invention

The aim of this invention is to propose a novel solution, alternative to the solutions known up to now and, more specifically, aims to overcome the above mentioned drawback and/or to meet one or more of the needs felt in the trade or inferable from the above.

The invention accordingly provides a capsule for infusing a food product such as coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, camomile, herb tea, barley coffee, broth mix or other product; the capsule comprising a hollow supporting body that can be used in suitable infusion equipment and constituting a housing for holding said product; characterized in that said product is in the form of a food product tablet to be infused.

That way, it is possible to make a capsule where the food product can be separated in a quick and practical manner for disposal in separate waste bins.

Brief Description of the Drawings

This and other innovative aspects of the capsule are set out in the appended claims and its technical features and advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows of preferred advantageous embodiments of it which must be considered purely as non-limiting examples; the description being made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the capsule according to this invention;

- Figure 2 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention from the side opposite that of Figure 1;

- Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross section of the first preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a first step in the procedure for expelling the food product from the capsule body;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a last step of removing the food product from the capsule body;

- Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross section, similar to that of Figure 4, showing a second preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention;

- Figure 8 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention;

- Figure 9 is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention from the side opposite that of Figure 8;

- Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross section of the third preferred embodiment of the capsule according to the invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate a preferred embodiment 10 of a capsule for infusing a food product such as coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, camomile, herb tea, barley coffee, broth mix or other product.

As illustrated, the capsule 10 comprises a hollow supporting body 12 that can be used in suitable infusion equipment and constituting an internal housing 14 for holding the food product.

The infusion product 13 inside the body 12 is in turn advantageously in the form of a tablet of food product to be infused.

The tablet of food product to be infused is in the form of a plurality of particles, or powder, aggregated to form a compact, substantially rigid body designed to keep its shape.

The tablet of food product to be infused, which is preferably roasted coffee powder, is advantageously obtained using a process which comprises adding an aggregating agent, especially in the form of water, to the product in order to promote aggregation of the product particles. In practice, an aggregating agent, in particular in the form of a liquid, is added to the powdered or granular product. A predetermined portion of the product is then placed in a mould. Next, energy is applied to the predetermined product portion in order to aggregate the product, causing the particles to adhere to each other.

In particularly advantageous manner, the energy is in the form of mechanical vibrations, preferably ultrasound mechanical vibrations.

A tablet is thus obtained where the product particles remain separate but adhere to each other to form a compact, or aggregate, configuration of the powdered or granular product.

In a particularly preferred manner, the aggregating agent, preferably in the form of a liquid, is in the form of water, which does not alter the properties of the product processed. Other liquids, or agents, might also be used, however,

Said agent, in particular in the form of water, is added in a proportion that may vary from 0.1% to 20% by weight of the predetermined product portion. Preferably, the agent, in particular in the form of water, is added in a proportion that varies from 1% to 10% by weight of the predetermined product portion.

Further, the energy is applied in the form of mechanical vibrations having a vibration frequency variable from 15,000 to 50,000 Hz, preferably in the ultrasound range and equal or substantially equal to 20,000 Hz.

Further, the predetermined product portion is provided with a quantity of energy between 100 and 5,000 Joules, preferably between 700 and 2,000 Joules, and especially preferably, a quantity of energy substantially equal to 1,500 Joules. At least part of the aggregating water evaporates during the step of applying energy to the predetermined product portion, in particular during the step of applying the mechanical energy.

As illustrated, the product tablet 13 has a peripheral surface, in particular a circumferential surface, 15 and opposite faces 17, 19, which are transversal to a longitudinal axis L of the tablet and of the capsule 10.

As may be inferred in particular from Figure 4, the supporting body 12 has an inflow end 16 for the infusion fluid, more specifically for the inflow of hot water, and an outflow end 18 for the infusion fluid containing the product in the infused state, as indicated by the respective arrows in Figure 4.

More specifically, the supporting body 12 is in the form of a cylindrical element having an open end 16 which is defined by an internal circumferential peripheral edge 12e of the cylindrical element and which defines, in particular, the infusion fluid inflow end.

In practice, the supporting body has a perimeter or lateral wall 12 that extends along a circumferential axis and is open at one end, in particular at a first and a second longitudinal end.

Further, the cylindrical body 12 has a longitudinal, or cylindrical, peripheral wall 12' which is open at the opposite end, or at the outflow end for the product in the infused state, where it is equipped with a suitable transversal portion 20, defining in particular a closing or end wall of the container body 12.

In practice, the capsule 10 comprises the supporting body, which extends along a longitudinal axis L, and is equipped with a portion 20 which extends tran vers ally.

The transversal portion 20 is connected to the supporting body and is advantageously removable from the supporting body 12.

Further, as may be well inferred from Figures 5 and 6, the transversal portion 20 is movable, or slidable, longitudinally of the supporting body 12 so as to allow the food product to be advantageously removed from the capsule body, as will become clearer as this description continues.

As illustrated, the supporting body has an internal perimeter surface 12b, which constitutes a housing for holding the product.

More specifically, the internal surface 12b is slightly tapered and is flared or diverges towards the inflow end. The internal surface might, however, be cylindrical in shape or be tapered to a greater extent than illustrated; that is to say, it might have any other suitable shape.

The transversal portion 20 is adapted to define means for engaging the tablet and driving it out of the housing 12b.

In practice, means are provided for removing the product 13, which preferably consists of a tablet of compact, rigid material, from the supporting body 12.

More specifically, the means for removing the tablet 13 are defined by the transversal portion 20, which is adapted to define means for engaging the tablet 13 and driving it out of the supporting body.

In practice, for removing the product 13, the supporting body 12 presents an end 18, in particular the outflow end for the infused product, which is open and allows access to corresponding engagement means, in particular the user's fingers, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

As illustrated, the user's fingers engage the outside surface 21 of the transversal portion 20 and, by exerting on the latter a pushing action in the longitudinal direction relative to the supporting body 12, cause it to be disengaged and to move longitudinally along the internal peripheral wall 12b, thereby engaging the corresponding opposed transversal surface 19 of the tablet of food product 13 and driving the selfsame tablet 13 out.

Thus, the plastic or other material the supporting body 12 and the transversal portion 20 are made of could be disposed of separately from the organic product 13, as illustrated in Figure 6.

Retaining means are provided by which the transversal portion 20 is held to the supporting body 12 and which are adapted to exert on the transversal portion 20 a releasable retaining action, this action being, more specifically, releasable under a pushing action directed longitudinally along the body 12.

Preferably, these retaining means are defined by an external circular peripheral surface 20a of the transversal portion 20 acting in conjunction with a corresponding internal surface 12'b of the supporting body 12.

In practice, the transversal portion 20 is adapted to be inserted into the internal surface 12b defining the housing in the supporting body 12, thereby interfering by friction with a respective portion 12'b of the latter until securely engaging the latter.

In practice, the capsule 10 has a transversal portion 20 which is internal of the longitudinal body 12 and is fixed by interference with the corresponding internal surface of the supporting body 12 itself.

As illustrated, the supporting body 12 has an inwardly protruding circumferential portion 12c extending from the end 18 of the supporting body 12 towards the inside of the same and adapted to define means for abutting, or stopping, against the transversal portion 20 in a longitudinal direction.

As illustrated, the transversal portion 12c defines a transversal annular surface 12'c on which the portion 20 rests by a peripheral strip of it 20' .

As illustrated, according to a second embodiment, illustrated in Figure 7, the transversal portion 20 has a collar or protruding portion 120' which defines a respective lateral portion 120a for engaging the cylindrical or longitudinal inside surface 12'c of the stopping means 12c, relative to which it defines means for retaining the transversal portion 120.

In practice, it is thus possible to make the main part 120" of the wall or portion 20 with an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the surface 12b of the supporting body, so as to facilitate its insertion and at the same time allow it to be easily disengaged.

In effect, it is sufficient for the user to press it lightly with a finger to disengage the collar 120a from the corresponding internal surface 12'c of the stop means to quickly and easily expel the wall or portion 20 with the product 13 in it from the supporting body 12.

Returning now to the first preferred embodiment, it may be inferred from the drawings that the transversal portion 20 is in the form of a flattened circular element of reduced thickness.

Advantageously, the transversal portion 20 defining the bottom of the capsule 12 is also adapted to define a filtration wall furnished with corresponding hole means for the passage of the fluid containing the infused product, the hole means being, more specifically, in the form of a plurality of holes 22 distributed on the wall 20.

The holes 22 are in the form of longitudinal through holes made in the wall 20.

In practice, the capsule 10 comprises means for the filtration of the infused product, which are preferably defined by the transversal portion 20.

As illustrated, the filtration wall has reinforcement means 24.

More specifically, the ribs 24 for reinforcing the transversal portion or filtration wall 20 consist of a plurality of radial portions which are larger in thickness than the flat sheet with the holes 22 in it and which extend from a circumferential portion 26, also thicker, towards a circular central portion 28, also larger in thickness.

The capsule also comprises a layer of filtering or porous material 30, more specifically and advantageously in the form of filter paper.

Since the filter paper may be of any customary type well within the knowledge of an expert in the trade, it is not described in detail here.

The transversal portion 20 has a transversal face 21 directed towards the inside of the capsule and a transversal face 23 directed towards the outside of the capsule.

As illustrated, the layer of filtering or porous material 30 rests on the transversal portion 20 and, further advantageously, is integral with, and more specifically glued to, the transversal portion 20, and more specifically, to the latter' s transversal inside face 21.

The transversal portion or wall 20 is made of stiff material, in particular plastic material.

It will, however, be understood that the transversal filtration wall or transversal portion 20 might be made of any suitable material such as, for example, a metal. In the latter case, the transversal portion 20 might advantageously consist of a metal plate furnished with longitudinal through holes for the passage of the fluid containing the infused product.

Further advantageously, the transversal filtration wall or transversal portion 20 might be made of a biodegradable material, preferably starch, in particular such as to be sufficiently stiff and to have respective longitudinal through holes made in it for the passage of the fluid containing the infused product. That way, the wall or portion 20 can be disposed in the bin for organic waste, together with the coffee tablet, thus facilitating the procedure for separating the tablet from the capsule. In practice, to dispose of the capsule in this case, it would be sufficient to push the transversal portion 20, allowing it to drop into the organic waste bin together with the coffee tablet, and to then throw the outer shell 12 of the capsule into another waste bin.

Retaining means are also advantageously provided for holding the product or tablet 13 against the supporting body 12, and more specifically inside the supporting body 12.

More specifically, retaining means are provided for applying a releasable action by which the product or tablet 13 is held against the supporting body 12.

The retaining means are defined by the outside peripheral surface 15 of the product or tablet 13 acting in conjunction with the supporting body 12 inside surface 12b constituting the product housing.

In practice, the product tablet 13 is adapted to be inserted into the internal surface 12b defining the housing in the supporting body 12, thereby interfering by friction with a respective portion 12"b of the latter until securely engaging the latter.

In practice, the capsule 10 has a product tablet 13 which is internal of the longitudinal body 12 and is fixed by interference with the corresponding internal surface 12"b of the supporting body 12 itself.

Advantageously, the product tablet 13 is made in such a way that after infusion it remains substantially whole and compact, that is to say, such as to keep its shape.

After infusion, the tablet 13 remains in place, and more specifically, fixed, in the housing within the supporting body.

As illustrated, in particular in Figure 4, the product or tablet 13 has a respective transversal face 17 which is spaced from longitudinal end 14 of the supporting body 12.

In practice, the transversal face 17 of the tablet 13 faces towards the infusion fluid inlet end and is spaced from the respective longitudinal end 21a of the supporting body. The spacing is labelled "d" in Figure 4.

That means the tablet, after being heated by the infusion fluid that passes through it, can expand in the longitudinal direction towards the end 14 without protruding from the body 12. This spacing is labelled "D" in Figure 4.

Further, the product or tablet 13 has a respective transversal face 19 which faces towards the infusion fluid outlet end 18, the face 19 being spaced from the corresponding longitudinal end of the supporting body 12, and more specifically, being spaced from the opposite face of the transversal portion or wall 20 of the supporting body, and more specifically, from the layer 30 of porous material.

Thus, the product 13 can expand in the longitudinal direction towards the bottom wall 20 of the capsule 12 after infusion by a hot fluid or liquid passed through it.

The supporting body 12 also has an outside surface 12" especially shaped for insertion into a matchingly shaped housing of an infusion apparatus. The specially shaped outside surface 12" can be of any desired shape suitable for using the capsule 10 in infusion apparatuses furnished with matchingly shaped housings or slots for insertion of the capsule.

The tablet 13 is provided with channelling means 40 for an infusion fluid, and more specifically, for channelling the fluid through the body of the tablet.

In practice, the tablet 12 comprises cavity means 40 giving onto a respective transversal face 17 of the tablet 13 which faces towards the inflow end 14 of the infusion fluid into the capsule.

In practice, advantageously, the tablet comprises a tablet body with means 40 for channelling or directing a corresponding fluid for extracting the drink from the food product, the fluid being embodied in particular by an infusion liquid, especially in the form of hot water.

More specifically, the means for channelling, or guiding the extraction fluid are designed to feed, or facilitate the feeding of, the fluid or liquid into the tablet body 13.

In this way, the fluid advantageously and desirably flows into the tablet body and infuses the product.

The body of the tablet 13 comprises cavity means 40 which open onto a respective face of it, in particular onto its top transversal face 17.

The cavity means comprise at least one cavity and, in particular, advantageously, a plurality of cavities 40, arranged in parallel rows.

As illustrated, the cavities 40 are suitably distributed on the respective surface or face 17 of the tablet.

As illustrated, the cavities 40 are closely spaced, being separated from each other only by a short flat portion or surface 17i of the top face 17 of the tablet body 13.

Each cavity 40 is in the form of a recess having a lateral and bottom surface 40' defined by corresponding surfaces that converge at a bottom vertex 40".

Also, each cavity is open at the face 17 of the tablet body 13 in which it is formed and through which the infusion liquid enters.

In practice, the recess 40 has a suitable depth, labelled "d"' and extends into the body of the tablet, starting from the respective transversal face or surface, in particular from the top surface 17, forming a mouth or opening through which the extraction or infusion fluid or liquid flows into the cavity 40 and hence into the tablet body 13. As illustrated, the cavity 40 has the general shape of a pyramid with a base, forming the access opening, which is quadrangular, and more specifically, square, in shape, the lateral surfaces being flat and converging towards the inside of the tablet.

Although this shape is particularly advantageous, it will be understood that the cavity may have any other desired and suitable shape.

The top face 17 of the tablet body 13 also has a peripheral margin or border 17', in which there are no cavities for channelling the liquid into the tablet body and which, in particular, is in the form of a flat, or flat- shaped, peripheral, or circumferential surface 17' .

The flat peripheral margin 17', which extends at a height or level above the bottom of the cavity 40, facilitates the flow of infusion liquid towards the central part of the tablet and hence - through the cavities 40 formed on it - into the body of the tablet 13.

The tablet body also has a bottom transversal surface 19, said bottom surface being, in particular, in the form of a flat transversal surface.

The reference numeral 17" denotes a curved or circumferential edge joining the lateral surface 15 and the top surface 17 of the tablet.

Figures 8 to 10 illustrate a third preferred embodiment 100 of a capsule for infusing a food product, as previously described in connection with the first preferred embodiment.

In the third embodiment the components that are similar to those of the embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be commented in detail again so as to avoid making this description too lengthy.

Unlike the first preferred embodiment, the third preferred embodiment 100 of the capsule has a supporting body 12 which has, at a respective longitudinal end of it, a layer of material adapted to close the respective end opening defined by the supporting body 12, the layer of material being attached to the body 12 in removable manner so that the corresponding opening can be cleared for use in an infusion apparatus.

In practice, the tubular supporting body 12, has at a respective longitudinal end of it, a layer of disc-shaped or circular material or film 117, 119, preferably a material having a barrier effect designed to seal the respective end opening 16, 18 defined by the supporting body 12. Advantageously, each layer 117, 119 of sealing material is fixed to the respective circular transversal edge of the body 12, preferably by heat sealing, and can be removed from, or peeled off, the body 12 with a view to using the capsule in the infusion apparatus.

The end sealing layers 117, 119, being easy to remove entirely and being made preferably of a material that creates a barrier to the outside environment, make it possible to obtain a package which does not require further wrapping and packaging and which can be immediately and easily used as an infusion capsule without producing excessive waste.

In practice, as illustrated, the supporting body 12 of the third embodiment has, at a respective longitudinally upstream end of it 16, a layer of material 117 which is adapted to seal the respective end opening defined by the supporting body 12 and which has advantageous peel-off means 117a, in the form of a tab projecting outwards from the disc-shaped film 117 and defined by a radial extension of the selfsame layer of material 117.

Further, as illustrated, the supporting body 12 of the third embodiment has, at a respective downstream longitudinal end of it 18, a layer of material 119 which is adapted to seal the respective end opening defined by the supporting body 12 and which has advantageous peel-off means 119a, in the form of a tab projecting outwards from the disc- shaped film 119. Each of the layers is integral with a respective circumferential transversal edge 21a, 21b of the capsule body 12.

The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application.

It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that several changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, described in depth above.

In particular, one skilled in the art could easily imagine further embodiments of the invention comprising one or more of the features described herein.

It will also be understood that all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements .

Claims

1. A capsule (10) for infusing a food product such as coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, camomile, herb tea, barley coffee, broth mix or other product; the capsule comprising a hollow supporting body (12) that can be used in suitable infusion equipment and constituting a housing (14) for holding said product; characterized in that said product (13) is in the form of a food product tablet to be infused.

2. The capsule according claim 1, characterized in that energy is applied to a portion of the product in powder or granular form in order to make the particles of the product adhere to each other.

3. The capsule according to claim 2, characterized in that the product tablet is made by adding an aggregating agent to the product in powder or granular form.

4. The capsule according claim 3, characterized in that an agent in the form of a liquid is applied to the product.

5. The capsule according claim 3 or 4, characterized in that an agent in the form of a water is applied to the product.

6. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 3 to 5, characterized in that the aggregating agent is added in a proportion that may vary from 0.1% to 20% of the weight of the predetermined product portion.

7. The capsule according to claim 6, characterized in that the aggregating agent is added in a proportion that may vary from 1% to 10% of the weight of the predetermined product portion.

8. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 2 to 7, characterized in that the energy applied is in the form of mechanical vibrations.

9. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 2 to 8, characterized in that the energy applied is in the form of ultrasound vibrations.

10. The capsule according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the energy applied in the form of vibrations has a vibration frequency variable from 15,000 to 50,000 Hz.

11. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 2 to 10, characterized in that an amount of energy of between 100 and 5,000 Joules is applied to the predetermined product portion.

12. The capsule according to claim 11, characterized in that an amount of energy of between 700 and 2,000 Joules is applied to the predetermined product portion.

13. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has an inlet end (16) for the infusion fluid and an outlet end (18) for the product in the infused state.

14. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has an open end (16) delimited by a peripheral edge (20e) inside the supporting body, in particular for letting in the infusion fluid.

15. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body extends along a longitudinal axis (L) and has a portion (20) that extends transversally.

16. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (20) for removing the product (14) from the supporting body (12).

17. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the supporting body has a perimetric wall (12') that extends along a longitudinal axis (L) and is open at one end, in particular at a first and a second longitudinal end (16, 18).

18. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has an inside perimetric surface (12b) forming a housing for holding the product, said inside surface being, in particular, cylindrical or conical.

19. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 18, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is located at one end of the supporting body, in particular at the outlet end (18) for the product in the infused state.

20. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 19, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) can be removed from the supporting body (12).

21. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 20, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is movable longitudinally along the supporting body (12).

22. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 21, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is adapted to form means for engaging the product (13) and for removing the product (13).

23. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 16 to 22, characterized in that for removing the product (13), the supporting body (12) has an open end (18) providing access for removing the product (13).

24. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 23, characterized in that it comprises retaining means for holding the transversal portion (20) against the supporting body (12).

25. The capsule according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means that apply a releasable retaining action on the transversal portion (20).

26. The capsule according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the retaining means are defined by an outside peripheral surface (20a, 120a) of the transversal portion (20, 120) acting in conjunction with an inside surface (12'b, 12'c) of the supporting body (12).

27. The capsule according to claim 26, characterized in that the retaining means are defined by an outside peripheral surface (120a) of a collar (120') protruding from the main part (120") of the transversal portion (120).

28. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 27, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is designed to be inserted, with friction, into the inside surface (12b) constituting the housing in the supporting body (12).

29. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 28, characterized in that the supporting body (12) comprises an inwardly protruding portion (12c) constituting means for abutting the transversal portion (20) in longitudinal direction.

30. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 29, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is in the form of a flattened element.

31. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 30, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is in the form of a circular element.

32. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for filtering the infused product.

33. The capsule according to claim 32, characterized in that the means for filtering the infused product are in the form of a transversal portion (20).

34. The capsule according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that it comprises a filtering wall (20) in the form of a wall with perforated means (22) through which the fluid passes.

35. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 34, characterized in that the transversal wall (20) has reinforcement means (24).

36. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 32 to 35, characterized in that it comprises a layer of filtering or porous material (30).

37. The capsule according claim 36, characterized in that it comprises a filtering layer of filter paper.

38. The capsule according to claim 36 or 37, characterized in that the layer of filtering or porous material (30) rests on the transversal portion (20).

39. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 36 to 38, characterized in that the layer of filtering or porous material (30) is integral with, and more specifically, glued to, the transversal portion (20).

40. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 39, characterized in that the filtering wall or transversal portion (20) is made of a rigid material.

41. The capsule according claim 40, characterized in that the filtering wall or transversal portion (20) is made of a plastic material.

42. The capsule according to claim 40 or 41, characterized in that the filtering wall or transversal portion is made of a metallic material.

43. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises retaining means for holding the product (13) against the supporting body (12).

44. The capsule according to claim 43, characterized in that it comprises means that apply a releasable retaining action from the tablet to the supporting body (12).

45. The capsule according to claim 43 or 44, characterized in that the retaining means are defined by the outside peripheral surface (15) of the tablet acting in conjunction with the inside surface (12b) of the supporting body (12).

46. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 43 to 45, characterized in that the tablet (13) fits, with friction, into the inside surface (12b) of the supporting body (12).

47. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the tablet (13) is such that, after infusion, it remains substantially whole.

48. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the tablet (14) is such that, after infusion, it remains inside the housing in the supporting body.

49. The capsule according to claim 48, characterized in that the tablet (13) is such that, after infusion, it remains fixed inside the housing in the supporting body.

50. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the tablet (13) has transversal faces (17, 19), each spaced from the respective longitudinal end (14, 18) of the supporting body.

51. The capsule according to claim 50, characterized in that the tablet (13) has a transversal face (17) which faces towards the infusion fluid inlet end and which is spaced from the respective longitudinal end (16) of the supporting body.

52. The capsule according to claim 50 or 51, characterized in that the tablet (13) has a transversal face (19) facing towards the infusion fluid outlet end (18) which is spaced from the respective longitudinal end of the supporting body (12).

53. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 52, characterized in that the tablet (13) has a transversal face (19) that is spaced from the opposite face (21) of the transversal portion of the supporting body (12).

54. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims characterized in that the tablet (13) is provided with means (40) for conveying an infusion fluid.

55. The capsule according to claim 54, characterized in that the tablet (13) comprises cavity means (40) giving onto a respective face (17) of the tablet (13) facing towards the inlet end (16).

56. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has an outside surface (12") especially shaped for insertion into a matchingly shaped housing of an infusion apparatus.

57. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has, at a respective longitudinal end, a layer of material which is designed to close the respective end opening defined by the supporting body (12) and removably fixed to the body (12).

58. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has, at a respective longitudinal upstream end (16), a layer of material (117) designed to close the respective end opening defined by the supporting body (12).

59. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body (12) has, at a respective longitudinal downstream end (18), a layer of material (119) designed to close the respective end opening defined by the supporting body (12).

60. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 57 to 59, characterized in that the closing layer of material (117, 119) comprises means (117a, 119a) of gripping and removal.

61. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 60, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is made of a biodegradable material.

62. The capsule according to any of the foregoing claims from 15 to 61, characterized in that the transversal portion (20) is made of starch.