US11857104 (B2)
AUSTAUSCHKARTUSCHE FÜR GETRÄNKEPORTIONSSPENDER.
Auswechselbare Kartusche (3) für Portionsspender (1) zum Aufbewahren und Ausgeben von Getränkeartikeln (8) für die Zubereitung von Getränken, bestehend aus: einem länglichen, ausgehöhlten Aufbewahrungselement (7), das einen Innenraum zur Aufnahme mehrerer Getränkeartikel (8) aufweist, mit einem geschlossenen Ende (9) und einem offenen Ende (10), das eine Austrittsöffnung (11) aufweist, und einer Verschlusskappe (14), die am offenen Ende des Vorrats abnehmbar mit dem länglichen, ausgehöhlten Aufbewahrungselement (7) verbindbar ist und durch eine lösbare komplementäre Verbindung (15) von Vorratselement (7) und Verschlusskappe (14) zu verschließen, wobei die Verschlusskappe (14) ein Verriegelungselement (26) bzw. Keilelement aufweist, das komplementär zu einem Schlüsselelement (25) bzw. Verriegelungselement des Portionsspenders (1) passt und ermöglicht, dass die Verschlusskappe (14) vom länglichen hohlen Element (7) entfernt und wieder mit dem länglichen verbunden werden kann ausgehöhltes Element (7).
- Veröffentlichung
- US11857104 (B2)
- Veröffentlichungsdatum
- 2024-01-02
- Prioritätsdatum
- 2017-12-22
- Erfinder
- CROZIER ETIENNE [CH]; ROMAND DAMIEN [FR]; MAGATTI MARCO [CH]
- Anmelder
- NESTLE SA [CH]
- Klassifikation
- Classification: - internationale A47J31/40; A47J31/44; B65D85/804 - coopérative A47J31/3642 (EP, IL, KR); A47J31/407 (IL, US); A47J31/4403 (IL, KR); B65D85/804 (IL, US)
Patentfamilie
Projektbilder
Beschreibung
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/085717, filed on Dec. 19, 2018, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 17210543.9, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, the entire contents of which are being incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to the storing and dispensing of portioned beverage items for the preparation of beverages using such beverage portioned items in a beverage preparation device such as a coffee machine for in-home or professional use. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is known that coffee is sold in airtight packages to protect it from contact with air that would cause quick oxidation and loss of aromas. The field of beverage closure capsules has developed tremendously essentially because each coffee portion can be well protected by a suitable gastight, functional package until coffee is extracted in a suitable coffee machine.
[0004] For example, EP0512468 and EP0512470 provide respectively a sealed beverage capsule and a process for extracting a beverage from such capsule.
[0005] U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,178,139 and 8,210,097 provide respectively a spherical capsule comprising compacted aggregate of substance to be infused and a packaging envelope impermeable to air and water and a machine for automatically preparing and dispensing a beverage from such sealed capsule by puncturing the packaging envelope. In particular, the capsules are stacked in a reservoir above the infusion chamber and selected individually by a rear yoke forming part of the infusion chamber.
[0006] FR2879175 provides a coffee dose for automatic beverage and dispensing machines comprising an infusion chamber and a tamping position for a determined quantity of ground coffee in the infusion chamber. The coffee dose can be compacted from roast and ground coffee to a rolling external shape, a substantially spherical ball. The coffee dose further comprises an envelope of at least one layer or film of porous material imprisoning the coffee aggregate.
[0007] WO2014135677 proposes a packaging for holding beverage ingredient capsules with an outer aperture hermetically sealed with a closure material and comprising oxygen-barrier and/or water vapour barrier properties and wherein the closure material is formed by at least a portion of a first closure capsule being arranged in vicinity of the outlet aperture of the packaging. A device for controlled dispensing of capsules containing beverage ingredients is also described wherein it comprises a discharge outlet for selectively dispensing the closure capsules and a barrier distribution area arranged within a closure capsule transport path and means for flushing inert gas in the capsule receiving chamber.
[0008] Other patents such as EP1879487 or US20110185908 relate to the dispensing of coffee powder from a dispenser including a storage container, shutter means and vacuum or inert gas supply to purge the dispensing chamber from oxygen.
[0009] In general, the portioned package solutions which are designed to well preserve the coffee ingredient against oxidation provide many advantages such as freshness, coffee quality by perfect dosing and controlled extraction. However, they are expensive to produce, are generally package material consuming and may require a sophisticated packaging recycling chain.
[0010] Most other dispensing coffee ingredient dispensing solutions especially for coffee powder in bulk pose dosing accuracy problems and provide complexity, bulkiness and cost in the maintenance of a controlled atmosphere inside the dispenser by requiring dedicated vacuum or inert gas production systems.
[0011] WO2014135677 has also the disadvantages of the maintenance of controlled atmosphere by a dedicated vacuum or inert gas production device. Also, the dispensing cartridge is complicated to produce and package consuming.
[0012] Therefore, a solution is sought after for providing a low cost, sustainable and simple exchangeable packaging to precisely and reliably dispense beverage product ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee, for the preparation of beverage while maintaining product ingredient as fresh as possible and reducing packaging material consumption.
[0013] The present invention aims at overcoming the above-outlined problem of the prior art. Furthermore, the invention aims at providing a solution to further problems identified in the description. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In a first aspect, the invention relates to an exchangeable cartridge for a portion dispenser arranged for storing and dispensing beverage portioned items for the preparation of beverages comprising: an elongated hollowed storage member comprising an interior for accommodating a plurality of portioned beverage ingredient items (hereafter referred as “beverage items”) comprising a closed end and an open end comprising an exit opening, a closure cap adapted to connect in a removable manner to the elongated hollowed storage member at the open end of the storage member and to be sealed to the elongated hollowed storage member through a removable complementary connection, wherein the closure cap comprises a locking member, or respectively a keying member, being arranged for complementarily fitting with a keying member, or respectively a locking member, of the portion dispenser and for allowing the closure cap to be removed from the elongated hollowed storage member when connected to the portion dispenser and to be re-connected to the elongated hollowed storage member before being disconnected from the portion dispenser.
[0017] The term “exchangeable” means that the cartridge in place in the portion dispenser can be removed from the portion dispenser in a closed state (with the cap reconnected to the cartridge) while all the beverage items have not all been dispensed without deteriorating the beverage items presents in the cartridge. Another cartridge (with beverage item for a different beverage) can then be connected to the portion dispenser.
Ansprüche
- 1. The invention claimed is:
- 1. An exchangeable cartridge for a portion dispenser arranged for storing and dispensing a plurality of beverage items for the preparation of beverages, the exchangeable cartridge comprising: an elongated hollowed storage member comprising an interior configured to hold the plurality of beverage items, the elongated hollowed storage member comprising a closed end and an open end, the open end comprising an exit opening, anda closure cap adapted to connect in a removable manner to the elongated hollowed storage member at the open end of the elongated hollowed storage member and to be sealed to the elongated hollowed storage member through a removable complementary connection,the closure cap comprises a locking member configured to complementarily fit with a keying member of the portion dispenser, allowing the closure cap to be removed from the elongated hollowed storage member when connected to the portion dispenser and to be re-connected to the elongated hollowed storage member before being disconnected from the portion dispenser,the locking member comprises a receiving cavity of non-circular shape for receiving an expandable terminal portion of the keying member, and the locking member further comprises an entry passage for selective insertion of the expandable terminal portion of the keying member.
- 2. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the elongated hollowed storage member is protected from ambient air and/or moisture, and the elongated hollowed storage member and closure cap are sealingly closed in such a manner to prevent exchange of gas with the ambient air when the closure cap is in a sealed connecting position with the elongated hollowed storage member.
- 3. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the elongated hollowed storage member is protected from UV light in order to preserve the plurality of beverage items from the effects of UV light.
- 4. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beverage items are spherical and essentially made of a compacted ingredient selected from the group consisting of powder, flakes, fibers, leaves, fruit pieces and combinations thereof.
- 5. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beverage items are essentially made of compacted powder having a density between 0.5 and 1.2 g/cm<3>.
- 6. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beverage items are essentially made of compacted roast and ground coffee.
- 7. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beverage items are essentially made of compacted soluble coffee or tea.
- 8. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beverage items are free of non-food material cover.
- 9. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the closure cap and the elongated hollowed storage member are connected in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner.
- 10. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the removable complementary connection comprises a thread of the closure cap arranged with a complementary thread of the elongated hollowed storage member.
- 11. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a first engagement surface for torque transmission by the terminal portion of the keying member, the torque transmission releasing the closure cap from the elongated hollowed storage member.
- 12. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the locking member comprises a second engagement surface transversally or radially arranged relative to the opening of the elongated hollowed storage member, and the second engagement surface is configured for torque transmission by the keying member for re-connecting the closure cap to the elongated hollowed storage member.
- 13. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 12, wherein the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface protrude internally from the receiving cavity towards a center of the receiving cavity and wherein the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface are positioned opposite to each other for being engaged selectively depending on a direction of rotation of the keying member.
- 14. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the entry passage comprises a circular opening smaller than a larger dimension of the receiving cavity, and the entry passage provides an inner shoulder enabling an axial engagement of the expandable terminal portion of the keying member during removal of the closure cap.
- 15. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the closure cap comprises outwardly oriented and retractable tongues arranged for engaging complementarily shaped through-openings of the open end of the elongated hollowed storage member, the receiving cavity of the locking member comprises an elastic actuation member arranged across the receiving cavity, and the elastic actuation member is configured for being engaged by the expandable terminal portion of the keying member to retract the tongues upon engagement of the expandable terminal portion in the receiving cavity.
- 16. An exchangeable cartridge for a portion dispenser arranged for storing and dispensing a plurality of beverage items for the preparation of beverages, the exchangeable cartridge comprising: an elongated hollowed storage member comprising an interior configured to hold the plurality of beverage items, the elongated hollowed storage member comprising a closed end and an open end, the open end comprising an exit opening, anda closure cap adapted to connect in a removable manner to the elongated hollowed storage member at the open end of the elongated hollowed storage member and to be sealed to the elongated hollowed storage member through a removable complementary connection,the closure cap comprises a locking member configured to complementarily fit with a keying member of the portion dispenser, allowing the closure cap to be removed from the elongated hollowed storage member when connected to the portion dispenser and to be re-connected to the elongated hollowed storage member before being disconnected from the portion dispenser,the locking member comprises a hollow receiving cavity of a deformable character for receiving a terminal portion of the keying member, and the locking member further comprises an entry passage for selective insertion of the terminal portion of the keying member, a transversal cross-section of the entry passage is smaller than a transversal cross-section of the hollow receiving cavity and a transversal cross-section of the terminal portion of the keying member, and the deformable character of the hollow receiving cavity is configured for expanding the receiving cavity upon insertion of the terminal portion.
- 17. The exchangeable cartridge according to claim 16, wherein the hollow receiving cavity comprises radially arranged first and second engagement surfaces forming longitudinally extending grooves at an inner surface of the hollow receiving cavity, and the longitudinally extending grooves are complementarily shaped with longitudinally extending ribs at an outer surface of the terminal portion of the keying member.