WO2016038001A1

WO2016038001A1 - Tool for opening single-serve capsules of ingredients for preparing beverages

Info

Publication number: WO2016038001A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/070434
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ewald STRUGGL
Original assignee: Ascendo Medienagentur AG
Current assignee: Ascendo Medienagentur AG
Priority date: 2014-09-09
Filing date: 2015-09-08
Publication date: 2016-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-09

Abstract

A tool for opening single-dose capsules (C) containing an ingredient for preparing a beverage. The tool (1) comprises a handle (3) at a first end (3A) whereof a first extension (5) is formed having a first face (5A) and a second face (5B). A cutting member (7) is arranged on one of said first face and second face to cut a sheet (f) closing the capsule (C).

Description

"TOOL FOR OPENING SINGLE-SERVE CAPSULES OF INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING BEVERAGES"

Description

Technical Field

The invention concerns a tool to be used in combination with single-serve capsules containing ingredients for preparing beverages, for example coffee or other.

Background to the invention

The use of prepackaged single-serve capsules for preparing hot beverages through the use of electrical machines dispensing pressurized hot water has become increasingly widespread, thanks to the practicality of this beverage preparation system. There are various types of capsules, which differ both in the material of which they are made, and for their content, namely the ingredients, by means of which the drinks are prepared. Usually a single-serve capsule is inserted into a machine for preparing the beverage, which supplies water at suitable pressure and temperature. The water, passing through the suitably perforated capsule, extracts the substances from the capsule to produce the beverage.

This kind of capsules are commonly used for preparing coffee, tea, cappuccino and other similar beverages. In the case of coffee-based beverages, the capsule usually contains coffee powder obtained by grinding the coffee beans. The pressurized hot water flows through the coffee powder, and extracts aromas from it.

Some capsules contain soluble substances. In this case, the hot water supplied by the machine dissolves the substances, which form, together with the water, the hot drink dispensed by the machine. Typically, the capsule may contain soluble coffee, soluble tea, aromas and sugar for the production of herbal teas, or other ingredients for different beverages.

If the capsule contains a soluble substance, it may be used for preparing the beverage even without a special machine, simply opening the capsule and pouring the content thereof in a glass or in a cup containing a liquid, like water or milk, either hot or cold, in which the ingredients dissolve.

Capsules are usually sealed by means of sheets, foils or films made of plastic, aluminum or the like. In some cases, these sheets are pre-perforated to allow water inflow and beverage outflow, and the capsule is packaged in a sealed envelope to retain the aromas and avoid contact with the atmosphere. To pour the soluble substance contained in the capsule, it is necessary to break or remove the sealing sheet. This operation can be difficult, also because the sheets have high mechanical strength and/or significant fracture strain. Summary of the Invention

To use the content of a single-serve capsule of the type described above, a tool is provided, comprising a handle, for opening single-serve capsules. At a first end of the handle, a first extension is formed having a first face and a second face, a cutting member being arranged on one of said first face and second face to cut a sheet closing the capsule. The cutting member can be made, for example of molded plastic, in a single piece with the handle and the first extension.

The first extension is preferably almost flat or planar, to better cooperate with the face of the capsule to be opened by means of the tool.

To simplify and facilitate the use of the tool, a connection element is associated with the cutting member for connecting the tool to a perimeter flange of the capsule. In this way, the reciprocal rotation between capsule and cutting member is guided and made easier.

For example, the connection element may have an arched shape and an L- shaped cross-section to mechanically engage the capsule flange and allow the tool to rotate around said capsule flange.

Also the cutting member may have an arched shape, preferably with two opposite cutting edges. In other embodiments, the cutting member can be shaped like a pin or a simple knife projecting from the face of the first extension.

Advantageously, the first extension can be substantially disc-like shaped. In some embodiments, the tool has, at the second end of the handle, a second extension. This extension can form, together with the handle, a sort of spoon. In particularly simple embodiments, the second extension may be flat or planar. In other embodiments, for greater effectiveness, the second extension may have a concavity on one of its faces.

According to a further aspect, a kit is provided, comprising at least one single- serve capsule containing at least one ingredient for preparing a beverage, and a tool as defined above.

Characteristics and embodiments are described hereunder and further defined in the attached claims, which form an integral part of the present description. The above brief description identifies characteristics of the various embodiments of the present invention, so that the detailed description below may be better understood and in order that the contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are obviously other characteristics of the invention which will be described further on and which will be indicated in the attached claims. With reference to this, before illustrating different embodiments of the invention in detail, it must be understood that the various embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the construction details and to the arrangements of components described in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in other embodiments and implemented and placed in use in various ways. Also, it is necessary to understand that the phraseology and terminology used here are only for descriptive purposes and must not be considered as limiting.

Persons skilled in the art will therefore understand that the concept on which the invention is based may be promptly used as a base for designing other structures, other methods and/or other systems to implement the various objects of the present invention. It is therefore important that the claims be considered as comprising those equivalent constructions which do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be better understood based on the description below and the attached drawing, which shows a non-restrictive practical embodiment of the invention. More in particular, in the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a front view according to I-I of Fig. 2 of a tool according to the invention in one embodiment;

Fig. 2 shows a side view according to II-II in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a view according to III-III of Figs. 2 and 4;

Fig. 4 shows a side view according to IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 show end views according to V-V and VI- VI of Fig. 3;

Figs. 7 and 8 show two axonometric views of the tool of Figs. 1 to 6; and

Figs. 9 to 15 show the use of the tool.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The detailed description below of exemplary embodiments is made with reference to the attached drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the equal or similar elements. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily to scale. The detailed description below does not limit the invention. The protective scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.

In the description, the reference to "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" or

"some embodiments" means that a particular feature, structure or element described with reference to an embodiment is comprised in at least one embodiment of the described object. The sentences "in an embodiment" or "in the embodiment" or "in some embodiments" in the description do not therefore necessarily refer to the same embodiment or embodiments. The particular features, structures or elements can be furthermore combined in any adequate way in one or more embodiments.

Figures 1 to 8 show in detail an exemplary embodiment of a tool according to the invention, indicated as a whole with number 1. The tool 1 comprises a handle portion 3 with a first end 3A and a second end 3B. To the first end 3A a first extension 5 is associated, that has opposite faces 5A and 5B.

In some embodiments, the extension 5 and the handle 3 have flat laminar shape and substantially constant thickness. However, this is not strictly necessary, even if particularly advantageous in terms of simplicity and production economy.

On the face 5A of the extension 5 a cutting member 7 is provided. In some embodiments, the cutting member 7 is substantially shaped like a curved blade with a center of curvature approximately coincident with the center of a substantially circular circumferential edge 5C delimiting the first extension 5.

The cutting member 7 may have only one cutting edge or preferably two opposite cutting edges 7A, 7B, approximately orthogonal to the surface of the face 5A.

In advantageous embodiments, a connection element 9 is also provided on the same face 5A of the first extension 5 where the cutting member 7 is provided. As it will be more clearly apparent from the description below of the use of the tool 1 , made with reference to Figures 9 to 15, the connection element 9 is used to connect the tool 1 to the flange or circular edge B of a capsule C, which shall be opened by means of the tool 1.

In some advantageous embodiments, the connection element 9 has a substantially L-shaped cross-section (see Fig. 4). In some advantageous embodiments, a second extension 11 is associated to the second end 3B of the handle 3; the second extension may have a nearly circular overall shape, delimited by a circular edge 11C. 11A and 11B indicate two opposite faces of the extension 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, the extension 11 is not planar like the extension

5, but curved, wherein advantageously its face 11B is concave and its face 11A is convex. The handle 3 and the extension 11 form, therefore, a sort of spoon. In other embodiments, also the extension 11 can be planar, i.e. flat.

In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the tool 1 has such a shape that it can be produced in molded plastic, to reduce the production costs.

The function and use of the tool 1 will be described below, with specific reference to the sequence of Figures 9 to 15. In these figures, C indicates a single- serve capsule containing at least one soluble ingredient for producing a beverage, typically a hot beverage. For example, the capsule C may contain soluble coffee. B indicates a border or perimeter flange that extends around one of the ends of the capsule C.

A sheet, foil or film F, closing the capsule, is attached along the flange B, for example by welding, gluing or the like. The sheet, foil or film F can be air-tight or perforated, in a known manner. If the sheet, foil or film F is air-tight, the capsule C does not require an outer package, since the impermeability of the sheet, foil or film F on one side and that of the side wall CL of the capsule C, on the other side, guarantees the preservation of the ingredients contained in the capsule C, preventing contact with the atmosphere. In this case, also the bottom CF of the capsule C, opposite to the film, foil or sheet F, is air-tight.

In other embodiments, in a known manner, the bottom CF may be not air-tight, and/or the film, sheet or foil F can be perforated to allow water inflow or beverage outflow so that it is not necessary to perforate it inside the machine for which the capsule C is intended. From the viewpoint of understanding of the present invention and as regards the use thereof, the film, foil or sheet F may be air-tight or perforated and made of any suitable material, for example plastic, aluminum, coupled material or other.

The tool 1 described above allows the user to partially or completely remove the film, foil or sheet F from the capsule C to pour the content thereof in a glass, a cup or the like. To this end, the tool 1 is connected to the capsule C in correspondence of the perimeter edge or flange B of the capsule through the connection element 9, shaped as described above. Figures 9 and 9A illustrate the step where the connection element 9 engages the capsule C along the flange or perimeter edge B. In this step, the tool 1 is inclined by an angle of less than 90° with respect to the vertical axis of the capsule, i.e. with respect to the symmetry axis thereof. In this way, the cutting member 7 does not interfere with the film, sheet or foil F closing the capsule C.

In the following step (Fig. 10), the tool 1 is rotated according to the arrow fl around a pivot defined by the connection element 9, and therefore around an axis substantially oriented at 90° with respect to the symmetry axis of the capsule C. With this overturning movement according to fl, the cutting member 7 is pressed against the outer surface of the film, foil or sheet F, which is cut, punctured or torn by the cutting member 7. The cutting member 7 may have a sharp edge 7B, orthogonal to the cutting edges A, which facilitates the penetration into the film, sheet or foil F.

After having achieved the position shown in Fig. 10, where the first extension

5 of the tool 1 is approximately coplanar with the upper face of the film, foil or sheet F, the tool 1 and the capsule C can be rotated one with respect to the other around the symmetry axis of the capsule C, i.e. around the perimeter edge or flange B of the capsule C. During this movement, schematically indicated with the arrow £2 in Fig. 11, the connection between the tool and the capsule C is ensured by means of the connection element 9 as well as the cutting member 7, which is within the capsule edge or flange B. By rotating the tool 1 according to arrow f2, for example by 330°, the cutting member 7 makes an approximately circular cut of the film, sheet or foil F along the perimeter edge or flange B and within it. If the cutting member 7 has two cutting edges 7A, 7B, the rotation according to £2 can be both clockwise and counterclockwise. In other embodiments, the cutting member 7 may be provided with a single cutting edge 7 A or 7B. In this case, the tool 1 may be advantageously provided with an indication, such as an arrow printed on the face 5B of the extension 5, to indicate the correct direction of rotation of the tool 1 with respect to the capsule C to the user.

Fig. 12 shows the final result of this operation, wherein the sheet, foil or film F closing the capsule C is raised with respect to the perimeter edge or flange B (arrow f3). If the mutual rotation between capsule C and tool 1 has been lower than 360°, the cut portion of the sheet, film or foil F will remain partially attached to the flange or perimeter edge B.

At this point, it is possible to pour the ingredients I contained in the capsule C in a cup T or other suitable container, using the spoon-shaped extension 11, if necessary, with which the tool 1 can be provided. Water, milk or other liquid is added into the cup, which is able to dissolve the ingredients contained in the capsule C (Fig. 14); lastly, the extension 11 of the tool 1 can be used, as shown in Fig. 15, to stir (arrow f4) the liquid and the soluble ingredients in the cup T and facilitate the ingredients solution.

In some embodiments, the tool can be provided with a decoration or a customization, for example to show a brand or other decorative pattern on one and/or the other of the tool faces. To this end, the "in-mold decoration" technique can be advantageously used. A graphic film, on which the decoration is realized, is placed in the injection mold before the actual injection of transparent plastic with which the tool is realized. This allows to obtain a completely "food contact approved" tool, i.e. a tool suitable for food contact, since no part of the film (made with inks which are not intended in itself for food contact), will come into contact with the exterior of the product, being "trapped" inside the injected and solidified plastic mass.

While the particular embodiments of the invention described above have been shown in the drawing and described integrally in the description above with features and characteristics relating to different example embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand the modifications, changes and omissions are possible without however departing from the innovative learning, the principles and the concepts described above and the advantages of the object described in the attached claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention described shall be determined only based upon the widest interpretation of the attached claims, so as to understand all the modifications, changes and omissions. Furthermore, the order or sequence of any step of method or process may be changed according to alternative embodiments.

Claims

1. A tool for opening single-serve capsules containing an ingredient for preparing a beverage, the tool comprising a handle, at a first end whereof a first extension is formed having a first face and a second face, a cutting member being arranged on one of said first face and second face to cut a sheet closing the capsule.

2. Tool according to claim 1, wherein a connection element is associated with the cutting member for connecting the tool to a perimeter flange of the capsule.

3. Tool according to claim 2, wherein the connection element has an arched shape and an L-shaped cross-section to mechanically engage the capsule flange and allow the tool to rotate around this capsule flange.

4. Tool according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the cutting member has an arched shape.

5. Tool according to one or more of the previous claims, wherein the first extension is substantially disc-like shaped.

6. Tool according to one or more of the previous claims, wherein a second extension is formed at a second end of the handle.

7. Tool according to claim 6, wherein the second extension is substantially disc-like shaped and has a diameter lower than that of the first extension.

8. Tool according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second extension has a spoon-like concave surface.

9. Tool according to one or more of the previous claims, fully made of molded plastic.

10. Tool according to one or more of the previous claims, made of molded plastic inside which there is a film with an ink print, embedded in the plastic forming the tool.

11. A kit comprising at least one single-serve capsule containing at least one ingredient for preparing a beverage, and a tool according to one or more of the previous claims.