阅读说明：本技术 单份包装、应用和制备机 (Single-portion packaging, application and preparation machine ) 是由 罗尔夫·米勒曼 于 2017-07-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于由饮料浓缩物制成饮料的单份包装(1),其包括用于收纳饮料浓缩物的可封闭的浓缩物容器(2),所述单份包装(1)具有提取和混合装置(3),该提取和混合装置包括：用于从浓缩物容器(2)中提取饮料浓缩物的提取装置(4a,4b)；用于以从浓缩物容器(2)中提取出的饮料浓缩物和可供应的混合液体制备饮料的混合腔(5)；用于使混合液体进入混合腔(5)的入口(6)；以及用于使饮料从混合腔(5)离开的出口(7)。(Single-portion package (1) for making a beverage from a beverage concentrate, comprising a closable concentrate container (2) for receiving the beverage concentrate, the single-portion package (1) having an extraction and mixing device (3) comprising: extraction means (4a, 4b) for extracting beverage concentrate from the concentrate container (2); a mixing chamber (5) for preparing a beverage from a beverage concentrate extracted from the concentrate container (2) and a suppliable mixing liquid; an inlet (6) for the mixed liquid into the mixing chamber (5); and an outlet (7) for the beverage to exit from the mixing chamber (5).)

1. Single-portion package (1) for making a beverage from a beverage concentrate, comprising a closable concentrate container (2) for receiving the beverage concentrate, characterized in that the single-portion package (1) has an extraction and mixing device (3) comprising: -extraction means (4a, 4b) for extracting beverage concentrate from the concentrate container (2); a mixing chamber (5) for preparing a beverage from a beverage concentrate extracted from the concentrate container (2) and a suppliable mixing liquid; an inlet (6) for the mixed liquid into the mixing chamber (5); and an outlet (7) for the beverage to exit from the mixing chamber (5), wherein the mixing chamber has a flow baffle between the inlet (6) and the outlet (7).

2. Single-portion package according to claim 1, wherein the concentrate container (2) has a weak point (8) configured to be pierceable by the extraction means (4a, 4 b).

3. Single-portion package according to claim 2, characterised in that the extraction and mixing device (3) is held sealingly on the container wall (9) surrounding the weakened section (8).

4. Single-portion package according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that for extracting the beverage concentrate the extraction means (4a, 4b) are arranged movable towards the weakened portion (8) or the entire extraction and mixing device (3) is designed movable towards the weakened portion.

5. Single-portion package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the extraction means comprise at least one piercing member (4a) for piercing the concentrate container (2).

6. Single-portion package according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one piercing element (4a) has an air passage (10) through which air can be introduced into the concentrate container (2) in order to press the beverage concentrate out of the concentrate container (2).

7. Single-portion package according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said at least one piercing element (4a) is arranged in said mixing chamber (5).

8. Single-portion package according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet (6) and the outlet (7) are arranged on opposite sides of the mixing chamber (5).

9. Single-portion package according to any of claims 2 to 8, characterised in that the mixing chamber (5) is delimited on one side by the weakened portion (8) of the concentrate container (2).

10. Use of a single-serving package according to any of the preceding claims in a beverage preparation machine.

11. A beverage preparation machine for single-portion packaging according to any of claims 1 to 8, comprising: a receptacle for the single portion package; an air supply portion couplable to the air channel; and a liquid supply coupleable to the inlet.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a single-serve package for making a beverage from a beverage concentrate.

Background

Single-serve packages for, for example, coffee have long been known. Hot water is passed through the capsule under pressure to dissolve the coffee in the water.

In recent years also single-serve packages for beverage concentrates (e.g. syrups or powders) have appeared on the market, wherein the beverage concentrate is completely mixed or dissolved in water or carbonated water.

From patent document WO2013114346 a syrup capsule is known which, in order to be emptied, is pressed by hand onto a bottle already filled with carbonated water. In this case, the inner sealing membrane is perforated by a piercing or cutting section, while the syrup flows into the bottle due to gravity and subsequently has to be shaken or at least swung. The neck of the bottle must also be dimensioned in such a way that the capsule and the triggering mechanism are triggered in a manner adapted to the bottle, or rather correctly. Such capsules are not suitable for use in beverage preparation machines.

Patent document US20110166910 describes a syrup capsule which is opened and thereby pressed open in a beverage preparation machine. Disadvantageously, components of the beverage preparation machine may come into contact with the syrup and thus cause subsequent beverages to be contaminated with the preceding syrup (so-called cross-contamination), which may be a problem for allergy sufferers.

Also known is a capsule which is pierced from one side in the beverage preparation machine, similar to the known coffee capsules, in order to press the mixed liquid through the capsule and let it out on the other side. In this case too, there is a risk of cross-contamination.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a single-serve package for making a beverage from a beverage concentrate which eliminates the need for subsequent mixing in the beverage container and avoids cross-contamination.

The object of the invention is achieved by the features of the solution according to the invention. The single-serve package for making a beverage from a beverage concentrate comprises a closable concentrate container for receiving the beverage concentrate, and an extraction and mixing device. The extraction and mixing device comprises: an extraction device for extracting beverage concentrate from a concentrate container; a mixing chamber for preparing a beverage from a beverage concentrate extracted from a concentrate container and a suppliable mixing liquid; an inlet for the mixed liquid to enter the mixing chamber; and an outlet for beverage exiting the mixing chamber.

When the single-serving package is placed into the beverage preparation machine, a connection for mixing the liquid is created. Upon triggering of the beverage preparation, the extraction means is activated and concentrate can flow into the mixing chamber. Simultaneously, the supply of the mixed liquid is started. The beverage is then processed in the mixing chamber by continuously mixing the concentrate discharged from the concentrate container with a mixing liquid (e.g. water or carbonated water) entering the mixing chamber and dispensing the beverage directly into a beverage container, e.g. a drinking cup or bottle, through the outlet. The areas or parts which come into contact with the concentrate, such as the mixing chamber, the extraction device and the outlet, are here part of the single-serve package and are removed therewith. Since the concentrate does not come into contact with components of the beverage preparation machine, cross-contamination is not possible.

In some embodiments, the concentrate container has a weakened portion that can be pierced by the extraction device. The weakened portion may be a sealing membrane welded to the concentrate container. In this case, the concentrate container will be filled from the same side from which it was later emptied when using the single-serve package. Alternatively, the weakened portion may also be moulded and the concentrate container filled from the other side, typically the opposite side. In the use of the single-portion package, the weakened point is pierced by the extraction device and the concentrate can be actively or passively conveyed or rather flows into the mixing chamber.

In some embodiments, the extraction and mixing device may be integrally made, preferably in an injection molding technique.

In some embodiments, the extraction and mixing device may be held sealingly against the container wall surrounding the weakened portion. The extraction and mixing means comprising the extraction means are thus arranged on the outer surface of the weakened section. In this case, the weakened portion of the concentrate container can usually at least partially define the mixing chamber on one side.

In some embodiments, the extraction device may be configured to be movable towards the weakened location for the purpose of extracting the beverage concentrate, or the entire extraction and mixing device may be provided to be movable towards the weakened location. That is, the concentrate container having the weakened portion may be moved relative to the extraction device such that the weakened portion is penetrated by the extraction device.

In some embodiments, the extraction device may comprise at least one piercing member for piercing the concentrate container, in particular the weak spot. The extraction device can also be constructed as at least one cutting element or additionally comprise a cutting element.

In some embodiments, the at least one piercing member may have an air passage through which air may be introduced into the concentrate container to force the beverage concentrate out of the concentrate container.

In some embodiments, the at least one piercing member may be disposed in the mixing chamber. Hereby, the piercing member may simultaneously act as a flow barrier to achieve better mixing.

In some embodiments, the inlet and outlet may be arranged on opposite sides of the mixing chamber in order to achieve better mixing.

In some embodiments, the mixing chamber may have a flow baffle between the inlet and the outlet in order to achieve better mixing of the concentrate and the mixing liquid. The flow baffle may be constituted completely or partly by the extraction device.

In some embodiments, the mixing chamber may be defined on one side by a weakened portion of the concentrate container so that the beverage concentrate may enter directly into the mixing chamber.

The invention also relates to the use of the aforementioned single-portion package in a beverage preparation machine.

The invention also relates to a beverage preparation machine for the aforementioned single-portion package, comprising: a receiving portion for single-portion packaging; an air supply portion coupleable to the air passage; and a liquid supply coupleable to the inlet.

Drawings

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the following examples and accompanying drawings. Wherein:

fig. 1(a) and 1(b) each show in cross-section a single-portion package with an integrated extraction and mixing device;

fig. 2 shows the single-portion package according to fig. 1 in a sectional view in an open state; and

fig. 3 shows a further single-portion package in a sectional view.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 3 each show a single-portion package 1 with an integrated extraction and mixing device 3 in a simplified sectional view.

Fig. 1(a) and 1(b) each show the same single-portion package in two cross sections extending approximately perpendicular to one another. The single-portion package 1 has a concentrate container 2 for receiving a beverage concentrate, which is discharged from the concentrate container 2 by means of an extraction and mixing device 3 and then mixed with a mixing liquid.

In the embodiment shown, the concentrate container 2 is bottle-shaped configured as a concentrate bottle with a bottle neck. Such a concentrate container 2 can be made of plastic, for example by blow molding, which preferably has a barrier layer for conventional food products. The opening for filling the concentrate container 2 is sealed by a sealing membrane. The sealing membrane forms a weak point 8 of the concentrate container 2. In contrast to the concentrate container 2 in fig. 1 and 2, the opening for filling the bottle-shaped concentrate container 2 can also be arranged on the wider end as shown in fig. 3 and closed by a sealing film 11. The advantages of this embodiment are: can be produced by injection molding without blow molding. The weakened region 8 is formed here at the narrow end by a base with a smaller wall thickness than the container wall 9. Such bottles may also have a co-injected barrier layer. Other container shapes are also possible, for example cylindrical containers.

The extraction and mixing device 3 is preferably produced in one piece from plastic by injection molding and has a circumferential collar 12, by means of which the extraction and mixing device is held movably and sealingly on the container wall 9 surrounding the weakened point 8, so that the weakened point 8 is completely covered by the extraction and mixing device 3. For better retention, there may be circumferential ridges or sealing ribs on the container wall 9 and/or the surround 12. During use of the single-portion package 1, the extraction and mixing device 2 can be moved from a first closed position to a second open position. In this first or initial position, the single-portion packaging 1 is closed and ready for use. This is the state it reaches at the time of sale.

The extraction and mixing device 3 has a mixing chamber 5 which is delimited on one side by a weak point 8 of the concentrate container 2 and on the other side by a circumferential enclosure 12 and the bottom of the extraction and mixing device 2 adjoining the enclosure.

The extraction and mixing device 3 also comprises extraction means in the form of: a pricking member 4a having an air passage 10 and projecting from the base in the direction of the weakened portion 8, and an opening member 4b projecting from the base 13 in the direction of the weakened portion 8. The extraction devices 4a, 4b each reach with a sharp end or an end configured as a cutting blade in the first initial position of the portion package 1 very closely below the weak point 8 of the concentrate container 2, so that when the extraction and mixing device 3 is moved in the direction of the weak point 8, the extraction devices pierce or rather cut through the weak point and cause the concentrate to flow into the mixing chamber 5, as shown in fig. 1 (a).

The puncturing member 4a with the air channel 10 is basically used for blowing air into the concentrate container 2 for achieving a fast and efficient emptying of the concentrate. The puncturing element 4a alone would already lead to the emptying of the concentrate container 2. Such an air supply also prevents undesired entry of the mixed liquid into the concentrate container 2. The opening member 4b is designed such that it tears, breaks or cuts the weakened portion 8 over a large area and thereby creates as large an opening as possible in the concentrate container 2 for extracting the concentrate, resulting in a faster emptying.

Furthermore, the extraction and mixing device 3 has an inlet 6 for the mixing liquid and an outlet 7 for the continuously mixed beverage, which can be seen in the sectional view of fig. 1 (b). In the embodiment shown, the inlet 6 projects laterally as a small tube from the enclosure 12 and can be connected in the beverage preparation machine to a mixing liquid supply for supplying water or carbonated water. In the embodiment shown, the outlet 7 likewise projects downward as a small tube from the base 13, so that the mixture prepared in the mixing chamber 5 can be filled directly into a beverage container, for example a glass, a can or a bottle. The inlet 6 and the outlet 7 are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the mixing chamber 5. As shown in the figure, in the situation of use, the concentrate container 2 is arranged above and the extraction and mixing device 3 is arranged below.

Furthermore, the mixing chamber 5 may also have flow baffles to ensure better mixing of the inflowing mixing liquid with the concentrate. The lancing part 4a and the opening part 4b can already form such a flow barrier by way of their arrangement.

When using the single-portion package 1 in a beverage preparation machine, a connection is first established between the air supply and the air channel 10 and between the mixing liquid supply and the inlet 6. For this purpose, the air duct 10 can project laterally as a small tube from the enclosure 12. The concentrate container 2 is then pressed with the weakened point 8 against the extraction means 4a, 4b (arrow a in fig. 3). In this case, the weakened portion 8 breaks and the concentrate container 2 is opened. The air supply (arrow B in fig. 3) and the mixed liquid supply (arrow C in fig. 1 (B)) are turned on substantially simultaneously. The mixing liquid is continuously mixed with the concentrate extracted from the concentrate container 2 in the mixing chamber 5 and flows out as a mixed beverage from the outlet 7 (arrow D in fig. 1 (b)).

List of reference numerals

1 Single portion package

2 concentrate container

3 extraction and mixing device

4a piercing member

4b opening member

5 mixing chamber

6 inlet

7 outlet port

8 weak part

9 container wall

10 air channel

11 sealing film

12 enclose fender

13 at the bottom.