Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-08
2004-03-02
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S323100, C426S082000, C426S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698333
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a cartridge for the preparation of whipped beverages and, in particular, to sealed cartridges which are formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials and which contain one or more ingredients for the preparation of beverages.
It has previously been proposed to seal beverage preparation ingredients in individual air-impermeable packages. For example, cartridges or capsules containing compacted ground coffee are known for use in certain coffee making machines which are generally termed “espresso” machines. In the production of coffee using these coffee machines the coffee cartridge is placed in a brewing chamber and hot water is generally caused to pass under pressure through the cartridge, thereby extracting the aromatic coffee constituents from the ground coffee and producing a coffee beverage. Typically in the production of “espresso” coffee a brewing time of about 25 seconds is used at a pressure of about 6×10
5
Pa, or greater.
Cartridges containing roast and ground coffee in which hot water flows under gravimetric force through the cartridge are also known. A cartridge of this general type is described in British Patent No. 1397116.
In EP-A-0272922 there is described a package which contains at least one beverage preparation ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. In a preferred embodiment the package is formed from a substantially air- and water-impermeable material and comprises a sealed body portion having a compartment containing the beverage ingredient and an outlet channel, the compartment and the outlet channel cooperating in such a manner that, in use, the beverage is filtered, thereby avoiding the necessity for an external filter.
There is also described in EP-A-0272922 a method for preparing a beverage which comprises positioning the beverage containing package at a brewing station, introducing water through water introduction means into the package, allowing the water to commingle with the beverage ingredient, and collecting the beverage so-formed through an outlet formed in the package.
The beverage packages as described in EP-A-0272922 are primarily intended to be used with a beverage preparation machine which handles the packages automatically or semi-automatically. A machine of this type is described in EP-A-0334572. The packages may contain roast and ground coffee, leaf tea or one or more powdered beverage preparation ingredients such as powdered chocolate, powdered coffee or powdered soup.
The machines described in EP-A-0272922 operate at a relatively low pressure of less than 2×10
5
Pa and thus, although by varying the amount of water introduced into packages containing roast and ground coffee it is possible to obtain a coffee beverage of the same strength as “espresso” coffee, it is not possible to incorporate gases into the coffee beverage at this pressure to provide the beverage with the foamed texture and appearance of “espresso” coffee.
EP-A-0638486 describes a cartridge operating at relatively low pressure which is capable of producing whipped beverages. The cartridge contains one or more beverage ingredients and comprises an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium, or compartment containing the one or more beverage ingredients, an outlet for the beverage produced from the beverage ingredient(s) and whipping means provided in the path of the beverage prior to the outlet to whip the said beverage. The whipping means generally comprises an impeller which is adapted to engage an external driving device on the beverage preparation machine, for example a machine of the type as described in EP-A-0334573.
Although an “espresso” coffee is produced using the cartridge and method as described in EP-A-0638486, this solution requires the modification of the beverage preparation machine as described in EP-A-0334573, which is expensive. There still therefore remains a requirement for a suitable means to produce an “espresso” coffee in a simple and effective manner at a relatively low pressure, e.g. of up to 2×10
5
Pa.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, a compartment containing the beverage ingredient or ingredients and an outlet for the beverage produced from the beverage ingredients, characterized in that the cartridge incorporates in the beverage flow path, prior to or at the outlet, means for producing a jet of the beverage, at least one inlet for air and means to generate a pressure reduction of the jet of beverage, whereby in use air from the at least one air inlet is incorporated into the beverage as a plurality of small bubbles.
It will be understood that by the term “cartridge” as used herein is meant any package, sachet or receptacle which contains one or more beverage ingredients and from which a beverage may be produced.
In use, the cartridge of the present invention will have water under pressure passed therethrough. Generally the pressure within the compartment containing the beverage ingredients will be in the range of from 0.7 to 2.0×10
5
Pa.
The means to produce a jet of the beverage generally comprises a restriction in the flow path of the beverage, preferably at least one restriction hole or nozzle.
It will be understood that a plurality of jets may be produced, in which case a plurality of restrictions would be incorporated into the beverage flow path, for example a plurality of restriction holes or nozzles.
The cross-sectional area of the restriction hole(s) or nozzle(s) will generally be chosen to give a flow rate of the jet of beverage of from 3 to 20 metres per second, preferably 8 to 16 metres per second and more preferably about 10 metres per second. Typical cross-sectional areas are in the range of from 0.3 mm
2
to 0.8 mm
2
.
The means to generate a pressure reduction of the beverage will generally comprise a chamber or conduit opening which allows expansion and mixing of the beverage to occur.
At least one air inlet is provided. The air inlet(s) will generally comprise one or more narrow passages which connect from the outside of the cartridge which is at atmospheric pressure to the chamber or conduit opening where the pressure reduction of the beverage occurs. Preferably, the air inlet is positioned as close as possible to the restriction hole or nozzle.
In one embodiment of the invention, a surface is incorporated into the beverage flow path, between the means for producing the jet of beverage and the outlet, onto which the jet of the beverage impinges. The angle between the path of the jet of beverage and the surface onto which it impinges is preferably at an included angle of 20 to 50 degrees, more preferably from 25 to 35 degrees. The surface onto which the jet of beverage impinges may, if desired, be textured, for example the surface may comprise a plurality of ribs, grooves or projections.
In another embodiment of the invention, the jet of beverage with air entrained from the air inlet, is passed to a mixing tube where the two phase mixture expands to fill the mixing tube and air bubbles are formed therein.
The cartridge of the present invention preferably has a body portion which may be formed, for example, from a moulded plastics material such as polypropylene. The inlet and/or outlet of the cartridge may be closed by a plug of a plastics material moulded into the inlet and/or outlet nozzle during the moulding of the body portion. Alternatively, the inlet and/or outlet may be covered by a substantially air- and water-impermeable material, for example aluminium foil or a laminated material, such as a laminate of plastic material/metal foil/plastic material prior to the opening of the inlet and/or outlet. Specific examples of materials which may be used are aluminium foil having a thickness in the range of from 30 to 60 micrometres coated with a layer of polypropylene or a laminate of polypropylene/aluminiu
Halliday Andrew M.
Whitney Howard S.
Alexander Reginald L.
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery
Kraft Foods R & D Inc.
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