초록 ▼

A beverage forming system that includes a capsule for containing beverage ingredients and having an outer surface; a capsule-based beverage producing device provided with a member for injecting a liquid under pressure into the capsule, a member for draining a beverage from the capsule, and an enclos

A beverage forming system that includes a capsule for containing beverage ingredients and having an outer surface; a capsule-based beverage producing device provided with a member for injecting a liquid under pressure into the capsule, a member for draining a beverage from the capsule, and an enclosing member transferable from an opened state to a defined closed state, in which the enclosing member encloses the outer surface of the capsule; and a sealing member associated with the capsule and which is compressible when engaged by the enclosing member in the closed state, wherein the sealing member is effective to compensate for the clearance between the enclosing member and the capsule which would otherwise exist when the enclosing member is in its defined closed state. Also, a method for producing a beverage using such a system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A beverage producing system comprising: a capsule containing beverage ingredients and having a center axis; a cup-shaped body comprising a top wall and a sidewall having an outer surface, with the top wall and sidewall configured for defining a cavity that contains beverage forming ingredients th

1. A beverage producing system comprising: a capsule containing beverage ingredients and having a center axis; a cup-shaped body comprising a top wall and a sidewall having an outer surface, with the top wall and sidewall configured for defining a cavity that contains beverage forming ingredients therein and with the sidewall including a rim-like flange forming a periphery of the sidewall, which flange includes transverse and axial extensions; a foil member sealed to the flange of the body to retain the beverage forming ingredients in the cavity; anda capsule-based beverage producing device provided with a member for injecting a liquid under pressure into the capsule, a member for draining a beverage from the capsule, and an enclosing member that is movable from an opened state to a defined closed state, in which the enclosing member encloses the outer surface of the capsule; anda dedicated ring-like sealing member which is not part of the foil member and is present on the rim of the flange opposite the foil member to form part of the capsule, which sealing member is compressible when engaged by the enclosing member in the closed state;wherein the dedicated ring-like sealing member is formed upon the transverse extension of the flange such that when compressed by the enclosing member in the closed state provides a sealing engagement that compensates for clearances between the enclosing member and the capsule which would otherwise exist when the enclosing member is in the closed state such that the sealing member assures that the liquid can only flow through the capsule and in contact with the beverage ingredients to form a liquid beverage. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is made of a material that is resilient under compression when it is engaged by the enclosing member in the closed state to provide a sealing pressure that has a radial or axial component relative to the center axis of the capsule. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the enclosing member and sealing member provide a sealing engagement that withstands a pressure in the range of 2 to 20 bars. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosing member is arranged such that during a final phase of its movement from the opened to closed state, it carries out an essentially axial relative movement with regard to the capsule without a relative rotation of the capsule. 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosing member is arranged with regard to the capsule such that it essentially stays in place during the transfer movement. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is arranged to exert a biasing force against a matching pressing surface of the beverage production device. 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the pressing surface of the beverage production device has a linear or frustoconical contour when seen in a radial section view and a non-linear contour when seen in a side view. 8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the contour of the pressing surface of the beverage production device includes corrugations. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is made of a rubber-elastic material or is made from the same constituent material from which the capsule is made and has the shape of an O-ring or a ring having a L-shaped cross-section. 10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising first and second wall elements connected with each other in an airtight fashion in a flange-like rim area of the capsule in order to create a sealed interior for the capsule ingredients. 11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the sealing member is provided between the flange-like rim and one of the wall elements, on a side wall between the flange-like rim and the location on the capsule where the water injector is introduced, or on both. 12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the sealing member forms an integral part of a wall element or is separate from such wall elements. 13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the sealing member is attached to one of the wall elements using an adhesive, by welding by pinching, by crimping or by any combination of such attachments. 14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing engagement has sufficient resiliency to be effective as long as the enclosing member exerts a minimum pressure on the capsule, but is automatically released as soon as the pressure falls below the minimum pressure. 15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosing member includes grooves about its circumference which act as air inlet passages for feeding air through the released sealing engagement between the capsule and the enclosing member. 16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosing member comprises additional sealing member adapted to assist in the sealing engagement between the enclosing member and the capsule. 17. The system according to claim 1, further comprising first and second wall elements connected with each other in an airtight fashion in a flange-like rim area of the capsule in order to create a sealed interior for the capsule ingredients, wherein the sealing member is provided between the flange-like rim and one of the wall elements, on a side wall between the flange-like rim and the location on the capsule where the water injector is introduced, or on both. 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the sealing member is made of a material that is resilient under compression and that when compressed provides a sealing pressure that has a radial or axial component relative to the center axis of the capsule such that the sealing member provides a sealing engagement that withstands a pressure in the range of 2 to 20 bars. 19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the sealing member is made of a rubber-elastic material or is made from the same constituent material from which the capsule is made and has the shape of a ring having a L-shaped cross-section. 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the sealing member forms an integral part of a wall element or is separate from such wall elements. 21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the sealing member is made of a rubber-elastic material or is made from the same constituent material from which the capsule is made and has the shape of an O-ring. 22. The system according to claim 17, wherein the sealing member is attached to the flange-like rim or one of the wall elements using an adhesive, by welding by pinching, by crimping or by any combination of such attachments.