Capsule and system for preparing a beverage by centrifugation in a beverage production device

Abstract

A capsule designed for insertion in a centrifugal beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces. The capsule has a body with bottom and open ends that are spaced apart in the axial direction, an upper wall for covering the body at its open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction, and an enclosure between the body and upper wall containing a predetermined amount of beverage substance. The capsule also includes an annular pressure-setting ring configured for adjusting the backpressure in the beverage production device. The pressure-setting ring provides improved quality of in-cup coffee. Also, a set of capsules having pressure-setting rings of different dimensions is provided for setting different backpressure when the capsules are engaged in a centrifuging beverage production device.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A capsule designed for insertion in a beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces, the capsule comprising:
 a body comprising a bottom end and an open end, spaced apart in the axial direction,   an upper wall for covering the body at its open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction,   an enclosure between the body and upper wall containing an amount of beverage substance,   a rim extending outwardly from the body and including an annular flange portion; and   an annular pressure-setting ring configured for engagement with a valve member of a dedicated beverage production device to provide a flow restriction valve for a centrifuged beverage flow that is arranged to leave the capsule;   wherein the annular pressure-setting ring extends transversally and axially beyond the annular flange-portion of the rim.   
     
     
         25 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the annular pressure-setting ring extends, in the axial direction of the capsule, above a plane of the annular flange portion for engagement with the valve member of the beverage production device and, extends, in the axial direction of the capsule, below the plane of the annular flange portion for being received in an annular lowered portion or recess of a capsule holder of the beverage production device. 
     
     
         26 . The capsule according to  claim 25 , wherein the annular pressure-setting ring extends, in the axial direction of the capsule, above plane the of the annular flange portion by a distance that is longer than the distance it extends, in the axial direction of the capsule, below the plane of the annular flange portion. 
     
     
         27 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the beverage ingredients comprise coffee, and the annular pressure-setting ring is hollow and forms a curl, 
     
     
         28 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the annular Pressure-setting ring forms an oval curl oriented with its longer dimension extending substantially in one of the axial or transverse direction. 
     
     
         29 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the annular pressure-setting ring is made of plastic, metal or a laminate thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The capsule according to  claim 29 , wherein the annular pressure-setting ring is made of aluminum or a multi-layer laminate of aluminum and plastic. 
     
     
         31 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the annular pressure-setting ring is a plain ring. 
     
     
         32 . The capsule according to  claim 26 , wherein the ratio of the distance above the plane of the annular flange portion to the distance below the plane of the annular flange portion is between 5:1 and 1:0.5 
     
     
         33 . The capsule according to  claim 26 , wherein the distance above the plane of the flange portion is between 0.5 and 3 mm. 
     
     
         34 . The capsule according to  claim 26 , wherein the distance below the plane of the flange portion is between 0.1 and 1 mm. 
     
     
         35 . The capsule according to  claim 24 , wherein the radial distance from the central axis of the capsule to pressure-setting ring is between 24 and 31 mm. 
     
     
         36 . The capsule according to  claim 35 , wherein the larger internal diameter of the enclosure of the capsule is between 45 and 50 mm. 
     
     
         37 . A capsule designed for insertion in a beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces, the capsule comprising:
 a body comprising a bottom end and an open end, spaced apart in the axial direction,   an upper wall for covering the body at its open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction,   an enclosure between the body and upper wall containing a predetermined amount of a beverage substance, and   a rim extending outwardly from the body and including an annular flange portion and an annular pressure-setting ring extending from the annular flange portion,   wherein the annular pressure-setting ring forms a curled end of the rim.   
     
     
         38 . A set of capsules comprising at least two or three capsules of different types, each capsule being according to  claim 26 , wherein the distance in the axial direction, above the plane of the annular pressure-setting ring, differs as a function of the type of capsules, and generally increases as the capsule sizes in the set decrease. 
     
     
         39 . The set of capsules according to  claim 38 , wherein the distance in the axial direction below the plane of the flange portion of the annular pressure-setting ring is constant throughout the set. 
     
     
         40 . A device for preparing a beverage using a capsule according to  claim 24 , the beverage production device comprising:
 a capsule holder for holding the capsule at least at the flange-like rim during centrifugation,   rotational drive means for driving the capsule in centrifugation,   a liquid injecting unit for feeding liquid in the capsule,   a spring-loaded valve member for engaging the pressure-setting ring of the capsule when the capsule is inserted in the beverage production device to form together a flow restriction valve that restricts the exit of the beverage from the capsule,   wherein the capsule holder comprises an annular transversal supporting edge comprising a first inward portion for supporting the annular flange portion and a second outward portion for supporting the annular pressure-setting ring, wherein the second outward portion forms a lowered step or recess as compared to the first inward portion.   
     
     
         41 . A system for preparing a beverage comprising a capsule according to  claim 24  and a beverage production device, wherein a beverage is formed by introducing liquid into the capsule and passing liquid through a beverage substance therein using centrifugal forces, wherein the beverage production device comprises:
 a capsule holder for holding the capsule at least at the rim during centrifugation, 
 rotational drive means for driving the capsule in centrifugation, 
 a liquid injecting unit for feeding liquid in the capsule, 
 a spring-biasing valve member for engaging the pressure-setting ring of the capsule when the capsule is inserted in the beverage production device to provide a flow restriction valve that restricts the exit of the beverage from the capsule. 
 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 41 , wherein the capsule holder comprises an annular transversal supporting edge comprising a first inward portion for supporting the annular flange portion and a second outward portion for supporting the annular pressure-setting ring, wherein the second outward portion forms a lowered step or recess as compared to the first inward portion. 
     
     
         43 . A system for preparing a beverage comprising a capsule and a beverage production device, by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing liquid through a beverage substance therein using centrifugal forces, the beverage production system comprising:
 a capsule comprising:
 a body comprising bottom and open ends that are spaced apart in the axial direction, 
 an upper wall for covering the body at its open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction, 
 an enclosure between the body and upper wall containing an amount of beverage substance, 
 a rim extending outwardly from the body and including an annular flange portion, and 
 an annular pressure-setting ring extending transversally and axially beyond the flange-portion, and 
   the beverage production device comprising:
 a capsule holder for holding the capsule at least at the rim during centrifugation, 
 rotational drive means for driving the capsule in centrifugation, 
 a liquid injecting unit for feeding liquid in the capsule, and 
 a spring-loaded valve member for engaging the pressure-setting ring of the capsule when the capsule is inserted in the beverage production device to provide a flow restriction valve that restricts the exit of the beverage from the capsule, 
 wherein the capsule holder comprises an annular transversal supporting edge comprising a first inward portion for supporting the annular flange portion and a second outward portion for supporting the annular pressure-setting ring, wherein the second outward portion forms a lowered step or recess as compared to the first inward portion.