Method for producing a beverage-ingredient capsule for the preparation of a beverage and apparatus

Abstract

Method for producing a beverage-ingredient capsule ( 1 ) for the preparation of a beverage; the method comprising the steps of: providing a mould cavity ( 12 ), at least partially filling a mould cavity with the beverage ingredient in powdered or particulate form, compacting the powdered or particulate beverage ingredient in the mould cavity to obtain a compacted mass of the beverage ingredient, forming at least one recess ( 21 ) in the compacted mass and, inserting a capsule identification insert ( 9 ) into the said recess.

1 . Method for producing a beverage-ingredient capsule for the preparation of a beverage comprising the steps of:
 providing a mold cavity;   at least partially filling the mold cavity with a beverage ingredient in powdered or particulate form;   compacting the powdered or particulate beverage ingredient in the mold cavity to obtain a compacted mass of the beverage ingredient;   forming at least one recess in the compacted mass; and   inserting a capsule identification insert into the recess.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed while the mass of powdered or particulate ingredient is being compacted. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of insertion of the insert is performed after the recess has been formed. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed by inserting the insert into the mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient before the compaction step is finished. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling step is performed in a single filling operation with the entire amount of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient mass required for the capsule. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mold cavity is filled with less than the entire amount of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient required for the capsule before inserting the insert and thereafter feeding into the mold cavity a remainder of the required amount of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient for the capsule and further compacting the mass. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compacting step and the recess forming step are effected by pressing an outer shape forming surface and a recess forming surface against the mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed in a central region of the mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed with a flared opening. 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the insert is an elongate element. 
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the insert has a cross-section which is slightly larger than a cross-section of the recess. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient is compacted and formed in the molding cavity to define two main opposed convex surfaces and a truncated peripheral edge. 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein after the steps of compacting, forming the recess and inserting the insert are completed, the compacted mass is removed from the mold cavity and loaded into a package comprising a first and second foils covering the respective main surfaces and the foils are sealed at a peripheral seam adjacent to the truncated peripheral edge. 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein the package forms a gas-tight enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for implementing a method for preparing a beverage-ingredient capsule comprising a first mold part and a second mold part in opposed relation and relatively moveable toward and away of each other, at least one of the mold parts comprising a recess-forming member for forming at least one recess in a mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient while the mass is compacted between the mold parts; and a recess member for positioning an insert in a recess thus formed in the compacted mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , comprising another mold part received around the first and second mold parts for defining a truncated peripheral edge of the compacted mass of powdered or particulate beverage ingredient.