Method and Apparatus for Fabricating a Beverage Capsule

Abstract

A method for fabricating a beverage capsule comprises the steps of providing a first wall member ( 103 ) delimiting a cavity ( 106 ) and having a flange ( 109 ) disposed about an open end ( 108 ) communicating with said cavity ( 106 ), providing a quantity of edible granules ( 107 ) within said cavity ( 106 ), positioning a second wall member ( 112 ) upon said flange ( 109 ) and said open end ( 108 ) of said first wall member ( 103 ), attaching said second wall member ( 112 ) to said flange ( 109 ) at at least two regions of said flange ( 109 ) thereby dividing the flange ( 109 ) circumferentially into at least two attached regions and at least two unattached regions, applying a vacuum ( 119 ) between said first and second wall members ( 103, 112 ) creating a vacuum ( 119 ) within said cavity ( 106 ), and sealing said first and second wall members ( 103, 112 ) along said flange ( 109 ), thereby maintaining said vacuum ( 119 ) within said cavity ( 106 ).

1 . A method for fabricating a beverage capsule, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first wall member, said first wall member at least partially delimiting a cavity and having a flange disposed circumferentially about an open end communicating with said cavity;   providing a quantity of edible granules within said cavity of said first wall member;   positioning a second wall member upon said flange and said open end of said first wall member;   attaching said second wall member to said flange at at least two regions of said flange, thereby dividing the flange circumferentially into at least two attached regions and at least two unattached regions;   applying a vacuum between said first and second wall members, thereby evacuating the gas from within said cavity and said edible granules through said at least two unattached regions of the flange and creating a vacuum within said cavity; and   sealing said first and second wall members along said flange, thereby maintaining said vacuum within said cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second wall member is attached to said flange at a plurality of regions of said flange, thereby dividing the flange circumferentially into a plurality of attached regions and a plurality of unattached regions, and   the vacuum is applied between said first and second wall members, thereby evacuating the gas from within said cavity and said edible granules through said plurality of unattached regions of the flange, thereby creating a vacuum in said cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first wall member is a self-supporting capsule body and said second wall member is a flexible membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps for attaching and sealing said second wall member onto said flange are performed by heat sealing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps for attaching and sealing said second wall member onto said flange are performed by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second wall member is attached to said flange over an attachment area comprising between 25% and 90% of the total sealed surface of said flange of said first wall member. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the edible granules are provided within the cavity in loose form. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application of vacuum and sealing while maintaining the vacuum within the cavity are carried out immediately after the attaching of the second wall member to the flange and dividing the flange into the at least two or a plurality of attached and unattached regions. 
     
     
         9 . A beverage capsule fabricated by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for the fabrication of a beverage capsule, comprising:
 an attachment means, said attachment means being configured to attach a first wall member to a second wall member at a flange disposed circumferentially about an open end of said first wall member, said attachment means being situated over at least two regions of said flange and thereby dividing the flange into at least two attached regions and at least two unattached regions, said first wall member at least partially delimiting a cavity in communication with said open end and being provided with a quantity of edible granules within said cavity;   a vacuum application means, said vacuum application means being provided with a receptacle adapted for airtight communication with said first and second wall member, and being further configured to evacuate the gas from said first wall member and edible granules through the at least two unattached regions of the flange, thereby creating a vacuum within said cavity; and   a sealing means, said sealing means being configured so as to create a seal between said first and second wall members along said flange, thereby maintaining said vacuum within said cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 a. the attachment means attaches said second wall member to said flange over a plurality of regions of the flange, thereby dividing the flange into a plurality of attached regions and a plurality of unattached regions; and   b. the vacuum application means is configured to evacuate the gas from said first wall member and edible granules through the plurality of unattached regions of the flange.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of faces disposed perpendicular to and in radial symmetry about an axis of said attachment means, and which are configured to attach said second wall member to said flange of said first wall member over a plurality of regions corresponding to said plurality of faces. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said vacuum-application means and said sealing means are disposed coaxially about a longitudinal axis, said vacuum-application means being adapted to translate along said longitudinal axis relative to said sealing means. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a means for cutting said second wall member to substantially match the outline of said flange and open end of said first wall member. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said means for cutting said second wall member is disposed about said attachment means, said attachment means and means for cutting said second wall member being coaxial about a longitudinal axis, and said means for cutting said second wall member being adapted to translate along said longitudinal axis relative to said attachment means.