Beverage preparation capsules

Abstract

A beverage preparation capsule ( 800 ) is provided comprising a hollow body suitable for containing a beverage preparation ingredient, the hollow body having a top end for receiving liquid into the hollow body, a bottom end for dispensing the beverage from the hollow body, and at least one side wall ( 813 ) between the top and bottom ends, the bottom end being in fluid communication with the top end; and the hollow body containing a filter material ( 830 ) having a variable porosity along at least one dimension of the filter material's surface area, wherein the filter material ( 830 ) is less porous closer to the top or inlet of the hollow body and more porous closer to the bottom or outlet of the hollow body, or wherein the filter material is less porous closer to the side wall of the hollow body and more porous closer the centre of the filter material, or a combination of both. The beverage preparation capsule may be used with a beverage preparation apparatus in a method of preparing a beverage, particularly ground coffee or leaf tea.

1 . A beverage preparation capsule comprising a hollow body suitable for containing a beverage preparation ingredient, the hollow body having a top end for receiving liquid into the hollow body, a bottom end for dispensing the beverage from the hollow body, and at least one side wall between the top and bottom ends, the bottom end being in fluid communication with the top end; and the hollow body containing a filter material having a variable porosity along at least one dimension of the filter material' s surface area, wherein the filter material is less porous closer to the top or inlet of the hollow body and more porous closer to the bottom or outlet of the hollow body, or wherein the filter material is less porous closer to the side wall of the hollow body and more porous closer the centre of the filter material, or a combination of both. 
     
     
         2 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 1 , in which the variable porosity of the filter material is provided by variable thickness, variable pore size, variable pore density or variable composition of the filter material. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the filter material is a sheet of filter material. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material extends across the inside of the hollow body at an incline relative to the side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 4 , wherein the sheet of filter material directly extends from a first position on a side wall to a second position on a side wall, wherein said first position is relatively closer to the top end of the hollow body and the second position is relatively closer to the bottom end of the hollow body. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 5 , where the porosity of the filter material increases from the first position relatively closer to the top end of the hollow body towards the second position relatively closer to the bottom end of the hollow body, preferably wherein the porosity of the filter material increases by a gradation of porosities. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material extends across the inside of the hollow body in a round-bottomed or flat-bottomed U shape. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 7 , wherein the porosity of the filter material increases towards the central bottom region of the U shaped filter material, preferably wherein the porosity of the filter material increases by a gradation of porosities. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material is a single sheet of non-folded material. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material is folded and extends across the inside of the hollow body in a V or W shape or with a series of troughs. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 10 , wherein the porosity of the filter material increases towards the base of the trough of the V shaped filter material, or increases towards each base of each successive trough of the W shaped or series of troughed filter material, preferably wherein the porosity of the filter material increases by a gradation of porosities. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material is secured to the side wall or walls of the hollow body around the periphery of the sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein a region of a side wall is at least partially porous, such that the porous region of the side wall acts as the sheet of filter material. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of filter material divides the hollow body into an inlet chamber for receiving liquid and an outlet chamber from which the beverage is dispensed. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the surface area of the filter material is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the cavity of the hollow body. 
     
     
         16 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The beverage preparation capsule  claim 1 , comprising a beverage preparation ingredient supported on the filter material between the filter material and the top end of the hollow body, the beverage preparation ingredient preferably being ground coffee or leaf tea. 
     
     
         20 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The beverage preparation capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is in the form of a sachet comprising front and back sheets of flexible film material arranged in face-to-face relationship and sealed along their edges, wherein the filter material extends from the front sheet of the hollow body to the back sheet of the hollow body. 
     
     
         24 .- 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method of preparing a beverage, comprising the step of passing an aqueous liquid through a beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , comprising the step of inserting a water injection tube into the hollow body through a nozzle located in the top end or top end region side wall of the hollow body, and then injecting liquid onto a beverage preparation ingredient inside the hollow body to prepare the beverage or beverage component, wherein the bottom end or bottom end region side wall of the hollow body is provided with a heat- and/or pressure-sensitive seal which ruptures open upon introduction of liquid into the hollow body, to allow beverage to escape from the hollow body through the outlet tube. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 .- 41 . (canceled)