Cartridge for the preparation of liquid products

Abstract

A cartridge containing a dose of at least one substance such as ground coffee that can be used in the preparation of a liquid product, for example, using liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge, comprises a side wall, a bottom wall, through which said liquid product is able to flow from the cartridge, and a wall for closing the cartridge at the end opposite to said bottom wall. The side wall, the bottom wall, and the closing wall comprise a material compostable after use of the cartridge. Either the bottom wall or the closing wall or both disintegrates/disintegrate during composting more rapidly than said side wall. In addition or as an alternative, either the bottom wall or the closing wall or both of them is/are connected to the side wall by a bond resolvable during composting. In this way, during composting, the spent dose is no longer withheld within the cartridge, thus accelerating disintegration and hence composting of the side wall.

1 . A cartridge with a filling of at least one substance for use in preparing a liquid product, said cartridge including a side wall, a bottom wall for said liquid product to flow from the cartridge, and a closure wall of the cartridge at the end opposed to said bottom wall, wherein said side wall, said bottom wall and said closure wall include a material compostable after use of the cartridge and wherein:
 at least one of said bottom wall and said closure wall is disintegrable in composting more rapidly than said side wall, and/or   at least one of said bottom wall and said closure wall is connected to said side wall by a bond releasable during composting.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , for use in preparing a liquid product by means of liquid and/or steam introduced at a certain temperature into the cartridge, wherein said bond releasable during composting is a bond weakenable by said liquid and/or steam introduced at a certain temperature into the cartridge. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein said bond releasable during composting is a bond weakenable by at least 20%, and preferably by at least 50%, by said liquid and/or steam introduced at a certain temperature into the cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein both of said bottom wall and said closure wall are disintegrable in composting more rapidly than said side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein both of said bottom wall and said closure wall are connected to said side wall with a bond releasable during composting. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bottom wall and said closure wall disintegrable in composting more rapidly than said side wall:
 is thinner than said side wall, and/or   includes a material disintegrable in composting more rapidly than the material of said side wall.   
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bottom wall and said closure wall is connected to said side wall by a bond peelable during composting. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bottom wall and said closure wall is puncturable without breaking during preparation of said liquid product. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall is made one piece with the side wall. 
     
     
         10 . A cartridge to be used in the preparation of a beverage, said cartridge comprising:
 a side wall;   a bottom wall connected to said side wall; and   a closure wall connected to said side wall at a top end of the cartridge opposing the bottom wall, wherein the side wall, bottom wall, and closure wall are made of a compostable material;   the side wall, bottom wall, and closure walls defining an interior cup for retaining ground coffee and a liquid selectively introduced therein for making the beverage, and wherein at least one of the bottom wall and closure wall is adapted to disintegrate more rapidly than the side wall following introduction of the liquid and is releaseably bonded to the side wall.   
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein the bond between the side wall and at least one of the bottom and closure walls is weakened by at least 20% following introduction of the liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein both of the bottom and closure walls disintegrate during composting more rapidly than the side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the bottom and closure walls has a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the side wall. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the bottom and closure walls is adapted to puncture by application of an exterior needle while remaining connected to the side wall. 
     
     
         15 . The cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom wall is unitary with the side wall.