Packaging dry leaves in sealed capsules

Abstract

A system for packaging tea in a sealed casing. the system includes a machine for breaking dried tea leaves, said machine comprising an inlet for supplying dried tea leaves, an outlet for releasing the broken tea leaves, and at least one breaker device including a first breaker member and a second breaker member that can be removed relative to the first breaker member, said first and second breaker member being configured to bend the dried tea leaves until they break.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for packaging dried leaves or stalks of plants in a hermetically sealed casing, the system including a machine for breaking dried leaves, the machine comprising an inlet for supplying the dried leaves or stalks, an outlet for releasing the broken dried leaves or stalks, and at least one breaker device including a first breaker member and a second breaker member that can be removed relative to the first breaker member, wherein the first and second breaker members are configured to bend the dried leaves or stalks until they break and in that the machine comprises a source of neutral gas designed to provide an environment in the machine, including the said at least one breaker device, which prevents the oxidation of the leaves or stalks at the time of breaking until their insertion into the casing. 
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises multiple breaker devices of different dimensions designed to break the dried leaves or stalks into pieces of gradually decreasing size. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second breaker member comprises a breaker wall with teeth inserted into grooves and tooth spacings above the upper surface allowing specific clearance from this surface, said teeth comprising a convex-shaped leading edge. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the breaker devices are assembled one on top of the other in the direction of the gravitational force. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said system also comprising a supply device positioned above the said breaker device(s), designed to generate a well-distributed shower of leaves or stalks falling individually onto the surface of the said first breaker member. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the supply device comprises a grid or vibrating tray generating a regular, fine shower of dried leaves or stalks across the entire length of the first breaker member. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the supply device comprises one or more grids or vibrating trays positioned upstream from the said grid or vibrating tray. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first breaker member is removable and comprises a roller that is caused to rotate. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the roller comprises active lines with a top surface interrupted by cavities designed to catch the tea leaves, the active lines being separated by grooves around the roller. The cavities have radial surfaces forming upper edges with the top surface and the grooves have lateral surfaces forming side edges with the radial surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the rollers is driven by a driver system controlled so that the speed of each roller of the machine can be adjusted separately. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth Pa, Pb, Pc of cavities arranged on the surface of the breaker devices in relation to the top surface of the breaker devices and/or the width La, Lb, Le of cavities of the breaker devices as well as the width Wa, Wb, Wc of grooves of the breaker devices is different from one breaker device to another. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the width of the cavities and the grooves of a removable breaker member located downstream is smaller than that of a removable breaker member located upstream. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second breaker member comprises a breaker wall with teeth inserted into grooves and tooth spacings above the upper surface, allowing specific clearance from this surface. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the teeth comprise a convex-shaped leading edge. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein one angle Θ of the breaker wall in relation to an orthogonal plane on the surface of the said first breaker member is between −50° and +60°. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the leading edge forms a “V” shape and has a general angle of between 80° and 160°. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a static breaker member is attached to an inlet guide in the shape of a funnel to guide the broken leaves onto the surface of the removable breaker member. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 2 , comprising at least three of said breaker devices. 
     
     
         19 . A machine for breaking dried leaves according to a method of packaging dried leaves or stalks of plants in a hermetically sealed casing comprising:
 breaking the dried leaves or stalks in an environment of non-oxidising gas,   inserting the broken leaves into a casing in an environment of non-oxidising gas, and hermetically sealing the casing,   breaking the dried leaves or stalks involves bending them until they break, wherein the machine comprises an inlet for supplying the dried leaves or stalks, an outlet for releasing the broken dried leaves or stalks, and at least one breaker device including a first breaker member and a second breaker member that can be removed relative to the first breaker member, wherein the first and second breaker members are configured to bend the dried leaves or stalks until they break and in that the machine comprises a source of neutral gas designed to provide an environment in the machine, including the said at least one breaker device, which prevents the oxidation of the leaves or stalks at the time of breaking.   
     
     
         20 . The machine for breaking dried leaves according to  claim 19 , comprising several stages for breaking the dried leaves or stalks, each subsequent stage breaking the leaves into smaller pieces than the previous stage. 
     
     
         21 . The machine for breaking dried leaves according to  claim 19 , wherein the dried plant leaves or stalks are dried tea leaves.