Capsule for making a beverage

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capsule (1) for making a beverage, comprising a water distributing element (3) positioned in an inner chamber of the capsule (1), in a position interposed between a water infeed section and a powdered food substance (27). The water distributing element (3) comprises: a central region (35) intended, in use, to receive the water fed in; a perimetric region (37) which is in contact with a lateral wall (20) of the capsule (1); a partition wall (39) which extends between the central region (35) and the perimetric region (37) and has a first face (31) facing the water infeed section and a second face (32) facing the powdered food substance (27). The partition wall (39) comprises one or more holes or channels (40, 45) which pass through the partition wall (39) and put the first face (31) and the second face (32) in communication with each other, said one or more holes or channels (40, 45) being far from the central region (35) and near the perimetric region (37) and forming the only passages for the water, in use, from the water infeed section towards the powdered food substance (27). Relative to a reference plane (10) which is perpendicular to the central axis (29), the first face (31) of the partition wall (39) is slanting relative to the reference plane (10) or is formed of portions which are slanting relative to the reference plane (10). The first face (31) of the partition wall (39) has a convexity facing the water infeed section.

1 . A capsule ( 1 ) for making a beverage, comprising:
 a cup-shaped containment body ( 2 ) in turn comprising a tubular lateral wall ( 20 ), extending between a first edge ( 21 ) and a second edge ( 22 ), and a bottom portion ( 23 ) connected to the second edge ( 22 ) and extending transversally to a central axis ( 29 ) of the tubular lateral wall ( 20 );   a closing element ( 25 ) fixed to the first edge ( 21 ) for closing the top of the containment body ( 2 ), the containment body ( 2 ) and the closing element ( 25 ) forming an inner chamber of the capsule ( 1 );   a powdered food substance ( 27 ) which allows a beverage to be made by passing water through the powdered food substance ( 27 ), the powdered food substance ( 27 ) being contained in the inner chamber;   a water distributing element ( 3 );   wherein one of either the closing element ( 25 ) or the bottom portion ( 23 ) is, in use, a water infeed section for feeding water into the capsule ( 1 ) and the other of either the closing element ( 25 ) or the bottom portion ( 23 ) is, in use, a beverage outfeed section for outfeed of the beverage from the capsule ( 1 );   wherein the water distributing element ( 3 ) is positioned in the inner chamber, in a position interposed between the water infeed section and the powdered food substance ( 27 );   the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprising:   a central region ( 35 ) intended, in use, to receive the water fed in;   a perimetric region ( 37 ) which is in contact with the tubular lateral wall ( 20 ) of the containment body ( 2 );   a partition wall ( 39 ) which extends between the central region ( 35 ) and the perimetric region ( 37 ), the partition wall ( 39 ) having a first face ( 31 ) which is facing the water infeed section and a second face ( 32 ) which is facing the powdered food substance ( 27 );   one or more holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ) which pass through the partition wall ( 39 ) and put the first face ( 31 ) and the second face ( 32 ) in communication with each other, the distance (D 40 , D 45 ) between each of said one or more holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ) and the central axis ( 29 ) being greater than or equal to three quarters of the distance (D 20 ) between the tubular lateral wall ( 20 ) and the central axis ( 29 ), the distance being measured along a line that is radial relative to the central axis ( 29 ) and intersecting the hole or channel ( 40 ,  45 );   wherein said one or more holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ) form the only passages for the water, in use, from the water infeed section towards the powdered food substance ( 27 );   wherein, considering a reference plane ( 10 ) which is perpendicular to the central axis ( 29 ), the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ) is slanting relative to the reference plane ( 10 ) or is formed of portions which are slanting relative to the reference plane ( 10 ), whereby, along lines that are radial or along lines that are annular relative to the central axis ( 29 ), the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ) is at a variable distance from the reference plane ( 10 ), the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ) having a convexity facing the water infeed section.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition wall ( 39 ) of the water distributing element ( 3 ) has a frustoconical shape with the convexity facing the water infeed section, so that the first face ( 31 ) is sloping down from the central region ( 35 ) towards the perimetric region ( 37 ). 
     
     
         3 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition wall ( 39 ) of the water distributing element ( 3 ) is formed by sectors ( 397 ) which each extend between the central region ( 35 ) and the perimetric region ( 37 ) and which are joined to one another with substantially radial joints ( 398 ), each sector ( 397 ) being joined to two adjacent sectors ( 397 ) along two respective radial joints ( 398 ) which, on the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ), are at different distances from the reference plane ( 10 ), so that on the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ) each sector ( 397 ) is sloping down from one radial joint ( 398 ) towards the other radial joint ( 398 ). 
     
     
         4 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference plane ( 10 ) is a plane which is tangential to a perimeter of the perimetric region ( 37 ) on the side facing the powdered food substance ( 27 ) and wherein the convexity of the partition wall ( 39 ) is between the reference plane ( 10 ) and the water infeed section. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition wall ( 39 ) of the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprises stiffening ribs ( 395 ). 
     
     
         6 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprises at the most four of said holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ). 
     
     
         7 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprises only one of said holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ). 
     
     
         8 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more holes or channels is a tubular opening ( 45 ) which has a length greater than the thickness of the partition wall ( 39 ). 
     
     
         9 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the tubular opening ( 45 ) has a lateral wall ( 450 ) that projects from the first face ( 31 ) of the partition wall ( 39 ). 
     
     
         10 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the tubular opening ( 45 ) has a passage cross-section that decreases from the side which opens onto the first face ( 31 ) to the side which opens onto the second face ( 32 ). 
     
     
         11 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ) has, on the side which opens onto the second face ( 32 ), a passage cross-section that is between 0.1 mm 2  and 0.8 mm 2 , in particular each of said one or more holes or channels ( 40 ,  45 ) has, on the side which opens onto the second face ( 32 ), a circular passage cross-section with a diameter of between 0.4 mm and 1 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the central region ( 35 ) of the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprises a hollow ( 350 ) which extends towards the beverage outfeed section. 
     
     
         13 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the perimetric region ( 37 ) of the water distributing element ( 3 ) comprises an annular rim ( 370 ) which is in sealed contact with the tubular lateral wall ( 20 ) of the containment body ( 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the closing element ( 25 ) is the water infeed section and the bottom portion ( 23 ) is the beverage outfeed section. 
     
     
         15 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the powdered food substance ( 27 ) is soluble in water and, in use, substantially all of the powdered food substance ( 27 ) contained in the inner chamber is intended to dissolve in the water which passes through the powdered food substance ( 27 ) for making the beverage. 
     
     
         16 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the reference plane ( 10 ) is a plane which is tangential to a perimeter of the perimetric region ( 37 ) on the side facing the powdered food substance ( 27 ) and wherein the convexity of the partition wall ( 39 ) is between the reference plane ( 10 ) and the water infeed section. 
     
     
         17 . The capsule ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the reference plane ( 10 ) is a plane which is tangential to a perimeter of the perimetric region ( 37 ) on the side facing the powdered food substance ( 27 ) and wherein the convexity of the partition wall ( 39 ) is between the reference plane ( 10 ) and the water infeed section.