Method, system and apparatus for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption, such as coffee

Abstract

The method for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption such as coffee comprises the following steps: a vacuum pack made from a thin-walled and flexible packing sheet is placed in a holder which, in use, tightly encloses the vacuum pack at least partially, the vacuum pack being filled with the granular material and comprising a closing seam interconnecting opposite parts of the packing sheet; a free end of at least one needle-shaped tube is introduced into the inner space of the vacuum pack; and via the needle-shaped tube, a liquid is fed under pressure to the inner space of the vacuum pack, so that under the influence of the liquid pressure in the vacuum pack, this closing seam opens at least partially, with the beverage formed in the vacuum pack flowing out of the vacuum pack via the opening. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the method.

1 . A method for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption such as coffee, wherein a liquid and a granular material such a ground coffee are brought together to produce the beverage, wherein: 
 a vacuum pack made from a thin-walled and flexible packing sheet in placed in a holder which, in use, tightly encloses the vacuum pack at least partially, the vacuum pack being filled with the granular material and comprising a closing seam interconnecting opposite parts of the packing sheet;    a free end of at least one needle-shaped tube is introduced into the inner space of the vacuum pack; and wherein    via the needle-shaped tube, a liquid is fed under pressure to the inner space of the vacuum pack, so that under the influence of the liquid pressure in the vacuum pack, said closing seam opens at least partially, with the beverage formed in the vacuum pack flowing out of the vacuum pack via the opening.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to    claim 1   , characterized in that opposite and at least substantially abutting parts of the packing sheet are pressed towards each other adjacent the closing seam, so that at least one narrow gap between said parts forms a filter which passes the beverage and forms a barrier to the granular material.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to    claim 1   , characterized in that opposite parts of the packing sheet adjacent the closing seam are attached to each other at a number of different positions, so that between said positions gaps are formed which act as a filter which passes the beverage and forms a barrier Lo the granular material.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder comprises relatively movable sidewalls that are pressed against the vacuum pack during at least a portion of the period in which, via the needle-shaped tube, a liquid is fed to the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vacuum pack comprises a rectangular bottom wall having a first and a second pair of opposite longitudinal edges, two opposite rectangular vertical sidewalls extending in upward direction towards each other from the first pair of longitudinal edges and interconnected at their top sides via the closing seam, and two opposite, triangular vertical sidewalls extending in upward direction from the szcond pair of longitudinal edges; and the holder comprises two opposite vertical sidewalls, wherein the distance between said sidewalls at a top side of the holder is greater than the distance between the sidewalls at a bottom side of the holder, the holder is at its bottom side provided with an opening, and wherein the vacuum pack is placed in the holder in such a manner that the bottom wall of the vacuum pack faces upwards while the closing seam of the vacuum pack faces downwards.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to claims  4  and  5 , characterized in that the two opposite vertical sidewalls of the holder are relatively movable and are pressed towards each other during at least a portion of the period in which, via the needle-shaped tube, liquid is fed to the inside of the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to    claim 4    or    6   ; characterized in that the relatively movable sidewalls are rigid sidewalls.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to    claim 7   , characterized in that the holder is placed in a flexible envelope, while a fluid pressure is exerted on the envelope for pressing the rigid sidewalls of the holder towards each other.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to claims  6  and  8 , characterized in that the two opposite vertical sidewalls are resiliently interconnected at t;heir bottom sides.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the iieedle-shaped tube is pricked through the packing sheet of the vacuum pack for feeding the liquid to the inner space of the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to claims  9  and  10 , characterized in that the needle-shaped tube is pricked through the bottom wall.  
     
     
         12 . A system for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption such as coffee, wherein a liquid and a granular material such as ground coffee are brought together to produce the beverage, characterized in that the system comprises at least one vacuum pack that is manufactured from a thin-walled and flexible packing sheet and has a closing seam interconnecting opposite parts of the packing sheet, and is filled with the granular material, and an apparatus comprising a holder filled with the vacuum pack, liquid-dispensing means for dispensing the liquid and a needle-shaped tube connected to the liquid-dispensing means, wherein the system further comprises filter means and wherein, in use, the holder encloses the vacuum pack substantially tightly, a free end of the needle-ahaped tube extends into the vacuum pack via an opening in the vacuum pack, the liquid-dispensing means supply liquid to the inner space of the vacuum pack via the needle-shaped tube, the closing seam opens at least partially under the influence of the liquid pressure in the vacuum pack, whereupon the beverage formed in the vacuum pack leaves the vacuum pack via the closing seam and the filter means.  
     
     
         13 . A system according to    claim 12   , characterized in that the filter means are formed by at least one gap formed between the opposite sidewalls of the packing sheet.  
     
     
         14 . A system according to    claim 13   , characterized in that the opposite sidewalls of the vacuum pack are attached to each other at a number of positions in such a manner that gaps are formed between said positions.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to    claim 13   , characterized in that the apparatus comprises opposite clamping means which, in use, press opposite sidewalls of the vacuum pack towards each other to obtain a narrow gap between the sidewalls of the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         16 . A system according to any one of preceding claims  12 - 15 , characterized in that the holder comprises relatively movable sidewalls and pressure means for pressing said sidewalls against the vacuum pack during at least a portion of the period in which a liquid is supplied to the vacuum pack via the needle-shaped tube.  
     
     
         17 . A system according to any one of preceding claims  12 - 16 , characterized in that the vacuum pack comprises a rectangular bottom wali having a first and a second pair of opposite longitudinal edges, two opposite rectangular vertical sidewalls that extenid in upward direction towards each other from the first pair of longitudinal edges of the bottom wall and are interconnected at their top sides via the closing seam, and two opposite vertical triangular sidewalls that extend in upward direction from the second pair of longitudinal edges; and the holder comprises two opposite vertical sidewalls wherein the distance between said sidewalls at a top side of the holder is greater than the distance between the sidewalls at a bottom side of the holder, the holder has its bottom side provided with an outlet opening and wherein the vacuum pack is placed in the holder in such a manner that the bottom wall of the vacuum pack faces upwards while the closing seam of the vacuum pack faces downwards.  
     
     
         18 . A system according to claims  16  and  17 , characterized in that the two opposite vertical sidewalls of the holder are relatively movable and are pressed towards each other by means of said means during at least a portion of the period in which liquid is fed to the inside of the vacuum pack via the needle-shaped tube.  
     
     
         19 . A system according to    claim 16    or    18   , characterized in that the relatively movable sidewalls are rigid sidewalls.  
     
     
         20 . A system according to    claim 19   , characterized in that said pressure means comprise a flexible envelope and at least one fluid pressure member, wherein the holder is included into the flexible envelope and whorain, in une, a fluid pressure can be exerted on the envelope by means of the fluid pressure member for pressing said rigid sidewalls of the holder towards each other.  
     
     
         21 . A system according to claims  18  and  20 , characterized in that the two opposite vertical sidewalls are resiliently interconnected at their bottom sides.  
     
     
         22 . A system according to any one of preceding claims  12 - 21 , characterized in that the apparatus comprises drive means for moving the-needle-shaped tube to and fro in its longitudinal direction relative to the holder, for pricking the free end of the needle-shaped tube through the packing sheet of the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         23 . A system according to claims  21  and  22 , characterized in that the needle-shaped tube is positioned so that it pricks into the vacuum pack through the bottom wall thereof.  
     
     
         24 . A system according to claims  12 - 23 , characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a control unit for controlling the water-dispensing means, clamping means and/or the pressure means.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus suitable for use in the system according to any one of preceding claims  12 - 24 .  
     
     
         26 . A vacuum pack suitable for use in the system according to one oL preceding claims  14  or  17 .  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus comprising a holder for receiving a vacuum pack made from a thin-walled and flexible packing sheet, which vacuum pack comprises a closing seam interconnecting opposite parts of the packing sheet and is filled with the granular material, liquid-dispensing means for dispensing the liquid and a needle-shaped tube connected to the liquid-dispensing means, wherein the holder comprises relatively movable sidewalls and pressure means for pressing said sidewalls against the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to claiim  27 , characterized in that the apparatus further comprises drive means for moving the needle-shaped tube to and fro in its longitudinal direction relative to the holder.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to    claim 28   , characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a control unit controlling the liquid-dispensing means, the pressure means and the drive means in such a manner that, in use, the holder encloses the vacuum pack substantially tightly, a free end ot the needle-shaped tube is pricked into the vacuum pack and the liquid-dispensing means feed liquid to the inner space of the vacuum pack via the needle-shaped tube, wherein the closing seam at least partially opens under the influence of the liquid pressure in the vacuum pack, whereupon the beverage formed in the vacuum pack leaves the vacuum pack vria the closing seam and the filter means.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to any one of claims  27 - 29 , characterized in that the apparatus further comprises opposite clamping means for pressing opposite sidewalls of a vacuum pack contained in the holder towards each other to obtain a narrow gap between said sidewalls of the vacuum pack.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to any one of claimns  27 - 30 , characterized in that the movable sidewalls of the holder are rigid sidewalls.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to any one of claims  27 - 31 , characterized in that said pressure means comprise a flexible envelope and at least one fluid pressure raember, wherein the holder is included into the flexible envelope and wherein, in use, a fluid pressure can be exerted on the envelope by means of the fluid pressure member for pressing the rigid sidewalls of the holder towards each other.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to    claim 32   , characterized in that the two opposite vertical sidewalls are resiliently interconnected at their bottom sides, wherein the distance between said walls increases in upward direction.