Capsule with flow control and filtering member

Abstract

Capsules for use in a beverage production machine. One capsule includes a base body having a flange-like rim and containing beverage-forming ingredients therein, the ingredients being sealed in the base body by a foil member attached to the flange-like rim, and at least one flow control porous member arranged between at least a portion of ingredients in the capsule and the foil member. Another capsule includes a first wall member for supporting beverage-forming ingredients, a second perforable wall member attached to the first wall member, and at least one porous layer located between the beverage-forming ingredients in the capsule and the second wall member, with the porous layer forming a multilayer laminate with the perforable non-porous foil member. These flow control porous members provide faster and more consistent flow of the liquid extract through the capsule and significantly reduces the resurgence of non-soluble solids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A capsule for use in a beverage production machine, the capsule comprising:
 a base body having a flange-like rim and containing beverage-forming ingredients therein, the ingredients being sealed in the base body by first and second foil members of flexible material attached to the flange-like rim, wherein the base body and the first and second foil members of flexible material are sealed at their peripheral rims, with the foil members being relatively impervious to oxygen and substantially of same shape and size to form a substantially symmetrical capsule on either side of a plane passing through the peripheral rims, and   first and second flow control porous members arranged between at least a portion of ingredients in the capsule and the foil members, wherein the first flow control porous member is placed between the first foil and the ingredients and a second porous member is placed between the second foil and the ingredients.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow control porous members are thin polymeric membranes having a pore size between 0.4 and 25 microns. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow control porous members comprise woven or non-woven polymeric fiber-containing material. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous members are made of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, PBT, nylon, polycarbonate, poly(4-methyl pentene-1), polyurethane, PET, polyethersulfone, polyamide, resin bonded-glass fibers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage forming ingredients comprise ground coffee having a particle size (D 4,3 ) between 190 and 400 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein each foil member has a thickness of between 15 and 45 microns and wherein the flow control porous members have higher rigidity in flexure than that of the foil members. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow control porous members are positioned immediately adjacent to the foil members. 
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the foil members and the flow control porous members form a multilayer laminate. 
     
     
         9 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow control porous members comprise microfibers having diameters that are less than 20 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the base body or the foil members, or both, are made from aluminum, an aluminum alloy or a laminate of aluminum or an aluminum alloy with a polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage forming ingredients comprise roast and ground coffee. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second flow control porous members has a pore size at or less than 10 microns. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage machine and capsule for making a beverage, wherein:
 the capsule comprises the capsule of  claim 1 ; and   the beverage machine comprises:
 means for perforating an inlet side of the body of the capsule opposed to the foil members and the flange-like rim and for injecting a liquid or a liquid/gas mix into the capsule; and 
 a relief plate with a multitude of relief elements which relief plate is arranged in the machine such that the injection pressure thrusts the foil members of the capsule against the relief plate, 
   wherein with the foil members of the capsule are made from a material which is then perforated by the relief plate to form one or a multitude of openings when the pressure of the injected liquid or liquid/gas mixture reaches a value of at least 4 bar in the capsule.