Capsule and process for making the same

Abstract

A capsule ( 1 ) for producing beverages including at least one container ( 2 ) of paper material exhibiting: a base ( 3 ), a lateral wall ( 4 ) transversally emerging from the base ( 3 ) to define a holding cavity ( 5 ) exhibiting, oppositely to the base ( 3 ), an opening of the container ( 2 ), an edge portion ( 6 ) placed at the container ( 2 ) opening and transversally emerging from the lateral wall ( 4 ) away from the holding cavity ( 5 ). The container ( 2 ) is made from a paper sheet extending between a first and second prevalent development surfaces ( 2 a, 2 b ) adapted to define respectively at least partially the inner and outer surfaces of the container ( 2 ). The lateral wall ( 4 ) includes pleats ( 27 ) defining overlapping areas of paper material, and wherein said first and second prevalent development surfaces ( 2 a, 2 b ) exhibit overlapping areas wherein portions of the same surface are in contact with each other, a plurality of portions of the same first and/or second prevalent development surfaces being stably constrained to each other.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A capsule for producing beverages, comprising at least one container of paper material, said container comprising:
 a base,   a lateral wall transversally emerging from the base to define a holding cavity adapted to receive a predetermined quantity of a powdered food substance adapted to enable to produce a beverage, the lateral wall defining, oppositely to the base, an opening of the container,   an edge portion, placed at the container opening defined by the lateral wall, transversally emerging from the lateral wall away from the holding cavity and exhibiting at least one lower surface substantially facing the container base and at least one upper surface facing away from the lower surface with respect to the edge portion itself, the base, the lateral wall and the edge portion of the container being made in a single piece,   and wherein the container is made from a paper sheet having a first and second prevalent development surfaces, at least partially the first surface being adapted to define the outer surface of the container, while at least partially the second surface being adapted to define an inner surface of the container,   and wherein at least the container lateral wall comprises a plurality of pleats defining overlapping areas of the paper sheet material, and wherein said first and second prevalent development surfaces exhibit overlapping areas wherein portions of the same surface are in contact with each other, a plurality of portions of the same first and/or second prevalent development surfaces being stably constrained to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein each pleat exhibits at least two portions of said first prevalent development surface of the container, facing and stably constrained to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein each pleat exhibits at least two portions of said second prevalent development surface of the container, facing and stably constrained to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the pleats exhibit a prevalent development having an increasing trend from the base towards the edge portion, and wherein the pleats extend along the whole lateral wall and along the container edge portion. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the container extends from the base to the opening of the container itself along a longitudinal development axis,
 the pleats, according to a cross-section normal to the container development axis, comprise a plurality of first sectors extending at least along the perimetral development of the lateral wall, said first sectors being defined by a layer of said paper material container, interposed by a plurality of second sectors defined by an overlap of plural layers of the container, the second sectors comprising at least one portion defined by the layer from a first sector, at least one portion defined by the layer from the first sector adjacent to the preceding one and from at least one junction portion connecting, without interruption, the other two portions in order to define an overlap of at least three layers of said container,   and wherein the second sectors exhibit at least one portion defined by the layer from a first sector, facing and constrained to the junction portion, and/or   wherein the portion defined by the layer from the first sector adjacent to the preceding one, faces and is constrained to the junction portion.   
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is obtained by deforming a flat sheet extending between the first and second prevalent development surfaces, said container, after the deforming step, arranging itself in an operative condition, wherein the container itself defines the holding cavity the inner surface thereof is defined at least partially by the second prevalent development surface, while the outer surface is defined at least partially by the first prevalent development surface,
 and wherein the pleats are configured for enabling, during the deforming step, to place the container from the sheet flat configuration to a three-dimensional operative configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one plastic film covering the first and/or second prevalent development surfaces configured for constraining, by thermoforming, the portions of the same first and/or second prevalent development surfaces of an overlapping area. 
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one reinforcing element stably engaged with the container edge portion and exhibiting a central cavity adapted to enable to gain access to the holding cavity of the container itself,
 said reinforcing element comprising at least one first peripheral edge engaged with the upper surface of the container edge portion, the first peripheral edge extending around the container holding cavity and defines a closed outline.   
     
     
         9 . The capsule according to the  claim 8 , wherein the first peripheral edge of the reinforcing element covers the whole upper surface of the container edge portion,
 and wherein the first peripheral edge of the reinforcing element comprises an abutment portion facing away from the container base, said abutment portion exhibiting at least one closure surface having a substantially smooth surface defining a closed outline around the container opening.   
     
     
         10 . The capsule according to  claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing element is completely made of plastic material by thermoforming, particularly thermo-molding, the same element on the container edge portion. 
     
     
         11 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one stiffening body coupled to the container inside the holding cavity at the base,
 and wherein the stiffening body is a laminated body, at least made partially of plastic and/or paper material, comprising at least one central through cavity and a peripheral edge, particularly the central cavity being substantially circular.   
     
     
         12 . The capsule according to  claim 11 , wherein the base comprises at least one flat central portion and an outer portion connecting with the lateral wall and contiguous to the flat portion with a trend sloped with respect to the flat portion, in a cross-section along a plane normal to a development axis of the container, the base comprises a first segment emerging from the lateral wall and sloped with respect to the same, a second flat segment extending from the first sloped segment and a third segment extending from the second flat segment and sloped with respect to the same,
 and wherein the stiffening body is coupled to at least the base outer portion,   and wherein the central cavity of the stiffening body is placed at the flat central portion, in a cross-section along a plane normal to the container development axis, the stiffening body exhibiting at least two main lengths which are respectively coupled to the first and third segments.   
     
     
         13 . The capsule according to  claim 8 , comprising at least one laminated element closing the holding cavity, coupled, particularly substantially fluid-tightly, to the reinforcing element for closing an access to the holding cavity,
 and wherein the laminated element is stably constrained, by thermoforming or sealing, to an upper closure surface of the second peripheral edge facing away from the base.   
     
     
         14 . A capsule for producing beverages, comprising at least one container of paper material, said container comprising:
 a base,   a lateral wall transversally emerging from the base to define a holding cavity adapted to receive a predetermined quantity of a powdered food substance adapted to enable to produce the beverage, the lateral wall defining, oppositely to the base, an opening of the container,   an edge portion, placed at the container opening, defined by the lateral wall, transversally emerging from the lateral wall away from the holding cavity and exhibiting at least one lower surface substantially facing the container base and at least one upper surface facing away from the lower surface with respect to the edge portion itself, the base, the lateral wall and the edge portion of the container being made in a single piece,   at least one reinforcing element of plastic material stably engaged with the container edge portion and exhibiting a central cavity adapted to enable to gain access to the container holding cavity, said reinforcing element comprising at least one first peripheral edge engaged with the upper surface of the container edge portion,   and wherein the container is made from a paper sheet having a first and second prevalent development surfaces, at least partially the first surface being adapted to define an outer surface of the container, while at least partially the second surface being adapted to define an inner surface of the container, at least one of said first and second prevalent development surfaces being covered by a plastic material film,   and wherein at least the container lateral wall comprises a plurality of pleats defining overlapping areas of the paper sheet material, and wherein said first and second prevalent development surfaces exhibit overlapping areas, wherein portions of the same surface are in contact with each other, a plurality of portions of the same first and/or second prevalent development surfaces being stably constrained to each other by thermo-sealing the plastic film.