Apparatus for making a product, preferably a food product for making a drink by infusion in a respective liquid

Abstract

An apparatus for making a product, preferably a food product for making a drink by infusion in a respective liquid, preferably in water, especially in hot Water; the product being obtained from a raw material including or fonned by respective particles, in particular powder, granules, pieces or the like, for example of roasted and ground coffee; the apparatus includes supporting means for means for making respective products starting from a respective predetermined or measured portion of raw material, which making means include means for aggregating particles of the predetermined portion of raw material.

1 . An apparatus for making products, in particular food products, preferably food products for obtaining a corresponding drink by infusion in a respective liquid, preferably in water, especially in hot water; the respective product being obtained from a raw material comprising or formed by respective particles, in particular powder, granules, pieces or the like, for example of roasted and ground coffee; the apparatus comprising supporting means for means for making respective products starting from a corresponding predetermined portion of raw material, and is wherein the means for making respective products comprise means for aggregating, in particular for reciprocally adhering, particles of raw material of the respective predetermined portion, preferably to form a corresponding compact tablet of the raw material. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for making the product comprise means ( 16 ,  18 ) for preparing an outer or surface layer about the portion of raw material, in particular in the form of a film of biodegradable and/or compostable material, especially of PLA, and preferably of filter material for the infusion liquid or infused liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer or surface layer is designed to surround or completely enclose the raw material, in particular thus forming means for containing the raw material during the steps of preparing the product. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for preparing an outer or surface layer about the portion of raw material comprise means designed to make the same outer or surface layer adhere to the portion of raw material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for aggregating, in particular for reciprocally adhering, particles of raw material of the respective predetermined portion, and/or the means designed to make the same outer or surface layer adhere to the portion of raw material, are in the form of means for dispensing vibrating energy, in particular ultrasonic energy, to the predetermined portion of raw material, in particular provided with the outer or surface layer. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein vibrating or ultrasonic energy in a quantity between 500 and 6,000 Joules, at a frequency between 16,000 and 35,000 Hertz, and for a time between 0.5 and 20 seconds, is imparted to the predetermined portion of raw material and/or to the respective outer or surface layer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for dispensing vibrating energy comprise respective sonotrode means which can be activated and deactivated respectively in a condition of dispensing energy to the predetermined portion of raw material and/or to the respective outer or surface layer, and in a rest condition. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for dispensing vibrating energy are movable between a position, in particular lowered, of dispensing energy to the respective portion of raw material and/or to the respective outer or surface layer, and a position, in particular raised, of freely feeding the product. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the means for dispensing vibrating energy comprise a plurality of elements or devices, in particular a plurality of sonotrodes, in particular which are designed to dispense vibrating energy to a plurality of products simultaneously. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the elements or devices, in particular the sonotrodes, are positioned in an orderly fashion in one or more transversal rows of the elements or devices, that is of the sonotrodes, and/or in one or more longitudinal rows of the same elements or devices, that is of the sonotrodes. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises means for assembling product components, in particular forming means for preparing an outer or surface layer about the respective predetermined portion of raw material, in particular in dissolved condition. 
     
     
         14 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises means for feeding the raw material and means for feeding a film for forming the outer or surface layer of product, in particular comprising corresponding means for supporting a respective reel of the film. 
     
     
         38 .- 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein there are provided means for conveying products along the apparatus, in particular between means for assembling product components and means for packaging the same products and/or at the means for making products, in particular at the means for aggregating or dispensing mechanical vibrating energy, preferably ultrasonic, to the same products. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus according to  claim 56 , wherein the means for conveying products are provided under the means for aggregating particles of raw material of the respective predetermined portion, and/or of the means designed to make the same outer or surface layer adhere to the portion of raw material, aggregation means or means for dispensing vibrating mechanical energy to the same products. 
     
     
         58 . The apparatus according to  claim 56 , wherein the means for conveying products comprise means for supporting corresponding products forming part of the means for making the product, in particular part of the means for aggregating the particles of raw material before the respective predetermined portion, and/or part of the means designed to make the same outer or surface layer adhere to the respective predetermined portion of raw material, especially thus forming means for supporting engaged products of the aggregation sonotrode means. 
     
     
         59 . The apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the means for conveying products comprise first means for supporting respective products and second means for supporting respective products, and possibly third means for supporting respective products, which are movable separately from and/or independently of each other, respectively at the means for making products, at the means for packaging products or at the means for assembling components of the same products. 
     
     
         60 . The apparatus according to  claim 59 , wherein the means for conveying products comprise first movement means for corresponding first means for supporting products and second movement means for corresponding second means for supporting products and possibly third movement means for corresponding third means for supporting products. 
     
     
         61 . The apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the respective means for supporting products of the conveyor means comprise a plurality of seats for housing a respective product, in particular positioned in an orderly fashion according to one or more transversal rows of the seats and/or according to one or more longitudinal rows the same seats. 
     
     
         62 . The apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the respective means for supporting products of the conveyor means are carried by respective movement means, which are movable, in particular separately from and independently of each other. 
     
     
         63 . The apparatus according to  claim 62 , wherein the movement means are in the form of respective endless, elongate, continuous means carried on respective operating and drive end wheels of the continuous means, in particular in the form of a first and a second elongate, continuous element for corresponding means or plate for supporting respective products, and extending parallel to and transversally spaced from each other, between which extend corresponding means for supporting products. 
     
     
         64 .- 71 . (canceled)