Capsule for infusion and soluble beverages with anti-drip system

Abstract

A capsule (1) for the preparation of infusion or soluble beverages includes an inner base (33) having a labyrinth (30) adapted to prevent, by capillarity, the passage of the infused beverage towards the opening (31) when the pressure inside the capsule (1) drops below a threshold value. The labyrinth (30) includes a plurality of capillary channels (321), each capillary channel (321) being defined between two adjacent labyrinth portions (30) and closed at the top by a sealing disc (5). Advantageously, the section of the capillary channels (321) ranges from 0.01 mm2 to 0.36 mm2, preferably between 0.08 mm2 and 0.15 mm2.

1 . Capsule for preparing infusion or soluble beverages, comprising a cup adapted to define an inner volume for containing at least one substance to be infused or dissolved,
 said cup being closed at the top by a cover and comprising;   on the an opposite side of the cover, an opening for the exit of the an infused beverage; internally a base having reliefs projecting towards the cover;   internally a sealing disc, fixed between the inner volume and the reliefs, adapted to inferiorly seal the capsule;   said base comprising a labyrinth having a plurality of labyrinth portions adapted to prevent passage by capillarity of the infused beverage towards the opening when pressure inside the capsule falls below a threshold value;   wherein said labyrinth comprises a plurality of capillary channels, each channel being defined between two adjacent labyrinth portions and superiorly closed by the sealing disc, wherein the a section through the capillary channels is between 0.01 mm 2  and 0.3 mm 2 .   
     
     
         2 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein having defined the section of the capillary channel in terms of base and height, the base is between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, and the height is between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm. 
     
     
         3 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein length of the capillary channel, measured as the distance of a path between an inlet and an outlet, is greater than length of the labyrinth, measured as radial distance between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . Capsule according to  claim 3 , wherein the ratio between the length of the capillary channel and the length of the labyrinth is between 1.5 and 5. 
     
     
         5 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the labyrinth comprises between 10 and 40 capillary channels. 
     
     
         6 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary channel has a zigzag or a “square wave” or a winding line pattern. 
     
     
         7 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary channel has a tortuous pattern comprising a plurality of angled curves. 
     
     
         8 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein each labyrinth portion develops radially with respect to the base, between a collecting depression, defined between an outer edge and the labyrinth, and a conveying depression, defined between the labyrinth and a central portion. 
     
     
         9 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet are defined for each capillary channel, all of the capillary channels flow at a bank, in a relief arranged circumferentially between the labyrinth and the opening for the exit of the infused beverage. 
     
     
         10 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the disc is fixed in a peelable manner on an edge of the base to separate from the base at least partially due to the increase of pressure within the capsule, and wherein the opening of the capsule for the exit of the infused beverage occurs by deformation of the disc as a result of pressure exerted by the fluid inside the capsule. 
     
     
         11 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the section of the capillary channels ( 321 ) is between 0.08 mm 2  and 0.15 mm 2 . 
     
     
         12 . Capsule according to  claim 3 , wherein the ratio between the length of the capillary channel and the length of the labyrinth is between 2 and 3. 
     
     
         13 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the labyrinth comprises between 20 and 30 capillary channels. 
     
     
         14 . Capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the capillary channel has a tortuous pattern comprising a plurality of angled curves with 90° angles.