Capsule for beverage preparation with integrally formed sealing member

Abstract

The invention relates to a capsule (10) designed for preparing a beverage upon injection of liquid into the capsule by means of a beverage preparation machine (20), the capsule (10) having a longitudinal axis (y) and comprising a cup-shaped base body (1) being provided with a closed end (1a) and lateral sidewalls (1b) for holding beverage preparation ingredients and a flange-like rim (2) arranged at an open end (1c) of the base body (1) and radially ending with a curled outer edge (2c); in which—the capsule (10) is in a first state before being used in the beverage preparation machine, wherein the capsule further comprises a sealing member (3) for providing a fluid sealing engagement with a sealing profile of a capsule engagement member (21) of the beverage preparation machine (20), said sealing profile having at least one sealing surface (21a, 21b, 21c), wherein the base-body (1), the flange-like rim (2) and the sealing member (3) are made integrally from metallic material such as aluminum as a one piece element, and wherein the sealing member (3) comprises at least one dedicated surface (4) located at the junction between the sidewalls (1b) of the base body (1) and the flange-like rim (2), said dedicated surface (4) being in the form of at least one step extending over the flange-like rim (2), and in which—the capsule (10) is in a second state after being used in the beverage preparation machine. The capsule is characterized in that, in the second state, after engagement between the sealing profile of the capsule engagement member (21) and the at least one step of the dedicated surface (4), the at least one step is plastically deformed and the capsule (10) comprises, at the location of the at least one step (4), a flange-like rim (2) having a profile corresponding to the shape of at least one of the sealing surface (21a, 21b, 21c), said profile presenting at least three contiguous surfaces (S1, S2, S3) having each a different orientation.

1 . A capsule designed for preparing a beverage upon injection of liquid into the capsule by a beverage preparation machine, the capsule having a longitudinal axis and comprising a cup-shaped base body being provided with a closed end and lateral sidewalls for holding beverage preparation ingredients and a flange-like rim arranged at an open end of the base body and radially ending with a curled outer edge, in which:
 the capsule is in a first state before being used in the beverage preparation machine,   wherein the capsule further comprises a sealing member for providing a fluid sealing engagement with a sealing profile of a capsule engagement member of the beverage preparation machine, the sealing profile having at least one sealing surface,   the base-body, the flange-like rim and the sealing member are made integrally from metallic material such as aluminum as a one piece element, and   the sealing member comprises at least one dedicated surface located at the junction between the sidewalls of the base body and the flange-like rim, the dedicated surface being in the form of at least one step extending over the flange-like rim, and in which   the capsule is in a second state after being used in the beverage preparation machine; and   in the second state, after engagement between the sealing profile of the capsule engagement member and the at least one step of the dedicated surface, the at least one step is plastically deformed and the capsule comprises, at the location of the at least one step, a flange-like rim having a profile corresponding to the shape of at least one of the sealing surfaces, the profile presenting at least three contiguous surfaces having each a different orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dedicated surface extends over a length that is larger than the sealing profile of the engagement member.   
     
     
         3 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dedicated surface extends over a length of between 0.5 and 4 mm.   
     
     
         4 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dedicated surface comprises at least a first and a second step.   
     
     
         5 . The capsule of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first step is substantially parallel to the flange-like rim.   
     
     
         6 . The capsule of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first step has a height of between 1 and 3 mm and a length of between 0.5 and 3 mm.   
     
     
         7 . The capsule of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the second step forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the capsule of between 10 and 80°.   
     
     
         8 . The capsule of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the second step has a height of between 0.2 and 2 mm.   
     
     
         9 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, after engagement with at least one the sealing surfaces of the capsule engagement member, one of the surfaces of the flange-like rim in its second state is substantially parallel to one of the sealing surfaces of the capsule engaging member.   
     
     
         10 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, after engagement with the at least one of the sealing surfaces of the capsule engagement member, one of the surfaces of the flange-like rim in its second state is substantially parallel to flange-like rim.   
     
     
         11 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, after engagement with at least one of the sealing surfaces of the capsule engagement member, one of the surfaces of the flange-like rim in its second state forms an angle with the base body sidewall of between 1 and 50°.   
     
     
         12 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the capsule body, the flange-like rim and the sealing member are produced by deep drawing an initially flat metal sheet.   
     
     
         13 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the capsule is made from aluminum.   
     
     
         14 . The capsule of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the capsule further comprises a closing membrane connected to the base body and/or the flange-like rim of the capsule.   
     
     
         15 . The capsule according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the closing membrane is connected to a surface of the flange-like rim opposite to a surface at which the sealing member is arranged.   
     
     
         16 . The capsule according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the closing membrane is an aluminum foil sealed to the flange-like rim on the surface opposite to the surface.   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising a capsule designed for preparing a beverage upon injection of liquid into the capsule by a beverage preparation machine, the capsule having a longitudinal axis and comprising a cup-shaped base body being provided with a closed end and lateral sidewalls for holding beverage preparation ingredients and a flange-like rim arranged at an open end of the base body and radially ending with a curled outer edge, in which the capsule is in a first state before being used in the beverage preparation machine, wherein the capsule further comprises a sealing member for providing a fluid sealing engagement with a sealing profile of a capsule engagement member of the beverage preparation machine, the sealing profile having at least one sealing surface, the base-body, the flange-like rim and the sealing member are made integrally from metallic material such as aluminum as a one piece element, and the sealing member comprises at least one dedicated surface located at the junction between the sidewalls of the base body and the flange-like rim, the dedicated surface being in the form of at least one step extending over the flange-like rim, and in which the capsule is in a second state after being used in the beverage preparation machine; and in the second state, after engagement between the sealing profile of the capsule engagement member and the at least one step of the dedicated surface, the at least one step is plastically deformed and the capsule comprises, at the location of the at least one step, a flange-like rim having a profile corresponding to the shape of at least one of the sealing surfaces, the profile presenting at least three contiguous surfaces having each a different orientation and a beverage preparation machine designed to provide heated and/or pressurized liquid into the capsule for preparing a beverage upon interaction of the liquid with ingredients held within the capsule. 
     
     
         18 . A cup-shaped base body of a capsule for holding beverage preparation ingredients with a flange-like rim and a sealing member comprising a dedicated surface with at least one step at the junction between the cup-shaped base body and the flange-like rim and extending over the flange-like rim, the at least one step being conformed for engaging with at least one of the sealing surfaces of a capsule engagement member of beverage preparation machine,
 wherein the base-body, the flange-like rim and the sealing member are made integrally from metallic material,   wherein the flange-like rim is a first state before being used in a beverage preparation machine; and   wherein the flange-like rim is in a second state after being used in the beverage preparation machine in which, at the location of the at least one step, the flange-like rim is plastically deformed and presents a profile corresponding to the shape of at least one of the sealing surfaces, the profile comprising at least three contiguous surfaces having each a different orientation and generating axial and radial forces around the engagement member producing an effective tightness between the flange-like rim and the sealing surface of the engagement member.