Capsule for preparing a beverage by injection

Abstract

A capsule for preparing a beverage by injection, within the capsule, of a fluid under pressure, comprising: a cup-shaped body, which in turn comprises a side wall which is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an opening and a blind bottom, and a membrane for closing the opening of the cup-shaped body in order to delimit a containment chamber configured to contain a food substance for preparing the beverage; an internal filter being proximate to the blind bottom, the internal filter comprising a bottom wall which comprises a substantially circular central region, the central region being arranged in contact with the blind bottom of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove which is open toward the blind bottom.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A capsule for preparing a beverage by injection, within said capsule, of a fluid under pressure, comprising:
 a cup-shaped body which in turn comprises a side wall which is substantially frustum-shaped and delimits an opening and a blind bottom,   a membrane for closing the opening of the cup-shaped body in order to delimit a containment chamber configured to contain a food substance for preparing the beverage, and   further comprising an internal filter which is proximate to the blind bottom, said internal filter comprising a bottom wall which comprises a substantially circular central region, said central region being arranged in contact with the blind bottom of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove which is open toward said blind bottom;   said internal filter resting on the blind bottom and forming, between said internal filter, the blind bottom and the side wall, a lower chamber which has an annular base, said lower chamber being adapted to be crossed by one or more injection elements so as to allow said injection elements to perforate the blind bottom.   
     
     
         15 . The capsule according to  claim 14 , wherein said internal filter comprises a frustum-shaped portion with a cylindrical shoulder arranged concentrically around the distribution groove. 
     
     
         16 . The capsule according to  claim 15 , wherein said frustum-shaped portion rests partially on an internal abutment surface of the side wall, so that said frustum-shaped portion is spaced from the underlying blind bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The capsule according to  claim 14 , wherein the internal filter comprises one or more distribution holes which connect said circumferential distribution groove to said containment chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The capsule according to  claim 17 , wherein said internal filter comprises a plurality of said distribution holes and a plurality of feeding openings which are configured to introduce the fluid under pressure in the containment chamber, each one of said feeding openings being arranged between two distribution holes. 
     
     
         19 . The capsule according to  claim 18 , wherein said feeding openings are shaped like an annular portion. 
     
     
         20 . The capsule according to  claim 18 , wherein said feeding openings and said distribution holes are arranged so as to be alternated along a same circumference. 
     
     
         21 . The capsule according to  claim 20 , wherein the cup-shaped body comprises an annular flange which protrudes radially from the cup-shaped body at the opening thereof, said membrane for closing the opening being coupled to the annular flange, and wherein the cup-shaped body is provided with a circumferential reinforcement ridge which is proximate to the annular flange, said internal circumferential reinforcement ridge identifying in the body a first frustum-shaped portion, which is proximate to the opening and has a diameter that increases toward said opening, and a second frustum-shaped portion, which is proximate to the first frustum-shaped portion and has a diameter that increases toward said blind bottom, so that said first and second frustum-shaped portions identify a converging-diverging portion. 
     
     
         22 . The capsule according to  claim 21 , wherein said annular flange comprises, on a lower face thereof, a distal annular groove which is open toward a plane on which the blind bottom rests. 
     
     
         23 . The capsule according to  claim 21 , wherein said annular flange comprises, on a lower face thereof, a proximal annular groove toward a plane on which the blind bottom lies, having a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section and being adapted to accommodate, during use, one end of a cylindrical wall of an apparatus for preparing beverages. 
     
     
         24 . The capsule according to  claim 21 , wherein said cup-shaped body substantially has a first wall thickness that is identical for the entire body except for said internal circumferential reinforcement ridge and said annular flange which have a corresponding wall thickness that is greater than the first wall thickness. 
     
     
         25 . The capsule according to  claim 14 , wherein between the side wall and the blind bottom said body has an annular narrower region, at said annular narrower region there being one or more undercuts which protrude radially inside the capsule; said internal filter being interlocked below said undercuts, which mechanically block the movement of the internal filter away from the blind bottom. 
     
     
         26 . The capsule according to  claim 25 , wherein said undercuts extend discontinuously, being provided at predefined angular positions of the annular narrower region, so that they are distributed uniformly along said annular narrower region.