Capsule

Abstract

A capsule includes a casing having an axis of extension, the casing including a base wall and a lateral wall defining a cavity for containing an initial product. A closing element is fixed to the base wall for perforation by a blade of a fluid injection device The base wall includes an annular edge region extending to the lateral wall, a central region, and a groove, interposed between the central and edge regions, and shaped to receive the blades. The closing element has a central portion fixed to the central region and an edge portion fixed to the edge region. The central region and the edge region extend on respective planes which are offset from each other along the axis such that an intermediate portion of the closing element, interposed between the central portion and the edge portion for closing the groove, is inclined.

1 . A capsule comprising:
 a casing which has an axis of longitudinal extension, the casing comprising a base wall and a lateral wall defining an open cavity, designed to contain an initial product to be added to a fluid to obtain a final product, and a flange edge extending from said lateral wall;   a covering element fixed to the flange edge for closing the cavity, which can be perforated by an extraction device of a dispensing machine in which the capsule can be used;   a closing element fixed to the base wall which can be perforated by a fluid injection device of the dispensing machine comprising piercing blades; wherein   the base wall comprises an edge region, which is annular and extends as far as the lateral wall, a central region, and a groove, which is interposed between the central region and the edge region and is shaped for receiving the piercing blades; and wherein   the closing element has a central portion, configured for being fixed to the central region and an edge portion, configured for being fixed to the edge region, and wherein   the central region and the edge region extend on respective planes which are offset from each other along the axis and in such a way that an intermediate portion of the closing element, interposed between the central portion and the edge portion for closing the groove, is inclined.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion is tensioned between an outer edge of the central region and an inner edge of the edge region. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the central region and the edge region extend on planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis, the intermediate portion forming, relative to an axis, parallel to the axis, an angle preferably comprised between 71° and 85°, still more preferably comprised between 75° and 82°, being for example 78°. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule relative to  claim 1 , wherein the central region comprises an outer frame which extends up to an outer edge and wherein the edge region comprises an inner frame which extends up to an inner edge, the closing element being fixed at least to the outer frame and/or at least to the inner frame. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the groove has a bottom wall equipped with openings configured to allow the fluid injected by the injection device to be dispensed to the initial product contained in the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 1  wherein the central region is circular and the groove is annular. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge region has an outer edge which is interposed between the base wall and the lateral wall, the closing element being larger in size than the base wall so that it can also be fixed to the lateral wall. 
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the closing element is made of a material which is elastically deformable to be able to pass from a flat configuration, before being fixed to the base wall, to a deformed configuration, wherein the intermediate portion is inclined, after being fixed to the edge region and to the central region of the base wall. 
     
     
         9 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing, the covering element and the closing element are made of a biodegradable and/or compostable material to allow the capsule to be disposed of as organic waste after being used. 
     
     
         10 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing is selected from among one of the following materials of a first list:
 Polyolefin (preferably polypropylene PP or polyethylene PE), polyethylene terephthalate PET, polystyrene PS, polylactic acid PLA, polyethylene furanoate PEF;   Biodegradable and/or compostable materials different from polyactic acid PLA, for example of vegetable origin such as cellulose, or derived from them, for example, paper;   Recyclable materials (for example aluminium).   
     
     
         11 . The capsule according to  claim 10 , wherein the casing comprises at least two layers, wherein each layer can comprise at least one of the materials of the first list, for example cellulose, polyethylene PE; or cellulose, polyactic acid PLA. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule according to  claim 10 , wherein the casing comprises at least three layers, wherein each layer can comprise at least one of the materials of the first list, for example cellulose, polyactic acid PLA, and aluminium, the aluminium constituting a barrier layer which is resistant to aromas and/or liquids and/or gases. 
     
     
         13 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the covering element and the closing element can comprise at least one layer comprising a material chosen from among one of the following materials of a second list:
 Polyolefin (preferably polypropylene PP or polyethylene PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PET comprising aluminium oxides and silicon oxides), polyactic acid PLA;   Recyclable materials, for example aluminium;   Polyvinyl chloride PVDC;   Polyactic acid PLA;   Ethylene vinyl alcohol EVOH or polyvinyl alcohol PVOH;   Biodegradable and/or compostable materials different from polyactic acid PLA, for example of vegetable origin such as cellulose, or derived from them, for example paper or cellulose acetate.   
     
     
         14 . The capsule according to  claim 13 , wherein the covering element ( 3 ) and/or the closing element can comprise at least two layers, wherein each layer can comprise at least one of the materials of the second list, for example polyethylene terephthalate PET, polyvinyl chloride PVDC; or polyethylene terephthalate PET, aluminium. 
     
     
         15 . The capsule according to  claim 13 , wherein the covering element and/or the closing element can comprise at least three layers, wherein each layer can comprise at least one of the materials of the second list, for example polypropylene PP, ethylene vinyl alcohol EVOH, polypropylene PP; or polypropylene PP, ethylene vinyl alcohol EVOH, polyethylene PE; or polypropylene PP, ethylene vinyl alcohol EVOH, polyactic acid PLA.