Capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages

Abstract

A capsule (1), intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, comprises: a bottom wall ( 101 ); a side wall ( 102 ) which extends around a longitudinal axis (A); an annular flange ( 103 ), wherein an outer surface of the side wall ( 102 ) includes a first portion ( 1021 ), which is proximal to the flange ( 103 ), and a second portion ( 1022 ), which is distal from the flange ( 103 ); a lip seal ( 104 ) which juts from a rear surface ( 103 B) of the annular flange ( 103 ) and which extends around the longitudinal axis (A), so that the annular flange ( 103 ), the lip seal ( 104 ) and the side wall ( 102 ) delimit an annular groove ( 106 ); a plurality of protrusions ( 105 ) disposed around the longitudinal axis (A) and jutting from the first portion ( 1021 ) of the outer surface of the side wall ( 102 ).

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A capsule, intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, the capsule comprising a body which includes:
 a bottom wall;   a side wall extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular edge, connected to the bottom wall, and a second annular edge, wherein the side wall has an inner surface, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outer surface, opposite to the inner surface;   an annular flange, which extends from the second annular edge of the side wall, away from the longitudinal axis, and which has a rear surface facing towards the side wall and a front surface, opposite to the rear surface, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion, which is proximal to the flange, and a second portion, which is distal from the flange; and   a lip seal which juts from the rear surface of the annular flange and which extends around the longitudinal axis wherein the annular flange, the lip seal and the side wall delimit an annular groove;   wherein the body also includes a plurality of centring protrusions disposed around the longitudinal axis and jutting from the first portion of the outer surface of the side wall, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions produce local thickening of the side wall.   
     
     
         17 . The capsule according to  claim 17 , wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are positioned at least partly in the annular groove. 
     
     
         18 . The capsule according to  claim 17 , wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are connected to the rear surface of the annular flange. 
     
     
         19 . The capsule according to  claim 18 , wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are spaced from the lip seal. 
     
     
         20 . The capsule according to  claim 19 , wherein the extension of each centring protrusion of the plurality of centring protrusions in a plane parallel to the annular flange is smaller than the distance between the centring protrusion and the lip seal in the selfsame plane which is parallel to the annular flange. 
     
     
         21 . The capsule according to  claim 19 , wherein the extension of each centring protrusion of the plurality of centring protrusions in a plane perpendicular to the annular flange is greater than the extension of the lip seal in the selfsame plane which is perpendicular to the annular flange. 
     
     
         22 . The capsule according to according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions extend along respective axes which are contained in planes passing through the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         23 . The capsule according to according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are angularly equispaced around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         24 . The capsule according to according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of centring protrusions includes at least three centring protrusions. 
     
     
         25 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , comprising an additional lip seal surrounding the lip seal and spaced therefrom. 
     
     
         26 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions comprise a lower joining surface, which is in direct contact with the annular flange, so that the protrusions rest on the annular flange. 
     
     
         27 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions have a triangular section. 
     
     
         28 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions have an “L” shape, when seen in a section along a plane including the longitudinal axis, wherein the “L” shape includes a longer stretch, developing in a direction which has the orientation of the lateral surface of the capsule body, and a shorter stretch, which develops in a radial direction. 
     
     
         29 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein, for each centring protrusion, a thickness of the centring protrusion is increasing in the direction that proceeds from the bottom of the capsule towards the annular flange, so that a maximum thickness of each protrusion is at the first end, in contact with the annular flange. 
     
     
         30 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of centring protrusions includes a first subset of protrusions and a second subsets of protrusions, wherein the protrusions of the second subset are smaller than the protrusions of the first subset, and wherein the protrusions of the first subset are be arranged around the longitudinal axis in alternate fashion with respect to corresponding protrusions belonging to the second subset, so that each projection of the first subset is arranged between two projections of the second subset and vice versa. 
     
     
         31 . The capsule according to  claim 16 , wherein the centring protrusions have a length along the longitudinal axis of the capsule equal to at least three times their circumferential thickness. 
     
     
         32 . A method for making a capsule, intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, wherein the method comprises a step of forming a body of the capsule, in which the following are made:
 a bottom wall;   a side wall extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular edge, connected to the bottom wall, and a second annular edge, wherein the side wall has an inner surface, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outer surface, opposite to the inner surface;   an annular flange, which extends from the second annular edge of the side wall, away from the longitudinal axis, and which has a rear surface facing towards the side wall and a front surface, opposite to the rear surface, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion, which is proximal to the flange, and a second portion, which is distal from the flange, wherein the outer surface of the side wall includes a first portion which is proximal to the flange and a second portion which is distal from the flange; and   a lip seal which juts from the rear surface of the annular flange and which extends around the longitudinal axis to delimit, together with the annular flange and the side wall, an annular groove;   wherein the step of forming also makes a plurality of centring protrusions disposed around the longitudinal axis and jutting from the first portion of the outer surface of the side wall, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions produce local thickening of the side wall.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the step of forming is carried out by compression moulding starting from a charge of thermoplastic material, wherein the centring protrusions of the plurality of centring protrusions are made as one with the side wall of the body during compression moulding. 
     
     
         34 . A mould for making a capsule intended for the preparation of a beverage in a device for making beverages, the mould being movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration in which it defines a moulding cavity that includes:
 a bottom recess;   a side recess, extending around a longitudinal axis between a first annular end, connected to the bottom recess and a second annular end, wherein the side recess has an inside wall, facing towards the longitudinal axis, and an outside wall, opposite to the inside wall;   a flange recess, connected to the second annular end and extending from the second annular end, away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the flange recess has a rear wall, facing towards the side recess, and a front wall, opposite to the rear wall, and wherein the outside wall of the side recess includes a first portion, proximal to the flange recess, and a second portion, distal from the flange recess; and   a lip seal recess, connected to the rear wall of the flange recess and extending around the longitudinal axis;   wherein the side recess includes a plurality of recesses disposed around the longitudinal axis in the first portion of the outside wall of the side recess.   
     
     
         35 . The mould according to  claim 34 , comprising an upper unit and a lower unit, which are movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein, in the open configuration of the mould, the upper unit and the lower unit are spaced apart and in the closed configuration of the mould, the upper unit and the lower unit are close together and delimit the moulding cavity.