Container enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient, assembly including such a container and a food or beverage preparation machine, and food or beverage preparation process implementing such an assembly

Abstract

The invention is directed to a container ( 1 ) for enclosing a dose ( 2 ) of a food or beverage ingredient. The container ( 1 ) has a first region ( 8 ) for cooperating with a liquid injection device ( 106 ) that has several injectors ( 116 ) distributed over an injection area ( 118 ). The container ( 1 ) has a second region ( 10 ) for being punctured by a puncturing device ( 108 ) that has several puncturing elements ( 120 ) distributed over a puncturing area ( 122 ). The container ( 1 ) is composed of at least one dissolvable material. The invention is also directed to an assembly ( 101 ) including such a container ( 1 ) and a food or beverage preparation machine ( 102 ). The invention is further directed to a food or beverage preparation process implementing such an assembly ( 101 ).

1 . Container for enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient,
 wherein the container has a first region configured to cooperate with a liquid injection device that is part of a food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area,   wherein the container has a second region configured to be punctured by a puncturing device that is part of the food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of puncturing elements, the puncturing elements being distributed over a puncturing area,   wherein the container is composed of at least one dissolvable material.   
     
     
         2 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured such that, when the container is arranged in an extraction cell of the food or beverage preparation machine during a food or beverage preparation process:
 a liquid injected by the liquid injection device may enter the container via the first region,   the liquid entered in the container may interact with the dose,   a food or beverage product resulting from said interacting may exit the container via the second region, and   the container may start dissolving or may at least partially dissolve.   
     
     
         3 . Container according to any one of the preceding  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dissolvable material has oxygen barrier properties. 
     
     
         4 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dissolvable material consists essentially in at least one edible material. 
     
     
         5 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dissolvable material is selected from the group consisting of: seaweed, seaweed extract, celluloses, polysaccharides, proteins, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the food or beverage ingredient is selected from the group consisting of: ground coffee, coffee extract, tea leaves, tea extract, milk powder, vegetable powder, fruit powder, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the container, or the thickness of the at least one dissolvable material as the case may be, is between 10 μm and 200 μm. 
     
     
         8 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises at least one part defining a cavity for housing the dose and at least one part configured to close said cavity, said parts having respective flanges sealed together such that the container may be configured as a closed package. 
     
     
         9 . Container according to  claim 8 , wherein the flanges are flexible. 
     
     
         10 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is coated with a film made of a material having high moisture barrier properties. 
     
     
         11 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises at least one paper layer including paper or paper fibers. 
     
     
         12 . Container according to  claim 1 , wherein the first region has a substantially flat surface and wherein the second region has a substantially flat surface. 
     
     
         13 . Assembly including a food or beverage preparation machine and a container for enclosing a dose of a food or beverage ingredient,
 wherein the container has a first region configured to cooperate with a liquid injection device that is part of a food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area, the liquid injection device being for example in the form of a shower,   wherein the container has a second region configured to be punctured by a puncturing device that is part of the food or beverage preparation machine and that has a plurality of puncturing elements, the puncturing elements being distributed over a puncturing area,   wherein the container is composed of at least one dissolvable material, wherein the food or beverage preparation machine comprises:   an extraction cell configured to hold the container during a food or beverage preparation process,   a liquid injection device having a plurality of injectors distributed over an injection area, the injection device being configured to cooperate with the first region of the container, the liquid injection device being for example in the form of a shower, and   a puncturing device having a plurality of puncturing elements distributed over a puncturing area, the puncturing device being configured to cooperate with the second region of the container.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled)