A capsule for the preparation of a beverage

Abstract

The invention is directed to a capsule ( 1 ) for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage preparation machine ( 10 ) comprising: —a cup-shaped body, being a solid of revolution with a bottom wall ( 2 ), lateral walls ( 3 ), and a peripheral rim ( 4 ) extending outwardly at the top edges of said lateral walls ( 3 ), —a closing membrane ( 5 ) attached to the rim ( 4 ) for closing the cup-shaped body ( 1 ) and forming a closed chamber containing a beverage ingredient, wherein the bottom wall ( 2 ) is adapted to be pierced by a water-injection piercing member ( 12 ) of the beverage preparation machine ( 10 ), and wherein said cup-shaped body comprises an outer layer of moulded cellulose pulp ( 6 ) and an inner layer of polymeric liner film ( 7 ) having barrier properties to oxygen and/or moisture, said barrier liner film ( 7 ) being attached to said moulded pulp outer layer ( 6 ), characterized in that: said capsule ( 1 ) further comprises a rigid holding insert ( 8 ) inside said closed chamber, positioned in a stationary manner relative to the cup-shaped body, said insert ( 8 ) comprising a ring-shaped portion ( 9 ) that holds said liner film ( 7 ) against said moulded pulp layer ( 6 ) along the circumference of at least one portion of said bottom wall ( 2 ).

1 . A capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage preparation machine comprising:
 a cup-shaped body, being a solid of revolution with a bottom wall, lateral walls, and a peripheral rim extending outwardly at the top edges of said lateral walls,   a closing membrane attached to the rim for closing the cup-shaped body and forming a closed chamber containing a beverage ingredient,   wherein the bottom wall is adapted to be pierced by a water-injection piercing member of the beverage preparation machine, and wherein said cup-shaped body comprises an outer layer of moulded cellulose pulp and an inner layer of polymeric liner film having barrier properties to oxygen and/or moisture, said barrier liner film being attached to said moulded pulp outer layer, and   characterized in that: said capsule further comprises a rigid holding insert inside said closed chamber, positioned in a stationary manner relative to the cup-shaped body, said insert comprising a ring-shaped portion that holds said liner film against said moulded pulp layer along the circumference of at least one portion of said bottom wall.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , which further comprises circumferential clipping member at the internal surface of said cup-shaped body, for clipping said rigid holding insert. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein said circumferential clipping member is a circumferential groove or a circumferential protrusion. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein said rigid holding insert comprises a conical ring having a cross-section profile identical to the profile of the bottom wall portion to which it is affixed, such that the entire external surface of said conical ring is in contact with the inner surface of said bottom wall. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 4 , wherein said conical ring comprises a plurality of holes having a diameter comprised between 500 μm and 2 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 4 , wherein said conical ring has a thickness comprised between 300 μm and 3 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein said rigid holding insert further comprises a set of spokes extending from the ring-shaped portion inwardly to a central point, from which a pillar extends towards the central region of the bottom wall, the tip of said pillar holding said liner film against said moulded pulp layer. 
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein said rigid holding insert is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: compressed cellulosic pulp, a biodegradable polymer, starch, compressed hard wood fibres, a polyolefin, a polyester, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . Use of a capsule according to  claim 1  in a beverage preparation machine for the preparation of a beverage. 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a beverage capsule comprising the steps of, in order:
 forming a cup-shaped body by moulding a cellulose pulp layer in a mould, said cup-shaped body being a solid of revolution with a bottom wall, lateral walls, and a peripheral rim extending outwardly at the top edges of said lateral walls,   thermoforming a barrier liner film into the cup-shaped body such that said barrier liner film is attached to the interior surface of the moulded pulp layer,   filling said capsule body with a beverage ingredient,   closing the filled capsule with a closing membrane by sealing said membrane onto the rim, and   between the thermoforming and filling steps-above, overmoulding by injection a rigid holding insert inside said closed chamber, positioned in a stationary manner relative to the cup-shaped body, said insert comprising a ring-shaped portion that holds said liner film against said moulded pulp layer along the circumference of at least one portion of said bottom wall.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  which further comprises creating a circumferential clipping member at the internal surface of said cup-shaped body, for clipping said rigid holding insert. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said circumferential clipping member is a circumferential groove or a circumferential protrusion. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said rigid holding insert is a conical ring having a cross-section profile identical to the profile of the bottom wall portion to which it is affixed, such that the entire external surface of said conical ring is in contact with the inner surface of said bottom wall. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said rigid holding insert is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: a biodegradable polymer, starch, compressed hard wood fibres, a polyolefin, a polyester, and a combination thereof.