Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR PRODUCING A PORTION
CAPSULE, AND PORTION CAPSULE FOR BEVERAGES AND
FOODSTUFFS
FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART
[0001] The invention relates to a method and an
installation for producing a portion capsule for drinks
and food products having a cup-shaped bowl and having a
cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the
bowl. The invention further relates to a portion capsule
for drinks and food products.
[0002] Portion capsules for drinks or other food
products are known from the prior art. The cup-shaped
bowl is preferably formed in a truncated-cone-like manner
or cylindrically and has a base and a covering face. It
is produced, for example, from a deep-drawn plastics film
or with the plastic material injection-molding method.
At a side opposite the base, there are provided a filling
opening and a seal edge which surrounds the filling
opening and on which a covering film is applied, in
particular sealed, after the portion capsule has been
filled.
[0003] In order to produce specific drinks or food
products, a filter element has to be inserted into the
portion capsule.
[0004] An installation for producing a portion capsule
having a filter element is known, for example, from
EP2093148 Al, wherein the installation has a single
forming and inserting device in order to form in one step
individual cup-shaped filters which comprise a filter
material and to insert each of these cup-shaped filters
into a bowl, and wherein there is provided downstream of
this forming and inserting device a welding device, by
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means of which an edge of each cup-shaped filter is welded
to an upper seal edge of the associated bowl.
PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
[0005] Objectives of the invention are to provide a
method and an installation for producing a portion
capsule which is improved for subsequent handling and an
improved portion capsule.
[0006] These objectives are achieved by the aspects of
subject-matter having the features of claims 1, 6 and 11.
Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent
claims.
[0007] According to a first aspect, there is provided a
method for producing a portion capsule for drinks and
food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal
edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped
filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in
which a product is introduced, comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a filter element from a forming piece
comprising a filter material; (b) inserting the filter
element formed into a cup-shaped bowl; (c) connecting an
edge of the formed filter element to a seal edge of the
cup-shaped bowl; and (d) connecting the filter element
to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl.
[0008] By the filter element being connected to the base
and/or the covering face of the bowl, subsequent handling
is improved. In this instance, the connection locations
are preferably selected so that separation of the filter
element is not carried out when the portion capsule is
pierced during use for dispensing the drink.
[0009] Connection of the filter element to the seal edge
of the bowl and/or the base or the covering face is
preferably carried out by means of an adhesive, melt or
seal connection.
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[0010] In one embodiment, simultaneous connection of the
filter element to the seal edge and the base or the
covering face is carried out. In advantageous
embodiments, steps c) and d) were carried out separately.
[0011] In this case, in an advantageous embodiment there
is provision for the filter element to be preformed in
step a), wherein the preformed filter element is brought
into a definitive form before or during step d).
[0012] In an embodiment, the forming piece is stamped
or cut out from a material web and formed in one step.
In advantageous embodiments, however, there is provision
for the forming piece to be stamped or cut out of a
material web before step a), that is to say, before the
filter element is formed, in a separate step.
[0013] The bowl is preferably transported during the
method in a product flow direction. In this case, there
is preferably provision for series production for a
plurality of portion capsules to be produced
simultaneously, wherein a plurality of filter elements
are simultaneously inserted into a plurality of bowls
which are arranged one behind the other in the product
flow direction or beside each other transversely,
preferably perpendicularly, to the product flow
direction, and each to be connected to the associated
bowl.
[0014] In one embodiment, the bowls are provided by
deep-drawing from a material web, wherein a plurality of
bowls are connected to each other at the seal edges
thereof.
[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, after the filter
element is inserted and the filter element is connected
to the base or the covering face of the bowl, embossing
is carried out. The portion capsules which are separated
after the connection have improved handling in comparison
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,
with conventional portion capsules. By the bowls being
stamped out after the filter elements are inserted and
fixed, an edge of the filter element is also prevented
from projecting beyond a seal edge of the bowl in a
finished portion capsule.
[0016] According to a second aspect, an installation is
provided for producing a portion capsule for drinks and
food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal
edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped
filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in
which a product can be introduced, comprising a first
device, in particular a fold-forming member, for forming
a filter element from a forming piece comprising a filter
material, a second device for inserting the formed filter
element into a cup-shaped bowl, a third device, in
particular a seal device, for fitting an edge of the
formed filter element to a seal edge of the cup-shaped
bowl, and a fourth device, in particular a seal device,
for fitting the filter element to the base and/or the
covering face of the bowl.
[0017] In this case, the devices can be constructed
partially together. Thus, it is conceivable for the first
and second devices to have a common tool for insertion
and fitting, in particular sealing the filter element to
the seal wall. Similarly, it is conceivable for the third
and fourth devices a common tool for simultaneously
fitting the filter element to the seal edge and to the
base or the covering face of the bowl. In advantageous
embodiments, the second and the third devices have a
common tool for inserting the formed filter element into
the cup-shaped bowl and connecting the filter element to
the seal edge of the bowl. In other embodiments, all the
devices are constructed separately, wherein the bowl or
a plurality of bowls is/are transported to the devices
successively in a product flow direction.
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[0018] In an embodiment, the filter element can be
brought into a definitive form by means of the first
device. In advantageous embodiments, there is provided
after the first device and before or at the fourth device
a forming tool, by means of which the filter element
inserted into the bowl can be brought into a definitive
form before or during the fitting of the filter element
to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl. By
formation in the bowl, an optimum formation of the filter
element is ensured.
[0019] In an embodiment, the first device is constructed
in such a manner that stamping and forming of the filter
element are carried out by means of the first device. In
advantageous embodiments, a stamping or cutting device
for stamping or cutting out the forming piece from a
material web is provided in the product flow direction
upstream of the first device.
[0020] There is preferably provided a transport device,
by means of which bowl or in series production a large
number of bowls can be transported in the product flow
direction during production of the portion capsule. The
bowls are preferably connected to each other in the
product flow direction.
[0021] In advantageous embodiments, the installation
has a stamping device downstream of the device for
fitting the filter element to the base and/or the
covering face of the bowl, wherein the bowl with the
filter element inserted can be brought into a final form
by means of the stamping device and/or the bowls which
are connected to each other can be separated.
[0022] According to a third aspect, a portion capsule
for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl is
provided, comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering
face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is
inserted into the bowl and in which a product can be
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introduced, wherein an edge of the filter element is
connected to the seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl and
wherein the filter element is connected to the base
and/or the covering face of the bowl.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Additional advantages and aspects of the
invention will be appreciated from the claims and the
following description of preferred exemplary embodiments
of the invention which are explained below with reference
to the Figures, in which:
[0024] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a portion capsule;
[0025] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an installation for
producing a portion capsule according to Figure 1; and
[0026] Fig. 3 shows a packaging line for producing,
filling and packaging the portion capsules illustrated
in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a portion capsule
2 for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl
3 and a cup-shaped filter element 4 which is inserted
into the bowl and in which a product which is not
illustrated can be introduced.
[0028] The bowl 3 has a seal edge 30, a base 31 and a
covering face 32. The filter element 4 is connected at
the free edge 40 thereof to the seal edge 30 of the cup-
shaped bowl 3, for example, sealed thereto. Furthermore,
the filter element 4 is connected to the base 31 of the
bowl 3, for example, sealed thereto.
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[0029] Figure 2 schematically shows an installation 1
for producing a portion capsule 2 according to Figure 1
having a cup-shaped bowl 3 and a filter element 4. A
product flow direction is schematically indicated by an
arrow.
[0030] The installation 1 comprises a transport device
10, by means of which the cup-shaped bowls 3 are
transported in the product flow direction. The transport
device 10 is preferably constructed in such a manner that
a plurality of bowls 3 are conveyed in parallel rows in
the product flow direction. The bowls 3 are preferably
connected to each other at the seal edges 30 in the
product flow direction.
[0031] The installation 1 comprises in the product flow
direction a device 12 for inserting a filter element 4
into a bowl 3 and a device 13 for connecting a free edge
40 (cf. Figure 1) of the filter element 4 to a seal edge
30 of the bowl 3. The edge 40 of the filter element 4 is
fitted to the seal edge 30 of the bowl 3, preferably by
means of an adhesive, melt or seal connection. The
insertion of the filter element 3 into the bowl 3 and
connection of the filter element 4 to the seal edge 30
of the bowl are carried out depending on the
configuration in one step by means of a common tool or
in two steps using different tools.
[0032] The installation 1 further comprises a forming
device 14, by means of which the preformed filter element
4 is formed in the bowl 3 and a seal device 15, by means
of which the filter element 4 is fixed to a base 31 and/or
a covering face 32 of the bowl 3, in particular sealed
to the base 31 and/or the covering face 32.
[0033] In the embodiment illustrated, the forming device
14 and the seal device 15 have a common tool. In other
embodiments, two separate tools are provided. In still
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other embodiments, an additional forming device 14 for
forming the filter elements 4 is dispensed with.
[0034] Downstream of the forming device 14 and the seal
device 15 in the product flow direction, a stamping
device 16 is provided, wherein the bowls 3 are stamped
by means of the stamping device 16 together with the
filter elements 4 which are fitted thereto to produce a
desired form and size. If the bowls 3 are connected to
each other at the edges thereof, the bowls 3 are separated
from each other by means of the stamping device 16.
[0035] The filter elements 4 are prefabricated before
insertion. To this end, the installation comprises a
filter separation or stamping device 18, by means of
which forming pieces 42, for example, round blanks, for
the filter elements 4 are stamped or cut out of a material
web of the filter material which is supplied from a store
44. Finally, the installation 1 further comprises a fold-
forming member 19, by means of which the forming pieces
42 are preformed from the filter material before or
during insertion into the bowls 2.
[0036] As schematically indicated, residual material
portions are supplied to a chopper 5 or a different type
of waste processing.
[0037] In a method carried out by means of the
installation 1 according to Figure 2 for producing a
portion capsule 2, the following steps are preferably
provided for:
[0038] 1. stamping or cutting out a forming piece 42
from a filter material by means of the filter separation
or stamping device 18;
[0039] 2. forming a filter element 4 from the forming
piece 42 by means of the fold-forming member 19;
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[0040] 3. inserting the formed filter element 4 into a
cup-shaped bowl 3 by means of the device 12 for inserting
a filter element 4 into a bowl 3;
[0041] 4. connecting an edge 40 of the formed filter
element 4 to a seal edge 30 of the cup-shaped bowl 3 by
means of the device 13 for connecting a free edge 40 of
the filter element 4 to a seal edge 30 of the bowl 3;
[0042] 5. forming the filter element 42 into a final
form in the bowl 3 by means of the forming device 14;
[0043] 6. connecting the filter element 4 to the base
31 and/or the covering face 32 of the bowl 3 by means of
the seal device 15; and
[0044] 7. stamping the bowl 3 with the filter element 4
inserted and connected by means of a stamping device 16.
[0045] As described above, in this instance there may
be provision for individual steps to be carried out
together. In particular, steps 3 and 4 and/or steps 5 and
6 are preferably carried out with a common tool.
[0046] Figure 3 schematically shows a packaging line for
producing, filling and packaging portion capsules 2 which
are not illustrated in Figure 3. The packaging line
comprises the installation 1 according to Figure 2 for
producing the portion capsules 2 including the filter
elements 4 which are inserted therein. In the product
flow direction which is indicated by an arrow, a work
station 102 is provided downstream of the installation 1
for filling the portion capsules. A store 101 is provided
between the installation 1 and the work station 102 for
filling. The packaging line illustrated further comprises
a first cartoning device 103, a second cartoning device
104 for inserting into a surrounding carton and a
palletizing device 105. The individual work stations 1,
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102, 103, 104, 105 are connected to each other via
suitable transport paths.
[0047] The packaging line is merely exemplary and the
individual work stations, in particular the installation
1 for producing the portion capsules 2 with a filter
element 4, can be combined with other work stations
and/or in other arrangements.
