TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to manufacturing disposable pods—typically coffee pods—for making beverages in specific extraction machines.

In greater detail, the present invention relates to manufacturing pods consisting of a dose of coffee contained between/by two thin caps of waterproof material having for example, circular shape, that are joined to each other along a perimeter flange.

Even more specifically, the present invention relates to manufacturing coffee pods in which the coffee dose consists of a substantially solid tablet of compacted coffee powder.

Coffee pods of this type, i.e., coffee pods in which the coffee dose consists of a substantially solid tablet of compacted coffee power, are known for example, under the commercial name “Nespresso® professional”.

Known Technique

A system for manufacturing coffee pods outlined above provides using specific mechanically- or hydraulically-activated presses which compact individual coffee doses with pressure sufficient to make the solid tablets.

After the compaction, the solid compacted coffee tablets are moved away from the press and transferred to an apparatus that interposes them between two belts of waterproof material, which were subjected to plastic deformation beforehand in order to make localized impressions in them adapted to define the caps.

Then the two belts of waterproof material are sealed to each other and cut so as to separate the individual pods.

A drawback of this production system however consists in the fact that the compaction operations of the coffee doses occur in a separate and independent manner with respect to the packaging of the tablets thus obtained inside the caps of waterproof material, increasing the complexity of the system and reducing the productivity thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method that allow manufacturing the aforesaid coffee pods in substantially continuous and integrated manner.

It is another object of the present invention to achieve the mentioned object within the scope of a simple, rational and relatively affordable solution.

These and other objects are obtained due to the features of the invention that are indicated in the independent claims. The dependent claims outline preferred or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

In particular, one embodiment of the present invention makes available an apparatus for manufacturing pods for beverage extraction machines comprising:movement means to advance a belt of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction,a plurality of forming plates arranged below the belt and individually provided with at least one cavity facing the belt itself,movement means to advance said forming plates in the same direction as and in a synchronized manner with the belt, anda plurality of operational devices arranged in succession along the running direction of the belt,

wherein said operational devices comprise at least:one device for pressing down a portion of the belt into the cavity of the forming plate below, impressing the shape of a cap therein,a device for releasing a dose of a powder substance inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate,a device for compacting the dose inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate, obtaining a compacted tablet,a device for applying a second cap of waterproof material on the compacted tablet inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate,a device for sealing the second cap to the belt, obtaining a pod, anda device for cutting the belt, separating the pod.

Due to this solution, the compaction operation of each dose of powder substance, typically ground coffee, occurs directly inside the deformed portion of belt (cap) in which it is then packaged, obtaining a completely continuous and integrated manufacturing system.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the device for compacting the dose may comprise a vibrating group adapted to transmit a mechanical vibration to the dose.

Thereby, it is advantageously possible to obtain an increased level of compaction of the dose without using powerful presses which would be difficult to integrate in a continuous system like the one outlined.

In particular, the vibrating group may comprise:an ultrasonic generator adapted to generate an electric wave having a frequency in the ultrasound range,an electromechanical transducer adapted to transform the electric wave into a mechanical vibration, anda sonotrode adapted to transfer the mechanical vibration generated by the electromechanical transducer to the dose.

Due to this ultrasound compaction system, it advantageously is possible to obtain a very high level of compaction of the coffee dose with great efficiency.

According to one aspect of this system, the device for compacting the dose may also comprise a booster interposed between the electromechanical transducer and the sonotrode to amplify the mechanical vibration.

Thereby, it is effectively possible to obtain a vibration having sufficiently high amplitude without an excessive waste of energy.

Another aspect of the system provides for the device for compacting the dose to also comprise means adapted to move the sonotrode between a raised position, in which it is separated from the dose, to a lowered position, in which it presses the dose against the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate.

Due to this solution, in addition to applying the mechanical vibration having ultrasonic frequency, the sonotrode is capable of also applying a constant pressure to the dose, which contributes to compacting the powder and giving it a suitable shape.

A further aspect of the system provides for the sonotrode to be slidably received inside a guiding jacket adapted to rest on the belt, surrounding the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate.

This guiding frame has the function of guiding the movement of the sonotrode, laterally containing the powder substance of the dose and preforming the perimeter flange of the pod.

According to a different aspect of the invention, the device for applying the second cap of waterproof material may comprise:movement means to advance a second belt of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction,a forming plate placed below the second belt and provided with at least one cavity facing the second belt itself,one device for pressing down a portion of the second belt into the cavity of the forming plate, impressing the shape of the second cap therein,cutting means for cutting the second belt, separating a sheet that contains the second cap, andtransfer means adapted to receive said sheet and to bring it to an overlapping position with the compacted tablet.

Due to this solution, it is advantageously possible to continuously make sheets of deformable material that are provided with specific impressions (caps) adapted to receive the upper part of the tablet of compacted powder substance.

A particular aspect of the invention provides for the transfer means to comprise a rotating carousel provided with a plurality of support beams individually provided with at least one cavity and cyclically movable, due to the rotation of the carousel, from a receiving position, in which the cavity of the support beam is aligned and facing towards the second cap obtained on the sheet separated from the second belt, to a release position, in which the cavity of the support beam is facing downwards and is aligned with the compacted tablet.

Due to this solution, a quick and safe system is available for enclosing the compacted tablet between the cap impressed in the first belt of waterproof material and a second cap impressed in the sheet of waterproof material obtained from the second belt.

A further aspect of the invention provides for the transfer means to also comprise suction means to create a vacuum inside the cavity of the support beam.

Thereby, the sheets of waterproof material are firmly retained by the support beams during the rotation of the rotating carousel from the receiving position to the release position.

The present invention also makes available a method for manufacturing pods for beverage extraction machines, comprising the steps of:advancing a belt of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction,arranging, below the belt, a plurality of forming plates individually provided with at least one cavity facing the belt itself,advancing said forming plates in the same direction as and in a synchronized manner with the belt,pressing down a portion of the belt into the cavity of the forming plate below, impressing the shape of a cap therein,releasing a dose of a powder substance inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate,compacting the dose inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate, obtaining a compacted tablet,applying a second cap of waterproof material on the compacted tablet inside the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate,sealing the second cap to the belt, obtaining a pod, andcutting the belt to separate the pod.

This method substantially achieves the same advantages as the apparatus outlined above, in particular the one of performing the compaction operation of each dose directly inside the deformed portion of belt (cap) in which it is later packaged.

All the accessory aspects of the apparatus described above naturally are applicable also to the method. In particular, the compaction step may provide transmitting mechanical vibrations to the dose, preferably having a frequency in the ultrasound range, for example by means of a sonotrode. The compaction step may also provide moving the sonotrode between a raised position, in which it is separated from the dose, to a lowered position, in which it presses the dose against the cap placed in the cavity of the forming plate, possibly causing it to slide inside a guiding jacket adapted to rest on the belt surrounding said cap. On the other hand, the application of the second cap of waterproof material may comprise the steps of advancing a second belt of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction, positioning, below the second belt, a forming plate provided with at least one cavity facing the second belt itself, pressing down a portion of the second belt into the cavity of the forming plate, impressing the shape of the second cap therein, cutting the second belt, separating a sheet that contains the second cap, and transferring said sheet and bringing it in position overlapping the compacted tablet.

