Capsule and method for preparing a beverage such as coffee from said capsule

1. Capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage preparation device comprising:

a cup-shaped body comprising a cavity containing a beverage ingredient and a flange-like rim extending outwardly from the base of the body,

a delivery wall connected to the flange-like rim,

the flange-like rim is formed of a polymer material having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a Vicat softening point (ISO 10350) between about 30 and 100° C., and a glass transition temperature (Tg) between 30 and 80° C.

2. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is selected from the group consisting of:

polyethylene,

a blend of: a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP); and at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of: ethylene copolymer(s) and terpolymer(s) and combinations thereof.

3. Capsule according to claim 2 , wherein the copolymer(s) is selected from the group consisting of:

EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate), EMA (ethylene glycol monobutyl monomer ether acetate), EBA (poly(ethylene-co-butyl acrylate) and combinations thereof, or

a rubber elastomer or plastomer, preferably EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer)

and combinations thereof.

4. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is an agro-resource based polyester.

5. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is selected from the group consisting of: crystallized or semi-crystallized PET (cPET), crystallized or semicrystallized polylactic acid (cPLA) PET (polyethylene terephtalate), PLA (polylactic acid) and combinations thereof

6. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery wall is a membrane designed to be at least partially torn under pressure against protrusions provided on the capsule holder during water injection.

7. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery wall has filtering apertures.

8. Capsule according to claim 7 , wherein the filtering apertures have a diameter of less than 300 microns.

9. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the flange-like rim has a thickness which comprises at least a portion which is of greater thickness than a thickness of at least one of the other walls of the body.

10. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the flange-like rim comprises at least one lip forming a local increase of thickness protruding from the rim in a direction opposite to the membrane.

11. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane is an aluminium or aluminium alloy membrane.

12. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the membrane is made of the same material as the polymer material of the body.

13. Capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the rim has a thickness of between 0.5 and 1.2 mm.

14. A system for the preparation of a beverage comprising:

a capsule comprising a cup-shaped body comprising a cavity containing a beverage ingredient and a flange-like rim extending outwardly from the base of the body, a delivery wall connected to the flange-like rim, the flange-like rim is formed of a polymer material having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a Vicat softening point (ISO 10350) between about 30 and 100° C., and a glass transition temperature (Tg) between 30 and 80° C.; and

a beverage preparation unit, the unit comprises a capsule holder and an enclosing member for receiving the capsule, the enclosing member comprising an annular pressing surface comprising radial grooves, the pressing surface being designed to compress the flange-like rim of the capsule the material of the flange-like rim is designed during water injection for clogging the grooves of the pressing surface thereby providing a liquid-tight engagement between the capsule and the enclosing member.

15. Method for the preparation of a beverage, using the capsule of claim 1 containing a dose of beverage ingredient, by insertion of a capsule in a beverage preparation unit comprising a capsule holder and a water injection enclosing member; comprising the steps of:

inserting the capsule between the capsule holder and the water injection enclosing member while pressing the sealing rim against the capsule holder by a grooved pressing surface of the water injection enclosing member;

injecting water under pressure in a volume between the capsule and water injection enclosing member and in the capsule;

providing a bypass of water at the beginning of the water injection operation between a pressing surface comprising radial grooves and the capsule, the water bypass is stopped or reduced as further water is injected;

forcing a liquid extract to flow from the interior of the capsule through the delivery wall, apertures of the capsule holder and to a discharge duct; and

the water bypass is collected and discharged through the discharge duct.