Capsule system for the preparation of beverages by centrifugation
View Patent ↗A capsule system for preparing beverages by centrifugation of a capsule in a centrifuging brewing device comprising: a set of different capsules ( 1 A, 1 B; 1 C, 1 D; 1 E, 1 F, 1 G; 1 H, 1 I; 1 J, 1 K, 1 L); each one for selectively delivering a beverage having specific characteristics that differ from the other capsules of the set; each capsule of the set comprising a body ( 2 ) with a sidewall and a free rim ( 3 ), an upper wall ( 4 ) and an extractable or infusible ingredient; and an insertion diameter (D) of the body of the capsule for insertion in a rotary capsule holder ( 14 ) of the centrifuge brewing device ( 7 ) in a referential position, wherein the different capsules in the set having bodies ( 2 ) of different storage volumes obtained by a variable depth (d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) of the body in the set but the same insertion diameter (D) for all capsules of the set.
1. A method for brewing a variety of coffee beverages of different volumes having different characteristics of taste, strength and crema using capsules which are centrifuged in a centrifugal brewing device, the method comprising:
providing a set of capsules having a body defining different storage volumes and containing an amount of infusible or extractable coffee ingredient that increases as a function of the storage volume of the body in the set, each capsule in the set corresponds to a flow rate or a profile of flow rate of reference and corresponds to a particular volume of injected liquid of reference;
selecting a capsule from the set of capsules and centrifuging the capsule in the centrifugal brewing device; and
adjusting a flow rate and a volume of injected liquid in the capsule to match the flow rate or the profile of flow rate of reference and the particular volume of the injected liquid of reference as a function of the storage volume of the capsule, the flow rate being controlled by a method selected from the group consisting of varying a rotational speed, varying a back-pressure exerted on a centrifuged liquid by flow restriction means pertaining to at least either the centrifugal brewing device or the capsule or positioned on both the centrifugal brewing device and the capsule, and varying both the rotational speed and the back-pressure exerted on the centrifuged liquid by the flow restriction means pertaining to at least either the centrifugal brewing device or the capsule or positioned on both the centrifugal brewing device and the capsule, and the flow rate is controlled such that the smaller the storage volume of the capsule, the smaller the flow rate.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the smaller the storage volume of the capsule, the smaller the volume of the injected liquid in the capsule.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction means are on both the centrifugal brewing device and the capsule.
4. The method according claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction means pertain to both the centrifugal brewing device and the capsule.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the centrifuging of the capsule in the centrifugal brewing device forces the injected liquid to traverse the infusible or extractable coffee ingredient and then leave the capsule as one of the coffee beverages of different volumes having different characteristics of taste, strength and crema.
6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising varying a temperature of the injected liquid as a function of the storage volume of the capsule.
7. A method for brewing a variety of coffee beverages of different volumes having different characteristics of taste, strength and crema using capsules which are centrifuged in a centrifugal brewing device, the method comprising:
providing a set of capsules having a body defining different storage volumes and containing an amount of infusible or extractable coffee ingredient that increases as a function of the storage volume of the body in the set, each capsule in the set corresponds to a flow rate or a profile of flow rate of reference and corresponds to a particular volume of injected liquid of reference;
selecting a capsule from the set of capsules and centrifuging the capsule in the centrifugal brewing device;
adjusting a flow rate and a volume of injected liquid in the capsule to match the flow rate or the profile of flow rate of reference and the particular volume of injected liquid of reference as a function of the storage volume of the capsule, the flow rate being controlled by varying both a rotational speed and a back-pressure exerted on a centrifuged liquid by flow restriction means positioned on both the centrifugal brewing device and the capsule, and the flow rate is controlled such that the smaller the storage volume of the capsule, the smaller the flow rate; and
the centrifuging of the capsule in the centrifugal brewing device forces the injected liquid to traverse the infusible or extractable coffee ingredient and then leave the capsule as one of the coffee beverages of different volumes having different characteristics of taste, strength and crema.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flow rate is controlled at least partially by varying the back-pressure exerted on the centrifuged liquid using a mechanism selected from the group consisting of (i) a spring-biased valve downstream of an enclosure of the capsule and (ii) varying a cross-section of restriction outlets based on the storage volume of the capsule.