Luigi Lavazza S.p.a

Electro Power Systems S.p.a.

Luisa Anna Borello

Alberto Cabilli

Danilo Bolognese

Luca Bugnano

Giuseppe Gianolio

Pierpaolo Cherchi

Luca Mercante

Dario Ceffa

Silvia Barus

Emilio Cugnetto

Fabio Tottone

Andrea Musso

A capsule for extraction of a beverage of the filter-coffee type has a capsule body (), made of water-impermeable material, which defines a chamber (), present inside which is a precursor of the beverage, comprising soluble coffee and roast and ground coffee. At least 51 wt % of the precursor is roast and ground coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 350 and 800 μm, and the complement to 100 wt % of the precursor is soluble coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 1000 and 5000 μm. The roast and ground coffee is laid out to form a first layer (GC) in the lower part of the capsule body (), and the soluble coffee (SC) is laid out to form a second layer (SC) in the upper part of the capsule body, i.e., in a position corresponding to the inlet wall () and/or above the first layer (GC). The first layer of roast and ground coffee (GC) is pressed inside the capsule body (), and the second layer of soluble coffee (SC) is present inside the capsule body () substantially unpressed.

Capsule for the preparation of a coffee-based beverage

A system for the preparation of beverages with the use of capsules including an infusion assembly () and a capsule (C). The infusion assembly includes a capsule-holder () and a cooperating body (), adapted to assume an open configuration for positioning a capsule (C) therebetween, and a closed configuration for preparing a beverage through the capsule (C) clamped in a liquid-tight manner therebetween. In the capsule-holder () there is defined a recess () adapted to receive the capsule (C) with the bottom wall () facing the interior of the capsule-holder () and wherein is provided a first piercing member () provided with at least a piercing point () adapted to penetrate through the bottom wall () of said capsule (C). The capsule-holder () is adapted to supply a flow of fluid introduced into the capsule (C) through the tear created in its bottom wall () from the at least one point (). In the cooperating body () a dispensing conduit () is defined for the beverage and a second piercing member () is provided, having at least one point () adapted to penetrate through the cover () of the capsule (C) to allow the outflow of the beverage from the capsule (C) towards said dispensing conduit (). In the capsule-holder () there are provided fluid communication passages (), which put into communication a region upstream of the first piercing member () such that, during the preparation of a beverage, the fluid introduced into the recess () of the capsule-holder () exerts on the first piercing member () a force lower than a predetermined value towards the capsule (C), the first piercing member () being mounted in the recess () of the capsule-holder () such as to be movable under the action of a spring () tending to displace it towards the cooperating body ().

System for the preparation of beverages with the use of capsules

A cartridge () containing a dose () of at least one substance for preparing a liquid product, e.g., coffee, by means of liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge (). The cartridge comprises a body () containing the aforesaid dose (), with a bottom wall (), through which the liquid product is able to flow out of the cartridge (), and a cover () that closes the body of the cartridge () at the end of the body opposite to the bottom wall (). The body () comprises a crushed-plant-fibre material (e.g., with a base of rice husk), which may also be used for producing the cover. Alternatively, the cover () may be made of paper material (e.g., filter paper). The body () and the cover () are connected together via purely mechanical connection, it thus being possible to avoid gluing or welding.

Cartridge for preparing a liquid product and method for producing it

A cartridge () containing a dose () of at least one substance, for example, ground coffee, for preparing a liquid product using liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge () comprises a body () with a bottom wall () and a cover () for closing the body () of the cartridge () in a position opposite to the bottom wall (). The cover () is coupled to the body () via a coupling element, such as, for example, the mouth part () of the body or a lock ring () that undergoes shape variation under the action of said liquid and/or steam, thus causing release of the coupling between the cover () and the body () of the cartridge (). The coupling element () comprises, for example, compostable material that can undergo post-crystallization under the action of heat, which has not been subjected to post-crystallization in the cartridge () prior to use.

Cartridge for preparing a liquid product, and method for production thereof

A fuel cell electric generator designed for back-up in the absence of network electricity supply. The generator comprises a fuel cell stack, means for supplying the stack with a first and a second reagent flow comprising, in turn, pressure reducing means, and a manifold body to communicate with the stack said first and second reagent flows and at least a flow of coolant fluid via a respective coolant loop. The manifold body comprises inside chambers for the mixing of said reagent flows with corresponding re-circulated product flows and a coolant fluid expansion chamber within which said pressure reducing means of said first and second reagent flows are positioned at least partially drowned by said coolant. Method for the start-up and shut-down of the generator, and a method for detecting the flooding of a fuel cell and a method for detecting the presence of gas leakages in the generator are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Turin, Italy

Luisa Anna Borello