US-20260125203-A1 - BEVERAGE OR FOODSTUFF PREPARATION SYSTEM

US20260125203A1US 20260125203 A1US20260125203 A1US 20260125203A1US-20260125203-A1

Abstract

A container for use with a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container comprising: a storage portion for containing a precursor material; a code storing preparation information used by said machine to process the precursor material, the code readable by a code reading system of the machine, which comprises: a lighting system to project an emission to the code, and; a camera system for obtaining a digital image of the code, the code arranged to overlap the precursor material, and; a support layer to support the code, the support layer at least partially light transparent to the emission from the lighting system, wherein the code comprises reflector layer, which is configured to reflect the emission before it is transmitted to a support layer, and the precursor material is arranged to absorb the emission.

Inventors

André Noth
Arnaud Gerbaulet
Carlo Magri
Emmanuel Croisier
Cécile DONIER
Ricardo MANTINHA GOMES
Szabolcs Balasi
Matteo Yann FEO
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE GUILLAUD-BATAILLE

Assignees

Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20231003
Priority Date: 20221003

Claims (16)

1 . A container for use with a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container comprising: a storage portion for containing a precursor material; and a code for storing preparation information used by the machine to process the precursor material, the code configured to be readable by a code reading system of the machine, wherein the code reading system comprises: a lighting system to project an emission to the code, the code arranged to overlap the precursor material such that an emission from the lighting system projects into the precursor material; the code comprises a reflector layer, which is configured to reflect the emission, the container further comprising a support layer to support the code, the support layer made with a material at least partially transparent to the emission from the lighting system, wherein the reflector layer is arranged to reflect the emission before the reflector layer is transmitted to the support layer, and the precursor material is arranged to absorb the emission.
2 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the precursor material is absorbent to at least 60% of the emission from the lighting system.
3 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the precursor material comprises ground coffee.
4 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the reflector layer is configured to diffusively reflect the emission, with a reflectance to the emission of at least 70%.
5 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the reflector layer is formed of one or more inks that do not comprise carbon, and the precursor material comprises carbon.
6 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the emission of the light system has a wavelength of greater than 700 nm, and the camera system is arranged sense light of the wavelength.
7 . The container of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the container comprising the support layer and the code is configured to be penetrable by a one or more penetrators, each with a tip angled at 70-30 degrees, when subject to a force of greater 5-15 N per penetrator.
8 . The container of claim 7 , wherein the support layer has a thickness of 50 to 150 microns.
9 . The container of claim 1 , wherein: the support layer is transparent to at least 30-80% of the emission from the lighting system, and/or the precursor material is absorbent to at least 60% of the emission from the lighting system.
10 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the container is biodegradable description.
11 . A system comprising (i) a container comprising: a storage portion for containing a precursor material; and a code for storing preparation information used by the machine to process the precursor material, the code configured to be readable by a code reading system of the machine, the code reading system comprises: a lighting system to project an emission to the code, the code arranged to overlap the precursor material such that an emission from the lighting system projects into the precursor material; the code comprises a reflector layer, which is configured to reflect the emission, the container further comprising a support layer to support the code, the support layer made with a material at least partially transparent to the emission from the lighting system, wherein the reflector layer is arranged to reflect the emission before the reflector layer is transmitted to the support layer, and the precursor material is arranged to absorb the emission; and (ii) a machine for preparing a beverage or a foodstuff by processing the precursor material, the machine comprising: a code reading system to read the code; a processing unit for processing the precursor material of the container to the beverage or foodstuff, the processing unit comprising a perforator to perforate the support layer of the container; and electrical circuitry to control the processing unit to process the container based on the preparation information.
12 . A closing member for closing a storage portion of a container for use with a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, wherein the closing member comprises: a code for storing preparation information used by the machine to process the precursor material, the code configured to be readable by a code reading system of the machine, wherein the code reading system comprises: a lighting system to project an emission on to the code, the code arranged to overlap precursor material contained by the storage portion such that an emission from the lighting system projects into the precursor material; the code comprises a reflector layer, which is configured to reflect the emission; the closing member further comprising a support layer to support the code, the support layer made with a material at least partially transparent to the emission from the lighting system, wherein the reflector layer is arranged to reflect the emission before the emission is transmitted to a support layer, with the precursor material arranged to absorb the emission.
13 . (canceled)
14 . A method of forming a closing member for a container for use with a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the method comprising: printing a code on a protective layer through which the code is readable by a code reading system, the code comprising a reflector layer, which is configured to reflect an emission from the code reading system, the reflector layer arranged to reflect the emission before the emission is transmitted to a support layer; and connecting the protective and reflector layers to the support layer, wherein the support layer is made with a material which is at least partially transparent to the emission.
15 . A method of reading preparation information from a code of a container containing precursor material, the method comprising: reflecting an emission of a lighting system of a code reading system with a reflector layer of the code, such that the emission is attenuated through a support layer, wherein the support layer is made with a material which is at least partially transparent to the emission; absorbing the emission transmitted through the support layer with the precursor material; obtaining a digital image of the code layer with a camera system of the code reading system; and processing the digital image to extract the preparation information.
16 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the emission of the light system has a wavelength of greater than 800 nm, and the camera system is arranged sense light of the wavelength.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to electrically operated beverage or foodstuff preparation systems, with which a beverage or foodstuff is prepared from a pre-portioned capsule. BACKGROUND Systems for the preparation of a beverage comprise a beverage preparation machine and a capsule. The capsule comprises a single serving of a beverage forming precursor material, e.g. ground coffee or tea. The beverage preparation machine is arranged to execute a beverage preparation process on the capsule, typically by the exposure of pressurized, heated water to said precursor material. Processing of the capsule in this manner causes the at least partial extraction of the precursor material from the capsule as the beverage. This configuration of beverage preparation machine has increased popularity due to 1) enhanced user convenience compared to a conventional beverage preparation machines (e.g. compared to a manually operated stove-top espresso maker) and 2) an enhanced beverage preparation process, wherein: preparation information encoded by a code on the capsule is read by the machine to define a recipe, and; the recipe is used by the machine to optimise the preparation process in a manner specific to the capsule. In particular, the encoded preparation information may comprise operating parameters selected in the beverage preparation process, including: fluid temperature; fluid pressure; preparation duration, and; fluid volume. EP 2594171 A1 discloses a machine that reads a code from an underside of a flange of a capsule. A drawback is that the code cannot be applied to parts of the capsule that are more flexible, e.g. the closing member, since the code can only be read from a rigid support. Moreover, the code is configured for reading based on it being formed on an optically opaque carrier material. Therefore, in spite of the effort already invested in the development of said systems further improvements are desirable. SUMMARY The present disclosure provides a container for use with a machine for preparing a beverage and/or foodstuff. In embodiments, the container includes a body portion comprising a storage portion for containing a precursor material. In embodiments, the container incudes a closing member to close the storage portion (e.g. for a container arranged as a capsule). In embodiments, the closing member overlaps the precursor material contained in the storage portion. As used herein, the term “overlap” in respect of the closing member and the precursor material, may refer to a plane of the closing member having a normal thereto that intersects the precursor material. For example, the normal may be in a depth direction and the closing member may extend on a plane defined by lateral and longitudinal directions. In embodiments, the storage portion includes a cavity that extends in a depth direction from the closing member. In embodiments, the body portion includes a flange portion that connects the storage portion to the closing member. In embodiments, the flange portion and/or closing member extends in a plane defined by a lateral and a longitudinal direction. The cavity of the storage portion extends in a depth direction from the flange. In embodiments, the flange is planar. As used herein the term “planar” in respect of the flange may refer to the flange arranged to extend entirely with the lateral and longitudinal directions, or substantially with said directions (e.g. with major components in these directions as opposed to a depth direction). In embodiments, the body portion is formed of walls that are joined at seams and/or folded (e.g. for a container arranged as a packet). The container comprises a code for (e.g. configured for) storing preparation information. The preparation information may be used by said machine to process the precursor material. In embodiments, the code is configured to be readable by a code reading system of the machine, which comprises: a lighting system to project an emission the code for reading (e.g. by illumination), and may include; a camera system, (e.g. for obtaining a digital image of the code when subject to said emission). The preparation information may be related to the container, e.g. it is selected to correspond to the precursor material and/or the container dimensions, such that a processing unit of the machine can be controlled in a specifically adapted process for the particular container. In embodiments the closing member comprises the code, e.g. formed as one or more layers thereof. As used herein the term “code” may refer to one or a plurality of repetitions of codes that each store the preparation information and are separately readable. In embodiments, the code and associated layers extend in a plane defined by a lateral and a longitudinal direction and have a through thickness in a depth direction. In embodiments, the code is arranged to overlap the precursor material (e.g., a normal to a plane in which the code is arranged extends