Containment body for making a capsule for making beverages and method for making capsules with different quantities of powdered food substance using a single type of containment body

A capsule for making beverages, containing a powdered food substance which allows a beverage to be made by passing hot water through the powdered food substance, the capsule (2) comprising a containment body (1) presenting:

• a bottom wall (3);
• a lateral wall (4) connected to the bottom wall (3) at a peripheral portion of the bottom wall;
• and
• an upper edge (5) connected to the lateral wall (4) on a side opposite to the bottom wall (3) and delimiting an access opening (6) for accessing an inner space (7) of the containment body (1), the inner space (7) being delimited at the bottom by the bottom wall (3) and laterally by the lateral wall (4), in use a powdered food substance for making a beverage and one or more filtering elements being insertable in the inner space (7);
• a central axis of the containment body (1) being identifiable between a central point of the bottom wall (3) and a central point of the access opening (6);
• wherein the lateral wall (4), in a zone of the lateral wall closer to the upper edge (5) than to the bottom wall (3), is provided with one or more retaining elements (8) projecting towards the central axis in a plane perpendicular to the central axis, the one or more retaining elements (8) forming between the one or more retaining elements and the bottom wall (3) an undercut seat (9) relative to the line of extension of the central axis;
• wherein the capsule further comprises a lid (15) fixed to the upper edge (5) which closes the top of the inner space (7);
• wherein said powdered food substance is contained in the inner space (7) of the containment body (1);
• wherein the capsule further comprises at least an upper filtering element (16) comprising at least an annular peripheral edge (18) associated with the lateral wall (4), the upper filtering element (16) dividing the inner space (7) into a main chamber (19) delimited between the upper filtering element (16) and the bottom wall (3), and into a secondary chamber (20) delimited between the upper filtering element (16) and the lid (15), the powdered food substance being contained in the main chamber (19);
• wherein the annular peripheral edge (18) is coupled to said undercut seat (9) and wherein the one or more retaining elements (8) limit the maximum movement of the upper filtering element (16) towards the lid (15).

A method for making capsules for making beverages, containing a first quantity or a second quantity larger of the first quantity, of at least one powdered food substance which allows a beverage to be made by passing hot water through the powdered food substance, using a single type of containment body (1), comprising the steps of:

• taking a containment body (1) presenting:
• a bottom wall (3);
• a lateral wall (4) connected to the bottom wall (3) at a peripheral portion of the bottom wall;
• and
• an upper edge (5) connected to the lateral wall (4) on a side opposite to the bottom wall (3) and delimiting an access opening (6) for accessing an inner space (7) of the containment body (1), the inner space (7) being delimited at the bottom by the bottom wall (3) and laterally by the lateral wall (4), in use a powdered food substance for making a beverage and one or more filtering elements being insertable in the inner space (7);
• a central axis of the containment body (1) being identifiable between a central point of the bottom wall (3) and a central point of the access opening (6);
• wherein the lateral wall (4), in a zone of the lateral wall closer to the upper edge (5) than to the bottom wall (3), is provided with one or more retaining elements (8) projecting towards the central axis in a plane perpendicular to the central axis, the one or more retaining elements (8) forming between the one or more retaining elements and the bottom wall (3) an undercut seat (9) relative to the line of extension of the central axis;
• taking at least an upper filtering element (16) comprising at least an annular peripheral edge (18) couplable to the undercut seat (9) in such a way that the one or more retaining elements (8) limit the maximum movement of the upper filtering element (16) towards the lid (15), when the annular peripheral edge (18) is coupled to the undercut seat (9) the upper filtering element (16) dividing the inner space (7) into a main chamber (19) delimited between the upper filtering element (16) and the bottom wall (3), and into a secondary chamber (20) delimited between the upper filtering element (16) and the access opening (6);
• taking a first quantity of powdered food substance which occupies a volume not greater than that of the main chamber (19), or respectively a second quantity of powdered food substance which occupies a volume greater than that of the main chamber (19) and not greater than the sum of the volumes of the main chamber (19) and the secondary chamber (20);
• inserting in the inner space (7) the first quantity or respectively the second quantity of powdered food substance, through the access opening (6);
• then inserting in the inner space (7), through the access opening (6), the upper filtering element (16) above the powdered food substance, positioning the annular peripheral edge (18) so that the annular peripheral edge is facing the lateral wall (4);
• and
• closing the access opening (6) by fixing a lid (15) to the upper edge (5);
• when the quantity of powdered food substance inserted in the capsule (2) is equal to the first quantity, the upper filtering element (16) being inserted in the containment body (1) in such a way that the annular peripheral edge (18) is coupled to the undercut seat (9);
• whilst
• when the quantity of powdered food substance inserted in the capsule (2) is equal to the second quantity, the upper filtering element (16) being positioned close to the access opening (6).