# US 11,432,675 B2 · Capsules and other containers with optimized recycling attributes and methods for making same

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- Number: US 11,432,675 B2
- Document ID: US11432675B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/108,011
- Filed: 2020-12-01
- Published: 2021-03-25
- Granted: 2022-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-23
- Assignees: 2266170 Ontario Inc.
- Applicants: 2266170 Ontario Inc.
- Inventors: Liberatore Trombetta; Yucheng Fu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432675B2

## CPC

- A47J 31/3676: {Cartridges being employed}
- A47J 31/0642: {specially adapted to cooperate with a cartridge, e.g. having grooves or protrusions to separate cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber (A47J31/0668 takes precedence)}
- A47J 31/0668: {specially adapted for cartridges}
- B01D 39/1623: {of synthetic origin}
- B32B 27/06: as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)}
- B32B 27/32: comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)}
- B65B 1/02: Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles (from flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material B65B9/00)
- B65B 1/04: Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
- B65B 7/2878: {by heat-sealing}
- B65B 29/022: {packaging infusion material into capsules}
- B65B 31/028: {closed by a lid sealed to the upper rim of the container, e.g. tray-like container}
- B65B 51/225: {by ultrasonic welding}
- B65B 55/24: Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging {; Preventing of fouling}
- B65B 61/18: for making package-opening or unpacking elements
- B65D 65/40: Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes {(B65D1/0215, B65D1/28, B65D3/22, B65D5/0281, B65D5/563, B65D9/30, B65D29/02, B65D31/02, B65D75/26, B65D77/2024, B65D81/1275, B65D81/3811, B65D81/3823, B65D81/3834, B65D81/3846, B65D81/3858, B65D81/3874, B65D81/3886, B65D81/3897 take precedence; laminates per se or laminated packages characterised by the composition or)}
- B65D 75/5855: {Peelable seals}
- B65D 77/2032: {by peeling or tearing the cover from the container}
- B65D 85/8043: {Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents (B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06)}
- B65D 85/8061: {Filters}
- D04H 1/5412: {sheath-core}
- B01D 2239/0216: Bicomponent or multicomponent fibres
- B01D 2239/0618: Non-woven
- B01D 2239/1291: Other parameters
- B32B 2307/7244: Oxygen barrier
- B32B 2439/70: Food packaging
- B65B 2220/14: Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package
- B65D 43/02: Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22)
- B67D 1/0078: {Ingredient cartridges}
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)

## Abstract

A system is provided for making a beverage capsule for use in a beverage preparing machine. The system includes a filter station for sealing a filter to an interior space of a body for the beverage capsule to define an ingredients chamber; an ingredients station for depositing a desired volume of desired ingredients into the ingredients chamber; and a cover sealing station for sealing a cover to the body. The cover being sealed to the body to define a hinge zone and a peel zone, wherein the hinge zone has a stronger seal than the peel zone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for making a single use beverage capsule for use in a beverage preparing machine, the system comprising:
a filter station for sealing a filter to an interior space of a body for the beverage capsule to define an ingredients chamber;
an ingredients station for depositing a desired volume of desired ingredients into said ingredients chamber; and
a cover sealing station configured for sealing a cover directly to said body so that a seal is located between an underside of said cover and a top of said body to define a hinge zone and a peel zone, said underside of said cover being peelably sealed to said top of said body at said peel zone to enable said cover to be peeled away from said body at said peel zone, and said underside of said cover being more securely sealed to said top of said body at said hinge zone than at said peel zone to deter said cover being peeled away from said top of said body at said hinge zone,
wherein said top of said body includes a flange disposed around an opening to said interior space, said cover being sealed directly to said flange to close said opening, and wherein said flange is co-planar to said opening.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said filter has a basis weight of less than 40 gsm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said filter is pre-cut to a desired diameter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a cover pre-sealing station for sealing a portion of said cover to said body and a MAP station for replacing air in said capsule with an inert gas and sealing said cover to said body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said peel zone is formed by sealing a portion of said cover to said body at a first temperature T1 and said hinge zone is formed by sealing another portion of said cover to said body at a second temperature T2, where T2 is a higher temperature than T1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said peel zone is formed by sealing a portion of said cover to said body using a first sealing technique that forms a peelable seal and said hinge zone is formed by sealing another portion of said cover to said body using a second sealing technique that is different from the first sealing technique and forms a stronger seal than the peelable seal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said cover sealing station includes one stage for forming said hinge zone and another stage for forming said peel zone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said cover sealing station includes two different sealing heads where one of said sealing heads is adapted for forming said hinge zone and the other of said sealing heads is adapted for forming said peel zone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said sealing head that is adapted for forming said peel zone operates at a first temperature T1 and said sealing head that is adapted for forming said hinge zone operates at a second temperature T2, where T2 is a higher temperature than T1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein said sealing head that is adapted for forming said peel zone uses a first sealing technique and said sealing head that is adapted for forming said hinge zone uses a second sealing technique that is different from the first sealing technique in order to form a stronger seal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said body and said filter are each formed entirely of a substantially pure polymer material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein said cover is formed entirely of the same substantially pure polymer material as said body and said filter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein said substantially pure polymer material is selected from one of PP, PET or PLA.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said substantially pure polymer material is at least 90% pure by weight.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said substantially pure polymer material for said body includes a barrier material that provides an oxygen barrier between an exterior of said capsule and said interior space.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said filter is formed of bi-component fibers.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the filter is sealed to said body within said interior space.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said body includes a sidewall and an end wall that define said interior space.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18 wherein said filter is sealed to said sidewall within said interior space at a location that is in a middle one-third of a distance between said opening and said end wall.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18 wherein said filter, at its lowest point, is spaced a minimum distance D from said end wall to avoid said filter being contacted by a dispensing system during use of capsule in the machine.