Abstract

An apparatus (1) for manufacturing food tablets for hot beverage brewing, said apparatus (1) comprising a reservoir (2) for feeding infusible loose food products, grinding means (3) for grinding the loose products to obtain grounds with a given particle size, moistening means (9) for moistening the grounds to a given moisture content, mixing and homogenizing means (10) for mixing and homogenizing the wetted grounds to obtain a homogeneous mixture, weighing means (25) for weighing the homogeneous mixture to obtain a dose having a predetermined weight, forming means (26) for forming the dose of mixture into a tablet having a predetermined volume, irradiation means (27) for irradiating the tablet with electromagnetic waves to overheat the particles of the wetted and homogenized mixture to partial baking and/or sintering and impart relative compactness and self-supporting ability thereto without requiring an enclosure, and wherein control means (51 ) are provided, which act on the grinding means (3), the moistening means (9), the homogenizing means (10), the weighing means (25), the forming means (26) and the irradiating means(27) to control the particle size, moisture content, homogeneity, weight, volume and compactness parameters of the tablet and change water permeability of the finished tablet according to the aforementioned parameters.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23F 5/12 - Agglomerating, flaking or tabletting
• A23P 10/20 - AgglomeratingGranulatingTabletting
• A23P 10/28 - TablettingMaking food bars by compression of a dry powdered mixture
• A23L 5/10 - General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• H05B 6/64 - Heating using microwaves

Abstract

A method of making a tablet for hot espresso beverage extraction includes the steps of grinding a brewable product to obtain a powder having a substantially uniform particle size, dosing a predetermined amount of the ground product powder, moistening the powdered product dose, homogenizing the moistened mixture to obtain a powdered product with a substantially uniform moisture content, forming the powdered product dose to obtain a disk-shaped or prismatic tablet, and supplying an amount of energy to the tablet to obtain a substantially compact and integral item. The step of supplying energy is carried out by irradiating the tablet with an electromagnetic wave beam to overheat and partially bake and/or sinter the particles of the powdered product and impart a relatively compact and self-supporting construction to the finished tablet. The electromagnetic wave irradiation step is carried out at the end of the forming step while continuously compressing the dose.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23F 5/12 - Agglomerating, flaking or tabletting
• A61K 9/20 - Pills, lozenges or tablets
• A23P 10/28 - TablettingMaking food bars by compression of a dry powdered mixture
• A23P 10/20 - AgglomeratingGranulatingTabletting
• A23L 5/10 - General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• A47J 31/44 - Parts or details of beverage-making apparatus
• B30B 11/00 - Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses or tabletting presses

Abstract

A method of making a tablet for hot espresso beverage extraction, comprising the steps of a) grinding a brewable product to obtain a powder having a substantially uniform particle size, b) dosing a predetermined amount of the ground product powder, c) moistening the powdered product dose, d) homogenizing the moistened mixture to obtain a powdered product with a substantially uniform moisture content, e) forming the powdered product dose by compression to obtain a disk-shaped or prismatic tablet (C), supplying an amount of energy to the tablet (C) to obtain a substantially compact and integral item. The step f) of supplying energy is carried out at a distance by irradiating g) the tablet (C) with an electromagnetic wave beam (F) to overheat and partially bake and/or sinter the particles of the powdered product as well as to impart a relatively compact and self-supporting construction to the finished tablet (C). The electromagnetic wave irradiation step g) is carried out at the end of the forming step e) while continuously compressing the dose.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23F 5/36 - Further treatment of dried coffee extractPreparations produced thereby, e.g. instant coffee
• A23F 5/12 - Agglomerating, flaking or tabletting