D E S C R I P T I O N
Kit for preparing beverages
Technical field of the invention
The present invention relates to a kit for preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products, which can be mixed or diluted in water.
Background of the invention As is well known, in the preferred scope of practical application of the invention, in particular in public establishments such as bars, cafeterias, restaurants, hotels, etc., in specific services such as breakfast, a cup of coffee, an infusion, etc., the user is supplied with a cup containing the product, with its corresponding saucer, an amount of suitably packaged sugar and a teaspoon for dissolving said sugar in the product.
There is a growing tendency to substitute the classical metal teaspoons, for indefinite use, for single-use plastic teaspoons, suitably packaged in the same way as the sugar, in order to boost the hygienic conditions of the service, measures which are also now affecting the receptacle containing the product, ceramic, or cup, cups tending to be substituted by plastic receptacles, which are also single-use.
Apart from this, there is also the need for individual servings, making it possible to savour a coffee or infusion without the need to over-consume, nor throw away part of the product, as for example, in promotional samples, in places where there is restricted mobility, such as planes, in situations in which it is more comfortable to have what is necessary without a lengthy preparation, such as when travelling, in fast food outlets, etc.
Obviously, in the elaboration of these products several packaging or encapsulating processes are required. In the most generalized case, three packaging or encapsulating processes are required, one for the teaspoon, another for the sugar and another for the coffee or infusion, which obviously entails a significant additional cost in the context of the service, to which one must add the triple opening manoeuvre of the container corresponding to the teaspoon, the sugar and the coffee or infusion.
At the moment, embodiments exist consisting of receptacles wherein the food can be contained for its subsequent consumption, but there is the need for a container which at the same time as incorporating said food therein, facilitates its consumption in a more comfortable way and, once consumption has been concluded, allows for everything relating to its use to be dispensed with, thus reducing to the maximum the waste caused by its consumption.
Therefore, taking into consideration the situation set out and the associated drawbacks, the present invention has put forward, as its main aim, that of developing a kit by means of which effective solutions are provided to the problems of current practice.
Explanation of the invention With the aim of providing a solution to the previously described problems, the kit object of the present invention is disclosed herein. Said -kit is of the kind used for preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products, which can be mixed or diluted in water. The kit for preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products is characterised in that it is comprised of a single-use container, which contains at least one base food product of the beverage to be prepared, such as, for example, coffee or infusions; at least one sweetener, such as, for example, sugar; and one stirring utensil, such as a teaspoon, for example.
Said container is comprised of at least one flexible sheet, hermetically sealed by at least one of its edges, like a small bag or sachet, containing in its interior the food products, the sweeteners and the stirring utensil. It may also be comprised of an essentially rigid cup, whose mouth is closed by a sheet, in the form of a lid.
According to another embodiment, the container is comprised of a tray, provided with independent receptacles moulded into it, adapted for containing the food products, the sweeteners and the stirring utensil and closed by a sheet, in the form of a Nd.
Brief description of the drawings
In the attached drawings, a preferred embodiment of the kit for preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products is illustrated by way of non-limiting example. In said drawings:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the kit for preparing beverages made from soluble food products;
Fig. 2 corresponds to another plan view of another preferred embodiment of the kit for preparing beverages made from soluble food products; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment in Fig. 2 with the receptacles empty; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the kit for preparing beverages made from soluble food products;
Fig. 5 shows an side elevation view of a section of the embodiment in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 and 7 also correspond to perspective views of the kit according to the invention; and
Fig. 8 also shows, in perspective, another preferred embodiment of the kit for preparing beverages made from soluble food products.
Detailed description of the drawings The description which follows relates to the previously explained drawings, which make it possible to appreciate in detail the different parts forming the Kit 1 for- preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products, and specifically, those of kits 1 which, as embodiments, are described herein.
As can be appreciated in Figs. 1 to 3, the kit 1 object of the present invention comprises a container 2 in the form of a tray 11 that comprises receptacles 12 for housing a food product 3, a sweetener 4 and a stirring utensil 5.
In Fig. 1, the tray 11 has a triangular configuration, although several other forms would be within the field of the present invention, such as circular and prismatic ones, etc. The tray 11 comprises, in one of the receptacles 12, a food product 3 and a stirring utensil 5, arranged together, one on top of the other. The food products 3 generally used, correspond to a measure of ground coffee, a measure of powdered milk or an infusion such as tea, camomile tea, boldo, mint tea, etc. As a stirring utensil 5, generally a teaspoon or other elongated utensil is arranged therein, which is to help dissolve the beverage components. The other receptacles 13, which appear in Fig. 1 , are for containing a measure of sweetener 4, such as saccharin, fructose or sugar, in granulated or in lump form.
Another embodiment of the kit 1 for preparing beverages and/or infusions is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the tray 11 is rectangular shaped and is fitted with three receptacles 12 distributed in a different way, in which a food product 3, a stirring utensil 5 and a sweetener 4 are arranged separately. In accordance with Fig. 3, an unfolded sheet 10 is arranged and stuck onto the tray 11 in such a way that it acts as a lid to the receptacles 12 when closing the mouths 9 thereof, thus preventing the elements deposited therein from coming out. Once the sheet 10 has been removed from the tray 11 , access to the elements of the receptacles 13 is free. (Figs. 1 and 2) In Figs. 4 and 5 another embodiment of the kit 1 for preparing beverages and/or infusions is presented. In this case, the kit 1 consists of a flexible sheet 6 - A -
hermetically sealed by at least one of its edges 8, in the form of a small bag or sachet, enclosing within the food products 3, the sweeteners 4 and the stirring utensil 5. In this embodiment, the food products, the sweeteners and stirring utensils are arranged within the flexible sheet and separated from each other, generally being packaged independently.
In another embodiment, the kit 1 for preparing beverages and/or infusions is comprised of a cup 7 of essentially rigid material, such as, for example, plastic, whose mouth 9 is closed by a sheet 10 in the form of a lid. In Fig. 6 an embodiment of this type can be appreciated where the sheet 10 is in closed position insulating the elements from the exterior. In the interior of the cup 7, the different elements are arranged independently and easily separable, being able to be in different compartments 13 or together in the cup 7, although suitably packed. If the sweetener 4 is sugar, it can be presented in sugar lump form and the food product 3 can be wrapped in a second disposable receptacle, such as a bag of permeable material to make infusions or other arrangements which allow for desired preparation of the drink. In order to better exemplify an embodiment of this type, a container 2 is represented in Fig. 7, comprised of a cup 7 which comprises two compartments 13. In the first compartment 13 the food product 3 has been arranged, and the second compartment 13 contains the stirring utensil 5 and sweetener unit 4. The second compartment 13, can be extracted from the first compartment 13, which has greater volume, the latter being used as a cup 7 for the consumption of the prepared beverage.
Obviously, the possibility of the container 2 being comprised of several cups 7 or another type of receptacle of those previously mentioned, is provided for, it being possible for said cups 7, or similar, to be joined to each other by a tray 11 or just by a portion of material that acts as a joint.
So that the kit 1 may be completely disposable once the food product 3 has been consumed, it is preferable that the stirring utensil 5 is also single-use.
It is envisaged that the flexible sheet 6 or the sheet in the form of a lid 10, depending on the case, should contain an identifying inscription of the food product 3 contained therein, just like an inscription of any commercial name.
The present invention, therefore, relates to a kit 1 for preparing beverages and/or infusions made from soluble food products, which can be mixed or diluted in water, which is totally hygienic due to its disposable nature when used once only. It is also outstanding for its practicality, as it allows for the preparation of several beverages, having whatever is required at hand and thus increasing the speed of preparation thereof. Another practical effect of the kit 1 object of the invention, is that it eases the work of the distributor, who currently receives the food products 3, the sweeteners 4 and the stirring utensils 5 separately, and in a subsequent action has to count and group them.