US5750178A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making coffee particles containing aroma
Assignee: Nestec SA
•
Filing: 1996-06-18
•
Granted: 1998-05-12
•
Expires: 2016-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing coffee particles containing entrapped aroma. Soluble coffee solids and up to 10% by weight water are introduced into a heating and mixing zone and to raise the temperature to about 85° C. to about 130° C. to form a molten mass. Aroma-containing substrate is introduced into the molten mass to form a molten mixture containing a gas under a pressure of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa. The molten mixture is extruded into a pressure zone in which the pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture and the molten mixture is retained in the pressure zone until it solidifies to form a hardened glass. The hardened glass is ground into coffee particles of size of about 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
Inventors
- 👤 Pu-Sheng Cheng
- 👤 Robert Garwood
- 👤 Zenon Ioannis Mandralis
- 👤 James Tuot
- 👤 Scott Westfall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:48
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23F; A23F5/00; A23F5/46; A23F5/48; A23F5/486
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of producing coffee particles containing entrapped aroma; the method comprising: introducing soluble coffee solids into a heating and mixing zone and raising the temperature to form a mass of molten soluble coffee solids; introducing an aroma-containing substrate into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids to form a molten mixture of the aroma-containing substrate and the molten soluble coffee solids, the molten mixture containing a gas under pressure; extruding the molten mixture into a pressure zone in which the pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture and retaining the molten mixture in the pressure zone until the molten mixture solidifies to form a hardened glass; and comminuting the glass into coffee particles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of producing coffee particles containing entrapped aroma; the method comprising: introducing soluble coffee solids into a heating and mixing zone and raising the temperature to form a mass of molten soluble coffee solids; introducing an aroma-containing substrate into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids to form a molten mixture of the aroma-containing substrate and the molten soluble coffee solids, the molten mixture containing a gas under pressure; extruding the molten mixture into a pressure zone in which the pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture and retaining the molten mixture in the pressure zone until the molten mixture solidifies to form a hardened glass; and comminuting the glass into coffee particles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the soluble coffee solids are introduced into the heating and mixing zone in the form of a mixture of soluble coffee solids and water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 2 in which the mixture of soluble coffee solids and water is made up of about 90% by weight to about 100% by weight of soluble coffee solids.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 3 in which the mixture of soluble coffee solids and water is made up of about 92% by weight to about 100% by weight of soluble coffee solids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the temperature of the mass of molten soluble coffee solids is raised to about 10° C. to about 50° C. above the glass transition temperature of the soluble coffee solids.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the temperature of the mass of molten soluble coffee solids is in the range of about 85° C. to about 130° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the aroma-containing substrate comprises coffee oil and coffee aroma constituents dissolved in the coffee oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising injecting gas under pressure into the aroma-containing substrate for providing the molten mixture with gas under pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the aroma-containing substrate comprises a solid frost containing water, carbon dioxide and coffee aroma constituents.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising injecting gas under pressure into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids or into the molten mixture for providing the molten mixture with gas under pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture is in the range of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the heating and mixing zone is provided in the form of an extruder.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of producing coffee particles containing entrapped aroma; the method comprising: introducing soluble coffee solids and up to 10% by weight water into a heating and mixing zone and raising the temperature to about 85° C. to about 130° C. to form a mass of molten soluble coffee solids; introducing an aroma-containing substrate into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids to form a molten mixture of the aroma-containing substrate and the molten soluble coffee solids, the molten mixture containing a gas under a pressure of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa; extruding the molten mixture into a pressure zone in which the pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture and retaining the molten mixture in the pressure zone until the molten mixture solidifies to form a hardened glass; and comminuting the glass into coffee particles of size of about 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of producing coffee particles containing entrapped aroma; the method comprising: introducing soluble coffee solids and up to 10% by weight water into a heating and mixing zone and raising the temperature to about 85° C. to about 130° C. to form a mass of molten soluble coffee solids; introducing an aroma-containing substrate into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids to form a molten mixture of the aroma-containing substrate and the molten soluble coffee solids, the molten mixture containing a gas under a pressure of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa; extruding the molten mixture into a pressure zone in which the pressure is greater than the pressure of the gas in the molten mixture and retaining the molten mixture in the pressure zone until the molten mixture solidifies to form a hardened glass; and comminuting the glass into coffee particles of size of about 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 13 in which the aroma-containing substrate comprises coffee oil and coffee aroma constituents dissolved in the coffee oil.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 14 further comprising injecting gas under pressure of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa into the aroma-containing substrate for providing the molten mixture with gas under pressure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 13 in which the aroma-containing substrate comprises a solid frost containing water, carbon dioxide and coffee aroma constituents.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 13 further comprising injecting gas under pressure of about 2.0 MPa to about 7.0 MPa into the mass of molten soluble coffee solids or into the molten mixture for providing the molten mixture with gas under pressure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA837021A
Cited
US3989852A
Cited
US4072761A
Cited
EP0008015A1
Cited
US4262029A
Cited
EP0133636A1
Cited
US4837039A
Cited
US4952417A
Cited
US4919962A
Cited
EP0354810A2
Cited
US5035908A
Cited
US5079026A
Cited
US5474792A
Cited
US5342638A
Cited
US5182926A
Cited
WO1994023593A1
Cited
US5399368A
Cited
WO1996009773A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-11 | 2001-11-10 | 2002-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-11 | 2005-11-10 | 2006-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-11 | 2009-11-10 | 2010-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |