Abstract:
An integrated in-line heater (1,8,9) for a liquid food or beverage preparation machine, in which liquid is circulated through said heater and then guided into a brewing chamber (7) for brewing a food or beverage ingredient, for instance within a pod or capsule (7''), supplied into the brewing chamber. An upstream part of the brewing chamber may be formed by the heater. One or more electric components (5,60,70,75) may be incorporated into the heater and rigidly connected to a printed circuit board (50). The heater may have a tubular inner core (9) that is eccentric with respect to a tubular or prismatic outer member (8) which form together a helicoidal heating chamber (4) of variable cross-section (4',4").
Abstract:
A system comprising: - a capsule-based beverage producing device, and - a capsule for containing beverage ingredients, wherein the beverage production device (2) is provided with: - means for injecting a liquid into the capsule (1) - means for draining a beverage from the capsule (1), and - an enclosing member (9) transferable from an opened state to a defined closed state, in which the enclosing member (9) enclose the outer surface of the capsule (1). A sealing member (8, 11, 26) is associated to the capsule (1), the sealing member (8, 11, 26) being compressible when engaged by the enclosing member (9) in the closed state and the sealing member being effective to compensate for the clearance between the enclosing member and the capsule (1); which clearance would exist without the sealing member of the capsule (1),when the enclosing member (9) is in its defined closed position.
Abstract:
The invention proposes a method for producing a beverage from an ingredient-containing capsule. The method comprising the following steps:- inserting a sealed capsule into a capsule enclosure space of a beverage production device, - enclosing the capsule by a relative displacement of at least two enclosing members which define the capsule enclosure space, - opening an inlet face of the capsule and injecting a fluid under pressure into the capsule in order to open an outlet face of the capsule, the opening being assisted by the fluid pressure inside the capsule, wherein the capsule is provided at its outer surface with sealing material which is exposed to the fluid pressure in the capsule enclosure space, and - after enclosing the capsule, having the fluid pressure reigning in the capsule enclosure space at least partially act on the sealing material, such that in turn the sealing material is pressed against one of the enclosing members thus constituting a flow resistance, the flow resistance being sufficient to guarantee a pressure build-up inside the capsule sufficient for the pressure-assisted opening of the outlet face of the capsule.
Abstract:
A capsule (1) for containing beverage ingredients is designed to be inserted in a beverage production device (2) in order to have water under pressure enter the capsule (1) in order to interact with the ingredients (3) in the capsule (1), wherein the capsule (1) comprises an base body (4) and a foil member (5) closing the base body (4) by being attached to a flange-like rim (6) extending from the side wall (7) of the base body (4) of the capsule (1). The capsule (1) thereby comprises a resiliently deflectable sealing member (8), the sealing member (8) being designed to be biased against a sealing surface (15) of the beverage production device (2), when the capsule (1) is positioned in the beverage production device (2). The sealing engagement of the sealing member of the capsule and the sealing surface is self-reinforcing when pressurized.
Abstract:
A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises : a beverage preparation module (2) that vibrates during use, in particular a module for preparing a beverage by circulating a liquid via a flavouring ingredient such a pre-portioned ingredient contained in a capsule; and a reservoir (4) for storing liquid and supplying such liquid to the beverage preparation module. The beverage preparation module and the reservoir are connected by a vibration-barrier mechanical connection (3, 45, 291, 431) for inhibiting or preventing propagation of vibrations from the beverage preparation module to the reservoir.
Abstract:
A machine for preparing a beverage has: a main body (9) containing a brewing unit (1); and a handle (30) movable relative to the main body, so as to act on the brewing unit to open the brewing unit for introduction or removal of an ingredient into and from the unit, and act to close the brewing unit for extraction of such ingredient within the unit. The movable handle has a gripping part (30') and is arranged to be drivable by a human hand (10). The main body and the movable handle are so connected and configured that the gripping part has a carrying position in which the gripping part is seizable by the human hand for safe lifting and displacing of such machine single-handed.
Abstract:
Beverage machine with a beverage brewing unit (1) for receiving a single-serve capsule (9) comprising:a capsule holding assembly (3) for holding a capsule in a position during insertion by gravity of the capsule in the brewing unit; anda water injection assembly (2) for at least partially enclosing the capsule and providing water in the capsule. The capsule holding part forms a front part of the unit and is mounted to the capsule injection assembly in a manner to be displaceable along a substantially horizontal path whereas the water injection assembly is a rear fixed part of the unit.The beverage machine has an outermost casing (80). One of these brewing unit assemblies (2,3) can be movedor telescoped out or through this casing for inserting/removing the ingredient capsule andretracted into the outermost casing for bringing the brewing unit into its capsule extraction configuration.
Abstract:
Beverage machine with a beverage brewing unit (1) for receiving a single-serve capsule (9) comprising:a capsule holding assembly (3) for holding a capsule in a position during insertion by gravity of the capsule in the brewing unit; anda water injection assembly (2) for at least partially enclosing the capsule and providing water in the capsule. The capsule holding part forms a front part of the unit and is mounted to the capsule injection assembly in a manner to be displaceable along a substantially horizontal path whereas the water injection assembly is a rear fixed part of the unit.The beverage machine has an outermost casing (80). One of these brewing unit assemblies (2,3) can be movedor telescoped out or through this casing for inserting/removing the ingredient capsule andretracted into the outermost casing for bringing the brewing unit into its capsule extraction configuration.
Abstract:
A beverage machine comprises: -a processing unit (60) that has a flavouring module (10) for mixing liquid with a flavouring ingredient to form a flavoured beverage, and that has a liquid drive arrangement (65) for in-taking liquid from a source (200) of liquid and driving said liquid to the flavouring module, and that has an outlet (12) for guiding a flavoured beverage from the flavouring module to a beverage dispensing area (12'); and -a user-interface that is connected to the processing unit and that has an indicator for indicating a status of the processing unit. The indicator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) is displaceable, in particular relatively to the processing unit, in a manner visible from outside such machine by a mechanical, magnetic and/or thermal actuation thereof by the processing unit changing status.
Abstract:
A pump (800) for a beverage preparation machine (1) has: a pump inlet (810); a pump outlet (820); a liquid driver (815, 816) for pressurising and circulating a liquid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet; and a downstream pump conduit (870, 871, 872) connecting in fluid communication the liquid driver to the pump outlet. The downstream pump conduit comprises a liquid dampener (860) for dampening upstream the pump outlet vibrations in such liquid which are generated by the liquid driver so as to circulate via the pump outlet dampened pressurised liquid from the liquid driver.