Abstract:
A system is formed of an ingredient capsule (30) and a motorized beverage machine (1) that has a brewing unit (2). The unit comprises a first assembly (13) and a second assembly (14) cooperating together, each assembly (13, 14) delimiting part of a brewing chamber (29) for containing the capsule. At least one of these assemblies (14) is movable: away from the cooperating assembly (13) into an open position within such machine for forming between said assemblies a passage (31) for inserting into and/or removing from the brewing unit the ingredient capsule (30); and to the cooperating assembly into a closed position for forming the brewing chamber (29). The machine comprises activation means including: a motor (3) for driving the movable assembly between the open and closed positions and transmission means for transmitting the drive action of the motor to the movable assembly; water supply means for supplying heated water to brewing chamber; control means (10) for controlling the drive action of the motor comprising means for measuring at least one parameter (40, 40', 40a, 41, 41', 41a) representative of the motor power consumption and for comparing the evolution of said measured parameter over time during the transfer of the assembly from the open to the closed position to a set reference (42, 42') and means for providing an input to at least one of the activation means as a result of the compared evolution of the measured parameter to the set reference.
Abstract:
A beverage preparation machine comprises: a) a seat (5); b) a service unit (20, 30) in the seat for storing waste material, the service unit being - insertable manually into the seat into a collection position for collecting waste material such as waste liquid and/or waste beverage ingredient, optionally contained in a pre-portioned ingredient capsule; and - removable, in particular manually, from the seat for emptying the waste material upon collection thereof in the service unit, c) a control means for controlling proper insertion of the service unit in the seat. The control means comprises a touch-sensory feed-back mechanism (40, 50) arranged to indicate to a user an improper insertion of the service unit in the seat.
Abstract:
A beverage or liquid food machine (1) has: a user- interface (11) with a toggle-switch (20) having a user- movable toggle switch member (21); and a control unit (16) arranged for carrying out one or more operational processes of such machine (1). The control unit is arranged to store a plurality of values for a parameter of such an operational process. The user-interface (11) is connected to the control unit (16) and arranged to allow a user-selection of one value from the stored values for the control unit to carry out the corresponding operational process with this selected value as such a parameter. The toggle-switch member (21) is movable into a plurality of distinct selection positions (251, 252) for selecting the values of this plurality of values, each value being associated with a corresponding distinct selection position (251,252) of the toggle-switch member (21).
Abstract:
The present invention proposes a beverage preparation device (100) having a water circulation system (500) that comprises: a water source (118) with an outlet (202), a pump (104) with a support member (304) for holding and securing the pump (104) in said device (100), and an integral water conduit (302) with an inlet (102) and an outlet (303) for guiding water from the water source (118) to the pump (104), said conduit outlet (303) being connected to the pump (104), wherein said water source outlet (202) is connected to said water conduit inlet (102) via an annular sealing member (204) that forms an integral protruding portion of the conduit inlet (102) or the source outlet (202); wherein said pump support (304) is integral with the water conduit (302), in particular with the conduit outlet (303).
Abstract:
A machine (1) for preparing a liquid food or beverage comprising: at least one outermost machine face selected from a front face (12), a top face and a lateral face (7); a means for emitting light (22) having at least one state of light emission and a state of light non emission and further having an illuminatable outer face (81, 101', 121) on said at least one outermost machine face (12), the illuminatable outer face (81, 101', 121) being arranged to be illuminated when in said state of light emission; and a control unit (20) connected to the light means. The control unit is arranged to detect at least one condition of such machine, in particular a condition involving a non immediate readiness of such machine to prepare a liquid food or beverage, and communicate said condition to a user via said illuminatable outer face (81, 101', 121) by changing the state of the light means (22). This illuminatable outer face (81, 101', 121) extends in at least one direction across a substantial part of the outermost machine face (12). Moreover, the illuminatable outer face (81, 101', 121) is arranged to be substantially entirely illuminated when in this state of light emission.
Abstract:
A machine for preparing liquid food or beverage from a beverage or food ingredient contained in a capsule or pod, comprises: a liquid food or beverage preparation unit (2) arranged to receive capsules or pods for use and evacuate capsules or pods upon use; a housing (9) having an opening (5') leading into a seat (5) to which capsules or pods are evacuated from the preparation unit; and a receptacle (30) having a cavity (30') forming a storage space for collecting capsules or pods evacuated to the seat into the receptacle to a level of fill. The receptacle is insertable into the seat for collecting capsules or pods and is removable from the seat for emptying the collected capsules or pods. The prepration machine further comprises means to inhibit jamming of the receptacle at removal from the seat when the level of fill in the receptacle extends above the opening of the housing.
Abstract:
An in-line heating device(1, 2, 3, 4) for a liquid food or beverage preparation machine in which liquid is circulated through the heating deviceand then guided into a brewing chamber. This heating device comprises: a thermoblock with a metal mass (1) that incorporates an inlet, an outlet and a heating chamber extending therebetween to form a passage for guiding said liquid circulating through said mass, the mass being arranged to accumulate heat and to supply heat to the liquid; and one or more electric components (60,70,75) that are rigidly secured onto or into the thermoblock and that are connected to a printed circuit board (4) and/or a flex- print (4) arranged to control the thermoblock. The electric components are rigidly connected to the printed circuit board and/or flex-print, in particular via rigid connector pins or blades or rigid plug and socket members.
Abstract:
A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (4') comprises a frame (2) and abeverage preparation module(9) supported by the frame, the module(9) having a part (10) that is movable relative to the frame between: a transfer position for introducing a beverage ingredient into the module(9) and/or removing the ingredient therefrom; and a processing position for forming the beverage from the ingredient in the module. The beverage preparation module further has a beverage outlet (11) for dispensing the formed beverage (4') to a beverage dispensing area (4) for receiving a user-recipient for collecting the beverage (4'). The frame (2) further supports a guide (20) configured to drain and deliver liquidresidues (3') from the beverage outlet (11) to a service area (3) separate from the dispensing area (4) so that the residues (3') are inhibited from being drained from the beverage outlet (11) to thebeverage dispensing area (4). Figure
Abstract:
A machine (1) for preparing a beverage from at least one ingredient (2) comprises: an ingredient processing module (3); an ingredient passage (4) having an ingredient mouth (41) for inserting along an insertion direction (42) an ingredient from outside such machine (1) into the ingredient processing module; and a cover (5) pivotable between a position covering the ingredient passage and a position uncovering the ingredient passage, The cover (5) is pivotable about a pivoting axis (51) that is generally parallel to the insertion direction (42) and/or that is generally perpendicular to the mouth (41) of the passage (4).
Abstract:
A motorized beverage machine (1) has: - activation means that comprise a motor (3); and - a brewing unit (2) that comprises a first assembly (13) and a second assembly (14) cooperating together, each assembly delimiting part of a brewing chamber (29) for containing an ingredient capsule (30). At least one of these assemblies (14) is: - movable away from the cooperating assembly (13) into an open position within the machine for forming between the assemblies a passage (31) for inserting into and/or removing from the brewing unit the ingredient capsule; and - movable to the cooperating assembly into a closed position for forming the brewing chamber. The motor is a low power motor configured to: - generate a maximum torque of no more than 50 mNm; and/or - consume a maximum power of no more than 50 W, for driving the movable assembly between the open and closed positions.