Nestec S.a.

Societe Des Produits Nestle S.a.

SociÉtÉ Des Produits NestlÉ S.a.

Sestec S.a.

Société Des Produits Nestlé S.a.

Alfred Yoakim

Jean-Paul Denisart

Alexandre Perentes

Antoine Ryser

Christian Jarisch

Youcef Ait Bouziad

Alexandre Kollep

Gilles Gavillet

Olivier Fond

Jean-Luc Denisart

Fabien Ludovic Agon

Andre Noth

Jacques Schaeffer

Matthieu Ozanne

Christian Talon

Jean-Pierre Pleisch

Gerard Lavanchy

Antoine Cahen

Christophe Boussemart

Enzo Bonacci

Alexa Perrin

Petr Masek

Patrice Borne

Elmar Mock

Flavien Florent Dubief

Arnaud Gerbaulet

Christoph Rusch

Stefan Kaeser

Andre Klopfenstein

Renzo Moser

Thomas Kaeser

Naomi Bitmead

Christophe Sebastien Paul Heydel

Christoph Dworzak

Francesco G Chiarella

Mischa Stieger

Jean-Luc Colantonio

Frank Kräuchi

Alain Mariller

Roland Rossier

Cynthia Scherz

Silvio Butscher

Christianne Bournival

Nihan Dogan

Ruguo Hu

Pierre Struzka

Peter Möri

Zenon Ioannis Mandralis

Andreas Staub

Peter Koch

Minh Quan Phan

Patrick Caprotti

Michael Stieger

Philippe Dumur

Charles-Austin Sunderland

André Noth

Rémy Jacquet

Pierre Monnier

Hans Peter Pleisch

Frank Schnyder

Delphine Ricoux

Diego Jimenez Alvarez

Damien Neurohr

Grégory Savioz

Borne Patrice

Bouziad Youcef Ait

Simon Moodie

Francisco Campiche

Hanspeter Pleisch

Remy Jacquet

Peter Moeri

Christophe S Boussemart

The invention relates to a grinding and extraction apparatus for roasted coffee beans comprising a grinding device () and an associated extraction device (); the grinding device () comprising one or more housings for receiving one or more beans containers () with roasted coffee beans of the same or different types; the grinding device () comprising a reader () to obtain the information of the product parameters of the roasted coffee beans of the one or more beans containers (); the grinding device () further comprising a control unit configured to adapt the grinding size and the quantity of roasted coffee beans for obtaining a certain coffee blend from each beans container to be grinded according to these product parameters and/or according to a recipes database () comprising the beverage information associated to the beverage to be prepared; the grinding device () further comprising an encoder () to encode the beverage information on programmable identification means () on a product holder () in the grinding device (), to where the grinded coffee is sent; the extraction device () being configured for receiving the product holder () and comprising reading means () to identify the beverage information in the said product holder identification means (), the extraction device () further comprising a control unit to extract the beverage according to the beverage information retrieved and/or from the beverage information retrieved from a beverage database in this control unit. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for grinding roasted coffee beans and preparing a beverage from them using a grinding and extraction apparatus as the one described, and also refers to the use of a grinding and extraction apparatus as the one described for delivering a certain beverage from roasted coffee beans.

Grinding and extraction apparatus for coffee beans

The invention relates to a roasting and grinding apparatus for coffee beans comprising a roasting device () and an associated grinding device (); the roasting device () being configured for receiving coffee beans of a certain type that will be roasted, the roasting device () comprising reading means () to identify the characteristics of the coffee beans dispensed to it, the roasting device () further comprising a control unit configuring the roasting profile of the beans according to the characteristics retrieved from the reading means () and/or from the characteristics of the beans in a database () in this control unit and/or according to the user's input; the roasted coffee beans being dispensed into a beans container (), the beans container () comprising programmable identification means where product parameters of the roasted coffee beans of a certain type are encoded on it by an encoder () in the roasting device; the grinding device () comprising one or more housings for receiving one or more beans containers (); the grinding device () comprising a reader () to obtain the information of the product parameters of the roasted coffee beans of the one or more beans containers (); the grinding device () further comprising a control unit configured to adapt the grinding size and the quantity of roasted coffee beans to be delivered from the coffee beans containers () for obtaining a certain coffee quantity and/or a certain coffee blend quantity from each beans container to be grinded according to these product parameters and/or according to a recipes database (), and/or according to the user's input. The invention further relates to a method for roasting and grinding coffee beans using a roasting and grinding apparatus as the ones described, and to the use of such a roasting and grinding apparatus.

Roasting and grinding apparatus for coffee beans

A beverage preparation machine includes a fluid system comprising a fluid source, a pump, a heating element, at least two container holders adapted for receiving ingredient containers, and a control unit for controlling the fluid system to prepare a beverage by mixing fluid with the beverage ingredient contained in the containers to produce a mixed beverage component in each of the containers. The control unit is further arranged to dispense part or whole of the mixed components sequentially or simultaneously to produce the beverage. The container holders differ from one another for holding containers of different sizes and/or types. Separate fluid injection interfaces have different structural and kinematic configurations and are arranged for independently delivering fluid in one of the corresponding ingredient containers. Each interface is connected to the fluid system and adapted to a different container.

System for multi-ingredient beverage preparation from various container types

A method and system for preparing a beverage or liquid from a food substance contained in a filtering receptacle by passing water through the substance using brewing centrifugal forces. The method includes feeding water into the receptacle, and driving the receptacle in centrifugal rotation to force water to flow through the substance in a centrifugal flow path to the outlet of the receptacle. The system includes equipment necessary to carry out the method. The receptacle is a sealed capsule which is opened for water to be introduced into the capsule, contains a predetermined dose of food substance and is discarded after use.

Method for preparing a beverage or liquid food and system using brewing centrifugal force

The invention pertains to the field of the beverage preparation machines having an ingredient processing module for preparing a beverage with at least one ingredient supplied with a capsule. The machine comprises a positioner arranged to hold at least one capsule out of the ingredient processing module. It further comprises a sensing arrangement adapted to detect an event related to the insertion by a user of a capsule and/or the presence of the capsule on or into the positioner. The machine is configured, upon detection of the event, to transfer the capsule to the ingredient processing module by using transfer means, and then to start the preparation of the beverage. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine providing a convenient and safe solution to fully automate the preparation of a beverage.

Automatic beverage machine

The invention concerns a beverage preparation machine () comprising a fluid system comprising a fluid source (), a pump (), a heating element (), at least two container holders () adapted for receiving ingredient containers (), a control unit () for controlling the fluid system to prepare a beverage by mixing fluid with the beverage ingredient contained in the containers to produce a mixed beverage component in each of the containers, wherein the control unit is further arranged to dispense part or whole of the mixed components sequentially or simultaneously to produce the beverage, wherein the container holders () differ from one another for holding containers of different sizes and/or types and, and wherein it further comprises separate fluid injection interfaces () having different structural and kinematic configurations, and arranged for independently delivering fluid in one of the corresponding ingredient containers; each interface being connected to the fluid system and being adapted to a different container.

A coffee bean container configured to store green and/or partially roasted coffee beans includes an inner volume where the beans are stored, roasting means allowing beans to roast at a certain required degree depending on the original roasting level of the stored beans, and at least part of a grinder to allow for grinding of the beans, once roasted, to a certain grinding size. The roasting means may be a roasting hollow tube through which pressurized hot air circulates such that coffee beans circulate inside the tube and within the internal volume, creating a fountain effect.

Coffee containers and associated system and method for preparing roast and ground coffee

A roasting and grinding system () for preparing and delivering on demand roast and ground coffee, the system having: one or more raw containers (&#x2033;, etc.) having green coffee beans of the same or of different types; a roasting unit () receiving green coffee beans from one or more of the raw containers (&#x2033;, etc.) at the time, the roasting unit () adapting automatically the roasting parameters to the type of green coffee beans to roast; a conservation area () where the roasted coffee is stored at appropriate atmosphere until it is grinded; a grinding area () having one or more grinding units (&#x2033;, etc.) one per type of coffee to be ground, adapting automatically the grinding parameters to the type of coffee or coffee mix to be ground. The invention further relates to a raw container (&#x2033;, etc.) having green coffee beans detachably connectable to a roasting and grinding system (), and to a method for roasting and grinding coffee blends on demand using such a system.

Roasting and grinding system and method

The present invention relates to a method for remotely providing service functionalities for a beverage preparation machine. The beverage preparation machine is adapted for preparing a beverage by receiving a capsule in a capsule extraction unit, circulating a carrier liquid, such as water in particular heated water, through said capsule in the extraction unit and by dispensing a resulting beverage. The machine is in data communication with a remote server via a communication network. The machine monitors parameters related to the machine and submits the monitored parameters to the server. The server initiates a service functionality depending on the submitted parameters. The present invention further relates to a beverage preparation machine adapted to support such a method and to a system for remotely providing service functionalities for a beverage preparation machine at a customer location.

Beverage preparation machine supporting a remote service functionality

The present invention presents a pumping system () with a preheated reservoir (), a main pump () for pumping a preheated liquid () from the reservoir (), and pressurizing means () for pressurizing the reservoir (). Preferably, the pressurizing means set an absolute pressure of 0.5 to 1 bar in the reservoir (). The liquid () in the reservoir () can be heated up to 90&#xb0; C. or more. The present invention achieves a nearly complete suppression of the phenomenon of cavitation at the main pump entrance, and thus achieves an increased pumping performance at elevated liquid temperatures.

Pumping system and method for a beverage production apparatus

The present invention relates to a beverage preparation device for preparing hot and cold beverages, the device () comprising a hot extraction module () comprising a brewing unit () for injection of hot liquid into a beverage ingredients containing capsule, a hot beverage outlet () connected to the brewing unit () for dispensing of a hot extracted beverage, and a cooling module () comprising a cooling reservoir () for receiving the hot extracted beverage, wherein the hot beverage outlet () and the cooling module () are arranged moveably relative to each other such that the hot extracted beverage may be selectively dispensed from the hot beverage outlet () into the cooling reservoir () of the cooling module () in at least one relative position of the hot beverage outlet () and the cooling module ().

Beverage preparation device for hot and cold beverages

A device for producing milk foam uses Couette flow and a high shear stress that is accordingly applied to a milk-air mixture between two concentrically arranged cylinders. The cylinders are rotated relatively to another. The high shear stress leads to an emulsion of the milk and the air, which is the basis for a foaming effect, once the emulsion flows out of a gap between the two cylinders and expands. The parameters of the device that mainly influence the foaming effect are the width of the gap and the relative rotation speed of the cylinders.

Device for producing milk foam

The invention concerns pack () with an inner volume () in which a food or beverage ingredient () is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside,&#x2014;said inner volume () being defined by two sheets of material () joined to one another at their edges and said inner volume () presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane (P) vertically oriented during beverage production,&#x2014;said pack comprising at least one inlet () for introducing water in the inner volume and at least one outlet () for delivering the beverage from said inner volume, the water inlet () and the beverage outlet () being included in one single insert (), said single insert () being positioned at the bottom of the pack and being partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material (), the water inlet () being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane (P) defined by the inner volume (), and&#x2014;wherein the single insert () comprises a centring hole () extending essentially perpendicularly to the generally plane (P) shape of the inner volume.

Pack, system and method for preparing beverages

Beverage production device for preparing a liquid extract by interaction between a liquid and food ingredients to form the liquid extract by effect of centrifugation of the liquid passing through the ingredients comprising:

Beverage production device using centrifugation for extracting a liquid comprising heat loss compensating means

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St-Legier-la Chiesaz, Switzerland

Alfred Yoakim