Nestec S.a.

Societe Des Produits Nestle S.a.

Blaise Rithener

David Larzul

Antoine Cahen

Alain Jaccard

Patrick Baudet

Francois Besson

Luc Fontbonne

Lionel Peretti

Julien Chalencon

Herve Bourgund

Pierre-Emmanuel Vincent

Antoine Cornet

Alexandre Perentes

Christian Jarisch

Alexandre Kollep

Youcef Ait Bouziad

Stefan Etter

Marco Magatti

Eric Granger

Rudolf Schenk

François Besson

Hervé Bourgund

A machine () for dispensing a beverage () includes a module () having a cavity () and a cavity outlet (') for guiding said beverage out of the cavity (). The cavity () is delimited by a first module part () and a second module part (). At least one () of the parts () is movable along a module direction (&#x2032;) into a position distant from the other part () for transferring an ingredient capsule () to and/or from the cavity () and into a position close to the other part () for processing the capsule () in the cavity () to form said beverage (). The machine () includes a guide () that has a guide outlet () and that is movable between: a dispensing position for receiving the beverage () from the cavity outlet (&#x2032;) and guiding the beverage () along a guide direction (&#x2032;) to the guide outlet () to a beverage dispensing area; and a non-dispensing position for preventing liquid from being guided to the dispensing area. The guide direction (&#x2032;) is horizontally angled away from the module direction (&#x2032;) such as horizontally angled away by an angle in the range of 45 to 135 deg.

Liquid dispensing machine with drop stop

A machine () for dispensing a beverage () includes: a module () having a cavity () and a cavity outlet (') for guiding the beverage out of the cavity (); and a guide () that has a guide outlet () and that is arranged for receiving the beverage () from the cavity outlet (&#x2032;) and guiding the beverage () along a guide direction (&#x2032;) to the guide outlet () and out thereof so as to be dispensed to a beverage dispensing area. The guide () has a guide channel () extending along the guide direction (&#x2032;) for receiving the beverage () from the cavity outlet (&#x2032;) and guiding the beverage () to the guide outlet (). The guide channel (&#x2033;) has a cross-section orthogonal to the guide direction (&#x2032;) and a bottom (&#x2032;) generally extending along the guide direction (&#x2032;). The cross-section has a width that increases with distance from the bottom (&#x2032;), e.g. with height above the bottom.

Liquid dispensing machine with speed regulator

The present invention relates to a beverage preparation machine () for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge, the machine comprising a first liquid supply circuit () configured for selectively providing liquid of predefined temperature and/or volume from a liquid reservoir () of the machine () to a cartridge inserted into the machine, a second liquid supply circuit () configured for selectively providing liquid of predefined temperature and/or volume from the liquid reservoir () of the machine to a liquid delivery outlet () of the machine, a control unit () for controlling the first and second liquid supply circuit (), and a network unit () comprising a network interface for communication with an external electronic device () over a network, wherein the control unit () is configured to individually control the selective provision of liquid from the first and the second liquid supply circuit () in response to information obtained via the network unit ().

Beverage preparation machine with two-liquid circuits and electronic device for controlling the same

A beverage preparation system is disclosed that includes a capsule dispenser and a beverage preparation machine that are operatively linked by a control system. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a beverage using the beverage preparation system. In addition, a capsule dispenser, a beverage preparation machine, a computer program for a processing unit of a control system, and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising the computer program are also disclosed.

Inter-operable capsule dispensing unit and beverage preparation machine

A capsule dispenser to dispense a capsule to a user as a dispensing operation is disclosed, along with a beverage preparation machine to extract an ingredient of a beverage from a capsule supplied thereto by a user as a beverage preparation operation. Also disclosed is a beverage preparation system in which the capsule dispenser and beverage preparation machine are operatively linked by a control system. Methods of preparing a beverage using the beverage preparation system are also disclosed. Further disclosed are a computer program for a processing unit of the control system, along with a non-transitory computer readable medium that includes the computer program.

A beverage preparation machine is provided and includes a heater () for heating up a supply of liquid from a supply temperature to a beverage preparation temperature, in particular an in-line heater and/or a heat accumulation structure such as a thermoblock; and a control unit () for controlling the supply of liquid and the heater so that the heater is energized to reach and be maintained at an operative temperature ('RUN') for heating up the supply of liquid to the beverage preparation temperature during beverage preparation. The control unit is further arranged so that the heater is energized to reach and be maintained at a reduced temperature ('ECO') out of beverage preparation.

Advanced heating device

A beverage preparation system () comprises: &#x2014;a first machine () for preparing a first beverage ('&#x2033;), the first machine having a first outlet () for dispensing a beverage, such as coffee, onto a beverage dispensing area () for positioning a cup or mug (); and&#x2014;a second machine () for preparing and dispensing a second beverage (&#x2032;&#x2033;) via a second beverage outlet (), the second machine being disconnectably connected to the first machine and separable therefrom. The first and second machines (), when connected, are configurable so that the second outlet () is positioned or positionable adjacent to the first outlet () to dispense the second beverage (&#x2032;&#x2033;) onto the beverage dispensing area () and into a cup or mug () in position for collecting the first beverage (&#x2032;&#x2033;) from the first beverage outlet.

Modular beverage dispensing system

A beverage preparation machine () has: a beverage preparation module () comprising a module interface () and an auxiliary device () comprising a device interface (). The module and device interfaces being arranged for assembling the module () and the device () together. At least one of the module and device interfaces () comprises one or more dampening members (') so arranged that the module () and the device () are in direct contact only via the dampening member(s) (&#x2032;) when the module () and device () are assembled together via the interfaces ().

Beverage machine with vibration inhibitor

A system comprises a cartridge () containing a beverage ingredient and a device () for brewing the ingredient in the cartridge by supplying a brewing liquid such as heated water into the cartridge. The device has upstream and downstream cartridge enclosing parts () relatively movable between an open position for inserting and/or removing the cartridge and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber () enclosing the cartridge during brewing. The brewing chamber () has a confining expansion space () which is: unoccupied by the cartridge () when the enclosing parts () are in the closed position enclosing the cartridge; and occupied by the cartridge upon expansion thereof caused by exposure of the ingredient to the brewing liquid.

Cartridge chamber of extraction system

Beverage production device for producing a beverage from a single-use capsule containing a beverage ingredient, comprising: a brewing unit that receives the capsule in a cavity defined by first and second engaging members that enclose the capsule and press it at a flange-like rim in a liquid seal-tight manner. At least one of the first and second engaging members comprises a substantially annular pressing portion for applying a sealing pressure on the flange-like rim of the capsule, the first and second engaging members being configured in relative closure at the nip to leak to a liquid injected in the cavity when a capsule is not present. One of at least the first or second engaging members comprises, at its annular pressing portion, at least one passage arranged for controlling liquid leakage only within a limited angular radial direction when the first and second engaging members are closed at the nip.

Beverage production device for producing a beverage from a single-use capsule

A machine () for dispensing a beverage () has: an outlet () for dispensing said beverage; a user-recipient support () movable within such machine from a position for supporting a smaller user-recipient () under the outlet to a position for placing a larger user-recipient () under the outlet; and means for stopping movement of the user-recipient support in at least one of said positions. The stopping means comprise a means () for fastening the user-recipient support in said at least one of said positions.

Secure cup support for beverage machine

A device () for receiving an ingredient cartridge () and extracting the ingredient by passing heated liquid through the cartridge, comprises: a cartridge seat () that has an open configuration for receiving and/or removing a cartridge from such device and a closed configuration for extracting the ingredient; and a force generation means () for assisting a closure or opening movement of the cartridge seat. The force generation means can be associated with a dampening means () for dampening the closure or opening movement of the cartridge seat when assisted by the force generating means. The device can have a user-movable handle () that is associated with an end-of-stroke feed-back means () for providing a corresponding feed-back to a user actuating the handle.

Ergonomic capsule extraction device

A beverage preparation machine () has: a housing (); a duct () with an outlet (); a conduit () upstream the duct and connected thereto; and a waste liquid collector () arranged to collect waste liquid from the outlet. The duct has: an operative position for circulating beverage through the conduit and dispensing said beverage from the outlet outside the housing above a user-receptacle filling area (); and a cleaning position for circulating cleaning fluid through the conduit and evacuating said cleaning fluid from the outlet inside the housing to the waste liquid collector. The duct is pivotally assembled about a pivoting axis () to the conduit for pivoting the outlet between the operative position and the cleaning position.

Beverage dispenser with safe cleaning arrangement

A flavored-beverage preparation machine () comprises: &#x2014;a fluid circuit having a duct () that has an outlet () for dispensing a flavored-beverage over a filling area () for user-receptacles (); and &#x2014;a cleaning arrangement for removing remnant flavored-beverage from the duct by passing a clearing fluid through the duct and out of the duct via the outlet, The cleaning arrangement has: &#x2014;means () for providing a gas under pressure; and &#x2014;a configuration for passing such a gas as this clearing fluid under pressure through and out of the duct for evacuating remnant flavored-beverage from the duct.

Beverage dispenser with hygienic cleaning cycle

A device () for extracting an ingredient in a cartridge () by supplying an extraction liquid such as heated water into such cartridge, includes upstream and downstream cartridge enclosing parts () relatively movable between an open position for inserting and/or removing such cartridge and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber () enclosing such cartridge during extraction; and a cartridge handling arrangement including a cartridge holder (), in particular a holder fixed to or integral with the upstream part or the downstream part, for receiving and holding such cartridge against gravity when inserted and descending under gravity between the enclosing parts in the open position prior to forming the extraction chamber (). The handling arrangement further includes at least one cartridge positioning element (), in particular a pair of positioning elements, that horizontally guides such cartridge () upon reception by the holder () in a cartridge extraction alignment () between the upstream and downstream parts (), optionally the positioning element (s) () being fixed to or integral with the downstream part () and/or having an arched portion () for contacting such cartridge.

Growing community of inventors

La Tour de Peilz, Switzerland

Blaise Rithener