Luigi Lavazza S.p.a

Argotec S.r.l.

Politecnico Di Torino

Danilo Bolognese

Alberto Cabilli

Denis Rotta

Luca Bugnano

Luisa Anna Borello

Alfredo Vanni

Elvio Bonisoli

Andrea Colonna

Simone Rosetta

Luciano Gabriele Picone

A system for the preparation of beverages with the use of capsules including an infusion assembly () and a capsule (C). The infusion assembly includes a capsule-holder () and a cooperating body (), adapted to assume an open configuration for positioning a capsule (C) therebetween, and a closed configuration for preparing a beverage through the capsule (C) clamped in a liquid-tight manner therebetween. In the capsule-holder () there is defined a recess () adapted to receive the capsule (C) with the bottom wall () facing the interior of the capsule-holder () and wherein is provided a first piercing member () provided with at least a piercing point () adapted to penetrate through the bottom wall () of said capsule (C). The capsule-holder () is adapted to supply a flow of fluid introduced into the capsule (C) through the tear created in its bottom wall () from the at least one point (). In the cooperating body () a dispensing conduit () is defined for the beverage and a second piercing member () is provided, having at least one point () adapted to penetrate through the cover () of the capsule (C) to allow the outflow of the beverage from the capsule (C) towards said dispensing conduit (). In the capsule-holder () there are provided fluid communication passages (), which put into communication a region upstream of the first piercing member () such that, during the preparation of a beverage, the fluid introduced into the recess () of the capsule-holder () exerts on the first piercing member () a force lower than a predetermined value towards the capsule (C), the first piercing member () being mounted in the recess () of the capsule-holder () such as to be movable under the action of a spring () tending to displace it towards the cooperating body ().

System for the preparation of beverages with the use of capsules

A cartridge () containing a dose () of at least one substance for preparing a liquid product, e.g., coffee, by means of liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge (). The cartridge comprises a body () containing the aforesaid dose (), with a bottom wall (), through which the liquid product is able to flow out of the cartridge (), and a cover () that closes the body of the cartridge () at the end of the body opposite to the bottom wall (). The body () comprises a crushed-plant-fibre material (e.g., with a base of rice husk), which may also be used for producing the cover. Alternatively, the cover () may be made of paper material (e.g., filter paper). The body () and the cover () are connected together via purely mechanical connection, it thus being possible to avoid gluing or welding.

Cartridge for preparing a liquid product and method for producing it

A cartridge () containing a dose () of at least one substance, for example, ground coffee, for preparing a liquid product using liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge () comprises a body () with a bottom wall () and a cover () for closing the body () of the cartridge () in a position opposite to the bottom wall (). The cover () is coupled to the body () via a coupling element, such as, for example, the mouth part () of the body or a lock ring () that undergoes shape variation under the action of said liquid and/or steam, thus causing release of the coupling between the cover () and the body () of the cartridge (). The coupling element () comprises, for example, compostable material that can undergo post-crystallization under the action of heat, which has not been subjected to post-crystallization in the cartridge () prior to use.

Cartridge for preparing a liquid product, and method for production thereof

A capsule or cartridge () including a cup-shaped body () with a bottom wall (), a lateral wall () and a flange-like top formation () which is essentially planar and extends transversely towards the outside, and a cover () fixed to the flange-like formation () of the body (), such as to define a chamber () containing the material for the preparation of the beverage, in particular ground roasted coffee. The lateral wall () of the body () has a plurality of projections () and recesses () which as a whole define at least an identification of the capsule (). The projections () and recesses () are aligned in an essentially rectilinear direction, belonging to a plane essentially parallel to the flange-like formation () of the body () of the capsule ().

Capsule or cartridge and infusion assembly for the preparation of a beverage, in particular coffee

A machine for preparing beverages, in particular espresso coffee, comprises a hydraulic circuit including a brewing unit, a water tank, a pump having the inlet connected in fluid communication to the tank, and the outlet or delivery connected in fluid communication to the brewing unit. A normally closed one-way hydraulic valve, which is set between the pump and the brewing unit, enables a flow of water toward the brewing unit when the pressure of the water delivered by the pump exceeds a substantially predetermined threshold. There is a heating means for heating the water delivered by the pump. The machine has a normally open discharge valve having a main inlet (), connected between the one-way hydraulic valve and the brewing unit, a main outlet, connected toward a discharge space, and an open/close member set between the main inlet and the main outlet, designed to assume an open condition and a closed condition, where it enables and prevents, respectively, a flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet, with the open/close member being urged by a corresponding spring into the open condition. The discharge valve is a hydraulically driven valve, which includes a chamber for hydraulic driving of the open/close member, an auxiliary inlet of the driving chamber, connected to the delivery of the pump, and an auxiliary outlet of the driving chamber, connected to the brewing unit, in such a way that water forced by the pump passes through the driving chamber before reaching the brewing unit. The discharge valve has a further outlet of the driving chamber, connected in fluid communication to a device for spillage of water from the driving chamber, in particular towards one of the water tank and the inlet of the pump.

Machine for preparing beverages, in particular espresso coffee, and valve and valve unit for use therein

The system comprises: The capsules (C) of the aforementioned different types have flanges () of correspondingly different shapes, and the end delimiting part () of the brewing chamber () carries stop members () adapted to be coupled to the flanges () of said different types of capsules (C) when the latter are introduced into the brewing chamber (), so as to allow correspondingly different relative movements of the end delimiting part () relative to the lateral delimiting part () of said chamber ().

System for the preparation of beverages

A dispensing assembly for a machine for preparing a liquid food product by means of capsules including With the guide member in the operative position and with the first chamber part and the second chamber part in the spaced-apart position, a displacement of the pusher member from the first position to the second position causes a thrust on the capsule towards the outlet passage, in order to free the capsule from the retention means.

Dispensing assembly for machines for preparing liquid products by means of capsules

A machine for preparing liquid food products includes: a source of a liquid; a delivery assembly, having a brewing chamber for receiving a precursor of a liquid food product and for delivering the food product following passage of the liquid through the brewing chamber; a pump, for pumping the liquid; and a control system, for controlling an electric motor of the pump. The pump has a casing with an inlet and an outlet and an arrangement driven via the motor. The motor is bidirectional, and the control system includes means for controlling reversal of rotation of the motor between a primary direction and a secondary direction. The pump has a priming system including a recirculation valve and an actuation arrangement.

Machine for preparing liquid products, in particular via capsules

A machine for preparing liquid food products includes a pump. A cylinder is defined in the pump casing, with a piston extending in the cylinder at least in part to define a variable-volume work chamber. Between a shaft of a motor and the piston there is a transmission arrangement for causing a reciprocating movement of the piston with a predetermined stroke between advanced and retracted positions, to vary a volume of the work chamber. The pump has an intake valve and a delivery valve, for connecting the work chamber with an inlet and an outlet of the pump casing, respectively. The transmission arrangement has an actuation member driven in rotation by the shaft and operatively coupled to the piston. The actuation member defines a cam path to which the piston is coupled. The cam path is prearranged for determining the predetermined stroke of the piston between the advanced position and the retracted position.

The gripper device () comprises a pair of opposite movable jaws () having respective coordinated gripping profiles () intended to cooperate with corresponding predetermined portions of the lateral surface of a capsule (C) of a first predetermined type so as to define a retaining position for such a capsule (C) in which the capsule (C) is essentially coaxial with a predetermined reference direction (R-R). The jaws () are able to assume a relative rest or standby position in which they are close together and inlet portions thereof () are capable of being splayed and passed beyond by a capsule (C) introduced into the machine (), so as to allow said capsule (C) to be positioned and gripped between the gripping profiles () in the retaining position. Moreover, the jaws (), adjacent to said coordinated gripping profiles (), have respective further coordinated gripping profiles () able to cooperate with corresponding predetermined portions of the lateral surface of a capsule (CX) of a further and different type able to be introduced into the machine as well as to splay and pass beyond the inlet portions () of the jaws (). These further coordinated profiles () are shaped and/or arranged such that they are capable of defining, for a capsule (CX) of the further type, a corresponding retaining position in which the capsule (CX) of the further type is axially offset by a predetermined amount (&#x394;) with respect to the predetermined reference direction (R-R).

Gripper retention device for a capsule or the like in a machine for the preparation of beverages, in particular espresso coffee

A system for the preparation of beverages including capsules (C) with a cup-shaped body () having an annular lateral wall () which tapers from a mouth opening () towards a bottom wall (). These capsules (C) are of at least a first type and a second type, and have identical bottom walls () and different axial lengths (h, h, h). An infusion assembly () has a variable-volume infusion chamber (), having an introduction opening (), an end delimitation part () having a shape corresponding to that of the bottom wall () of the capsules (C), and with a lateral delimitation structure () which includes a static portion () and which extends between said introduction opening () and the end delimitation part (). The latter is movable away from the introduction opening ().

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Turin, Italy

Danilo Bolognese