Luigi Lavazza S.p.a

Mars, Incorporated

David Hay

Stephen Hobden

John Charles Cooke

Martin Eric Colston

Michael Wright

Mark Thompson

Jon W Shaw

Glenn Harrison

David Knowles

Geoffrey Furneaux

David Andrew James Hester

David A Hester

Elizabeth C Charman

Michael A Hayes

Maciej Dykier

Jon William Shaw

Michael Andrew Hayes

Elizabeth Clare Charman

A beverage vessel support apparatus including a movable support member configured for supporting a beverage vessel at a plurality of different support positions. An actuation assembly may adjust a height of the movable support member. A beverage vessel rim detector may be configured to determine whether an uppermost part of a beverage vessel supported by the movable support member is at an appropriate position for a beverage to be dispensed into the beverage vessel. A first beverage vessel detector may be positioned below the beverage vessel rim detector and configured to determine whether a beverage vessel is present on the movable support member. A second beverage vessel detector may be arranged between the beverage vessel rim detector and the first beverage vessel detector and configured to determine whether a beverage vessel is present on the movable support member.

Beverage vessel support apparatus

A beverage-ingredient container to be used in the preparation of a beverage by a beverage dispensing apparatus. The container has a first optical code on the first surface of the container, wherein the first optical code is positioned on a first surface to be read by an optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus when the container is received by the apparatus in a first orientation, and a second optical code on a second surface of the container, wherein the second optical code is positioned on the second surface to be read by the optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus when the container is in a second orientation. The first optical code and the second optical code each stores container-related information including a container identifier which, when read by the optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus, can be used by the beverage dispensing apparatus to control beverage preparation.

Beverage-ingredient container

A beverage dispensing apparatus having a height-adjustable support member for supporting a beverage vessel at a plurality of different support positions. The beverage dispensing apparatus may include a beverage dispensing outlet for dispensing a beverage and a movable support member having a top surface for supporting a beverage vessel below the beverage dispensing outlet. The movable support member may include an inner telescoping element and an outer telescoping element. An actuation assembly may be operably coupled to the movable support member to move the movable support member to modify a distance between the top surface of the movable support member and the beverage dispensing outlet. Activation of the actuation assembly may cause both the inner and outer telescoping elements to move simultaneously either towards or away from the beverage dispensing outlet.

The invention provides a method for the preparation of a foamed drink comprising the steps of: providing a capsule containing a foamable ingredient; providing a receptacle positioned to collect fluid escaping from the capsule; injecting liquid into the capsule to mix with the foamable ingredient; allowing the foamable ingredient mixed with the liquid to escape from the capsule into the receptacle; followed by injecting further liquid into the receptacle in a jet having a diameter of from about 0.5 to about 2 mm to produce foamed liquid in the receptacle. The invention also provides capsules, apparatus and systems specifically adapted for use in the method. Preferably, the food ingredient is a milk powder, and the method produces a hot foamed beverage such as a cappuccino coffee.

Methods, capsule and apparatuses for the production of foamed drinks

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Basingstoke, United Kingdom

David Hay