Nestec S.a.

Societe Des Produits Nestle S.a.

Enzo Bonacci

Christian Talon

Jean-Luc Denisart

HansPeter Pleisch

Antoine Ryser

Andrew Gunstone

Alain Meier

Alfred Yoakim

Alexandre Perentes

Christian Jarisch

Alexandre Kollep

Jean-Marc Flick

Ralph Kugler

Roman Leuzinger

Jean-Paul Denisart

Andre Noth

Christophe Sebastien Paul Heydel

Jean-Luc Colantonio

Stéphane Pellegrini

Patrick Caprotti

Philippe Baenninger

Hans Peter Pleisch

Xavier Richi

Elodie Debefve

Amandine Ribeyrol

Hanspeter Pleisch

Christophe Sébastien Paul Heydel

Irène Verettas

Hans-Peter Pleisch

Jean Luc Denisart

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

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.

Device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge, comprising a supply unit () for supplying injection fluid to the cartridge (), a cartridge holder () configured to accept and support a cartridge; the said cartridge holder being detachable from the device and complementary insertion means () are configured to allow the cartridge holder to be inserted from its detached position into the supply unit (). The injection means () are provided and form part of the supply unit. The injection means are able to move into engagement. Sealing means () are also provided in association with the injection means in 'order to provide sealing locally between the said injection means and the cartridge.

Device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge

A device () handles a capsule () having a flange ('). The device comprises: a first part () and a second part () that are relatively movable across a space () from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing such capsule () to an extraction position for extracting such capsule; a third part () for guiding such capsule () to in between the first and second parts () when in the transfer position; and stop means (). The stop means are configured for successively: stopping the capsule () in between the first and second parts () in the transfer position; maintaining the capsule while the first and second parts () are relatively moved from the transfer position towards the extraction position to receive the capsule; and allowing a liberation of the capsule from the stop means after reception of the capsule by at least one of the first and second parts () while relatively moving towards the extraction position. The third part () has a flange section () that has a first position for engaging with and guiding the capsule flange (&#x2032;, 2&#x2032;) when the first and second parts () are in the transfer position before liberation of such capsule (, 2) from the stop means (). The flange section () in the first position extends into such space (), the flange section () being moved after the capsule liberation from its first position to a second position in which the flange section () is retracted from the space () to allow a crossing thereof by the at least one of the first and second parts ().

Retractable guide in capsule handling device

A machine () comprises a frame (') and a capsule handling device (&#x2033;) mounted in and/or on the frame (&#x2032;). The device (&#x2033;) has a first part () and a second part () that is movable relatively to the frame (&#x2032;) from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing said capsule () to an extraction position for extracting such capsule and vice versa. The second part () comprising: a capsule receptacle () delimiting a cavity (&#x2032;) for receiving such capsule () and for forming in the extraction position an extraction chamber (&#x2033;) with the first part (); and a first portion () and a second portion () that are relatively movable between a first relative position and a second relative position to change at least one dimension () of the cavity (&#x2032;) and of the extraction chamber (&#x2033;). The device (&#x2033;) further comprises an actuator () connected to the second part () for driving the movable second part () between the transfer position and the extraction position. The actuator () is further connected to the first and/or second portions () of the second part () to relatively move the first and second portions () between their first and second relative positions.

Multisize capsule handling with serial actuation

A device () handles selectively a first capsule () having a first flange (') and a second capsule () having a second flange (&#x2032;) greater than the first flange (&#x2032;). The device comprises: a first part () and a second part () that are relatively movable from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing such capsule () to an extraction position for extracting such capsule (); and a third part () for guiding such capsule () to inbetween the first and second parts () when in the transfer position. The third part () has: a first portion () for engaging with and guiding the first flange (&#x2032;) of the first capsule (); and a second portion () for engaging with and guiding the second flange (&#x2032;) of the second capsule (). The third part () is so configured that: the first portion () is bypassed by the second flange (&#x2032;) when the second capsule () is guided to in-between the first and second parts () in the transfer position; and the second portion () is bypassed by the first flange (&#x2032;) when the first capsule () is guided to inbetween the first and second parts () in the transfer position.

Device guiding differently sized capsules to extraction

Device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge, comprising a supply unit () for supplying injection fluid to the cartridge (), a cartridge holder () configured to accept and support a cartridge; the said cartridge holder being detachable from the device and complementary insertion means () are configured to allow the cartridge holder to be inserted from its detached position into the supply unit (). The injection means () are provided and form part of the supply unit. The injection means are able to move into engagement with the cartridge and relative to the injection unit. Sealing means () are also provided in association with the injection means in order to provide sealing locally between the said injection means and the cartridge.

An extraction unit () for extracting cartridges () of two different heights (ha;hb) comprises a seat () for receiving any of the cartridges (). The seat is delimited by a first part () and a second part () that are relatively movable between an extraction position and a loading and/or ejection position. The first part has a first portion () and a second portion () that are relatively movable to delimit a cavity (') having selectively: a first depth (da) for receiving a cartridge () of the first height (ha); and a second depth (db) for receiving a cartridge () of the second height (hb). The seat has a depth detecting arrangement (), such as a detecting arrangement comprising a control unit () connected to sensor () via a connection (). The depth detecting arrangement is configured to detect a relative position of the first portion and the second portion to determine whether the cavity has at least one of the first and second depths.

Sensor for multi-size cartridge extraction unit

A device () handles selectively a first capsule () having a first flange (') and a second capsule () having a second flange (&#x2032;) greater than the first flange (&#x2032;). The device comprises a first part () and a second part () that are relatively movable from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing such capsule () to an extraction position for extracting such capsule (). The device further comprises separation means () for separating such capsule () from at least one of the first and second parts () when the first and second parts () are relatively moved from the extraction position to the transfer position.

Handling device with movable capsule ejector

An extraction unit () for extracting cartridges () of two different heights (ha;hb) comprises a seat () for receiving any of such cartridges () for extraction thereof in the seat. The seat is delimited by a first part () and second part () that are relatively movable between a cartridge extraction position and a cartridge loading and/or ejection position. The first part () has a first portion () and a second portion () that are relatively movable to delimit a cavity (') having selectively: &#x2014;a first depth (da) for receiving a cartridge () of the first height (ha); and &#x2014;a second depth (db) for receiving a cartridge () of the second height (hb), the first part () has a lock (&#x2032;) for locking the first and second portions () when the delimited cavity (&#x2032;) has the first depth (da) or the second depth (db). Such extraction unit () further comprises a mechanical sensor () that senses the height (ha;hb) of a cartridge () and that controls the lock (&#x2032;) to lock or unlock the first and second portions () when the sensor is actuated by a cartridge of first height (ha) or of second height (hb).

Self-locking multi-size cartridge extraction unit

An extraction unit () for extracting cartridges () of two different dimensions (da, ha; db, hb) comprises a seat () for receiving any of these cartridges () for extraction thereof in the seat. The seat is delimited by a first part () and second part () that are relatively movable between a cartridge extraction position and a cartridge loading and/or ejection position. The first delimiting part has a first member () and a second member () that are relatively movable between: &#x2014;a first member position delimiting a cartridge cavity of a first depth (Ha) for receiving a cartridge () having a first height (ha); and &#x2014;a second member position in which the ca cartridge cavity has a second depth (Hb) different to the first depth (Ha) for receiving a cartridge () having a second height (hb) different to the first height (ha). The unit () further comprises an actuator (), in particular a motorized actuator having a motor (), for relatively moving the first and second members () from the first to the second member position and/or vice versa depending on the dimension (da, ha; db, hb) of a cartridge () to be received in the seat () and extracted.

Extraction unit with multi-size cartridge cavity

An extraction unit () for extracting cartridges () of two different dimensions (da,ha;db,hb) comprises a seat () for receiving any of these cartridges () for extraction thereof in the seat. The seat is delimited by a first part () and second part () that are relatively movable between a cartridge extraction position and a cartridge loading and/or ejection position over a closure distance (Ca,Cb). The first delimiting part () is extendable and retractable for defining a cartridge cavity having selectively: &#x2014;a first depth (Ha) for receiving a cartridge () having a first height (ha); and &#x2014;a second depth (Hb) different to this first depth (Ha) for receiving a cartridge () having a second height (hb) different to this first height (ha). At least one of the delimiting parts () has a shifter () for compensating the extension and retraction of the first delimiting part () so as to maintain the closure distance (Ca) for the first member position equal to the closure distance (Cb) for the second member position.

Extraction unit with a shiftable multi-size cartridge receiver

An extraction unit () for extracting cartridges () of two different dimensions (da,ha;db,hb) comprises a seat () for receiving any of such cartridges () and for extraction thereof in the seat. The unit () further comprises a pair of slides () for guiding any of such cartridges () towards the seat () in a sliding contact of each of these slides () with a cartridge guide () of the cartridges (). The slides are relatively movable to be spaced selectively by a first and second distance (Da, Db) according to the size (da, db) of the cartridge.

Multi-size cartridge extraction unit having guiding slides

A machine () comprises a frame (') and a capsule handling device (&#x2033;) mounted in and/or on the frame (&#x2032;). The device (&#x2033;) comprises: &#x2014;a first part () that is movable relatively to the frame (&#x2032;) from a transfer position for inserting and/or removing said capsule () to an extraction position for extracting such capsule and vice versa; &#x2014;a second part () that has a capsule receptacle () delimiting a cavity (&#x2032;) for receiving such capsule () and for forming an extraction chamber (&#x2033;) with the first part () in its extraction position, the second part () comprising a first portion () and a second portion () that are relatively movable between a first relative position and a second relative position to change at least one dimension of the cavity (&#x2032;) and of the extraction chamber (&#x2033;); &#x2014;an actuator () connected to the first part () for driving the movable first part () between the transfer position and the extraction position. The actuator () is further connected to the second part () for driving the first and/or second portions () to relatively move the first and second portions () between their first and second relative positions.

Multisize capsule handling with parallel actuation

The invention proposes a device for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule () by injection of a liquid into the capsule (), wherein said liquid is provided by a pump () of the device, said device comprising an extraction head () having an aperture () for inserting a capsule-holder () providing the capsule () to a capsule-holder receiving chamber () of the device, a closing mechanism () to selectively enclose said capsule () in the capsule-holder receiving chamber (), at least one injection member () to supply a liquid received from the pump () to the inside of the capsule (), a control unit () for controlling at least the pump () of the device, and decoding means () connected to the control unit () and designed to read information from the capsule-holder ().

Growing community of inventors

Savigny, Switzerland

Enzo Bonacci