Franke Kaffeemaschinen Ag

Niro-plan Ag

Saeco Ipr Limited

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Mariano Turi

Heinz Vetterli

Adrian Burri

Simon Muller

Michel Loetscher

Andreas Kaiser

Stefan Stahl

Simon MÜLLER

Simon Müller

A supply device for one or more beverage-dispensing machines () is provided, having a holding space for the insertion of at least two storage containers () for liquid foods, in particular milk, which storage containers can be connected to the one or more beverage-dispensing machines by food lines ('). The supply device () has a cooling device () for the temperature control of liquid foods contained in the storage containers to a specifiable target temperature. A thermally conductive, in particular metal, contact surface () is provided for each of the food containers (), which contact surface is in thermally conductive contact with a thermally conductive outer wall (), in particular bottom surface, of the storage container in question when the storage container is installed, in order to cool the contents of the storage container. In addition, the thermally conductive contact surfaces can be cooled by the cooling device () by separately controllable cooling circuits ().

Supply device for beverage-dispensing machines

In a method and an associated brewing apparatus for preparing a hot beverage, in particular a coffee beverage, a quantity of a flavoring source, in particular coffee powder, is introduced into a brewing chamber and then, in a brewing operation, a predeterminable overall quantity of brewing water is passed through the brewing chamber under pressure, in order to enhance the taste quality of the freshly brewed coffee beverages or at least to increase the consistency of the taste. During the brewing operation, a value for the volume flow of the brewing water upstream or downstream of the brewing chamber, and/or for the quantity of the brewing water which has already been passed through, or is still to be passed through, is determined continuously, or at least a number of times, and a controllable backpressure valve downstream of the brewing chamber is activated in accordance with the value determined. The backpressure valve is a motor-operated needle valve which the controller opens wider or closes by activating a corresponding drive motor.

Brewing apparatus for preparing a hot beverage

In order to provide simple and safe handling of cleaning agents in a drink dispensing device with an integrated cleaning system, a cleaning agent container is disclosed which is designed as a container () that is closed on all sides and comprises a connection terminal () arranged laterally on the container. This connection terminal () includes a first piercing region () that is provided with a pierceable closure () and fluidically communicates with the base region of the container ().

Cleaning agent container

In order to specify, in the case of an apparatus for dispensing liquid foodstuffs, in particular milk products, an integrated cleaning system which is straightforward and reliable to handle, provision is made for a foodstuff-supply line to be provided with a connection, on which can be fitted an intake line which leads to a storage tank containing the liquid foodstuff, and for a connecting element to be provided, it being possible for this connecting element, when the intake line has been removed, to be fitted onto the connection in order for the foodstuff-supply line to be connected fluidically to the integrated cleaning system.

Cleaning system for an apparatus for dispensing liquid foodstuffs

Detergent container

A brewing assembly for a coffee machine, which brewing assembly includes a brewing module with a brewing head, an upper and lower closure element, and a drive module with at least one linear guide element. The brewing head has a cylindrical brewing chamber, which can be closed by the upper and lower closure elements and cooperates with the linear guide such that the brewing head is displaceable linearly in the brewing assembly. The drive unit also includes a motor drive for the linear guide element. The brewing head and at least one of the two closure elements with at least a brewing chamber are arranged in the brewing module in a linearly displaceable fashion. The brewing module is arranged detachably in or on the drive unit such that when it is in or on the drive unit at least the brewing head is linearly displaceable via the linear guide element.

Coffee machine and brewing assembly for a coffee machine

The invention relates to a device () for the production of cooled coffee, comprising a brewing unit () for the production of coffee, a cooling assembly () and a coffee cooler () formed as a heat exchanger, wherein the coffee cooler () has at least one first and one second flow path that are connected thermally but not in a fluid-conducting manner, wherein a coolant can flow through the first flow path and the second flow path is connected in a fluid-conducting manner with a coffee outlet () of the brewing unit (). It is essential that the device furthermore has a fresh-water supply () and a fresh-water cooler () formed as an additional heat exchanger, wherein the fresh-water cooler () has at least one first and one second flow path that are connected thermally but not in a fluid conducting manner and the fresh-water supply () is connected in a fluid-conducting manner downstream with the second flow path of the fresh-water cooler (), further downstream with the first flow path of the coffee cooler (), and further downstream with the brewing unit () and the first flow path of the fresh-water cooler () is connected in a fluid-conducting manner with a coolant circuit of the cooling assembly. The invention further relates to a method for the production of cooled coffee.

Device and method for the production of cooled coffee

A dispensing head includes an infusion chamber constituted by at least one first portion in which a seat for single-dose capsules is set, and one second, closing, portion of the infusion chamber. The dispensing head also includes an oscillating expeller set between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. The oscillating expeller engages a capsule inserted in the infusion chamber to cause expulsion thereof when the infusion chamber is opened. The expeller includes an appendage shaped so as to engage the capsule from the bottom and lift it from the infusion chamber.

Dispensing head for a machine for making beverages with single-dose capsules, and machine comprising said dispensing head

A device for foaming a liquid foodstuff, in particular, milk, including a foaming chamber (), a foodstuff feed line (), a steam feed line (), and an air feed line () is provided. The foodstuff, steam, and air feed lines are connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the foaming chamber (). The air feed line () includes an air valve () that can be controlled by a control unit (), and the air valve () is an intermittent air valve in which, by use of the control unit (), at least one state with a high air flow and a state with relatively lower air flow and/or with no air flow can be specified selectively. The control unit () and air valve () have an interacting construction such that the average air flow of the air valve () can be controlled by repeated switching between the at least two states of the air valve (). The invention further includes a method for foaming the liquid foodstuff.

Device and method for foaming a liquid foodstuff, in particular, milk

A device for foaming a liquid foodstuff, especially milk, is provided including a pump () that has, on the suction side, a feed line () that can be connected in a fluid-conducting way to a storage container for the liquid foodstuff. An air feed line () by which air can be fed to the foodstuff is arranged in a path of flow of the liquid foodstuff on the suction side of the pump () and, a throttle () is arranged in the path of flow of the foodstuff on the downstream side of the pump (). The air feed line () includes an air valve () that can be controlled by a control unit () and the air valve () is an intermittent air valve () having at least one state with high air flow and one state with comparatively lower air flow and/or with no air flow can be specified selectively by the control unit (), and the control unit () and air valve () are constructed to interact such that the average air flow of the air valve can be controlled through repeated switching between the at least two states of the air valve.

Device and method for foaming a liquid foodstuff, especially milk

The coffee maker comprises a height adjustment assembly by means of which the height position of a collecting tray, adapted to receive one or two coffee cups to be filled with coffee beverage, is adjustable. The collecting tray is attached to a support member. The height adjustment assembly comprises at least one vertically extending gear rack that can be non-positively engaged by a slider provided at the support member. The slider is biased by a spring towards the gear rack and can be manually displaced against the force of the spring.

Coffee maker having a height adjustable collecting tray

A coffee grinder assembly for a coffee machine comprises two coaxially arranged grinding wheels. One of the grinding wheels is driven by an electric motor, and the other one is stationary. For receiving the grinding wheels, two grinding wheel support members are provided. Each grinding wheel is provided with radially extending protrusions, and each grinding wheel support member is provided with corresponding recesses to form a bayonet closure. By such a design, the provision of connecting bores in the grinding wheels can be avoided, resulting in an enlarged effective grinding surface.

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Zurich, Switzerland

Mariano Turi