JP2015083194A - Machine for preparation of beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a closure mechanism for a beverage preparation machine comprising a fixed lower part, an upper part rotatable relative to the lower part, and a cartridge holder rotatable relative to the lower part and the upper part.SOLUTION: The closure mechanism comprises: a fixed lower part; an upper part 256 rotatable relative to the lower part between an open position and a closed position; a holder 257 of a cartridge 1 interposed between the lower part and the upper part and movable relative to the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part; an inlet piercing member 253 and an outlet piercing member 254 for forming, respectively, an inlet and an outlet in the cartridge 1. Rotation of the upper part toward the lower part causes the upper part to engage the holder 257, to rotate the holder toward the lower part, and to cause the inlet piercing member and the outlet piercing member to pierce the cartridge.

Description

  The present invention relates to a machine for preparing beverages, and in particular, a seal formed of a material that is substantially impermeable to air and moisture and containing one or more ingredients for beverage preparation. The use of the prepared cartridge.

  With respect to beverage machines, it has hitherto been proposed to seal the beverage preparation ingredients in individual packages that are impermeable to air. For example, cartridges and capsules that compress and contain ground coffee are known for use in certain coffee brewing machines commonly referred to as “espresso” machines. In the production of coffee using such a brewing machine, a coffee cartridge is placed in the brewing chamber, and hot water passes through the cartridge at a relatively high pressure to extract ground coffee components from the ground coffee. Produce coffee drinks. Usually such machines operate at pressures exceeding 6 × 10 5 Pa. This type of preparation machine has been relatively expensive until now because the components, such as water pumps and seals, it must be able to withstand high pressures.

  The prior art describes beverage preparation cartridges that generally operate at 0.7 to 2.0 × 10 5 Pa (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, this cartridge has been designed for use in beverage preparation machines for commercial or industrial markets and has been relatively expensive. In addition, the beverage filter cartridge holder described in Patent Document 1 includes an injecting and discharging probe for puncturing the beverage cartridge in use. This injection and discharge probe is non-removably attached to the pneumatic cylinder by ball means. Infusion and drainage probes are difficult to access and are therefore difficult to maintain, especially cleaning.

[Patent Document 1] Pamphlet of International Publication No. 01/58786 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 0389141 [Patent Document 3] European Patent Application Publication No. 0334572

  Accordingly, there remains a need for a beverage preparation cartridge that makes the cartridge and beverage preparation machine for beverage adjustment particularly suitable for the home market in terms of price, performance and reliability. There is also a need for a beverage preparation machine for cartridges that is simple to operate and highly reliable in operation. In particular, the beverage cartridge loading and unloading means should be simple to provide a reliable sealing force that operates and sustains the compressive force applied within the beverage cartridge during the conditioning cycle. Alternatively or additionally, there is also a need for a means for providing a reliable and known sealing force to counteract the compressive force applied within the beverage cartridge during the conditioning cycle. Alternatively or additionally, it is desirable that the machine be easy to maintain.

To that end, the present invention is a cartridge holder for a beverage adjuster (201),
A fixed lower part (255) and an upper part (256) rotatable relative to said lower part between open and closed positions;
A mounting base (257) for the cartridge (1) disposed between the lower part and the upper part, movable relative to the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part;
An injection puncture member (253) and an extraction puncture member (254) for forming an inlet and an outlet, respectively, for the cartridge (1);
With
By rotating the upper part toward the lower part, the upper part is coupled with the mounting base (257) and the mounting base is rotated toward the lower part so that the injection puncture member and the dispensing A cartridge holder is provided, wherein a puncture member is punctured into the cartridge.

  Preferably, the injection puncture member and the extraction puncture member are arranged so as to be punctured on the same side surface of the cartridge.

  Preferably, the fixed lower part has a recess for receiving the cartridge.

  Preferably, the mount has a mouth (292) which is arranged perpendicular to the lid of the cartridge when the upper part is rotated to the closed position.

  Preferably, the injection puncture member and the extraction puncture member pass through the mouth portion of the attachment portion and puncture the lid.

  It should be understood that the term “cartridge” as used herein means any package, container, sachet or container that contains one or more beverage ingredients in the manner described above. The cartridge may be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible.

  The cartridge according to the present invention contains one or more liquid beverage ingredients suitable for the formation of a beverage product. This beverage product includes, for example, one type of milk beverage including coffee, tea, cocoa, or milk. The beverage ingredient may be powder, ground, leaf ingredient, or liquid. The beverage ingredient may be insoluble or soluble. Examples include roasted and ground coffee, leaf tea, powdered cocoa and soup, milk beverages, and concentrated fruit juices.

  In the following description, the terms “upper”, “lower” and equivalent terms are used to describe the relative positioning of the features of the present invention. "Upper", "lower" and equivalent terms refer to a cartridge (or other component) in a normal position for insertion into a beverage preparation machine and subsequent preparation, for example as shown in FIG. Should be understood. Specifically, “upper” and “lower” refer to relative positions that are closer or farther from the top surface 11 of the cartridge, respectively. The terms “inner”, “outer” and equivalent terms are also used to describe the relative positioning of the features of the present invention. The terms “inner”, “outer” and equivalent terms are used to refer to relative positioning within the cartridge (or other component) closer or further from the center or major axis X of the cartridge 1 (or other component). It should be understood as referring to each.

It is sectional drawing which shows the outer side member of 1st and 2nd embodiment of the cartridge applied to this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the detail of the outer side member of FIG. 1, and has shown the cylindrical extension part facing inner side. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing details of the outer member of FIG. 1 showing a slot. It is the perspective view which looked at the outer side member of FIG. 1 from the top. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outer member of FIG. It is the top view which looked at the outer side member of FIG. 1 from the top. It is sectional drawing which shows the inner member of the cartridge which is 1st Embodiment. It is the perspective view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 7 from the top. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inner member of FIG. It is the top view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 7 from the top. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge of 1st Embodiment which is the assembled state. It is sectional drawing which shows the inner member of the cartridge which is 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the detail of the inner side member of FIG. 12 which shows an opening | mouth part. It is the perspective view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 12 from the top. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the inner member of FIG. FIG. 13 is another cross-sectional view showing the inner member of FIG. 12. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another detail of the inner member of FIG. 12 showing the air inlet. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge of 2nd Embodiment which is the assembled state. It is sectional drawing which shows the outer member in the 3rd and 4th embodiment of the cartridge applied to this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the detail of the outer side member of FIG. 19, and has shown the cylindrical extension part toward the inner side. It is the top view which looked at the outer side member of FIG. 19 from the top. It is the perspective view which looked at the outer side member of FIG. 19 from the top. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the outer member of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the inner member of the cartridge which is 3rd Embodiment. It is the top view which looked at the outer side member of FIG. 24 from the top. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing details of the inner member of FIG. 24 showing the inward upper rim. It is the perspective view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 24 from the top. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the inner member of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge of 3rd Embodiment which is the assembled state. It is sectional drawing which shows the inner member in 4th Embodiment of a cartridge. It is the top view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 30 from the top. It is the perspective view which looked at the inner member of FIG. 30 from the top. FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the inner member of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge of 4th Embodiment which is the assembled state. It is a front perspective view which shows the drink preparation machine used together with this invention. FIG. 36 is a front perspective view of the machine of FIG. 35 with the cartridge head in the open position. FIG. 36 is a rear perspective view of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts omitted for convenience. FIG. 36 is another rear perspective view of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts omitted for convenience. FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing the cartridge head of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts omitted for convenience. FIG. 36 is another perspective view showing the cartridge head of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts omitted for convenience. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge head in a closed position. It is sectional drawing which shows the cartridge head in an open position. FIG. 36 is a schematic layout showing the machine of FIG. 35. FIG. FIG. 36 is a schematic layout showing first code recognition means for the machine of FIG. 35. FIG. FIG. 36 is a schematic layout showing second code recognition means for the machine of FIG. 35. FIG. It is a top view which shows the drink of this invention provided with a barcode.

  Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 11, the cartridge 1 of the present invention is mainly composed of an outer member 2, an inner member 3, and a laminate 5. The cartridge 1 is formed by combining the outer member 2, the inner member 3, and the laminate 5, and the cartridge 1 has an interior 120 for containing one or more kinds of beverage ingredients, an inlet 121, and a spout 122 and a beverage flow path that penetrates the interior 120 from the inlet 121 to the spout 122. The inlet 121 and the outlet 122 are initially sealed with the laminate 5, but are opened by drilling or cutting the laminate 5 during use. The beverage flow path is defined by the spatial interrelationship between the outer member 2, the inner member 3 and the laminate 5 as will be described below. In addition, components such as a filter 4 can optionally be included in the cartridge 1 as further described below.

  Next, a first type of cartridge 1 described for the purpose of background art is shown in FIGS. The first type of cartridge 1 is specifically designed to dispense filtered products such as coffee and leaf tea that have been roasted and ground. However, this type of cartridge 1 and other types described below include cocoa, coffee, tea, sweeteners, tonics, seasonings, alcoholic beverages, seasoned milk, fruit juice, squash, sauces, and desserts. It can also be used for other products.

  As can be seen from FIG. 5, the overall shape of the cartridge 1 is a substantially circular or disk shape whose diameter is significantly larger than the height. The major axis X passes through the center of the outer member as shown in FIG. Usually, the outer member 2 has an overall diameter of 74.5 mm ± 6 mm and an overall height of 16 mm ± 3 mm. Normally, the volume of the cartridge 1 is calculated to be 30.2 ml ± 20%.

  The outer member 2 mainly comprises a ball-shaped shell 10 having a curved annular wall 13, a closed top 11 and an open bottom 12. Since the annular wall 13 extends from the closed top portion 11 to the open bottom portion 12, the diameter of the outer member 2 is smaller at the top portion 11 than the diameter of the bottom portion 12. The annular wall 13 and the closed bottom 11 together define a container having an interior 34.

  A hollow, inwardly extending columnar extension 18 is provided on the top 11 closed about the major axis X. As can be seen better in FIG. 2, the cylindrical extension 18 comprises a stepped profile having first, second and third portions 19, 20 and 21. The first portion 19 has a right cylindrical shape. The second portion 20 has a truncated conical shape and tapers inwardly. The third portion 21 is another right circular cylinder and is closed by the lower surface 31. The diameters of the first, second and third portions 19, 20 and 21 are such that the diameter of the cylindrical extension 18 narrows from the top 11 of the cylindrical extension 18 to the closed lower surface 31. It is getting smaller. A substantially horizontal shoulder 32 is formed in the cylindrical extension 18 at the joint between the second portion 20 and the third portion 21.

  An outwardly extending shoulder 33 is formed on the outer member 2 toward the bottom 12. This outwardly extending shoulder 33 forms a secondary wall 15 that is coaxial with the annular wall 13, thereby forming a manifold 16 between the secondary wall 15 and the annular wall 13. It has come to define. The manifold 16 passes around the outer member 2. A series of slots 17 are provided in the annular wall 13 at the same height as the manifold 16, thereby providing gas and liquid communication between the manifold 16 and the interior 34 of the outer member 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the slot 17 includes a vertical slit formed in the annular wall 13. There are 20 to 40 slits. In the illustrated form, 37 slots 17 are provided around the manifold 16 at approximately equal intervals. The slot 17 is preferably 1.4 to 1.8 mm long. Usually, the length of each slot is 1.6 mm which is 10% of the entire height of the outer member 2. The width of each slot is 0.25 to 0.35 mm. Usually, the width of each slot is 0.3 mm. The width of the slot 17 is sufficiently narrow so that beverage ingredients do not pass through the manifold 16 during storage or use.

  The inlet chamber 26 is formed in the outer member 2 around the outer member 2. As best seen in FIG. 5, a cylindrical wall 27 is provided which defines an inlet chamber 26 in the interior 34 of the outer member 2 and at the same time partitions the inlet chamber 26 from the interior 34 of the outer member 2. Yes. The columnar wall 27 has a closed upper surface 28 formed on one plane perpendicular to the long axis X, and an open lower end 29 on the same plane as the bottom 12 of the outer member 2. The inlet chamber 26 communicates with the manifold 16 through two slots 30 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, 1 to 4 slots may be used to communicate between the manifold 16 and the inlet chamber 26.

  An outward extension flange 35 extending perpendicularly to the long axis X is provided at the lower end of the shoulder 33 extending outward. Usually, the width of the flange 35 is 2 to 4 mm. A portion of the flange 35 is expanded to form the handle 24 by holding the outer member 2. The handle 24 is provided with a rim 25 with the tip facing upward for easy gripping.

  The outer member 2 is formed as a single piece from high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, or a laminate of two or more of these. Suitable polypropylene is a series of polymers available from DSM UK Limited (Redditch, United Kingdom). This outer member may be opaque, transparent or translucent. This manufacturing process can be injection molding.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the inner member 3 includes an annular frame 41 and a cylindrical funnel 40 extending downward. As shown in FIG. 7, the long axis X passes through the center of the inner member 3.

As best seen in FIG. 8, the annular frame 41 includes an outer rim 51 and an inner hub 52 joined by ten radial spokes 53 provided at equal intervals. The inner hub 52 is integral with the cylindrical funnel 40 and extends from the cylindrical funnel 40. A filtration port 55 is formed in the annular frame 41 between the radial spokes 53. The filter 4 is disposed on the annular frame 41 so as to cover the filtration port portion 55. This filter is preferably made of a material with high wet strength, such as polyester, which is a nonwoven fiber material. Other materials that can be used include moisture-impermeable cellulose materials such as cellulose materials containing woven paper fibers. The woven paper fibers can be mixed with polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and / or polyethylene fibers. When such a plastic material is combined in a cellulose material, the cellulose material can be heat sealed. The filter 4 may be treated or coated with a material that is activated by heat and / or compression forces so that it can be sealed to the annular frame 41 by heat and / or compression forces.

  As shown in the cross-sectional profile of FIG. 7, the inner hub 52 is disposed at a position below the outer rim 51, so that the profile of the annular frame 41 is inclined downward.

  An upright web 54 is provided on the upper surface of each spoke 53. This web divides the hole space above the annular frame 41 into a plurality of passages 57. Each passage 57 is adjacent to the web 54 on both sides and the filter 4 is adjacent to the lower surface thereof. A passage 57 extends downwardly from the outer rim 51 toward the cylindrical funnel 40 and opens into the cylindrical funnel 40 at an opening 56 defined by the inner end of the web 54.

  The cylindrical funnel 40 includes an outer tube 42 that surrounds the inner spout 43. This outer tube 42 forms the outer surface of the cylindrical funnel 40. The spout 43 is joined to the outer tube 42 at its upper end by an annular flange 47. A spout 43 is located at the upper end of the spout 43 and communicates with the opening 56 of the passage 57, and is located at the lower end of the spout 43 for pouring the prepared beverage into a cup or other container. And an outlet 44. The spout 43 has a substantially frustoconical portion 48 at its upper end and a columnar portion 58 at its lower end. The cylindrical portion 58 may be provided with a slightly tapered portion so that the width decreases toward the spout 44. By providing the substantially truncated conical portion 48, the beverage can easily flow downward from the passage 57 toward the spout 44 without causing turbulent flow in the beverage. Four support webs 49 are provided on the upper surface of the substantially frustoconical portion 48 at equal intervals around the cylindrical funnel 40. A plurality of channels 50 are defined between the support webs 49. The upper edges of the support webs 49 are at the same height and are perpendicular to the long axis X.

  The inner member 3 can be formed by injection molding in the same manner as the outer member 2 as a single piece using polypropylene or a material similar thereto as described above.

  Alternatively, the inner member 3 and / or the outer member 2 may be made of a biodegradable polymer. Examples of suitable materials include degradable polyethylene (eg, Symphony Environmental, SPITEK from Borehamwood, UK), biodegradable polyester amide (eg, Symphony Environmental, BAK1095), polylactic acid (PLG, Cargil, Minn., USA), starch-based Examples include polymers, cellulose derivatives, and polypeptides.

  The laminate 5 is formed from two layers, a first layer made of aluminum and a second layer made of unstretched polypropylene. This aluminum layer is 0.02 to 0.07 mm thick. The unstretched polypropylene layer is 0.025 to 0.065 mm thick. In one embodiment, the aluminum layer is 0.06 mm thick and the polypropylene layer is 0.025 mm thick. This laminate is particularly advantageous because it has a high resistance to entrainment during assembly. For this reason, the laminate 5 can be cut in advance to the correct size and shape and then transferred to the assembly station of the production line without causing distortion. This laminate 5 is therefore particularly suitable for welding. Other laminate materials can also be used, examples being PET / aluminum / PP, PE / EVOH / PP, PET / metallization / PP, and aluminum / PP laminates. You may use the stock by roll lamination instead of the punched stock.

  The cartridge 1 may be closed with a rigid or semi-rigid lid instead of a flexible laminate.

The assembly of the cartridge 1 requires the following steps.
a) Insert the inner member 3 into the outer member 2,
b) Cut the filter 4 into a fixed shape, place it on the inner member 3, receive it on the cylindrical funnel 40, and come to a position facing the annular frame 41,
c) Joining the inner member 3, the outer member 2, and the filter 4 by ultrasonic welding,
d) The cartridge 1 is filled with one or more kinds of beverage ingredients,
e) The laminate 5 is attached to the outer member 2.

The above process will be described in more detail below.
The outer member 2 is arranged with its open bottom 12 facing upward. Next, the inner member 3 is inserted into the outer member 2 so that the outer rim 51 can be received loosely in the axial extension 14 at the top 11 of the cartridge 1. At the same time, the cylindrical extension 18 of the outer member 2 is received in the upper part of the cylindrical funnel 40 of the inner member 3. The third portion 21 of the cylindrical extension 18 is accommodated in the cylindrical funnel 40 in a state where the closed lower surface 31 of the cylindrical extension 18 is in contact with the support web 49 of the inner member 3. Next, the filter 4 is placed on the inner member 3 such that the filter material contacts the annular rim 51. The filter 4 is joined to the inner member 3 by an ultrasonic welding process, and at the same time, the inner member 3 is joined to the outer member 2 in the same processing step. The inner member 3 and the filter 4 are welded along the outer rim 51. The inner member 3 and the outer member 2 are joined by a weld line along the upper edge of the outer rim 51 and the web 54.

  As best seen in FIG. 11, when the outer member 2 and the inner member 3 are joined together, a hole space 130 in the interior 120 is created below the annular flange 41 and outside the cylindrical funnel 40, which becomes the filtration chamber. . The filter paper 4 separates the filtration chamber 130 and the passage 57 above the annular frame 41.

  One or more types of beverage ingredients 200 are accommodated in the filtration chamber 130. One or more types of beverage ingredients are packaged in the filtration chamber 130. In the case of a filtered beverage, this ingredient is usually roasted and ground coffee or leaf tea. The packaging density of the beverage ingredients in the filtration chamber 130 can be changed as desired. Typically, for filtered coffee products, this filtration chamber contains 5.0 to 10.2 grams of roasted and ground coffee on a filter bed, typically 5 to 14 mm thick. Optionally, one or more objects, such as spheres, may be contained within the interior 120, which are free to move within, causing turbulence when the beverage is poured and settling the beverage ingredients. The product can be crushed and mixed easily.

  Next, the laminate 5 is attached to the outer member 2 by forming a welded portion 126 around the laminate 5 in order to join the laminate 5 to the lower surface of the flange 35 extending outward. The weld 126 extends to seal the laminate 5 against the lower edge of the cylindrical wall 27 of the inlet chamber 26. Further, the weld 125 is formed between the laminate 5 and the lower edge of the outer tube 42 of the cylindrical funnel 40. This laminate 5 becomes the lower wall of the filtration chamber 130 and seals the inlet chamber 26 and the cylindrical funnel 40. However, a small gap 123 is formed between the laminate 5 and the lower edge of the spout 43 before mixing. Depending on the material properties of the laminate 5, various welding methods such as heat and ultrasonic welding can be used.

  Advantageously, there is an inner member 3 between the outer member 2 and the laminate 5. The inner member 3 is made of a relatively hard material such as polypropylene. Thereby, the inner member 3 becomes a load receiving member, and acts so as to maintain a space between the laminate 5 and the outer member 2 even when the cartridge 1 is compressed. In use, the compression load received by the cartridge 1 is preferably 130 to 280N. This compressive force acts to prevent the cartridge from being damaged under internal pressure, and also serves to bring the inner member 3 and the outer member 2 closer to each other. This ensures that the inner dimensions of the passage and the mouth in the cartridge 1 are fixed and do not change even when the cartridge 1 is pressurized.

  In order to use the cartridge 1, first, the cartridge 1 is inserted into a beverage preparation machine (which will be described in detail below), and is pierced by a puncture member of the beverage preparation machine. 122 is formed, and the laminate 5 is folded back. An aqueous medium under pressure, usually water, is placed in the cartridge 1 at a pressure of 0.1 to 2.0 bar and passed from the inlet into the inlet chamber 26. From here, the water passes through the slot 30 and around the manifold 16 and enters the filtration chamber 130 of the cartridge 1 through the plurality of slots 17. This water is pushed radially inward through the filtration chamber 130 and mixes with the beverage ingredients 200 contained therein. This water is simultaneously pushed up through the beverage ingredient. The beverage formed by the water passing through the beverage raw material in this way passes through the filter 4 and the filtration port 55 and enters the passage 57 located above the annular frame 41. Since the filter 4 is sealed to the spokes 53 and the rim 51 is welded to the outer member 2, all other beverages are surely passed through the filter 4 because there is no other outlet.

  The beverage then flows downward along a radial passage 57 formed between the webs 54 and passes through the opening 56 into the cylindrical funnel 40. The beverage passes between the support webs 47 along the channel 50 and falls from the spout 43 to the lower outlet 44 so that the beverage is poured into a container such as a cup.

  Preferably, the beverage preparation machine is equipped with an air purge capability and the residual beverage is poured into the container by pushing compressed air into the cartridge 1 at the end of the enforcement cycle.

  A second type of cartridge 1 is illustrated by FIGS. The second type of cartridge 1 is specifically designed for use in formulating espresso type products such as roasted and ground coffee, which is desirable for producing beverages with fine bubble foam known as crema. It has been done. Many features of the second type of cartridge 1 are the same as those of the first type, and like reference numerals are used to refer to like features. In the following description, the difference between the first model and the second model will be described. Common features that function similarly will not be described in detail.

  The outer member 2 is similar to the first type of the cartridge 1 and has the configuration shown in FIGS.

  The annular frame 41 of the inner member 3 is the same as that of the first type. Further, the filter 4 is disposed on the annular frame 41 so as to cover the filtration port portion 55. The outer tube 42 of the cylindrical funnel 40 is the same as in the first case. However, the inner member 2 of the second type has some differences compared to the case of the first type. As shown in FIG. 16, the spout 43 is provided with a partition 65 that partially extends from the outlet 44 toward the spout 43. This partition 65 helps to prevent splashing and / or splashing as the beverage exits the spout 43. The profile of the spout 43 is also different, and a clear stepped profile of the bent portion 66 is provided near the upper end of the tube 43.

  The rim 67 is provided upright from the annular flange 47 and connects the outer tube 42 to the spout 43. The rim 67 surrounds the inlet 45 to the spout 43 and defines an annular channel 69 between the rim 67 and the upper portion of the outer tube 42. The rim 67 is provided with an inward shoulder 68. A mouth 70 is provided at one location around the rim 67 in the form of a slot, which is slightly more than the height of the shoulder 68 from the upper edge of the rim 67, as best seen in FIGS. It extends to the lower part. The width of the slot is 0.64 mm.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the annular flange 47 is provided with an air inlet 71 aligned with the mouth portion 70 in the circumferential direction. The air inlet 71 includes a mouth portion that penetrates the flange 47 so that an upper portion of the flange 47 and a hole space below the flange 47 are circulated between the outer tube 42 and the spout 43. Preferably, the air inlet 71 is provided with an upper substantially truncated conical portion 73 and a lower cylindrical portion 72 as shown. The air inlet 71 is usually formed by a forming tool such as a pin. When the air inlet 71 has a tapered profile, the forming tool can be easily removed from the forming component. The wall of the outer tube 42 that is proximal to the air inlet 71 is shaped to form a chute 75 that leads from the air inlet 71 to the inlet 45 of the spout 43. As shown in FIG. 17, a slanted shoulder 74 is formed between the air inlet 71 and the chute 75 so that the sprayed beverage emanating from the slot 70 directly over the top surface of the flange 47 just proximal to the air inlet 71. I try not to get it dirty.

  The procedure for assembling the second type cartridge 1 is the same as that for the first type assembly. However, there are some differences. As shown in FIG. 18, the third portion 21 of the cylindrical extension 18 is not within the support web but within the support rim 67. The shoulder 32 of the cylindrical extension 18 located between the second part 20 and the third part 21 hits the upper edge of the support rim 67 of the inner member 3. In this way, an interface zone 124 is formed between the inner member 3 and the outer member 2 that extends substantially the entire circumference of the cartridge 1 and includes a face seal between the cylindrical extension 18 and the support rim 67. Is done. However, since the slot 70 formed in the support rim 67 extends downward through the support rim 67 to a position slightly below the shoulder 68, the seal between the cylindrical extension 18 and the support rim 67 is eliminated. Is not fluid tight. Accordingly, the interface fitting between the cylindrical extension 18 and the support rim 67 causes the slot 70 to change to the mouth 128, as best seen in FIG. Gas and liquid are communicated with the port 43. The mouth usually has a width of 0.64 mm and a length of 0.69 mm.

  The operation of preparing the beverage with the second type cartridge 1 is similar to the first type, but differs in several respects. Beverage in the radial passage 57 flows downwardly through the passage 57 formed between the webs 54 and enters the annular channel 69 of the cylindrical funnel 40 through the opening 56. After entering the annular channel 69, the beverage is extruded from the mouth 128 under pressure by the back pressure of the beverage collected in the filtration chamber 130 and passage 57. In this way, the beverage is jetted from the mouth 128 and pushed into the expansion chamber formed by the upper end of the spout 43. As shown in FIG. 18, this beverage injection passes through the air inlet 71 as it is. As the beverage enters the spout 43, the beverage jet pressure drops. As a result, air becomes a large number of small bubbles and is drawn into the beverage flow through the air inlet 71. The beverage jets coming out from the mouth 128 flow downward and gather, and when they reach the outlet 44, they are poured into a container such as a cup, and the bubbles become a desired crema. Accordingly, both the mouth portion 128 and the air inlet 71 serve as an eductor that acts to take air into the beverage. The beverage flow into the eductor must be kept as smooth as possible to reduce pressure loss. To this end, the eductor wall must be manufactured with a concave surface to reduce losses due to "wall effect" friction. The dimensional tolerance of the mouth 128 is small. Preferably, the mouth size is set to about 0.02 mm 2. Hair, fibers or other surface irregularities may be provided in the eductor or at the outlet of the eductor to increase the effective cross-sectional area known to increase air intake.

  A third type of cartridge 1 is illustrated by FIGS. A third type of cartridge 1 is specifically designed for use in the preparation of soluble products that may be in the form of a powder, liquid, syrup, gel or similar. When an aqueous medium such as water passes through the cartridge 1 during use, the soluble product is dissolved by the aqueous medium or forms a suspension in the aqueous medium. Examples of this beverage include cocoa, coffee, milk, tea, soup, or other products that are reconstituted with water or water soluble products. Since many of the features of the third type cartridge 1 are the same as those of the type described above, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same features. In the following description, the difference from the type mentioned above will be described. Detailed descriptions of common features that function in the same manner will be omitted below.

  Compared with the outer member 2 of the type described above, as shown in FIG. 20, the diameter of the hollow inwardly extending cylindrical portion 18 included in the outer member 2 of the third type is larger as a whole. More specifically, the diameter of the first portion 19 is usually 16 to 18 mm, compared with 13.2 mm in the outer member 2 of the type described above. Further, the first portion 19 is provided with a convex outer surface 19a, that is, a bulge, as best seen in FIG. The function of this bulge is described below. However, the diameter of the third portion 21 of the cartridge 1 is the same. For this reason, the area of the shoulder 32 is wide in the third type cartridge 1. Normally, the volume of the cartridge 1 is 32.5 ml ± 20% at the time of assembly.

  The number and position of the slots provided at the lower end of the annular wall 13 are also different. Three to five slots are provided. As shown in FIG. 23, in this embodiment, four slots 36 are provided around the manifold 16 at equal intervals. This slot 36 is slightly wider than in the case of the cartridge 1 of the type described above, 0.35 to 0.45 mm, and preferably 0.4 mm wide.

  In other respects, the outer member 2 of the cartridge 1 is the same.

  The structure of the cylindrical funnel 40 included in the inner member 3 is the same as that of the first type cartridge 1, and an outer tube 42, a spout 45, an annular flange 47, and a support web 49 are provided. The only difference is the spout 45, which is shaped with an upper generally frustoconical portion 92 and a lower cylindrical portion 93.

  Compared with the previously described model, as shown in FIGS. 24 to 28, the annular frame 41 surrounds the cylindrical funnel 40 and has eight radial directions connecting the cylindrical funnel 40 to or near the annular flange 47. A skirt portion 80 connected to the cylindrical funnel 40 by a strut 87 is replaced. From this skirt portion 80, a cylindrical extending portion 81 extends upward from the strut 87 to define a chamber 90 having an open upper surface. As shown in FIG. 26, the upper rim 91 of the cylindrical extension 81 has an inward profile. An annular wall 82 of the skirt portion 80 extends downward from the strut 87 and defines an annular channel 86 between the skirt portion 80 and the outer tube 42.

  The annular wall 82 includes an outer flange 83 positioned perpendicular to the long axis X at the lower end thereof. The rim 84 hangs downward from the lower surface of the flange 83 and includes five mouth portions 85 that are equally spaced along the rim 84 in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the rim 84 has a fort type profile.

  By providing an opening 89 between the struts 87, the chamber 90 and the annular channel 86 are communicated with each other.

  The procedure for assembling the third type cartridge 1 is similar to the first type assembly, but there are also some differences. As shown in FIG. 29, the outer member 2 and the inner member 3 are not welded to each other, but are pressed together and held by a snap-fitting structure. When the two members are joined, the inward cylindrical extension 18 is received inside the upper cylindrical extension 81 of the skirt portion 80. The inner member 3 is formed in the outer member 2 by the frictional engagement of the convex outer surface 19a of the first portion 19 included in the cylindrical extension 18 with the inward rim 91 of the upper cylindrical extension 81. Retained. When the inner member 3 is in the outer member 2, the mixing chamber 134 is defined outside the skirt portion 80. This mixing chamber 134 contains the beverage ingredient 200 before mixing. Note that four inlets 36 and five mouths 85 are staggered circumferentially. Regardless of how the inner member 3 and the outer member 2 are positioned relative to each other, the use of the four inlets 36 and the five mouths 85 surely causes a positional shift between the inlets and the mouths. The radial position of the two parts relative to each other need not be determined or fixed during assembly.

  One or more beverage ingredients are packaged in the mixing chamber 134 of the cartridge. The packaging density of the beverage ingredients in the mixing chamber 134 can be changed as desired.

  Next, the laminate 5 is attached to the inner member 3 and the outer member 2 as described above in the first and second types.

  In use, water enters the mixing chamber 134 through the four slots 36, similar to a cartridge of the type previously described. This water is pushed radially inward into the mixing chamber and mixes with the beverage ingredients contained therein. The product is dissolved or mixed in this water to form a beverage in the mixing chamber 134 that is driven out of the mouth 85 into the annular channel 86 by the back pressure of the beverage and water in the mixing chamber 134. The The four inlets 36 and the five mouths 85 are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction, so that the water jet enters the mouth 85 directly from the inlet slot 36 in the radial direction first in the mixing chamber 134. This is not possible unless circulation occurs. This greatly increases the degree and stability of product dissolution or mixing. The formed beverage is pushed upward in the annular channel 86 and enters the chamber 90 through the mouth 89 between the struts 87. Next, when the spout 43 is entered from the chamber 90 through the inlet 45 between the support webs 49 and reaches the outlet 44, it is poured into a container such as a cup. It has been found that this cartridge can be applied to beverage ingredients in the form of viscous liquids or gels. In one application, a liquid chocolate raw material having a viscosity of 1700-3900 mPa at normal temperature, 5000-10000 mPa at 0 ° C., and a refractive solid content of 67 Brix degree ± 3 is placed in the cartridge 1. In another application, liquid coffee having a viscosity of 70 to 2000 mPa at normal temperature, 80 to 5000 mPa at 0 ° C., and a total solid content of 40 to 70% is placed in the cartridge 1.

  A fourth type of cartridge 1 is shown in FIGS. The fourth type of cartridge 1 is specifically designed for use in the preparation of liquid products such as concentrated liquid milk. Since many of the features included in the fourth type cartridge 1 are the same as those of the first to third types, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same features. In the following description, the difference between the fourth type and the type mentioned above will be described. Detailed descriptions of common features that function in the same manner will be omitted below.

  The outer member 2 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 19 to 23 of the third type cartridge 1.

  The cylindrical funnel 40 of the inner member 3 is similar to the second type of cartridge 1 but differs in several respects. As shown in FIG. 30, the spout 43 has a shape including an upper substantially truncated cone portion 106 and a lower cylindrical portion 107. On the inner surface of the spout 43, three axial ribs 105 are provided to direct the blended beverage downwardly toward the outlet 44 so that the poured beverage does not turn in the spout. Therefore, the rib 105 acts as a baffle. As with the second type of cartridge 1, an air inlet 71 is provided through the annular flange 47. However, the chute 75 below the air inlet 71 is longer than that of the second type.

  A skirt portion 80 is provided similar to that shown in the third type of cartridge 1 described above. Five to twelve mouths 85 are provided in the rim 84. In the third type of cartridge 1, the number is five, but usually ten mouths are provided.

  An annular ball 100 extending from the flange 83 of the skirt portion 80 is provided. The annular ball 100 includes a flare-type main body 101 having an upper opening 104 opened upward. 30 and 31 are arranged in the main body 101 at or near the lower end of the ball 100 to be joined to the skirt portion 80. Preferably, the feed port portions are arranged around the ball 100 at equal intervals.

  The laminate 5 is of the type described in the previous embodiments.

  The procedure for assembling the fourth type cartridge 1 is the same as that for the third type assembly.

  The assembly procedure of the fourth type cartridge 1 is the same as that of the third type. The operation of the fourth type cartridge 1 is the same as the operation of the third type. Water enters the cartridge 1 and the mixing chamber 134 in the same manner as the first to third types of cartridges. Here, as described above, water mixes with the liquid product, dilutes it, and is extruded through the mouth 85 and toward the outlet 44 as described above. A percentage of the liquid product is initially contained in the annular ball 100 as shown in FIG. 34 and is not immediately diluted by the water entering the mixing chamber 134. The diluted liquid product in the lower portion of the mixing chamber 134 will exit the mouth 85 rather than being pushed up from the upper mouth 104 into the annular ball 100. Thus, the liquid product in the annular ball 100 is still relatively concentrated compared to the product in the lower portion of the mixing chamber 134. The liquid product in the annular ball 100 drops through the feed port 103 and passes through the port 85 and enters the product stream existing in the mixing chamber 134. The annular ball 100 averages the concentration of the diluted liquid product entering the cylindrical funnel 40 by holding a certain amount of concentrated liquid product and periodically pouring it into the liquid flow path during the operating cycle. To act.

  Such beverages are extruded under pressure and pass through the mouth 128 from the annular channel 86 due to the back pressure of the beverage collected in the filtration chamber 134 and chamber 90. Thus, the beverage is jetted from the mouth 128 and pushed into the expansion chamber formed by the upper end of the spout 43. As shown in FIG. 34, this beverage injection passes through the air inlet 71 as it is. As the beverage enters the spout 43, the beverage jet pressure drops. As a result, the air becomes a large number of small bubbles and is drawn into the beverage stream via the air inlet 71. Beverage jets exiting from the mouth 128 flow downward and gather and come to the outlet 44 where they are poured into a container such as a cup where the bubbles form the desired foamed appearance.

  Advantageously, the inner member 3, the outer member 2, the laminate 5, and the filter 4 are all separate components and do not include individual serpentine passages or narrow gaps so that they can be easily sterilized. Can do. The necessary passages are formed when these components are combined after sterilization. This is particularly important when the beverage ingredient is a product whose main ingredient is a milk ingredient such as a liquid milk concentrate.

  The fourth embodiment of the beverage cartridge is particularly advantageous for the preparation of liquid products whose main ingredients are concentrated milk ingredients such as liquid milk. In the past, powdered milk products have been provided in the form of sachets, which have been added to pre-prepared beverages. However, in the case of cappuccino-type beverages, it is necessary to foam the milk. This has been done so far by passing steam through the liquid milk product. However, this requires steam mixing equipment, which increases the cost and complexity of the machine used to prepare the beverage. The use of steam also increases the risk of injury during cartridge operation. Accordingly, the present invention provides a beverage cartridge having therein a liquid product mainly composed of concentrated milk ingredients. It has been found that when the milk product is concentrated, a greater amount of foam can be produced for a particular volume of milk when compared to fresh or UHT milk. If this is utilized, the size required for the milk cartridge is reduced. Fresh semi-fat milk contains approximately 1.6% fat and 10% total solids. The concentrated liquid milk preparation according to the invention comprises 3 to 10% fat and 25 to 40% total solids. In one exemplary embodiment, the preparation contains 4% fat and 30% total solids. This concentrated milk preparation is suitable for whipping with a low pressure preparation machine as described below. Specifically, this milk frothing is performed using the cartridge of the fourth embodiment described above at a pressure of less than 2 bar, preferably about 1.5 bar.

  The cartridge of the fourth embodiment is also advantageous for formulating a liquid coffee product.

Advantageously, the beverage cartridge of this embodiment according to the present invention has been found to be able to improve the stability of brewed beverages compared to cartridges according to the prior art. Referring to Table 1 below, the yields obtained by brewing 20 samples for each of cartridge A and cartridge B containing roasted and ground coffee are shown. The cartridge A is a beverage cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The cartridge B is a beverage cartridge according to the prior art described in Patent Document 1 by the present applicant. The refractive index of the brewed beverage is measured in Brix degrees, which is converted to a soluble solids ratio (% SS) using a standard table and formula. In the following examples:
% SS = 0.7774 * (Brix degree value) +0.0569
% Yield = (% SS * decoction amount (g)) / (100 * coffee weight (g))
It is.

  When t-test statistical analysis was performed on the above data, the following results were obtained.

  From this analysis, the yield stability comparable to the decoction concentration is compared to the standard deviation of 2.24% for the cartridge according to the prior art for the cartridge according to the present invention with a standard deviation of 0.88%, It can be seen that it was significantly higher (95% confidence level). This means that the strength of the beverage brewed by the cartridge according to the invention is reproducible and uniform. This is preferred for consumers who want to taste the same beverage over and over and do not want to change its brewing intensity arbitrarily.

  Barrier coatings may be applied to the cartridge materials described above to improve protection against oxygen and / or moisture and / or other contaminant intrusions. By applying this barrier coating, it is possible to improve the protection against the leakage of beverage ingredients from the cartridge and / or to reduce the extent of extract exudation from the cartridge material that may adversely affect the beverage ingredients. The material of the barrier coating can be selected from the group consisting of PET, polyamide, EVOH, PVDC or metallized material. Several mechanisms are available for the application of barrier coatings, including but not limited to vapor deposition, vacuum deposition, plasma coating, coextrusion, in-mold labeling, and two-stage / Multi-stage molding is exemplified.

  A beverage adjuster 201 according to the present invention that uses the beverage cartridge described above is shown in FIGS. The beverage preparation machine 201 mainly includes a casing 210 including a water tank 220, a water heater 225, a water pump 230, an air compressor 235, a control processor, a user interface 240, and a cartridge head 250. The cartridge head 250 further mainly includes a cartridge holder 251 for holding the beverage cartridge 1 during use, cartridge identification means 252, an inlet piercing member 253 that forms the inlet 121 and the spout 122 in the beverage cartridge 1 during use, and A spout puncture member and 254;

  The housing 210 contains and holds other components of the machine 201 in place. The whole or part of the housing 210 is preferably made of a sturdy plastic material such as ABS. Alternatively, all or part of the housing 210 can be made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum. The housing 210 preferably has a front half 211 and a rear half 212, and hands are inserted to fit the components of the machine 201 during assembly. Include a clamshell design that can define The rear half 212 is provided with a recess 214 for mounting the water tank 220. The housing 210 is formed with means such as nails, contacts, bosses and threaded portions so that the components of the machine 201 can be held in place without the need for a separate chassis. For this reason, the overall cost and weight of the machine 201 are reduced. The base 215 of the housing 210 is preferably provided with a leg on which the machine is stably placed. Alternatively, the base 215 itself may be shaped to provide a stable support.

  The front half 211 of the housing 210 includes a dispensing station 270 where a beverage is dispensed. The dispensing station 270 includes a container stand 271 having a hollow interior that forms a drip tray 272. On the upper surface 273 of the container stand, a lattice 274 for arranging the container is formed. The drip tray 272 is detachable from the housing 210 so that the collected moisture can be easily emptied. The recess 275 is formed in the front half of the casing 210 above the container stand 271 so as to accommodate a container of that size.

  As shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, the cartridge head 250 is disposed above the container stand and toward the top of the casing 210. Preferably, the height of the grid 274 relative to the cartridge head 250 is adjustable to accommodate containers of different dimensions. In order to minimize the distance that the dispensed beverage needs to fall before contacting the container, the container is as close as possible to the cartridge head 250 while at the same time the container is inserted into the dispensing station 270 and removed therefrom. It is preferable to be able to do so. Thereby, the spraying and scattering of the beverage can be minimized, and if there are bubbles to be mixed, the loss amount can be minimized. Preferably, a container having a height of 70 mm to 110 mm can be inserted between the grid 274 and the cartridge head 250.

  The machine user interface 240 is disposed in front of the casing 210 and includes a start / end button 241 and a plurality of status indicators 243 to 236.

  The status indicators 243 to 246 are preferably a light emitting diode (LED) 243 for displaying the preparation status of the machine 201, an LED 244 for displaying an error in the operation of the machine 201, and the machine 201 in the manual mode. One or a plurality of LEDs 245 to 246 for displaying whether the operation is performed or the operation is performed in the automatic mode. The LEDs 243-246 can be adjusted depending on the state of the machine 201, to prove at a constant brightness, to blink intermittently, or both. The colors of the LEDs 243 to 246 may be various such as green, red, and yellow.

  The start / end button 241 controls the start of the operation cycle, and is a manually operated push button, switch, or the like.

  A volume adjustment control may be provided to allow the user of the machine 201 to manually adjust the volume of the beverage to be dispensed without changing other operating characteristics. Preferably, this volume adjustment control allows a 20% increase or 20% decrease in volume to be adjusted. This volume adjustment control can be a digital readout of a rotary knob, linear slider, increase and decrease buttons, or similar. More generally, the volume is controlled by the user operating the start / end button 241.

  A manual power switch (not shown) may be provided on the machine 201. Alternatively, the power supply can be controlled simply by inserting a power plug into or disconnecting the main power supply from the main power supply.

  The water tank 220 is disposed behind the housing 210 and connected to the rear half 212 of the housing 210. The water tank 220 includes a substantially cylindrical main body 221 that may be a right circle or a frustum as desired for reasons of appearance. The tank is provided with an inlet for filling it with water, which is closed by a manually removable lid 222 in use. The outlet is provided towards the lower end of the tank, which communicates with the water pump 230. The water tank 220 can be made of a transparent or translucent material so that the consumer can see the amount of water remaining in the tank. Alternatively, the water tank 220 can be made of an opaque material and provided with a confirmation window. In addition, or instead of the above, when the water level in the tank drops to a preselected level, a low-volume sensor that stops the operation of the water pump 230 and optionally activates a warning indicator such as an LED is installed in the water tank 220. May be provided. The inner volume of the water tank 220 is preferably about 1.5 liters.

  The water pump 230 is operatively connected between the water tank 220 and the water heater 225, as schematically shown in FIG. 43, and is controlled by a control processor. This pump provides a maximum water flow rate of 900 ml / min at a maximum pressure of 2.5 bar. Preferably, this pressure is kept at 2 bar during normal use. By periodically turning off the electrical formulation to the pump, the control processor can control the water flow rate through the machine 201 to be a constant percentage of the maximum pump flow rate. Preferably, the pump can be driven at either 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or 100% of the maximum flow rate. The accuracy of the volume of water to be injected is preferably 5% increase or decrease, and the accuracy of the final volume of the beverage to be prepared is 5% increase or decrease. Suitable pumps are Ulka S. r. l. Evolutionary EP8 pump (Pavia, Italy). A flow sensor (not shown) is preferably provided in the flow line upstream or downstream of the water pump 230. Preferably, this flow sensor is a rotation sensor.

  The water heater 225 is disposed inside the housing 210. The heater 225 has a power rating of 1550 W and can heat water received from the water pump 230 from a starting temperature of approximately 20 ° C. to an operating temperature of approximately 85 ° C. within 1 minute. Preferably, the pause time from the end of one execution cycle until the heater 225 can start the next distribution cycle is less than 10 seconds. The heater maintains the selected temperature at ± 2 ° C. during the dispensing cycle. As described below, the water for the dispensing cycle can be delivered to the cartridge head 250 at 83 ° C. or 93 ° C. The heater 225 can quickly adjust the delivery temperature from the normal 85 ° C. to 83 ° C. or 93 ° C. The heater 225 includes an overtemperature circuit breaker that stops the heater when the temperature exceeds 98 ° C. Water discharged from the heater 225 is sent to the cartridge head 250 and the cartridge 1 through a three-way valve. If the water flow pressure is within an allowable range, the water reaches the cartridge 1. If the pressure is below or above a predetermined limit, the water is sent into the drip tray collection container 270 by a three-way valve.

  The air compressor 235 is operatively connected to the cartridge head 250 via a one-way valve and is controlled by a control processor. This air compressor 235 provides a maximum air flow rate of 500 ml / min at 1.0 bar. In use, an effective volume of 35 ml is pressurized to 2.0 bar. Preferably, the air compressor 235 is capable of providing two flow rates, high speed (or maximum speed) and low speed.

  The control processor of the beverage preparation machine 201 includes a processing module and a memory. The control processor is operatively connected to the water heater 225, the water pump 230, the air compressor 235, and the user interface 240 to control these operations.

  The memory of the control processor includes one or more variables for one or more operating parameters of the beverage preparation machine 201. In the illustrated embodiment, the operating parameters are the temperature of the water passing through the beverage cartridge 1 during the operating phase, the rate at which the beverage cartridge 1 is loaded, the presence or absence of the infiltration step, the total volume of the beverage to be dispensed, and the dispensing phase. The flow rate of water, and the flow rate and time of the cleaning stage.

  Variables for the operation parameters are stored in the memory. The cartridge 1 is provided with code on its surface or inside that represents the operating parameters necessary to optimize the beverage formulation in the cartridge 1. This code is in binary format and comprises a plurality of data bits corresponding to variables stored in the memory of the control processor. Table 3 illustrates how the 13 bits of data can be used to represent the necessary variables for the operational parameters described above.

The code on or in the cartridge 1 typically comprises one or more extra data for error checking. In one embodiment, a 16 bit code is provided. For example, using the variables listed in Table 3, a cartridge given the code “1000100011110” will have the following operating parameters:
10 Water temperature is 83 ℃
00 Fast loading with infiltration 1000 Beverage volume to be prepared is 150 ml
111 Flow rate is 100%
10 Air flow at high flow rate / short time

  Thus, unlike previous beverage preparation machines, the memory of this control processor does not store operating instructions for beverage cartridges based on cartridge type, i.e. instructions for coffee cartridges, instructions for cocoa cartridges, instructions for tea cartridges, etc. Absent. This control processor memory stores variables for adjusting individual operating parameters of the operating cycle. This has several advantages. First, the blending cycle can be further adjusted. For example, slightly different parameters can be used for different grades and blends of coffee as compared to using the same parameters for all types of coffee. Previous coding solutions that relied on storing cartridge type instructions rather than individual parameters quickly consumed storage space available within the coding media and control processor, and thus for similar beverage types. It is inappropriate for such subtle differences in the operating cycle. Secondly, in the coding method of the present invention, even if the operation parameters for the operation cycle of the new beverage cartridge 1 are determined after the beverage preparation machine 201 is sold, Cartridge type can be used. This is because the control processor of the beverage preparation machine 201 does not need to identify that the beverage is a new type. The operation parameters of this operation cycle are set without directly referring to the beverage type. Accordingly, the coding method according to the present invention provides excellent backward compatibility of the beverage preparation machine for new beverage types. On the other hand, in the case of previous machines, manufacturers are limited to formulating new beverage types using one of the existing formulary cycles specified by machines on the market. Yes.

  The cartridge head 250 is shown in FIGS. The cartridge holder 251 of the cartridge head 250 includes a fixed lower portion 255, a rotatable upper portion 256, and a pivotable cartridge disposed between the fixed lower portion 255 and the rotatable upper portion 256. And a mounting base 257. The upper portion 256, the lower portion 255, and the cartridge mount 257 rotate about a common hinge shaft 258. FIGS. 39 to 42 show the cartridge holder 251 with some components of the machine 201 omitted for convenience.

  The rotatable upper portion 256 and the pivotable cartridge mount 257 move relative to the lower portion 255 fixed by the clamping mechanism 280. The clamp mechanism 280 includes a clamp lever having first and second members or portions 281 and 282. The first portion 281 of the clamp lever includes a U-shaped arm pivotally attached to the upper portion 256 at two first pivot points 283 located one on each side of the cartridge holder 251.

  The second portion of the clamp lever is pivotally attached to the upper portion 256, respectively, at a second pivot point 285 located on the hinge shaft 258 connecting the upper portion 256 to the fixed lower portion 255. Further, two over center arms 282 are provided, one on each side of the cartridge holder 251. Each over-center arm 282 is a reciprocating member including a cylindrical portion 282a, a stem 282b, and an elastic sleeve 282c. The cylindrical portion 282a has a lumen and is rotatably attached to the hinge shaft 258 at one end thereof. The first end portion of the stem 282b is slidably placed in the lumen of the cylindrical portion 282a. The opposite end of the stem 282b is rotatably attached to the U-shaped arm 281 at a third pivot point 286. The third pivot point 286 is not connected to the upper portion 256 and the lower portion 255 and is freely movable with respect to the upper portion 256 and the lower portion 255. The elastic sleeve 282c is attached to the outside of the stem 282b, and extends between the contact surfaces of the cylindrical portion 282a and the stem 282b in use. The elastic sleeve 282c absorbs the over-center arm 282 when it is contracted, and at the same time biases it to the extending structure. As a result, when the stem 282b relatively moves within the cylindrical portion 282a, the third pivot point 286 can move in a direction toward and away from the hinge shaft 258. The elastic sleeve 282c is preferably made of silicone. In the described embodiment, the two over center arms 282 are applied, but the same mechanism is configured even with only one over center arm.

  The U-shaped arm 281 extends around the front surface of the cartridge holder 251 and includes two hook members 287 that hang downward. Each of the hook members has a cam surface 288 that is located one on each side of the cartridge holder 251 and faces the hinge shaft 258. In the fixed lower portion 255 of the cartridge holder 251, two bosses 259 or claws located one by one on one side of the lower portion 255 at or near the front edge 260 are substantially aligned with the hook member 287. It is provided in the state.

  As shown in FIG. 39, the U-shaped arm 281 can be formed from a one-piece plastic molding, including an ergonomic hand grip and hook member 287 integral with the arm.

  The cartridge mounting base 257 is rotatably mounted between the lower part 255 and the upper part 256 of the cartridge holder 251. The mounting base 257 is provided with a substantially circular recess 290 into which the beverage cartridge 1 is placed during use. The recess 290 includes an irregularly shaped portion 291 that accommodates the handle portion 24 of the beverage cartridge 1 and at the same time acts to prevent rotation of the beverage cartridge 1 within the cartridge holder 251. As shown in FIG. 41, the cartridge mounting base 257 is biased to a position where it does not contact the fixed lower portion 255 in the open position, and moves to a position where it does not contact the spout and the injection port piercing members 254, 253. Thus, it is flipped up against the fixed lower portion 255. The cartridge mounting base 257 is provided with an opening 292 for receiving the spout and injection port puncture members 253 and 254 therein, and a head 300 of the means 252 for identifying the cartridge when the cartridge mounting base 257 is moved to the closed position. Yes.

  The upper portion 255 is constituted by a substantially circular main body 310 having a circular observation window. The consumer can see the beverage cartridge 1 during the dispensing cycle through the viewing window and can also visually confirm that the cartridge 1 is mounted on the machine 201. The observation window 312 has a cup shape having a downward rim 311. The window 312 can move axially relative to the body 310 in the upper portion 255. One form to achieve this relative movement is to prepare a similar elastic member such as a wave spring or rubber ring (not shown) and place it between the observation window 312 and the cylindrical body. As another form, a compression coil spring (not shown) is prepared and stretched between the observation window 312 and the cylindrical body. In either case, the viewing window 312 can move slightly in the axial direction with respect to the cylindrical body 310 by the elastic member.

  When the cartridge holder 251 is in the closed position, the viewing window 312 leans against the beverage cartridge 1 and biases it against the lower portion 256. In one form, the viewing window rim 311 contacts and leans against the flange 35 of the beverage cartridge. At the same time, the viewing window 312 contacts the closed top 11 of the cartridge 1. According to another form, only the viewing window 312 contacts the closed top 11 of the cartridge 1 and there is no biased contact between the rim 311 and the flange. This pressure generated by the rim 311 on the flange 35 and / or by the closed top window 312 ensures a strong fluid seal between the cartridge 1 and the cartridge holder 251.

  The lower portion 255 includes an inlet puncture member device 253 and an outlet puncture member 254, and the head 300 of the cartridge identification means 252. The inlet piercing member 253 includes a hollow needle-like tube 260 having a sharp end 241 for piercing the laminate 5 of the beverage cartridge 1 in use. As shown in FIG. 42, the inlet piercing member 253 is in fluid communication with a water conduit 262 that passes through the lower portion 255 and is connected to the outlet conduit 263 of the water heater 225. The spout piercing member 254 is of a type similar to the spout piercing member described in the prior art (see, for example, Patent Document 2 of the present applicant and Patent Document 3 of the present applicant). A cylindrical portion 264 with an open end having a large circular or D-shaped cross section. The arcuate portion 265 at the upper end with the spout piercing member 254 is serrated to perforate the laminate of the beverage cartridge 1 and cut as a result. This other upper end portion is cut and lowered in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical portion, at least to the base of the serrated teeth 266, before the beverage is dispensed through the cut laminate 5 It bends or pulls away from the exit port. The spout piercing member 254 punctures the laminate 5 of the spout 43 from the outside, and when the cartridge mounting base 257 is in the closed position, the spout 43 is placed in the annular zone between the spout 43 and the outer wall 42 of the spout funnel 40. Fit. The cut laminate 105 is folded back into the annulus by the spout piercing member 254. As a result, the spout piercing member 254 and the cut laminate 105 are held at a position where they do not collide with the beverage to be poured out.

  The spout piercing member 254 is surrounded by a protrusion 254a that is raised 0.5 mm from the periphery.

  Advantageously, since the spout puncture member 254 is detachable from the lower portion 255, the whole can be cleaned with, for example, a dishwasher. When the detachable spout puncture member 254 is mounted, it is the concave portion 267 of the lower portion 255 that receives it. The inlet piercing member 253 and / or the outlet piercing member 254 can be made of a metal such as stainless steel or a plastic material. Advantageously, when using a laminate 5 that can be drilled and cut with non-metallic materials, cutting elements made of plastic can be used. Thus, the perforators 253, 254 can be manufactured less sharply to reduce the risk of injury to the consumer. Furthermore, plastic piercing elements are not easily rusted. The inlet piercing member 253 and the outlet piercing member 254 are formed as a single integrated unit that is detachable from the lower portion 255.

  When in use, the upper portion 256 of the cartridge holder 251 is shown in FIG. 36, as shown in FIG. 36, from the open position oriented vertically or perpendicularly, substantially horizontally, and the fixed lower portion of the cartridge mount 257. And can be moved to a closed position that is oriented in engagement with 255. When the clamp lever is operated, the upper portion 256 moves from the open position to the closed position. To close the upper portion 256, the user grasps the clamp lever with the U-shaped arm 281 and lowers it downward. As a result, the upper portion 256 rotates, and at the cartridge mounting base 257, the rim 311 of the inspection window 312 first contacts the flange 35 of the beverage cartridge 1, and the inspection window 312 itself contacts the closed top 11 of the cartridge 1. . When the upper portion 256 is further rotated, the upper portion 256 and the cartridge mount 257 rotate downward to contact the lower portion 255. When the U-shaped arm 281 is further rotated, the U-shaped arm 281 rotates with respect to the upper portion 256 and the lower portion 255, so that the hook member 287 of the upper portion 256 is in a state where the cam surface 288 is over the boss 259. Engage with the boss 259 of the lower portion 255. In this final rotation stage, the cartridge 1 is compressed between the cartridge mount 257 and the viewing window 312. As a result, the viewing window 312 moves in the axial direction with respect to the circular body 310 of the upper portion 256 against the bias of the wave spring or coil spring. This operation absorbs the tolerances of the beverage cartridge 1 and the beverage preparation machine and ensures that the amount of compressive force applied to the cartridge is kept within an acceptable range. The clamping force of this mechanism is weakened by the action of the wave spring or coil spring, and the clamping force applied to the cartridge is ensured. It has been found that in a configuration in which a biasing force is applied to both the flange 35 and the closed top 11 of the cartridge 1, a compression force between 130N and 280N is required. Preferably, this force is approximately 200N. If the force is less than about 130 N, a sufficient seal cannot be obtained, and if the force exceeds about 280 N, it causes plastic fracture of the components of the cartridge 1. In configurations where the biasing force is applied only to the closed top 11 of the cartridge 1, it has been found that a compression force between 50N and 280N is required. It should be noted that at lower compression force levels, the cartridge 1 seal is not adversely affected in this embodiment. While closing the cartridge head, the laminate 5 of the cartridge 1 becomes taut while beginning to contact the ledge 254a surrounding the spout piercing member 254 so that the distal end of the outer tube 42 with the cylindrical funnel is flanged When it moves 0.5 mm upward with respect to 35, the laminate 5 bends out of plane. This operation ensures that most of the compressive force applied to the cartridge acts into the central region of the cartridge 1 via the inner member 3 receiving the load. In the closed position, the cartridge 1 is fastened in this way along the flange 35 by the rim 311 of the viewing window 312 and contacts the viewing window 312 and the ledge 254a so that the closed top 11 of the cartridge and the inner member 3 It is firmly clamped between the outer tube 42. Due to this clamping force acting, the prevention of breakage of the cartridge 1 during compression is strengthened, and the inner member 3 and the outer member 2 are surely fit together, so even while the internal pressurization is acting. All internal passages and mouths can maintain their desired dimensions.

  A temporary reference line can be drawn between the first pivot point 283 and the second pivot point 285 of the cartridge holder 251. As can be seen in FIG. 41, in the open position, the third pivot point 286 is on the reference line side closest to the fixed lower portion 255. As the upper portion 256 approaches the closed position, the third pivot point 286 of the clamp lever is farthest from the fixed lower portion 255 beyond the reference line connecting the first and second pivot points 283, 285, Go to the other side of the reference line. Therefore, the U-shaped arm 281 “moves” from the first stable position to the second stable position. This fast-moving operation is performed by contracting the over-center arm 282 and compressing the elastic sleeve 282c. When the third pivot point 286 exceeds the temporary reference line, the elastic sleeve 282c is restored, so that the third pivot point 286 continues to move further away from the temporary reference line. Thus, the clamp lever is stable in the open or closed position, but is unstable at the point where the third pivot point 286 is on the reference line connecting the first and second pivot points 283, 285. , Has bistable operation. Therefore, in the fast movement of the clamp lever, the fast movement of the U-shaped arm 281 and the second arm 284 pushes the hook member 287 firmly into the engaged state with the boss 259 in the final rotation stage of the clamp lever. This is a positive closing mechanism that causes a certain closing action. In addition, the force required to sufficiently compress the sleeve 282c to bring the third pivot point 286 back and match the reference line connecting the first and second pivot points 283, 285 is minimal, The elastic sleeve 282c can be a resistance to reopening of the upper portion 256. Advantageously, the hook member 287 and the boss 259 are engaged so that the upper and lower portions cannot be separated unless the clamp lever is rotated. This is useful to prevent the cartridge head 250 from opening during operations where the cartridge head 250 is subjected to internal pressure.

  The purpose of the cartridge identification means 252 is to cause the machine 201 to identify the type of the inserted beverage cartridge 1 and adjust one or more types of operating parameters accordingly. In an exemplary embodiment, the cartridge identification means 252 comprises an optical bar code reader that reads the printed bar code 320 on the laminate 5 of the beverage cartridge 1, as shown in FIG. Bar code 320 is formed of a plurality of bars of contrasting colors. Preferably, this bar is black against a white background in order to make the contrast most prominent. The bar code 320 may not conform to a published standard, but may use a bar code standard format such as EAN-13, UPC-A, or Interleaf 2of5. The optical bar code reader includes one or more LEDs 321 for illuminating the bar code 320, a focus lens 322 for acquiring an image of the bar code, and charge coupling that generates an electrical signal representing the acquired image. It comprises an element (CCD) 323 and LED and CCD support circuit components. There is a limit to the space in the lower part that houses the barcode reader. Accordingly, one or more mirrors 324 may be used to reflect light from the LED 321 to a focal lens that is not located in the lower portion 255. The schematic structure is shown in FIGS. 44a and 44b. The lower part 255 comprises a mouth 326 of the same size as the barcode 320 on the beverage cartridge 1. In use, when the generated electrical signal is decoded by the signal processing software, the result is sent to the control processor. This software can identify whether the barcode reading contains errors. The bar code 320 can be rescanned many times before the error message is displayed to the consumer. If the machine 201 cannot read the barcode, the consumer can prepare the beverage using the beverage cartridge 1 by manual mode operation.

  The cartridge head 250 also includes a cartridge sensor that detects whether the cartridge is in the cartridge holder 251.

  The cartridge head 250 also includes a locking sensor that detects whether the cartridge holder 251 is properly closed. Preferably, the locking sensor includes a microswitch that starts when the cartridge holder 251 is closed and locked. Preferably, the cartridge sensor and the locking sensor are connected in series so that the output of both sensors meets the condition before the operating cycle begins, i.e. there is a cartridge and the mechanism is locked It must be in a state that has been done.

  The cartridge mount 257 may be removable from the cartridge head 250 so that it can be easily cleaned. Preferably, a micro switch or an interlock is prepared, and the operation of the machine is prevented when the cartridge mounting base 257 is not installed.

  The operation of the machine 201 comprises the steps of inserting the beverage cartridge 1 into the cartridge head 250, performing an operation cycle for dispensing the beverage, and removing the cartridge 1 from the machine.

  The operational behavior of the machine 201 is determined by software embedded in the control processor. The operation of this machine can be described as a “state”. Machine 201 is usually in a particular state and remains in that state until some event occurs that changes that state, a step called state transition.

  Table 4 is a state transition table illustrating the state and state transition of the beverage preparation machine 201 according to an embodiment.

  The following example illustrates how to use state transitions by this control processor. Assume that machine 201 is initially powered off and cartridge 1 is not inserted into cartridge head 250. When the machine 201 is turned on, the control processor is in state 1. The water heater 225 is turned on. When the temperature reaches 85 ° C., the control processor transitions to state 2. At any time in state 1 or 2, if the cartridge holder 251 is closed, the locking sensor is triggered to send a signal to the control processor indicating that the cartridge holder 251 is properly closed. The control processor then sends a “lead pod readpod” instruction to cause the cartridge sensor to respond. The cartridge sensor returns a signal to the control processor to indicate whether the cartridge is in the cartridge holder 251. If there is no cartridge, the control processor transitions to state 3 and remains ready until the cartridge holder 251 is reopened and the control processor returns to state 2. If there is a cartridge in state 2, the control processor transitions to state 4 and operation automatically begins. During states 4-9, the temperature of the water is adjusted in the background to be within the required temperature requirement tolerance, as set in the operating parameters according to the barcode of the beverage cartridge 1. When the blending phase is complete, an air purge is started in state 8. When the air purge is finished, the operating cycle is finished and the machine enters the standby mode of state 10. If an error occurs during operation, the processing device transitions to state 11. When a low water level is detected, the processing device transitions to state 12.

  In order to insert the cartridge 1, the cartridge holder 251 is opened as described above, and the cartridge mounting base 257 is exposed. The cartridge 1 is placed on the cartridge mounting base 257 received in the recess 290, and the handle 24 of the cartridge is placed in the irregularly shaped portion 291. The optical or magnetic barcode of the cartridge 1 is directed directly above the mouth 326 in the cartridge mount 257. Next, the cartridge holder 251 is closed by operating the clamp lever as described above. During this closing operation, the inlet puncture member 253 and the spout piercing member 254 pierce the laminate 5 of the cartridge 1 to form the cartridge inlet 121 and spout 122. As described above, the laminate 5 cut by the spout puncture member 254 is folded up into an annulus surrounding the spout 43. When the cartridge holder 251 is closed, it grips the cartridge 1 along its rim 35 between the cartridge mount 257 and the upper portion 256 and / or between the window 311 and the top 11 of the cartridge 1, and the operation cycle Forming a fluid tight seal with sufficient integrity to withstand the pressure generated therein.

  To start this operation cycle, the consumer operates the start / end button 241.

  This operation cycle includes a cartridge identification step and a dispensing cycle step.

  The cartridge is identified by the optical cartridge identifying means 252 as described above on the assumption that the outputs from the cartridge sensor and the locking sensor satisfy the conditions. Once the barcode 320 is decoded, the control processor adjusts the operational parameters for opportunity 201. Then, the dispensing cycle is automatically started.

The dispensing cycle
(I) pre-wetting,
(Ii) stop,
(Iii) decoction / mixing,
(Iv) There are four main stages of purging, but not all beverage types have all stages.

  In the pre-wetting stage, water is poured from the water storage tank 220 into the cartridge by the water pump 230. By this water injection, the beverage ingredients 200 in the filtration chamber 130 are wetted. This water injection can be carried out at a “fast” flow rate of 600 ml / min or a “slow” flow rate of 325 ml / min. Slow irrigation rates are particularly useful for cartridges containing liquid beverage ingredients that are viscous because such ingredients must be diluted to some extent before being pumped at higher volumetric flow rates. The volume of water entering the cartridge is selected so that water or beverage does not drip from the cartridge spout 122 at this stage.

  In the stop phase, the beverage raw material 200 absorbs the water introduced in the pre-wetting phase for a predetermined cycle time. Both the pre-wetting stage and the absorption stage are known to increase the amount of extraction from the beverage ingredients 200 and improve the aroma of the finally obtained beverage. This pre-wetting stage and absorption stage are particularly used when the beverage ingredient is roasted and ground coffee.

  In the brewing / mixing stage, water passes through the cartridge 1 to produce a beverage from the beverage ingredients 200. The temperature of this water is determined by a control processor that sends instructions to the water heater 225 to heat the water passing from the water tank 220 to the cartridge head 250. The water passes through the conduit 262 and reaches the inlet chamber 126 of the beverage cartridge 1 via the inlet valve and inlet piercing member 253 and enters the lower portion 255 of the cartridge holder 251. The brewing and / or mixing of the beverage from the beverage cartridge 1 and the subsequent formulation is as described above with reference to several types of beverage cartridges.

  The air purge stage involves blowing pressurized air into the beverage preparation machine and beverage cartridge 1 to ensure that all beverages are dispensed and the flow path is cleaned so that another beverage can be dispensed. Since this air purge does not start with the brew / mixing phase stopped, most of the fluid can be pre-exited from the flow path. This prevents the internal pressure from rapidly rising beyond the allowable range at the start of the air purge.

  In normal operation, the user manually stops the machine 201 by operating the start / end button 241.

  When the operation cycle ends, the consumer opens the cartridge holder 251 and manually removes and processes the cartridge 1 to remove the cartridge 1. Alternatively, the machine 201 may be provided with an automatic ejection mechanism that automatically takes out the cartridge when the cartridge holder 251 is opened.

  The time for delivering the beverage using machine 201 and cartridge 1 is typically 10 to 120 seconds, preferably 30 to 40 seconds for coffee that has been roasted and ground, and 5 to 120 for cocoa. Seconds, preferably 10 to 20 seconds, and in the case of milk, 5 to 120 seconds, preferably 10 to 20 seconds.

  The machine 201 may also advantageously comprise a memory in operational communication with the control processor, which stores information about the beverage types that are dispensed by the user. For this reason, the operation cycle of the machine 201 can be adjusted for the next cartridge 1. This is particularly advantageous when two or more beverage cartridges 1 are used in succession to form a beverage. For example, a coffee cartridge can be prepared and then a milk cartridge can be prepared to form a cappuccino beverage. Alternatively, a cocoa cartridge can be used and then a milk cartridge can be used to produce a creamed hot cocoa beverage. An optimal beverage may be realized by changing the blending method of the second cartridge, that is, the milk cartridge, using a memory that stores information about the blended first beverage. In the above examples, the milk formulated for hot cocoa can usually be diluted from the milk added to the coffee. Also, milk to be prepared for cocoa may be prepared at a slower rate to suppress the degree of foaming of the beverage. Various cartridge combinations are possible and those skilled in the art will similarly appreciate the operating parameters. Further, the memory 201 may be used to cause the machine 201 to “predict” the beverage type that the user wishes to prepare next. For example, if a user drinks only one beverage type, the machine can instruct the water heater to maintain the water at a temperature that is optimal for that beverage type.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cartridge 201 Beverage adjustment machine 253 Pouring puncture member 254 Puncture member 255 Lower part 256 Upper part 257 Cartridge holder 290 Recess 291 Irregular shape part

Claims (5)

A cartridge holder for a beverage adjuster (201),
A fixed lower part (255) and an upper part (256) rotatable relative to said lower part between open and closed positions;
A mounting base (257) for the cartridge (1) disposed between the lower part and the upper part, movable relative to the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part;
An injection puncture member (253) and an extraction puncture member (254) for forming an inlet and an outlet, respectively, for the cartridge (1);
With
By rotating the upper part toward the lower part, the upper part is coupled with the mounting base (257) and the mounting base is rotated toward the lower part so that the injection puncture member and the dispensing A cartridge holder, wherein a puncture member is punctured into the cartridge.   The cartridge holder according to claim 1, wherein the injection puncture member and the extraction puncture member are arranged so as to be punctured on the same side surface of the cartridge.   The cartridge holder according to claim 1, wherein the fixed lower portion has a recess for receiving the cartridge.   The mounting base has a mouth (292) which is arranged perpendicular to the lid of the cartridge when the upper part is rotated to the closed position. A cartridge holder as described in 1.   The cartridge holder according to claim 4, wherein the injection puncture member and the extraction puncture member pierce the lid through the mouth portion of the attachment portion.

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