RU2331349C2 - Beverage-making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: personal effects.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to beverage-making machine designed for use with hermetically sealed cartridges. Stoppering mechanism of the beverage-making machine consists of rigid lower part and upper part. The latter can be rotated relative to lower part. The upper part can also be moved from open position, where it is disengaged from the lower part, to closed position, where it is engaged to lower part. Stoppering mechanism contains clamp down lever, which can be actuated to fix the upper part in closed position. Clamp down lever contains an element, engaged to the upper part with a capability of being rotated relative to first spigot, and another element, which can be rotated around second spigot. The edge of first element and second edge of second element are engaged to each other with a capability of being rotated around third spigot, so that the clamp down lever can reside in two positions. When actuating the lever to move the upper part from open to closed position, the lever is moved from first position to the second one.

EFFECT: creation of reliable and cost-effective mechanism for insertion of beverage cartridge into a beverage-making machine and extraction of cartridge from the machine.

35 cl, 46 dwg, 4 tbl

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for preparing beverages, in particular for use with sealed cartridges that are formed from substantially air- and waterproof materials and which contain one or more ingredients for preparing beverages.

Previously, it was proposed to hermetically pack the ingredients for the preparation of drinks in separate airtight packaging intended for use in machines for making drinks. For example, cartridges or capsules are known which contain pressed ground coffee and are intended for use in some coffee brewing machines, which are generally referred to as espresso machines. When preparing coffee using these machines, the coffee cartridge is placed in a brewing chamber and hot water is passed through the cartridge under relatively high pressures, thereby extracting the aromatic constituents of coffee from ground coffee to produce a coffee beverage. Typically, such machines operate at pressures in excess of 6 × 10 ⁵ Pa. Cooking machines of the type described have so far been quite expensive, since machine components, such as water pumps and seals, must be able to withstand high pressures.

International Patent Publication WO01 / 58786 describes a beverage preparation cartridge that operates at a pressure typically in the range of 0.7 to 2.0 × 10 ⁵ Pa. However, the cartridge is intended to be used in a beverage preparation machine intended for the market for manufacturers or the market for manufactured goods, and is relatively expensive. In addition, the cartridge holder for a beverage filter according to WO01 / 58786 contains probes for inlet and outlet openings, which pierce the beverage cartridge in use. A plate that is permanently attached to the pneumatic cylinder via a ball joint carries probes for the inlet and outlet openings. It is difficult to provide access to the probes for the inlet and outlet, and therefore it is difficult to carry out their maintenance and, in particular, cleaning.

Consequently, there remains a need for a cartridge for preparing beverages, while cartridges and a machine for preparing beverages should be suitable, in particular, for the consumer goods market in terms of cost, performance and reliability. There is also a need for a beverage machine designed for such cartridges, which is easy to operate and reliable. In particular, the means for inserting and removing the beverage cartridge should be simple to operate and provide a reliable sealing force to maintain pressure within the beverage cartridge during the dispensing cycle. Separately or in addition, means are required to create a reliable and known sealing force in order to provide pressure resistance within the beverage cartridge during the dispensing cycle. Separately or in addition to this, it is desirable that the machine is easy to operate.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, a capping mechanism for a beverage machine is provided, comprising a fixed lower part and an upper part rotatable relative to the lower part, the upper part being movable from an open position in which the upper part is detached from the lower part in the closed position, in which the upper part is engaged with the lower part, and the capping mechanism further comprises a clamping lever actuated for holding the upper part in the closed position, while the clamping lever comprises a first element rotatably connected with the upper finger relative to the first finger, and a second element having a first end rotatable around the second finger, the end of the first element and the second end of the second the elements are rotatably connected relative to the third finger, so that the clamping lever has first and second stability positions, while actuating the clamping lever for moving the upper part from the open position to the closed position the clamping lever moves from the first to the second position of stability.

The closure mechanism of the present invention provides a reliable and inexpensive mechanism for inserting and removing a beverage cartridge in and out of a beverage machine. The mechanism can be powered with one hand and does not require electrical energy. There are no complicated lever designs.

Preferably, the clamping lever comprises at least one hook element for engaging with a stopper at the bottom.

Preferably, in the first stability position, the third finger is located on the first side of the baseline connecting the axes of the first and second fingers. In the second stability position, the third finger is located on the second side of the baseline connecting the axes of the first and second fingers.

Typically, the first side of the baseline is closest to the fixed bottom, and the second side of the baseline is farthest from the fixed bottom.

Preferably, the first end of the second element is pivotally attached to the bottom. The second element may consist of a reciprocating element. The reciprocating element preferably comprises a cylinder, a rod included in the specified cylinder, and an elastic sleeve designed to bias the specified rod in an extended position. The deformation of the elastic sleeve provides adaptation to the movement of the clamping lever from the first to the second position of stability.

Preferably, the first clamping lever element consists of a U-shaped handle extending around the front side of the beverage machine.

Typically, the clamping mechanism comprises two second elements, one on each side of the beverage machine.

Preferably, the closure mechanism further comprises a cartridge holder disposed between the lower part and the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part and the upper part. In this case, turning the upper part toward the lower part causes the upper part to come into contact with the cartridge holder and move the cartridge holder into contact with the lower part and, at the same time, use to pierce the cartridge inserted into the cartridge holder by the inlet piercing means and the outlet piercing means holes provided at the bottom. Reliable and accurate installation of the cartridge for the drink in a predetermined position is guaranteed by the support for the cartridge. In addition, the support for the cartridge automatically detaches the cartridge for the drink from the piercing elements of the inlet and outlet openings. This greatly facilitates the removal of the cartridge and ensures that the piercing elements of the inlet and outlet are below the support level for the cartridge when the consumer inserts his hand. This reduces the likelihood of personal injury.

In accordance with the present invention, a closure mechanism for a beverage machine is also provided, comprising a lower part and an upper part, the upper part and the lower part being movable relative to each other from an open position in which the beverage cartridge can be inserted into the closure mechanism in the closed position, in which the beverage cartridge is firmly held between the upper part and the lower part, while in the closed position, the closure mechanism is in contact with the upper overhnostyu bottom surface of the cartridge and the beverage at the center or near the center of the beverage cartridge for applying compressive force exceeding 50 N.

The capping mechanism of the present invention provides an extremely reliable mechanism that holds the beverage cartridge firmly in the beverage machine. A clamping force in excess of 50 N ensures that the cartridge does not expand and that it does not leak or rupture during operation. In addition, the applied compressive force serves to prevent breakage, or relative movement, of the components of the beverage cartridge. The compressive force also serves to squeeze the component or components of the cartridge together. This ensures that the internal dimensions of the channels and holes in the cartridge are constant, and their change during pressure increase in the cartridge will be impossible.

The capping mechanism may provide a compressive force exceeding 130 N.

Preferably, the closure mechanism provides a compressive force of approximately 200 N.

Preferably, in addition, the closure is in contact with the peripheral flange of the beverage cartridge. In addition, the capping mechanism may be in contact with the uppermost surface of the beverage cartridge.

Preferably, the closure mechanism further comprises an elastic member that contacts at least a portion of the upper surface of the beverage cartridge. The elastic element may be a spring-loaded element.

Preferably, the spring-loaded member is a viewing window.

Preferably, the lower portion may comprise an upwardly extending portion that contacts the central portion of the lower surface of the beverage cartridge. The upwardly extending portion ensures that most of the compressive force exerted on the cartridge will be transmitted upward to the upper surface of the cartridge through the center region of the cartridge. A carrier element is preferably provided in this central region of the cartridge.

Preferably, the lower part is stationary and the upper part is rotatable relative to the lower part from the open position to the closed position. Preferably, the capping mechanism further comprises a cartridge support located between the lower part and the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part and the upper part for receiving the beverage cartridge in use.

In accordance with the present invention, a closure mechanism for a beverage machine has also been developed, comprising a fixed lower part, an upper part rotatable relative to the lower part, and a cartridge holder located between the lower part and the upper part and rotatable with respect to the lower part and an upper part, the lower part comprising an inlet piercing means and an outlet piercing means intended to be formed inlet and outlet, respectively, when used in a cartridge inserted in the cartridge holder, while turning the upper part toward the lower part causes the upper part to come into contact with the cartridge holder and move the cartridge holder into contact with the lower part and at the same time when used, provide piercing of the cartridge inserted in the cartridge holder by the inlet piercing means and the outlet piercing means.

The closure mechanism of the present invention provides a reliable and inexpensive mechanism for inserting and removing a beverage cartridge in and out of a beverage machine. The mechanism can be powered with one hand and does not require electrical energy. There are no complicated lever designs. In addition, the reliable and accurate installation of the beverage cartridge in a predetermined position is guaranteed by the cartridge holder. In addition, the support for the cartridge automatically detaches the cartridge for the drink from the piercing elements of the inlet and outlet openings. This greatly facilitates the removal of the cartridge and ensures that the piercing elements of the inlet and outlet are below the support level for the cartridge when the consumer inserts his hand. This reduces the likelihood of personal injury.

Preferably, the upper part is movable between an upper position for accommodating the cartridge in the cartridge holder and a closed position in which the cartridge holder is in contact with the lower part.

Preferably, in the open position, the upper part is substantially vertical. This provides improved access to the cartridge support for easier insertion and removal of the cartridge. In the closed position, the upper part is horizontal.

Preferably, the cartridge holder comprises a recess for receiving the cartridge. The recess may contain a bump to prevent rotation of the cartridge inserted in the recess.

Preferably, the cartridge holder is displaced relative to the stationary lower part so that in the open position, when the upper part is detached from the lower part and the cartridge holder, the cartridge holder is detached from the lower part. In addition, in the open position, the cartridge holder may be detached from the inlet piercing means and the outlet piercing means.

In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage from a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients, comprising a first piercing element for use in forming an inlet in a cartridge inserted in a beverage machine and a second a piercing element, designed to be used to form an outlet in said cartridge, characterized in that the first and second A swarm of piercing elements is formed as a single removable assembly.

A removable assembly comprising an inlet piercing element and an outlet piercing element allows easy cleaning of machine components. In particular, the piercing elements can be placed in a dishwasher or similar device.

Preferably, the beverage machine further comprises a fixed lower part and an upper part rotatable relative to the lower part, the upper part being movable from an open position in which the upper part is detached from the lower part for receiving the cartridge to the closed position, in which the upper part is adhered to the lower part, the removable assembly being mounted when used in the stationary lower part.

Preferably, the inlet piercing element and the outlet piercing element are oriented vertically and parallel to each other.

Preferably, the inlet piercing element and the outlet piercing element are made of plastics.

It should be understood that the term "cartridge" in the sense in which it is used here, refers to any packaging, container, sachet or reservoir that contains one or more beverage ingredients in the described manner. The cartridge may be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible.

A cartridge for use with the device of the present invention may comprise one or more beverage ingredients suitable for forming a beverage product. The beverage product may be, for example, one of coffee, tea, chocolate or a milk-based beverage, including milk. The beverage ingredients may be powdered, milled, leaf-based or liquid. The beverage ingredients may be insoluble or soluble. Examples include roasted and ground coffee, loose tea, chocolate powder and soup, milk-based liquid drinks, and concentrated fruit juices.

In the description below, the terms “upper” and “lower” and equivalents will be used to describe the relative arrangement of elements of the invention. The terms “upper” and “lower” and equivalents should be understood as referring to the cartridge (or other components) in its normal oriented position, intended to be inserted into the machine for preparing drinks and subsequent dispensing, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. In particular, the terms “upper” and “lower” refer to relative positions closer or further from the upper surface 11 of the cartridge. In addition, the terms “internal” and “external” and equivalents will be used to describe the relative arrangement of elements of the invention. The terms “internal” and “external” and equivalents are to be understood as referring to the relative positions in the cartridge (or other components) located closer to or further from the center or main axis X of the cartridge 1 (or other component).

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section of the outer element of the first and second embodiments of the cartridge intended for use with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional detail of the outer element of Figure 1, showing an inwardly directed cylindrical protruding portion;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail of the outer element of Figure 1, showing a groove;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of the outer element of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view from above of the outer element of Figure 1 in an inverted oriented position;

Figure 6 is a plan view from above of the outer member of Figure 1;

7 is a cross section of the inner element of the first embodiment of the cartridge;

Fig.8 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig.7;

Fig.9 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig.7 in an inverted oriented position;

Figure 10 is a plan view from above of the inner element of Figure 7;

11 is a cross section of a first embodiment of a cartridge in an assembled state;

12 is a cross-sectional view of an inner member of a second embodiment of a cartridge;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of a detail of the inner member of Fig. 12, showing a hole;

Fig.14 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig.12;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig. 12 in an inverted oriented position;

Fig.16 is another section of the inner element of Fig.12;

Fig. 17 is a cross-section of another detail of the inner member of Fig. 12, showing an air inlet;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a cartridge in an assembled state;

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the outer element of the third and fourth embodiments of the cartridge for use with the present invention;

Fig. 20 is a sectional view of a detail of the outer member of Fig. 19, showing an inwardly directed cylindrical protruding portion;

Fig.21 is a plan view from above of the outer element of Fig.19;

Fig.22 is a perspective view from above of the outer element of Fig.19;

Fig is a perspective view from above of the outer element of Fig.19 in an inverted oriented position;

24 is a cross-sectional view of an inner member of a third embodiment of a cartridge;

Fig.25 is a plan view from above of the inner element of Fig.24;

Fig. 26 is a sectional view of a detail of the inner member of Fig. 24, showing an inwardly curved upper edge;

Fig.27 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig.24;

Fig. 28 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig. 24 in an inverted oriented position;

Fig. 29 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a cartridge in an assembled state;

Fig. 30 is a cross-sectional view of an inner member of a fourth embodiment of a cartridge;

Fig. 31 is a plan view from above of the inner element of Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig. 30;

Fig. 33 is a perspective view from above of the inner element of Fig. 30 in an inverted oriented position;

Fig. 34 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a cartridge in an assembled state;

Fig. 35 is a front perspective view of a beverage machine according to the present invention;

Fig. 36 is a front perspective view of the machine of Fig. 35 with the cartridge head in the open position;

Fig. 37 is a rear perspective view of the machine of Fig. 35 with some parts excluded for clarity;

Fig. 38 is another rear perspective view of the machine of Fig. 35 with some parts excluded for clarity;

FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the head of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts excluded for clarity;

FIG. 40 is another perspective view of the head of the machine of FIG. 35 with some parts excluded for clarity; FIG.

Fig - section of the head for the cartridge in the closed position;

Fig - section of the head for the cartridge in the open position;

Fig. 43 is a diagram of the machine of Fig. 35;

Figa and 44b are diagrams of the first and second means for recognizing code for the machine of Fig.35; and

Fig. 45 is a plan view of a beverage cartridge of the present invention containing a bar code.

As shown in FIG. 11, the cartridge 1 of the present invention typically comprises an outer member 2, an inner member 3 and a laminate 5. An outer member 2, an inner member 3 and a laminate 5 are assembled to form a cartridge 1 that has an inner space 120 for holding it contains one or more beverage ingredients, an inlet 121, an outlet 122, and a beverage flow passage connecting the inlet 121 to the outlet 122 and passing through the interior 120. Inlet 121 and the outlet 122 are initially sealed by the laminate 5, and when used, they are opened by piercing or cutting the laminate 5. The boundaries of the flow channel for the beverage are determined by the spatial relative position of the outer element 2, the inner element 3 and the laminate 5, as will be discussed below. Other components may be included in cartridge 1, if required, such as filter 4, as will be further described below.

A first embodiment of the cartridge 1, which will be described for purposes of reviewing the history of the issue, is shown in FIGS. The first embodiment of cartridge 1 is particularly suitable for use in dispensing filtered products, such as roasted and ground coffee or loose tea. However, this cartridge option 1 and other options described below can be used with other products, such as chocolate, coffee, tea, sweeteners (sugar substitutes), sweet liquors, flavors and fragrances, alcoholic beverages, milk with flavorings, fruit juices, juice with sparkling water, sauces and desserts.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the overall shape of the cartridge 1 is substantially circular or disk-shaped with a diameter of the cartridge 1 substantially exceeding its height. The main axis X passes through the center of the outer element, as shown in FIG. Typically, the total diameter of the outer element 2 is 74.5 mm ± 6 mm, and the total height is 16 mm ± 3 mm. Typically, the volume of cartridge 1 in the assembled state is 30.2 ml ± 20%.

The outer element 2 typically comprises a cup-shaped body 10 having a curved annular wall 13, a closed upper part 11 and an open lower part 12. The diameter of the outer element 2 is smaller in the upper part 11 compared to the diameter in the lower part 12, which is the result of expansion downward of the annular wall 13 when moving from the closed upper part 11 to the open lower part 12. The annular wall 13 and the closed lower part 11 together form a reservoir having an inner space 34.

The hollow, inwardly directed, cylindrical protruding part 18 is made in the closed upper part 11 with centering relative to the main axis X. As is more clearly shown in FIG. 2, the cylindrical protruding part 18 contains a stepped profile having first, second and third sections 19, 20 and 21. The first section 19 is a straight circular cylindrical. The second section 20 has the shape of a truncated cone and tapers inward. The third section 21 is another straight circular cylinder and is closed by the lower end side 31. The diameter of the first, second and third section 19, 20, 21 decreases in series, so that the diameter of the cylindrical protruding part 18 decreases when moving from the upper part 11 to the closed lower end surface 31 of the cylindrical protruding part 18. An essentially horizontal ledge 32 is formed on the cylindrical protruding part 18 at the junction between the second and third portions 20 and 21.

The protruding flange 33 is formed on the outer element 2 towards the bottom 12. The protruding flange 33 forms an additional wall 15, coaxial with the annular wall 13, so as to form an annular guide defining a manifold 16 between the additional wall 15 and the annular wall 13 The manifold 16 extends along the circumferential periphery of the outer element 2. A number of slots 17 are made in the annular wall 13 at the same level with the manifold 16 to provide gas and liquid communication between the collector 16 and the inner space om 34 of the outer member 2. As shown in Figure 3, the slots 17 comprise vertical slits in the annular wall 13. Between 20 and 40 slots. In the shown embodiment, thirty-seven grooves 17 are provided, arranged substantially uniformly on the circumferential periphery of the manifold 16. The grooves 17 have a length of preferably 1.4 to 1.8 mm. Typically, the length of each groove is 1.6 mm, which is 10% of the total height of the outer element 2. The width of each groove is from 0.25 to 0.35 mm. As a rule, the width of each groove is 0.3 mm. The width of the grooves 17 is small enough to prevent the passage of the beverage ingredients through them into the collector 16 either during storage or during use.

An inlet chamber 26 is formed in the outer element 2 at the periphery of the outer element 2. As most clearly shown in FIG. 5, a cylindrical wall 27 is formed that defines the inlet chamber 26 in the inner space 34 and separates the inlet chamber 26 from the inner space 34 of the outer element 2. The cylindrical wall 27 has a closed upper end surface 28, which is formed in a plane perpendicular to the main axis X, and an open bottom end 29 located in the same plane with the lower part 12 of the outer element 2. Inlet Single chamber 26 communicates with the manifold 16 through two slots 30 as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, one to four grooves may be used to provide communication between the manifold 16 and the intake chamber 26.

The lower end of the protruding flange 33 is made with the protruding outward flange 35, which extends perpendicular to the main axis X. Typically, the flange 35 has a width of 2 to 4 mm. A portion of the flange 35 is enlarged to form a handle 24 by which the outer member 2 can be held. The handle 24 is provided with an upwardly curved edge 25 to improve grip.

The outer element 2 is formed as a single uniting part from high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester or from a laminate of two or more of these materials. Suitable polypropylene belongs to the range of polymers supplied by DSM UK Limited (Redditch, UK). The outer element may be opaque, transparent or translucent. The process may be injection molding.

The inner element 3, similar to that shown in Figs. 7-10, contains an annular frame 41 and a protruding cylindrical funnel 40. The main axis X passes through the center of the inner element 3, as shown in Fig. 7.

As best shown in FIG. 8, the ring frame 41 comprises an outer rim 51 and an inner hub 52 connected by ten evenly spaced radial spokes 53. The inner hub 52 is integral with and extends from the cylindrical funnel 40. Between the radial spokes 53, filter holes 55 are formed in the ring frame 41. The filter 4 is located on the ring frame 41 so that the filter covers the filter holes 55. The filter is preferably made of a material with high wet strength, for example, non-woven fibrous material made of polyester. Other materials that may be used include waterproof cellulosic material, such as cellulosic material, containing fiber paper fibers. Fiber paper fibers can be mixed with fibers of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and / or polyethylene. The incorporation of these plastic materials into the cellulosic material gives the cellulosic material heat sealability. The filter 4 may also be treated or coated with a material that is activated by heat and / or pressure so that it can be welded to the ring frame 41 in a similar manner.

As shown in the section of FIG. 7, the inner hub 52 is in a lower position than the outer rim 51, as a result of which the ring frame 41 has a profile with an inclined downward direction.

The upper surface of each spoke 53 is provided with an upwardly extending vertical baffle 54, which divides the empty space above the ring frame 41 into a plurality of channels 57. Each channel 57 is bounded on both sides by baffles 54 and on the lower side by a filter 4. The channels 57 extend from the outer rim 51 down to the cylindrical funnel 40 and open into the cylindrical funnel 40 at the holes 56 formed by the inner ends of the partitions 54.

The cylindrical funnel 40 comprises an outer tube 42 surrounding the inner outlet pipe 43. The outer tube 42 forms the outer part of the cylindrical funnel 40. The outlet pipe 43 is connected to the outer tube 42 at the upper end of the outlet pipe 43 via an annular flange 47.

The outlet pipe 43 includes an inlet 45 at the upper end that communicates with the openings 56 of the channels 57, and an outlet 44 at the lower end through which the prepared beverage is discharged into a cup or other receptacle. The outlet pipe 43 comprises a truncated cone portion 48 at the upper end and a cylindrical portion 58 at the lower end. The cylindrical portion 58 may have a slight taper so that it tapers toward the outlet 44. The truncated cone portion 48 helps to direct the beverage from the channels 57 down to the outlet 44 without creating turbulence in the beverage. The upper surface of the truncated cone-shaped part 48 is made with four support partitions 49 arranged uniformly on the circumferential periphery of the cylindrical funnel 40. Channels 50 are formed between the support partitions 49. The upper edges of the support partitions 49 are flush with each other and are perpendicular to the main axis X.

The inner element 3 can be formed as a single uniting part from polypropylene or similar material similar to those described above, and by injection molding, like the outer element 2.

Alternatively, the inner element 3 and / or the outer element 2 can be made of a biodegradable polymer. Examples of suitable materials include biodegradable polyethylene (e.g. SPITEK, supplied by Symphony Environmental, Borehamwood, UK), biodegradable polyetheramides (e.g., BAK 1095, supplied by Symphony Environmental), lactic acid polymers (PLA, supplied by Cargil, Minnesota, USA), starch-based polymers, cellulose derivatives and polypeptides.

Laminate 5 is formed of two layers, the first layer of aluminum and the second layer of injection molded polypropylene. The thickness of the aluminum layer is from 0.02 to 0.07 mm. The thickness of the injection molded polypropylene layer is from 0.025 to 0.065 mm. In one embodiment, the aluminum layer has a thickness of 0.06 mm and the polypropylene layer has a thickness of 0.025 mm. This laminate is particularly preferred since it is highly resistant to twisting during assembly. As a result, the laminate 5 can be pre-cut with the appropriate size and shape and subsequently moved to the assembly position on the production line so that it does not undergo shape distortion. Therefore, laminate 5 is particularly well suited for welding. Other multilayer materials may be used, including laminates of polyethylene terephthalate / aluminum / polypropylene, polyethylene / ethylene / vinyl alcohol / polypropylene copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate / metallized layer / polypropylene and aluminum / polypropylene. A roll source laminate may be used in place of the die cutting source material.

Cartridge 1 may be closed with a rigid or semi-rigid cover instead of a flexible laminate.

The assembly of the cartridge 1 includes the following operations:

a) the inner element 3 is inserted into the outer element 2;

b) the filter 4 is cut to a predetermined shape and placed on the inner element 3 so that the filter is located above the cylindrical funnel 40 and rests on the annular frame 41;

c) the inner element 3, the outer element 2 and the filter 4 are connected by ultrasonic welding;

d) cartridge 1 is filled with one or more beverage ingredients;

e) the laminate 5 is attached to the outer element 2.

These operations will be discussed in more detail below.

The outer element 2 is oriented so that the open lower part 12 is directed upward. Then, the inner element 3 is inserted into the outer element 2, while the outer rim 51 fits freely into the axial protruding part 14 in the upper part 11 of the cartridge 1. At the same time, the cylindrical protruding part 18 of the outer element 2 enters the upper part of the cylindrical funnel 40 of the inner element 3. The third portion 21 of the cylindrical protruding part 18 is mounted inside the cylindrical funnel 40 so that the closed lower end side 31 of the cylindrical protruding part 18 rests on the support walls 49 of the internal element 3. After that, the filter 4 is placed above the inner element 3 so that the filter material is in contact with the annular rim 51. Then, an ultrasonic welding process is used to attach the filter 4 to the inner element 3, and at the same time, in the same process step, the inner element 3 is attached to the outer element 2. The inner element 3 and the filter 4 are welded to each other around the outer rim 51. The inner element 3 and the outer element 2 are connected through the penetration lines around the outer rim 51, as well as the upper x the edges of the partitions 54.

As most clearly shown in FIG. 11, when the outer element 2 and the inner element 3 are connected together, they form an empty space 130 in the inner space 120 under the annular flange 41 and on the outside of the cylindrical funnel 40, which forms a filter chamber. The filter chamber 130 and channels 57 above the annular frame 41 are separated by filter paper 4.

The filter chamber 130 contains said one or more beverage ingredients 200. These one or more beverage ingredients are “packaged” in a filter chamber 130. For a filtered type beverage, the ingredient is typically roasted and ground coffee or loose tea. The packing density of the beverage ingredients in the filter chamber 130 may be varied as desired. As a rule, for a filtered coffee product, the filter chamber contains from 5.0 to 10.2 grams of roasted and ground coffee in a filter layer with a thickness of, as a rule, from 5 to 14 mm. If desired, the inner space 120 may contain one or more bodies, such as spheres, which can move freely in the inner space 120 to facilitate mixing by initiating turbulence and breaking down the deposits of the beverage ingredients during the release of the beverage.

Then, the laminate 5 is attached to the outer element 2 by forming a weld 126 along the periphery of the laminate 5 to attach the laminate 5 to the lower surface of the outwardly flange 35. The weld 126 extends so as to weld the laminate 5 to the lower edge of the cylindrical wall 27 of the inner chamber 26. In addition, a weld seam 125 is formed between the laminate 5 and the lower edge of the outer tube 42 of the cylindrical funnel 40. The laminate 5 forms the bottom wall of the filter chamber 130, and also hermetically closes the inner chamber 26 and a cylindrical funnel 40. However, there is a small gap 123 before dispensing between the laminate 5 and the lower edge of the outlet pipe 43. Many different welding methods can be used, such as heat welding and ultrasonic welding, depending on the properties of the materials of the laminate 5.

Preferably, the inner member 3 extends between the outer member 2 and the laminate 5. The inner member 3 is formed of a relatively rigid material, such as polypropylene. Essentially, the inner element 3 forms a supporting element, which serves to hold the laminate 5 and the outer element 2 at a certain distance from each other during compression of the cartridge 1. It is preferable that the cartridge 1 is subjected to a compressive load of 130 to 280 N. serves to prevent damage to the cartridge under the action of increasing pressure inside, and also serves to squeeze the inner element 3 and the outer element 2 together. This ensures that the internal dimensions of the channels and holes in the cartridge 1 will be constant, and their change during the increase in pressure in the cartridge 1 will be impossible.

To use the cartridge 1, it is first inserted into the beverage preparation machine (which will be described below with further details) and the inlet 121 and the outlet 122 are opened by piercing elements of the beverage preparation machine that perforate and bend the laminate 5. The aqueous medium is typically , water, under pressure enters the cartridge 1 through the inlet 121 and passes into the inlet chamber 26 under a pressure of 0.1 to 2.0 bar. From there, water is guided through its grooves 30 and around the manifold 16 and into the filter chamber 130 of the cartridge 1 through a plurality of grooves 17. Water is pumped radially inward through the filter chamber 130 and mixed with the beverage ingredients 200 contained therein. At the same time, water is pumped up through the ingredients of the drink. The drink formed by the passage of water through the ingredients of the beverage passes through the filter 4 and the filtration holes 55 into the channels 57 located above the annular frame 41. The fact that the filter 4 is welded to the spokes 53 and the rim 51 is welded to the outer element 2 guarantees that there are no short circuits, and the whole drink will have to go through filter 4.

The beverage then passes downward along the radial channels 57 formed between the partitions 54, and through the openings 56 and into the cylindrical funnel 40. The beverage passes along the channels 50 between the support partitions 47 and down the outlet pipe 43 to the outlet 44, where the beverage is discharged into a receiving tank such as a cup.

Preferably, the beverage machine comprises means for blowing air, wherein compressed air is pumped through the cartridge 1 at the end of the operating cycle to flush the remaining beverage into the receiving tank.

A second embodiment of cartridge 1 is shown in FIGS. 12-18. The second embodiment of cartridge 1 is especially intended for use in dispensing espresso products, such as [a product from] roasted and ground coffee, when it is desired to produce a beverage having a tiny bubble foam known as “crema”. Many of the elements of the second embodiment of cartridge 1 are the same as in the first embodiment, and similar numbers were used to denote similar elements. In the description below, the differences between the first and second options will be considered. Common elements that function in a similar way will not be considered in detail.

The outer element 2 has the same design as in the first embodiment of the cartridge 1, and such as shown in Fig.1-6.

The ring frame 41 of the inner element 3 is the same as in the first embodiment. In addition, the filter 4 is placed on the annular frame 41 so that the filter 4 closes the filter holes 55. The outer tube 42 of the cylindrical funnel 40 is also the same as described previously. However, there are a number of differences in the design of the inner element 3 of the second embodiment compared to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, the outlet pipe 43 is provided with a baffle 65 that extends over a portion of the length of the outlet pipe 43 upward from the outlet 44. The baffle 65 helps to prevent the beverage from spraying and / or splashing when it leaves the outlet pipe 43. The outlet profile the pipe 43 is also different, and it has a stepped profile with a clear break 66 near the upper end of the tube 43.

A crown 67 is provided that projects vertically upward from the annular flange 47 connecting the outer tube 42 to the outlet pipe 43. The crown 67 surrounds the inlet 45 of the outlet pipe 43 and defines the boundaries of the annular channel 69 between the crown 67 and the upper part of the outer tube 42. The crown 67 is made inwardly directed by the step 68. In one place around the circumferential periphery of the crown 67, a hole 70 is made in the form of a groove that extends from the upper edge of the crown 67 to a point slightly below the level of the ledge 68, as most clearly shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The groove and has a width of 0.64 mm.

The air inlet opening 71 is provided in the annular flange 47, and is aligned circumferentially with the opening 70, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The air inlet opening 71 is an opening passing through the flange 47 so as to provide a message between the space above the flange 47 and the empty space under the flange 47 between the outer tube 42 and the exhaust pipe 43. Preferably and as shown, the air inlet opening 71 comprises a truncated cone shaped portion 73 and a lower cylindrical portion to 72. The air inlet opening 71 is typically formed by injection molding tooling, such as a rod. The tapering profile of the air inlet opening 71 makes it easier to remove the injection molding tool from the cast component. The wall of the outer tube 42 near the air inlet 71 is shaped so that it forms a groove 75 leading from the air inlet 71 to the inlet 45 of the exhaust pipe 43. As shown in FIG. 17, an inclined collar 74 is formed between the air inlet 71 the air inlet and the chute 75 to ensure that the beverage stream exiting the groove 70 will not immediately collide with the upper surface of the flange 47 in close proximity to the air inlet 71.

The assembly procedure for the second embodiment of cartridge 1 is similar to the assembly of the first embodiment. However, there are some differences. As shown in FIG. 18, a third portion 21 of the cylindrical protruding portion 18 is installed inside the support ring 67, and not on the support partitions. The ledge 32 of the cylindrical protruding portion 18 between the second portion 20 and the third portion 21 rests on the upper edge of the support crown 67 of the inner element 3. Therefore, between the inner element 3 and the outer element 2, a contact zone 124 forms, which forms an end seal between the cylindrical protruding part 18 and the supporting a crown 67, which extends around almost the entire circumferential periphery of the cartridge 1. The seal between the cylindrical protruding portion 18 and the support ring 67 is not hermetic, since the groove 70 in the support ring 67 extends through the support crown 67 and down to a place slightly below the ledge 68. Therefore, a fit in the contact zone between the cylindrical protruding part 18 and the support crown 67 converts the groove 70 into the hole 128, as most clearly shown in Fig. 18, providing communication between gas and liquid between the annular channel 69 and the outlet pipe 43. The hole, as a rule, has a width of 0.64 mm with a length of 0.69 mm.

The operation of the second embodiment of the beverage dispenser cartridge 1 is similar to the operation of the first embodiment, but has some differences. The drink in the radial channels 57 passes down along the channels 57 formed between the partitions 54 and through the openings 56 and into the annular channel 69 of the cylindrical funnel 40. From the annular channel 69, the beverage is displaced under pressure through the opening 128 due to the back pressure of the beverage accumulating in the filter chamber 130 and channels 57. Thus, the beverage is displaced through the hole 128 in the form of a jet and passes into the expansion chamber formed by the upper end of the outlet pipe 43. As shown in FIG. 18, the beverage stream passes directly onto opening 71 for air intake. When the beverage enters the outlet pipe 43, the pressure of the beverage stream drops. As a result, air is captured by the beverage stream in the form of a plurality of small air bubbles through the air inlet 71. The beverage stream exiting the opening 128 passes through the funnel down to the outlet 44, where the beverage is discharged into a receiving tank, such as a cup, where air bubbles form the desired “cap”. Thus, the hole 128 and the air inlet 71 together form an eductor which serves to trap air into the beverage. The flow of the beverage into the eductor should be kept as smooth as possible to reduce pressure loss. Preferably, the walls of the eductor should be concave to reduce losses due to friction against the walls due to the boundary effect. Hole tolerance 128 is small. Preferably, the size of the hole is fixed plus or minus 0.02 mm ² . Hair, threadlike elements or other surface irregularities can be provided inside the outlet or at the outlet of the eductor to increase the useful sectional area, which has been found to increase the degree of air entrainment.

A third embodiment of cartridge 1 is shown in FIGS. 19-29. The third embodiment of cartridge 1 is particularly suitable for use in dispensing soluble products, which may be in powder, liquid, syrup, gel or similar form. A soluble product dissolves through an aqueous medium or forms a suspension in an aqueous medium such as water when the aqueous medium is passed through cartridge 1 during use. Examples of beverages include chocolate, coffee, milk, tea, soup, or other rehydratable or water soluble products. Many of the elements of the third embodiment of cartridge 1 are the same as in the previous embodiments, and similar numbers were used to denote similar elements. In the description below, the differences between the third and previous options will be considered. Common elements that function in a similar way will not be considered in detail.

Compared to the outer member 2 of the previous embodiments, the hollow inwardly directed cylindrical protruding portion 18 of the outer member 2 of the third embodiment has a larger overall diameter, as shown in FIG. In particular, the diameter of the first section 19, as a rule, is from 16 to 18 mm compared with 13.2 mm for the outer element 2 of the previous options. In addition, the first section 19 is made with a convex outer surface 19a or convexity, as most clearly shown in Fig.20, while its purpose will be described below. However, the diameter of the third sections 21 of the cartridges 1 is the same, as a result of which the area of the step 32 in this third embodiment of the cartridge 1 will be larger. Typically, the volume of cartridge 1 in the assembled state is 32.5 ml ± 20%.

The number and location of the grooves at the lower end of the annular wall 13 also differ. There are 3 to 5 grooves. In an embodiment similar to that shown in FIG. 23, four grooves 36 are provided that are evenly spaced around the circumferential periphery of the manifold 16. The grooves 36 are slightly wider than previous cartridge versions 1, with a width of 0.35 to 0, 45 mm, preferably 0.4 mm.

In other respects, the outer elements 2 of the cartridges 1 are the same.

The design of the cylindrical funnel 40 of the inner element 3 is the same as in the first embodiment of the cartridge 1, with an outer tube 42, an outlet pipe 45, an annular flange 47, and support walls 49. The only difference is that the outlet pipe 45 is shaped with the upper part 92 in the form of a truncated cone and the lower cylindrical part 93.

Unlike the previous options and as shown in Figs. 24-28, the annular frame 41 is replaced by a hollow cylinder portion 80 that surrounds the cylindrical funnel 40 and is connected to it by eight radial struts 87 that are attached to the cylindrical funnel 40 at the annular flange 47 or adjacent to the annular flange 47. The cylindrical protruding portion 81 of the portion 80 in the form of a hollow cylinder extends upward from the spacers 87 to form a chamber 90 with the upper end face open. The upper edge 91 of the cylindrical protruding portion 81 has an inwardly bent profile, as shown in FIG. The annular wall 82 of the hollow cylinder portion 80 extends downward from the struts 87 to form an annular channel 86 between the hollow cylinder portion 80 and the outer tube 42.

The annular wall 82 has an outer flange 83 at its lower end that is perpendicular to the main axis X. The crown 84 hangs down from the bottom surface of the flange 83 and contains five holes 85 that are evenly spaced around the ring 84. Thus, the ring 84 is made with a serrated bottom profile.

Bores 89 are formed between the struts 87, allowing communication between the chamber 90 and the annular channel 86.

The assembly procedure for the third embodiment of cartridge 1 is similar to the assembly of the first embodiment, but has some differences. The outer member 2 and the inner member 3 are joined together in a snug fit, as shown in FIG. 29, and they are held together by a snap structure rather than by welding. When connecting the two elements inwardly directed, the cylindrical protruding part 18 is inserted inside the upper cylindrical protruding part 81 of the part 80 in the form of a hollow cylinder. The inner element 3 is held in the outer element 2 by frictional mutual engagement of the convex outer surface 19a of the first portion 19 of the cylindrical protruding portion 18 with the inwardly curved edge 91 of the upper cylindrical protruding portion 81. When the inner element 3 is housed in the outer element 2, a mixing chamber 134 located outside part 80 in the form of a hollow cylinder. The mixing chamber 134 contains the ingredients of the drink 200 before dispensing. It should be noted that the four inlet openings 36 and the five openings 85 are staggered relative to each other at the circumferential periphery. The radial arrangement of the two parts relative to each other need not be determined or fixed during assembly, since the use of four inlet openings 36 and five openings 85 ensures that there will be a displacement between the inlet openings and the openings, no matter what the relative position in the direction of rotation Components.

These one or more beverage ingredients are packaged in a mixing chamber 134 of the cartridge. The packing density of the beverage ingredients in the mixing chamber 134 can be varied as desired.

Then, the laminate 5 is attached to the outer element 2 and the inner element 3 in the same manner as described above in previous embodiments.

In use, water enters the mixing chamber 134 through four grooves 36 in the same manner as in the previous cartridge. Water is pumped radially inward through the mixing chamber and mixed with the beverage ingredients contained therein. The product dissolves in water or mixes with water and forms a beverage in the mixing chamber 134 and then is displaced through the holes 85 into the annular channel 86 due to the back pressure of the drink and water in the mixing chamber 134. The four inlet grooves 36 and five holes 85 are staggered around ensures that the water jets will not be able to pass radially directly from the inlet grooves 36 into the openings 85 without first circulating inside the mixing chamber 134. Thus, the degree and stability of dissolution or product mixing is greatly increased. The beverage is forced up into the annular channel 86, through the openings 89 between the spacers 87 and into the chamber 90. The beverage passes from the chamber 90 through the inlets 45 between the support walls 49 to the outlet pipe 43 and to the outlet 44, where the beverage is discharged into a receiving tank, such like a cup. The cartridge is especially suitable for use with viscous liquids or gels. In one application, cartridge 1 contains a liquid chocolate ingredient with a viscosity of 1700 to 3900 MPa at ambient temperature and from 5000 to 10000 MPa at 0 ° C and with a solids content of 67 Brix ± 3 refractometer. In another case, the cartridge is used 1 contains liquid coffee with a viscosity of from 70 to 2000 MPa at ambient temperature and from 80 to 5000 MPa at 0 ° C, while coffee has an overall solids content of 40 to 70%.

A fourth embodiment of cartridge 1 is shown in FIGS. 30-34. The fourth embodiment of cartridge 1 is particularly suitable for use in dispensing liquid products, such as condensed liquid milk. Many of the elements of the fourth embodiment of cartridge 1 are the same as in the previous embodiments, and similar numbers were used to denote similar elements. In the description below, the differences between the fourth and previous options will be considered. Common elements that function in a similar way will not be considered in detail.

The outer element 2 is the same as in the third embodiment of the cartridge 1, and such as shown in Figs. 19-23.

The cylindrical funnel 40 of the inner element 3 is similar to the funnel shown in the second embodiment of the cartridge 1, but has certain differences. As shown in FIG. 30, the outlet pipe 43 is shaped so that it has a truncated cone shaped upper portion 106 and a lower cylindrical portion 107. Three axial ribs 105 are formed on the inner surface of the outlet pipe 43 to direct the dispensed beverage down to the outlet 44 and preventing centrifugation of the discharged beverage inside the nozzle. Therefore, the ribs 105 serve as guide walls. As in the second embodiment of the cartridge 1, an air inlet opening 71 is provided, passing through the annular flange 47. However, the groove 75 under the air inlet 71 is more elongated than in the second embodiment.

A hollow cylinder portion 80 is provided, similar to that shown in the third embodiment of cartridge 1 described above. In crown 84, 5 to 12 holes are made. Typically, ten holes are provided, not five holes provided in the third embodiment of the cartridge 1.

An annular cup-shaped element 100 is provided extending from the flange 83 and made in one piece with the flange 83 of the part 80 in the form of a hollow cylinder. The annular cup-shaped element 100 comprises an expandable body 101 with an open upper inlet portion 104, which is directed downward. The four feed openings 103 shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 are located in the housing 101 at the lower end or near the lower end of the cup-shaped element 100 where it is connected to the hollow cylinder portion 80. Preferably, the supply openings are evenly spaced around the circumferential periphery of the cup-shaped element 100.

Laminate 5 is a laminate of the type described above in previous embodiments.

The assembly procedure for the fourth embodiment of cartridge 1 is the same as for the third embodiment.

The operation of the fourth embodiment of the cartridge is similar to the operation of the third embodiment. Water enters the cartridge 1 and the mixing chamber 134 in the same way as in the previously described embodiment. There, water is mixed with the liquid product and dilutes the liquid product, which is then forced out through the openings 85 to the outlet 44, as described above. A portion of the liquid product is initially contained in the annular cup-shaped element 100, as shown in FIG. 34, and is not immediately diluted with water entering the mixing chamber 134. The diluted liquid product in the lower part of the mixing chamber 134 will tend to exit through openings 85 rather than extruded upward and into the annular cup-shaped element 100 through the upper inlet 104. Consequently, the liquid product in the annular cup-shaped element 100 will remain relatively thickened [concentrated] compared to the product in the lower part of the mixing chamber 134. The liquid product in the annular cup-shaped element 100 drips through the supply holes 103 under the action of gravity into the product stream exiting the mixing chamber 134 through the openings 85. The annular cup-shaped element 100 serves to equalize the concentration of the diluted liquid product entering into a cylindrical funnel 40, due to the retention of a part of the concentrated liquid product and its release into the effluent, it is more stable during the entire delivery cycle.

From the annular channel 86, the beverage is displaced under pressure through the opening 128 due to counter-pressure of the beverage accumulating in the filter chamber 134 and the chamber 90. Thus, the beverage is forced out through the opening 128 in the form of a jet and enters the expansion chamber formed by the upper end of the outlet pipe 43. How shown in FIG. 34, the beverage stream passes directly above the air inlet 71. When the beverage enters the outlet pipe 43, the pressure of the beverage stream drops. As a result, air is captured by the beverage stream in the form of a plurality of small air bubbles through the air inlet 71. The beverage stream exiting the opening 128 passes through the funnel down to the outlet 44, where the beverage is discharged into a receiving tank, such as a cup, where the air bubbles create a desired foamy appearance.

Preferably, the inner element 3, the outer element 2, the laminate 5 and the filter 4 can all be easily sterilized due to the fact that the components can be separated from each other and individually they do not contain tortuous channels or narrow slots. On the contrary, only after connecting the components together after sterilization, the necessary channels are formed. This is especially important when the beverage ingredient is a milk-based product, such as liquid condensed milk.

A fourth embodiment of a beverage cartridge is particularly preferred for dispensing a concentrated liquid milk-based product, such as liquid milk. Dry milk products were previously supplied as sachets to be added to a pre-prepared beverage. However, for a drink such as cappuccino (cappuccino) you need to froth milk. This was previously achieved by passing steam through a liquid dairy product. However, this requires steam supply, which leads to an increase in the cost and complexity of the machine used to dispense the beverage. Using steam also increases the risk of injury during cartridge operation. Accordingly, according to the present invention, a beverage cartridge is provided in which there is a concentrated liquid milk-based product. It was found that due to the condensation of the milk product, it is possible to obtain a greater amount of foam for a certain volume of milk compared with fresh milk or milk pasteurized at ultra-high temperature. This reduces the size required for the milk cartridge. Fresh, partially separated milk contains approximately 1.6% fat and has a total dry matter content of 10%. The condensed liquid milk preparations of the present invention contain from 3 to 10% fat and have a total dry matter content of 25 to 40%. In a typical example, the preparation contains 4% fat and has a total dry matter content of 30%. Condensed milk preparations are suitable for foaming when using a low-pressure machine for cooking, as will be described below. In particular, foaming of milk is achieved at pressures of less than 2 bar, preferably approximately 1.5 bar, by using the cartridge of the fourth embodiment described above.

The cartridge of the fourth embodiment is also preferred when dispensing liquid coffee products.

It has been found that embodiments of the beverage cartridge of the present invention preferably provide an improved consistency of the brewed beverage compared to prior art cartridges. Table 1 below shows the results of the brewing yields for twenty samples of each of cartridges A and B containing roasted and ground coffee. Cartridge A is a beverage cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Cartridge B is a prior art beverage cartridge similar to that described in Applicant's document WO01 / 58786. The refractive index for the brewed beverage is measured in Brix units and converted to the percentage of soluble solids (% SS) by using standard tables and formulas. In the examples below:

The percentage of soluble solids = 0.7774 · (indicator in units of Brix) + 0.0569.

Yield in% = (Percentage of soluble solids · Cooking volume (g)) / (100 · Mass of coffee (g))

Table 1
CARTRIDGE A Sample Cooking Volume (g) The mass of coffee (g) Brix The percentage of soluble solids (%) Exit (%) one 105.6 6.5 1,58 1.29 20.88 2 104.24 6.5 1,64 1.33 21.36 3 100.95 6.5 1,67 1.36 21.05 four 102,23 6.5 1.71 1.39 21.80 5 100.49 6.5 1.73 1.40 21.67 6 107.54 6.5 1,59 1.29 21.39 7 102.70 6.5 1,67 1.36 21.41 8 97.77 6.5 1.86 1,50 22.61 9 97.82 6.5 1.7 1.38 20.75 10 97.83 6.5 1,67 1.36 20.40 eleven 97.6 6.5 1.78 1.44 21.63 12 106.64 6.5 1,61 1.31 21.47 13 99.26 6.5 1,54 1.25 19.15 fourteen 97.29 6.5 1,59 1.29 19.35 fifteen 101.54 6.5 1.51 1.23 19.23 16 104.23 6.5 1,61 1.31 20.98 17 97.5 6.5 1.73 1.40 21.03 eighteen 100.83 6.5 1.68 1.36 21.14 19 101.67 6.5 1,67 1.36 21,20 twenty 101.32 6.5 1.68 1.36 21.24 AVERAGE 20,99

CARTRIDGE IN Sample Cooking Volume (g) The mass of coffee (g) Brix The percentage of soluble solids (%) Exit (%) one 100.65 6.5 1.87 1,511 23.39 2 95.85 6.5 1.86 1,503 22.16 3 98.4 6.5 1.8 1,456 22.04 four 92.43 6.5 2,3 1,845 26.23 5 100.26 6.5 1.72 1,394 21.50 6 98.05 6.5 2.05 1,651 24.90 7 99.49 6.5 1.96 1,581 24.19 8 95.62 6.5 2,3 1,845 27.14 9 94.28 6.5 2.17 1,744 25.29 10 96.13 6.5 1.72 1,394 20.62 eleven 96.86 6.5 1.81 1,464 21.82 12 94.03 6.5 2.2 1,767 25.56 13 96.28 6.5 1.78 1,441 21.34 fourteen 95.85 6.5 1.95 1.573 23.19 fifteen 95.36 6.5 1.88 1,518 22.28 16 92.73 6.5 1.89 1,526 21.77 17 88 6.5 1,59 1,293 17.50 eighteen 93.5 6.5 2.08 1,674 24.08 19 100.88 6.5 1.75 1,417 22.00 twenty 84.77 6.5 2,37 1,899 24.77 AVERAGE 23.09

Performing a statistical analysis with a test according to the student criterion on the above data gives the following results:

table 2
Student test: two-sample with the assumption of equal deviations Yield (%) (Cartridge A) Yield (%) (Cartridge B) Average 20,99 23.09 Dispersion 0.77 5.04 Observations twenty twenty Pooled variance 2.90 Hypothetical mean difference 0 df 38 t Stat -3.90 P (T <= t) one-sided criterion 0.000188 t Critical one-way criterion 1,686 P (T <= t) two-sided criterion 0,000376 t Critical two-sided criterion 2,0244 Standard deviation 0.876 2,245

The analysis shows that the yield constant in%, which is equal to the strength of the brewed beverage, is significantly better for cartridges of the present invention (at a confidence level of 95%) than for cartridges of the prior art, with a standard deviation of 0.88% compared to 2 , 24%. This means that drinks brewed using the cartridges of the present invention have a more stable and uniform strength. This is preferable for consumers who prefer that their drinks always have the same taste and do not want random changes in the strength of the brewed beverage.

The materials of the cartridges described above may be provided with a protective coating to increase their resistance to oxygen and / or moisture, and / or to the penetration of other contaminants. The protective coating can also provide increased resistance to leakage of beverage ingredients from the cartridges and / or a decrease in the degree of leaching of extractables from cartridge materials that could adversely affect beverage ingredients. The protective coating may be made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride or metallized material. The protective coating can be applied by a number of mechanisms, including vapor deposition, vacuum deposition, plasma spray coating, co-extrusion, labeling inside the mold and two / multi-stage molding, but the possible methods are not limited to the above.

A beverage machine 201 according to the present invention for use with the beverage cartridges described above is shown in FIGS. 35-45. The beverage preparation machine 201 typically comprises a housing 210 comprising 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, in turn, typically includes a cartridge holder 251 designed to be used to hold the beverage cartridge 1, cartridge recognition means 252, and inlet and outlet piercing elements 253, 254 intended to be used to form the inlet 121 and an outlet 122 in the beverage cartridge 1.

The housing 210 comprises and maintains the remaining components of the machine 201 in a predetermined position. The housing 210 is preferably made entirely or partially of hard plastic, such as a copolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. Alternatively, the housing 210 may be made in whole or in part of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum. The housing 210 preferably has a two-leaf structure having a front half 211 and a rear half 212 that allow access during assembly to install components of the machine 201 and can subsequently be joined together to form the interior space 213 of the housing 210. The rear half 212 forms a cavity 214 for mounting reservoir 220 for water. The housing 210 is made with such means as latches, stops, bulges and threaded sections, which are designed to hold the components of the machine 201 in a predetermined position, while there is no need for a separate frame. This reduces the overall cost and weight of the machine 201. The base 215 of the housing 210 is preferably provided with legs for mounting the machine on them in a stable manner. Alternatively, the base 215 itself may be in the form of a stable support.

The front half 211 of the housing 210 comprises a dispensing position 270 at which dispensing of the beverage takes place. The dispensing position 270 comprises a stand 271 for a receiving tank having a hollow interior forming a water tray 272. The upper surface 273 of the stand for the receiving tank is made with a grill 274, on which the receiving tank is mounted. The water tray 274 is arranged to be removed from the housing 210 to facilitate emptying it from accumulated water. In the front half of the housing 210 above the stand 271 for the receiving tank, a cavity 275 is formed, designed to accommodate the receiving tank with the corresponding dimensions.

The cartridge head 250 is positioned toward the top of the housing 210 above the stand for the receiving tank, as shown in FIGS. 35 and 36. Preferably, the height of the grill 274 relative to the cartridge head 250 can be adjusted to fit various sizes of the receiving tank. Preferably, the reservoir is positioned as close as possible to the cartridge head 250, while still being able to insert and remove the receptacle from the dispensing position 270 so as to minimize the height distance that the dispensed beverage must pass before it will come in contact with the receiving tank. This serves to minimize the atomization and splashing of the beverage and to minimize the loss of trapped air bubbles when they are present. Preferably, receiving tanks with a height of 70 mm to 110 mm can be inserted between the grill 274 and the cartridge head 250.

The user interface 240 of the machine is located on the front side of the housing 210 and includes a start / stop button 241 and a plurality of status indicators 243-246.

The status indicators 243-246 preferably include a light emitting diode (LED) 243 for indicating that the machine 201 is ready, a light emitting diode 244 for indicating a malfunction during operation of the machine 201, and one or more light emitting diodes 245-256 for indicating whether the machine 201 is in manual or automatic mode. The light emitting diodes 243-246 can be controlled in such a way that they will shine with constant intensity, blink periodically, or do both depending on the state of the machine 201. The light emitting diodes 243-246 can have various colors, including green, red, and yellow .

The start / stop button 241 controls the start of the dispense cycle and is a manually actuated push button, switch, or similar device.

A volume control control device may be provided to enable the user of the machine 201 to manually adjust the volume of dispensed beverage without changing other performance characteristics. Preferably, the volume control control device enables volume control in the range of plus or minus 20%. The volume control control device may be a rotary knob, a linear slider, a digital indicator with increment and negative increment buttons, or a similar device. More often, the volume is controlled by the user actuating the start / stop button 241.

On machine 201, a manual power switch (not shown) may be provided. Alternatively, power management can be carried out simply by inserting or removing the power plug from the mains.

A water reservoir 220 is located at the rear of the housing 210 and is connected to the rear half 212 of the housing 210. The water reservoir 220 comprises a generally cylindrical housing 221, which may be circularly circular or truncated as desired for aesthetic reasons. The reservoir contains an inlet for filling the reservoir with water, which is closed when using a manually removable cap 222. Closer to the lower end of the reservoir, an outlet is made that communicates with the water pump 230. The reservoir 220 for water can be made of a transparent or translucent material to give the consumer the ability to see the amount of water remaining in the tank. Alternatively, the water tank 220 may be made of an opaque material, but may be made with a viewing window. In addition, or instead of the above, the water tank 220 may be equipped with a low level sensor that prevents the operation of the water pump 230 and, if required, triggers a warning indicator, such as a light emitting diode, when the water level in the tank drops to a predetermined level . The water tank 220 preferably has an internal capacity of approximately 1.5 liters.

The water pump 230 is connected in the operating position between the water tank 220 and the water heater 225, as shown schematically in FIG. 43, and is controlled by a control processor. The pump provides a maximum flow rate of 900 ml of water per minute at a maximum pressure of 2.5 bar. Preferably, during normal use, the pressure is limited to 2 bar. The flow rate of water through the machine 201 can be controlled by the control processor so that it will make up some of the maximum pump flow by interrupting the pump power cycle. Preferably, the pump may be driven at any of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% of the maximum design flow. The accuracy of the volume of injected water is preferably + or - 5%, which leads to ± 5% accuracy of the final volume of the dispensed beverage. A suitable pump is the Evolution EP8 pump manufactured by Ulka S.r.l. (Pavia, Italy). The volumetric flow sensor (not shown) is preferably provided in the hydraulic line either in front of or behind the water pump 230 in the direction of flow. Preferably, the volumetric flow sensor is a rotary sensor.

The water heater 225 is located in the interior of the housing 210. The heater 225 has a rated power of 1,550 W and is capable of heating the water received from the water pump 230 from an initial temperature of approximately 20 ° C to an operating temperature of approximately 85 ° C in time, up to 1 minute. Preferably, the time delay between the end of one dispensing cycle and the moment when the heater 225 is able to start the next dispensing cycle is less than 10 seconds. The heater maintains the set temperature to ± 2 ° C during the dispensing cycle. As will be discussed below, water for the dispensing cycle can be supplied to the cartridge head 250 at a temperature of 83 ° C or 93 ° C. Heater 225 can provide quick control of the temperature of the supplied water to either 83 ° C or 93 ° C from the nominal temperature of 85 ° C. Heater 225 includes a device for shutting off at excess temperature, which turns off the heater if the temperature exceeds 98 ° C. Water exiting heater 225 is supplied to cartridge head 250 and to cartridge 1 via a three-way valve. If the pressure of the water flow is acceptable, water is allowed to pass into the cartridge 1. If the pressure is lower or higher than the predetermined limits, then the water is discharged via a three-way valve to the return tank 270, made in the form of a water tray.

The air compressor 235 is connected in working position to the cartridge head 250 by means of a one-way valve and is controlled by a control processor. Air compressor 235 provides a maximum air flow rate of 500 ml / min at 1.0 bar. When used, the pressure in the working volume of 35 ml rises to 2.0 bar. Preferably, the air compressor 235 may produce two flow rates: a high (or maximum) flow rate and a low flow rate.

The control processor of the beverage machine 201 includes a processor module and a memory. The control processor is connected in working position with a water heater 225, a water pump 230, an air compressor 235, and a user interface 240 and controls their operation.

The memory of the control processor includes one or more variables for one or more operating parameters of the beverage machine 201. In the illustrated embodiment, the operating parameters are the temperature of the water passing through the beverage cartridge 1 during the working step, the filling speed of the beverage cartridge 1, the presence or absence of a holding step, the total dispensed volume of the beverage, the flow rate of water during the discharge step, and the flow rate at purge stages and duration of the purge stage.

Variable operating parameters are stored in memory. Cartridge 1 contains the code provided on or in cartridge 1, which determines the operating parameters required for optimal dispensing of the drink with this cartridge 1. The code is presented in binary format and contains many information bits corresponding to the variables stored in the memory of the control processor. Table 3 illustrates how 13 bits of information can be used to represent the necessary variables for the operating parameters described above.

Table 3 Bit Parameter Description 0 & 1 Water temperature 00 = cold
01 = warm
10 = 83 ° C
11 = 93 ° C 2 & 3 Cartridge Filling 00 = fast fill with exposure
01 = quick fill without holding
10 = slow fill with shutter speed
11 = slow filling without holding 4, 4, 6 & 7 Beverage volume 0000 = 50 ml
0001 = 60 ml
0010 = 70 ml
0011 = 80 ml
0100 = 90 ml
0101 = 100 ml
0110 = 110 ml
0111 = 130 ml
1000 = 150 ml
1001 = 170 ml
1010 = 190 ml
1011 = 210 ml
1100 = 230 ml
1101 = 250 ml
1110 = 275 ml
1111 = 300 ml 8, 9 & 10 Flow rate 000 = 30%
001 = 40%
010 = 50%
011 = 60%
100 = 70%
101 = 80%
110 = 90%
111 = 100% 11 & 12 Purge 00 = slow flow / short duration
01 = slow flow / long duration
10 = fast flow / short duration
11 = fast flow / long duration

The code on or in cartridge 1 typically contains one or more additional information bits for error control. In one example, a 16-bit code is provided. For example, when using the variables shown in table 3, cartridge 1 carrying the code "1000100011110" will have the following operating parameters:

10 Water temperature 83 ° С

00 Fast fill with shutter speed

1000 Dispensed beverage volume 150 ml

111 flow rate is 100%

10 Rapid air purge / short duration.

Thus, in contrast to prior art beverage preparation machines, the operating processor does not store operating instructions for beverage cartridges depending on the type of cartridge, that is, instructions for a coffee cartridge, instructions for a chocolate cartridge, instructions for a cartridge with tea, etc. Instead, variables are stored in the memory of the control processor to control the individual operating parameters of the output cycle. This provides a number of advantages. First, a greater degree of regulation of the issuing cycle can be implemented. For example, slightly different operating parameters can be used for different varieties or blends of coffee instead of using the same parameters for all types of coffee. Previous coding solutions, based on the storage of instructions determined by the type of cartridge, rather than individual parameters, are not suitable for such subtle differences in dispensing cycles for similar types of drinks, since they quickly occupy the available memory on the code carrier and in the control processor. Secondly, the coding method of the present invention makes it possible to use cartridges for new types of drinks in pre-existing beverage machines even when a decision on the operating parameters for the dispensing cycle for cartridge 1 for a new beverage is made only after the sale of machine 201 for making drinks. This is because the control processor of the beverage machine 201 does not need to recognize that the beverage is a new type of beverage. Instead, the operating parameters of the dispensing cycle are set without direct connection with the type of beverage. Therefore, the coding method of the present invention provides excellent backward compatibility of the beverage machine for new types of drinks. In contrast, in the case of prior art machines, a manufacturer is limited in that a new type of beverage can be dispensed using one of the pre-existing dispensing cycles defined by machines available on the market.

The cartridge head 250 is shown in FIGS. 39-42. The cartridge holder 251 provided in the cartridge head 250 comprises a fixed lower part 255, a rotatable upper part 256 and a rotatable cartridge support 257 located between the stationary lower part 255 and rotatable upper part 256 The upper part 256, the lower part 255 and the support 257 for the cartridge rotate around a common axis 258 of the hinge. Figures 39-42 show a cartridge holder 251 with some components of machine 201 excluded for clarity.

The rotatable upper part 256 and the rotatable support 257 for the cartridge are moved relative to the stationary lower part 255 by the clamping mechanism 280. The clamping mechanism 280 includes a clamping lever having first and second elements or parts 281 and 282. The first part 281 of the clamping lever consists of a U-shaped handle that is rotatably attached to the upper part 256 by means of two first pivot axes 283, one on each side of the cartridge holder 251.

The second part of the clamping lever contains two centers of the lever 282 located above the line, one on each side of the cartridge holder 251, each of which is rotatably attached to the upper part 256 by means of a second pivot axis 285 located on the hinge axis 258 connecting the upper part 256 with fixed lower part 255. Each lever 282 located above the center line is a reciprocating element comprising a cylinder 282a, a rod 282b, and an elastic sleeve 282c. The cylinder 282a has an inner hole and is rotatably fixed at one end of the hinge axis 258. The first end of the shaft 282b slides into the bore of the cylinder 282a. The opposite end of the shaft 282b is pivotally attached to the U-shaped handle 281 via a third pivot axis 286. The third pivot axes 286 are not connected to the upper part 256 and the lower part 255 and can move freely relative to the upper part 256 and the lower part 255. The elastic sleeve 282c is mounted externally on the shaft 282b and extends when used between the supporting surfaces on the cylinder 282a and the shaft 282b. The elastic sleeve 282c provides adaptation to the shortening of the lever 282 located above the center line, but causes the lever 282 located above the center line to shift to an elongated configuration. Thus, the movement of the third rotation axes 282 to the hinge axis 258 and from the hinge axis 258 is possible due to the relative movement of the rods 282b in the cylinders 282a. The elastic bushings 282c are preferably made of silicone. Despite the fact that in the illustrated embodiment, two centers of the lever 282 located above the line are used, it is obvious that the closure mechanism can be configured with only one lever 282 located above the line of the centers.

The U-shaped handle 281 extends around the front side of the cartridge holder 251 and comprises two hook-down elements 287 hanging down, one on each side of the cartridge holder 251, each of which comprises a curved surface 288 facing the hinge axis 258. The fixed lower part 255 of the cartridge holder 251 is made with two protruding elements 259, or stoppers, one on each side of the lower part 255 at the front edge 260 or near the front edge 260 of this part and "aligned" essentially relative to the hook elements 287.

As shown in FIG. 39, the U-shaped handle 281 may be formed from a single molded plastic part containing an ergonomic grip handle and hook-shaped elements 287 integrally formed with the handle.

The cartridge support 257 is rotatably mounted between the upper and lower portions 255, 256 of the cartridge holder 251. The support 257 is provided with a substantially circular recess 290 into which, in use, a cartridge 1 for a beverage is inserted. The recess 290 has an unevenness 291 to accommodate the handle portion of the beverage cartridge 1, which irregularity 291 also serves to prevent the rotation of the beverage cartridge 1 in the cartridge holder 251. The cartridge support 257 is spring loaded relative to the stationary lower portion 255, so that in the open position similar to that shown in FIG. 41, the cartridge support 257 will be biased out of contact with the stationary lower portion 255 so that the cartridge support 257 exits the contact with piercing elements 254, 253 to form an outlet and an inlet. The cartridge support 257 is provided with an opening 292 for inserting piercing elements 253, 254 through it to form an inlet and an outlet and a head 300 of the cartridge recognition means 252 when the cartridge support 257 is moved to the closed position.

The upper part 256 comprises a generally round case 310, in which a round inspection window 312 is located, through which the consumer can see the beverage cartridge 1 during the dispensing cycle, and also visually determine whether the cartridge 1 is loaded into the machine 201. The inspection window 312 has a cup-shaped the shape with the rim 311 pointing downward. The viewing window 312 can move axially relative to the housing 310 of the upper part 255. One design that allows for relative movement is to provide a wavy strip a spring (not shown) or similar resilient means, such as a rubber ring, located between the inspection window 312 and the round casing 310. In an alternative design, a series of cylindrical compression compression springs (not shown) extend between the inspection window 312 and the casing 310. In both cases, elastic the means makes it possible to move the viewing window 312 axially relative to the circular body 310 to a small extent.

When the cartridge holder 251 is in the closed position, the inspection window 312 rests on the beverage cartridge 1, pressing it to the bottom 256. In one design, the inspection window rim 311 contacts the flange 35 and rests on the flange 35 of the beverage cartridge. At the same time, the window 312 is in contact with the closed upper part 11 of the cartridge 1. In an alternative design, only the viewing window 312 is in contact with the closed upper part 11 of the cartridge 1, and there is no working contact between the rim 311 and the flange 35. The pressure exerted by the rim 311 on a flange 35 and / or from the side of the window 312 to the closed upper part 11, provides a tight seal between the cartridge 1 and the holder 251 of the cartridge.

The lower portion 255 comprises piercing elements 253, 254 for forming an inlet and an outlet and a head 300 of cartridge recognition means 252. The piercing element 253 for forming the inlet contains a hollow needle tube 260 having a pointed end 261 for perforating the laminate 5 of the beverage cartridge 1 in use. The piercing element 253 for forming the inlet is in fluid communication with the pipe 262 for water passage, similar to that shown in Fig. 42, which passes through the lower part 255, and is connected to the exhaust pipe 263 of the water heater 225. The piercing element 254 for forming the outlet is similar type piercing element for the formation of the outlet described in European patent applications EP 0389141 and EP 0334572 and contains a cylinder with an open end 264 having a round or D-shaped cross-section with size E exceeding the dimensions of the discharge spout 43. An arcuate portion 265 of the upper end of the piercing element 254 to form an outlet formed serrated to pierce and eventually cut out of the laminate of the beverage cartridge 1. The rest of the upper end is cut off in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder, at least to the base of the teeth 266 of the gear part for bending or pulling the cut laminate 5 from the outlet before dispensing the beverage through it. The piercing element 254 for forming the outlet pierces the laminate 5 outside the outlet pipe 43 and, when the cartridge support 257 is in the closed position, is in the annular space between the outlet pipe 43 and the outer wall 42 of the outlet funnel 40. The piercing element 254 for forming the outlet bends slotted laminate 105 into the annular space. Thus, both the piercing element 254 for forming the outlet, and the slotted laminate 105 are not held in the path of passage of the discharged beverage.

The piercing element 254 for forming the outlet is surrounded by a bead 254a, which protrudes upward relative to the surrounding elements by 0.5 mm.

Preferably, the piercing element 254 for forming the outlet is removable from the bottom 255 to allow thorough cleaning, for example, in a dishwasher. A removable piercing element 254 for forming the outlet enters the cavity 267 in the lower part 255, where it is installed. The piercing element 253 for forming the inlet and / or the piercing element 254 for forming the outlet can be made of metal, such as stainless steel, or of plastic. Preferably, it is possible to use plastic cutting elements by using a laminate 5, which can be pierced and cut through with non-metallic material. Therefore, the piercing elements 253, 254 can be made less sharp, which reduces the risk of injury to the consumer. In addition, plastic piercing elements are not subject to corrosion. The piercing element 253 for forming the inlet and the piercing element 254 for forming the outlet are made in the form of a single unit that can be removed from the bottom 255.

In use, the upper part 256 of the cartridge holder 251 can be moved from an open position in which it is oriented vertically or in a vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 36, to a closed position in which it is oriented substantially horizontally and is in contact with a stationary lower part 255 and support 257 for the cartridge. The upper part 256 is moved from open to closed position by actuating the clamping lever. To close the upper part 256, the user grabs the clamping lever by the U-shaped handle 281 and pulls down. Therefore, the upper part 256 will rotate, which first causes the rim 311 of the viewing window 312 to come into contact with the flange 35 of the beverage cartridge 1 in the support of the cartridge 257 and / or the window 312 itself to come into contact with the closed upper part 11 of the cartridge 1. Continuing the rotation of the upper part 256 rotates the upper part 256 and the cartridge support 257 down to contact the lower part 255. Further rotation of the U-shaped handle 281 causes the U-shaped handle 281 to rotate relative to the upper part 256 and the lower part 255, which leads the hook-shaped elements 287 of the upper part 256 being engaged with the protruding elements 259 of the lower part 255, while the curved surface 288 slides over the protruding elements 259. During this last stage of rotation, the cartridge 1 is compressed between the cartridge support 257 and the viewing window 312. As a result the viewing window 312 is axially moved relative to the circular casing 310 of the upper portion 256 against the compressive force of the undulating strip spring or coil springs. This movement makes it possible to compensate for tolerances in the beverage cartridge 1 and the beverage machine and ensures that the amount of compressive force applied to the cartridge is kept within an acceptable range. The clamping force of the mechanism, "softened" due to the action of a wavy strip spring or coil springs, provides clamping pressure acting on the cartridge. For a design in which reference pressure is applied to both the flange 35 and the closed upper portion 11 of the cartridge 1, it has been found that a pressure of 130 to 280 N is required. Preferably, the force is about 200 N. A force of less than about 130 N it does not provide proper sealing, while a force exceeding approximately 280 N leads to plastic destruction of the components of cartridge 1. For a design in which support pressure is applied only to the closed upper part 11 of cartridge 1, it was found that A pressure of 50 N to 280 N is required. It should be noted that with this design a lower pressure level is possible, and at the same time there is no negative effect on the insulation of the cartridge 1. During the closing of the head for the cartridge, the laminate 5 of the cartridge 1 stretches when it is brought into contact with a bead 254a surrounding the piercing element 254 to form an outlet, which causes the laminate 5 to bend out of the plane as the distal end of the outer tube 42 of the cylindrical funnel moves 0.5 mm upward flange flange 35. This movement also ensures that most of the compressive force applied to the cartridge will act through the central area of the cartridge 1 through the supporting inner member 3. Thus, in the closed position, the cartridge 1 can be clamped around the circumference of the flange 35 by the rim 311 of the viewing window 312 and will always be firmly sandwiched between the closed upper part 11 of the cartridge and the outer tube 42 of the inner element 3 due to contact with the viewing window 312 and the bead 254a. These compressive forces help to prevent the cartridge 1 from failing during pressure increase, and also ensure that the inner element 3 and the outer element 2 are fully inserted into each other, and, therefore, that all internal channels and openings will retain their preset dimensions even during pressure increase inside.

An imaginary baseline can be drawn between the first and second rotation axes 283, 285 of the cartridge holder 251. As can be seen in FIG. 41, in the open position, the third pivot axes 286 are located on the side of the baseline that is closest to the fixed lower portion 255. When the upper portion 256 reaches the closed position, the third pivot pin axes 286 pass through the baseline connecting the first and second axis of rotation 283, 285, to that opposite side of the line, which is further from the fixed lower part 255. Therefore, the U-shaped handle 281 snaps through from the first stable position to the second is stable th position. Adaptation to the specified “slip” is achieved by shortening the levers 282 located above the centers and the resulting compression of the elastic bushings 282c. As soon as the third axis of rotation 286 are beyond the imaginary base line, the return of the elastic bushings 282c to its original state ensures that the third axis of rotation 286 continues to move away from the imaginary base line. Thus, the clamping lever operates with two stable positions due to the fact that the lever will be stable in the open or closed positions, but unstable at the moment when the third axis 286 of rotation are on an imaginary base line connecting the first and second axis 283, 285 of rotation . Thus, the “slipping” action of the clamping lever provides a reliable clamping mechanism, which leads to a distinct closure, in which, at the final stages of the rotation of the clamping lever, the “slip” of the U-shaped handle 281 and the second levers 284 makes the hook elements 287 adhere firmly to the protruding elements 259. In addition, the elastic sleeves 282c create resistance to re-opening the upper part 256, since the minimum effort is required to compress the elastic sleeves 282c sufficiently to not move the third axis of rotation 286 back to a position in which they will be aligned with the baseline connecting the first and second axis 283, 285 of rotation. Preferably, the engagement of the hook elements 287 and the protruding elements 259 prevents the separation of the upper and lower parts differently than by turning the clamping lever. This is useful to prevent the opening of the cartridge head 250 during operation when the cartridge head 250 is pressurized internally.

The purpose of the cartridge recognition means 252 is to enable the machine 201 to recognize the type of beverage cartridge 1 that has been inserted and to adjust one or more operating parameters accordingly. In a typical embodiment, the cartridge recognition means 252 comprises an optical barcode reader that reads a printed barcode 320 provided on the laminate 5 of the beverage cartridge 1, as shown in FIG. Barcode 320 is formed from many strokes of contrasting color. Preferably, the strokes are black on a white background to maximize contrast. Barcode 320 does not have to conform to a published standard, but a standard format for barcodes such as EAN-13, UPC-A, or Interleaf 2 of 5 can be used. An optical barcode reader includes one or more light emitting diodes 321 for illuminating a barcode 320, a focusing lens 322 for obtaining a barcode image, a charge coupled device (CCD) 323 for receiving an electrical signal characterizing the received image, and auxiliary circuits for light emitting diodes and charge-coupled device. The space at the bottom for accommodating an optical barcode reader is limited. A mirror or mirrors 324 can be used to reflect light from the light emitting diodes 321 to a focusing lens, which is not located at the bottom 255. Schematic designs are shown in Figa and 44b. The lower portion 255 includes an opening 326, which is the same size as the barcode 320 on the cartridge 1 for a drink. In use, the received electrical signals are decoded by signal processing software, and the results are transmitted to the control processor. The software can provide recognition of whether the read barcode contains errors. Barcode 320 can be rescanned several times before an error message is issued to the consumer. If machine 201 cannot read the barcode, a consumer can use the beverage cartridge 1 to dispense the beverage through manual operation.

The cartridge head 250 also includes a cartridge presence sensor for detecting whether there is a cartridge in the cartridge holder 251.

The cartridge head 250 also includes a lock sensor that determines whether the cartridge holder 251 is properly closed. Preferably, the interlock sensor comprises a microswitch that is actuated when the cartridge holder 251 is closed and locked. Preferably, the cartridge presence sensor and the interlock sensor are connected in series so that the output signal of both sensors must be sufficient, that is, the cartridge is present and the mechanism is locked before the dispensing cycle can begin.

The cartridge support 257 may be configured to separate from the cartridge head 250 for easy cleaning. Preferably, a micro switch or other locking device is provided to prevent the machine from operating if the cartridge support 257 is not returned.

The actuation of the machine 201 includes inserting the beverage cartridge 1 into the cartridge head 250, executing a dispensing cycle in which the beverage is dispensed, and removing the cartridge 1 from the machine.

The operation of machine 201 is determined by software included in the control processor. The operation of the machine can be described in terms of "states", while the machine 201 will usually be in a certain state until some event occurs that causes a change in this state, that is, an operation called a transition from one state to another state.

Table 4 shows a table of transitions from one state to another state, which illustrates the states and transitions from one state to another state for one embodiment of a beverage machine 201.

Table 4 condition Status Description Temperature Lock sensor Cartridge Presence Sensor Variable (OK, NOK, CLR) Water level indicator Water flow rate Start / stop one WATER HEATING > or = 85, go to 2 Closed:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = readpod ()]
Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR] Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable No action 2 WATER IS READY
If the standby time is 10 minutes, go to 9 <85
transition to 2 Closed:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = readpod ()]
Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR] Cartridge Presence Sensor = OK
Go to 4
Cartridge Presence Sensor = NOK
Transition
to 3 Low jump to 10 Not applicable No action 3 READY FOR A WARK IN AUTOMATIC MODE Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to 2 Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable Go to 5 four AUTOMATIC COOKING CONTINUES
[Cooking condition]
go to 7 Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to
10 Not applicable Low jump to 10 No flow transition to 10 No water transition to 6 5 BREW IS SUSPENDED Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to 10 Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable Go to 5 6 READY FOR A WARK IN MANUAL MODE Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to 2 Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable [Water enters]
Go to 8 7 MANUAL BREWING CONTINUES Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to 10 Not applicable Low jump to 10 No flow transition to 10 Jump to 7 released 8 PURGE
[Water supply stopped; air is supplied; shutter speed n sec, then go to 9] Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
transition to 10 Not applicable No action Not applicable No action 9 BREWING COMPLETED [air purge]
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
if the waiting time is 10 s, go to 2 Not applicable
[temperature adjustable in the background] Open
transition to 2 Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable Go to 9 10 STANDBY MODE Not applicable
[heater off] Open:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = CLR]
Closed:
[Cartridge Presence Sensor = readpod ()] Not applicable Low jump to 10 Not applicable Go to 1 eleven MISTAKE
Power On / Off
Cleaning required Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 12 LOW WATER Low jump to 10

The following example illustrates a dispense cycle to illustrate the application of transitions from one state to another state by a control processor.

It is assumed that the machine 201 is initially turned off and there is no cartridge 1 inserted in the cartridge head 250. When the machine 201 is turned on, the control processor is in State 1. The water heater 225 is turned on. Once the temperature reaches 85 ° C, the control processor enters State 2. If at any time during the stay in State 1 or 2 the cartridge holder 251 is closed, the lock sensor will be triggered to signal the control processor indicating that the cartridge holder 251 is properly closed way. In this case, the control processor polls the cartridge presence sensor by sending a readpod command. The cartridge presence sensor returns a signal to the control processor, indicating whether the cartridge is in place in the cartridge holder 251. If there is no cartridge, the control processor proceeds to State 3, in which it remains in a ready state until the cartridge holder 251 is reopened, while the control processor is currently moving back to State 2. If the cartridge is in In state 2, the control processor goes into state 4, and operation starts automatically. During states 4–9, the temperature is controlled in the background so that it remains within the required range of acceptable values of the set temperature set by the operating parameters determined by the bar code on the cartridge 1 for the drink. As soon as the beverage dispensing stage is completed, in State 8, air purging begins. As soon as the air purge is completed, the work cycle is completed and the machine goes into standby mode in State 10. If an error occurs during operation, the processor goes into State 11. If a low water level is detected, the processor goes into State 12.

To insert the cartridge 1, the cartridge holder 251 is opened as described above to expose the cartridge support 257 to impact. Then the cartridge 1 is placed on the support 257 for the cartridge so that it fits into the recess 290, so that the handle 24 of the cartridge will be located in the bumps 291. The optical or magnetic bar code 320 of the cartridge 1 is oriented directly above the hole 326 in the support 257 for the cartridge. The cartridge holder 251 is then closed by actuating the clamping lever as described above. At the time of closure, the piercing elements 253, 254 to form the inlet and the outlet pierce the laminate 5 of the cartridge 1 to form the inlet 121 and the outlet 122 of the cartridge. As described above, the laminate 5, cut by the piercing element 254 to form an outlet, bends upward into the annular space surrounding the outlet pipe 43. In the closed position, the cartridge holder 251 clips the cartridge 1 around the circumference of the rim 35 between the cartridge support 257 and the upper part 256 and / or between the window 311 and the upper part 11 of the cartridge 1 to form a tight seal with sufficient integrity to withstand the pressures created during the dispensing cycle.

To start the work cycle, the consumer activates the start / stop button 241.

The duty cycle includes cartridge recognition operations and a release cycle.

The cartridge recognition is performed using an optical cartridge recognition tool 252 similar to that described above, assuming that the output from the cartridge presence sensor and the blocking sensor are sufficient. As soon as the barcode 320 is decoded, the control processor sets the operating parameters of the machine 201. After that, the release cycle starts automatically.

The release cycle has four main stages, not all of which are used for all types of drinks:

(i) Pre-wetting

(ii) Pause

(iii) Cooking / Stirring

(iv) Purge

In the pre-wetting step, the cartridge 1 is filled with water from the water storage tank 220 by means of a water pump 230. Filling with water causes the ingredients of the beverage 200 to be wetted in the filter chamber 130. Filling can occur at a "high" flow rate of 600 ml / min, or "slow" "a flow rate of 325 ml / min. Slow filling speed is particularly suitable for cartridges containing viscous liquid beverage ingredients, when the ingredients require some dilution before being able to pump at a higher volumetric flow rate. The volume of water injected into the cartridge 1 is selected so as to ensure that no water or beverage is poured from the outlet of the cartridge 122 during this step.

The pause stage makes it possible to soak the beverage ingredients 200 in the water supplied under pressure during the pre-wetting step for a predetermined period of time. It is known that both the pre-wetting step and the holding step provide an increase in the yield of extractables from the ingredients of the drink 200 and an improvement in the final taste of the drink. Pre-wetting and aging are especially used when the ingredients of the beverage are roasted and ground coffee.

In the cooking / stirring step, water is passed through the cartridge 1 to obtain a beverage from the beverage ingredients 200. The temperature of the water is determined using a control processor, which sends commands to the water heater 225 to heat the water passing from the water tank 220 to the head 250 for the cartridge. Water enters the lower portion 255 of the cartridge holder 251 through a pipe 262 through an inlet valve and a piercing member 253 to form an inlet into the inlet chamber 126 of the beverage cartridge 1. The brewing and / or stirring and subsequent dispensing of the beverage from the beverage cartridge 1 are performed as described above with reference to the options of the beverage cartridge 1.

Air purging includes blowing air under pressure through a beverage machine and a beverage cartridge 1 to ensure that the entire beverage is dispensed and that the flow passage is clean and ready to dispense another beverage. Air purge does not begin immediately upon termination of the cooking / stirring stage to allow most of the fluid to release the flow channel. This prevents an unacceptable peak in internal pressure from appearing at the time the air purge begins.

During normal operation, the user manually stops the machine 201 by activating the start / stop button 241.

After the completion of the work cycle, the consumer removes the cartridge 1 by opening the cartridge holder 251 and manually removing and discarding the cartridge. Alternatively, the machine 201 may be equipped with an automatic ejection mechanism for automatically removing the cartridge when the cartridge holder 251 is opened.

The preparation time for drinks using machine 201 and cartridges 1 is typically 10 to 120 seconds, preferably 30 to 40 seconds, for roasted and ground coffee, 5 to 120 seconds, preferably 10 to 20 seconds, for chocolate and from 5 to 120 seconds, preferably from 10 to 20 seconds, for milk.

Machine 201 may also preferably comprise a memory device in operative communication with a control processor that stores information about a type of beverage dispensed by a user. In this case, the duty cycle of machine 201 can be adjusted for the next cartridge 1. This is particularly preferred when two or more beverage cartridges 1 are used in series to produce a beverage. For example, a coffee cartridge may be dispensed, followed by the use of a milk cartridge to produce a cappuccino. Alternatively, a chocolate cartridge may be used, followed by a milk cartridge to produce a hot chocolate cream beverage. By using a storage device that stores information about the first beverage dispensed, the method of dispensing from the second cartridge, for example, a cartridge with milk, can be changed to obtain the optimal beverage. In the above example, milk dispensed for hot chocolate can generally be diluted to a lesser extent than milk added to coffee. In addition, milk dispensed for chocolate may be dispensed at a lower flow rate to reduce the degree of foaming of the beverage. Many combinations of cartridges and many operating parameters are possible, as is obvious to a person skilled in the art. In addition, the storage device can be used so that the machine 201 can "predict" the type of drink that the user wants to display next. For example, if the user predominantly drinks a drink of the same type, the machine may instruct the water heater to remain at the optimum temperature for the drink of that type.

Claims (35)

1. A capping mechanism for a beverage machine (201) comprising a fixed lower part (255) and an upper part (256) rotatable relative to the lower part, the upper part being movable from an open position in which the upper the part is disconnected from the lower part, in the closed position, in which the upper part interacts with the lower part, and the closure mechanism further comprises a clamping lever (280), actuated to hold the upper part in a closed position position, while the clamping lever contains a first element (281), rotatably connected relative to the first finger (283) with the upper part (256), and a second reciprocating element (282) having a first end rotatable around the second finger (285), the end of the first element (281) and the second end of the second element (282) being rotatably connected relative to the third finger (286), so that the clamping lever has the first and second stability positions, while bringing in action tvie clamping lever to move the upper part from the open position to the closed position the clamping lever moves from the first to the second position of stability. 2. The capping mechanism according to claim 1, in which the clamping lever (280) comprises at least one hook element (287) for interacting with a stopper (259) on the lower part (255). 3. The capping mechanism according to claim 2, in which in the first stability position the third finger (286) is located on the first side of the baseline connecting the first (283) and second (285) pivot axes. 4. The capping mechanism according to claim 3, in which in the second position of stability the third finger (286) is located on the second side of the baseline connecting the first (283) and second (285) rotation axis. 5. The capping mechanism according to claim 4, in which the first side from the baseline is closest to the fixed lower part (255), and the second side from the baseline is farthest from the fixed lower part (255). 6. A capping mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the first end of the second element (282) is rotatably connected to the lower part (255). 7. The closure member according to claim 1, wherein the second reciprocating element comprises a cylinder (282a), a shaft (282b) included in said cylinder, and an elastic sleeve (282c) designed to bias said shaft into an extended position. 8. The capping mechanism according to claim 7, in which the deformation of the elastic sleeve (282c) compensates for the movement of the clamping lever (280) from the first to the second stability position. 9. The capping mechanism of claim 8, in which the first element of the clamping lever consists of a U-shaped handle passing around the front side of the machine for making drinks. 10. The closure mechanism of claim 9, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises two second elements, one on each side of the beverage machine. 11. The capping mechanism of claim 10, which further comprises a cartridge holder located between the lower part and the upper part and configured to rotate relative to the lower part and the upper part. 12. The capping mechanism according to claim 11, in which the rotation of the upper part toward the lower part causes the upper part to interact with the cartridge holder and move the cartridge holder into contact with the lower part, and at the same time to use to pierce the cartridge inserted into the cartridge holder , piercing means for the inlet and piercing means for the outlet provided in the lower part. 13. A capping mechanism for a beverage machine (201), comprising a lower part (255) and an upper part (256), together forming a cavity in which a beverage cartridge can be placed, the upper part and the lower part being movable relative to each other from an open position in which the beverage cartridge (1) can be inserted into the capping mechanism, into a closed position in which the beverage cartridge is firmly held between the upper part and the lower part, while the capper is closed The contact mechanism contacts the upper surface (11) and the lower surface of the beverage cartridge in the center or near the center of the beverage cartridge for applying a compressive force exceeding 50 N. 14. The capping mechanism according to item 13, in which the capping mechanism provides the application of compressive force in excess of 130 N. 15. The capping mechanism according to item 13, in which the capping mechanism provides a compressive force of approximately 200 N. 16. The capping mechanism of claim 13, wherein the capping mechanism is in contact with the uppermost surface of the beverage cartridge. 17. The capping mechanism according to item 13, in which the capping mechanism, in addition, is in contact with the peripheral flange (35) of the beverage cartridge. 18. The capping mechanism according to item 13, further comprising an elastic element that contacts at least a portion of the upper surface (11) of the beverage cartridge. 19. The closure mechanism of claim 18, wherein the resilient member is a spring-loaded member. 20. The capping mechanism according to claim 19, in which the spring-loaded element is a viewing window (312). 21. The capping mechanism according to item 13, in which the lower part (255) contains the protruding upward part (254a), which is in contact with the Central portion of the lower surface of the cartridge for a drink. 22. The capping mechanism according to item 13, in which the lower part is stationary, and the upper part is made to rotate relative to the lower part from the open position to the closed position. 23. The capping mechanism according to claim 22, further comprising a cartridge support (257) located between the lower part and the upper part and rotatable relative to the lower part and the upper part to accommodate the beverage cartridge in use. 24. A capping mechanism for a beverage machine (201) comprising a fixed lower part (255), an upper part (256) rotatably relative to the lower part, and a cartridge holder (257) located between the lower part and the upper part and made with the possibility of rotation relative to the lower part and the upper part, and the lower part contains the piercing means (253) of the inlet and the piercing means (254) of the outlet designed to form respectively the inlet and the outlet, when used, in the cartridge (1) inserted into the cartridge holder, while turning the upper part toward the lower part causes the upper part to come into contact with the cartridge holder and move the cartridge holder into contact with the lower part, and at the same time when used, provide piercing of the cartridge inserted in the cartridge holder with the inlet piercing means and the outlet piercing means. 25. The capping mechanism according to paragraph 24, in which the upper part (256) is arranged to move between the open position for placing the cartridge in the cartridge holder and the closed position in which the cartridge holder is in contact with the lower part. 26. The capping mechanism according A.25, in which in the open position the upper part (256) is located essentially vertically. 27. The capping mechanism according to p. 26, in which in the closed position the upper part (256) is located horizontally. 28. The capping mechanism according to paragraph 24, in which the holder (257) of the cartridge contains a recess (290) to accommodate the cartridge. 29. A capping mechanism according to claim 28, wherein the recess (290) comprises an unevenness (291) to prevent rotation of the cartridge inserted in the recess. 30. The capping mechanism according to paragraph 24, in which the cartridge holder (257) is displaced relative to the stationary lower part (255) so that in the open position, when the upper part is detached from the lower part and the cartridge holder, the cartridge holder is detached from the lower part. 31. The capping mechanism according to claim 30, wherein in the open position the cartridge holder (257) is disconnected from the inlet piercing means (253) and the outlet piercing means (254). 32. A beverage preparation machine (201) for preparing a beverage from a cartridge (1) containing one or more beverage ingredients, comprising a first piercing element (253) intended to be used to form an inlet in the cartridge (1) inserted into a machine (201) for preparing drinks, and a second piercing element (254), designed to be used to form an outlet in said cartridge, characterized in that the first and second piercing elements (253, 254) are filled enes in a single removable unit. 33. A beverage machine (201) according to claim 32, further comprising a fixed lower part (255) and an upper part (256) rotatable relative to the lower part, the upper part being movable from an open position, wherein the upper part is disconnected from the lower part for receiving the cartridge (1), in the closed position, in which the upper part is engaged with the lower part, the removable assembly being mounted when used in the fixed lower part. 34. A beverage machine (201) according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the inlet piercing element (253) and the outlet piercing element (254) are arranged vertically and parallel to each other. 35. A beverage machine (201) according to claim 34, wherein the inlet piercing element (253) and the outlet piercing element (254) are made of plastics.

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