WO2022024069A1 - Beverage preparation and dispensing unit starting from disposable product packages and beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus having said unit - Google Patents

Abstract

In an apparatus (1) for preparing and dispensing beverages starting from disposable product packages (2), an electrically powered docking station (3) carries a tank (8) of liquid for preparation of the beverage permanently connected to the docking station and a beverage preparation and dispensing unit (4), which has a beverage preparation and dispensing assembly (30) enclosed in an outer casing which can be manually coupled to and detached from the docking station; when coupled to the docking station (3), the unit (4) is electrically and hydraulically connected to the docking station (3), and when it is uncoupled from the docking station (3) the unit is supplied by different sources and is configured to draw the liquid for the beverage from any container (40) outside the casing.

Description

"BEVERAGE PREPARATION AND DISPENSING UNIT STARTING FROM DISPOSABLE PRODUCT PACKAGES AND BEVERAGE PREPARATION AND DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING SAID UNIT"

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This Patent Application claims priority from European Patent Application No. 20188647.0 filed on July 30, 2020 and Italian Patent Application No. 102021000020021 filed on July 27, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a beverage preparation and dispensing unit starting from disposable product packages and a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus provided with said unit.

State of the Art

Different types of machines for preparing and dispensing beverages are currently known, starting from disposable product packages such as capsules, pods, coffee tablets, etc..

The known beverage preparation and dispensing machines are machines structured and built so as to each define a dispensing unit that only requires connection to the mains electricity supply and is such that it can be rested on surfaces like kitchen worktops, windowsills and counters in general.

For said purpose, the known machines comprise a supporting structure which is generally provided with supporting feet, and on which all the components necessary for production of the beverage are distributed and permanently connected, namely the tank containing the water used for preparing the beverage and the beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus which, in turn, is composed of a compartment for housing a disposable product package, a spout for dispensing the beverage, a boiler for heating the water and a pump for transferring the water from the tank to the compartment housing the disposable product package and, in use, passing the water through said disposable product.

The known machines also comprise an electrical circuit for commanding and controlling the various components including a tank water level indicator which inhibits preparation of the beverage if the water level in the tank is insufficient.

Subject and Summary of the Invention

The known machines of the type described above, although universally used since they are efficient, reliable and able to dispense quality beverages, are not completely satisfactory due both to the fact that it is relatively difficult to move them from one surface to another, in some cases due to their weight and, in others, due to their overall dimensions, and to the fact that they require relatively large surfaces.

For these reasons, the known machines do not meet the increasing need of a user to be able to drink the beverage in any place or environment .

The object of the present invention is to produce a beverage preparation and dispensing unit, the characteristics of which meet the above need, in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The particular object of the present invention is to produce a beverage preparation and dispensing unit which is extremely compact, modular and can be manually configured extremely quickly by a user according to his/her needs.

According to the present invention, a beverage preparation and dispensing unit starting from disposable product packages is provided; the unit comprising a closed outer casing, a beverage preparation and dispensing assembly and an electrical connector communicating with the outside of the casing to be connected to an electric power-supply source; the preparation and dispensing assembly comprising a compartment for housing a disposable product package, an element for closing said seat, a spout for delivering the beverage, an apparatus for heating a liquid for preparing the beverage and a pump for pumping the pressurized liquid into said housing compartment, characterized in that it comprises a hydraulic connector for the passage of said liquid extending through said outer casing and comprising a first tubular section arranged inside the casing and connected to said injection pump and a second tubular end section protruding outside the casing and configured to be manually coupled to, and uncoupled from, any container external to said outer casing and designed to contain the liquid for preparation of the beverage.

Preferably, the unit defined above further comprises a pipe having one end connected to said second tubular end section and an intake free opposite end for drawing the liquid from said any container.

The present invention furthermore concerns a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus.

According to the present invention a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus is provided starting from disposable product packages, the apparatus comprising a support base; a tank containing the liquid for preparing the beverage fixed to said support base, an electric power-supply wiring to said support base and a beverage preparation and dispensing unit as claimed in claim 1; releasable connection means being provided for manually coupling said unit to said support base and for manually detaching the unit from the support base.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment example thereof, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus according to the present invention; figures 2 and 3 illustrate the dispensing apparatus of figure 1 partially broken down into its component elements; figure 4 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a beverage preparation and dispensing unit of the dispensing apparatus of figure 1, produced according to the teachings of the present invention; figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the unit of figure 4 hydraulically connected to an independent water container; figure 6 is an analogous figure to figure 4 and illustrates the unit with parts uncoupled for the sake of clarity; figure 7 illustrates, again in perspective view, the unit of figure 4 housed inside a transportable case; and figure 8 illustrates in a perspective view a detail of figures

1 to 3.

Detailed Disclosure of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached Figures to enable a person skilled in the art to produce it and use it. Various modifications to the embodiments described will be immediately evident to persons skilled in the art and the generic principles described can be applied to other embodiments and applications without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the attached claims. Therefore, the present invention shall not be considered limited to the embodiments described and illustrated, but shall be accorded the widest scope in accordance with the principles and characteristics described and claimed here.

In figure 1, the number 1 indicates, as a whole, a beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus starting from packages of disposable products such as capsules, pods, coffee tablets, etc., one of which is indicated by the number 2 in (figure 6).

The apparatus 1 comprises a support base 3 (figure 8) and a beverage preparation and dispensing unit 4.

The base 3 and the unit 4 define a parallelepiped elongated body, which has in plan view a rectangular shape with a longer side which, in the example illustrated, is approximately three times longer than the shorter side. In the example described, the shorter side has a length of approximately eighty millimetres.

In any case, the unit 4 is independent from the support base 3 as will be clear from the following description, and can be manually coupled to the support base 3 to cooperate with said base 3 (figures 1 and 3), and can be manually detached from the base 3 to operate autonomously in preparation of the beverage (figure 5).

In particular, with reference to figure 3, the support base 3, called docking station as it is similar to the devices used in IT equipment, comprises a base wall 6 provided with supporting feet, a rear parallelepiped tubular portion 7 extending upwards from a rear area of the wall 6 and a receptacle 8 for the liquid necessary for preparation of the beverage which can be ordinary water or other equivalent liquid. The receptacle 8 is arranged resting on the tubular portion 7 and extends upwards forming an extension of said tubular portion.

The base wall 6 is delimited at the top by a flat surface 10 supporting the unit 4 and has a front step 11 for resting a cup for the beverage.

The docking station 3 is electrically powered by means of an electric wiring 12 connectable to a wall socket and has an electric connector 13 protruding in a cantilever fashion above the surface 10 from a front wall 14 of the tubular portion 7 (figures 2 and 8).

On the same front wall 14 a tubular coupling 15 is arranged connected to an outlet of the container 8.

The electric connector 13 and the coupling 15 form part of a device 18 connecting the unit 4 to the docking station 3 when said unit 4 is arranged resting on the surface 10.

The connection device 18 is of the sliding coupling and uncoupling type by manually moving the unit 4 resting on the surface 10 towards and, respectively, away from the front wall 14 and orthogonally to said front wall 14 (figures 2 and 8).

With reference to the attached figures and in particular figures 3 to 6, the unit 4 comprises a closed outer casing 20, also having parallelepiped shape, which has in plan view a rectangular shape with its shorter side equal to the shorter side of the docking station 3 and a longer side which is less than double the shorter side.

Independently of the above dimensions, the outer casing 20 comprises a flat lower wall 21, a flat front wall 22, a rear wall 23 and an upper wall 24.

From a rear section of the upper wall 24, a projection 25 extends upwards, on the upper end of which a push-button panel 26 is positioned for controlling the unit 4 both when the latter is coupled to the docking station 3 and when it operates autonomously.

With reference to figure 4 and in particular to figure 6, the unit 4 comprises a beverage preparation and dispensing assembly 30, in turn comprising a compartment 31, which is configured or shaped so as to house the package 2 of the disposable product and communicates at the top with the outside.

The assembly 30 further comprises an element 32 for closing the compartment 31 and provided with a spout 33 for dispensing the beverage.

Preferably, with reference to figure 6, the compartment 31 is delimited by a tubular body or collar 31A, which passes through the upper wall 24, extends upwards beyond said upper wall 24 and is housed, in use, inside the closing element 32.

The assembly 30 also comprises an apparatus 34 for heating the liquid for preparation of the beverage and a pump 35 for pumping said liquid under pressure into the housing compartment 31.

The heating apparatus 34 and the pump 35 are completely housed in the outer casing 20. An outlet of the pump 35 is connected to the heating apparatus 34, while an inlet of said pump 35 is connected to a hydraulic connector 37 for passage of the liquid extending through the rear wall 23 (figure 5). The hydraulic connector 37 comprises a tubular section 38A (Figure 5) arranged inside the casing 20 and connected to the pump 35 and an opposite end tubular section 38 protruding on the outside through the wall 23.

With reference to figure 5, when the unit 4 is uncoupled from the docking station 3, the unit 4 draws the liquid for the beverage from any external container, for example a bottle 40 or a cup or any other container with free surface by means of a length 41 of pipe, expediently shaped or flexible, which is part of the unit 4 and has one end manually coupled to the section 38 and one intake free opposite end in the container 40.

When, on the other hand, the unit 4 is coupled to the docking station 3, the length 41 of pipe is manually removed by the user and the tubular section 38 slidingly inserted, again manually by the user, and connected in a fluid-tight manner to the coupling 15. In this way, the pump 35 is hydraulically connected to the container 8 of the docking station 3.

The unit 4 is electrically powered by a dedicated electric connector 43, known per se, which communicates with the outside of the casing through the rear wall 23.

When the unit 4 is uncoupled from the docking station 3 to operate autonomously, the connector 43 is coupled to a connector of a wiring 44, the opposite end of which is connected to an electrical power-supply which can be chosen from a traditional electrical power-supply 45 with wall socket, a current transformer 46 from 12 V to 220 volts and therefore to an electrical system, for example, of a vehicle or to a current accumulator 47, such as an ordinary battery, schematically illustrated in figure 5.

When the unit 4 is coupled to the docking station 3, the connector 43 is electrically coupled to the connector 13.

Again with reference to figure 4, the unit 4 further comprises a foldable or removable tray 50, which is hinged to the front wall 22 and defines a support for the cup 51 arranged below the spout 33.

Again with reference to figures 1 to 3, the apparatus 1 comprises, lastly, an attachment device 54, for example a milk frother. As for unit 4, also the attachment device 54 can be manually coupled to the docking station 3 in a removable manner, by means of an electrical connection joint 55. Expediently, the joint 55 is a sliding joint, known per se.

With reference to figure 7, the unit 4, the transformer 46 or the accumulator 47 can be transported inside an ordinary dedicated case 56 comprising a container 57 and a closing lid 58 for the container 57. The container 57 delimits a housing compartment 59 for the unit 4, the relative electric wiring 44 and the length of pipe 41, a second housing compartment 60 for the electric transformer 46 or the accumulator 47 and at least one housing compartment 61 for cups 51 or disposable product packages 2 for forming the beverage.

From the above it is evident that the unit 4 described is in fact an independent machine, extremely compact and lightweight so that it can be easily moved and, due to its reduced plan dimensions, rested permanently on any surface.

The above is possible due to the fact that the unit 4 is able to operate without a dedicated tank and can draw the water or other liquid necessary for preparation of the beverage from any commonly used receptacle such as, quite simply, a bottle or a cup with capacity greater than the cup into which the beverage is dispensed.

In addition to operating autonomously, the unit 4 can also be simply coupled by sliding, and therefore with practically zero physical force, to a base or docking station that provides electrical and hydraulic power without the need to modify parts or components and/or use interface members or adapters.

When mounted on the docking station 3, the unit 4 does not modify the plan dimensions of the assembly thus produced which continues to be extremely compact and in any case always configurable according to requirements by providing the same docking station 3 with further attachments of different components for preparation of the beverages such as, for example, the milk frother 54 described, which can be mounted as required simply and rapidly and be removed at the end of use, thus limiting the overall dimensions only to the dimensions of the docking station. In other words, the presence of the docking station 3 allows the user to engage and connect the unit 4 to the docking station when he/she is at home, supplying it with everything necessary: electricity, water, milk frother if desired, etc.

When required by the user, he/she can disconnect the unit 4 from the docking station 3 and take it to another room or to the car, motor caravan, campsite and so on. This portability is further facilitated by the fact that a case is provided where the unit and all parts required for autonomous operation of said unit are stored, thus keeping them tidy and immediately available. In the version with external battery power-supply, the unit 4 is able to carry out a predefined number of dispensing operations without any need for connection to the wall power-supply.

Claims

1. A beverage preparation and dispensing unit (4) starting from disposable product packages (2); the unit (4) comprising a closed outer casing (20), a beverage preparation and dispensing assembly (30), and an electrical connector (43) communicating with the outside of the casing (20) to be connected to an electric power-supply source (45);(46);(47) of the unit (4); the preparation and dispensing assembly (30) comprising a compartment (31) for housing a disposable product package (2), an element (32) for closing said compartment (31), a spout (33) for dispensing the beverages, an apparatus (34) for heating a liquid for preparing the beverage and a pump (35) for injecting the liquid into said housing compartment (31), characterised in that it comprises a hydraulic connector (37) for the passage of the liquid and extending through said outer casing (20) and comprising a first tubular section (38A) arranged inside the outer casing (20) and connected to said injection pump (35) and a second tubular end section (38) protruding outside of the outer casing (20) and configured to be manually coupled to, and uncoupled from, any container (40) external to said outer casing (20) and designed to contain the liquid for preparing the beverage.

2. The unit according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a pipe (41) having one end coupled to said second section (38) and an intake free opposite end for drawing liquid from any said container (40).

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it further comprises an inverter (46) or an electrical accumulator (47) manually connectable to said electrical connector (43) in a manually releasable manner.

4. The unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it comprises a foldable or removable support tray (50) for a beverage container (51); said tray (50) extending in a cantilever fashion from said outer casing (20).

5. The unit according to claim 4, characterised in that said hydraulic connector (37) and said electrical connectors (43) extend through a rear wall (23) of said outer casing (20) opposite a front wall (22) from which said tray (50) extends.

6. The unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said compartment (31) is open upwards and in that the closing element is defined by a bell-shaped body (32) carrying said spout (33) and is extractable upwards to allow access to said compartment (31) from above.

7. The unit according to claim 6, characterised in that it comprises a collar (31A) extending upwards from a top wall (24) of said outer casing (20) and at least partially delimiting said compartment (31); said bell-shaped body (32) completely housing said collar (31A).

8. A beverage preparation and dispensing apparatus (1) starting from disposable product packages (2), the apparatus comprising a support base (3); a tank (8) for a beverage preparation liquid fixed to said support base (3) an electric power-supply wiring (12) fixed to said base (3); and a beverage preparation and dispensing unit (4) as claimed in claim 1; releasable connection means (13,43); (15;37) being provided to manually couple said unit (4) to said support base and to manually detach the unit (4) from said support base (3).

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that said releasable connection means comprise hydraulic connection means (15) of said tank (8) to the second tubular section (38) of the hydraulic connector of the unit (4) and a further electrical connector (13) configured to couple to the electrical connector (43) of the unit (4).

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that said releasable connection means are connection means with a manual sliding coupling.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that it comprises at least one attachment device (54) and further manually releasable connection means (55) and interposed between said support base (3) and said attachment device (54) to manually connect and disconnect the attachment device (54) to said support base (3).

12 . A transportable case (56) comprising a container (57) and a lid (58) for closing the container; the container (57) delimiting a first compartment (59) for housing a beverage preparation and dispensing unit (4) as claimed in claim 1; the container (57) further comprising a second compartment (60) for housing an inverter (46) for electrically connecting the unit to an electric wiring of a vehicle or an electric accumulator (47) and at least a third compartment (61) for housing glasses (51) or disposable product packages for forming the beverage.