The invention concerns a beverage preparation apparatus (100), said apparatus comprising at least one chamber (1) for receiving and mixing an aqueous liquid and at least one soluble beverage ingredient, said chamber comprising: —a lateral side wall (11) comprising a liquid inlet (2), —a bottom wall (12) comprising a beverage outlet (3), and wherein the liquid inlet is positioned close to the bottom of the chamber, and wherein the liquid inlet is configured so that the liquid is introduced in the chamber as a straight jet of liquid, said introduced straight jet extending transversely through the internal volume of the chamber along a line L, said line L being offset relative to the longitudinal central axis (XX′) of the chamber, wherein, at the area of the cylindrical lateral side wall opposed to the liquid inlet and crossed by the line L, the chamber comprises a bump (4) extending from the cylindrical lateral side wall inside the chamber, said bump presenting a shape designed: —to convert the introduced straight jet of liquid extending transversely through the internal volume of the chamber into a swirl flowing along the lateral side wall off the chamber, and —to reduce the diameter of the swirl rotating back to the bump and to guide said swirl in direction of the liquid inlet.

The invention concerns a beverage preparation apparatus (100), said apparatus comprising at least one chamber (1) for receiving and mixing an aqueous liquid and at least one soluble beverage ingredient, said chamber comprising: —a lateral side wall (11) comprising a liquid inlet (2), —a bottom wall (12) comprising a beverage outlet (3), and wherein the liquid inlet is positioned close to the bottom of the chamber, and wherein the liquid inlet is configured so that the liquid is introduced in the chamber as a straight jet of liquid, said introduced straight jet extending transversely through the internal volume of the chamber along a line L, said line L being offset relative to the longitudinal central axis (XX′) of the chamber, wherein, at the area of the cylindrical lateral side wall opposed to the liquid inlet and crossed by the line L, the chamber comprises a bump (4) extending from the cylindrical lateral side wall inside the chamber, said bump presenting a shape designed: —to convert the introduced straight jet of liquid extending transversely through the internal volume of the chamber into a swirl flowing along the lateral side wall off the chamber, and —to reduce the diameter of the swirl rotating back to the bump and to guide said swirl in direction of the liquid inlet.

An automatic beverage maker having a water supply, a housing having a base, a body and a pod section, a sealed water tank within the housing body, a heating system for controlling the heating of water contained within the water tank, a first water line connecting the water supply to the water tank inlet, a second water e connecting the water outlet to the cavity of the housing pod section, a water pump for moving water from the water supply to the tank via the first water line and from the tank to the cavity of the housing pod section via the second water line. A drain line fluidly coupled to the sealed tank and having an open end for discharging water from the sealed water tank may also be used.

A mains connectable water tap comprising a water supply inlet, a tap outlet and a flow regulator for regulating the flow of water through the water tap from the water supply inlet to the tap outlet. The tap further comprises a beverage making section, which has an inlet, a cavity section having a sealable access aperture therein and an outlet. The inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet via the cavity section and the sealable access aperture provides access to the cavity to allow the insertion or removal of beverage ingredients.

A mains connectable water tap comprising a water supply inlet, a tap outlet and a flow regulator for regulating the flow of water through the water tap from the water supply inlet to the tap outlet. The tap further comprises a beverage making section, which has an inlet, a cavity section having a sealable access aperture therein and an outlet. The inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet via the cavity section and the sealable access aperture provides access to the cavity to allow the insertion or removal of beverage ingredients.

An apparatus may comprise a heater, a brewer, a chiller, and a heat exchanger. The heater may be configured to heat water to produce heated water. The brewer may be configured to brew a beverage using the heated water. The chiller may be configured to chill the beverage to produce a chilled beverage. The heat exchanger may have a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path in thermal communication with the first fluid flow path. An input to the first fluid flow path may be configured to receive source water and an output of the first fluid flow path may be configured to provide the water to the heater. An input to the second fluid flow path may be configured to receive the beverage from the brewer and an output of the second fluid flow path may be configured to provide the beverage to the chiller.

A system is provided using targeted narrowband radiation emitting devices or arrays of devices that offers a solution to the difficulties surrounding heated product dispensing. Rather than maintaining an entire reservoir of product at a raised temperature, much smaller volumes (single portions or small multiples thereof) can be held ready and at temperature to be dispensed without wasting additional energy on keeping a large volume of product warm. This is achieved by leveraging the unique, targeted nature of these devices to quickly and accurately heat a small amount of product separated out from the main reservoir and held ready for dispensing.

A system for distribution of beverages, such as espresso coffee and similar aromatic beverages, comprising at least one type of beverage recipient (1, 1′), such as a glass, cup or similar, and a beverage discharge disposition (2) operatively associated with a beverage preparation device (3). The beverage discharge disposition (2) is provided so that the beverage discharge flow impinges, with a given flow pressure, a flow regulation disposition (12) in the base region (11) of beverage recipient (1, 1′) along a direction opposite to the gravity force. The beverage discharge disposition (2) presents at least two engagement elements (23) arranged in common perimeter alignment and symmetric distribution around said beverage discharge element (21) and provided so that can be moved radially, outwards or inwards, between the open (I) and retention position (II), and vice-versa, by actuation means (25; 251, 252) arranged in centred and symmetric manner with relation to the beverage discharge element (21).

A system for distribution of beverages, such as espresso coffee and similar aromatic beverages, comprising at least one type of beverage recipient (1, 1′), such as a glass, cup or similar, and a beverage discharge disposition (2) operatively associated with a beverage preparation device (3). The beverage discharge disposition (2) is provided so that the beverage discharge flow impinges, with a given flow pressure, a flow regulation disposition (12) in the base region (11) of beverage recipient (1, 1′) along a direction opposite to the gravity force. The beverage discharge disposition (2) presents at least two engagement elements (23) arranged in common perimeter alignment and symmetric distribution around said beverage discharge element (21) and provided so that can be moved radially, outwards or inwards, between the open (I) and retention position (II), and vice-versa, by actuation means (25; 251, 252) arranged in centred and symmetric manner with relation to the beverage discharge element (21).

An espresso machine is provided that utilizes a mechanical valve in addition to a flow meter. This results in a low-cost espresso machine while delivering a measured volume of water for the espresso pour. The mechanical valve facilitates a machine with both selectable espresso pour and steam and/or hot water outlets. In this embodiment, the espresso machine utilizes a shared pump and water heater (e.g., a thermoblock, boiler or similar) for multiple functions and/or through different outlets. For example, water from the reservoir may be sent through the flow meter to the pump, then to the water heater, and eventually to either the grouphead or steam wand, or to a pressure release.