The present invention relates to a dispensing and preparation apparatus for powdered food or beverage products, the apparatus comprising a dispensing device (60) and an associated preparation or extraction device (70); the dispensing device (60) comprising one or more housings for receiving one or more containers (10, 20) with a powdered food or beverage product; the dispensing device (60) comprising a reader (62) to obtain the information of the product parameters of the powdered food or beverage products from the one or plurality of containers (10, 20); the dispensing device (60) further comprising a control unit configured to dispense a certain amount of powdered food or beverage product from each container (10, 20) according to these product parameters and/or according to a recipes database (64) as a function of the beverage to be prepared; the dispensing device (60) further comprising an encoder (63) to encode the beverage information on programmable identification means (65) on a product holder (61) in the dispensing device (60), to where the dispensed powdered food or beverage product is sent; the preparation or extraction device (70) being configured for receivingthe product holder (61) and comprising reading means (72) to identify the beverage information in the said product holder identification means (65), the extraction device (70) further comprising a control unit to extract the beverage according to the beverage information retrieved from the product holder (61) and/or from the beverage information retrieved from a beverage database in this control unit. The invention further relates to a method for dispensing powdered food or beverage products and preparing a beverage from them using a dispensing and extraction apparatus as the one described. The invention also relates to the use of a dispensing and extraction apparatus as the one described for delivering a certain beverage from powdered food or beverage products.

A device for storing and dispensing coffee beans, comprising a hopper defining a chamber adapted to contain the beans and provided, on the bottom, with an admission opening; a support base to support the hopper; a rotary dosing device rotatably mounted in a seat to rotate from and to a rest position, and provided with at least one cavity open on the outer surface of the rotary dosing device; and vacuum generating means to create and maintain the vacuum within the chamber. The dosing device has at least one annular groove engaged by a V-ring seal comprising a sealing lip, which, in said rest position, is compressed against an annular surface of the seat to seal the chamber and it is oriented relative to said seat, so as to be further compressed against said annular surface when subjected to a vacuum created in the chamber when air is sucked out therefrom.

A device for storing and dispensing coffee beans, comprising a hopper defining a chamber adapted to contain the beans and provided, on the bottom, with an admission opening; a support base to support the hopper; a rotary dosing device rotatably mounted in a seat to rotate from and to a rest position, and provided with at least one cavity open on the outer surface of the rotary dosing device; and vacuum generating means to create and maintain the vacuum within the chamber. The dosing device has at least one annular groove engaged by a V-ring seal comprising a sealing lip, which, in said rest position, is compressed against an annular surface of the seat to seal the chamber and it is oriented relative to said seat, so as to be further compressed against said annular surface when subjected to a vacuum created in the chamber when air is sucked out therefrom.

A dispenser for a first solid flowable material and a second flowable material, including an actuator for providing rotational motion on a shaft. A first reservoir holds the first material, and a second reservoir holds the second material. A metering unit selectively passes at least one of the first material and the second material. A grinder grinds the at least one of the first material and the second material passed by the metering unit.

A dispenser for a first solid flowable material and a second flowable material, including an actuator for providing rotational motion on a shaft. A first reservoir holds the first material, and a second reservoir holds the second material. A metering unit selectively passes at least one of the first material and the second material. A grinder grinds the at least one of the first material and the second material passed by the metering unit.

The invention involves a grinder safety cap suitable for medicinal items such as herbs or other consumable substances that may be desirably restricted from children, and which may require grinding and/or homogenizing before ingestion. The grinder safety cap is comprised of a cover shell and base shell, wherein the cover shell fits snugly over an upwardly extending top wall of the base shell. The base shell may have upwardly extending grinding protrusions, having sharp and/or serrated edges, capable of grinding, cutting, or otherwise reducing the particle size of a consumable substance. The cover shell may also have downwardly extending grinding protrusions. A consumable substance may be placed within a cavity or receptacle of the base shell, the cover shell may be placed over the top wall of the base shell so as to close the grinder safety cap, and the consumable substance may be ground by turning the cover shell.

The invention involves a grinder safety cap suitable for medicinal items such as herbs or other consumable substances that may be desirably restricted from children, and which may require grinding and/or homogenizing before ingestion. The grinder safety cap is comprised of a cover shell and base shell, wherein the cover shell fits snugly over an upwardly extending top wall of the base shell. The base shell may have upwardly extending grinding protrusions, having sharp and/or serrated edges, capable of grinding, cutting, or otherwise reducing the particle size of a consumable substance. The cover shell may also have downwardly extending grinding protrusions. A consumable substance may be placed within a cavity or receptacle of the base shell, the cover shell may be placed over the top wall of the base shell so as to close the grinder safety cap, and the consumable substance may be ground by turning the cover shell.

A grinding system for grinding raw material to obtain ground material comprises a housing, a grinding assembly, and a first cap. The housing defines a grinding chamber, and the grinding assembly comprising a plurality of burrs. The grinding assembly is supported relative to the housing such that each of the plurality of burrs is arranged within the grinding chamber. The first cap is detachably attachable to the grinding assembly such that, with the first cap attached to the grinding assembly, rotation of the first cap relative to the housing causes rotation of at least one of the plurality of burrs relative to at least one other of the plurality of burrs and, with the first cap detached from the grinding assembly, the raw material may be arranged within the grinding chamber.

A grinding system for grinding raw material to obtain ground material comprises a housing, a grinding assembly, and a first cap. The housing defines a grinding chamber, and the grinding assembly comprising a plurality of burrs. The grinding assembly is supported relative to the housing such that each of the plurality of burrs is arranged within the grinding chamber. The first cap is detachably attachable to the grinding assembly such that, with the first cap attached to the grinding assembly, rotation of the first cap relative to the housing causes rotation of at least one of the plurality of burrs relative to at least one other of the plurality of burrs and, with the first cap detached from the grinding assembly, the raw material may be arranged within the grinding chamber.

A coffee grinder with a weight device to dose ground coffee includes an electric motor, a grinder group driven by the electric motor and housed inside a grinding chamber, a feed hopper for feeding coffee beans to the grinding chamber, a delivery channel for delivering ground coffee to a support fork of a filter-holder of the ground coffee, a load cell mechanically connected to the fork, and a microprocessor that controls the operation of the motor to determine a desired final dose of ground coffee inside the filter-holder. The microprocessor contains control firmware which, when weighing a new dose of coffee: (a) activates a weighing program that activates the electric motor so that the grinder group grinds the coffee; (b) continuously controls, with the load cell, the detected weight of ground coffee reaching the filter-holder; and (c) shuts the electric motor down when the detected weight reaches a desired value.