A coffee preparation machine can include at least one sealed pod containing unroasted green coffee beans, a roasting system that accepts the at least one sealed pod, a grinding system, and a brewing system, where the brewing system, the roasting system, and the grinding system can be housed within a single self-contained unit.

A coffee preparation machine can include at least one sealed pod containing unroasted green coffee beans, a roasting system that accepts the at least one sealed pod, a grinding system, and a brewing system, where the brewing system, the roasting system, and the grinding system can be housed within a single self-contained unit.

Apparatus for roasting coffee beans, the apparatus comprising: a casing that defines an internal void, a baffle for dividing the internal void into first and second zones that are in fluid communication with one another; a heater for heating air to temperatures suitable for roasting coffee beans, the heater being located in the second zone; a control system for controlling the apparatus; the control system being located in the first zone; and a fan operable to draw ambient air into the first zone and drive the air from the first zone past the baffle into the second zone for heating by the heater, the arrangement being such that in use the first zone is cooler than the second zone.

Apparatus for roasting coffee beans, the apparatus comprising: a casing that defines an internal void, a baffle for dividing the internal void into first and second zones that are in fluid communication with one another; a heater for heating air to temperatures suitable for roasting coffee beans, the heater being located in the second zone; a control system for controlling the apparatus; the control system being located in the first zone; and a fan operable to draw ambient air into the first zone and drive the air from the first zone past the baffle into the second zone for heating by the heater, the arrangement being such that in use the first zone is cooler than the second zone.

The invention concerns process of calibration of a coffee beans roasting apparatus in order to reproduce coffee beans roasting recipes defined with one specific master roasting apparatus, said calibration process comprising the steps of: a—introducing at least one second temporary temperature probe inside the chamber of the roasting apparatus, b—controlling the heating device to reproduce a preset curve R said control being based on the temperature Treg regulated by the at least one first temperature probe, c—during the reproduction of the preset curve Rset, measuring the temperature Tcal in function of time inside the chamber, d—comparing the temperature Tcal@ti with the temperature Tref@ti of a pre-determined calibration curve Rref obtained with the master roasting apparatus (M), said calibration curve Rref representing the temperature Tref measured in the chamber of the specific master apparatus (M) while controlling the heating device of the master apparatus to reproduce said preset curve Rset, e—based on this comparison, calibrating the roasting apparatus by applying a correction, to the temperature Treg regulated by the first temperature probe inside the control system of the roasting apparatus.

A coffee roasting apparatus (100) is disclosed that comprises a compartment (110) for holding coffee beans (10); a roasting element (140) for directing a heated air flow through said compartment; a particulate matter sensor (120) for detecting a peak amount of particulate matter in said air flow; and a controller (130) arranged to control said roasting element. The controller is adapted to select a defined control time for said roasting element as a function of an amount of time lapsed from the start of the roasting process until the detection of said peak amount; and apply the defined control time to said roasting element after first cracking of the coffee beans to complete the roasting of the coffee beans in order to obtain a consistent roasting result. A coffee brewing apparatus including such a coffee roasting apparatus and a method of controlling such a coffee roasting apparatus are also disclosed.

Apparatus and methods for bulk processing items on a conveyor belt using an angled axial fan that extends obliquely into a processing chamber and includes a curved back wall forming an air flow chamber. The angled axial fan enhances air flow around a product being processed on the conveyor belt. A heater employs shrouds and a series of baffle plates held together using a connecting pin to heat circulated air in a low-pressure area below the conveyor belt. Baffles in an upper chamber mix and direct heated, circulated air over the conveyed product.

The invention concerns a coffee beans roasting system comprising : - a coffee beans roasting apparatus (10), said apparatus comprising : a chamber (1),. a heating device (2),. at least one first temperature probe (5) to regulate the temperature of air supplied by the heating device, said first temperature probe being positioned outside the chamber,. a control system (80) configured to control the heating device and configured to reproduce roasting curves each of said roasting curves providing a set of points (T@ti; ti) based on the temperature Treg regulated by the at least one first temperature probe, and - at least one second temperature probe (3) configured to be introduced temporary inside the roasting apparatus to measure the temperature inside the roasting chamber, and - means configured to create a pressure loss of the flow of hot air while the chamber is void of coffee beans in order to simulate the presence of coffee beans inside the chamber during a roasting operation.

An apparatus includes a receptacle configured to receive a container containing a substance for processing. The container includes a readable tag having processing information associated with the substance. The apparatus also includes a processing chamber operably coupled to the receptacle and configured to receive the substance and process the substance. The apparatus further includes a controller operably coupled to the processing chamber and configured to generate one or more processing instructions based on the processing information in the readable tag and further based on additional processing information received from a remote device. The processing is also configured to process the substance based on the one or more processing instructions.

An apparatus includes a receptacle configured to receive a container containing a substance for processing. The container includes a readable tag having processing information associated with the substance. The apparatus also includes a processing chamber operably coupled to the receptacle and configured to receive the substance and process the substance. The apparatus further includes a controller operably coupled to the processing chamber and configured to generate one or more processing instructions based on the processing information in the readable tag and further based on additional processing information received from a remote device. The processing is also configured to process the substance based on the one or more processing instructions.