A method for forming a dissolvable thermally reduced, solidified and dehydrated coffee is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of freezing a liquid coffee concentrate and thermally reducing, solidifying and dehydrating the frozen liquid coffee concentrate until a hard outer crust is formed which may have a hardness greater than or equal to an interior portion of the thermally reduced, solidified and dehydrated coffee.

A capsule for powder or semi-liquid food products includes: a hollow rigid body forming a chamber for a dose of product and having a base and upper opening. A cover closes the opening. Elements for controlled flow of a solvent toward the chamber are formed on the cover and result in thrust on the cover via pressure of the solvent, to allow sliding of the cover, guided by walls of the body, from the opening towards the base with pushing on the dose. Notches on the base act as flexible membranes to obtain an opening of the base, at the thrust of the cover, and allow the passage of the dose towards a connecting duct. Elements retaining the cover on the opening are positioned between the cover and an annular zone of the opening of the body, and temporarily retain the cover up to the start of the thrust.

A brew head assembly insertable within a brewing apparatus dimensioned to fit within a compartment in a galley of an aircraft may include an adjustable assembly and a brew cup. The adjustable assembly may include a brew head and a support member. The support member may define a first brew head cavity. The brew head may be at least partially inserted into the first brew head cavity. The adjustable assembly may be actuatable between an open position and at least one closed position. The brew cup may define a second brew head cavity. The brew head may be at least partially inserted into the second brew head cavity. A height between the brew head and the brew cup when the adjustable assembly is in the at least one closed position may be responsive to one or more parameters of a brew pod of a plurality of brew pods.

The invention relates to a capsule for preparing a beverage, for example, coffee, including a hollow element intended to contain one serving, for example, ground coffee. The hollow element includes a side wall, an upper surface, a lower surface comprising an extraction membrane, and a lip in the shape of a collar. The latter is oriented according to a plane that cuts through the side wall. The lip comprises a material that becomes softened when it is placed in contact with a liquid.

The present invention discloses an apparatus (1) for preparing beverages, in particular aromatic beverages such as espresso coffee and similar, from the brewing of a single portion (2) of a respective edible substance, whereby said apparatus (1) comprises a portion collection disposition (3) adapted for collecting said single portion (2) of edible substance and a beverage discharge (5), and is advantageously configured so as to simplify the actuation of respective portion collection disposition (3), and to be operated in portable manner, for example in the form of a compact apparatus, recipient, or transported, for example in the form of backpack, or trolley, along a given distance autonomously relative to external energy sources.

The present invention further discloses a process for distribution of beverages by means of a beverage preparation apparatus.

An extraction unit of a beverage preparation machine, the extraction unit to extract an ingredient of a beverage from a capsule, the extraction unit comprising: a capsule holder operable to move between a capsule receiving position and a capsule extraction position; a capsule holder loading system operable to actuate the capsule holder between the said positions, the capsule holder loading system comprising an actuator unit and a loading mechanism, the actuator unit to actuate the loading mechanism, wherein the loading mechanism comprises a planetary gear train and a linear actuator, the actuator unit to supply a rotary motion to the planetary gear train, the planetary gear train to gear down the said rotary motion, the linear actuator to: receive the said geared down rotary motion; convert the geared down rotary motion into linear motion; couple the said linear motion to the capsule holder.

A brewing unit (100) for a beverage producing device (900) is disclosed. The brewing unit (100) includes a main body (102) defining a cavity (200) for receiving multiple types/formats of capsules (120). Further, one or more piercing members (106) are also included in the brewing unit (100). Furthermore, the one or more piercing members (106) are actuated by an actuator (108) to pierce or not to pierce the capsule (120) when the brewing unit (100) is in at least one of corresponding piercing mode/non-piercing mode.

A machine is provided for preparing a desired beverage product from infusible materials. The machine includes a brew chamber that is adapted to hold the infusible materials, the brew chamber having an inlet and an outlet. An inlet tube is provided for transferring a fluid from a fluid receptacle to the inlet of the brew chamber and a dispensing tube is provided for transferring fluid from the outlet of the brew chamber to the receptacle. A fluid pump is provided for recirculating fluid through the brew chamber. In another aspect, a machine is provided for preparing a desired beverage product containing a gas. The machine includes a fluid pump for recirculating fluid from a fluid receptacle through an inlet tube to a dispensing tube and back to said fluid receptacle. The machine further includes an air pump disposed between the inlet tube and the fluid pump for introducing air into said beverage fluid that is recirculated by said fluid pump. A pod for use with the machine is also provided.

The present invention discloses an apparatus (1) for preparing beverages, in particular aromatic beverages such as espresso coffee and similar, from the brewing of a single portion (2) of a respective edible substance, whereby said apparatus (1) comprises a portion collection disposition (3) adapted for collecting said single portion (2) of edible substance and a beverage discharge (5), and is advantageously configured so as to simplify the actuation of respective portion collection disposition (3), and to be operated in portable manner, for example in the form of a compact apparatus, recipient, or transported, for example in the form of backpack, or trolley, along a given distance autonomously relative to external energy sources.

The present invention further discloses a process for distribution of beverages by means of a beverage preparation apparatus.

A beverage machine that brews beverages from a beverage pod is described. The pod is container with a top surface and a bottom surface connected by a sidewall that form a cylinder. The pod contains whole brewing elements that can be ground into sub-elements by the brewing system for brewing into a beverage. The pod is actuatable between an open state and a closed state by a breaking system of the beverage machine. In the closed state the brewing elements are contained and in the open state the elements are released. The pod includes a failure mechanism on the sidewall that is engineered to fail when the pod is actuated by a breaking mechanism of the beverage machine. When actuated the failure mechanism fails such that the beverage pod can be pulled into a top portion and a bottom portion to release the brewing elements.