A food processing device configured to process a food product stored in a pod is disclosed. The food processing device may further include a drive assembly. The drive assembly may include a drive motor configured to move linearly in the vertical direction, and a linear actuator coupled to the drive motor. The linear actuator may cause the drive motor to move linearly in the vertical direction. The drive assembly may further include a drive shaft coupled to the drive motor. The drive shaft may be configured to engage or disengage with the top shaft of the pod owing to the linear movement of the drive motor in vertical direction. Upon engaging with the tops shaft of the pod, the drive shaft may be further configured to impart rotary motion to the top shaft.

A beverage maker, in particular an electrically operated coffee machine (1) having a water tank (2), which can be filled with water (W) which can be used to prepare a beverage by means of the beverage maker,

wherein the beverage maker is configured as connectable to a drinking water network (T) via an inflow (3),
characterized in that
the water tank (2) can be manually removed from the beverage maker by a user of the beverage maker in a state (Z1) in which the beverage maker is connected to the drinking water network (T) via the inflow (3) and/or can be filled with the water (W) selectively by manual filling of water by a/the user of the beverage maker or by introducing drinking water from the drinking water network (T) via the inflow (3).

A machine for preparing beverages has a hydraulic circuit including a normally open discharge valve, which comprises a main inlet connected to a fluid actuator, a main outlet connected towards a collecting space, and a valve member between the main inlet and the main outlet, for enabling and preventing a flow of fluid between the main inlet and the main outlet. The discharge valve is a hydraulically driven valve, which also comprises a driving chamber for hydraulic driving the valve member. The driving chamber has an auxiliary inlet, connected to the delivery of a pump, and an auxiliary outlet, connected to a brewing unit and to the fluid actuator, in such a way that water delivered by the pump passes through the driving chamber before reaching the brewing unit and the fluid actuator, respectively. The driving chamber has a further outlet, connected in fluid communication to a device for spillage of water from the driving chamber.

This invention relates to a portable, ruggedized, impact resistant appliance for brewing a beverage having a water tank system, a water delivery system, a brewing system, electronics capable of brewing a beverage, and a user interface for controlling said electronics.

Systems for controlled heating and/or agitation for liquid food or beverage product creation are disclosed. A dispenser for producing a food or beverage liquid product from a frozen contents in a receptacle includes a chamber configured to hold a receptacle containing the contents and a dilution liquid inlet configured to supply a dilution liquid to the interior of the receptacle. The dispenser also includes a perforator configured to perforate the receptacle and form a product outlet from the receptacle for the liquid product and an agitator configured to impart motion to the receptacle and/or the contents in the receptacle that increases a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by at least a portion of dilution liquid, when supplied, relative to a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by the portion of dilution liquid without the imparted motion.

An apparatus for dispensing a liquid foodstuff, in particular milk, includes a heating device for heating the liquid foodstuff, which has a fluid path for the liquid foodstuff and an electric heater. The fluid path and heater are in thermal contact with a heat store made from a material of high thermal mass and conductivity, and the heat store is brought by the heater to an operating temperature which lies below 80° C., preferably below 70° C. The fluid path is connectable via at least one directional control valve to a flushing line via which water and/or detergent can be conducted through the fluid path for cleaning purposes. A control device is provided that is configured to heat the heat store of the heating device to a temperature above 100° C. to carry out thermal regeneration, and to open the directional control device one or more times for conducting water or detergent solution through the fluid path of the heating device heated to a high temperature.

Beverage supply apparatus (100) has milk tank (3), milk flow path (L3) connecting the milk tank to beverage delivery port (10), first pump (7), air flow path (L6) to supply air via its connection portion (Z1), and third pump (9). The apparatus drives the third pump to supply air to the milk flow path, and drives the first pump to thereby deliver and supply a mixed beverage of milk and air from the beverage delivery port. The apparatus includes path (L7) for releasing a portion of the air flowing through the air flow path., one end portion of which is connected to release point (Z8) which is a predetermined portion of the air flow path between a beverage flow path side end portion (location of a connection portion (Z6)) and the third pump. The other end portion thereof is open to the outside.

A fermenter may include a fermentation container having a fermentation space in which a beverage is fermented and a first gas passage communicating with the fermentation space, and a fermentation lid opening and closing the fermentation container and having a second gas passage. When the fermentation lid closes the fermentation container, a gas chamber communicating with each of the first gas passage and the second gas passage is provided between the fermentation container and the fermentation lid.

Beverage preparation apparatus for preparing a beverage comprising: —a water tank (2) for storing water, —a brewing unit (3) for receiving a dose of beverage ingredients, —a water in line (5) for supplying water from the water tank to the brewing unit (3) including a pressure pump (4) for supplying pressurized liquid to the brewing unit and a fluid heater (29) for heating liquid, —a control unit (6) for selectively controlling the activation of the pressure pump, wherein it further comprises a fluidic interrupter (7) positionable in fluidic interruption position for interrupting the fluidic communication between the water tank (2) and the water line (5) and, reversely, positionable in fluidic communication position for restoring the fluid communication between the water tank and the water line and wherein the control unit (6) is arranged for automatically activating an anti-freeze mode by activating the fluidic interrupter (7) in fluidic interruption position and by miming the pressure pump (4) to at least partially empty the water line (5) from water contained therein.

A cool coffee infusing apparatus is disclosed having a liquid container, a ground coffee container, and a base. The base includes a pump, controls therefore, and receptacles for the containers. The liquid container is filled with cool water and the ground coffee container is filled with ground coffee. The pump circulates the water through the grounds until a desired level of infusion is achieved and coffee beverage is created. The coffee beverage is collected in the liquids container for pouring or for storage for later use.