A beverage maker device is disclosed. In embodiments, the device includes an external housing and a water tank coupled to a water supply via an inlet. The beverage maker includes a manifold within the housing, the manifold controlling the dispensing of the water into a server or through a faucet via solenoid valves. Within the inlet body connecting the tank to the water supply are plumbed two pressure transducers on either side (e.g., tank-side and coupling-side) of a restriction orifice. The tank-side and coupling-side pressure transducers sense flow pressure on their respective sides of the restriction orifice and generate tank-side and coupling-side flow pressure signals. Within the housing a process control board (PCB) includes control processors and control circuitry in communication with the solenoid valves. The PCB control processors determine a differential pressure associated with the water flow based on the received tank-side and coupling-side pressure signals.

A beverage making machine may employ a mixing chamber to mix a beverage medium with a precursor liquid, such as carbonated water. The mixing chamber may have a precursor liquid inlet coupled to a precursor liquid supply, a beverage medium chamber to receive a beverage medium into the beverage medium chamber, and a dispense outlet from which beverage medium and precursor liquid are dispensed, e.g., into a user's cup. The beverage medium chamber may include a chamber inlet coupled to the precursor liquid inlet, e.g., so precursor liquid can enter the chamber when a pressure is low in the beverage medium chamber, and a chamber outlet downstream of the chamber inlet that is coupled to the dispense outlet, e.g., so that beverage medium can exit the chamber.

A machine (1) for dispensing espresso coffee is described, comprising at least one boiler (3) for containing and heating water, at least one container (4) suitable to contain the water for dispensing the coffee, at least one inlet hydraulic circuit (5) suitable to connect said boiler (3) and said container (4) to a water supply line, at least one coffee dispensing unit (6), at least one outlet hydraulic circuit (7) suitable to connect at least said container (4) to said coffee dispensing unit (6). The inlet hydraulic circuit (5) comprises at least one inlet block (8) having at least one water passage duct (9) provided with at least one inlet port (9a) connectable to a water supply line, with at least one passage mouth (9b) communicating with said boiler (3) and with at least one outlet port (9c) fluidically connected with at least one water distributing element (80, 80) to distribute the water to at least one container (4). The distributing element is provided with at least one inlet opening (82, 82) fluidically connectable to the outlet port (9c) of the inlet block (8) and with at least one distribution opening (83, 83) for the fluidic connection to said container (4).

The invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) comprising a fluid system comprising a fluid source (2), a pump (3), a heating element (4), at least two container holders (7a, 7b) adapted for receiving ingredient containers (11, 17), a control unit (8) for controlling the fluid system to prepare a beverage by mixing fluid with the beverage ingredient contained in the containers to produce a mixed beverage component in each of the containers, wherein the control unit is further arranged to dispense part or whole of the mixed components sequentially or simultaneously to produce the beverage, wherein the container holders (7a, 7b) differ from one another for holding containers of different sizes and/or types and, and wherein it further comprises separate fluid injection interfaces (9a, 9b) having different structural and kinematic configurations, and arranged for independently delivering fluid in one of the corresponding ingredient containers; each interface being connected to the fluid system and being adapted to a different container.

In a machine for preparing coffee or other beverages by infusion, the flow of water to the infusion chamber is controlled through a variable-flow valve; the valve is driven by a device manually operable by the barista thus controlling the flow of the beverage in the delivering step.

A coffee machine makes use of a valve arrangement for controlling the coupling of a water heater outlet selectively to one of two or more outlets, such as a steam delivery nozzle, a brew chamber and a water collection unit (e.g. drip tray). The valve arrangement comprises a rotatable routing element, wherein the angular position of the routing element controls the coupling of the inlet channel to one of the outlets. The rotation is driven by rotational coupling to a brew chamber motor. This coffee machine design makes use of a single valve arrangement to provide the flow control from the water heater. This provides a compact arrangement with a low component count and simple control mechanism.

An electronic water supply kit is disclosed that can be used to fill a reservoir of a coffee maker. The kit includes a valve, a momentary switch and a power cord assembly. The power cord assembly includes a first cable that connects the valve to a power supply, a second cable that connects the power supply to the momentary switch and a third cable that connects the momentary switch to the valve. During operation, the momentary switch is operated to allow water to flow through the valve from a water supply to the reservoir.

A machine for preparing beverages includes at least one tank for the water, fluidly connected, by means of a circuit, to a filtering container suitable to contain an aromatic mixture to be brewed, a pump to feed the water from said tank to said circuit, a heating device to heat the water in transit, and a control and command unit functionally connected to a user interface comprising commands suitable to select the characteristics of said beverage to be prepared.

The present invention relates to a beverage maker that comprises a heating device for heating water, a cold water inflow, a first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water outlet, a cold water path connecting the cold water inflow to the heating device, a first hot water path connecting the heating device to the first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water path connecting the heating device to the at least one second hot water outlet, a conveying device for conveying water, a first flow meter that is arranged in the cold water path or in the first hot water path, and at least one second flow meter that is arranged in the at least one second hot water path. The present invention additionally relates to a method of determining hot water amounts dispensed by a beverage maker and/or hot water amounts used in same for beverage preparation.

A hot beverage maker manifold assembly is disclosed integrating components into the manifold body minimizing leak paths and creating efficient overall drain and vent performance of the aircraft hot beverage maker. A top vent valve is integrated into the manifold body for complete venting and draining performance in the manifold assembly as well as in an associated hot water tank and tank lines. An incorporated flow regulator housing within the manifold body at a tea line exit fitting limits the number of downstream leak paths and complexity. An integrated lower manifold clean out port allows for efficient bi-directional service of the manifold and efficient descaling and flushing.