The beverage producing machine comprises a brewing chamber and at least one hydraulic actuator for controlling closing and opening movement of the chamber. A water pump, fluidly connected to the chamber through a first water path and fluidly connected to the actuator through a second water path delivers pressurized water to the chamber and actuator, respectively. A water heater and a first valve arrangement are arranged along the first water path. A second valve arrangement is positioned along the second water path, between the water pump and the actuator. The first and second valve arrangements are configured and controlled such that during a brewing chamber closure step the first valve arrangement is closed, and the second valve arrangement is open. Upon reaching a closure pressure in the actuator, the second valve arrangement is closed and the first valve arrangement is opened, allowing water to be delivered to the chamber.

A beverage forming method and system arranged to allow a user to change one or more brew parameters used by a beverage machine control circuit to perform automatic control during a beverage dispensing operation. For example, a user can adjust a volume of a beverage to be dispensed while the beverage is being dispensed in the user's cup, and the control circuit will adjust automatic control of the dispensing process based on the adjusted volume from the user.

An espresso coffee machine comprising a main boiler, a dispensing group, a secondary boiler provided, a main water inlet circuit, where the main water inlet circuit has a pump that applies a predetermined pressure value to the water, the machine further including a dispensing valve, an air inlet circuit hydraulically connected to the brewing chamber of each dispensing group, a compressor to inject air at a predefined pressure value in the brewing chamber of each dispensing group and at least one heating element arranged to inject air at a predetermined temperature value into the brewing chamber of each dispensing group.

An espresso coffee machine including a main boiler, a dispensing group, a secondary boiler, a main water inlet circuit, hydraulically connected to the main boiler and to each secondary boiler and an electronic control unit, where the main water inlet circuit has a booster pump, the machine further includes a pressure sensor, a bypass circuit hydraulically, and a two-way proportional valve configured to recirculate a part of delivery flow of the booster pump on the main water inlet circuit and upstream of the booster pump, in order to maintain a certain coffee extraction pressure value in each dispensing group set in real time by the pressure sensor.

A machine for preparing beverages, in particular espresso coffee, comprises a hydraulic circuit including a brewing unit, a water tank, a pump having the inlet connected in fluid communication to the tank, and the outlet or delivery connected in fluid communication to the brewing unit. A normally closed one-way hydraulic valve, which is set between the pump and the brewing unit, enables a flow of water toward the brewing unit when the pressure of the water delivered by the pump exceeds a substantially predetermined threshold. There is a heating means for heating the water delivered by the pump. The machine has a normally open discharge valve having a main inlet (12.sub.IN), connected between the one-way hydraulic valve and the brewing unit, a main outlet, connected toward a discharge space, and an open/close member set between the main inlet and the main outlet, designed to assume an open condition and a closed condition, where it enables and prevents, respectively, a flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet, with the open/close member being urged by a corresponding spring into the open condition. The discharge valve is a hydraulically driven valve, which includes a chamber for hydraulic driving of the open/close member, an auxiliary inlet of the driving chamber, connected to the delivery of the pump, and an auxiliary outlet of the driving chamber, connected to the brewing unit, in such a way that water forced by the pump passes through the driving chamber before reaching the brewing unit. The discharge valve has a further outlet of the driving chamber, connected in fluid communication to a device for spillage of water from the driving chamber, in particular towards one of the water tank and the inlet of the pump.

The invention provides a heating device comprising a base structure comprising a fluid channel and a heating element, the heating element arranged in use to heat fluid within the fluid channel, the heating device further comprising a cooling means, arranged in use to cool the fluid channel.

A method for water temperature stepless adjustment of pipeline water dispenser includes connecting a water inlet pipe, a heat exchanging sump, a heating sump, a heat exchanger, a refrigeration sump, and a water outlet pipe, in turn, to form water inlet and outlet pipelines of a water dispenser; configuring a plurality of motorized valves or magnetic valves; configuring a plurality of temperature sensors; configuring a PLC control system which is connected with the motorized valves or magnetic valves, the temperature sensors, the heating sump, the refrigeration sump; setting outlet water temperature and water capacity and controlling the motorized valves or magnetic valves, and the temperature sensors; and controlling the PLC control system to calculate and judge to supply water with desired temperature and desired capacity.

In a method for producing milk foam, in particular for the preparation of drinks that contain milk foam in a coffee machine, a gaseous medium, in particular air, is delivered to milk conveyed, and the milk/air mixture that is formed is conveyed to an outlet for milk foam or drinks containing milk foam. The consistency of the milk foam that is produced is determined here and is monitored by a regulating process and/or is changed by a setting. Even with variable conditions of use and operation, perfect quality of the milk foam that is produced is guaranteed, in which, moreover, its consistency can be changed.

An apparatus comprises a dispensing system and a sanitizing system. The apparatus has a dispensing mode and sanitizing mode. The dispensing system may comprise a first valve and at least one component, the at least one component having an inner surface. The first valve is opened to send a free-flowing material to the at least one component when the apparatus is in the dispensing mode. The first valve is closed when the apparatus is in the sanitizing mode. The sanitizing system comprises a processing unit having a discharge cell configured to initiate a cold plasma discharge in an air flow. A tank may be configured to receive the air flow from the discharge cell of the processing unit and expose water in the tank to the air flow for a time sufficient to provide dissolution of ozone from the air flow into the water and form ozone-containing water.

The present invention relates to a coffee machine, more particularly to an espresso coffee machine. The coffee machine according to the invention comprises at least one hot water generator (1, 3), at least one brewing group (5) for brewing coffee, and a thermosiphon circuit between said hot water generator and said brewing group including a hot water supply pipe (13) and a hot water return pipe (15). According to the invention, one or more additional hot water supply pipes (13), separate from said main hot water supply pipe (13), are provided between said hot water generator (1, 3) or another hot water source and said brewing group (5). Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to guarantee a greater steadiness in the water temperature during the steps of brewing coffee, and possibly the capability of quickly adjusting, even in real time, said temperature. Furthermore, if several brewing groups are provided, the water temperature during the brewing step can be advantageously controlled and adjusted in an autonomous and independent manner for each brewing group.