A pod for storing and dispensing a beverage preparation ingredient during a dispensing operation. The pod comprises a body defining a cavity for storing the beverage preparation ingredient, said body comprising a dispensing side and a closed side, and at least one side wall extending from the closed side to the dispensing side; and an actuation member contained within said cavity. The actuation member is configured to cause an opening to be formed between said cavity and a region outside the pod when actuated. The opening is formed around a perimeter of a dispensing surface of the pod at a junction formed between the at least one side wall and the dispensing surface, the dispensing surface being provided at the dispensing side of the body.

A portable drinking water filter system, such as a pitcher, having a sleeve and a floatable body including a filter opening configured to receive a water filter, the floatable body having a seal extending outward from an outer surface of the floatable body. The floatable body is disposed in a sleeve cavity such that a body seal engages the sidewall and restricts water from passing between the floatable body and the sidewall. The seal is configured to create friction with the sidewall, wherein the friction created when the floatable body rises in the sleeve is different than when the floatable body lowers in the sleeve. The friction created when the floatable body rises in the sleeve is greater than when the floatable body lowers in the sleeve, allowing the floatable body to auto-retract toward a cavity base without burping.

A method of brewing coffee includes the following steps:requesting a user to select a coffee-based beverage on an input device coupled to a coffee brewing apparatus; selecting a suitable water recipe from a database comprising a plurality of water recipes suited for brewing coffee, wherein the selected water recipe is suited to the selected coffee-based beverage, wherein the water recipe defines a set mineral concentration of brewing water to be prepared; requesting a water preparation unit to prepare a brewing water based on the water recipe, wherein the water preparation unit is adapted to mineralize the brewing water according to the set mineral concentration of the water recipe; preparing brewing water based on the water recipe; and brewing the coffee-based beverage with the brewing water prepared according to the water recipe.

The invention relates to a single-use capsule (100) for water treatment. The single-use capsule comprises a capsule body (101) defining an inlet side (102) and an outlet side (103), a first cavity (104) located within the capsule body, and optionally, a flat sheet membrane filter (105) arranged within the capsule body. Furthermore, the first cavity comprises an ion exchange element.

A portable drinking water filter system, such as a pitcher, having a sleeve and a floatable body including a filter opening configured to receive a water filter, the floatable body having a seal extending outward from an outer surface of the floatable body. The floatable body is disposed in a sleeve cavity such that a body seal engages the sidewall and restricts water from passing between the floatable body and the sidewall. The seal is configured to create friction with the sidewall, wherein the friction created when the floatable body rises in the sleeve is different than when the floatable body lowers in the sleeve. The friction created when the floatable body rises in the sleeve is greater than when the floatable body lowers in the sleeve, allowing the floatable body to auto-retract toward a cavity base without burping.

A filtration system for use in a beverage dispensing machine comprising a first and second boiler is described. The filtration system comprises: an input fluid line for connecting the system to a water source; a first filter module connected to the input fluid line; an output fluid conduit connected to the first filter and configured to have a first fluid output line for directing fluid to the first boiler and a second fluid output line for directing fluid to the second boiler; and a second filter module, located in the in the second fluid output line; wherein the second filter module is capable of removing ions not removeable by the first filter module.

The object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for brewing homemade beer per serving, which comprises an industrial stage of an industrial arrangement performing pre-fabrication and a domestic stage for home use performing fermentation-free brewing of beer along with preparation for consumption. The invention also describes a brewer apparatus (1) for use at home as well as the application method of the arrangement.

The brewer apparatus (1) is comprising at least one receiver unit (2) suitable for the addition and removal of a beer component container (5a, 5b), a liquid transfer unit (3) empties into the receiver unit (2), a filling member (4, 4b) is connected to the receiver unit (2), and a filling member (4, 4b) is connected to a gas transfer unit (8) suitable for delivering carbon dioxide into the end product container (9) or to a siphon (30). The filling member (4, 4b) prevents the overflowing of the beer foam at the bottling by overpressure.

A system and method is provided for real time automatic scoring of physical and operational properties of automatic espresso coffee machines applicable both for a single machine and a network of machines. The scoring scheme includes semantic context based on automatic monitoring of operation process variables and end-user annotations and scoring criteria. The method is decoupled from the coffee machine's controlling apparatus and utilizes a sensory reading device that is able to communicate over standard and proprietary network protocols with sensors and with other devices of the same type over direct, peer to peer or standard network, and Internet connections.

A method and system for monitoring goods placed in compartments of an inventory apparatus and communicating monitored data to user-computing device via a communication network. The method includes storing information pertaining to goods into a database. The method further includes integrating weighing scales at the bottom of each of the one or more compartment. Further, the method includes determining the weight of the one or more goods in each of the one or more compartment through the weighing scales and transmitting the weighed information to the database via the communication network. The method further includes the monitoring the quantitative value and inventory level of one or more goods placed in the one or more compartments through one or more sensors. Furthermore, the method includes the displaying the weighed information and monitored information over the user-computing device communicated through the communication network.

A coffee machine is disclosed having a water system intended to be connected to a water supply system, a filter unit disposed at the inlet of the water system, a pump, a tank disposed in the water system between the filter unit and the pump, a sensor unit disposed in the tank and suitable for measuring at least one quality parameter of the water contained in the tank, a monitoring unit electrically connected to the sensor unit to receive electrical signals that are indicative of the measured water quality parameters, transduce the electrical signals in numerical values and compare the numerical values of the measured parameters with preset threshold ranges, and a user interface operatively connected to the monitoring unit and having an alarm to indicate when a water parameter is out of the preset threshold range.