A beverage preparation machine includes a thermal conditioning device, such as a heater or cooler. The thermal conditioning device contains a control unit for controlling a start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device from a temperature of inactivity to an operative temperature. The control unit includes a controller with a start-up profile for starting-up the thermal conditioning device, and the start-up profile has at least one parameter. The controller has a self-learning mode for adjusting the at least one parameter. A temperature sensor is connected to the controller for measuring a temperature of the thermal conditioning device. The self-learning mode causes the controller during a start-up phase to: calculate a ramp value representative of a rate of change in temperature during the start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device; adjust the at least one parameter as a function of the adjusted ramp value; and use the adjusted at least one parameter for a remainder of the start-up phase.

System (1) for intermittently dispensing portions of a hot milk-containing beverage component or beverage, comprising a flow channel (30) extending from a water inlet (31) to a dispensing outlet (32), the flow channel (30) being provided with a milk concentrate inlet (33) upstream of the dispensing outlet (32) and a thick film heater (18) upstream of the milk concentrate inlet (33), wherein the system comprises: water temperature determination means (34) configured to determine, e.g. estimate and/or measure, a water temperature at or upstream of a water inlet (35) of the thick film heater (18); and a controller (36) configured to control the thick film heater (18) in dependence of a water temperature determined by the water temperature determination means (34).

A beverage preparation machine is provided and includes a heater (1) for heating up a supply of liquid from a supply temperature to a beverage preparation temperature, in particular an in-line heater and/or a heat accumulation structure such as a thermoblock; and a control unit (2) for controlling the supply of liquid and the heater so that the heater is energized to reach and be maintained at an operative temperature (RUN) for heating up the supply of liquid to the beverage preparation temperature during beverage preparation. The control unit is further arranged so that the heater is energized to reach and be maintained at a reduced temperature (ECO) out of beverage preparation.

Method and machine for preparing beverages, in particular infusions, such as coffee or tea, having a liquid supply source supplying a liquid, in particular water, an infusion chamber and an infusion circuit, which connects said supply source to said infusion chamber; the machine having an infusion circuit with a heat exchanger and a dispensing assembly, which is configured to heat the liquid at a predetermined temperature that is lower than the boiling temperature of the liquid, for example at approximately 90, before the infusion of the liquid itself on the inside of the infusion chamber.

Automatic coffee machines have very low thermal efficiency because they have to heat a considerable thermal mass, constituted by the heater 3) appearing in FIG. 1, which has a weight generally ranging between 0.5 and 1 Kg of metal, typically consisting of aluminum. Said mass is used to stabilize the temperature of the water to be injected in the blend of coffee. In this configuration, 90% or more of the thermal energy is wasted. The energy saving coffee machine, the subject matter of the present invention, is instead constructed with a heater 3), appearing in FIG. 4, that has a thermal mass much lower than the mass of the liquid to be heated, and is typically constructed with metal tube 30), as shown in FIG. 4, weighing a few grams. The heating current 41) in FIG. 4 flows directly on said tube, heating it together with the water contained therein, while a very rapid temperature control circuit makes it possible to maintain a constant temperature of the water flowing through the heater 3) shown in FIG. 4. Temperature measurement is carried out by monitoring the resistance of the tube 30) shown in FIG. 4, at the times in which the heating current 41) is not passing through the latter. In this manner, high energy efficiency is obtained, in that the dispensing of the coffee begins immediately upon pressing the start push button 48) and the machine is kept completely switched off between the dispensing of one cup of coffee and the next.

A controlled system for brewing infused beverages that includes an infused beverage brewing assembly operably configured to receive infusion beverage parameters that include a dispensed solvent volume and a total infusion time utilized in an infusion algorithm generating a solvent flow rate change that is a function of the dispensed solvent volume and the total infusion time. The system also includes a solvent flow management system having a pump operably configured, based on the infusion algorithm, to generate an infused solution and includes an electronic control system communicatively coupled to the solvent flow management system and operably configured to initiate a counter associated with the inducement of the flow of the solvent to generate a running infusion time and execute the infusion algorithm to generate a solvent flow rate change sufficient to provide a remaining infusion volume in a remaining infusion time based on the input parameters.

An infused beverage brewing assembly that includes a solvent flow management system (SFMS) operable to receive a solvent and then at least one of modulate and maintain a flow of the solvent independent of a back pressure within a brewing chamber for housing a solute disposed to receive the solvent to produce an infused beverage, wherein the SFMS is in fluid communication with the brewing chamber through at least one solvent conduit, the assembly including an outlet for discharging the infused beverage and having an electronic control system communicatively coupled to and operable to selectively modulate the SFMS to at least one of modulate and maintain the flow of the solvent upstream of the brewing chamber and downstream of the SFMS independent of the back pressure without the use of a feedback mechanism for monitoring the flow of the solvent.

An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined volume of a warm liquid includes a heater, a pump and a temperature sensor sensitive to the temperature of the liquid upstream of the heater. A controller is arranged to receive upstream temperature data from the temperature sensor, calculate the amount of energy required to reach a desired final temperature, energize the heater for a calculated period of ON time, and dispense liquid for a calculated period of time that is at least partly contemporaneous with the calculated period of ON time. After the heater has been de-energized, the dispensed liquid removes residual heat so that the average temperature after dispensing the predetermined volume is the desired final temperature.

A drinks preparation machine includes a preparation module for preparing a brewed drink from water and from an extraction material or extract and further includes a display device. The machine is configured to permit a user to make the setting of a first drinks quantity before a start of the drinks preparation, and after the start, during the drinks preparation, to permit the adjustment of a remaining drinks quantity, which is different from zero, via the operating element.

A coffee brewer contains a brewing unit in which coffee grounds having been poured in are compressed by a plunger driven by an actuator. Heated water flows through the compressed coffee grounds. A control device controls the actuator in accordance with signals of an angle of rotation sensor. The control device first moves the plunger against a stop in an ejection position to calibrate the sensor, then moves the plunger by a predetermined distance in a downwards direction into a pouring-in position. Afterwards the control device moves the plunger by a second distance into the brewing position, a length of the predetermined distance and the second distance corresponds to a number of pulses of the sensor which are stored in the memory. The control device subsequently moves the plunger by a third distance back into the ejection position in which the coffee grounds are removed from the plunger.