A brewer system includes a reservoir, a steep chamber movable relative to the reservoir and positioned over a mouth of the reservoir, and a filter tape positioned between the chamber and the reservoir. Brewing substance and water are added to the chamber to form a brewed beverage that passes through the filter tape and into the reservoir through the mouth.

A beverage extraction device includes a mesh member, a cover member that is movable between a first position and a second position; a scraper portion, an upper end portion of which is pivotally supported by the cover member with a lower end portion of the scraper portion being swingable along a vertical direction, that takes a basic attitude in which the lower end portion is positioned lower than the upper end portion under a normal condition, the lower end portion being configured to slide on the mesh member when the cover member is moved from the first position toward the second position; and a contact member configured to come into contact with the scraper portion sliding on the mesh member to cause the scraper portion to take an attitude in which the lower end portion swings upward when the cover member approaches the second position.

A system for brewing a desired portion of a beverage, such as a single-cup portion of coffee, is provided. The system may have more than one brew module. The system allows a user to quickly and easily brew a variety of types of single-cup portions of a beverage. In some embodiments, the system may brew a single-cup portion of coffee in a relatively short period of time based on a combination of certain parameters. The system may include an automatic cleaning mechanism such that a user does not need to manually clean components of a brewing machine between brew cycles. The system may also include apparatus configured to substantially prevent steam from reaching grinder components of the system. The system may also include apparatus configured to provide a precise dose of material based on, for example, volume of the material. Methods and apparatus for brewing a beverage are also disclosed.

A brewing unit for making espresso (ES) and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, wherein the brewing chamber of a brewing assembly is supplied with water by a constant-frequency pump, and communicates with a first ES coffee outlet conduit, controlled by a calibrated valve, and a second FB coffee outlet conduit via a three-way COV (contact-operated) switch valve, which is formed in a compression piston for closing the brewing chamber, and is designed to be set to a normal open position, in which the first and second outlet conduit and a delivery manifold communicate with one another, and to switch, in use and in opposition to a spring, to a closed position, in which the second outlet conduit is closed, and the first outlet conduit communicates with the delivery manifold.

A beverage machine for producing coffee-based beverages includes a pump supplying pressurized water; a heater heating the water; a brewing chamber, which is fillable with coffee powder; piping in fluid connection with the pump, heater and brewing chamber for conducting pressurized water into the brewing chamber; and a dispensing device dispensing coffee-based beverage produced in the brewing chamber by brewing the coffee powder with the water. The piping has a first feed pipe between the pump and heater and a second feed pipe between the heater and brewing chamber. The second feed pipe has at least a first valve. A cooler is arranged in the second feed pipe downstream of the first valve for cooling water heated by the heater, to enable production of coffee-based beverages having different temperatures, in particular temperatures below 50 C., which allow pouring the produced beverage into a bio-degradable cup made of polylactic acid (PLA).

The present invention relates to an automatic system for dispensing and pressure-brewing food substance, especially ground coffee, comprising a brewing device and a replaceable container with food substance to be brewed, the brewing device being provided with a seat with means for cutting the lid of the container and adapted for receiving containers with finely divided food substance, which seat is connected to a dispensing assembly that guides the food substance through a feeder to the brewing assembly, characterized in that the brewing device comprises a dispensing assembly which is arranged horizontally with respect to the vertical axis of the seat (1) and which is provided with a feeder, preferably a screw feeder (15), actuated by a motor (8), wherein a feeder outlet (17-1) leads directly to a brewing assembly equipped with a brewing chamber (5) to which leads an assembly (23) for feeding hot pressurized water by means of a stationary rear piston (4) equipped with a shower element (22) in the form of a strainer for conveying hot water, and wherein the brewing chamber is provided with a front piston (3) actuated by a movement of the brewing chamber (5) body by means of a motor (7), which front piston (3) has a surface configured for evenly distributing hot water under the strainer (25) which has spatial embossments to improve water flow, and the front piston (3) further comprises a check valve (24), behind which there is a spout conduit (9) discharging a brewed infusion, whereas the food substance container is made of biodegradable material and preferably contains ground coffee. Furthermore, disclosed is a method of dispensing and pressure-brewing a finely divided food substance using the system defined above.

A process for preparing coffee in a dispensing apparatus is described, the apparatus (1) having a feed chute (6) mounted on the supporting frame (2) and being able to rotate with respect to said frame in order to feed the ground coffee to the infusion chamber (3), wherein the feed chute (6) and the infusion chamber (3) are positioned so as to obtain a desired distribution of ground coffee in the chamber (3).

A method for making a coffee beverage with a filter-coffee taste uses a coffee machine that has a brewing unit with a brewing chamber and a plunger which is movable in the brewing chamber and is intended for setting a brewing-chamber volume. The brewing chamber is filled with ground coffee and water is fed into the brewing chamber for the purpose of extraction in the course of a brewing process. During at least one brewing phase, the plunger is arranged so that the volume of the brewing chamber is greater than the volume of the ground coffee in a loosely filled state in the brewing chamber after filling with coffee. The brewing process comprises several brewing phases, in which water with different flow rates is made to pass through the ground coffee. The change between the brewing phases is performed by measuring instruments detecting and/or determining a physical variable.

A process for preparing coffee in a dispensing apparatus is described, the apparatus (1) having a feed chute (6) mounted on the supporting frame (2) and being able to rotate with respect to said frame in order to feed the ground coffee to the infusion chamber (3), wherein the feed chute (6) and the infusion chamber (3) are positioned so as to obtain a desired distribution of ground coffee in the chamber (3).

Within a brewing unit for a coffee machine, a brewing chamber, which is arranged in a pivotable brewing cylinder, can be filled with ground coffee powder by using a filling device. For the purpose of introducing the coffee powder, the brewing chamber has a filling opening. With the aim of avoiding undesired deposits of grounds in the region of the upper side of the brewing unit, and also of improving levels of hygiene, a projection extends in the filling direction outside the brewing chamber, wherein the projection is such that the exit region of the filling device is introduced with the formation of an interspace between the projection and a side wall of the exit region such that the projection substantially fully surrounds the exit opening of the exit region. Coffee powder supplied in the filling device drops from the exit opening of the exit region, directly through a through-opening of the projection and the filling opening, into the brewing chamber without striking against the projection.