A beverage preparation apparatus for preparation of a beverage from a capsule in a clamp assembly (30). The clamp assembly has a first clamp member (31) and a second clamp member, where the inner surfaces of the first clamp member and the second clamp member form a clamp chamber (33) for substantially enclosing and supporting a capsule (10) during beverage preparation. The second clamp member comprises a rigid peripheral frame (32) having a central void and a resilient layer (37) extending across said central void. There is a piston (36) positioned in the central void and resiliently coupled to the peripheral frame (32) to allow limited resilient movement of the rigid peripheral frame (32) relative to the piston (36).

A container assembly includes a container, a plunger assembly including a plunger, a lid including a lid lever connected to actuate the plunger of the plunger assembly, and a housing disposed in the container and configured to receive mixing media. The lid and the plunger may define a fluid chamber. The plunger assembly may include a rod connected to the lid and the housing. The rod may include an internal fluid passage providing fluid communication between the housing and an opposite end of the rod. The rod may include at least one aperture disposed proximate the end of the rod. Rotation of the lid lever may cause rotation of the rod and translation of the plunger. Translation of the plunger may cause fluid disposed between the plunger and the housing to flow into the housing via at least one inlet port of the housing.

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.

Described is a system for roasting, grinding, brewing and dispensing coffee comprising a grinding and infusion assembly comprising a tubular extraction sleeve, infuser head and blade grinder, wherein the system further comprises a first seal, being a linear shaft seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and inner surface of the extraction sleeve during extraction of the coffee grounds; a second seal, being a static seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is not rotating and in the retracted position; and a third seal, being a rotary shaft seal for preventing the movement of coffee grounds between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is rotating in the extended position.

A capsule-detecting module for a brewing module for preparing a brewed drink from a single-serve capsule, including: an optical sensor, especially a camera, for detecting optical properties of the capsule located in a capsule detection position; a capsule detection window made of a transparent material and arranged between the capsule detection position and the camera; and a module cover that closes an access opening and is designed to be opened and/or removed without using any tools, the side of the capsule detection window facing the capsule detection position being accessible through the access opening when the module cover is open or removed.

The invention relates to a brewing device having two separate brewing chambers, comprising two capsule receptacles and two closure elements for the two brewing chambers, and a gearing for the actuation of the two closure elements, the gearing comprising a common drive element, and two output elements for the two brewing chambers.

An apparatus for making beverages using capsules (2) containing a food substance, including an extraction unit (3) in which an openable extraction chamber (4) is made, an infeed section (9) for a capsule (2), a feed path (10) for the capsule (2) in the apparatus (1) from the infeed section (9), and at least one image acquisition device (12) operating in the range of visible light, positioned along the feed path (10) outside the extraction chamber (4), and designed, in use, when the capsule (2) is positioned in an image capture zone (13) located along the feed path (10), to capture images of at least an identification portion (14) of the capsule (2) on which a graphical element (15) is present and visible; the image acquisition device (12); an electronic processing unit (20) is connected to the image acquisition device (12) and is programmed to selectively enable or not enable the making of a beverage by performing the following operating steps based on a comparison between a first image detected by the image acquisition device (12) and one or more reference images saved in the apparatus (1).

A beverage capsule includes a side wall, extending between a bottom end and a top end, and a flange, which is arranged at the top end of the side wall. The side wall defines an interior of the cup and the flange defines an opening towards the interior of the cup. The cup includes a plurality of deformable stacking notches, which outwardly protrude from an outer surface of the side wall. The notches are inwardly deformable to a deformed state, upon introduction of a radially inward force, and the notches are, in the deformed state, substantially flush with the outer surface of the side wall. A capsule for brewing a beverage includes a stackable cup, a beverage ingredient, and a foil configured to cover the opening of the cup and to seal the interior of the cup.

A capsule for preparing a beverage comprises a substantially rigid capsule body with a circumferential wall and a base wall that border an inner space filed with a beverage ingredient. An open filling side of the capsule at an end of the circumferential wall opposite the base wall is covered with a lid of fluid tight material. The lid is provided with a preformed outlet opening suitable for draining the prepared beverage from the inner space when the capsule is used in a beverage preparation device. The outlet opening is fluid tightly closed by a removable cover element extending over at least part of the lid.

A compostable lid intended to seal a beverage capsule is provided. The lid is composed of a multilayer complex successively comprising a non-woven material wherein at least 50% by weight of the fibers are composed of polylactic acid (PLA), an adhesive layer suitable for coming into contact with food, and a support layer composed of a vegetable parchment.