The machine (10) having a brewing chamber (23) adapted to receive a capsule (I) and a duct (33) for supplying water to the brewing chamber (23), as well as a duct (51) for dispensing beverage from the brewing chamber (23). The machine (10) further having a rotation device (3) adapted to rotate the capsule (10).

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.

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 method for monitoring beverage or foodstuff container consumption comprising: deriving, at a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, container consumption information; updating, using the consumption information, stock state information, wherein said stock state information comprise information detailing an amount of containers at a location of the machine, obtaining at an electronic device external said machine the updated stock state information; and/or receiving, on the electronic device from a remote resource over a network, stock order information, which comprises information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user and; updating the stock state information using said stock order information; and displaying at the electronic device said amount of stock derived from the updated stock state information.

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 present invention relates to a pod-holding device (100) for a beverage dispensing machine. The pod-holding device comprises a first (7) and a second (11) extraction subunit, the first extraction subunit (7) sealingly closing against the second subunit (11) so as to form, when closed, an extraction chamber for the pod, and, when open, allow insertion of the pod between the two subunits (7, 11).

A capsule for preparing a beverage includes a capsule body made by forming a sheet of thermoformable plastic material, the capsule body having: a base wall and a first portion of side wall defining a cavity suitable for containing an initial product to be combined with a fluid to obtain a final product in the form of a beverage, a first opening of the cavity opposite the base wall, an upper edge extending from the first portion of side wall and surrounding the first opening, a second opening of the cavity made in the base wall, in which the first opening is closed hermetically by a covering element fixed to the edge, the covering element being perforable by a dispensing machine in which the capsule is usable, in which the second opening is closed hermetically by a closing element that is suitable for tearing when pressure inside the cavity exceeds a preset value, the capsule further comprising a chamber located opposite the base wall with respect to the cavity and defined by a second portion of side wall and by a bottom wall of the body of the capsule, the chamber being able to communicate with the cavity through the second opening, when the closing element tears, the chamber being provided with a third opening, made in the center of the bottom wall, inside the chamber there being arranged a damping element for controlling the exit speed of the beverage, the damping element is configured in such a way as to move inside the chamber between an initial position and a final position, through the effect of the pressure of the beverage in the chamber.

A cleaning device for cleaning a capsule based beverage system is described. The cleaning device includes a body portion having an open end and configured to be located in the brewing chamber of the beverage system and a reservoir portion located at an opposed end to the open end of the body portion as well as a fluid jet forming portion in fluid communication with reservoir region. The cleaning device also includes a cleaning material holding portion located internally of the body portion for holding the cleaning material spaced apart from the fluid jet forming portion. The cleaning device is configured to allow water under pressure originating from the inlet arrangement of the beverage system to flow into the reservoir portion and to form a fluid jet from the fluid jet forming portion that impinges on cleaning material held in the cleaning material holding portion to create a cleaning solution to clean the brewing chamber and outlet arrangement of the beverage system.

The present invention is a product and method for conveniently cleaning a single cup brewing machine's pod/cup canister. The present invention is also an improved pod/cup that reduces the chance for over pressurization and unwanted explosions during the brewing process. The pod/cup according to the invention is designed in the same general shape and configuration as a pod/cup intended to be used in the machine with a plurality of apertures in the side of the pod. This invention also includes an improved machine canister with a plurality of piercing pins. Still further, the invention includes a new cup puncture device with puncture pins or blades that can be used on the pod prior to insertion into the canister.

Capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, comprising a body (2) comprising at least one compartment for receiving said beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim (4) extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis (I) of said body; a membrane (6) for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim, an optical code (7) containing binary information configured to be read by a camera (11) of a beverage producing device (20), wherein the optical code (7) is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders (7a-7d) and which is inscribed in a circular area (8) concentric relative to the center (O) of the membrane having a radius (R) smaller than the radius (R.sub.0) of the membrane.