A dispensing machine includes an injector for supplying water under pressure to a capsule housed in a housing A dispensing device closes the housing, which includes an annular sealing edge for contacting the capsule in the closed configuration.The capsule includes a casing with base and side walls defining a cavity containing a product to be added to water for obtaining a beverage. A flanged edge extends from the side wall. A covering element closes the cavity. A sealing element, associated with the flanged edge creates a fluidic seal with the sealing edge in the closed configuration. The sealing edge includes radial open grooves and radial crests which contact a sealing area of the annular body. The grooves and crests penetrate more deeply into the sealing area during dispensing, to improve the fluidic seal, when the annular body is softened by contact with injected water.

The invention relates to a single-serve capsule (1) for preparing a beverage in a beverage preparation machine, wherein: the single-serve capsule (1) comprises a base element (2), which has a cavity (3) for receiving a beverage raw material, and a capsule cover (4) sealing the cavity (3); the base element (2) comprises a capsule base (5), a peripheral flange (6), and a capsule wall (7) extending between the capsule base (5) and the peripheral flange (6); the capsule cover (4) is attached to the flange (6) along a sealing plane (8); the flange (6) has a peripheral bulge (9) at its outer free end; a sealing element in the form of a sealing bead (10) pointing away from the capsule cover (4) is provided on the flange (6); the sealing plane (8) extends along the flange (6) on the side of the capsule cover (4), between the bulge (9) and the sealing bead (10); and the sealing bead (10) comprises an inner flank (11) on the capsule wall (7) side and an outer flank (12) on the bulge (9) side; characterised in that the outer flank (12) is oriented at a substantially right angle (α) to the sealing plane and the inner flank (11) is oriented at an angle (β) of greater than 80 to less than 90 degrees to the sealing plane (8).

The present invention relates to a consumable recognition system for recognizing placement and/or type of consumable containing a food substance for the preparation of a beverage by use of a beverage dispenser. To enable the recognition of placement and/or type of consumable in a simple, foolproof and easily implementable way an embodiment of the system comprises a light source (31, 301, 311, 321, 331, 341) for emitting light (35) to the consumable (4a, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90), a light sensor (32 302, 312, 322, 332, 342) for sensing light (36) reflected from a reflection element (42, 52, 63, 73, 83, 93) of the consumable to obtain a sensor signal, wherein the sensor signal depends on the position, orientation, fluorescence, phosphorescence and/or polarization characteristic of said reflection element, and a signal processor (33) for recognizing placement and/or type of consumable based on said sensor signal.

A capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a beverage has an aluminum capsule body and a cover sheet hermetically closing off the capsule. The capsule body has a flange with a deformable sealing ring portion with an inner wall portion extending from and contiguous with an inner base portion of the flange, an outer wall portion extending from and contiguous with an outer base portion of the flange and a bridge portion interconnecting the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion. The bridge portion is located axially spaced from the base portions of the flange. In radial cross-sectional view, a top of the bridge portion axially most remote from the base portions of the flange is flat or has a center plane curved with a radius of curvature larger than two times a wall thickness of the top of the bridge portion.

A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises a source of liquid (2,3) and a dispensing outlet (4) connected via a pump (10) that includes a chamber (11) and a displaceable wall (12) delimiting the chamber (11). The pump (10) further has: an electric actuator (13) driving the displaceable wall (12) for causing an inflow of liquid from the source into the chamber (11) and for causing an outflow of liquid from the chamber (11) to the dispensing outlet (4); and a powering unit (14) that comprises an electric power source (142) and that is configured for supplying power to the actuator (13). The powering unit (14) further comprises: a sensor (143) for measuring an electrical parameter representative of a consumption of power by the actuator (13); and a control unit (144) that is connected to the sensor (143) and to the electrical power source (142) and that is configured to control the power supplied to the actuator (13) by the electric power source (142) as a function of: the measured parameter; and a desired liquid input into the chamber (11) and/or liquid output from the chamber (11), such as a desired flow and/or pressure of the liquid input and/or of the liquid output.

Refillable pod can be reused to brew a beverage with a single-serve brewer. The refillable pod has a funnel at about six O'clock position near the front of the cap to drain the beverage without substantially coming to contact the brewing mechanism. The refillable pod may have a handle which can be used by the user to insert the refillable pod into the brewer so that funnel can be positioned at about six O'clock position within the brewing mechanism.

A beverage-making apparatus includes a water supply heater configured to heat water; an ingredient supplier connected to the water supply heater through a water supply channel; a container connected to the ingredient supplier through a first channel; a first valve configured to regulate a flow through the first channel; and a beverage extractor connected to the first channel at a location between the ingredient supplier and the first valve.

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.

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.

A beverage brewing system which includes a container and a beverage brewing apparatus. The container may include a body portion defining a cavity containing a beverage ingredient. The body portion may be flexible so that when it is unimpeded during a beverage vend is can expand from an initial volume to a maximum volume. The beverage brewing apparatus may support the container and may include an expansion limiter that can limit the expansion of the container during the beverage vend. The beverage brewing apparatus may operate in a first mode whereby the expansion limiter does not impede the container and the container expands from the initial state to the maximum expanded state during the beverage vend. The beverage brewing apparatus may operate in a second mode whereby the expansion limiter impedes the container and prevents the container from expanding to the maximum expanded state during the beverage vend.