A device for producing a brewed beverage comprises a brewing chamber which has an inlet for hot water and an outlet, the outlet being coupled to a closing element by which the outlet can be opened or closed. The brewing chamber has a lateral opening on which a capsule containing an extraction material can be placed in a sealed manner in order to produce a fluid connection between an interior of the capsule and an interior of the brewing chamber. An edge of the lateral opening forms a plane that is oriented at an angle to a vertical plane.

A brewing device for producing a beverage from two differently sized capsules; the brewing device comprising two parts opposite and mutually movable between an open or loading position of a capsule and a closing or brewing position, one of the two parts defined by a cup-shaped body formed by a first portion and by a second portion defining between them a seat designed to receive the capsule during a movement of the cup-shaped body towards said closing position; the second portion designed to slide with respect to the first portion between a smaller seat position and a larger seat position due to the interaction with the larger capsule during the movement of the cup-shaped body towards the closing position; and a blocking device provided to define, in the closing position, a constraint to keep the second portion still only when the second portion is in the normal smaller seat position.

A method of using a portion capsule for producing a beverage. The method includes providing an apparatus including a barcode reader, the apparatus including a pump adapted to supply heated water; loading the portion capsule into the apparatus; piercing the foil lid; reading a barcode on the portion capsule with the barcode reader; determining whether the read barcode agrees with a stored reference; and activating the pump to push heated water into the portion capsule only upon a determination that the read barcode agrees with the stored reference.

A portion capsule for producing a beverage includes a base element having a cavity in which a beverage raw material is provided and which is closed by a membrane fastened to the base element.

A beverage system for producing a beverage. The beverage system includes a portion capsule and a beverage machine. The portion capsule includes a lid sealed to a base element having a cavity within which a beverage raw material is provided. The base element has a circumferential flange having a top side and a bottom side with a barcode located on the bottom side. The beverage machine includes a detector to read the barcode, a media chute configured to receive and support the portion capsule, and a pump controlled to push water into the portion capsule only upon a determination that the read barcode agrees with a stored reference.

A beverage preparation machine (1) has: an extraction unit with a closed configuration for extracting a capsule (2) therein and an open configuration for removing the used capsule (2) therefrom; and a service unit (10) located under the extraction unit (20) and forming a receptacle having a collection cavity (11) for collecting the used capsule (2) and residual liquid projections (3) from the extraction unit (20). The service unit (10) has an upright wall (130) delimiting at least one through-passage (131) for favouring air circulation from inside the cavity (11) to outside the machine (1). The through-passage (131) is angled away from the direction of the liquid projections from the extraction unit (20) so as to inhibit the passage of the liquid projections through the through-passages.

An apparatus for preparing a beverage from capsules, including a liquid supply system (12) comprising a water reservoir (14) and a pump (16), an extraction block (8) comprising an injection block (9) including an injector head (28) and a housing (40), and an extraction mechanism (6) comprising a capsule holder (10) configured to receive a capsule. The injector head comprises an injection plate (27) having plurality of inflow injectors (34) with internal liquid channels (37) configured to pierce through a lid (30) of a capsule (26). The injector head comprises a water inlet (42) connected to the water reservoir (14) and an actuating mechanism (50) configured to displace the injector head between an open position whereby the capsule can be inserted or removed from the extraction block to a closed position whereby the injector head is sealingly closed against the capsule holder.

A brewing module for a beverage-preparing machine includes a housing and first and second module parts. The housing has a capsule insertion opening through which the capsule can be inserted. The brewing module parts are movable relative to one another to form a brewing chamber in a first position. After movement from the first position to a second position a capsule located in the brewing chamber falls downward into a capsule container by the action of gravity while, in the second position, the brewing module parts cause a capsule inserted through the capsule insertion opening to be stopped vertically above a height of the brewing position at a capsule detection position. In a third position, a capsule at the capsule detection position can fall downward from the capsule detection position, substantially to the height of the brewing position. The second position is between the first position and the third position.

A capsule processing machine (1) for preparing a beverage from a capsule (5) having a body (50) containing an ingredient and a peripherally projecting flange (51) comprises: a capsule holder (10) with an upwardly oriented mouth (12) for receiving the capsule (5) via the mouth (12) so that the capsule flange (51) extends generally in parallel to the mouth (12); a capsule transfer device (30) having a capsule guide (31) for guiding the capsule (5) from the capsule holder (10) to a used-capsule evacuation area (40). The capsule guide (31) comprises a pair of facing slides (311, 312) having each a holding section (311a, 312a) configured to hold the capsule (5) between the slides (311, 312) under the flange (51) and hold the capsule (5) above the capsule holder (10). The capsule transfer device (30) comprises a capsule mover (35) for moving the capsule (5) from the holding section (311a, 312a) to the used-capsule evacuation area (40).

A capsule processing machine (1) for preparing a beverage from a capsule (5) having a body (50) containing an ingredient. The machine (1) has a holder (10) with a cavity (11) having an upwardly oriented mouth (12) and a cover (20) cooperating with the holder (10). The cover (20) and the holder (10) are relatively movable along a movement path (14) from: an open position for inserting the capsule (5) inbetween the holder (10) and cover (20) into the cavity (11) and/or for removing the capsule (5) therefrom; to a closed position for extracting the capsule (5) in the cavity (11). The machine (1) includes a capsule transfer device (30) having a capsule guide (31) for guiding the capsule (5) from the holder (10) to a used-capsule evacuation area (40). The capsule guide (31) extends along an evacuation direction (31) and is configured to seize the capsule (5) and hold the capsule (5) above the holder (10) and to guide the capsule (5) towards the evacuation area (40) along the evacuation direction (31). The movement path (14) and the evacuation direction (31) are at an angle (1,2,3,4) favouring a movement of the capsule (5) under the effect of gravity along the capsule guide (31) towards the evacuation area (40). The capsule guide (31) is tillable during the relative movement of the holder (10) and the cover (20) from the closed position to the open position to reduce the angle (1,2,3,4) so as to increase the effect of gravity for moving the capsule (5).