An apparatus for preparing a beverage by delivering sanitized liquid within a package containing nutritional ingredients. The apparatus includes a package comprising a product compartment containing nutritional ingredients and a spout arranged for the supply of liquid inside the compartment. The apparatus also includes a machine comprising a control unit and a liquid supply and treatment unit. Methods of production and use thereof are also disclosed.

Cartridges adapted for collecting and supplying single portions of edible substances, the cartridges being adapted for functional connection to apparatus for preparing edible products, such as aromatic beverages, for example espresso type coffee, whereby the cartridges present advantageous configurations of single portions, in particular in the form of previously compacted tablets, and package for collecting these. Systems and processes of operation of systems that include this type of cartridge.

A dispenser (1) of pods (2) for the production of brewed beverages; the dispenser (1) is equipped with a magazine (4) for holding pods (2) arranged in random order, a belt conveyor (9) designed to extract the pods (2) one by one from the storage compartment (4) to feed then to an outlet (16) in a feed direction (15), and an agitator device (10), which cooperates with the conveyor (9) to move pods (2) away from the conveyor (9) and is defined by a rotor having a hub (24), which is rotationally mounted about an axis (25) transversal to the feed direction (15) to rotate in the opposite direction to the belt conveyor (9), and blades (26), which, during rotation, define with the belt conveyor (9) and upstream of the outlet (16), a gap (28) designed to allow pods (2) lying flat on the belt (11) of the conveyor (9) to reach the outlet (16).

Apparatus (1) for preparing a beverage by delivering sanitized liquid within a package (2) containing nutritional ingredients comprising:

a package (2) comprising a product compartment (26) containing nutritional ingredients and a spout (27) arranged for the supply of liquid inside the compartment (26) and
a machine (3) comprising: a control unit (11), a liquid supply and treatment unit (8) comprising an optical irradiation chamber (14) arranged for sanitizing liquid circulating therein and a connection assembly (15) for fluidly connecting the liquid supply and treatment unit (8) with the package (2);
wherein the spout (27) comprises a fluid connector (28), with a liquid inlet (30), insertable through the connection assembly (15) of the liquid supply and treatment unit (8);
wherein the fluid connector (28) is positioned after insertion through the connection assembly (15) in a position of insertion in which the liquid inlet (30) is exposed to the optical irradiation field produced by the optical irradiation chamber (14).

A cartridge dispenser (1) has: a receptacle (10) delimiting a cavity (10) for storing cartridges (2); a cartridge outlet (11) for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges (2), the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges (2) from the cavity (10) to the cartridge outlet (11). The cavity (10) is so dimensioned that cartridges (2) can be stored in bulk therein at random capsule orientations. The transfer device comprises a delivery conveyor that is configured to displace cartridges from the bulk of cartridges towards the outlet and to deliver the cartridges (2) to the outlet (11) via an orientation-discrimination passage (15) which ensures that the cartridges (2) are delivered one at the time to the outlet (11) and that each cartridge (2,2a) that is delivered to the outlet (11) is in the predetermined orientation at the outlet (11).

A device (1) for orienting capsules (C) is described. The device comprises a container (9) for receiving randomly oriented capsules (C), which has bottom wall (11), provided with at least two apertures (17A, 17B). A rotor (13) is rotatingly arranged in the container and above the bottom wall (11). The rotor is provided with capsule receiving pockets (15). Under the apertures of the bottom wall (11), a capsule collector (19) is arranged, for receiving capsules discharged from the capsule receiving pockets (15) through either one or the other of the two apertures (17A, 17B). The capsule receiving pocket (15), the two apertures (17A, 17B) and the capsule collector (19) are shaped and arranged such that the capsules (C) randomly contained in the container (9) exit the capsule collector (19) with a pre-determined orientation.

Automated device to prepare beverages from cartridges includes a beverage extraction unit configured to extract and deliver the beverage from a cartridge that comprises a cartridge feeder chamber configured to contain and supply a plurality of cartridges, a cartridge transfer slider, automatically mobile between at least a cartridge loading position, in correspondence with the cartridge feeder chamber, to receive a cartridge, a beverage extraction position, different from the cartridge loading position, aligned with the beverage extraction unit and a cartridge expulsion position, different from the cartridge loading position and from the beverage extraction position. The cartridge transfer slider has, both in the cartridge loading position and in the beverage extraction position, a cartridge support configuration, and also has, in the cartridge expulsion position, a cartridge release configuration to discharge a used cartridge.

Disclosed is a device for distributing capsules, including a container apt to receive in bulk a plurality of capsules and an ordering assembly placed inside the container, apt to arrange the capsules vertically for subsequent distribution; wherein the ordering assembly includes a rotating helical screw for mixing capsules, mounted on a basket rotating together with it, the basket having an inclined upper wall or slide, such that its height varies gradually from a minimum to a maximum along its periphery, and an open vertical seat apt to accommodate a capsule placed vertically and to distribute it through an opening formed on the bottom wall of the container.

A device for controlled dispensing of capsules containing beverage ingredients, as well as a system and a beverage preparation machine that include the device, are disclosed. Methods of use of the device are also disclosed. In addition, a package for holding beverage ingredients containing capsules is also disclosed.

A device for orienting and feeding capsules in a beverage producing machine includes a container that receives randomly oriented capsules, and a rotor that is rotatable around a rotation axis and is at least partly arranged in the container. The rotor is provided with at least one peripherally arranged capsule-receiving seat that is shaped to pick up a capsule oriented in a univocally determined orientation. Further, a capsule unloading duct with a duct inlet is arranged in the container and extends outside the container. The rotor is arranged to rotate around the rotation axis such to, during use, lift a capsule towards a position above the duct inlet, and the capsule-receiving seat is arranged to release the capsule under an influence of gravity from the position above the duct inlet into the duct inlet.