Combined water dispensers and coffee making devices are disclosed, which include a cabinet configured to house a water bottle in a bottom half of the interior portion of the cabinet; a cold tank that is configured to receive water from the water bottle, which is connected to an evaporator; one or more hot tanks that are configured to receive water (directly or indirectly) from the cold tank, which are connected to a heating coil to heat the water that is contained therein; and a coffee making device located on a top side of the cabinet. The coffee making device receives water from the hot tank, receives a disposable cartridge that contains coffee grinds for a single-serving of coffee, causes water to contact the coffee grinds to produce a coffee beverage, and employs a set of spikes to make water entry and exit apertures in the cartridge.

The invention concerns a brewing unit (3) having a cavity for enclosing a food ingredient contained in a package (C), comprising first (14) and second (15) cavity parts, and fluid injection means (13), characterized in that said first and second cavity parts (14, 15) are hinged in a pivotal arrangement between open and closed positions and in that, when said cavity parts are pivoted in a closed position, the fluid injection means (13) and/or the first cavity part (14) are movable in translation relative to the second cavity part (15), between:a closed unlocked position that allows relative pivotal movement between cavity parts, anda closed locked position wherein said cavity parts are translated in contact with each other to close said brewing cavity, and wherein said injection means (13) protrude inside the brewing cavity to pierce a wall of the portion package.

A system (10) for producing a beverage comprising: a capsule (20) provided with a container body (21) defining a containment compartment adapted to contain therein a dose of a food substance for producing the beverage, which container body (21) comprises a side wall (23) delimiting an access opening (24) to the containment compartment (22) of the food substance, and a bottom, adapted to close the container body (21) at one end thereof opposite the access opening (24), said bottom comprising a bottom wall (26) and a groove (27), said groove (27) being provided with: a base wall (271) delimited by two opposite edges (B1, B2), and two opposite side walls (272a, b) connecting the base wall (271) and the bottom wall (26), each of which originates from a respective edge (B1, B2) of the base wall (271), a machine (30) for delivering said beverage, the machine (30) being provided with an extraction unit (33) comprising a housing seat (331) for the capsule (20), and a cutting element (336), configured to pierce the bottom so as to define a through-hole (F) cutting through one of the edges (B1, B2) of the base wall (271).

A coffee maker includes an injection needle producing a dispersed spray and a rotating brewing chamber. The brewing chamber may include rollers for rotating a brewing cartridge and a centered extraction needle, or may include a rotating cradle including one or more offset extraction needles. The injection needle includes radially oriented ports providing the dispersed spray into the cartridge interior. As the cartridge is rotated, the dispersed spray prevents or reduces the formation of channels or clumping of the brewing material thus providing better extraction of brewed beverage from the brewing material.

The present invention is directed to a kit of at least two capsules (11) each for containing at least one specific food ingredient, the capsules being adapted to be alternatively functionally inserted in the brewing cavity of a food preparation machine (1) for the preparation of a multi-ingredient food product, characterized in that each capsule in the kit (11) comprises at least one deformable portion (17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 38) that is deformed when said capsule is inserted into the machine cavity, and/or when said cavity is closed, so that at least one machine operational parameter is set by detection of the reaction force on the machine cavity by the deformed deformable portion, said kit being further characterized in that different capsules in the kit comprise deformable portions with different predetermined mechanical properties so as to customize the machine brewing functional parameters to each capsule inserted therein.

A cartridge for preparation of a beverage comprising: a closed container defining a container volume; a filter to divide the container volume into an ingredient chamber volume and a filtrate volume; a beverage medium located in the ingredient chamber volume; and a guard element located in the filtrate volume; wherein the guard element is separately-formed from the closed container and located within the filtrate volume to define an outlet zone, the guard element being interposed between the filter and the outlet zone; wherein the guard element is configured to prevent encroachment of the filter into the outlet zone such that on piercing of a piercing surface of the cartridge by a piercing element of a beverage preparation apparatus the piercing element is enabled to be placed in fluid communication with the outlet zone without the piercing element contacting the guard element or filter. Associated methods and systems are also disclosed.

A beverage brewing apparatus for preparing a beverage from a single-serve capsule, the beverage brewing apparatus comprises a capsule holder to receive a capsule in a brewing position, and an injection unit to perforate a capsule in the brewing position and to feed a brewing fluid into the capsule; the injection unit comprises a pair of hollow needles designed to supply respective flow rates different from each other, and an actuator to bring, during a beverage production cycle, only one of the two needles to an operating position, in which the needle perforates the capsule and injects a certain amount of brewing fluid into the capsule.

Described herein includes a puncture mechanism for a beverage appliance or machine that can be configured to puncture a pod containing a beverage medium (e.g., a flavoring agent). The puncture mechanism can be configured to induce lateral movement of one or more engagement members to securely hold a beverage pod. The puncture mechanism can be configured to induce relative axial movement between an anvil and the secured beverage pod to puncture a seal of the beverage pod.

The invention relates to a cartridge housing comprising a diluting means, especially a water supply, a mixing chamber in which the diluting means and a beverage and/or food substrate are mixed, and an outlet. The cartridge housing is fitted with a hollow rod such that the sealing film of the cartridge is pierced as soon as the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge housing, thereby creating the flow connection between the cartridge and a mixing chamber.

The invention relates to a dispenser having a cartridge holder.