A method of delivering a liquid heated to a desired temperature under pressure in a microwave oven uses a device having first and second chambers adapted to receive and hold, respectively, a first and second volume of a liquid, a vapor flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber, and a liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to a destination outside of the second chamber. The first chamber liquid receives less microwave energy per volume than the second chamber liquid receives. The device is placed on top of a receiving vessel and placed into a microwave oven, which is activated until the first chamber liquid boils and at least partially turns into gas, flows through the vapor flow path into the second chamber, and forces some of the second chamber liquid through the liquid/vapor flow path to the destination outside of the second chamber.

The invention relates to a cartridge system (1) for producing a drink in a drink preparation machine, comprising a cartridge (2) that has a reservoir (6) filed with a drink substance (7), and a cartridge receiver (10) that can be reversibly connected to the cartridge, said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a mixing chamber (8) and a cartridge discharge device (34) which causes at least partial transfer of the drink substance (7) from the reservoir (6) into the mixing chamber (8), and said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a fluid supply (12) which opens into the mixing chamber (8). The invention also relates to the cartridge receiver (10) of the cartridge system (1), the drink preparation machine, and the corresponding method for producing a drink (70).

A device for delivering a liquid heated to a desired temperature under pressure in a microwave oven comprises a first chamber adapted to receive and hold a first volume of a liquid, a second chamber adapted to receive and hold a second volume of the liquid, a vapor flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber, and a liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to a destination outside of the second chamber. When the liquid in the first chamber reaches its boiling point and at least partially turns into a gas, at least a portion of the gas flows through the vapor flow path from the first chamber into the second chamber, thereby increasing a pressure in the second chamber. The increased pressure in the second chamber forces the liquid in the second chamber through the liquid/vapor flow path and out of the second chamber.

A capsule is designed for insertion in a centrifugal beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing the liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces. The capsule includes a body having a bottom end and an open end spaced apart in the axial direction, an upper wall for covering the body at the open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction, and an enclosure between the body and the upper wall containing a predetermined amount of beverage substance. The capsule further includes an annular pressure-setting ring configured for adjusting the backpressure in the beverage production device. The pressure-setting ring provides an improved coffee in-cup quality. A set of capsules can have pressure-setting rings of different dimensions for setting different backpressure when engaged in a centrifuging beverage production device.

A portion capsule for producing a beverage. The portion capsule includes a capsule body that has a collar edge and a capsule bottom; a filter element located inside of the capsule body, the filter element is elastic, the filter element has a flange that is attached to the collar edge of the capsule body, the filter element has a bottom; and a cover attached to the capsule body. The bottom of the filter element is spaced apart from the capsule bottom such that a free space remains between the filter element and the capsule bottom. The filter element is spaced apart from the capsule bottom in such a manner that only before a liquid is applied to a beverage substrate, does the filter element not touch the capsule bottom.

A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule.

Systems for controlled heating and/or agitation for liquid food or beverage product creation are disclosed. A dispenser for producing a food or beverage liquid product from a frozen contents in a receptacle includes a chamber configured to hold a receptacle containing the contents and a dilution liquid inlet configured to supply a dilution liquid to the interior of the receptacle. The dispenser also includes a perforator configured to perforate the receptacle and form a product outlet from the receptacle for the liquid product and an agitator configured to impart motion to the receptacle and/or the contents in the receptacle that increases a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by at least a portion of dilution liquid, when supplied, relative to a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by the portion of dilution liquid without the imparted motion.

The invention relates to a cartridge system (1) for producing a drink in a drink preparation machine, comprising a cartridge (2) that has a reservoir (6) filed with a drink substance (7), and a cartridge receiver (10) that can be reversibly connected to the cartridge, said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a mixing chamber (8) and a cartridge discharge device (34) which causes at least partial transfer of the drink substance (7) from the reservoir (6) into the mixing chamber (8), and said cartridge receiver (10) comprising a fluid supply (12) which opens into the mixing chamber (8). The invention also relates to the cartridge receiver (10) of the cartridge system (1), the drink preparation machine, and the corresponding method for producing a drink (70).

The invention concerns a process for preparing a tea in a drinking receptacle with a tea brewing machine, said machine being configured:—to brew tea from a capsule, said capsule comprising tea leaves, by introducing hot water in said capsule and dispensing brewed tea from the capsule in the drinking receptacle, and—to pump and heat water and dispense hot water to the capsule, wherein said process comprises a step of pasteurization of tea leaves inside the capsule before dispensing brewed tea from the capsule inside the drinking receptacle, wherein said pasteurization step comprises the sub-steps of: p1)—introducing hot water in the capsule until all the tea leaves are submerged by hot water inside the capsule and stopping water introduction before tea is dispensed therefrom in the drinking receptacle, then p2) keeping all the tea leaves submerged in hot water during a period of time, wherein the temperature of hot water introduced in sub-step p1) and the sum of the periods of time of sub-steps p1) and p2) before dispensing tea from the capsule are set to pasteurize the tea leaves comprised in the capsule.

A method of delivering a liquid heated to a desired temperature under pressure in a microwave oven uses a device having first and second chambers adapted to receive and hold, respectively, a first and second volume of a liquid, a vapor flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber, and a liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to a destination outside of the second chamber. The first chamber liquid receives less microwave energy per volume than the second chamber liquid receives. The device is placed on top of a receiving vessel and placed into a microwave oven, which is activated until the first chamber liquid boils and at least partially turns into gas, flows through the vapor flow path into the second chamber, and forces some of the second chamber liquid through the liquid/vapor flow path to the destination outside of the second chamber.