A self-propelling container having: a top; a bottom; a plurality of vertical walls extending between the bottom and the top; an inner bag for holding contents to be dispensed; a female coupling configured to receive and establish a friction seal with a male coupling of an external device for inserting or extracting the contents to or from the container after the friction seal is established between the female and male couplings; and at least one independent panel positioned inside the container; a compressible element associated with the at least one independent panel wherein during filling of the inner bag the compressible element is compressed, thus causing the at least one independent panel to exercise pressure onto the inner bag, and thus, helping to empty the inner bag.

A machine (10) for inhibiting pathogenic agents during the preparation of beverages based on breast-milk substitutes and/or powdered products or the like is described, comprising: a water line starting from a water tank (3) and ending with at least one water outlet; at least one tank (1) for the powdered preparation, adapted to contain a powdered preparation or the like; said tank (1) being refillable; a compartment (4) adapted to at least partially accommodate said at least one tank (1); at least one hopper element (6) comprising a first inlet (12) adapted to receive the water coming out of said water tank (3) and the powdered preparation delivered by said at least one tank (1) for the powdered preparation and a delivery mouth (13) for delivering the water and preparation mixed, characterized in that: said at least one tank (1) for the powdered preparation can be removably inserted in said machine (10) for preparing a beverage; and in that said hopper element (6) can be coupled with and decoupled from the machine (10); said hopper element (6) comprising a closing element (17) operated to slide between a working position, wherein it does not allow to deliver the water and preparation mixed from said hopper element (6), and an open position, wherein the delivery of the water and preparation mixed from said hopper element (6) is allowed; said closing element (17) being connected to a control unit configured to make said closing element (17) switch from the working position to the opening position once the inner temperature of the liquid inside the hopper element (6) has exceeded a first threshold value and has dropped back down below a second threshold value, said first threshold value being equal to 70°, said second threshold value being equal to 35°.

A system and method for determining the consumption by an infant of beverages produced from capsules in a beverage production machine. Capsule information regarding a plurality of different types of capsules is stored in a server. Further at least one user account including personal information about the infant consuming beverage produced from capsules is stored in said server. A beverage is produced from a capsule and the capsule used therefore by the beverage production machine is identified. The information on the identified capsule is transmitted to the server; such information including at least the date and time the beverage is prepared.

A method for making and dispensing coffee-based beverages in machines includes increasing the water temperature inside a boiler and assembly to achieve preheating with to adjust the delivered thermal power. The method includes three dispensing steps. Preheated water at a selected temperature achieves a pre-infusion in a preset time or water volume without pressure in the hydraulic pump, wherein the coffee powder is only wet. Next, the coffee powder is infused by means of the use of a logic unit that manages the volume of dispensed water by a volumetric meter and at a preset, constant pressure as a function of the ground coffee and dispensed product weight. An amount by volume of water is dispensed and calculated to achieve a selected and preset brew ratio. Finally, post-infusion is achieved in which the hydraulic pump is deactivated for a time needed to reach by weight the programmed dose of dispensed product.

A dispenser cartridge (1) for a drinking-water dispensing system (2), by means of which at least partially carbonated drinking water can be discharged from an outlet element (3) of the drinking-water dispensing system (2), wherein the dispenser cartridge (1) is provided and set up for introducing a dispenser substance (4) into the drinking water, wherein the dispensing cartridge (1) comprises a mount (5) for an exchangeable dispensing capsule (6) comprising the dispenser substance (4), wherein the dispensing capsule (6) can be held in the mount (5) in such a manner that at least a part of the drinking water flows through or around at least a part of the dispensing capsule (6), and wherein the dispensing cartridge (1) is set up in such a manner that it can be detachably installed in the outlet element (3) of the drinking-water dispensing system (2).

The invention refers to a pack (10) for preparing food or beverage products comprising: at least one container (10′) having an inner volume where at least one base ingredient for the preparation of the food or beverage product is stored, said inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges; a fitment assembly (20) through which the food or beverage product is delivered, and identification means (30) comprising the information on the food or beverage product to be prepared; wherein the identification means (30) are arranged at least on one side of the edges of the container with respect to the fitment assembly (20), the identification means (30) being further arranged in the vicinity of said fitment assembly (20).

A beverage machine that brews beverages from a beverage pod is described. The pod is container with a top surface and a bottom surface connected by a sidewall that form a cylinder. The pod contains whole brewing elements that can be ground into sub-elements by the brewing system for brewing into a beverage. The pod is actuatable between an open state and a closed state by a breaking system of the beverage machine. In the closed state the brewing elements are contained and in the open state the elements are released. The pod includes a failure mechanism on the sidewall that is engineered to fail when the pod is actuated by a breaking mechanism of the beverage machine. When actuated the failure mechanism fails such that the beverage pod can be pulled into a top portion and a bottom portion to release the brewing elements.

The invention relates to a meal preparation assembly for preparing meals for infants, that includes a first culinary preparation module, such as a mixing module, and a connection base (8; 8′) for at least the first module (6; 4′, 6′), the base being adapted to be supplied with electrical energy and including an electrical connector (90; 90′, 92) in order to connect the first module in a removable manner and to transfer the electrical energy to the first module when it is connected, this electrical connector (90; 90′, 92) being retractable. The assembly includes a second steam cooking module (4, 4′) which is separate and distinct from the first module (6; 6′) and the base includes a user interface.

The invention relates to a meal preparation assembly for preparing meals for infants, that includes a first culinary preparation module, such as a mixing module, and a connection base (8; 8′) for at least the first module (6; 4′, 6′), the base being adapted to be supplied with electrical energy and including an electrical connector (90; 90′, 92) in order to connect the first module in a removable manner and to transfer the electrical energy to the first module when it is connected, this electrical connector (90; 90′, 92) being retractable. The assembly includes a second steam cooking module (4, 4′) which is separate and distinct from the first module (6; 6′) and the base includes a user interface.

Apparatuses related to a beverage system. The system includes a piercing apparatus that includes an inner ring composed of a rigid material and an outer ring composed of a flexible material that encompasses the inner ring. The outer ring has an upper portion disposed above the inner ring that has a greater range of motion than the outer ring that encompasses the inner ring. The piercing apparatus further includes a piercer composed of a rigid material that is connected to the inner ring by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner ring. The plurality of arms define a plurality of openings between the arms. The outer ring includes a protrusion that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer ring.