Disclosed is a system for producing a beverage, in particular a cold beverage, comprising a cartridge that has a reservoir filled with a beverage substance, a beverage preparation unit with a cartridge receptacle into which the cartridge can be reversibly inserted, and a cartridge discharge device which causes at least partial transfer of the beverage substance from the reservoir into a mixing chamber; furthermore, the beverage preparation unit comprises a fluid supply which opens into the mixing chamber, or the system includes a movable plunger which is placed inside the reservoir and can be transferred from a starting position into a final position by means of the cartridge discharge device.

The present disclosure relates to a beverage machine for preparing a single serving of a mixed beverage and a capsule for use with the machine. The capsule includes an open shell defining a reservoir for holding ingredients; a lid for sealing the open shell; and, a guide member disposed within the reservoir of the open shell configured to receive a liquid stream injected by an injection needle of a beverage machine when the lid is pierced by the injection needle and to guide the liquid stream to a mixing zone within the reservoir for mixing the liquid stream with the liquid held in the reservoir to prepare a single serving of mixed beverage to be dispensed from the reservoir via a dispensing needle of the beverage machine when the dispensing needle pierces the open shell . . . .

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A brewing material container for a beverage brewer includes a receptacle and a lid. The receptacle is configured to receive and hold beverage brewing material and to be placed in a brewing chamber of the beverage brewer, and includes a base, and a sidewall extending from the base and terminating in an open end. The lid is configured to engage with the open end of the sidewall to at least partially cover the open end. The lid includes a number of lid openings configured to receive a corresponding respective number of injection nozzles of the beverage brewer. The receptacle base and/or the receptacle sidewall includes a receptacle opening configured to allow fluid flow from an interior of the receptacle to an exterior of the receptacle.

Pad for use in coffee machine for preparing at least one part of a single beverage serving. In use, in the coffee machine an aqueous fluid such as water is supplied under pressure to the pad so that the fluid is forced through the pad for obtaining a beverage that then exits the pad. The pad includes a covering with an interior space that is filled with a beverage preparation product for preparing the beverage, which beverage preparation product is a product such as ground coffee extractable with a fluid, such as water. The covering is formed by an optionally disc-shaped first sheet and a rigid shell, wherein the first sheet and the shell around their adjacent perimeter edges are connected to each other. The shell is equipped with at least one outlet, wherein on the interior space of the pad in a bottom of shell a fluid collecting structure is provided, advantageously embodied as channels in fluid connected with the at least one outlet. The pad is equipped with a second sheet that is positioned on the bottom of the shell and covering the fluid collecting structure or the channels. The second sheet is located between the beverage preparation product and the shell, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet each form a filter permeable to a fluid such as water and beverage, which can pass and that forms a barrier for the beverage preparation product so that, when in use, a fluid fed under pressure at the first sheet of the pad flows through the first sheet to the beverage preparation product so that the beverage is formed which then flows through the second sheet and via the fluid collecting structure, such as the channels, and leaves the pad through the at least one outlet opening.

Pad including a covering filled with a soluble beverage preparation product. The covering comprises a flexible first sheet and a rigid shell which are connected to each other. The shell has at least one outlet opening. The pad is further equipped with a flexible second sheet that is positioned on a bottom of the shell located between the product and the shell. The first sheet and the second sheet each form a filter that allows an aqueous fluid, including water, and the beverage to pass and that forms a barrier for the product. The at least one outlet opening preferably has a diameter of a sufficient size for passing beverage substantially unrestricted.

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a beverage preparation ingredient from a pod. The dispensing apparatus comprises a pod support region configured to support a pod, an actuator configured to engage with a corresponding actuator engagement region of the pod, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the pod. The apparatus is configured to cause the actuation member to cause an opening to be formed in a pod supported by the pod support region. The apparatus is further configured to cause the rotation mechanism to cause the pod to rotate about an axis of rotation during a dispensing operation, so as to cause the beverage preparation ingredient to be released from the pod via said opening.

A system for the preparation of a liquid product comprises a disposable cartridge filled with a single serve portion of a liquid ingredient to be combined with a base liquid for the preparation of a liquid product. Further the system comprises a dispensing apparatus with a pressurized gas source, wherein the apparatus is adapted to bring said pressurized gas source in direct communication with the reservoir of the disposable cartridge so as to allow said liquid ingredient therein to be pressurized by said gas thereby assisting the dispensing thereof from the reservoir via said one or more dispensing passages. The system is adapted to create one or more openings in said portion of the sealing film that covers the reservoir. The dispensing apparatus further comprises a pressurization dome member having a peripheral gas seal adapted to sealingly engage the disposable cartridge around a location where said one or more openings are created in said sealing film and the pressurized gas source is connected to said dome member and is adapted to feed pressurized gas beneath said dome member within the contour of the peripheral gas seal sealingly engaging the disposable cartridge, so as to allow said liquid ingredient in said reservoir to be pressurized by said gas via the one or more openings in said sealing film, thereby assisting the dispensing of the liquid ingredient from the reservoir via said one or more dispensing passages.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

A method and system for preparing a beverage or liquid from a food substance contained in a filtering receptacle by passing water through the substance using brewing centrifugal forces. The method includes feeding water into the receptacle, and driving the receptacle in centrifugal rotation to force water to flow through the substance in a centrifugal flow path to the outlet of the receptacle. The system includes equipment necessary to carry out the method. The receptacle is a sealed capsule which is opened for water to be introduced into the capsule, contains a predetermined dose of food substance and is discarded after use.