A beverage system for making a beverage, including: a single-serve capsule including: a base element with a cavity, in which a raw beverage material is provided; a flange extending outwardly from the base element, the flange comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side; and a cover that is fastened to the top side of the flange to close the cavity, the cover is made of a different material than the base element; the single- serve capsule is free of a filter; the capsule has an identifier, which makes it possible to individualize the respective single-serve capsule, the identifier comprises a barcode that is provided on the bottom side of the flange; and a beverage machine including: a sensor/detector configured to read the barcode, a media chute configured to receive and support the single-serve capsule, and a pump controlled to supply water into the single-serve capsule.

A capsule for preparation of a beverage includes a container and a beverage ingredient contained therein. The container includes a code adapted for being identified or read by external reading means, and the code is arranged on the container to be read while the capsule is rotated around an axis of rotation traversing the capsule.

A capsule for use in a brewing device is provided, comprising a body part, which defines a cavity and which has a flange, a lid which is attached to the flange and tea material enclosed within the capsule, characterized in that the shape of the flange is defined by two intersecting circular arcs when viewed from above. A brewing device which comprises a capsule holder for receiving the capsule is also provided, the capsule holder comprising a sidewall which is circular when viewed from above and which has an upper rim, a shelf on at least part of the inside of the sidewall, a filter and an openable and closable passage on the opposite side of the filter from the upper rim. A method of preparing a tea-based beverage in the brewing device using the capsule is also provided.

The present invention relates to a portion capsule for producing a beverage, comprising a basic element having a cavity in which a raw beverage material is provided and being closed by a membrane fastened to the basic element.

The present invention relates to dispensing of a substance from a container by means of a dispensing apparatus. Specifically, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to (1) a container and (2) the automated method for opening such container and (3) the automated method of dispensing of the contents from such container into a customer receptacle or glass.

A method for the optical recognition of capsules for hot beverages machines comprises the steps of introducing a capsule in a machine, stimulating the capsule by an exciting optical signal emitted by a light source, reading a feedback optical signal by an optical reader, acquisition of the values of the frequency and/or the time frame of the feedback optical signal, determining the fulfillment of predetermined conditions on the values of the frequency and/or the time frame. On the basis of the step of evaluating there is then a step of blocking the normal operation of the machine or a step of pursuing the normal operation of the machine.

A die-cut lid for closing a container is formed from a flexible composite sheet material. The lid comprises a functional area bearing human-readable and/or machine-readable data. One or more rigidifying indentations are provided on the lid to promote flatness of the functional area in a resting state of the lid. The one or more rigidifying indentations can be in the form of one or more encircling indentations that border the functional area; and/or a planar indentation that encompasses the functional area.

A beverage system for making a beverage that includes a single-serve capsule and a beverage machine. The capsule has a flange and a barcode on a bottom side of the flange. The beverage machine includes: a sensor/detector to read the barcode; a brewing chamber to receive the capsule; and a pump controlled to supply water into the capsule. The machine includes: a mandrel to pierce the cover in a region that is offset from the central axis; a seal that seals against the cover in a region between a peripheral edge of the flange and the region of the cover that is pierced by the mandrel; a pair of holding arms for engaging the capsule; and a dropping box for the capsule to fall into. The pump is controlled to push the water into the capsule only upon a determination that the read barcode agrees with a stored reference.

A beverage pod is provided. The beverage pod includes an outer shell, a filter, and a shelf. The outer shell has a bottom layer, a lid opposite the bottom layer, and side walls between the bottom layer and the lid. The bottom layer is operable to be breached by a brewing pin from a beverage brewing machine. The filter forms a chamber operable to contain a beverage material. The beverage material is operable to mix with a liquid to form a beverage. The shelf supports a shape of at least a portion of the filter. The shelf forms a receiving portion operable to receive the brewing pin. The receiving portion has substantially a toroidal shape.

A beverage-ingredient container to be used in the preparation of a beverage by a beverage dispensing apparatus. The container has a first optical code on the first surface of the container, wherein the first optical code is positioned on a first surface to be read by an optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus when the container is received by the apparatus in a first orientation, and a second optical code on a second surface of the container, wherein the second optical code is positioned on the second surface to be read by the optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus when the container is in a second orientation. The first optical code and the second optical code each stores container-related information including a container identifier which, when read by the optical scanner of the beverage dispensing apparatus, can be used by the beverage dispensing apparatus to control beverage preparation.