The invention relates to a system for preparing beverage, including a second and first exchangeable capsule and an apparatus including a first brew chamber part having a cavity for holding one of the first and second capsules, and a second brew chamber part for closing the first brew chamber part and having an extraction plate for abutting against an exit face of the hold capsule, and including a central and a peripheral portion, the central portion being axially movable relative to the peripheral portion from a first position to a second position, the apparatus including a locking mechanism for locking the central portion in the first position when the cavity holds the first capsule. The invention also relates to an apparatus, a method and a capsule.

A coffee maker and coffee holder cooperate to tamp coffee in the coffee holder. The coffee holder may include a top tamping spring, a bottom tamping spring, or a top or bottom passage allowing entry of a tamper into the coffee holder. The coffee maker includes an actuator above or below the coffee holder, or a fixed tamper attached to a ceiling or platform of the coffee maker. The coffee holder may be inserted between the ceiling and platform, or into a moving drawer of the coffee maker. The actuator may be a solenoid actuator or a hydraulic actuator actuated by water pressure of heated water used for brewing.

Brewing device for producing a beverage from capsules of two different sizes; wherein the brewing device has an inlet sized to allow the insertion of a larger capsule, arranged according to a given orientation; a clamping retaining device movable to and from a normal closed configuration, in which it defines a seat suitable to retain the capsule; a cover arranged to close the inlet and movable to and from an open position, in which the inlet is accessible from the outside for loading a capsule; and an adapter mounted to move, when the cover is in the open position, between an inlet disengagement position and an inlet engagement position, in which it reduces the inlet area to allow a smaller capsule to be fed to the retaining device according to a given orientation.

The invention relates to a beverage preparation apparatus comprising a housing and brewing apparatus that is arranged in said housing and is intended for extracting a single-serve capsule of a first and a second type, which capsule contains a beverage substrate, wherein: a single-serve capsule of the first type has a greater axial length than a single-serve capsule of the second type; the brewing apparatus comprises a first brewing chamber element and a second brewing chamber element; the first brewing chamber element and the second brewing chamber element can be moved relative to one another along a predefined and substantially horizontal path from a loading position, in which the first brewing chamber element and the second brewing chamber element are mutually spaced apart, into an extraction position, in which the first brewing chamber element and the second brewing chamber element form a substantially closed brewing chamber and in which a brewing process can be carried out; the first brewing chamber element comprises a cavity provided for receiving the single-serve capsule; the cavity is axially delimited by a base element that can be adjusted in the horizontal direction between a starting position and a second position; the cavity has a larger volume in the second position than in the starting position; the first brewing chamber element has a blocking apparatus that can be actuated by the single-serve capsule and/or the second brewing chamber element; the blocking apparatus is provided to block, in the starting position or in the second position, a movement of the base element in the horizontal direction away from the second brewing chamber element.

A multi-mode beverage brewer includes a body, a brewing chamber in the body configured to receive beverage brewing material, a flow controller in the body, a selector, and a tray. The flow controller is configured to control a flow of water to the brewing chamber such that in a first mode a first quantity of water or in a second mode a second quantity of water is provided to the brew chamber. The selector is configured to actuate the first mode or the second mode of the flow controller. The tray is configured to support a brewed beverage container to receive a brewed beverage from the brewing chamber. The selector is configured as a magnet and a magnetic sensing element. One each of the magnet and the magnetic sensing element is arranged in the body and in the tray.

A multi-mode coffee maker facilitates switching between a carafe mode and a single cup mode. The coffee maker includes switches for selecting the amount of coffee brewed, a drip valve normally closed to prevent dripping and opened by insertion of a carafe or a single cup adapter into the coffee maker, and a hot plate for maintaining the temperature of coffee in the carafe, the hot plate independent switchable on and off. An upper edge of the carafe, and an arm reaching from the single cup adapter, engage a lever opening the drip valve. The hot plate may be manually turned on and off, or the single cup adapter may cooperate with a switch in the coffee maker to turn the hot plate off.

A capsule adapter (1) is described, for use in a beverage producing machine. The capsule adapter comprises: a capsule receptacle (3) for housing a capsule (C) and having an apertured bottom wall (3B); a first piercer (19) arranged in the capsule receptacle (3); a cover (5) for closing the capsule receptacle (3), the cover having at least one water-inlet port (37); a second piercer (27) arranged on the cover (5). The capsule adapter is configured for being introduced in a brewing chamber of a beverage producing machine, with a capsule housed therein.

A brewing process for operating a brewing apparatus, the process comprising the steps of: providing a data set corresponding to a selected recipe; said data set including operating values for any one or a combination of water temperature data, flow rate data and pressure data; commencing the brewing process; adjusting the temperature, flow rate or pressure of the machine so as to correspond with the data set.

An adjustable brew head linkage includes a brew head linkage element, a handle linkage element, and an adjusting element between the brew head linkage element and the handle linkage element to smoothly increase and decrease the distance between the brew head linkage element and the handle linkage element to alter the size of a corresponding brew chamber to accommodate various brew pods. The brew head linkage element and/or handle linkage element may include a threaded portion to engage the adjusting element. Turning the adjusting element causes deflection. Threaded portions may have opposite handedness or different pitches. A secondary brew head linkage locking element provides friction to lock the adjusting element in place. The adjusting element increases and decreases the distance between the head linkage and the handle linkage in increments smaller than 0.178 millimeters ( 7/1000 inches).

This invention relates to a disposable single serving coffee pod brewing device that includes upper and lower brew chambers, forming a pod holding chamber therein, a diffuser device that disseminates the incoming hot water to the outer periphery of any located beverage pod, and a kicker assembly formed in the bottom brew chamber, that supports the beverage pod during a brewing cycle, and then achieves its discharge into a waste or other bin following a brew cycle.