A unit for the preparation of beverages by brewing a dose of a product to be brewed, including at least one brewing chamber provided with a receptacle for the dose and with an injection circuit for injecting water into the receptacle, the brewing chamber being topped by a movable tray provided with an orifice adapted to be selectively placed opposite a mouth of the receptacle of the brewing chamber, so as to open or close the brewing chamber depending on the position of the orifice, the brewing chamber comprising a sealing element configured to ensure a sealed contact between a peripheral area of the mouth of the brewing chamber and a lower face of the tray.

A system for making beverages comprising a brewing unit (2) and a capsule (4) containing a powdered food substance (5), the capsule (4) comprising an outer casing (6) and a recognition element (11) placed inside the outer casing (6), wherein the brewing unit (2) comprises a first piercing unit (17), a lighting device (26) associated with the first piercing unit (17) for lighting the recognition element (11), a detecting device (13) configured to detect a return light radiation from the recognition element (11), and supplying means for supplying hot water inside the capsule (4) inserted in the infusion chamber (3), wherein, moreover, the hot water supplying means are configured to supply the hot water inside the capsule (4) at a reading surface (12) of the recognition element (11) towards which the lighting device (26) and the detecting device (13) are directed in order to execute a cleaning step for cleaning the recognition element (11) if the capsule is not recognised.

A machine (1) has a unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet (36) a beverage. The machine includes: an outside housing (30) with one or more outside faces (30a,30a′,30b,30c,30d); and at least one placement member (30e) for resting onto a generally flat external support surface (5) in a configuration such that the unit is in an orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via the beverage outlet (36) to a beverage dispensing surface (5,37). At least one placement member (30e) is movable and has: a deployed placement position providing a stability of the unit in this orientation on the external support surface (5); and a retracted rest position within the outside housing (30) or collapsed against the outside housing (30).

Beverage preparation device (1) for preparing a beverage from a beverage dose (2) comprising: —a brewing unit (3) for receiving the dose (2) and preparing a beverage from the ingredients contained within the dose and pressurized liquid injected in the dose, —a pressure pump (4) for supplying pressurized liquid to the brewing unit (3), —beverage dispensing means (5) connected to the brewing unit and comprising a beverage injector (6) arranged for dispensing the beverage through a bottom (8) of a beverage receptacle (7); wherein the beverage dispensing means (5) comprises a residual beverage draining valve (9), between the beverage injector (6) and the brewing unit (3), which is arranged to be moved between a beverage dispensing position and a residual beverage draining position, wherein the residual beverage draining valve (9) and/or the beverage receptacle (7) comprise valve activation means (10) arranged to move the draining valve between a beverage dispensing position in response to the engagement of the bottom of the receptacle with the beverage injector and a residual beverage draining position in response to the removal of receptacle from the beverage injector (6).

A beverage making machine having a cartridge holder with an upper portion movable in pivotal and/or linear ways relative to a lower portion. An actuator for the cartridge portion may include a handle-actuated spur gear and link to move the upper portion, which may be guided in movement via a cam and cam follower engagement. Information from a cartridge detector may be used based on movement of cartridge holder portions, e.g., as an upper portion moves from an open position to a closed position. A mixing chamber may be held by a drawer so as to be removable, and movement of the drawer may engage/disengage the mixing chamber from a fluid supply.

The present invention discloses an apparatus (1) for preparing beverages, in particular aromatic beverages such as espresso coffee and similar, from the brewing of a single portion (2) of a respective edible substance, whereby said apparatus (1) comprises a portion collection disposition (3) adapted for collecting said single portion (2) of edible substance and a beverage discharge (5), and is advantageously configured so as to simplify the actuation of respective portion collection disposition (3), and to be operated in portable manner, for example in the form of a compact apparatus, recipient, or transported, for example in the form of backpack, or trolley, along a given distance autonomously relative to external energy sources. The present invention further discloses a process for distribution of beverages by means of a beverage preparation apparatus.

The present invention relates to a capsule beverage extraction device for extracting a beverage using a capsule including powder, the device being characterized by including: a pump for supplying room temperature water; a boiler configured to heat the room temperature water supplied from the pump and convert the room temperature water into hot water; a first extracting part for supplying hot water to a capsule and extract the beverage; a second extracting part provided beside the first extracting part and configured to supply hot water to the capsule and extract the beverage; a first flow passage for supplying hot water to the first extracting part from the boiler; a first valve for selectively opening/closing the first flow passage; a second flow passage for supplying from the boiler to the second extracting part; and a second valve for selectively opening/closing the second flow passage.

A dispensing system (40) includes a body (54) having an outer wall (64) defining a volume for storing a substance, the outer wall (64) having a top end (66) and a sealed bottom end (70). The top end (66) is covered by a flexible lid (56) that is attached to the body (54). The lid (56) has a press portion (88) for being engaged to move the lid (56) from a first position into a second, deflected position. A post (58) is connected to the lid (56) and is configured in the second position of the lid (56) to breach the sealed bottom end (70) forming a dispensing orifice (80) to accommodate movement of a substance out of the body (54). In one form, the outer wall (64) includes at least one bottle stop projection (218) defining one or more vent channels (219).

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 beverage machine may have a first brew chamber for forming larger, multi-serving beverages, and a second brew chamber for receiving beverage cartridges to form single-serve beverages. Aspects relating to relative positioning of the brew chambers and associated components are described herein. The beverage machine may include a user interface that displays different selection options based on which of the two brew chambers is being used to form a beverage. The beverage machine may include a handle that may be manipulated by a user to both open a brew chamber and to remove a brew basket from the brew chamber. The beverage machine may include a liquid reservoir that removably couples to the machine housing at different discrete positions. The beverage machine may include a liquid supply lid that may be removably coupled to the housing.