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 beverage preparation machine comprises a fluid circulation system for a fluid substance, at least one container holder adapted for receiving a corresponding ingredient storage container and at least one fluid processing device which is part of the fluid circulation system. The fluid circulation system further comprises at least one fluid source, at least one fluid pump, at least one fluid heating element and at least one fluid circulation conduit. The fluid processing device comprises a fluid processing body comprising in turn at least one inlet means for introducing the fluid substance into the container for the preparation of a beverage product by mixing of the fluid substance with an ingredient contained in the container. The fluid processing body further comprises at least one outlet means for dispensing the beverage product from the container. At least one movement means is provided for separately moving the fluid processing device and the container relatively one to another between a fluid introduction position and a beverage dispensing position. In the fluid introduction position the fluid processing body protrudes inside the internal volume of the container for introducing therein the fluid substance. In the beverage dispensing position the fluid processing body is at least partially withdrawn from the internal volume of the container to allow dispensing of the beverage product from the container through the outlet means. Preferably, the fluid processing body is a needle-shaped fluid processing body comprising at least one end portion configured for perforating, piercing and/or tearing a specific portion or wall of the container before the introduction of the fluid substance into the container.

A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2) has: a capsule extraction unit (10) having a first part (11) and a second part (12) that are relatively movable between a distant position for inserting a capsule (3) and a close position for extracting such capsule (3); a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) to extract such capsule (3); an outlet (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting such capsule (3) to a user-receptacle (4) located in a receptacle placing area; and a detection arrangement (30) connected to the control unit (40) for detecting the presence of such receptacle (4) in the placing area. The unit (10) has an actuator (13) configured to relatively move the first and second parts (11, 12) between their distant and close positions. The actuator (13) is controlled by the control unit (40) to relatively move the first and the second parts (11, 12) when the detecting arrangement (30) detects the presence of said receptacle (4) in the receptacle placing area.

An apparatus for making a beverage using a capsule (3), (4), wherein, respectively for a first and a second type of beverage selectable, first data and second data are saved which comprise a first and a second supplying start temperature value, a first and a second steady-state supplying temperature value, a first and a second total supplying time and a first and a second activation mode for the pump (16), and wherein an electronic control unit (19) is programmed to cause the supplying respectively of the first and second type of beverage using the first data and the second data for controlling a pump (16) and a boiler (17); wherein the first total supplying time comprises a pre-infusion time, a wait time and an infusion time; and wherein the first activation mode comprises an electricity supply to the pump (16) with an average power that is greater than that in the second activation mode. A capsule is also claimed, which is usable with the apparatus and the system which comprises the apparatus and two different capsules for making two different beverages.

Systems and process for preparing beverages, in particular espresso coffee and similar aromatic beverages, based upon a beverage preparation apparatus that has a beverage preparation device adapted to be actuated between open and closed positions by an actuation disposition that includes an electric motor whose operation can be regulated by a control mechanism, whereby the actuation disposition includes an actuation monitoring mechanism adapted to provide monitoring of the circular movement of a driving cam so that the control mechanism can therewith better regulate the electric power supplied to said electric motor.

Provided is a coffee vending machine including: a plurality of capsule stacking parts arranged in a lattice form to stack capsules therein in a first direction, a capsule feeding unit disposed at the centers of the bottoms of the capsule stacking parts to feed the capsules quantitatively, a coffee brewing part for seating the capsule fed from the capsule feeding unit, feeding water to the capsule, and brewing coffee to be provided for a consumer, and a cup discharging part for discharging a cup in which the coffee is contained to the outside. The coffee brewing part allows the capsule to be seated onto a seating groove when first and second portion seating parts are adjacent thereto or contacted with each other and allows the capsule to be freely fallen through a space formed between the first and second portion seating parts when they are spaced apart from each other.

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).

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.

An apparatus for making beverages using capsules (2) containing a food substance, having at least one image acquisition device (13) suitable for capturing images in electronic format, which show at least one portion of a capsule (2) located in an image capture zone (14) and which operates in the visible spectrum, a lighting device (15) associated with the capture zone (14) for lighting with light in the visible spectrum said portion of a capsule (2), and a detecting device (17) for detecting the presence of a capsule (2) at the capture zone (14) and/or the arrival of a capsule (2) in the capture zone (14), the detecting device (17) being operatively associated with the lighting device (15) for causing the switching of the lighting device (15) from a switched off condition to a switched on condition, depending on the detection of the presence of a capsule (2) at the capture zone (14) and/or of the arrival of a capsule (2) in the capture zone (14).

A system for mixing and dispensing a beverage is provided including a disposable pod containing a solute therein, inflow puncturing cap defining a plurality of spikes extending therefrom, an outflow puncturing cap defining a plurality of puncturing spikes extending therefrom and a translation mechanism for receiving the pod, translating the inflow puncturing cap towards the pod to puncture the pod upper surface and seat the pod proximate the outflow cap spikes. Heated, pressurized solvent fluid is injected into the pod, wherein the solvent and solute mix, causing the pod lower surface to expand against, and be punctured by the outflow puncturing cap spikes. The pod material, and pod thickness may be selected to allow puncture of the pod lower surface after a preferred brewing period has occurred.