Disclosed is a device for distributing capsules with axial symmetry and irregular shape, including: a container apt to receive in bulk a plurality of capsules; an ordering assembly placed inside the container, apt to arrange the capsules vertically; an orientating assembly, apt to receive the capsules from the ordering assembly and to orientate them in a predetermined direction; and a conveying assembly apt to receive the capsules from the orientating assembly and to convey them towards a distribution outlet in a predetermined orientation.

Disclosed is a device for distributing capsules, including a container apt to receive in bulk a plurality of capsules and an ordering assembly placed inside the container, apt to arrange the capsules vertically for subsequent distribution; wherein the ordering assembly includes a rotating helical screw for mixing capsules, mounted on a basket rotating together with it, the basket having an inclined upper wall or slide, such that its height varies gradually from a minimum to a maximum along its periphery, and an open vertical seat apt to accommodate a capsule placed vertically and to distribute it through an opening formed on the bottom wall of the container.

The invention relates to a portion dispenser (2) for dispensing beverage items (8) from an exchangeable cartridge (3) comprising: a frame (4) with a receiving portion (5) for receiving the exchangeable cartridge, a discharge opening (6) next to the receiving portion (5) and sized for allowing a beverage item to be individually discharged by gravity from the 5 exchangeable cartridge, a moving means assembly (16) comprising a moving means (19) and a moving means housing (20) in which the moving means are arranged for moving therein, wherein the moving means (19) are arranged for providing a discharge chamber (23) for discharge of at least one beverage item therein and for transporting to a dispensing area (17) and wherein the moving means assembly (16) is arranged for sealingly 10 connecting with the exchangeable cartridge (3) and comprises means for opening the exchangeable cartridge to allow the discharge of the beverage item in the discharge chamber and for re-closing the exchangeable cartridge.

Beverage portion dispenser 40 for receiving a portioning band 3 containing a plurality of individually sealed beverage precursor portions 2 for the preparation of a beverage wherein the dispenser comprises means 42 for individually collecting and dispensing the beverage precursor portions to a dispensing area, wherein the collecting and dispensing means comprises a portion drive assembly 48 arranged for receiving a part of the flexible portioning band and a separating assembly for individually separating the beverage precursor portions from the portioning band.

Exchangeable cartridge (3) for portion dispenser (1) arranged for storing and dispensing beverage items (8) for the preparation of beverages comprising: an elongated hollowed storage member (7) comprising an interior for accommodating a plurality of beverage items (8), comprising a closed end (9) and an open end (10) comprising an exit opening (11), a closure cap (14) adapted to connect in a removable manner to the elongated hollowed storage member (7) at the open end of the storage member and to be sealed through a removable complementary connection (15) of the storage member (7) and closure cap (14), wherein the closure cap (14) comprises a locking member (26), or respectively keying member, being arranged for complementarily fitting with a keying member (25), or respectively a locking member, of the portion dispenser (1) and for allowing the closure cap (14) to be removed from the elongated hollowed member (7) and to be re-connected to the elongated hollowed member (7).

A cartridge dispenser (1) has: a receptacle (10) delimiting a cavity (10) for storing cartridges (2); a cartridge outlet (11) for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges (2), the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges (2) from the cavity (10) to the cartridge outlet (11). The cavity (10) is so dimensioned that cartridges (2) can be stored in bulk therein at random capsule orientations. The transfer device comprises a delivery conveyor that is configured to displace cartridges from the bulk of cartridges towards the outlet and to deliver the cartridges (2) to the outlet (11) via an orientation-discrimination passage (15) which ensures that the cartridges (2) are delivered one at the time to the outlet (11) and that each cartridge (2,2a) that is delivered to the outlet (11) is in the predetermined orientation at the outlet (11).

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.

A locking brewing device includes a seat body configured to mount a material cup and including a piston chamber with an open end and a closed end, a piston slidably and sealedly arranged in the piston chamber and configured to lock a beverage capsule in the material cup, and a liquid guide piercing tube arranged at a surface of the piston that faces the open end of the piston chamber and being configured to pierce the beverage capsule in the material cup and deliver liquid. The piston and the closed end of the piston chamber form a pressure medium chamber having an opening, and the piston includes a liquid inlet passage in communication with the liquid guide piercing tube.

An apparatus for making beverages comprising; an extraction chamber (6) formed between a first part (12) and a second part (13), which are movable; an insertion duct (18) for insertion of a capsule (2), (3) in the extraction chamber (6), the insertion duct extending from an infeed section (19) equipped with a closing element (20) that is movable between a closed position and a disengaged position, and that is in the closed position when the extraction chamber (6) is closed; and at least one first supporting element (21) positioned upstream of the infeed section (19), for supporting a second capsule (3) outside the extraction unit (5) while a first capsule (2) is positioned at the extraction chamber (6); the first supporting element (21) being mechanically switchable, by one of either the first part (12) or the second part (13) or the closing element (20), from an active configuration in which it can support the capsule (2), (3), to an inactive configuration which it adopts when the first part (12) and the second part (13) are in the extraction position.

A dispensing assembly for a machine for preparing a liquid food product by means of capsules including a casing having an inlet passage, suitable for enabling insertion of a capsule into the dispensing assembly, and an outlet passage, suitable for enabling discharge of the capsule from the dispensing assembly, an infusion chamber which comprises two chamber parts, at least one of which defines a housing for at least partially receiving the capsule, retention elements, for keeping the capsule in a retaining position, essentially coaxial to the two chamber parts, the retention elements being within the casing in an intermediate position between the inlet and outlet passages, to be operative between the two chamber parts when they are in a spaced-apart position, an actuation system, operable for causing relative movements between the two chamber parts according to an actuation axis, between the spaced-apart position and a close position, a guide member mounted at the inlet passage to be displaceable between an inoperative position and an operative position, in which access to the inlet passage is allowed or prevented, respectively, a longitudinally extended pusher member engaged in a respective guide of the guide member, to be displaceable according to a respective sliding axis between a first position and a second position, the sliding axis being generally transverse to the actuation axis when the guide member is in the operative position. With the guide member in the operative position and with the first chamber part and the second chamber part in the spaced-apart position, a displacement of the pusher member from the first position to the second position causes a thrust on the capsule towards the outlet passage, in order to free the capsule from the retention means.