A portion capsule for producing a beverage. The portion capsule includes a capsule body that has a collar edge and a capsule bottom; a filter element located inside of the capsule body, the filter element is elastic, the filter element has a flange that is attached to the collar edge of the capsule body, the filter element has a bottom; and a cover attached to the capsule body. The bottom of the filter element is spaced apart from the capsule bottom such that a free space remains between the filter element and the capsule bottom. The filter element is spaced apart from the capsule bottom in such a manner that only before a liquid is applied to a beverage substrate, does the filter element not touch the capsule bottom.

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.

A cleaning apparatus for a beverage preparation machine comprises at least one fluid processing device comprising a fluid processing body provided with an outflow portion for the outflow of a cleaning fluid. The fluid processing body comprises at least one of the following means: inlet means for introducing a fluid substance into a container for the preparation of a beverage product by mixing of the fluid substance with an ingredient contained in the container; outlet means for allowing the outflow of the beverage product from the container once the fluid substance is introduced into the container and is mixed with the ingredient. The cleaning apparatus further comprises a cleaning device comprising a cleaning body, which in turn comprises one or more movable elements defining a chamber for housing at least a portion of the fluid processing body, and movement means for moving the one or body are dimensioned and shaped such that, in the active position, the one or more movable elements enclose at least a portion of the fluid processing body in the chamber, such that the cleaning fluid can circulate in a space between the fluid processing body and the one or more movable elements when said cleaning fluid is ejected from the outflow portion of the fluid processing body. In the inactive position the one or more movable elements are moved away from the fluid processing body, such that the fluid processing body and the container can be functionally connected together for the preparation of the beverage product and/or the outflow of the beverage product.

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).

Machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2), such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food, wherein the machine comprises a capsule recognition module (8) for recognizing a type of a capsule (3) inserted in the machine (1), the capsule recognition module (8) comprising a light source (82) for lighting at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) and an optical sensor (81) for sensing an optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3); and wherein the capsule recognition module (8) is configured to: determine a correction value of the optical property by sensing the optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) while said light source (82) is switched off; determine at least one sample value of the optical property by sensing the optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) while the light source (82) is switched on; calculate a corrected sample value with the correction value and the at least one sample value; determine a type of the capsule by comparing the corrected sample value with at least one reference value, the at least one reference value being representative of a type of capsule.

A beverage preparation apparatus for preparation of a beverage from a capsule in a clamp assembly (30). The clamp assembly has a first clamp member (31) and a second clamp member, where the inner surfaces of the first clamp member and the second clamp member form a clamp chamber (33) for substantially enclosing and supporting a capsule (10) during beverage preparation. The second clamp member comprises a rigid peripheral frame (32) having a central void and a resilient layer (37) extending across said central void. There is a piston (36) positioned in the central void and resiliently coupled to the peripheral frame (32) to allow limited resilient movement of the rigid peripheral frame (32) relative to the piston (36).

A capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a potable beverage. The capsule comprises an aluminum capsule body having a side wall and an outwardly extending flange. The capsule is hermetically closed by an aluminum cover attached to the outwardly extending flange. The capsule further comprises a sealing member at the outwardly extending flange for providing a fluid sealing contact with an enclosing member of a beverage preparation device. The capsule further comprises an elastic support structure, which is attached to an outer cover surface of said cover. In a condition, in which the capsule is freely resting with said elastic support structure on a fully straight reference surface, the elastic support structure provides a spacing between the outwardly extending flange and said reference surface, said spacing being constant all around in the circumferential capsule direction.

A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule.

A capsule is designed for insertion in a centrifugal beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in the capsule by introducing liquid in the capsule and passing the liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces. The capsule includes a body having a bottom end and an open end spaced apart in the axial direction, an upper wall for covering the body at the open end along a direction transverse to the axial direction, and an enclosure between the body and the upper wall containing a predetermined amount of beverage substance. The capsule further includes an annular pressure-setting ring configured for adjusting the backpressure in the beverage production device. The pressure-setting ring provides an improved coffee in-cup quality. A set of capsules can have pressure-setting rings of different dimensions for setting different backpressure when engaged in a centrifuging beverage production device.

A pack (100) having an inner volume in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored and in which a food or beverage product is produced when a fluid is introduced inside, said inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges and said inner volume presenting a generally plane shape defining a plane (P) essentially vertically oriented during beverage production, said pack (100) comprising at least one fluid inlet (110) for supplying a fluid in the inner volume and at least two dispensing outlets (120, 130) for delivering the food or beverage product from said inner volume, said fluid inlet (110) and said dispensing outlets (120, 130) being positioned at the bottom of the pack (100) and being at least partially positioned between two joined edges of the sheets of material, the fluid inlet (110) being oriented essentially perpendicularly to the plane (P) defined by the inner volume, the dispensing outlets (120, 130) being arranged in the vicinity one with respect to the other and being configured presenting a sufficient section to enable a flow of the food or beverage product form the pack (100).