ADAPTIVE SERVICE UNIT OF A BEVERAGE MACHINE

Abstract

A machine (1) for preparing a beverage has: a body (1′) comprising a seat (4) and a beverage processing line (1″, 1″′) extending from a liquid inlet (1″) to a beverage dispenser (1″′); and a service unit (10) that is removably received in or on the seat (4) and that comprises a foot part (11) and a recipient part (12) removably received in or on the foot part (11) so as to be supported thereby. The foot part (11) has a bottom face (11′) configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface (100) when the service unit (10) is removed from the seat (4). When the recipient part (12) is received in or on the foot part (11), the recipient part (12) is movable relative to the foot part (11) from a first stable position when the service unit (10) rests on the external horizontal support surface (100) to a second stable position when the service unit (10) is received in or on the seat (4), and vice versa.

Claims

1. A machine for preparing a beverage comprising: a body comprising a seat and a beverage processing line extending from a liquid inlet to a beverage dispenser; and a service unit that is removably received in or on the seat and that comprises a foot part and a recipient part removably received in or on the foot part so as to be supported thereby, the foot part having a bottom face configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface when the service unit is removed from the seat, when the recipient part is received in or on the foot part, the recipient part is movable relative to the foot part from a first stable position when the service unit rests on the external horizontal support surface to a second stable position when the service unit is received in or on the seat, and vice versa, the first and second stable positions being different.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part is moved into: its first stable position by gravity force onto the recipient part and/or a biasing element; and/or its second stable position by mechanical resistance of the seat when the recipient part is urged against a body part delimiting the seat while the service unit is being moved into or onto the seat.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein, when the foot part of the service unit rests on the external horizontal support surface and the recipient part is received in or on the foot part, a first vertical projection of a centre of gravity of the service unit on a plane containing the boundary of the bottom face is contained within the boundary.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein, when the service unit is received in or on the seat and the recipient part is received in or on the foot part and the body rests on the external horizontal support surface, a second vertical projection of the centre of gravity of the service unit on the plane is located off the boundary of the bottom face or closer to the boundary than the first vertical projection.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part and the foot part are articulated and/or translationally connected, when the recipient part is received in or on the foot part.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part is pivotally movable relative to the foot part when the recipient part is received in or on the foot part.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part is fastened to the foot part when the recipient part is received in or on the foot part, optionally the recipient part being fastened to the foot part by at least one of a bias, spring, hook, lock and friction mechanism.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the recipient part is fastened to the foot part by a dismantlable bearing arrangement that guides the recipient part and the foot part for their relative movement.

9. The machine of claim 7, wherein the foot part comprises one or more protrusions that are urged into corresponding recesses of the recipient part and/or wherein the recipient comprises one or more protrusions that are urged into corresponding recesses of the foot part, and wherein such protrusion and corresponding recess are relatively movable by translation and/or pivoting to relatively move the foot part and the recipient part.

10. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part has a recipient bottom that rests on the foot part in the first stable position and that is at least partly lifted away from the foot part in the second stable position, the recipient bottom being tilted upwards and/or translated in the second stable position.

11. The machine of claim 1, wherein the recipient part contains a removable auxiliary recipient, such as an auxiliary recipient that is: configured for collecting solid material and that has a bottom with one or more through openings for allowing the passage of liquid material from the auxiliary recipient to underneath the auxiliary recipient to be collected on a recipient bottom of the recipient part; and/or fitted with a handle for seizing the auxiliary recipient to remove the auxiliary recipient from the recipient part.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the service unit is releasably fastened in the seat, such as fastened by at least one of a bias, spring, hook, lock and friction mechanism.

13. The machine of claim 1, wherein the foot part comprises an upright wall portion that forms part of an outside machine housing, such as an upright wall portion covering the seat, when the service unit is received in or on the seat.

14. The machine of claim 1, which comprises the machine tank and wherein the machine tank is at least one of: removably received in or on the seat when connected to the liquid inlet, optionally the machine tank being insertable into or onto the seat and removable from the seat providing the service unit has been removed from the seat; fitted with a lid movable or removable for filling the machine tank with liquid; and provided with an outlet connector that is connectible to the liquid inlet, the outlet connector and the liquid inlet having for instance a generally horizontal connection and disconnection direction.

15. The machine of claim 1, wherein: the liquid dispenser comprises at least one of: a beverage outlet, such as a beverage outlet fixed to a dispensing head; a dispensing head that can move inwards into the body for storage and outwards out of the body for dispensing, such as a dispensing head bearing a beverage outlet; a control unit for controlling the beverage processing line; and a user-interface connected to a control unit for controlling the beverage processing line and/or the beverage processing line comprises a beverage mixing unit in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the beverage dispenser, optionally the beverage mixing unit comprising a mixing cavity and an ingredient inlet channel for handling an ingredient to be mixed with liquid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein:

[0077] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the side of a machine having a body and a service unit removably received in a corresponding seat of the body according to the invention;

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the inside of the machine of FIG. 1 with the service unit removed from the body's seat;

[0079] FIG. 3 illustrates in cross-section a part of the machine in the state shown in FIG. 1;

[0080] FIG. 4 illustrates in cross-section a part of the machine in the state shown in FIG. 2;

[0081] FIG. 5 illustrates in cross-section the service unit having a foot part and a recipient part in the configuration shown in FIG. 1;

[0082] FIG. 6 illustrates in cross-section the service unit having the foot part and the recipient part in the configuration shown in FIG. 2;

[0083] FIGS. 7 and 8 show the removal of the recipient part from a rear side of the foot part of the service unit of FIGS. 1 to 6;

[0084] FIGS. 9 and 10 show the insertion from a top of the recipient part into the foot part of the service unit of FIGS. 1 to 6;

[0085] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view from above of the recipient part when fastened to the foot part; and

[0086] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the fastening or the recipient part to the foot part as shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0087] FIGS. 1 to 12 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a beverage machine 1 according to the invention and parts of such machine 1.

[0088] Machine 1 is configured for preparing a beverage, such as a beverage prepared from an ingredient selected from at least one of: coffee; tea; chocolate; cocoa; milk; soup; and baby food.

[0089] Machine 1 has a body 1′ comprising a seat 4 and a beverage processing line 1″,1″′ extending from a liquid inlet 1″ to a beverage dispenser 1″′. See FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0090] Liquid inlet 1″ may be connected to a source of liquid, e.g. water, such as a machine tank 2 and/or an external liquid supply line. See FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0091] Liquid line 1″,1″′ can extend via a pump 3 and/or a thermal conditioner 3′ such as a heater and/or a cooler. See FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0092] Machine 1 has a service unit 10 that is removably received in or on seat 4. Unit 10 comprises a foot part and a recipient part 12 removably received in or on foot part 11 so as to be supported thereby. Foot part 11 has a bottom face 11′ configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface 100 when service unit 10 is removed from the seat 4. See FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0093] Seat 4 may be delimited by a platform 4a for supporting service unit 10 in or on seat 4 and/or for guiding service unit 10 into or onto the seat 4. See FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0094] The recipient part can be configured to store un-used beverage ingredient and/or beverage liquid and/or cleaning fluid, to be supplied to the beverage processing line.

[0095] Recipient part 12 can be configured to store used beverage ingredient and/or waste beverage liquid and/or used cleaning fluid, collected from the beverage processing line 1″,1″′. See FIG. 3.

[0096] When recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11, recipient part 12 is movable relative to foot part 11 from a first stable position when the service unit 10 rests on external horizontal support surface 100 to a second stable position when service unit 10 is received in or on seat 4, and vice versa. It being understood that the first and second stable positions are different. See FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0097] Recipient part 12 can be moved into its first stable position by gravity force onto recipient part 12 and/or a biasing element. See FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0098] Recipient part 12 may be moved into its second stable position by mechanical resistance of seat 4 when recipient part 12 is urged against a body part 4″ delimiting seat 4 while service unit 10 is being moved into or onto seat 4. See FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0099] When foot part 11 of service unit 10 rests on external horizontal support surface 100 and recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11, a first vertical projection G1 of a centre of gravity G of service unit 10 on a plane P containing boundary 11″ of bottom face 11′ can be contained within boundary 11″. See FIG. 6.

[0100] When service unit 10 is received in or on seat 4 and recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11 and body 1′ rests on external horizontal support surface 100, a second vertical projection G2 of centre of gravity G of service unit 10 on plane P can be located off boundary 11″ of bottom face 11′ or closer to boundary 11″ than first vertical projection G1. See FIG. 5.

[0101] Recipient part 12 and foot part 11 may be articulated and/or translationally connected, when recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11. See FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0102] Recipient part 12 may be pivotally movable relative to foot part 11 when recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11.

[0103] Recipient part 12 can be fastened to foot part 11 when recipient part 12 is received in or on foot part 11. For instance, recipient part 12 is fastened to foot part 11 by at least one of a bias, spring, hook, lock and friction mechanism. See FIGS. 5 to 12.

[0104] Recipient part 12 can be fastened to foot part 11 by a dismantlable bearing arrangement that guides recipient part 12 and foot part 11 for their relative movement. See FIGS. 5 to 8 as well as 11 and 12.

[0105] Foot part 11 may include one or more protrusions 11a that are urged into corresponding recesses 12a of recipient part 12 and/or vice versa. See FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0106] Whether in foot par 11 or in recipient part 12, such protrusion 11a and corresponding recess 12a may be arranged to be relatively movable by translation and/or pivoting to relatively move foot part 11 and recipient part 12. See FIGS. 5 to 8 as well as 11 and 12.

[0107] Such a protrusion 11a can be formed as a pin and the corresponding recess can be formed as a hole 12a, e.g. a blind hole, or a channel or groove. See FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0108] Recipient part 12 may have a recipient bottom 12b that rests on foot part 11 in the first stable position and that is at least partly lifted away from foot part 11 in the second stable position. Recipient bottom 12b may be tilted upwards and/or translated in the second stable position. See FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0109] Recipient part 12 may contain a removable auxiliary recipient 12c. See FIGS. 2 to 10.

[0110] Auxiliary recipient 12c may be configured for collecting solid material and may have a bottom 12c′ with one or more through openings for allowing the passage of liquid material from auxiliary recipient 12c to underneath auxiliary recipient 12c to be collected on a recipient bottom 12b of recipient part 12. See FIG. 3.

[0111] Auxiliary recipient 12c can be fitted with a handle 12c″ for seizing auxiliary recipient 12c to remove auxiliary recipient 12c from recipient part 12. See FIGS. 5 to 10.

[0112] Service unit 10 can be releasably fastened in seat 4, such as fastened by at least one of a bias, spring, hook, lock and friction mechanism, e.g. by a resilient and/or magnetically configured connection arrangement 4′12c″. Service unit 10 may include a handle 12c″ that forms a service unit connector 12c″ of connection arrangement 4′,12c″. See FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0113] Foot part 11 may have an upright wall portion 11b that forms part of an outside machine housing 1a′, such as an upright wall portion 11b covering seat 4, when service unit 10 is received in or on seat 4. Upright wall portion 11b may delimit a cavity 11b′, such as a cavity between an inner upright wall portion 11b″ and an outer upright wall portion 11b′″. Cavity 11b′ can contain an electric device 11b.sup.IV, e.g. a signal or light emitter and/or a signal or light sensor, which electric device 11b.sup.IV has a wired or wireless connection 11b.sup.v to a control unit 5 of body 1′. See FIGS. 2 to 12.

[0114] Machine 1 may include machine tank 2. See FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0115] Machine tank 2 may be removably received in or on seat 4 when connected to liquid inlet 1″. For instance, tank is insertable into or onto seat 4 and removable from seat 4 providing service unit 10 has been removed from seat 4. See FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0116] Machine tank 2 can be fitted with a lid 2′ movable or removable for filling machine tank 2 with liquid. See FIG. 3.

[0117] Machine tank 2 may be provided with an outlet connector that is connectible to liquid inlet 1″. For instance, the outlet connector and liquid inlet 1″ have a generally horizontal connection and disconnection direction. See FIG. 3.

[0118] Liquid dispenser 1″′ may include a beverage outlet 1.sup.iv. Beverage outlet l.sup.iv can be fixed to a dispensing head.

[0119] Liquid dispenser 1″′ can have a dispensing head that can move inwards into body 1′ for storage and outwards out of body 1′ for dispensing. Dispensing head may bear a beverage outlet 1.sup.iv.

[0120] Liquid dispenser 1″′ can comprise a control unit 5 for controlling beverage processing line 1″,1″′.

[0121] Liquid dispenser 1″′ may include a user-interface 50 connected to a control unit 5 for controlling beverage processing line 1″,1″′.

[0122] See FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0123] Beverage processing line 1″,1″′ can comprise a beverage mixing unit 6 in fluid communication with liquid inlet 1″ and beverage dispenser 1″′. For instance, beverage mixing unit 6 has a mixing cavity and an ingredient inlet channel 6′ for handling an ingredient to be mixed with liquid. See FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0124] Ingredient inlet channel 6′ can have an ingredient gate 6″ that has a configuration that allows an ingredient to travel to the mixing cavity and a configuration that prevents an ingredient to travel to the mixing cavity. See FIG. 2.

[0125] Ingredient inlet channel 6′ and a mixing cavity can be configured for handling a preportioned ingredient supplied within an ingredient capsule.