SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING INDIVIDUAL PORTIONS OF BEVERAGES PRECURSOR

Abstract

The invention concerns a beverage portion dispenser (1) arranged for dispensing beverage precursor portions (3), said portions being individually contained in a flexible portioning band (2), said band being held in a casing (6), said dispenser comprising: a receiving area (11) for receiving and holding the casing (6), a band drive assembly (12) arranged for taking the band (2) out of the casing (6) and for moving successively each sealed beverage precursor portion to a separating assembly, a separating assembly (13) configured to individually separate each portion (3) from the band (2), a collecting chamber (15) configured to store the band separated from the portion, wherein said dispenser comprises: a pushing member (16) configured to push the whole band (2) out of the collecting chamber (15) to the receiving area (11).

Claims

1. Beverage portion dispenser arranged for dispensing beverage precursor portions, said portions being individually contained in a flexible portioning band, said band being held in a casing, said dispenser comprising: a receiving area for receiving and holding the casing, a band drive assembly arranged for taking the band out of the casing and for moving successively each sealed beverage precursor portion to a separating assembly, a separating assembly configured to individually separate each portion from the band, a collecting chamber configured to store the band separated from the portion, and a pushing member configured to push the whole band out of the collecting chamber to the receiving area.

2. Beverage portion dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser comprises a guiding member to guide the band separated from the portion to the collecting chamber.

3. Beverage portion dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the guiding member comprises two rollers arranged to move the flexible band between their rotating surfaces.

4. Beverage portion dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the pushing member is configured to push the whole band to the receiving area.

5. Beverage portion dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the receiving area is positioned below the collecting chamber.

6. Beverage portion dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the collecting chamber is devoid of bottom wall.

7. Casing holding a flexible portioning band, said band containing a plurality of individually sealed beverage precursor portions and said casing comprising a top wall, said top wall comprising a front part and a rear part, wherein: said top wall comprises an aperture, said aperture being positioned in the front part of the top wall, and the rear part of the top wall is configured to be openable under the application of an inwardly oriented force.

8. Casing according to claim 7, wherein the rear part is made of a material that is more fragile than the rest of the casing and/or a part of the rear part is weakened by the removal or the piercing of the material the top wall is made of.

9. Casing according to claim 8, wherein the rear part of the top wall comprises at least one slit extending longitudinally between the rear and the front directions, preferably one slit centered laterally in the top wall and extending between the rear and front directions.

10. Casing according to claim 9, wherein the slit and the aperture are made of the same cut out.

11. System of a beverage portion dispenser arranged for dispensing beverage precursor portions, said portions being individually contained in a flexible portioning band, said band being held in a casing, said dispenser comprising: a receiving area for receiving and holding the casing, a band drive assembly arranged for taking the band out of the casing and for moving successively each sealed beverage precursor portion to a separating assembly, a separating assembly configured to individually separate each portion from the band, a collecting chamber configured to store the band separated from the portion, and a pushing member configured to push the whole band out of the collecting chamber to the receiving area and a casing holding a flexible portioning band, said band containing a plurality of individually sealed beverage precursor portions and said casing comprising a top wall, said top wall comprising a front part and a rear part, wherein: said top wall comprises an aperture, said aperture being positioned in the front part of the top wall, and the rear part of the top wall is configured to be openable under the application of an inwardly oriented force, wherein when the casing is held inside the receiving area, the rear part of the top wall is positioned below the collecting chamber.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the collecting chamber is devoid of bottom wall and the rear part of the top wall forms the bottom of the collecting chamber.

13. System according to claim 12, wherein the rear part of the top wall of the casing is configured to provide a resistance sufficient to support the weight of the band stored in the collecting chamber but not sufficient to resist the pressure of the pushing member when said pushing member pushes the whole band out of the collecting chamber.

14. System according to claim 11, wherein the receiving chamber comprises means to cooperate with the external shape of the casing and guide the introduction of the casing so that the rear part of the top wall of the casing is positioned under the collecting chamber.

15-17. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] Specific embodiments of the invention are now described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:

[0072] FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage dispenser 100 comprising a system according to the invention,

[0073] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the casing during its use and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the casing before its use,

[0074] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of the casing of FIG. 2,

[0075] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of the system of the beverage portion dispenser and the casing,

[0076] FIGS. 5A and 5B are isolated views of parts of the dispenser according to the invention,

[0077] FIG. 5C is an isolated view of the compressing member,

[0078] FIGS. 6A and 6B are isolated views of parts of the dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0079] FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage dispenser 100 enabling the dispensing of a beverage in a drinking cup 5. The beverage dispenser comprises a beverage preparation unit 4 configured to prepare a beverage from a beverage precursor portion.

[0080] The beverage dispenser comprises several beverage precursor portion dispensers 1, each of them being configured to dispense a beverage precursor portion from a casing 6 holding said beverage precursor portions.

[0081] The different beverage precursor portion dispensers 1 can hold different types of precursors, like infusible precursor like roast and ground coffee or different types of roast and ground coffee differing by their origins or treatments (decaffeinated), or soluble precursor like soluble coffee, milk powder, chocolate powder. Some or all of the dispensers 1 can also dispense the same precursors.

[0082] The beverage preparation unit 4 comprises at least one device for contacting the beverage precursor portion with a diluent. Different types of devices can be implemented alone or in combination such as: a jet(s) head, a mixing bowl, a whipper bowl, a brewing chamber.

[0083] The mixing bowl can be a chamber configured to receive the diluent and at least one soluble beverage precursor. It can be designed so as to make an efficient contact of the precursor and the diluent and improve the dissolution of the soluble precursor.

[0084] The jet(s) head can be a nozzle delivering at least one jet of diluent in the mixing bowl.

[0085] The whipper bowl usually comprises a first part which is a mixing chamber configured to receive the diluent and the soluble precursor and a second part comprising a whipper configured to make the mixture of the diluent and the precursor foam.

[0086] The brewing chamber can be a chamber configured to receive an infusable beverage precursor and water. In the brewing process, heated water infuses and extracts flavours from the infusable precursor. The brewing chamber can contain a filter to allow beverage to drain from the infused precursor and water mixture It can be configured to be hermetically closed to receive and hold the diluent under pressure and to retain the infusable precursor.

[0087] The beverage preparation unit 4 can comprise several devices for contacting the beverage precursor portion with a diluent, these several devices can be either identical or different. In another embodiment, the dispenser 1 can be a food dispenser comprising a food beverage preparation unit in place the beverage preparation unit 4.

[0088] As illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, the casing 6 holds a flexible portioning band 3 containing a plurality of individually sealed beverage precursor portions 2, such as the band described in WO 2019/219523 and WO 2019/219524. The casing 6 comprises a top opening 610 from which the band can be pulled out and driven by a driving wheel of the beverage precursor portion dispenser as explained below.

[0089] In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the casing 6 present a parallepipedic shape with a top wall 61 extending longitudinally between a rear end close to the rear wall 65 and a front end close to the front wall 66. The top wall 61 comprises an aperture 610 that is positioned in the front part 61a of the top wall. The flexible band 3 is positioned inside the casing in order to be pulled out form this aperture 610, the first end 31 of the flexible band being positioned close to this aperture in order to be directly accessible and pulled out by the dispenser 1. The rear part 61b of the top wall comprises a thin slit 611. The aperture 610 and the slit 611 are made of the same cut out of the top wall. FIG. 2B shows the presence of tearable cover 613 protecting the aperture ne the slit before the use of the casing.

[0090] In another embodiment the slit in the rear part can be replaced by a tearing line.

[0091] The material the casing is made of can be: [0092] a paper-based structure material such as PBS, PLA, cellulose and combinations thereof. [0093] a laminated paper. The laminate may comprise a seal layer such as PLA, PBA, PBS, copolyester of adipidic acid, 1, 4-butanediol and dimethyl terephthalate (PBAT), polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), poly(vinyl acetate-ethylene) (VAE), poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and combinations thereof. It may comprise an oxygen barrier layer such as EVOH, PVOH, SiOx, cellophane, metal and combinations thereof. An example of laminate can be PLA/EVOH/PLA. In these examples, PLA may be replaced by PBA, PBS, PPS, copolyester of adipidic acid, 1, 4-butanediol and dimethyl terephthalate (PBAT), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), poly(vinyl acetate-ethylene) (VAE), poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and combinations thereof. EVOH may also be replaced by PVOH and/or SiOx. [0094] at least one part of the blank is made of a rigid and/or semi-rigid materials: it could for instance be a fiber based material (solidboard).

[0095] FIG. 4 illustrates the casing positioned inside the dispenser 1 in a status of dispensing operation.

[0096] The casing 6 has been received and is hold inside the receiving area 11 of the dispenser. The casing 6 has been oriented inside the receiving area with the rear wall 65 and rear part 61b of the top wall at the rear inside of the receiving area whereas the front wall and the front part 61a of the top wall remains partly outside the receiving area 11. This orientation of the casing can be facilitated by cooperating shapes of the casing 6 and of the receiving area 11 such as the flange 612 between the rear wall and the top wall if the casing fitting inside the groove 111 on the lateral side of the receiving area.

[0097] The dispenser 1 comprises a band drive assembly 12, a separating assembly 13, a collecting chamber 15, a guiding and compressing assembly 14 and a pushing member 16.

[0098] The band drive assembly 12 is arranged to pull the band 2 out of the casing and to supply it to the separating assembly 13. The band drive assembly 12 comprises a first driving wheel 121a arranged for taking the band 2 out of the casing 6 and a second driving wheel 121b for positioning the band in the separating position, both wheels moving successively each sealed beverage precursor portion from the casing to the separating assembly 13 and then to the collecting chamber 15. The arrows A, B, C illustrate the movement of the band 2 in the dispenser.

[0099] Each driving wheel or drum 121a, 121b is provided with a plurality of portion receiving cavities 1211 arranged in circumferential alignment formed in the outer annular surface of the driving wheel or drum. The wheels are driven in rotation in a stepwise fashion by corresponding driving members. Each wheel is mounted around an axle of transversal axis. The receiving cavities 1211 are individually dimensioned and arranged at distance one another so as to match with the distance between the neighboring beverage portions of the band. As the portions are captured by the receiving cavities 1211 moving step-wisely, the portioning band 3 is progressively withdrawn from the casing 6 and moved to the separating assembly 13 and then to the collecting chamber 15.

[0100] The separating assembly 13 is configured to individually separate each beverage precursor portion 2 from the band 3.

[0101] The separating assembly essentially comprises a cutting tool 131 The cutting tool is arranged for at least partially cutting an opening in the band 3 about the forefront sealed portion 3a present in the portion drive assembly.

[0102] An extracting member can be provided to assist the removal of the portion from the receiving cavity after the cutting operation took place. Such member may be a pushing member or other equivalent means such as a vacuum extraction means that pulls the portion from the receiving cavity rather than push it outside. The extracting member may also be optional.

[0103] FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views illustrating two sides of the driving wheel 121b that supports and moves the band 3 and that simultaneously receives the portions in cavities 1211. In order to firmly hold the band 3 and the portion 2 inside the cavities, the band drive assembly comprises pairs of retaining arms 1212 on the lateral side of each cavities. These retaining arms are designed to stick the band 3 to the surface of the driving wheel 121b, in particular by gripping the lateral edges 32 of the band positioned on the lateral sides of the cavities. In FIG. 6A, the part 33 of the band is hold in a cavity that is positioned at the separation position of the dispenser meaning in the position facing the cutting tool 131 in order to be cut (as illustrated in FIG. 4). During the operation of cutting, the band 3 may be torn and the retaining arms prevent the band 3 from leaving the path defined by the wheel or from rotating under the effect of the cutting tool, as a result cutting is facilitated too.

[0104] The dispenser comprises a portion collecting means 17, such as a chute and the like, arranged for gently receiving and transporting by gravity or otherwise (e.g. air pressure), the beverage portion 2 to a beverage preparation unit 4 as illustrated by the downwardly oriented arrow D.

[0105] The band guiding assembly 14 is arranged to guide the band separated from the portion 2 and then to introduce said band 31 inside the collecting chamber 15.

[0106] In the illustrated embodiment, the band guiding assembly comprises two rollers 14a, 14b rotating in opposite directions, the roller 14 a rotating clockwise whereas the roller 14b rotates counterclockwise. The second driving wheel 121b is arranged to drive and introduce the first end of the band 2 between the surfaces of the two rollers with the result that: [0107] first, the band is pulled by the two rollers and introduce in the downstream collecting chamber 15, and [0108] secondly the parts of the band that were designed to contain the beverage precursor portions and that presented a certain volume are simultaneously compressed between the surface of the rollers which has the effect of reducing the volume of the band introduced inside the collecting chamber 15.

[0109] The surfaces of the two rollers can present a surface designed to firmly hold the band and avoid the band to slide, for example at least a part of these surfaces can be covered with a rubber material.

[0110] The two rollers present the advantages of close the inlet of the collecting chamber for the flexible band and prevents the band from bending and extending out of the collecting chamber which may jam the dispenser.

[0111] The band compressing assembly can alternatively comprise any other means enabling the compression of the empty parts of the band like a piston squeezing said parts at a compressing position of the band downstream the separating position and upstream the collecting chamber according to the direction of the band.

[0112] The collecting chamber 15 is configured to store the band from which the beverage precursor portions are separated and that is compressed.

[0113] This collecting chamber is devoid of bottom wall. The bottom of this chamber opens in the receiving area 11 and, when the casing 6 is in the receiving area which is mandatory when a band is being pulled out of the casing and processed in the dispenser, then the rear part 61b of the top wall of the casing forms the bottom of the collecting chamber and consequently supports the band 2 as long as the operation of collection of this band happens. As more and more beverage precursor portions are dispensed and the band 2 is driven and compressed and collected, the collecting chamber 15 becomes more and more full, yet the rear part 61b of the top wall remains sufficiently strong to support the weight of the band.

[0114] The pushing member 16 is configured to push the band 2 out of the collecting chamber 15 when all the precursor portions have been separated from the band and the whole band has been compressed and driven inside the collecting chamber 15.

[0115] The pushing member 16 is configured to move and designed to collect the whole band during its movement in direction of the receiving area as illustrated by the arrow G. The pushing member 16 is particularly designed so that its movement enables the opening of the rear part 61b of the top wall of the casing which facilitates the introduction of the band 2 inside the casing 6.

[0116] FIG. 5A is an isolated perspective view of the collecting chamber 15 and the receiving area 11 of the dispenser of FIG. 4, the casing being removed therefrom. Due to the absence of wall at the bottom 151 of the collecting chamber, when the pushing member 16 is moved according to the direction of the arrow G, the first free end 160 of the pushing member is able to pass through said bottom and enter the receiving area 11 where the casing is hold. As illustrated in FIG. 5C, the pushing member is a lever configured to rotate around a horizontal axis 161 cooperating with its second fixed end. A motor 162 and cooperating gears 163 enable the rotation of the lever.

[0117] The free end 160 of the lever comprises three teeth and the surfaces of the rollers 141a, 141b comprise three grooves arranged to enable the passage of the three teeth during the movement of the pushing member. As a result, the free end of the lever is able to swipe the whole volume of the collecting chamber including the tiny space between the rollers. If a part of the band is placed in this space, it is collected by the lever during its rotating movement. In addition the teeth can easily tear the rear part end 61b of the front wall of the casing when they reach the bottom 151 of the collecting chamber. If this rear part end 61b is provides with a central slit 611 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the two lateral teeth put the lateral sides of the slit aside which opens a large aperture at the slit position and the central teeth pushes the band through said large aperture. The band is totally repacked inside the casing 6.

[0118] Preferably the rear part 61b of the casing is made of a material that does not bend completely under the pressure of the lateral teeth and that can recover its original shape when the pushing member is removed.

[0119] Although the invention has been described with reference to the above illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not limited in any way by these illustrated embodiments.

[0120] Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.

[0121] As used in this specification, the words comprises, comprising, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean including, but not limited to.

LIST OF REFERENCES IN THE DRAWINGS

[0122] beverage precursor portion dispenser 1 [0123] receiving area 11 [0124] groove 111 [0125] band drive assembly 12 [0126] driving wheel 121a, 121b [0127] cavity 1211 [0128] retaining arms 1212 [0129] separating assembly 13 [0130] cutter 131 [0131] positioning wheel 132 [0132] guiding and compressing assembly 14 [0133] roller 141a, 141b [0134] groove 1411 [0135] motor 142 [0136] collecting chamber 15 [0137] bottom 151 [0138] pushing member 16 [0139] free end 160 [0140] axis 161 [0141] motor 162 [0142] dispensing chute 17 [0143] beverage precursor portions 2 [0144] flexible portioning band 3 [0145] compressed band 31 [0146] lateral edge 32 [0147] band in cutting position 33 [0148] beverage preparation unit 4 [0149] cup 5 [0150] casing 6 [0151] top wall 61 [0152] aperture 610 [0153] slit 611 [0154] flange 612 [0155] cover 613 [0156] lateral walls 62, 63 [0157] bottom wall 64 [0158] rear wall 65 [0159] front wall 66 [0160] beverage dispenser 100