BEVERAGE MACHINES WITH MODULARITY

Abstract

The invention relates to a beverage machine (1) having an external housing (10) and a plurality of movable beverage preparation modules (20, 30) that are configured to process a beverage and/or a beverage ingredient to be dispensed via at least one beverage dispensing outlet (25) to a user-cup or user-mug (2). The housing (10) has a front opening (10) and forms a cavity (10) for housing the modules (20, 30). The or each movable module (20, 30) is insertable as a unit into an operative position into the cavity (10) and removable out of the cavity (10) via the front opening (10), such as movable along a substantially horizontal direction into and out of its operative position. The or each movable module (20, 30) is insertable as a unit into the cavity (10) into its operative position and removable out of the cavity (10) via the front opening (10) independently of the presence inside the cavity (10) of any other movable beverage preparation module (20, 30) in its operative position.

Claims

1. A beverage machine having an external housing and a plurality of movable beverage preparation modules that are configured to process a beverage and/or a beverage ingredient to be dispensed via at least one beverage dispensing outlet to a user-cup or user-mug, the housing having a front opening and forming a cavity for housing the modules, the movable module being insertable as a unit into an operative position into the cavity and removable out of the cavity via the front opening, the movable module is insertable as a unit into the cavity into its operative position and removable as a unit out of the cavity via the front opening, independently of the presence inside the cavity of any other movable beverage preparation module in its operative position.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the housing has: an external rear face opposite the front opening; and/or an external top face facing an external bottom face extending over substantially an entire height of the cavity spacing the top face.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the rear face supports or is adjacent to a plurality of cavity connectors, each movable beverage preparation module having a module connector that is connected to a corresponding cavity connector when the module is located thereagainst while reaching its operative position and that is disconnected from the corresponding cavity connector when the module is removed from the cavity.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein at least one connector of a pair of cooperating module connector and cavity connector has a connection interface device that is resiliently mounted to a connection base device to enable a positioning adjustment when the module connector and the cavity connector are connected together.

5. The machine of claim 3, wherein at least one pair of module connector and cavity connector have at least one of: a guide arrangement to promote a proper relative positioning of the module connector and the cavity connector when approaching each other when the corresponding movable module approaches its operative position; and a sensing arrangement to sense a proper relative positioning of the module connector and the cavity connector.

6. The machine of claim 1, which has an external machine front face and wherein each movable module in its operative position has an external module front face that forms a section of the external machine front face and that extends across or over the front opening.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein the or each module external front face extends over at least 75% of the overall width or height of the housing.

8. The machine of claim 6, wherein each module front face extends flush with an adjacent external face to form together part or all of the external machine front face when the modules are in their operative position.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein at least one movable beverage preparation module in its operative position is releasably secured against an element that positions the module in its operative position, fixed to or integral with the housing, by a securing device.

10. The machine of claim 1, wherein at least one movable beverage preparation module has an arrangement for facilitating a movement into and/or out of the housing cavity, the facilitating arrangement comprising at least one of: a grip or handle seizable from outside the housing when the movable beverage preparation module is in its operative position; and a guide arrangement cooperating with a counter-arrangement fixed to or integral with the housing.

11. The machine of claim 1, which comprises a cup support.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein at least one movable beverage preparation module comprises a cup holder for holding a cup under the beverage outlet.

13. The machine of claim 1, wherein at least one movable beverage preparation module is a flavoured beverage dispenser configured to combine a flavouring ingredient and a liquid carrier such as water for dispensing a resulting beverage via the beverage outlet or via at least one of the beverage outlets.

14. The machine of claim 1, wherein at least one movable beverage preparation module is a dispenser of a milk-based beverage.

15. The machine of claim 1, comprising a removable or non-removable liquid reservoir module having a cavity for containing liquid to be dispensed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein:

[0058] FIG. 1 illustrates a machine with an external housing according to the invention, the machine including two flavored beverage preparation modules and a water reservoir module in the housing's cavity;

[0059] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 when the water reservoir module has its door open to access a the module's cavity containing one out of two water reservoirs;

[0060] FIG. 3 shows the machine of FIG. 2 in which the water reservoir is moved out of the cavity of the water reservoir module;

[0061] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the machine of FIG. 2 in which one of the two flavoured beverage preparation modules has been moved out of the housing's cavity;

[0062] FIG. 5 shows the external housing of the machine of FIG. 1;

[0063] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of part the external housing of FIG. 5 with its cavity containing a cavity connector;

[0064] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part the external housing of FIG. 5 upon removal of the cup support with the housing's cavity containing a guide for guiding the insertion and removable of a beverage preparation module;

[0065] FIG. 8 shows a grip or handle and securing device of the movable beverage preparation module;

[0066] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part of the cavity connector;

[0067] FIG. 10 illustrates a machine with an external housing according to the invention, the machine including one flavored beverage preparation module, one milk-based beverage preparation module and a water reservoir module in the housing's cavity;

[0068] FIG. 11 shows the machine of FIG. 10 when the milk module has its door open to access a the module's cavity for containing a (not shown) milk reservoir;

[0069] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 10 when the water reservoir module has its door open to access the module's cavity containing a single water reservoirs;

[0070] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 10 upon removal from the housing's cavity of the milk module; and

[0071] FIG. 14 shows the machine of FIG. 13 upon removal of both the milk module and the cup support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] FIGS. 1 to 9 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention in which machine 1 has an external housing 10 containing two flavoured beverage preparation modules 20 and a liquid reservoir module 40. FIGS. 10 to 14 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which machine 1 has an external housing 10 containing a flavoured beverage preparation modules 20, a module 30 for preparing a milk-based beverage and a liquid reservoir module 50. External housings 10 of both embodiments can be the same or different. Likewise, flavoured beverage preparation modules 20 can be the same or different in both embodiments. Liquid reservoir modules 40, 50 can be the same or different in both embodiments. For example, flavoured beverage preparation modules 20 and milk module 30 are movable modules whereas liquid, e.g. water, reservoir modules 40, 50 are non-movable modules, fixed in housing 10. Alternatively, liquid reservoir modules 40, 50 may be movable modules.

[0073] Hence, machine 1 has an external housing 10 and a plurality of movable beverage preparation modules 20, 30 that are configured to process a beverage and/or a beverage ingredient to be dispensed via at least one beverage dispensing outlet 25 to a user-cup or user-mug 2, such as 2, 3 or 4 beverage dispensing outlets. Housing 10 has a front opening 10 and forms a cavity 10 for housing movable modules 20, 30. The or each movable module 20, 30 is insertable as a unit into an operative position into cavity 10 and removable out of cavity 10 via front opening 10, such as movable along a substantially horizontal direction into and out of its operative position.

[0074] The or each movable module 20, 30 is insertable as a unit into cavity 10 into its operative position and removable as a unit out of cavity 10 via front opening 10, independently of the presence inside cavity 10 of any other movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 in its operative position.

[0075] Housing 10 may have an external rear face 10 opposite front opening 10. For instance, one or more or all movable beverage preparation modules 20, 30 in their operative position in the cavity 10 contact or are adjacent to rear face 10, e.g. distant to the rear face by no more than 5 or 10 cm.

[0076] Housing 10 can have an external top face 10c, e.g. a top face with a centrally confined area for storing cups or mugs 2, facing an external bottom face 10b. For instance, one or more or all movable beverage preparation modules 20, 30 extend over substantially an entire height of cavity 10 spacing top face 10c from bottom face 10b.

[0077] Housing 10 may have such an external rear face 10, top face 10c, bottom face 10b and facing external side faces 10a in a generally parallelepipedic arrangement.

[0078] Rear face 10 can support or be adjacent to a plurality of cavity connectors 11, each movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 having a module connector that is connected to a corresponding cavity connector 11 when module 20, 30 is located thereagainst while reaching its operative position and that is disconnected from the corresponding cavity connector 11 when module 20, 30 is removed from cavity 10.

[0079] One or more module connectors and/or cavity connectors 11 may have at least one of an electric power connection 110, a data connection 111 and a fluid connection 112.

[0080] A cavity connector 11 and a corresponding module connector may have a plurality of electric power connections 110 to power a plurality of power components of movable module 20, 30 associated with the module connector, such as a thermal conditioner and a liquid driver, e.g. a pump. Alternatively several power components may be powered by the same power connection.

[0081] One or more cavity connectors 11 can have at least one of a fluid connection 112 connected to a fluid source 43 via a rigid or flexible fluid line 112 and a power connection 110 connected to a power source, e.g. to an electric cord for connection to the mains.

[0082] One or more or all of cavity connectors 11 can be formed as a single unit or plurality of units 110, 111; 112.

[0083] For instance, a fluid connection 112 is provided as a unit separate to a unit bearing the power and data connections 110, 111.

[0084] One or more module connectors 11 can be connected together. For instance, they are connected together to transmit at least one of data, fluid and power, between removable and/or non-removable beverage preparation modules 20, 30, 40, 50.

[0085] Movable beverage preparation modules 20, 30 may incorporate: at least two different types of modules 20, 30; and/or a master movable beverage preparation module 20 with a master control unit and a slave movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 with a slave control unit connected to the master control unit. The master control unit and the slave control unit may be connected via a data transmission channel, such as via the cavity and module connectors 11 (e.g. via data connection 111). For instance, such slave module 20, 30 is inoperative to produce a beverage when master module 20 is removed from housing 10 and/or master module 20 is inoperative to produce a beverage when slave module 20, 30 is removed from housing 10.

[0086] At least one cavity connector 11 may be connected to connector of a non-removable module 40, 50.

[0087] At least one connector 11 of a pair of cooperating module connector and cavity connector 11 may have a connection interface device 11a that is resiliently mounted to a connection base device 11b, e.g. by at least one spring elements 11c such as a helicoidal spring and/or a blade spring, to enable a positioning adjustment when the module connector and the cavity connector 11 are connected together. Connection base device 11b may be directly or indirectly fixed to housing 10 or integral therewith.

[0088] At least one pair of module connector and cavity connector 11 can have a guide arrangement to promote a proper relative positioning of the module connector and cavity connector 11 when approaching each other when the corresponding movable module 20, 30 approaches its operative position. For instance, the guide arrangement includes a positioning pin 11d and corresponding guiding hole arrangement.

[0089] At least one pair of module connector and cavity connector 11 may have a sensing arrangement to sense a proper relative positioning of the module connector and cavity connector 11. For instance, the sensor includes at least one switch 11e operated when the corresponding movable module 20, 30 reaches or leaves its operative position, e.g. the sensor includes a plurality of spaced apart contact switches.

[0090] Machine 1 may include an external machine front face 1, each movable module 20, 30 in its operative position having an external module front face 21, 31 that forms a section of external machine front face 1 and that extends across or over front opening 10.

[0091] For instance, the or each module external front face 21, 31 extends over at least 75% of the overall width or height of the housing 10, such as at least 80%, 85% or 90% of the overall width or height of housing 10.

[0092] Each module front face 21, 31 may extend flush with an adjacent external face 21, 31, 41, 51 to form together part or all of the external machine front face 1 when the modules are in their operative position. For instance, the adjacent face 21, 31, 41, 51 forms a front face 21, 31 of an adjacent movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 or of another movable module or forms a face 41, 51 non-removably mounted to housing 10 (e.g. it may be formed by a non-removable door 42, 52 assembled to housing 10).

[0093] At least one movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 in its operative position can be releasably secured against an element 113 that positions the module 20, 30 in its operative position, such as an internal positioning element 113, fixed to or integral with housing 10, by a securing device 22 that is optionally: selected from a latch, lock, clip and screw 22; and/or accessible from outside housing 10, e.g. from adjacent front opening 10.

[0094] At least one movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 may have an arrangement for facilitating a movement into and/or out of housing cavity 10, the facilitating arrangement comprising at least one of: a grip or handle 23 seizable from outside housing 10 when movable beverage preparation module 20, 30 is in its operative position, such as a grip or handle 23 recessed in a module's external front face 21, 31; and a guide arrangement 12 cooperating with a counter-arrangement fixed to or integral with the housing 10, e.g. an internal guide arrangement, such as a guiding rail 12 or a guiding groove.

[0095] Machine 1 can include a cup support 13.

[0096] Cup support 13 may form a device mounted to housing 10 in front of front opening 10, e.g. along a bottom of front opening 10, such as removably mounted to a connector 13 of housing 10.

[0097] Cup support 13 can secure one or more or all movable beverage preparation modules 20, 30 in their operative position in cavity 10.

[0098] Cup support 13 may be removably mounted to housing 10 and associated with a presence sensor 13, such as a contact switch, for sensing a proper positioning of cup support 13 on housing.

[0099] Cup support 13 can include a cup support grid optionally located on a drip collection reservoir.

[0100] At least one movable beverage preparation module 20 may include a cup holder 26 for holding a cup 2 under beverage outlet(s) 25. For instance, cup holder 26 is movably mounted against a main body of module 20 so as to be movable in an operative position for holding cup 2 under beverage outlet(s) 25 and into an inoperative position for enabling the placement of a mug, taller than cup 2, under beverage outlet(s) 25.

[0101] At least one movable beverage preparation module 20 can be a flavoured beverage dispenser 20, such as a dispenser of tea, coffee, chocolate, cacao and soup. Such module 20 can be configured to combine a flavouring ingredient and a liquid carrier, such as water, for dispensing a resulting beverage via beverage outlet 25 or via at least one of the beverage outlets. Such machine 1 may have at least one of the following features: [0102] its cavity 10 containing at least two such movable beverage preparation modules 20; [0103] such movable beverage preparation module 20 comprising an inlet 27 for a flavouring ingredient, such as a pre-portioned favouring ingredient supplied in a capsule; [0104] such movable beverage preparation module 20 comprising at least one of: an ingredient mixing unit, e.g. a brewing unit; a fluid line, e.g. including at least one of a pump, sensor, valve, and thermal conditioner such as a heater and/or a cooler; and a control unit optionally connected to a user-interface; and [0105] such movable beverage preparation module 20 comprising a waste material collector 28, such as a waste ingredient and/or fluid collector.

[0106] At least one movable beverage preparation module 30 can be a dispenser of a milk-based beverage. Such module 30 may include a cavity 35 for containing milk to be dispensed. For instance, such module 30 comprises at least one of: a front door 32 for accessing cavity 35; a removable reservoir in cavity 35 for storing milk; a milk suction line 33 for taking milk from the milk cavity 35 and guiding the milk to beverage outlet 25 or to at least one of the beverage outlets; a cooling arrangement for cooling milk in cavity 35; a heating arrangement for heating milk to be dispensed by beverage outlet(s) 25; a frothing arrangement for frothing milk to be dispensed by beverage outlet(s) 25; and a connector arrangement having a milk outlet connectable to a milk inlet of another movable beverage preparation module 20.

[0107] Machine 1 may include a removable or non-removable liquid reservoir module 40, 50 having a cavity 45, 55 for containing liquid, e.g. water, to be dispensed. For instance, such module 40, 50 includes at least one of: a front door 42, 52 for accessing cavity 45, 55; a liquid suction line 43, 53 for taking fluid from liquid cavity 45, 55; a water connection 43 connected via a fluid line 112 to one or more cavity connectors 11 and/or module connectors; and a single optionally removable reservoir or a plurality of optionally removable reservoirs 44 for storing liquid in cavity 45, 55. The cavity comprises for instance a plurality of reservoirs 44 for supplying water to a corresponding plurality of movable beverage preparation modules 20 of the same type or a single reservoir 54 for supplying water to a single movable beverage preparation module or a plurality of beverage preparation modules 20, 30 of different types.