BEVERAGE MACHINE WITH A STABILIZING FOOT

Abstract

A machine (1) has a unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet (36) a beverage. The machine includes: an outside housing (30) with one or more outside faces (30a,30a,30b,30c,30d); and at least one placement member (30e) for resting onto a generally flat external support surface (5) in a configuration such that the unit is in an orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via the beverage outlet (36) to a beverage dispensing surface (5,37). At least one placement member (30e) is movable and has: a deployed placement position providing a stability of the unit in this orientation on the external support surface (5); and a retracted rest position within the outside housing (30) or collapsed against the outside housing (30).

Claims

1. A machine comprising a unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet a beverage comprising: an outside housing having one or more outside faces; and at least one placement member for resting onto a generally flat external support surface in a configuration such that the unit is in an orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via the beverage outlet to a beverage dispensing surface for positioning a user-cup or user-mug; at least one placement member is movable and has: a deployed placement position providing a stability of the unit in the orientation on the external support surface; and a retracted rest position within the outside housing or collapsed against the outside housing.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein in the orientation: the placement member in the deployed placement position extends laterally beyond a housing outside face that extends upright above the placement member; the machine has: an overall height extending from a bottom end of the deployed placement member to a top end of such machine; and an overall distance spacing a housing outside face extending upright above the placement member and a facing housing outside face, such that a ratio of the overall height/overall distance is of at least 1.3.

3. The machine of claim 1, which has one or more stationary placement members for resting onto the generally flat external support surface in a configuration such that the unit is in the orientation.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the beverage preparation and dispensing unit comprises: the beverage outlet for dispensing a beverage to said beverage dispensing surface; and a liquid circuit for processing the beverage and delivering such beverage into the beverage outlet, the liquid circuit comprising at least one activatable unit that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation.

5. The machine of claim 1, comprising a docking station and a module disconnectably connected to the docking station, the module comprising: the unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet; and the at least one movable placement member and the stationary placement member.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the beverage preparation and dispensing unit comprises an ingredient processing unit that has an ingredient holder forming an ingredient seat, the ingredient processing unit having a first module and a second module that are movable relatively to each other by an actuator between: a distant configuration for inserting into the seat and/or removing from the seat; and a proximate configuration for processing the ingredient in the seat.

7. The machine of claim 1, comprising a user-interface device movable from: a deployed operative position adjacent to a outside face of the one or more outside faces so that the device is accessible by a user for operating such machine to prepare and dispense the beverage; to a retracted storage position in the outside housing so that the device is inaccessible to a user for operating such machine and/or vice versa.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the user-interface device is movable from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and/or vice versa along a first direction and a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction.

9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the user-interface device is guided from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and vice versa by a cam-follower and cam arrangement.

10. The machine of claim 1, which has a dispensing head comprising the beverage outlet, the dispensing head being movable between a deployed operative dispensing position in which the outlet is positioned above the dispensing surface and a storage position retracted into the outside housing.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein the dispensing head is movable: outwards out of the outside housing into the deployed operative position; and inwards into the outside housing into the retracted storage position.

12. The machine of claim 10, wherein the liquid circuit for processing the beverage and delivering such beverage into the beverage outlet comprises at least one activatable unit that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation.

13. The machine of claim 10, wherein the dispensing head is configured to be movable: manually by a user from the deployed operative position to the retracted storage position and/or vice versa; and/or automatically from the deployed operative position to the retracted storage position and/or vice versa.

14. The machine of claim 10, wherein the dispensing head is: maintained in its deployed operative position and/or in its retracted storage position by at least one mechanism selected from the group consisting of: a friction and/or magnetic force, clipping arrangement and locking arrangement; and guided from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and vice versa by a cam-follower and cam arrangement.

15. The machine of claim 1, wherein the dispensing surface is formed by: an external placement support for placing such machine in position for preparing and dispensing the beverage; and a user-recipient support device of such machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein:

[0070] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine in accordance with the invention;

[0071] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a variation of the machine of FIG. 1 in a configuration for receiving an ingredient capsule;

[0072] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a module of the machine of FIG. 1 or 2 in a configuration for receiving an ingredient capsule;

[0073] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a module of the machine shown in FIG. 1 or 2 in a closed configuration;

[0074] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a module of the machine shown in FIG. 1 or 2 in a compacted configuration;

[0075] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 in a compacted configuration;

[0076] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the assembly of a user-interface device in the machine shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 6;

[0077] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a module of the machine shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 8, the module having deployed placement members for placing the module on a support surface;

[0078] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the module of FIG. 9 with its deployable placement members retracted;

[0079] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional front view of the machine of FIG. 2 with the module's deployable placement members retracted so that the module fits on a docking station of the machine;

[0080] FIG. 12 is a side view of the module of the machine shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 11 in a configuration for storing a recipient support of the machine;

[0081] FIG. 13 is a side view of the module of the machine shown in FIG. 12 having an uncovered compartment in which the recipient support is stored; and

[0082] FIG. 14 is a side view of the module of the machine shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 upon covering the compartment of the recipient support with a cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] FIGS. 1 to 14 illustrate two exemplary embodiments (with minor design differences) of a beverage machine 1 in accordance with the invention. The differences are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and relate specifically to the arrangement in machine 1 of the liquid supply arrangement 50a.

[0084] Machine 1 has a unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet 36 a beverage, such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food.

[0085] Machine 1 has an outside housing 30 with one or more outside faces 30a,30a,30b,30c,30d, such as one or more faces selected from a top face 30a, a bottom face 30a, a side face 30b, a rear face 30c and a front face 30d.

[0086] Machine 1 includes at least one placement member 30e for resting onto a generally flat external support surface 5 in a configuration such that the above unit is in an orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via beverage outlet 36 to a beverage dispensing surface 5,37 for positioning a user-cup or user-mug 4.

[0087] At least one placement member 30e is movable and has: [0088] a deployed placement position providing a stability of the unit in the above orientation on external support surface 5, optionally placement member 30e in the deployed placement position extending away from outside housing 30 and/or extending laterally beyond at least one of side face 30b, rear face 30c and front face 30d; and [0089] a retracted rest position within outside housing 30 or collapsed against outside housing 30, e.g. collapsed against and extending along outside housing 30.

[0090] Placement member(s) 30e may be pivotably and/or translationally mounted relative to outside housing 30, for moving placement member(s) 30e from the deployed placement position to the retracted rest position and vice versa.

[0091] In the unit's orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via beverage outlet: [0092] at least one placement member 30e in the deployed placement position may extend laterally beyond a housing outside face 30b;30c,30d that extends upright above placement member 30e such as beyond housing outside face 30b;30c,30d by a horizontal distance of at least 3 mm such as in the range of 5 to 25 mm, e.g. 10 to 15 mm; and/or [0093] such machine 1 can have: [0094] an overall height extending from a bottom end 30 of deployed placement member 30e to a top end of machine 1; and [0095] an overall distance spacing a housing outside face 30b;30c extending upright above placement member 30e and a facing housing outside face 30b;30d, [0096] such that a ratio of the overall height/overall distance is of at least 1.3, such as at least 1.5, for instance at least 2, for example at 2.5, e.g. at least 3; and/or [0097] outside housing 30 can have a bottom outside face 30a adjacent to the or at least one placement member 30e, bottom outside face 30a having a generally convex, biconvex, multi-convex or downwardly tapered shape, such as a generally rounded shape, e.g. a cylindrical, spherical, ellipsoidal, ovoidal or conical shape, and/or such as a generally polyhedral shape, e.g. a prismatic or pyramidal shape.

[0098] Machine may have one or more stationary placement members 30f for resting onto external support surface 5 in a configuration such that the above unit is in its orientation for preparing and dispensing beverage via the beverage outlet 36 to dispensing surface 5,37. For instance, stationary placement member 30f protrudes upright in this orientation.

[0099] The beverage preparation and dispensing unit may have: [0100] beverage outlet 36 for dispensing a beverage to dispensing surface 5,37; and [0101] a liquid circuit for processing the beverage and delivering such beverage into beverage outlet 36, the liquid circuit comprising at least one activatable unit 40,51,52 that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation, such as an activatable unit selected from: [0102] a liquid driver 51 such as an electric pump e.g. a solenoid pump, a rotary pump, a diaphragm pump, a positive displacement pump or a peristaltic pump, for driving liquid to outlet 36; [0103] a thermal conditioner 52, such as a liquid heater and/or cooler, for thermally conditioning liquid delivered by outlet 36; and [0104] an ingredient processing unit 40, [0105] optionally the liquid circuit comprising one or more liquid ducts 53 for guiding liquid to be delivered by outlet 36;
and [0106] a liquid supply arrangement 50,50a, such as a main reservoir 50 and an auxiliary reservoir 50a fluidically connected by a liquid connector 50b or a main reservoir 50 and a connector 50b to a liquid supply line.

[0107] The beverage preparation and dispensing unit may include at least one of: an internal power supply 57, such as a rechargeable battery; a connector to an external power supply 56, such as a module electric cord and/or plug connectable to the mains; a control unit 55 for controlling a module 3 and optionally functions contained in a docking station; and an interface device 31 that is optionally connected, when present, to control unit 55.

[0108] Machine 1 may include a or the above docking station 2 and a or the above module 3 disconnectably connected to docking station 2.

[0109] Module 3 may include: the unit for preparing and dispensing via outlet 36; and the at least one movable placement member 30e and optionally stationary placement member(s) 30f.

[0110] Docking station 2 and module 3 may have at least one of: a station ingredient supply 50a, such as a water tank, and a module liquid connector 50b connectable to station ingredient supply 50a; and a station connector 56 to an external power supply, such as a station electric cord and/or plug connectable to the mains, and a module connector 58, e.g. a rigid connector stationary in module 3, connectable to station connector 56, e.g. a rigid connector stationary in station 2.

[0111] The beverage preparation and dispensing unit may include ingredient processing unit 40 that has an ingredient holder forming an ingredient seat 45, e.g. a seat in which ingredients are mixed.

[0112] Ingredient processing unit 40 may have a first module 41 and a second module 42 that are movable relatively to each other by an actuator between: [0113] a distant configuration for inserting into seat 45 and/or removing from seat 45, e.g. towards a waste ingredient collector 46, an ingredient, e.g. a flavouring ingredient supplied within a capsule 6 into seat 45 for instance via an ingredient supply channel 47; and [0114] a proximate configuration for processing the ingredient in seat 45.

[0115] The actuator may comprise at least one of: an automatic actuator, e.g. a motor such as an electric motor; a semi-automatic actuator, e.g. a return-spring arrangement for automatically returning the first and second modules either into their distant configuration or into their proximate configuration; and a user-handle 43.

[0116] For instance, the handle 43 is connected to at least one of first and second modules 41,42 and actuates at least one of modules 41,42 by moving handle 43 from a first position to a second position.

[0117] Handle 43 in at least one of its first and second positions can be flush with at least one of outside housing 30 and a user-interface device 31.

[0118] The actuator may be connected to at least one of the first and second modules by a transmission that comprises at least one of a belt transmission, a gear transmission, e.g. a toothed gear transmission, and a lever transmission 431,432,433,434.

[0119] Machine 1 may include (a) user-interface device 31 movable from: a deployed operative position adjacent to an outside face 30a of the one or more outside faces 30a,30b,30c so that the device 31 is accessible by a user for operating such machine 1 to prepare and dispense beverage; to a retracted storage position in outside housing 30 so that device 31 is inaccessible to a user for operating such machine 1; and/or vice versa.

[0120] Device 31 may be connected to (a) control unit 55 of such machine 1.

[0121] Device 31 can bear one or more: touch elements, such as (a) button(s) 32 or (a) touch pad(s) or (a) touch screen(s); and/or user indicators, such as light means e.g. LED or signal screen.

[0122] Device 31 can be configured to be secured in its operative and/or storage positions by at least one of: a friction and/or magnetic force, clipping arrangement and locking arrangement 30,35.

[0123] Device 31 may be configured to interrupt powering of such machine 1 when in or moved into the storage position. Machine 1 can have a power unit 54 configured to power functional components and comprising a main switch 54 that is directly or indirectly actuated by the user-interface device 31. The functional components may have at least one of user-interface device 31, a liquid driver 51, a thermal conditioner 52 and a control unit 55.

[0124] Device 31 in its deployed operative position can have a main outside face 33 that is generally flush with housing outside face 30a that is adjacent to user-interface device 31. For instance, the device's main outside face 33 in the deployed operative position is predominantly surrounded, e.g. entirely surrounded, by housing outside faces 30a that are flush with the device's main outside face 33.

[0125] User-interface device 31 can be movable, e.g. manually and/or automatically, from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and/or vice versa along a first direction 31 and a second direction 31 that is non-parallel to the first direction 31.

[0126] First direction 31 may follow a movement of user-interface device 31 generally sinking into and emerging from outside housing 30, optionally first direction 31 being generally orthogonal to housing outside face 30a that is adjacent to device 31 in its operative position or at an angle to outside face 30a that is in the range of 45 to 90 deg., such as 60 to 90 deg., e.g. 75 to 90 deg. Second direction 31 may follow a movement of user-interface device 31 hiding behind and along housing outside face 30a that is adjacent to user-interface device 31 in its deployed operative position, optionally second direction 31 being generally parallel to outside face 30a that is adjacent to device 31 in its operative position or at an angle to such outside face that is in the range of 0 to 45 deg., such as 0 to 30 deg., e.g. 0 to 15 deg.

[0127] First direction 31 may be at a large angle relative to a main outside face 33 of user-interface device 31 in its deployed operative position, for instance a large angle in the range of 45 to 90 deg., such as a large angle of at least 60 deg., e.g. a large angle of at least or 75 or 85 deg. Second direction 31 may be at a small angle relative to a main outside face 33 of user-interface device 31 in its deployed operative position, for instance a small angle in the range of 0 to 45 deg., such as a small angle of less than 30 deg., e.g. a small angle of at less than 15 or 5 deg.

[0128] User-interface device 31 may be guided from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and vice versa by a cam-follower 31a,31c and cam 31b,31d arrangement, optionally cam 31b,31d of the arrangement having a first section extending along the first direction 31 and a second section extending along the second direction 31. User-interface device 31 may be associated with a pair of cams 31b,31d having different, sequentially off-set, profiles such that when user-interface device 31 is moved from the operative to the storage positions it has a front edge 33 that is lowered and displaced underneath outside housing 30 while a rear edge 33 of device 31, uncovered by outside housing 30, remains above front edge 33 during a part of a movement of user-interface device 31 between the operative and the storage positions.

[0129] Machine 1 can have a dispensing head 35 with beverage outlet 36, dispensing head 35 being movable between a deployed operative dispensing position in which outlet 36 is positioned above dispensing surface 5,37 and a storage position retracted into the outside housing 30.

[0130] Dispensing head 35 may be coupled to (a) user-interface device 31 and may be movable between the operative position and the storage position together with user-interface device 31. For instance, user-interface device 31 is actuated by dispensing head 35 or vice versa. User-interface device 31 and dispensing head 35 may be coupled together by a rigid or an articulated arrangement, such as a cam-follower 31c and cam 35a arrangement or a flexible mechanically connector or by a lever arrangement.

[0131] Dispensing head 35 can have a or the above ingredient holder, e.g. an ingredient mixing unit, forming an ingredient seat 45.

[0132] Dispensing head 35 may be movable: outwards out of outside housing 30 into the deployed operative position; and inwards into outside housing 30 into the retracted storage position. In the storage position, outlet 36 may be confined within outside housing 30. In the storage position, dispensing head 35 may be surrounded by outside faces of outside housing 30 that are generally flush with apparent faces of dispensing head 35.

[0133] The liquid circuit for processing beverage and delivering such beverage into beverage outlet 36 can have at least one activatable unit 40,51,52 that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation, such as an activatable unit selected from: (a) liquid driver (51); (a) thermal conditioner 52; and (a) ingredient processing unit 40.

[0134] Dispensing head 35 may be configured to be maintained in: the deployed operative position whether activatable unit(s) 40,51,52 is/are activated or maintained activated or deactivated or maintained deactivated; and/or the retracted storage position whether activatable unit(s) 40,51,52 is/are activated or maintained activated or deactivated or maintained deactivated.

[0135] Dispensing head 35 may be movable manually by a user from the deployed operative position to the retracted storage position and/or vice versa. For instance, machine 1 has a power unit 54 comprising a main switch 54 that is directly or indirectly actuated by the dispensing head when moved between the deployed operative and the retracted storage positions.

[0136] Dispensing head 35 may be movable automatically, e.g. by a motor and/or an automatic return-spring, from the deployed operative position to the retracted storage position and/or vice versa. For instance, dispensing head is moved into its deployed operative position when such machine 1 is powered and/or is moved into its retracted storage position when a powering of such machine 1 is interrupted.

[0137] Dispensing head 35 may be maintained in its deployed operative position and/or in its retracted storage position by at least one of: a friction and/or magnetic force, clipping arrangement and locking arrangement 30,35.

[0138] Dispensing head 35 may be guided from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and vice versa by a cam-follower 31a,31c and cam 31b,31d arrangement.

[0139] Dispensing surface 5,37 can be formed by an external placement support 5 for placing such machine 1 in position for preparing and dispensing beverage.

[0140] Dispensing surface 5,37 can be formed by a user-recipient support device 37 of machine 1.

[0141] User-recipient support device 37 may be movable or removable from under the outlet 36. For instance, support device 37 is separable from (a) module 3 of machine 1 and storable in a storage seat 38 of module 3, e.g. storable in storage seat 38 and secured therein by at least one of: friction and/or magnetic force between seat 38 and the support device 37; clipping or locking support device 37 in the seat 38; and covering seat 38 by at least one of a door, gate, housing cover 30 e.g. a cocoon-type half shell, carrying handle 30 and belt 30.