Beverage machine with a non-homogeneous ingredient extraction configuration

Abstract

A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (110) from an ingredient (102) has an extraction unit (2) with: an ingredient extraction seat (20); an inlet arrangement (21) for guiding water into the seat (20); and a dispensing arrangement (22) for guiding beverage (110) out of the seat (20). The dispensing arrangement (22) has a face (220) delimiting a downstream part of the seat (20). The face (220) is made of an upper portion (220a) and a lower portion (220b) that are delimited by a substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line (220c) that is located between a top end and a bottom end of the face (220). The upper portion (220a) is nude of an upper outflow passage (222a) and an upper impervious part delimiting the upper outflow passage. The upper portion (220a) has an upper surface area ratio transverse to a direction (200) of downstream flow in the seat (20) of: a surface area of the upper outflow passage (222a) over a surface area of the upper impervious part. The lower portion (220b) is made of a lower outflow passage (222b) and a lower impervious part delimiting the lower outflow passage. The lower portion (220b) has a lower surface area ratio transverse to the downstream flow direction (200) of: a surface area of the lower outflow passage (222b) over a surface area of the lower impervious part. The face (220) has an overall ratio of the upper surface area ratio over the lower surface area ratio that is greater or smaller than 1.

Claims

1. A method for extracting an ingredient from a capsule using a machine for preparing a beverage from the ingredient, the machine comprising an extraction unit that has: an ingredient extraction seat; an inlet arrangement configured for guiding water into the ingredient extraction seat; and a dispensing arrangement configured for guiding beverage out of the ingredient extraction seat, the dispensing arrangement comprising a face defining a downstream part of the ingredient extraction seat, the face being made of an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion and the lower portion are delimited by a substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line that is located between a top end and a bottom end of the face, the upper portion and the lower portion being at least substantially flush, the upper portion being made of an upper outflow passage and an upper impervious part defining the upper outflow passage, the upper portion having an upper surface area ratio transverse to a direction of downstream flow in the ingredient extraction seat, the upper surface area ratio comprising a surface area of the upper outflow passage over a surface area of the upper impervious part, the lower portion being made of a lower outflow passage and a lower impervious part delimiting the lower outflow passage, the lower portion having a lower surface area ratio transverse to the downstream flow direction, the lower surface area ratio comprising a surface area of the lower outflow passage over a surface area of the lower impervious part, the face has an overall ratio of the upper surface area ratio over the lower surface area ratio that is greater than 3 or smaller than 0.3; the method comprising: receiving an ingredient supplied within a capsule in the ingredient extraction seat; guiding the water into the ingredient extraction seat; and guiding the beverage out of the ingredient extraction seat, wherein the dispensing arrangement comprises a flow restricting member arranged relative to the face, the method comprising moving the flow restricting member between a standard outflow position and a reduced outflow position, the reduced outflow position reducing the surface area transverse to the downstream flow direction of the upper outflow passage, the upper outflow passage being reduced compared to the lower outflow passage position by obstructing a part of the upper outflow passage or the lower outflow passage, the lower outflow passage being reduced compared to the upper outflow passage position by obstructing a part of the lower outflow passage, the part of the upper outflow passage and/or the lower outflow passage being partly or entirely closed in the reduced position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ingredient extraction seat defines an ingredient chamber and/or is configured for receiving the ingredient supplied within the capsule into the ingredient extraction seat.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising forming an orifice in an outlet membrane of the capsule, by a piercing and/or cutting element.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising controlling the formation of the orifice in the outlet membrane of the capsule by the piercing and/or cutting element associated with an opening control arrangement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the opening control arrangement comprises a neutralizing member, and the method comprises moving the neutralizing member between an operative position in which the piercing and/or cutting element is prevented from forming the orifice in the outlet membrane and a rest position in which the piercing and/or cutting element is enabled to form the orifice in the outlet membrane.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the piercing and/or cutting element projects upstream from the face along an opening direction, and the neutralizing member moves between the operative and rest positions parallel to the opening direction and/or transversally to the opening direction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the opening direction is parallel to the downstream flow direction.

8. The method of claim 1, the substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line being located at a height of the face is in the range of 30% to 70% of the total height of the face.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower outflow passages are configured to guide a total flow of beverage from the ingredient extraction seat via a total guide entry at a seat side of a wall, through the wall, and out of a total guide exit of the wall towards a dispensing area via a beverage outlet, the wall being associated with a flow control device configured to control the flow of beverage guided along the upper and lower outflow passages, the flow control device having: an obstruction portion; and one or more control sides suitable to delimit from the obstruction portion a controlled passage through which is passed the total flow of beverage passing through a non-obstructed portion of the total guide entry and/or exit, the non-obstructed portion being adjacent the obstructed portion, the method comprising manually and/or automatically operating the obstruction portion and the one or more control sides over the wall to change a relative position and/or a relative size and/or a shape of the obstructed portion and the unobstructed portion of the total guide entry and/or the total guide exit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line being located at a height of the face is in the range of 40% to 60% of the total height of the face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of part of a beverage machine according to the invention, part of which being schematically illustrated;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an extraction unit of the machine of FIG. 1, an ingredient capsule being in the process of being introduced into the unit's seat;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the extraction unit of FIG. 2, the ingredient capsule being in the seat, ready for extraction;

(5) FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate an example of implementation according to the invention of the extraction unit's downstream part with a particular seat delimitation face that has an upper portion with a lower permeability and a lower portion with a higher permeability, the face being rotated upside down, piercing and/or cutting elements being formed by or fixed to the face;

(6) FIGS. 7 and 8 are horizontal cross-sectional plan views (from above) of another implementing example of a seat's delimitating face in which piercing and/or cutting elements are moveable through the face, the face being also provided with further piercing and/or cutting elements that are formed by or fixed to the face;

(7) FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate further implementing examples of part of a dispensing arrangement, namely restricting members that are shaped to fully (FIG. 10) or partly (FIG. 9) close the upper and lower outflow passages;

(8) FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the restricting members in combination with the upper and lower outflow passages, a restricting member being shown in the standard outflow position in FIG. 11 and a restricting member being shown in the reduced outflow position in FIG. 12;

(9) FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate yet another implementing example of part of a dispensing arrangement, namely a flow control device that is configured to control the flow or beverage guided along the outflow passages, the flow control device being shown in a relative arrangement of minimum obstruction in FIG. 14 and of intermediate obstruction in FIG. 13;

(10) FIGS. 15 to 17 illustrate yet a further implementation example of part of a dispensing arrangement, namely a face with piercing and/or cutting elements that are associated with an opening control arrangement that is in its rest position in FIG. 16, in its operative position in FIG. 15 and shown as such in FIG. 17;

(11) FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate further implementing examples of a seat's delimitating face in which piercing and/or cutting elements are provided on the lower portion, outflow passages being provided on the lower and upper portions in different sizes and numbers in FIG. 18 and different numbers in FIG. 19.

(12) FIG. 20 schematically illustrates a configuration of a water flow through an ingredient in the machine's seat in which the face's upper permeability value is equal to the face's lower permeability value;

(13) FIG. 21 schematically illustrates a configuration of a water flow through an ingredient in the machine's seat in which the face's upper permeability value is greater than the face's lower permeability value; and

(14) FIG. 22 schematically illustrates a configuration of a water flow through an ingredient in the machine's seat in which the face's lower permeability value is greater than the face's upper permeability value.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a beverage machine 1 for preparing a beverage 110 comprising an extraction unit 2 according to the invention, into which the variations according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 22, in which the same numeric references generally designate the same or similar elements and/or the same or similar functionalities, can be implemented.

(16) Extraction unit 2 has an ingredient extraction seat 20, such as a seat delimiting an ingredient chamber and/or a seat 20 for receiving an ingredient 102 supplied within a capsule 100 into the seat 20. Extraction unit 2 has an inlet arrangement 21 for guiding water into seat 20. Extraction unit 2 includes a dispensing arrangement 22 for guiding beverage 110 out of seat 20, dispensing arrangement 22 having a face 220 delimiting a downstream part of seat 20.

(17) Face 220 is made of an upper portion 220a and a lower portion 220b. Such portions 220a,220b are delimited by a substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line 220c that is located between a top end and a bottom end of face 220. Upper and lower portions 220a,220b are typically at least substantially flush. For instance, portions 220a,220b extend in the same plane or are substantially parallel and slightly offset, e.g. by a distance that does not exceed 2 or 3 or 4 mm.

(18) Upper portion 220a is made of an upper outflow passage 222a and an upper impervious part delimiting upper outflow passage 222a. Upper portion 220a has an upper surface area ratio transverse to a direction 200 of downstream flow in seat 20 of: a surface area of upper outflow passage 222a over a surface area of the upper impervious part.

(19) Lower portion 220b is made of a lower outflow passage 222b and a lower impervious part delimiting the lower outflow passage. Lower portion 220b has a lower surface area ratio transverse to downstream flow direction 200 of: a surface area of the lower outflow passage 222b over a surface area of the lower impervious part.

(20) Face 220 has an overall ratio of the upper surface area ratio (e.g. the upper permeability value) over the lower surface area ratio (e.g. the lower permeability value) that is greater or smaller than 1, such as greater than 3 or smaller than 0.3, for instance greater than 10 or smaller than 0.1, e.g. greater than 100 or smaller than 0.01.

(21) In FIG. 20, a flow of water 105,106,107 through seat 20, e.g. through capsule 100 partly filled with ingredient 102 (up to the doted level in the Figure), is illustrated where face 220 has an overall ratio of the upper surface area ratio over the lower surface area ratio of 1. Such a flow is known from state of the art machines of from a machine according to the invention operating in a state of the art extraction mode, e.g. as illustrated in FIG. 11 (flow restricting member 35 in the standard outflow position). No preferential flow is generated due to the upper and lower permeability values that are the same, which leads to an average extraction and an average resulting beverage 110.

(22) When the upper surface area ratio of the upper potion 220a of face 220 is greater than the lower surface area ratio of face 200, an upper flow 107 of water is favoured on the upper part of seat 200, the flow of water 105,106 being also present (although at a reduced rate) in the lower part of seat 200 due to the pressure of the water feed into seat 20, as illustrated in FIG. 21. If seat 20 is only partly filled with ingredient 102, e.g. when a capsule 100 is used that is partly filled, then upper part 107 of water flowing through seat 20 is not or only poorly exposed to ingredient 102 contained in seat 20. Hence, the resulting beverage 110 is less concentrated. Moreover, when the extraction is an infusion process, e.g. of tea or coffee 102, then the dilution of beverage 110 does not require a depletion (over-extraction) of ingredient 102 with the possible dissolution of unwanted elements of ingredient. The dilution can be obtained by the combination of water 105,106 loaded with ingredient extracts and of water 107 that has (at least substantially) bypassed ingredient 102. With such a configuration, high quality lungo or Americano coffees can be obtained.

(23) When the upper surface area ratio of upper portion 220a of face 220 is lower than the lower surface area ratio of lower portion 220b of face 220, then substantially all the water 105,106,107 is forced through ingredient 102 even when seat 20 is only partly filled with ingredient 102, e.g. when a capsule 100 is used that is partly filled. See FIG. 22. In this case, resulting beverage 110 is more concentrated. To avoid over-extraction when the extraction is an infusion process, e.g. of tea or coffee 105, the volume of water 105,106,107 passed through ingredient 102 should be limited so that undesired extracted elements are avoided or minimised in the resulting beverage 110. With such a configuration, high quality espresso or ristretto coffees can be obtained.

(24) Evidently, a same face 220 may be used for a concentrated or a diluted extraction type, or possibly for an intermediate extraction, by changing the position and/or orientation of face 220 relative to extraction seat 20 with reference to machine 1 in its beverage dispensing orientation.

(25) The position and/or orientation of face 220 relative to seat 20 may be changed during an extraction of ingredient 102 in seat 20 and/or between two consecutive extractions.

(26) Upper portion 220a and lower portion 220b of face 220 may make up a total height of face 220 delimiting the downstream part of the seat. Delimitation line 220c may be located at a height of face 220 that is in the range of 15% to 85%, such as 30% to 70% e.g. 40 to 60%, of the total height.

(27) The impervious part of at least one of upper portion 220a and lower portion 220b can form a continuous flow-inhibiting portion. Such flow-inhibiting portion may be configured such that beverage 110 flowing out seat 20 is inhibited, e.g. prevented, from passing through the flow-inhibiting portion. See FIG. 4.

(28) The flow-inhibiting portion can having a surface area transverse to downstream flow direction 200 that is in the range of 25 to 75%, such as 33 to 66% e.g. 40 to 60%, of a surface area transverse to downstream flow direction 200 of the face 220.

(29) The flow-inhibiting portion may be an intrinsically closed part formed of a non-pervious part of face 220.

(30) The flow-inhibiting portion can be an intrinsically open part of face 220, e.g. provided with at least one through hole 222a,222b, that is closed by a sealing arrangement 35, e.g. a movable temporary sealing arrangement 35, closing the open part. For instance, sealing arrangement 35 is located: upstream of the intrinsically open part, e.g. in seat 20, and/or downstream of the closed intrinsically open part typically as an upstream or downstream sheath or plate member; and/or in openings of the intrinsically open part, e.g. as a filling.

(31) Dispensing arrangement 22 may include a flow restricting member 35, as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3 and shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, arranged relative to face 220 in a moveable manner between a standard outflow position and a reduced outflow position in which the surface area transverse to downstream flow direction 200 of the upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b is reduced compared to the standard outflow position. The reduction being obtained by obstructing a part of the upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b. The obstructed upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b may be partly or entirely closed in the reduced position.

(32) Restricting member 35 may have an elastically deformable face 36 configured to control a level of reduction by a pressure applied by restricting member 35 towards face 220. See FIG. 9.

(33) Restricting member 35 can have one or more projecting members 37 configured to be plugged into the upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b. See FIG. 10.

(34) Restricting member 35 may have a or the above face 36: that is delimited by a delimitation 37 (e.g. a cut-out) such that part of the upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b remains unobstructed in the reduced outflow position (FIG. 9); or that extends over the entire upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b (FIGS. 10 to 12).

(35) Restricting member 35 can have a plurality of individually positionable distinct parts that are configured each to obstruct only part of the upper and/or lower outflow passages 222a,222b in its reduced outflow position.

(36) Restricting member 35 may have an actuation member 38 that is actuated manually or automatically, e.g. by a motorized actuator.

(37) Upper portion 220a and lower portion 220b may be able to take different positions relative to seat 20, e.g. pivotable about the downstream flow direction 200, so as to control a flow path of water through the ingredient 102 when in seat 20 depending on the position of flow-through portion 221. See FIGS. 4 to 6.

(38) Face 220 can be made by a wall 223 forming a beverage guide structure, e.g. a plate-like or sheet-like member 223, through which outflow passages 222a,222b extend. At least one of the outflow passages 222a,222b may be formed by at least one of: one or more through holes; a reticulated structure; a foraminate structure; and a porous structure extending through wall 223.

(39) Outflow passages 222a,222b may be configured to guide a total flow of beverage 110 from seat 20 via a total guide entry at a seat side of wall 223, through wall 223 and out of a total guide exit of wall 223 towards a dispensing area 1 via a beverage outlet 220. Dispensing area 1 can be delimited by a support for supporting a user-recipient.

(40) Wall 223 may be associated with a flow control device 23a,23b configured to control the flow of beverage 110 guided along outflow passages 222a,222b. See FIGS. 13 and 14.

(41) Flow control device 23a,23b may have an obstruction portion 230a,230b, such as a portion that is at least substantially beverage impervious, extending adjacent wall 223 so as to obstruct at least a portion of the total guide entry and/or exit to prevent or inhibit the passage of beverage 110 through such obstructed guide portion. Flow control device 23a,23b can have one or more control sides 231a,231b suitable to delimit from obstruction portion 230a,230b a controlled passage 233 through which is passed the total flow of beverage 110 passing through a non-obstructed portion of the total guide entry and/or exit, the non-obstructed portion being adjacent obstructed portion 230a,230b.

(42) Obstruction portion 230a,230b and control side(s) 231a,231b may be manually and/or automatically operable, e.g. relatively translatable and/or rotatable, over wall 223 so as to change a relative position and/or a relative size and/or a shape of the obstructed portion and the unobstructed portion of the total guide entry and/or exit, such as operable over wall 223 to be selectively brought into a number of different configurations in terms of relative size and/or relative position and/or shape, for instance a number of at least two, such as in the range of 3 to 30, e.g. 4 to 20 or 5 to 10.

(43) Control side(s) 231a,231b may include at least one of a circular side, a radial or diametral side, and a polygonal side.

(44) Control side(s) 231a,231b can delimit controlled passage 233 with a cross-section having a shape that is at least one of polygonal, curved e.g. circular, convex and concave, e.g. the shape being a curved or circular sector.

(45) Extraction seat 20 may be configured for receiving ingredient capsule 100 that is provided with an outlet membrane 101. For instance, inlet arrangement 21 is associated with a piercing and/or cutting arrangement 21a configured to pierce and/or cut water inlet opening(s) into ingredient capsule 100 in ingredient extraction seat 20 so that water circulating along the inlet arrangement is passed into capsule 100 via the water inlet opening.

(46) Dispensing arrangement 22 may include one or more piercing and/or cutting elements 225,33 that project upstream and that are configured for forming beverage outlet orifices in outlet membrane 101.

(47) Such orifice(s) may be provided in outlet membrane 101 by piercing and/or cutting elements 225,33: before supplying water into seat 20 via the inlet arrangement 21, e.g. the orifice(s) being provided in outlet membrane 101 at or after insertion of the capsule into the seat 20; and/or by pressure rise in capsule 100 caused by supplying water, e.g. at a supply pressure in the range of 5 to 20 bar such as 8 to 15 bar, so as to urge outlet membrane 101 against elements 225,33.

(48) At least one such piercing and/or cutting element 225,33 may include a piercing and/or cutting element 225 formed by or fixed to face 220, such as an element 225 extending from adjacent the upper or lower outflow passage 222a,222b or a part of such passage.

(49) For instance, a plurality of such piercing and/or cutting elements 225 are formed by or fixed to face 220. See FIGS. 2 to 8 and 17 to 19.

(50) At least one such piercing and/or cutting element 225,33 can include a piercing and/or cutting element 33 that is movable through face 220, e.g. via a corresponding passage 32, between: a deployed position in which movable piercing and/or cutting element 33 extends beyond face 220 into seat 20 for providing the orifice in outlet membrane 101 in seat 20 by such movable piercing and/or cutting element 33 (FIG. 8); and a retracted position in which element 33 is so retracted relative to its deployed position, e.g. out of seat 20, to prevent formation of the orifice in outlet membrane 101 in seat 20 by such movable piercing and/or cutting element 33 (FIG. 7).

(51) Typically movable piercing and/or cutting element 33 is fixed to or integral with a support 31, e.g. a support supporting a plurality of such piercing and/or cutting elements 33, that is driven by a drive member 30 e.g. actuated by a manual or automatic, e.g. motorized, actuator. Machine 1 may include more than one support 31 supporting one or more piercing and/or cutting elements 33, the supports being in particular independently actuatable to be able to pierce and/or cut different areas of the outlet membrane to obtain different extractions, as desired. Machine 1 may include an upper support 31 supporting piercing and/or cutting element(s) 33, e.g. associated with upper portion 220a, and a lower support 31 supporting piercing and/or cutting element(s) 33, e.g. associated with lower portion 220b.

(52) At least one such piercing and/or cutting element 225,33 may include a piercing and/or cutting element 225 associated with an opening control arrangement 240 configured to control the formation of the orifice in the outlet membrane 101 by at least one piercing and/or cutting element 225. Opening control arrangement 240 may include at least one neutralizing member 240a that is movable adjacent piercing and/or cutting element 225 between an operative position in which piercing and/or cutting element 225 is prevented from forming the orifice in outlet membrane 101 and a rest position in which piercing and/or cutting element 225 is enabled to form the orifice in outlet membrane 101. For instance, piercing and/or cutting element 225 projects upstream from face 220 along an opening direction 225, e.g. an opening direction substantially parallel to downstream flow direction 200, neutralizing member 240 being movable between its operative and rest positions: at least approximately in parallel to opening direction 225; and/or transversally to opening direction 225. See FIGS. 15 to 17.

(53) The extraction seat can be configured for receiving an ingredient capsule that is provided with an outlet membrane, optionally the inlet arrangement being associated with a piercing and/or cutting arrangement configured to pierce and/or cut water inlet opening(s) into the ingredient capsule in the ingredient extraction seat so that water circulating along the inlet arrangement is passed into the capsule via the water inlet opening. The face delimiting the seat may be devoid of any piercing and/or cutting element for piercing and/or cutting the outlet membrane. Beverage outlet orifices may be provided in the outlet membrane: prior to receiving the capsule in the extraction seat, e.g. when the capsule is manufactured or subsequently conditioned e.g. in such machine prior to reaching the seat; and/or by being formed by tearing and/or breaking the membrane by pressure rise in the capsule by supply of water into the capsule, for instance to open pre-weakened parts of the membrane and/or actuate a membrane opening element comprised inside the capsule.

(54) Face 220 can have a at least approximately disc shape. See FIGS. 4 to 6 and 11 to 19. At least one of the lower and upper impervious parts may form: a circular or annular sector, e.g. generally half disc, such as a circular or annular sector having a circle centre that is at least approximately concentric with the face's circular shape, optionally the circular or annular sector extending to a circular edge of the face's circular shape, for instance the circular or annular sector having a central angle in the range of 60 to 300?, such as 90 to 270?, for example 120 to 240?, e.g. 150 to 210?; or a disc segment, optionally: the disc segment having a disc centre that is at least approximately concentric with the face's shape; and/or the disc segment and the flow-through portion having a surface area ratio that is in the range of 0.2 to 5, such as 0.5 to 2, for instance 0.66 to 1.5, e.g. 0.75 to 1.33.

(55) The upper and lower outflow passages 222a,222b can have together a total number of flow-through holes 222a,222b: in the range of 3 to 35, such as 5 to 30, e.g. 10 to 25; and/or each flow-through hole 222a,222b having a minimum diameter transverse to a beverage outflow direction along the hole, in the range of about 0.1 to 1 mm, such as 0.3 to 0.8 mm, e.g. 0.4 to 0.6 mm. See FIGS. 2, 3, 11, 19.

(56) Flow-through holes 222a,222b may all have the same dimensions (FIG. 19) or may be of different dimensions (FIG. 18).

(57) Extraction seat 20 may be delimited by a first part 24 and a second part 25 that are relatively movable between: an open position for inserting ingredient 102, e.g. within the above capsule 100, into the extraction seat 20 and/or for removing such ingredient 102 from seat 20; and a closed position for extracting in seat 20 ingredient 102. See FIGS. 2 and 3.

(58) First and second parts 24,25 may be configured such that first part 24 bears face 220 and second part 25 bears inlet arrangement 21.

(59) First and second parts 24,25 can be configured such that first and second parts 24,25 are relatively movable by an actuator such as by a user-handle or by an electric motor 3, e.g. an actuator connected to at least one of first and second parts 24,25 by a transmission 4 such as one or more of gears 41, belts, cams 42 and cam-followers, levers and/or hydraulic transmissions. For instance, electric motor 3 is controlled by a control unit 10 for controlling water supply arrangement 5, such as a unit 10 having a processing device e.g. a controller 11 and/or a user interface 12.

(60) First and second parts 24,25 may be configured such that one of first and second parts 24,25 is stationary relative to an outside machine housing 1 and the other of first and second parts 24,25 is movable relative to outside machine housing 1.

(61) Inlet arrangement 21 may be fluidically connected to a water supply arrangement 5 via a water guide 9.

(62) Water supply arrangement 5 may include at least one of: a water source 6 for supplying water to inlet arrangement 21, such as a water tank and/or a connector to an external water supply line; a water driver 7 for driving water to the inlet arrangement 21, such as a pump; and a thermal conditioner 8, e.g. a heater and/or a cooler, for thermally conditioning water supplied or to be supplied to inlet arrangement 21, such as a water flow thermal conditioner or a water accumulator thermal conditioner.

(63) Water supply arrangement 5 can be associated with a or the above control unit 10 for controlling water supply arrangement 5, such as a unit 10 comprising a processing device e.g. a controller 11 and/or a user interface 12.

(64) Seat 20 may be associated with an un-extracted ingredient insertion passage 20a, e.g. extending from outside such machine 1, and/or an extracted ingredient evacuation passage 20b, e.g. towards a waste ingredient collector. Passage(s) 20a,20b may be associated with guides 20c, such as rails or grooves, for cooperating with and guiding capsule 100 along the passage to and/or from seat 20 and/or with a stop 20d for immobilizing such capsule 100 at about a level of seat 20.