Beverage forming device and method with cartridge retainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10058208-B2
Application number	US-201414448140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2014
Priority date	Feb 9, 2012
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A beverage forming system and method in which a cartridge holder is movably mounted to the frame and has an opening to receive a cartridge. The cartridge holder may be arranged to hold and move a cartridge between an open position in which the opening of the cartridge holder is oriented in an upwardly inclined position to receive the cartridge, and a closed position in which the opening is oriented in a horizontal or downwardly inclined position. A cover may be arranged to cover the opening of the cartridge holder in a closed position, and the cover may be positioned away from the opening of the cartridge holder in an open position. A cartridge retainer may have an engagement portion arranged to hold the cartridge in the cartridge holder opening in at least a part of movement of the cartridge holder between the open and the closed positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage forming system comprising:
a frame arranged to support portions of the beverage forming system;
a cartridge holder mounted to the frame and having an opening to receive and hold a cartridge;
a cover arranged to cover the opening of the cartridge holder in a closed position, and the cover being positioned away from the opening of the cartridge holder in an open position to permit placement of the cartridge in the cartridge holder;
a cartridge retainer positioned between the opening of the cartridge holder and the cover in the closed position, the cartridge retainer being arranged to engage with the cartridge to hold the cartridge in the cartridge holder opening with movement of the cover away from the cartridge holder as the cartridge holder moves from the closed position to the open position; and
an inlet arranged to provide fluid to the cartridge held by the cartridge holder for the formation of a beverage.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge holder is arranged to hold and move the cartridge relative to the frame between the open position and the closed position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge holder is arranged to hold and move the cartridge between the open position in which the opening of the cartridge holder is oriented in an upwardly inclined position to receive the cartridge, and the closed position in which the opening is oriented in a horizontal or a downwardly inclined position.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the opening has an axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the opening, and the axis is arranged at an angle of about 30-50 degrees above the horizontal with the cartridge holder in the open position, and the axis is arranged at about 0-20 degrees below the horizontal with the cartridge holder in the closed position.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge holder is pivotally mounted relative to the frame to rotate between the open and the closed positions.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge holder includes a handle that is manipulable by a user to move the cartridge holder between the open and closed positions.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cover is mounted to the frame for movement relative to the frame and relative to the cartridge holder.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cover is arranged to move pivotally with the cartridge holder and relative to the frame in a portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed positions.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cover is arranged to move toward the opening and relative to the frame in a portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed positions.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge retainer is mounted for movement with the cover relative to the cartridge holder.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the cartridge retainer is arranged for movement relative to the cover.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the inlet that interfaces with the cartridge is mounted to the cover.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the portion of the inlet that interfaces with the cartridge includes a piercing element arranged to pierce the cartridge and to deliver fluid to the cartridge.

14. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a carrier that is movably mounted to the frame, wherein the cover is attached to the carrier, and the cartridge retainer is movably mounted to the carrier.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the carrier is pivotally mounted to the frame, and the cartridge holder is pivotally mounted to the frame, and wherein the carrier is arranged to move with the cartridge holder in a portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed positions.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the cover is mounted to the carrier so as to move pivotally with the carrier and the cartridge holder in the portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed positions, and the cover and the cartridge retainer are mounted to the carrier to slide relative to the cartridge holder.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the cartridge retainer is slidably mounted to the carrier and a resilient element urges the cartridge retainer to move away from the cover.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge retainer is slidably mounted to move relative to the cover, and a resilient element urges the cartridge retainer to move away from the cover.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge retainer is arranged to resiliently urge the cartridge in the cartridge holder to move away from the cover with movement of the cover away from the cartridge holder.

20. A beverage forming system comprising:
a frame arranged to support portions of the beverage forming system;
a cartridge holder movably mounted to the frame and having an opening to receive a cartridge, the opening lying in a plane, and a direction of the opening being perpendicular to the plane and pointing away from the cartridge holder, and the cartridge holder arranged to hold and move the cartridge between an open position in which the direction of the opening of the cartridge holder is oriented in an upwardly inclined position to receive the cartridge, and a closed position in which the direction of the opening is oriented in a horizontal or downwardly inclined position;
a cover arranged to cover the opening of the cartridge holder in the closed position, and the cover being positioned away from the opening of the cartridge holder in the open position to permit placement of the cartridge in the cartridge holder;
a cartridge retainer arranged to hold the cartridge in the cartridge holder opening in at least a part of movement of the cartridge holder between the open and the closed positions;
wherein the cartridge retainer is arranged to resiliently urge the cartridge in the cartridge holder to move away from the cover with movement of the cover away from the cartridge holder from the closed position to the open position; and
an inlet arranged to provide fluid to the cartridge held by the cartridge holder for the formation of a beverage.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the opening has an axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the opening, and the axis is arranged at an angle of about 30-50 degrees above the horizontal with the cartridge holder in the open position, and the axis is arranged at about 0-20 degrees below the horizontal with the cartridge holder in the closed position.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the cartridge holder is pivotally mounted relative to the frame to rotate between the open and the closed positions.

23. The system of claim 20 , wherein the cartridge holder includes a handle that is manipulable by a user to move the cartridge holder between the open and closed positions.

24. The system of claim 20 , wherein the cover is mounted to the frame for movement relative to the frame and relative to the cartridge holder.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the cover and the cartridge retainer are arranged to move pivotally with the cartridge holder and relative to the frame in a portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed positions.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the cover and the cartridge retainer are arranged to move toward the opening and relative to the frame in a portion of the cartridge holder movement between the open and closed

Assignees

• Keurig Green Mountain Inc

Inventors

• Smith Geoffrey Y
• Chan Thomas
• Choi Keith
• Li Benjamin

Classifications

• A47J31/3633 Primary

  Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position · CPC title

• A47J31/407 Primary

  with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means · CPC title