Beverage machine with ergonomic outlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10849456-B2
Application number	US-201615757031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2016
Priority date	Sep 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2) comprises: —a main body (10) containing a unit (11,12,13,14,15) for preparing said beverage (2) to be dispensed via an outlet (21) to an external user-recipient (3) at a user-recipient placement location (30); —a beverage dispensing head (20) that includes the outlet (21) and that is movable relative to the main body (10) inwards into the main body (10) into a retracted head position and outwards from the main body (10) into a deployed head position; and—a control unit (16) for controlling the preparation unit (11,12,13,14,15) to supply said beverage (2) to the outlet (21). The control unit (16) is configured to: —maintain or leave the beverage dispensing head (20) in its retracted position when the beverage preparation unit (11,12,13,14,15) is not operated to process a liquid; and/or—move the beverage dispensing head (20) into its deployed position or maintain or leave it in this position only when the control unit (16) operates the preparation unit (11,12,13,14,15) to process a liquid for dispensing via the outlet (21).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for preparing and dispensing a beverage comprising:
a main body containing a preparation unit for preparing the beverage to be dispensed via an outlet to an external user-recipient at a user-recipient placement location;
a beverage dispensing head that includes the outlet and that is movable relative to the main body inwards into the main body into a retracted head position and outwards from the main body into a deployed head position;
a control unit for controlling the preparation unit to supply the beverage to the outlet; and
the control unit is configured to:
maintain or leave the beverage dispensing head in its retracted position when the preparation unit is not operated to process a liquid, the control unit configured to operate the preparation unit to prepare the beverage when the beverage dispensing head is in its deployed position; and/or
move the beverage dispensing head into its deployed position or maintain or leave it in this position only when the control unit operates the preparation unit to process a liquid for dispensing via the outlet.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to operate the preparation unit to service the preparation unit when the beverage dispensing head is in its deployed position.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to operate the preparation unit to evacuate residual beverage when the beverage dispensing head is in its deployed position or when it is in its retracted position or when it is moved to the deployed position or when it is moved to the retracted position.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the beverage dispensing head is configured to move into its retracted position in an instance selected from the group consisting of:
immediately at the end of servicing the beverage preparation unit;
immediately at the end of preparing a portion of beverage by the preparation unit or after a short period of time after the end; and
in the absence of a detection by a sensor connected to the control unit of a user-recipient in the placement location.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the beverage dispensing head is configured to move into its deployed position:
on a user-request of a beverage preparation or of a servicing of the preparation unit; and/or
on a detection by a sensor connected to the control unit of a user-recipient in the placement location.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the preparation unit has an ingredient mixing module which comprises a first part and a second part that are relatively movable.

7. The machine of claim 6 , wherein the beverage dispensing head is mechanically connected or linked to one of the first and second parts that is movable in the main body so that the dispensing head is moved into:
its deployed position when the first and second parts are relatively moved into the mixing position; and
its retracted position when the first and second parts are relatively moved into the transfer position.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the beverage dispensing head and the one of the first and second parts are mechanically disconnectable so as to allow a relative movement of the first and second parts without moving the dispensing head.

9. The machine of claim 8 , wherein the beverage dispensing head in the deployed position and the one of the first and second parts in the mixing position are mechanically disconnected to relatively move the first and second parts back and forth between the mixing position and the transfer position when a user requests the preparation of a further portion of beverage by the preparation unit:
before the end of preparing a portion of beverage by the preparation unit; or
within a short period of time after the end of preparing a portion of beverage by the preparation unit.

10. The machine of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is configured to disconnect the dispensing head in its retracted position from the one of the first and second parts to relatively move the first and second parts into the mixing position and then to relatively move the first and second parts back into the transfer position.

11. The machine of claim 6 , wherein the main body has a transfer channel for supplying an ingredient to the mixing module, the channel.

12. The machine of claim 11 , which comprises a capsule loader associated with the transfer channel for loading a capsule,
the capsule loader having:
a capsule holding configuration for holding a capsule away from the mixing module; and
a capsule releasing configuration for releasing the capsule in or into the transfer channel towards the mixing module.

13. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a directing fluid guide upstream the outlet and downstream the preparation unit, the directing guide being configured to direct residual liquid from the preparation unit to a waste collector when the preparation unit is not operated to process a beverage.

14. The machine of claim 13 , wherein the directing guide and the dispensing head are mechanically connected so that the movement of the dispensing head:
from its retracted position into its deployed position is linked to or causes or is caused by a relative movement of the directing device into the dispensing configuration to direct fluid to the outlet; and/or
from its deployed position into its retracted position is linked to or causes or is caused by a relative movement of the directing device into the collecting configuration to direct fluid to the waste collector.

15. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing head is configured to:
translate along a straight direction from the retracted position into the deployed position and vice versa, optionally the preparation unit having an or the ingredient mixing module which comprises a first part and a second part that are relatively movable generally along the straight direction between a mixing position for mixing ingredients and a transfer position for inserting an ingredient and/or removing waste from the mixing module; and/or
move inwards into an outside housing or frame of the main body into the retracted position and outwards of the outside housing or frame into a deployed position.

16. A machine for preparing and dispensing a beverage comprising:
a main body containing a preparation unit for preparing the beverage to be dispensed via an outlet to an external user-recipient at a user-recipient placement location;
a beverage dispensing head that includes the outlet and that is movable relative to the main body inwards into the main body into a retracted head position and outwards from the main body into a deployed head position;
a control unit for controlling the preparation unit to supply the beverage to the outlet; and
the control unit is configured to:
maintain or leave the beverage dispensing head in its retracted position when the preparation unit is not operated to process a liquid, the control unit configured to operate the preparation unit to prepare the beverage when the beverage dispensing head is in its deployed position; and/or
move the beverage dispensing head into its deployed position or maintain or leave it in this position only when the control unit operates the preparation unit to process a liquid for dispensing via the outlet;

wherein the preparation unit has an ingredient mixing module which comprises a first part and a second part that are relatively movable;
wherein the beverage dispensing head is mechanically connected or linked to one of the first and second parts that is movable in the main body so that the dispensing head

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Branko Lukic
• Crozier Etienne
• Guyon Bertrand
• Obliger Nicolas
• Ryutaro Takayama Steven
• Thuliez Jean-Luc

Classifications

• A47J31/4407

  Lids, covers or knobs · CPC title

• A47J31/4403 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• A47J31/52

  Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus} · CPC title

• A47J31/46 Primary

  Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices · CPC title

• A47J31/5255

  of flow rate · CPC title