Shallow machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939779-B2
Application number	US-201615561131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (84) from a capsule (2) has: an external housing (10, 30, 30′, 40, 50, 60) having an external front face (10), two external spaced-apart lateral side faces (30,30′) that extend rearwards behind the external front face (10) and that face each other; a beverage outlet (11) located on the external front face (10) and above a front area (20) for placing a user-receptacle (3,4) for collecting beverage (84) from the outlet (11); and a capsule handling device (70) that has a first part (71) and a second part (72) that are relatively movable between a capsule transfer position and a capsule extraction position. At least one part (72) of the first and second parts (71,72) is arranged to translate towards and away from at least one of the two external lateral side faces (30,30′) so that the first and second parts (71,72) relatively move between the transfer and the extraction positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for dispensing a beverage from a capsule containing a beverage ingredient, the machine comprising:
an external housing having an external front face, an external top face, and an external bottom face, the external housing further comprising two external spaced-apart lateral side faces that extend rearwards behind the external front face, the two external spaced-apart lateral side faces extend between the external top face and the external bottom face, the two external lateral side faces face each other;
a beverage outlet located on the external front face and above a front area for placing a user-receptacle for collecting beverage dispensed from the beverage outlet; and
a capsule handling device that is located behind the external front face, the capsule handling device is fluidically connected to the beverage outlet, the capsule handling device having a first part and a second part that are relatively movable between a transfer position for receiving and/or evacuating the capsule and an extraction position for extracting the capsule between the first and second parts; and
at least one of the first and second parts of the capsule handling device is arranged to translate towards and away from at least one of the two external lateral side faces so that the first and second parts relatively move between the transfer position and the extraction position.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second parts that is arranged to translate towards and away from the at least one of the two external lateral side faces is configured to move generally in parallel to at least one of: the external front face; an external rear face; the external top face; and the external bottom face.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the first and second parts are relatively movable between the transfer position for receiving and/or evacuating the capsule and the extraction position for extracting the capsule between the first and second parts along a translation axis that intercepts at least one of the two external lateral side faces.

4. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a fluid circuit for circulating the beverage ingredient from the capsule when extracted between the first and second parts, the fluid circuit being fluidically connected to a source of liquid, and the fluid circuit comprising a liquid driver configured to drive the liquid from the source into the capsule handling device for feeding the liquid to the capsule and via an inlet of the first part or the second part.

5. The machine of claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the first and second parts arranged to translate towards and away from the at least one of the two external lateral side faces is arranged to move generally in parallel to an overall direction of extraction of the beverage ingredient in said capsule when the capsule is extracted between the first and second parts.

6. The machine of claim 5 , comprising a fluid guide configured to fluidically connect the capsule handling device to the beverage outlet along a guide direction, and the overall direction of extraction and a direction of dispensing of the beverage out of the beverage outlet extend along skew lines.

7. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a foot projecting in front of the external front face and extending along the external front face to form and/or support the front area.

8. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a movable user-receptacle support body that has an upper placement surface and that is movable along the external front face:
from a first position at the front area under the beverage outlet for supporting on the upper placement surface a short user-receptacle under the beverage outlet; and
to a second position away from under the beverage outlet so that a large user-receptacle is placeable on a lower placement surface under the beverage outlet.

9. The machine of claim 8 , wherein the movable user-receptacle support body is secured to the external front face and/or to a foot projecting in front of the external front face.

10. The machine of claim 8 , comprising a connection member for connecting the user-receptacle support body to the external front face, the movable user-receptacle support body having a connector that is connected or connectable to the connection member to maintain the user-receptacle body in the first and second positions.

11. The machine of claim 4 , comprising a liquid reservoir, the liquid reservoir being in fluid connection with the fluid circuit.

12. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a seat for receiving a removable service unit via an opening in the external front face.

13. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the external top face has a capsule insertion opening leading into a passage for guiding the capsule to the capsule handling device and to a position between the first and second parts of the capsule handling device in the transfer position, the first and second parts are then relatively movable to the extraction position for extracting the capsule.

14. The machine of claim 13 , comprising a user-interface which is operable by a user to extract the capsule between the first and second parts in the extraction position, the user-interface is:
covered by a cover when the cover is in an open position so that the user-interface is inoperable by said user when the capsule handling device is accessible from outside via the capsule insertion opening and the passage; and
uncovered by the cover when the cover is in a closed position so that the user-interface is operable by said user when the capsule handling device is inaccessible from outside via the capsule insertion opening and the passage.

15. The machine of claim 8 , wherein when the movable user-receptacle support body is in the second position, the movable user-receptacle support body is adjacent to one of the external lateral side faces.

16. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the connection member extends generally along a bottom part of the external front face.

17. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the liquid reservoir extends over at least one of the two external lateral side faces and/or over the external rear face.

18. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the external top face further comprises a capsule insertion opening, the capsule insertion opening leading into a passage configured for guiding the capsule to a position between the first part and the second part of the capsule handling device in the transfer position.

19. The machine of claim 18 , wherein the capsule insertion opening further comprises a cover that is relatively movable adjacent to the external housing between an open position and a closed position, the open position for allowing for insertion of the capsule into the passage through the capsule insertion opening, and the closed position covering the capsule insertion opening prevent insertion of the capsule into the passage through the capsule insertion opening.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Agon Fabien Ludovic
• Byun Da Mi
• Hanauer Bianca
• Magatti Marco
• Mayer Markus Johannes
• Schmiedbauer Matthias

Classifications

• A47J31/3623 Primary

  Cartridges being employed (with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652) · CPC title

• A47J31/4482 Primary

  Details allowing to adapt the beverage-making apparatus to the size of the brewing vessel or the beverage container, e.g. with adjustable support for the beverage container or adjustable hot water outlet · CPC title