Beverage machine with ergonomic handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11540660-B2
Application number	US-201716328769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2) has: a capsule extraction unit (10) having a first part (11) and a second part (12) that are relatively movable between a distant position for inserting a capsule (3) and a close position for extracting such capsule (3); a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) to extract such capsule (3); an outlet (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting such capsule (3) to a user-receptacle (4) located in a receptacle placing area; and a detection arrangement (30) connected to the control unit (40) for detecting the presence of such receptacle (4) in the placing area. The unit (10) has an actuator (13) configured to relatively move the first and second parts (11, 12) between their distant and close positions. The actuator (13) is controlled by the control unit (40) to relatively move the first and the second parts (11, 12) when the detecting arrangement (30) detects the presence of said receptacle (4) in the receptacle placing area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for preparing and dispensing a beverage comprising:
an extracting unit configured for extracting a beverage ingredient capsule to form the beverage, the extracting unit having a first part and a second part that are relatively movable between a distant position configured for inserting and/or removing a beverage ingredient capsule and a close position configured for securing and extracting the beverage ingredient capsule;
a control unit configured for controlling the extracting unit to extract the beverage ingredient capsule; and
an outlet configured for dispensing the beverage formed by extracting the beverage ingredient capsule to a user-receptacle, the user-receptacle being located in a receptacle placing area, an external placement support on which such machine is located, or a machine support to collect the beverage;
the extracting unit comprises an actuator configured to relatively move the first part and the second part between the distant position and the close position, the actuator being connected to the control unit and controlled thereby to relatively move the first part and the second part when a detecting arrangement detects the user-receptacle in the receptacle placing area.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the extraction unit comprises a capsule feeder for feeding a beverage ingredient capsule to an extraction chamber, the capsule feeder having a capsule dispenser having a release configuration configured for releasing the beverage ingredient capsule from the capsule feeder towards the extraction chamber and a retain configuration configured for retaining the beverage ingredient capsule away from the extraction chamber.

3. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the control unit controls the capsule dispenser to release the beverage ingredient capsule from the capsule feeder when the first part and the second part are in the distant position or moving towards the distant position for an entry of the beverage ingredient capsule into the extraction chamber when the first part and the second part are brought back into the close position.

4. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the control unit controls the capsule dispenser to retain the beverage ingredient capsule at the capsule feeder and away from the extraction chamber when the first part and the second part are in the close position or relatively moving thereto or in the distant position and about to move to the close position so as to leave insufficient time for the beverage ingredient capsule, if it were released from the capsule dispenser, to be received into the extraction chamber prior to the first part and the second part reaching the close position.

5. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the capsule feeder comprises or is associated with a capsule sensor connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured to bring or maintain the capsule dispenser in the retain configuration when the capsule sensor senses no such beverage ingredient capsule on or at the capsule dispenser.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the actuator so that the first part and the second part are moved by the actuator:
from the close position into the distant position when the detection arrangement detects the user-receptacle in the receptacle placing area; and
from the distant position into the close position after a predetermined period of time has lapsed starting from detecting the user-receptacle or from reaching the distant position.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the unit comprises a liquid supplier for supplying liquid, the liquid supplier being connected to and controlled by the control unit to supply the liquid into the extraction chamber and to interrupt such supply, automatically and/or manually via a user-interface connected to the control unit and/or when a removal of the user-receptacle is detected by the detecting arrangement.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the liquid supplier to supply automatically the liquid into the extraction chamber when:
the first part and the second part have reached the close position with the beverage ingredient capsule housed in the extraction chamber upon moving the first part and the second part from the distant position to the close position so as to combine the liquid with an ingredient contained in the beverage ingredient capsule and form the beverage for dispensing via the outlet; and/or
the first part and the second part have reached the close position without any beverage ingredient capsule housed in the extraction chamber so as to rinse or clean at least part of the extracting unit, the liquid supplier configured to supply the liquid at a rinsing or cleaning temperature that is different from a temperature of the liquid for forming the beverage.

9. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the liquid supplier to not supply automatically the liquid into the extraction chamber when the first part and the second part have reached the close position without any beverage ingredient capsule housed in the extraction chamber.

10. The machine of claim 7 , which comprises a capsule sensor connected to the control unit and configured for sensing a type of a beverage ingredient capsule fed to the extraction chamber, the control unit being configured to control the liquid supplier according to a liquid supply program associated with the type.

11. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the control unit has an end-of-extraction management program which is run automatically when the liquid supply is interrupted to:
immediately relatively move the first part and the second part into the distant position so as to remove any beverage ingredient capsule from inbetween the first part and the second part; or
to maintain the first part and the second part in the close position during a predetermined period of time for allowing a manual request to supply via the liquid supplier an additional amount of liquid into the extraction chamber and, in the absence of such manual request during the predetermined period of time, to relatively move the first part and the second part into the distant position so as to remove any beverage ingredient capsule from inbetween the first part and the second part.

12. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is connected to at least one component and/or a capsule sensor in the machine by a wireless connection.

13. A combination of a machine for preparing and dispensing a beverage comprising an extracting unit for extracting a beverage ingredient capsule to form the beverage, the extracting unit having a first part and a second part that are relatively movable between a distant position configured for inserting and/or removing a beverage ingredient capsule and a close position configured for securing and extracting the beverage ingredient capsule; a control unit configured for controlling the extracting unit to extract the beverage ingredient capsule; an outlet configured for dispensing the beverage formed by extracting the beverage ingredient capsule to a user-receptacle located in a receptacle placing area, an external placement support on which the machine is located, or a machine support to collect the beverage; the extracting unit comprises an actuator configured to relatively move the first part and the second part between a distant position and a close position, the actuator being connected to the control unit and controlled thereby to relatively move the first part and the second part when the detecting arrangement detects the user-receptacle in the receptacle placing area; and the beverag

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Guyon Bertrand
• Magatti Marco

Classifications

• A47J31/521

  the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device · CPC title

• A47J31/407

  with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means · 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

• A47J31/36 Primary

  with mechanical pressure-producing means · CPC title

• A47J31/3604 Primary

  with a mechanism arranged to move the brewing chamber between loading, infusing and ejecting stations · CPC title