Beverage preparation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11737595-B2
Application number	US-202117492856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2021
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

The invention concerns a beverage preparation device ( 10 ), said device comprising:
a chamber ( 1 ) for receiving and agitating a liquid,
said chamber comprising an opened top ( 11 ), an opened bottom ( 12 ) and a lateral side wall ( 13 ),
said chamber presenting the shape of a solid of revolution, the axis of revolution (XX′) being oriented between the top and the bottom of the chamber,
a rotating unit ( 2 ) for spinning the chamber ( 1 ) around its axis of revolution (XX′), and
wherein the chamber presents a shape such that when the chamber is spinning, liquid present in the chamber forms a ring of liquid along the lateral side wall ( 13 ) of the chamber above the opened bottom ( 12 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage preparation device comprising:
at least one chamber configured for receiving and containing a liquid, each chamber comprising:
an opened top including a top opening,
an opened bottom including a bottom opening, and
a lateral side wall, wherein the top opening and the bottom opening are directly opposite each other;

each chamber is shaped symmetrical to an axis of revolution extending between the opened top and the opened bottom of the chamber;
at least one rotating unit configured for spinning the at least one chamber around the axis of the revolution;
wherein each chamber is configured such that spinning the chamber causes the liquid present in the chamber to form a ring of liquid along the lateral side wall of the chamber above the opened bottom.

2. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein in a vertical cross section of each chamber:
a diameter of the chamber is largest at a point between the opened top and the opened bottom of the chamber;
the diameter decreases from the point having the largest diameter to the opened top; and
the diameter decreases from the point having the largest diameter to the opened bottom.

3. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein each chamber is positioned inside the beverage preparation device so that a lower part of the lateral side wall presents a slope of at least 5° relative to a horizontal plane below the lower part of the lateral side wall.

4. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein each chamber is positioned inside the beverage preparation device so that the axis of the revolution extending between the opened top and the opened bottom of the chamber is oriented vertically.

5. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein each chamber is positioned inside the beverage preparation device so that the axis of the revolution extending between the opened top and the opened bottom of the chamber forms an angle with a vertical line.

6. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a liquid deflector designed for diverting the liquid introduced in each chamber through the opened top away from the opened bottom.

7. The beverage preparation device according to claim 6 , wherein the liquid deflector is designed for directing the liquid in a direction of an upper part of the lateral side wall of each chamber.

8. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a liquid supply configured for supplying the liquid in each chamber through the opened top, and the beverage preparation device is configured for orienting the liquid offset from the opened bottom of each chamber.

9. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one static mixer, each static mixer being positioned in an internal volume of a corresponding chamber and being positioned relative to the corresponding chamber so the liquid crosses the static mixer when the liquid spins with the corresponding chamber.

10. The beverage preparation device of claim 9 , wherein each chamber includes one or more blades extending from an internal surface of the lateral side wall.

11. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotating unit comprises:
a rotating motor cooperating with the at least one chamber by mechanical means or electromagnetic induction.

12. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein each chamber is held by a support, the support being rotatable.

13. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 , wherein each chamber comprises a lip extending downwardly from an edge of the opened top.

14. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of chambers and a plurality of rotating units, each rotating unit being configured for spinning a corresponding chamber.

15. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of chambers and one rotating unit, the one rotating unit configured for spinning the plurality of chambers simultaneously.

16. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of chambers differing by an internal shape, an internal volume, and/or a presence of at least one static mixer.

17. The beverage preparation device of claim 1 , wherein each chamber comprises a tube extending downwardly from the opened bottom.

18. The beverage preparation device of claim 1 , wherein the lateral side wall extends between the opened top and the opened bottom and includes a vertical portion.

19. The beverage preparation device of claim 18 , wherein the lateral side wall includes an upper part between the vertical portion and the opened top and a lower part between the vertical portion and the opened bottom, and wherein when the at least one chamber is spinning, the ring of liquid forms between the upper part and the lower part.

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Dubief Flavien
• Baudet Larry

Classifications

• A47J31/401 Primary

  whereby the powder ingredients and the water are delivered to a mixing bowl · CPC title

• A47J31/60

  Cleaning devices · CPC title