System for producing beverages from single-serve capsules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11925286-B2
Application number	US-201917057800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A system for producing beverages from single-serve capsules; the system includes a capsule including a cup-shaped container with a flange, and a brewing assembly including a pressurized water injection assembly and a beverage extraction assembly relatively movable from and towards a closed configuration, in which the injection and extraction assemblies define therebetween a brewing chamber for the capsule.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for producing beverages from single-serve capsules, the system comprising:
a capsule including a cup-shaped container having an outer annular flange and closed by a lid welded to the outer annular flange; and
a brewing assembly including a pressurized water injection assembly and a beverage extraction assembly aligned along an axis and relatively movable between an open configuration, in which the pressurized water injection assembly and the beverage extraction assembly define a capsule loading space therebetween, and a closed configuration, in which the pressurized water injection assembly and the beverage extraction assembly are arranged one against the other and define a brewing chamber for the capsule therebetween;
wherein the pressurized water injection assembly includes a cup that is arranged with a free edge thereof towards the beverage extraction assembly, and is mounted to move between an inoperative backward position and an operative forward position, in which, during operation, the cup houses said capsule and the free edge either engages or is arranged close to the outer annular flange of the capsule;
wherein the extraction assembly includes a hydraulic cylinder including a fixed cylindrical body and a piston that includes a head portion facing the pressurized water injection assembly, and is axially slidably mounted in the cylindrical body to axially slide between a normal backward position and an extracted position, in which, the head portion is compressed against the free edge of the cup arranged in the operative forward position with an axial force such as to couple the outer annular flange and the free edge in a fluid-tight manner; and
wherein the free edge of the cup has a thickness, measured radially, and a diametral size are so sized that the free edge engages the outer annular flange only at annular area of the outer annular flange arranged close to an outer circumferential edge of the outer annular flange, so that said annular area is arranged in a radially outer position to any sealing element of the capsule associated with the outer annular flange.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cup includes a bottom wall transversal to the axis, and a lateral wall that is coaxial to the axis and includes a distal portion having a reduced-thickness end portion that has a reduced thickness with respect to that of the remaining distal portion and is bounded at an end thereof by said free edge.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the reduced-thickness end portion has a thickness that is uniform or decreasing towards the free edge.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the distal portion is coupled to the remainder of the lateral wall in a demountable manner.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the reduced-thickness end portion is defined by a circumferential recess in an internal surface of the cup.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the reduced-thickness end portion has, on an internal surface coaxial to said axis, a plurality of recesses distributed around the axis.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the head portion of the piston includes a plate that is bounded on a side thereof facing the cup by a flat surface perpendicular to the axis, and is provided with a plurality of protrusions projecting from the flat surface and adapted to tear open the lid of the capsule when the brewing assembly is in the closed configuration and pressurized hot water is injected into the capsule.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hydraulic circuit including a cold water supply and a supply line that connects the cold water supply to the pressurized water injection assembly;
wherein supply line includes a first stretch that extends, in series, starting from the cold water supply, through a pump, the hydraulic cylinder of the beverage extraction assembly, a boiler and a check valve; and a second stretch that connects the check valve to the pressurized water injection assembly;
wherein the check valve is set to open when, during operation, water pressure along the first stretch, downstream of the pump, reaches a pre-set threshold pressure.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hydraulic circuit including a cold water supply, a pump fluidically connected, on a suction side, to the cold water supply, and two branches fluidically connected to a delivery of the pump;
wherein a first branch of the two branches extends through a boiler up to the pressurized water injection assembly and is provided with a non-return valve arranged upstream from the boiler and with a three-way solenoid valve arranged downstream of the boiler to selectively connect an outlet of the boiler to the pressurized water injection assembly or to an outlet duct;
wherein a second branch of the two branches extends through the hydraulic cylinder and is provided with a three-way solenoid valve arranged downstream of the hydraulic cylinder to connect an outlet of the hydraulic cylinder to a recirculation duct flowing into a tank or to an outlet duct.

Assignees

• Saga Coffee S P A
• Douwe Egberts Bv
• Koninklijke Douwe Egberts

Inventors

• Castellani Andrea

Classifications

• A47J31/3633 Primary

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

• A47J31/407

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

• A47J31/4407

  Lids, covers or knobs · CPC title

• A47J31/469

  Details of hydraulic circuits · CPC title

• A47J31/36 Primary

  with mechanical pressure-producing means · CPC title