Adaptive service unit of a beverage machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12390044-B2
Application number	US-201917280287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A machine ( 1 ) for preparing a beverage has: a body ( 1 ′) comprising a seat ( 4 ) and a beverage processing line ( 1″, 1″′ ) extending from a liquid inlet ( 1 ″) to a beverage dispenser ( 1″′ ); and a service unit ( 10 ) that is removably received in or on the seat ( 4 ) and that comprises a foot part ( 11 ) and a recipient part ( 12 ) removably received in or on the foot part ( 11 ) so as to be supported thereby. The foot part ( 11 ) has a bottom face ( 11 ′) configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface ( 100 ) when the service unit ( 10 ) is removed from the seat ( 4 ). When the recipient part ( 12 ) is received in or on the foot part ( 11 ), the recipient part ( 12 ) is movable relative to the foot part ( 11 ) from a first stable position when the service unit ( 10 ) rests on the external horizontal support surface ( 100 ) to a second stable position when the service unit ( 10 ) is received in or on the seat ( 4 ), and vice versa.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for preparing a beverage, the machine comprising:
a body comprising a seat and a beverage processing line extending from a liquid inlet to a beverage dispenser; and
a service unit configured to be removably received in the seat, wherein the service unit comprises a first part and a second removably received in the first part so as to be supported thereby, the first part having a bottom face such that, when the service unit is not received in the seat, the first part is configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface, and wherein the second configured to store un-used beverage ingredient, beverage liquid, cleaning fluid to be supplied to the beverage processing line, used beverage ingredient, waste beverage liquid, or used cleaning fluid collected from the beverage processing line,
wherein, when the second part is received in the first part, the second part is movable relative to the first part between a first position when the service unit rests on the external horizontal support surface and a second position when the service unit is received the seat, the first and second positions being different.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part is moved into:
the first position by gravity force onto the part and/or a biasing element; and/or
the second position by mechanical resistance of the seat when the second part is urged against a body part delimiting the seat while the service unit is being moved into the seat.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein, when the first part of the service unit rests on the external horizontal support surface and the second part is received in the first part, a first vertical projection of a centre of gravity of the service unit along a plane containing a boundary of the bottom face is contained within the boundary.

4. The machine of claim 3 , wherein, when the service unit is received in the seat, the second part is received in the first part, and the body rests on the external horizontal support surface, a second vertical projection of the centre of gravity of the service unit along the plane containing the boundary of the bottom face is located outside of the boundary of the bottom face or closer to the boundary than the first vertical projection.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part and the first part are articulated and/or translationally connected, when the second part is received in the first part.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part is pivotally movable relative to the first part when the second part is received in the first part.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part is fastened to the first part when the second part is received in the first part.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the second part is fastened to the first part by a dismantlable bearing arrangement configured to guide relative movement of the second part and the first part.

9. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the first part comprises one or more protrusions that are urged into corresponding recesses of the second part and/or wherein the second comprises one or more protrusions that are urged into corresponding recesses of the first part, and wherein the protrusions and corresponding recesses are relatively movable by translation and/or pivoting to relatively move the first part and the second part.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part has a bottom face that rests on the first part in the first position and that is at least partly lifted away from the first part in the second position, the bottom face being tilted upwards and/or translated in the second position.

11. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the second part contains a removable auxiliary recipient.

12. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the service unit is releasably fastened in the seat.

13. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises an upright wall portion that forms part of an outside machine housing.

14. The machine of claim 1 , which comprises a machine tank that is at least one of:
(i) removably received in the seat when connected to the liquid inlet;
(ii) fitted with a lid movable or removable for filling the machine tank with liquid; and
(iii) provided with an outlet connector that is connectible to the liquid inlet, the outlet connector and the liquid inlet.

15. The machine of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid dispenser comprising at least one of:
a beverage outlet;
a dispensing head that can move inwards into the body for storage and outwards out of the body for dispensing;
a control unit for controlling the beverage processing line; and
a user-interface connected to the control unit for controlling the beverage processing line; and/or
the beverage processing line comprises a beverage mixing unit in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the beverage dispenser.

16. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the second part is fastened to the first part by at least one of a bias, spring, hook, lock and friction mechanism.

17. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the removable auxiliary recipient is:
configured for collecting solid material and that has a bottom with one or more through openings for allowing passage of liquid material from the removable auxiliary recipient to underneath the removable auxiliary recipient to be collected on a bottom of the second part; and/or
fitted with a handle for seizing the removable auxiliary recipient to remove the removable auxiliary recipient from the second part.

18. The machine of claim 13 , wherein the part of the outside machine housing is an upright wall portion covering the seat.

19. The machine of claim 14 , wherein the machine tank is insertable into or onto the seat and removable from the seat providing the service unit has been removed from the seat.

20. The machine of claim 15 , wherein the beverage mixing unit comprises a mixing cavity and an ingredient inlet channel for handling an ingredient to be mixed with liquid.

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Abdo Samer
• Fournier Michael
• Guyon Bertrand
• Magatti Marco

Classifications

• A47J31/46

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

• A47J31/4403 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title