A food or beverage preparation machine with detachable brewing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016192807-A1
Application number	US-201414912110-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention concerns a food or beverage preparation machine ( 1 ) for preparing a flowable food product or a beverage by mixing a fluid with a precursor ingredient, said machine comprising:—a base ( 2 ) having a fluid source, a pump means suitable for conducting said fluid from the source through fluid-conducting pipes to a fluid delivery port ( 9 ), and—a functional element ( 3 ) detachable from the base ( 2 ), comprising connecting means ( 6, 7, 8 ) for connecting fluidly to the delivery port of the base ( 9 ), characterized in that said base ( 2 ) and said detachable functional element ( 3 ) both have cooperating magnetic attachment means such that the detachable element and the base can be removably connected with an attracting magnetic effect, and then disconnected by rotating said detachable element relative to said base with a repelling magnetic effect.

First claim

1 . A food or beverage preparation machine for preparing a flowable food product or a beverage by mixing a fluid with a precursor ingredient, the machine comprising:
a base having a fluid source, a pump suitable for conducting the fluid from the source through fluid-conducting pipes to a fluid delivery port; a functional element detachable from the base, comprising a connector for connecting fluidly to the delivery port of the base; the base and the detachable functional element both have a cooperating magnetic releasable attachment member comprising: at least one first permanent magnetic element attached to the detachable functional element or to the base, the first magnetic element being located on a wall surface that also comprises the connector, respectively the fluid delivery port, and at least two second magnetic elements attached to the base or, respectively, attached to the detachable functional element, the corresponding magnetic elements being located on a wall surface that also comprises the fluid connection port, respectively the connector, and one of the second magnetic elements having a permanent opposite polarity to that of the first magnetic element, such that: when the detachable element is fluidly and functionally connected to the base, magnetic elements of the detachable element and base in alignment have opposed polarities so as to be magnetically attracted, and then by rotating the detachable element relative to the base, magnetic elements of the detachable element and base are brought in a new alignment where two aligned magnetic elements have same polarities, such that the detachable element is repelled outwardly from the base, and both are consequently disconnected from one another.

2 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic elements are permanent magnets.

3 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the functional detachable element is suitable for mixing the fluid with the ingredient, and/or suitable for dispensing the food or beverage to a serving container.

4 . A machine according to claim 3 , wherein the functional detachable element is a detachable brewing unit comprising a fluid injector and at least two cavity parts able to assemble to create a closed cavity for enclosing the ingredient, such that the brewing unit can inject fluid through the ingredient under pressure for mixing with the ingredient.

5 . A machine according to claim 3 , wherein the functional detachable element is a drinking cup, and wherein the connector of the cup has an integrated valve able to open when the cup is fluidly connected to the machine base, and close in a leaktight manner when the cup is detached from the base.

6 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic elements of the machine base, and the magnetic elements of the detachable functional element, are each placed at diametrically opposed locations relative to the fluid connection between said base and said detachable element.

7 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the cooperating magnetic attachment member comprises:
two rows of three permanent magnets on a wall of the machine base, the two rows located in diametrically opposed locations relative to the fluid delivery port between the base and the detachable element, and two corresponding rows of three permanent magnets on a wall of the detachable functional element, the two rows located in diametrically opposed locations relative to the fluid connecting protrusion between the base the detachable element, such that each magnet of the base is aligned to a corresponding magnet of the detachable functional element when the functional element is fluidly and functionally connected to the base, and magnets in each alignment have opposite polarities.

8 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the connection between the machine base and the detachable functional element is performed by insertion of a cylindrical channel that protrudes from the base or from the detachable element, into a corresponding cylindrical recessed channel of the detachable element, respectively a corresponding cylindrical recessed channel of the base, such that the base and the detachable element can be rotated around the connection.

9 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the ingredient is enclosed in a portioned container.

10 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the detachable functional element is a brewing unit comprising a lock suitable for preventing disassembly of the cavity parts when fluid pressure within the cavity and/or the ingredient exceeds atmospheric pressure.

11 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid source is a fluid reservoir, or a withdrawal member able to withdraw the fluid from an external fluid source.

12 . A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the machine base further comprises an element suitable for heating and/or chilling the fluid.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Ait Bouziad Youcef
• Agon Fabien Ludovic
• Parentes Alexandre
• Yoakim Alfred
• Dumur Philippe

Classifications

• A47J31/446 Primary

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