Liquid dispensing machine with speed regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019231117-A1
Application number	US-201716339462-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Oct 11, 2016
Publication date	Aug 1, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (7) includes: a module (10) having a cavity (10a) and a cavity outlet (10a′) for guiding the beverage out of the cavity (10a); and a guide (100) that has a guide outlet (102) and that is arranged for receiving the beverage (7) from the cavity outlet (10a′) and guiding the beverage (7) along a guide direction (100′) to the guide outlet (102) and out thereof so as to be dispensed to a beverage dispensing area. The guide (100) has a guide channel (101,101′,101″,101b) extending along the guide direction (100′) for receiving the beverage (7) from the cavity outlet (10a′) and guiding the beverage (7) to the guide outlet (102). The guide channel (101,101′,101″) has a cross-section orthogonal to the guide direction (100′) and a bottom (101,101b′) generally extending along the guide direction (100′). The cross-section has a width that increases with distance from the bottom (101,101b′), e.g. with height above the bottom.

First claim

1 . A machine having an operative orientation for dispensing a beverage and comprising:
a module having a cavity and a cavity outlet for guiding the beverage out of the cavity; a guide that has a guide outlet and that is arranged for receiving the beverage from the cavity outlet and guiding the beverage along a guide direction to the guide outlet and out thereof so as to be dispensed to a beverage dispensing area in which a user-recipient can be placed for collecting the beverage; and the guide has a guide channel extending along the guide direction for receiving the beverage from the cavity outlet and guiding the beverage to the guide outlet, the guide channel having a cross-section orthogonal to the guide direction and a bottom generally extending along the guide direction, the cross-section having a width that increases with distance from the bottom.

2 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the guide channel extends to the guide direction and along substantially the entire bottom thereof.

3 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein in its operative orientation and wherein the guide channel is stepped in cross-section, and wherein the bottom forms a lower bottom at a bottom level, the guide channel having at least one upper bottom at an upper level above the lower level so that the guide channel has:
a narrow cross-section extending from above the lower level to the upper level for guiding a small flow of beverage along the guide channel; and a wider section extending from above the upper level for guiding a greater flow of beverage along the guide channel.

4 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein in its operative orientation and wherein the guide outlet has a maximum flow section that increases with a total height of the beverage above the bottom, the guide outlet having an upright entry.

5 . The machine of claim 4 , wherein the guide outlet has one or more first sub-outlets with a low entry for allowing the passage of beverage from low height above the bottom and one or more second sub-outlets with a higher entry for allowing the passage of beverage from greater height above the bottom.

6 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is defined by a first module part and a second module part, at least one of the parts being movable along a module direction into a position distant from the other part for transferring an ingredient capsule to and/or from the cavity and into a position close to the other part for processing the capsule in the cavity to form the beverage, the other part being for example stationary.

7 . The machine of claim 6 , which is in its operative orientation and wherein the guide direction is horizontally angled away from the module direction.

8 . The machine of claim 7 , wherein the cavity outlet has a cavity outlet direction along which the beverage is guided out thereof, the cavity outlet direction being at a further horizontal angle to the module direction.

9 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein in the operative orientation and wherein the guide is movable between:
a dispensing position for receiving the beverage from the cavity outlet and guiding the beverage along the guide direction to the guide outlet and out thereof so as to be dispensed to a beverage dispensing area in which a user-recipient can be placed for collecting the beverage; and a non-dispensing position for preventing liquid from being guided out of the guide outlet to the dispensing area.

10 . The machine of claim 9 , wherein the guide has a draining edge for draining residual beverage or liquid to a waste collector when the guide is in the non-dispensing position.

11 . The machine of claim 9 , wherein the cavity outlet is configured to guide the beverage or liquid away from the guide to a waste collector when the guide is in the non-dispensing position.

12 . The machine of claim 9 , wherein the guide has a member which is actuated to move the guide between the dispensing and non-dispensing positions.

13 . The machine of claim 9 , wherein the guide is translationally and/or rotationally movable between a dispensing position and a non-dispensing position.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the module is fluidically connected to a source of liquid and configured to supply liquid to the module for mixing such liquid with an ingredient contained in the capsule to form the beverage.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Bourgund Herve
• Fontbonne Luc
• Rithener Blaise
• Vincent Pierre-Emmanuel

Classifications

• A47J31/46 Primary

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

• A47J31/3633

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

• A47J31/36

  with mechanical pressure-producing means · CPC title