Cartridge ejection systems and methods for single-serve beverage production machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9504348-B2
Application number	US-201414205261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for ejecting cartridges from single-serve beverage preparation machines are disclosed. In some embodiments, an ejection system is configured to facilitate ejection of the cartridge from a chamber in a rotatable basket unit. The ejection system can encourage the cartridge out of the chamber during the rotation of the basket unit, such as by force or gravity, by spring-loaded pins, or otherwise.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A system for ejecting a cartridge from a basket unit, the system comprising:
a chamber for receiving the cartridge, the chamber rotatable from a first position to a second position;
wherein in the first position the chamber has a upwardly orientated opening, wherein in the second position the opening is downwardly orientated and is located above the first position and the chamber is configured to receive a cartridge;
wherein the chamber comprises an…

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Windler Andrew Timm
• Manoux Philipe Roget

Classifications

• A47J31/3633

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A47J31/446 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A47J31/3638 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• B65D65/466

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic