Pivotally closing beverage ingredient holder with piercer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9675202-B2
Application number	US-201214232497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2012
Priority date	Jul 12, 2011
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A receptacle holding unit ( 1 ) for a device for preparing a beverage from an ingredient contained in a receptacle ( 2 ) comprises: —a first part ( 10 ) with a first engagement arrangement ( 11 ); —a second part ( 20 ) that has a second engagement arrangement ( 21 ) pivotally movable relative to the first engagement arrangement ( 11 ) about a longitudinal axis ( 1 ′) between a closed position for holding the receptacle in such unit and an open position for inserting the receptacle into such unit and/or for removal therefrom; and —a piercing device ( 20 C) having at least one piercing element ( 29 ) for piercing the receptacle ( 2 ), this device being assembled to and held by the second part. At least one piercing element ( 29 ) is off this axis ( 1 ′) and is angularly fixed relative to the first part ( 10 ) about this axis ( 1 ′) when the second engagement arrangement ( 21 ) is pivotally moved relative to the first engagement arrangement ( 11 ) about this axis ( 1 ′) between the closed and open positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A receptacle holding unit for a device for preparing a beverage from an ingredient contained in a receptacle, the receptacle holding unit comprising:
a first part with a first engagement arrangement, the first part comprising a first index;
a second part comprising a second engagement arrangement pivotally movable relative to the first engagement arrangement about a longitudinal axis between a closed position for holding the receptacle in the receptacle holding unit and an open position for inserting the receptacle into the receptacle holding unit and/or for removal therefrom, the second part comprising an assembly of a pre-positioning body that bears a second index and an engaging body that bears the second engagement arrangement and that is pivotally mounted to the pre-positioning body, the first index cooperating with the second index for pre-orienting the second engagement arrangement relative to the first engagement arrangement to guide mutual engagement thereof at closure of the first and second parts;
a piercing device having at least one piercing element for piercing the receptacle, the piercing device assembled to and held by the second part; and
the at least one piercing element is off the longitudinal axis and is angularly fixed relative to the first part about the longitudinal axis when the second engagement arrangement is pivotally moved relative to the first engagement arrangement about the longitudinal axis between the closed position and the open position.

2. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , wherein the piercing device is angularly fixed to the pre-positioning body about the longitudinal axis between the open and closed positions.

3. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , comprising a locking member and wherein the locking member is arranged to intercept in a locked position at least the engaging body to angularly block the engaging body, the pre-positioning body, and the first part to prevent relative rotation of the first and second engagement arrangements.

4. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , wherein the piercing device comprises a plurality of piercing elements off the longitudinal axis for piercing the receptacle, the plurality of piercing elements comprising the at least one piercing element.

5. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , wherein the piercing device further comprises an additional piercing element, the additional piercing element extending along the longitudinal axis, the piercing element comprising a channel for guiding a liquid into the receptacle and/or out thereof.

6. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second engagement arrangements comprise first and second engagement surfaces, respectively, the first and second engagement surfaces being rotationally engaged together about the longitudinal axis when the first and second parts are in the closed position and disengaged when the first and second parts are in the open position.

7. The receptacle holding unit of claim 1 , comprising a locking member associated with the first and second engagements arrangements to form a fastening arrangement for fastening the first and second parts together in the closed position, the locking member being movable between:
a locking position for preventing relative rotational movement of the first and second engagement arrangements when the first and second parts are in the closed position; and
an unlocking position for allowing relative rotational movement of the first and second engagement arrangements and engagement and disengagement thereof.

8. The receptacle holding unit of claim 7 , wherein the locking member is arranged to intercept in the locking position at least the second part to prevent relative rotation of the second engagement arrangement in the closed position.

9. The receptacle holding unit of claim 7 , wherein the locking member is movable between the locking and unlocking positions along a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.

10. The receptacle holding unit of claim 7 , wherein the locking member is configured to relatively drive the first and second parts into the closed and/or open position.

11. The receptacle holding unit of claim 10 , wherein the locking member is arranged to move along a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis to drive the first and second engagement arrangements in an engagement or disengagement position, by an axial/rotational movement conversion.

12. A beverage preparation device comprising a receptacle holding unit comprising a first part with a first engagement arrangement; a second part that has a second engagement arrangement pivotally movable relative to the first engagement arrangement about a longitudinal axis between a closed position for holding the receptacle in the receptacle holding unit and an open position for inserting the receptacle into the receptacle holding unit and/or for removal therefrom, the second part comprising a first body that comprises the second engagement arrangement and is pivotally mounted on a second body to which at least one piercing element is angularly fixed; a piercing device having the at least one piercing element for piercing the receptacle, the piercing device assembled to and held by the second part; and the at least one piercing element is off the longitudinal axis and is angularly fixed relative to the first part about the longitudinal axis when the second engagement arrangement is pivotally moved relative to the first engagement arrangement about the longitudinal axis between the closed and open positions,
the first part bearing the first engagement arrangement comprises a first index, and the second part comprises an assembly of:
a pre-positioning body that bears a second index; and
an engaging body that bears the second engagement arrangement and that is pivotally mounted to the pre-positioning body,
the first index cooperating with the second index for pre-orienting the second engagement arrangement relative to the first engagement arrangement to guide mutual engagement thereof at closure of the first and second parts.

13. The beverage preparation device of claim 12 , wherein the receptacle holding unit is connected to an actuator for rotatably driving the receptacle holding unit to prepare a beverage.

14. A method comprising preparing a beverage from a receptacle containing a beverage ingredient in a receptacle holding unit comprising a first part with a first engagement arrangement, a second part that has a second engagement arrangement pivotally movable relative to the first engagement arrangement about a longitudinal axis between a closed position for holding the receptacle in the receptacle holding unit and an open position for inserting the receptacle into the receptacle holding unit and/or for removal therefrom, the second part comprising a first body that comprises the second engagement arrangement and is pivotally mounted on a second body to which at least one piercing element is angularly fixed, a piercing device having the at least one piercing element for piercing the receptacle, the piercing device being assembled to and held by the second part, and the at least one piercing element is off the longitudinal axis and is angularly fixed relative to the first part about the longitudinal axis when the second engagement arrangement is pivotally moved relative to the first engagement arrangement about the longitudinal axis between the closed and open positions, and preparing the beverage from the beverage ingredient,
the first part bearing the first engagement arrangement comprises a first index, and the second part comprises

Assignees

• Perentes Alexandre
• Bonacci Enzo
• Caprotti Patrick
• Gunstone Andrew
• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Perentes Alexandre
• Bonacci Enzo
• Caprotti Patrick
• Gunstone Andrew

Classifications

• A47J31/22

  Centrifuges for producing filtered coffee (A47J31/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J31/407 Primary

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

• A47J31/0673 Primary

  Means to perforate the cartridge for creating the beverage outlet · CPC title