Beverage preparation machine with movable mixing chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723943-B2
Application number	US-201313926606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2013
Priority date	Jul 5, 2012
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A beverage preparation machine comprising a beverage ingredient powder storing container and a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber being movable between a dosing position, where the outlet of the storing container emerges in the mixing chamber inlet, and a mixing position, where the outlet of the storing container does not emerge in the mixing chamber inlet. The dosing position being placed at a lower vertical position than the mixing position, and wherein the machine comprises an auger at the bottom of the beverage ingredient powder storing container configured for guiding a dose of powder to the outlet of the storing container. The machine also comprises a door at the outlet of the storing container, the door being configured so that when the mixing chamber moves to the dosing position the movement of the mixing chamber activates the opening of the door and when the mixing chamber moves to the mixing position the movement of the mixing chamber induces the closure of the door.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage preparation machine comprising:
a beverage ingredient powder storing container;
a mixing chamber movable between (i) a dosing position where an outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container emerges in an inlet of the mixing chamber and (ii) a mixing position where the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container does not emerge in the inlet of the mixing chamber, the dosing position placed at a lower vertical position than the mixing position;
an auger at a bottom of the beverage ingredient powder storing container, the auger configured for guiding a dose of beverage ingredient powder to the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container;
a door at the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container, the door configured so that when the mixing chamber moves to the dosing position, the movement of the mixing chamber activates opening of the door, and when the mixing chamber moves to the mixing position, the movement of the mixing chamber moves the door into a closed position in which the door closes the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container; and
an assembly to which the door is hingedly connected, the assembly comprising a lever to which the door is connected by articulated connecting rods, the lever positioned on a path of the mixing chamber between the mixing position and the dosing position such that the mixing chamber pushes the lever as the mixing chamber moves to the dosing position and does not exert force on the lever when the mixing chamber has moved back to the mixing position.

2. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container is surrounded by a seal on which the door leans when the outlet is closed.

3. The beverage preparation machine of claim 2 , wherein the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container is a cylinder, the seal is a ring present on an external surface of the cylinder, and a door side facing the outlet presents a peripheral rising edge, the peripheral rising edge being configured to lean on the seal when the outlet is closed.

4. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container is a cylinder of which an extremity presents a bottom half moon weir.

5. The beverage preparation machine of claim 4 , wherein a door side facing the outlet presents an embossment configured for cooperating with the bottom half moon weir of the extremity and for closing the extremity above the bottom half moon weir.

6. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the beverage ingredient powder storing container is a subassembly of the beverage ingredient powder storing container and is able to be dismantled from the beverage ingredient powder storing container.

7. The beverage preparation machine of claim 6 , wherein the subassembly comprises the assembly.

8. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the auger at the bottom of the beverage ingredient powder storing container is oriented to drive the beverage ingredient powder upwardly.

9. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the door pivots within the outlet.

10. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the door is automatically closed when the beverage preparation machine is at rest.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Beausire Cedric
• Denisart Jean-Luc
• Mieville Yann
• Baenninger Philippe
• Paillard Olivier

Classifications

• A47J31/404 Primary

  Powder dosing devices · CPC title

• A47J31/3614

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

• A47J31/401 Primary

  whereby the powder ingredients and the water are delivered to a mixing bowl · CPC title

• B05B11/1084

  each liquid or other fluent material being pumped by a separate pump · CPC title

• B05B11/3084

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic