Brewing device for preparing a food product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9833104-B2
Application number	US-201113816520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2011
Priority date	Aug 13, 2010
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A brewing device includes a frame that has an insertion area for inserting a capsule towards a brewing position. Further, the brewing device includes a brewing chamber that has a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions of the brewing chamber are slidingly arranged in a sliding area of the frame. The first portion and the second portion both slide with respect to each other and with respect to the frame between a closed position and an open position. Ducts supply a brewing fluid to the chamber and outlet a brewed product from the brewing chamber. A pair of opposed guiding channels are provided for inserting, from a top of the insertion area, the capsule in the brewing position which is fixed with respect to the frame, and at least one member is provided for supporting the capsule in the brewing position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A brewing device for preparing a food product, from a capsule, comprising:
a frame having an insertion area for the capsule, the capsule being insertable in the insertion area towards a brewing position fixed with respect to the frame, wherein the frame comprises two side walls, each side wall comprising a longitudinal guide disposed in the side wall;
a brewing chamber comprising a first chamber and a second chamber movably arranged in the frame, the first and second chambers being movable both one with respect to the other and with respect to the frame between a closed position and an open position,
wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are configured to move different distances with respect to each other and with respect to the frame, when the first chamber and the second chamber move between the closed position and the open position, the first chamber being configured to move a first distance by a first pair of cursors slidingly arranged in the longitudinal guides and the second chamber being configured to move a second distance by a second pair of cursors slidingly arranged in the longitudinal guides, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance;

ducts configured to supply a brewing fluid to the brewing chamber and to dispense a brewed product from the brewing chamber;
a pair of opposed guiding channels configured to guide the capsule towards the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame, when the capsule is inserted in the insertion area; and
a capsule supporting member in the pair of opposed guiding channels configured to support the capsule in the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame by engaging a capsule portion during a supporting position of the capsule supporting member,
wherein the capsule supporting member is further configured to disengage the capsule from the supporting position and to release the capsule into a releasing position, disengaged from the capsule supporting member, after a completion of a brewing cycle prior to opening the brewing chamber by deforming the capsule portion after the completion of the brewing cycle prior to the opening of the brewing chamber.

2. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are slidingly arranged in a sliding area of the frame.

3. The brewing device according to claim 2 , wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are movable along a sliding direction substantially orthogonal to a capsule insertion direction, the sliding direction being substantially parallel to an axis of the capsule when the capsule is in the brewing position.

4. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the capsule in the brewing position is substantially coincident with an axis of the brewing chamber in the open position and in the closed position.

5. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposed guiding channels are configured to engage a flange of the capsule.

6. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposed guiding channels is configured between the first chamber and the second chamber when the first chamber and the second chamber are in the open position.

7. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule supporting member is configured to support the capsule from a bottom opposite the insertion area.

8. The brewing device according to claim 7 , wherein during a lifting movement of the capsule supporting member between the supporting position and the releasing position, the capsule is maintained in the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame.

9. The brewing device according to claim 8 , wherein after the lifting movement of the supporting member to the releasing position and the brewing chamber is moved to the open position, the capsule, being no longer supported by one of the supporting member, the first chamber and the second chamber, falls from the brewing position.

10. The brewing device according to claim 7 , wherein the capsule supporting member is configured to move to the releasing position by an upward movement opposite a direction of a capsule insertion while the capsule is maintained in the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame after the completion of the brewing cycle prior to the opening of the brewing chamber, and wherein during the upward movement the capsule supporting member is configured to deform the capsule portion after the completion of the brewing cycle prior to the opening of the brewing chamber.

11. The brewing device according to claim 10 , wherein after the upward movement, the capsule supporting member is configured to be positioned above the capsule portion engaged by the capsule supporting member during the supporting position, and wherein the capsule is no longer supported by the supporting member in the releasing position after the completion of the brewing cycle prior to the opening of the brewing chamber.

12. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposed guiding channels and the capsule supporting member are integral to one another.

13. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule supporting member includes a projection arranged inside each of the pair of opposed guiding channels, a distance between the projections being less than a maximum diameter of a capsule flange.

14. The brewing device according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposed guiding channels and the capsule supporting member are provided on a positioning member, the positioning member being configured to move in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction of a motion of the first chamber and the second chamber, and wherein the positioning member is configured to move upwardly in a direction towards the insertion area to disengage the capsule from the capsule supporting member prior to the opening of the brewing chamber while the brewing chamber is in the closed position after the completion of the brewing cycle.

15. The brewing device according to claim 14 , wherein a control device is configured to control movements of the first chamber, the second chamber and the positioning member during the brewing cycle, the movements being:
when the capsule is in the brewing position the first chamber and the second chamber are moved towards each other and towards the capsule to approach the closed position and close the brewing chamber, the capsule being maintained in the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame;
after the completion of the brewing cycle prior to the opening of the brewing chamber, the positioning member, including the capsule supporting member, is configured to be lifted upwardly opposite a capsule insertion direction to disengage the capsule from the capsule supporting member, while the brewing chamber is maintained in the closed position, the capsule being maintained in the brewing position fixed with respect to the frame; and
once the capsule supporting member has been lifted and disengages the capsule, the brewing chamber is opened to the open position by moving the first chamber and the second chamber apart and the capsule is released from the brewing position.

16. The brewing device of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of elongated slides constrained to slide along the frame,
wherein each of the pair of elongated sides comprises a first cam and a second cam,
wherein the first cam is configured to slidingly interact with a pin to reversibly move the capsule supporting member between the supporting position and the releasing position,
wherein the second cam is configur

Assignees

• Fin Giuseppe
• Favero Andrea
• Berto Giovanni
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Fin Giuseppe
• Favero Andrea
• Berto Giovanni

Classifications

• A47J31/407 Primary

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

• A47J31/3633 Primary

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

• A47J31/3638

  Means to eject the cartridge after brewing · CPC title