Beverage preparation machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9907431-B2
Application number	US-201314421133-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2013
Priority date	Aug 13, 2012
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A beverage preparation machine configured to dispense a beverage through an outlet nozzle assembly, the machine comprising: an outlet nozzle assembly having provided therethrough a first outlet and a second outlet; and one or more conduits arranged to deliver selectably fluid to the first outlet or the second outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage preparation machine configured to dispense a beverage through an outlet nozzle assembly, the machine comprising:
an outlet nozzle assembly having provided therethrough a first outlet and a second outlet; and
a single conduit arranged to deliver selectably fluid to the first outlet or the second outlet;
wherein the conduit is arranged to move between a first position in which it is aligned to dispense fluid to the first outlet and a second position in which it is aligned to dispense fluid to the second outlet; and
wherein the conduit is flexible and wherein the machine further comprises an actuator arranged to move the conduit from one of the first and second positions to the other of the first and second positions.

2. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet is a first delivery hole for receiving beverage from one of the one or more conduits and delivering the beverage to a drinking receptacle such as a cup or mug, and wherein the second outlet is a waste outlet arranged to transfer waste to a waste receptacle.

3. The beverage preparation machine of claim 2 , wherein the waste outlet comprises a chute arranged to guide the flow of waste down and to the side.

4. The beverage preparation machine of claim 3 , wherein the chute terminates at a hole provided in the base of the chute or in the side of the outlet nozzle assembly.

5. The beverage machine of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet is a first delivery hole for receiving beverage from one of the one or more conduits and delivering the beverage to a drinking receptacle such as a cup or mug, and the second outlet is a second delivery hole for receiving beverage from one of the one or more conduits and delivering the beverage to a drinking receptacle, the first delivery hole having a smaller bore than the second delivery hole.

6. The beverage preparation machine of claim 5 , wherein the second delivery hole comprises a hole of a substantially constant bore and/or the first delivery hole comprises an enlarged entrance.

7. The beverage preparation machine of claim 6 , wherein the enlarged entrance comprises a chamber, optionally arranged to capture beverage delivered by the conduit when the conduit is aligned with the chamber but offset from the first delivery hole.

8. The beverage preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the outlet nozzle assembly further comprises a third outlet and wherein the conduit is arranged to deliver selectably fluid to the first outlet, the second outlet or the third outlet.

9. The beverage preparation machine of claim 8 , wherein the outlet nozzle assembly is arranged to move between a first position providing alignment for delivery of the fluid to the first outlet, a second position providing alignment for delivery of the fluid to the second outlet, and a third position providing alignment for delivery of the fluid to the third outlet.

10. The beverage preparation machine of claim 8 , wherein the conduit is arranged to move between a first position in which it is aligned to dispense fluid to the first outlet, a second position in which it is aligned to dispense fluid to the second outlet, and a third position in which it is aligned to dispense fluid to the third outlet.

11. The beverage preparation machine of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is arranged to move the conduit from one of the first, second or third positions to both of the others of the first, second and third positions.

12. The beverage machine of claim 8 , wherein the first outlet is a first delivery hole for receiving beverage from one of the one or more conduits and delivering the beverage to a drinking receptacle, the second outlet is a second delivery hole for receiving beverage from one of the one or more conduits and delivering the beverage to a drinking receptacle, the first delivery hole having a smaller bore than the second delivery hole, and wherein the third outlet is a waste outlet arranged to transfer waste to a waste receptacle.

13. The beverage preparation machine of claim 8 , wherein the waste outlet comprises a chute arranged to guide the flow of waste down and to the side.

14. The beverage preparation machine of claim 13 , wherein the chute terminates at a hole provided in the base of the chute or in the side of the outlet nozzle assembly.

15. The beverage preparation machine of claim 12 , wherein the second delivery hole comprises a hole of a substantially constant bore and/or the first delivery hole comprises an enlarged entrance.

16. The beverage preparation machine of claim 15 , wherein the enlarged entrance comprises a chamber, optionally arranged to capture beverage delivered by the conduit when the conduit is aligned with the chamber but offset from the first delivery hole.

17. A system comprising the beverage preparation machine of claim 1 and a complementary cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients wherein the machine is arranged to prepare beverages from the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients.

18. A method of dispensing beverages from a beverage preparation machine comprising an outlet nozzle assembly having provided therethrough a first outlet and a second outlet, and a single conduit arranged to deliver selectably beverage to the first or second outlet, the method comprising:
(a) passing fluid through the conduit that is aligned for delivering fluid to the first outlet; and
(b) passing fluid the conduit that is aligned for delivering fluid to the second outlet;
wherein the conduit is flexible and the machine further comprises an actuator, the method further comprising using the actuator to deflect the conduit such that it aligns for delivering fluid to the first outlet and/or the second outlet.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
prior to step (a), ensuring that the conduit is aligned for delivering fluid to the first outlet and, if not, causing relative movement between the first outlet and the conduit to bring them into alignment for delivering fluid to the first outlet; and
prior to step (b), ensuring that the conduit is aligned for delivering beverage to the second outlet and, if not, causing relative movement between the second outlet and the conduit to bring them into alignment for delivering beverage to the second outlet.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the conduit is resilient and the method further comprises allowing the conduit to relax to its neutral position where it is aligned for delivering fluid to either the first or the second outlet.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first outlet is a first delivery hole and the second outlet is a waste outlet, and wherein:
step (a) comprises passing beverage through the conduit aligned for delivering beverage to the first delivery hole, thereby causing the beverage to be dispensed from the first delivery hole; and
step (b) comprises passing fluid, for example steam, through the conduit aligned for delivering fluid to the waste outlet.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first outlet is a first delivery hole and the second outlet is a second delivery hole, wherein the first delivery hole has a smaller bore than the second delivery hole, and wherein:
step (a) comprises passing beverage through the conduit aligned for delivering beverage to the first delivery hole at a relatively low flow rate, thereby causing the beverage to be dispensed from the first delivery hole; and
step (b) comprises passing beverage through the conduit aligned

Assignees

• Kraft Foods R&D Inc
• Douwe Egberts Bv

Inventors

• Hansen Nicholas
• Norton Mark

Classifications

• A47J31/369 Primary

  Impermeable cartridges being employed · CPC title

• A47J31/46 Primary

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

• A47J31/60

  Cleaning devices · CPC title

• A47J31/407

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

• A47J31/3695 Primary

  Cartridge perforating means for creating the hot water inlet (cartridge perforating means of the filter holder for creating the beverage outlet A47J31/0673) · CPC title