Patents Assigned to Lavazza Professional North America, LLC
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Patent number: 11667464Abstract: A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2020Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventors: Peter Austin, Paul Fletcher, David Knowles, Sam Hyde
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Patent number: 11661251Abstract: A nozzle, such as a nozzle for use as a part of a beverage preparation package. The nozzle may include a nozzle body with a conduit, the conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end. The nozzle may also include a plug that is connected to the nozzle body in a detachable manner. The plug and the conduit may be configured such that, when the plug is detached from the nozzle body, the plug is adapted to travel along the conduit and be retained within the conduit at the outlet end such that fluid can flow through the conduit from the inlet end towards the outlet end.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventors: Darren Nicholls, Simon Wilson
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Patent number: 11530070Abstract: A paper cup and a method of forming the same. The paper cup may include a sidewall and a floor portion that collectively define a cavity. In one aspect, the paper cup may include a rim that is coated with a rigid shell that encapsulates the rim. In another aspect, a void defined by a rim of the paper cup may be filled with a rigid filler material, and the rigid filler material may be one that expands upon application of heat thereto. In yet another aspect, the paper cup may include a separate rim component that is attached to the sidewall. The separate rim component may be formed from molded pulp fibers, and it may include a flange portion that is attached to the sidewall and a rim portion that protrudes from the sidewall.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America LLCInventors: David Wicks, Tony McCoy, Darren Nicholls, John Warhurst
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Patent number: 11419446Abstract: The present invention provides a beverage preparation machine comprising a housing; a reservoir for containing a liquid, wherein the reservoir is situated within the housing; a dispensing outlet for dispensing the liquid; a pump situated between the reservoir and the dispensing outlet; a user input means situated on an outer surface of the housing; and a pump controller configured to operate the pump for conveying liquid from the reservoir to the dispensing outlet for dispensing the liquid, wherein the input means is capable of communicating with the pump controller in order to initiate an operation of the pump; and the pump controller is configured to operate the pump based on a characteristic of the previous operation of the pump.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventor: Xianghua Xu
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Patent number: 11383920Abstract: A beverage preparation capsule comprising a capsule body having a beverage preparation ingredient hermetically sealed therein, wherein a beverage outlet region of said capsule includes front and back sheets of air- and water-impermeable flexible film material arranged in face-to-face relationship along an edge, a folded strip of flexible film material in the form of a gusset extending inwardly from said edge, wherein at least a central region of said strip is provided with a plurality of perforations or a zone of weakness.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2021Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventor: David Wicks
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Publication number: 20210261300Abstract: A nozzle, such as a nozzle for use as a part of a beverage preparation package. The nozzle may include a nozzle body with a conduit, the conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end. The nozzle may also include a plug that is connected to the nozzle body in a detachable manner. The plug and the conduit may be configured such that, when the plug is detached from the nozzle body, the plug is adapted to travel along the conduit and be retained within the conduit at the outlet end such that fluid can flow through the conduit from the inlet end towards the outlet end.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventors: Darren NICHOLLS, Simon WILSON
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Patent number: 11066231Abstract: A sealed beverage preparation capsule includes a sealed hollow body having a top and a bottom, a beverage preparation ingredient inside the body and a layer of filter material at least about 2 mm thick located inside the body and abutting said bottom of said body. A kit is also provided for assembling a plurality of beverage preparation capsules. The capsules include a cup-shaped base having a bottom, and side walls extending from the base to an upper rim defining an open top of the base component, and a plurality of ingredient pods. Each ingredient pod includes a top, side walls and a bottom, each formed of sheet material, wherein the pod contains a beverage preparation ingredient. The ingredient pod is shaped and configured to be engaged with the base component to assemble a beverage making capsule, with the top of the pod forming a lid for the base component and the bottom of the ingredient pod spaced from the bottom of the base inside the base.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America, LLCInventors: David Kelly, Paul Fletcher
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Patent number: 11014717Abstract: The present invention relates to a nozzle (240). In particular, a nozzle for use as part of a beverage preparation package. The nozzle comprises a nozzle body (246) with a conduit (242), the conduit having an inlet end (254) and an outlet end (256), and a plug (248) that is connected to the nozzle body in a detachable manner. The plug and the conduit are configured such that, when the plug is detached from the nozzle body, the plug is adapted to travel along the conduit and be retained within the conduit at the outlet end such that fluid can flow through the conduit from the inlet end towards the outlet end.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2017Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA LLCInventors: Darren Nicholls, Simon Wilson
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Patent number: 11001437Abstract: A system for the preparation of a multi-component food product, such as coffee, tea, soup or baby food. The system comprises two or more capsules (300,400), each capsule providing a component of the multi-component food product, each capsule having an inlet region for receiving liquid into the capsule and an outlet region (330) for dispensing liquid from the capsule, wherein the outlet region of a first capsule is configured to mate with the inlet region of a second capsule, such that the first and second capsules may be connected in fluid communication.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America, LLCInventors: David X. Wicks, David P. Knowles, Tony McCoy, Samuel Hyde-Hart
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Patent number: 10940994Abstract: A beverage preparation capsule comprising a capsule body having a beverage preparation ingredient hermetically sealed therein, wherein a beverage outlet region of said capsule comprises: front and back sheets of air- and water-impermeable flexible film material arranged in face-to-face relationship along an edge; a folded strip of flexible film material in the form of a gusset extending inwardly from said edge, wherein at least a central region of said strip is provided with a plurality of perforations or a zone of weakness.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2014Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America LLCInventor: David Wicks
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Patent number: 10863856Abstract: A beverage preparation apparatus for preparation of a beverage from a capsule in a clamp assembly (30). The clamp assembly has a first clamp member (31) and a second clamp member, where the inner surfaces of the first clamp member and the second clamp member form a clamp chamber (33) for substantially enclosing and supporting a capsule (10) during beverage preparation. The second clamp member comprises a rigid peripheral frame (32) having a central void and a resilient layer (37) extending across said central void. There is a piston (36) positioned in the central void and resiliently coupled to the peripheral frame (32) to allow limited resilient movement of the rigid peripheral frame (32) relative to the piston (36).Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2015Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America, LLCInventors: Paul Fletcher, David Knowles, Mark Thompson, Philip Mould, Peter Austin
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Publication number: 20200216231Abstract: The present invention relates to a nozzle (240). In particular, a nozzle for use as part of a beverage preparation package. The nozzle comprises a nozzle body (246) with a conduit (242), the conduit having an inlet end (254) and an outlet end (256), and a plug (248) that is connected to the nozzle body in a detachable manner. The plug and the conduit are configured such that, when the plug is detached from the nozzle body, the plug is adapted to travel along the conduit and be retained within the conduit at the outlet end such that fluid can flow through the conduit from the inlet end towards the outlet end.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2017Publication date: July 9, 2020Applicant: LAVAZZA PROFESSIONAL NORTH AMERICA, LLCInventors: Darren NICHOLLS, Simon WILSON
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Patent number: 10543979Abstract: A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2017Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America, LLCInventors: Peter Austin, Paul Fletcher, David Knowles, Sam Hyde
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Patent number: D935828Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Lavazza Professional North America, LLCInventors: Ryan Sanderson, Chunshik Kim, John White, Jonathan Dalton