Patents by Inventor Colin Ballard

Colin Ballard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10676273
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 10442611
    Abstract: A beverage preparation machine for dispensing beverages from beverage cartridges containing one or more beverage ingredients, the beverage preparation machine comprising means for receiving, in use, a beverage cartridge and means for passing water through the beverage cartridge to thereby produce a beverage, the beverage preparation machine further comprising a code reader for interpreting a code provided on or in the beverage cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, David Smith
  • Publication number: 20180290822
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 9994388
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20160376093
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 9451847
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20150238044
    Abstract: A beverage preparation machine for dispensing beverages from beverage cartridges containing one or more beverage ingredients, the beverage preparation machine comprising means for receiving, in use, a beverage cartridge and means for passing water through the beverage cartridge to thereby produce a beverage, the beverage preparation machine further comprising a code reader for interpreting a code provided on or in the beverage cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, David Smith
  • Patent number: 8852659
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kraft Food R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20140141133
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Kraft Foods R&D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20130164416
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20120148721
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: KRAFT FOODS R&D, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 8168247
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20100078446
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: KRAFT FOODS R & D, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 7640843
    Abstract: A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Geoff Rendle, Maria Gomez
  • Patent number: 7607385
    Abstract: A low pressure beverage preparation system for automatically preparing a range of beverage types from a range of beverage cartridges, the system comprising: a beverage preparation machine; and a plurality of beverage cartridges, each beverage cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients associated with a specific beverage type, wherein the beverage preparation system comprises: a. means for receiving one of said plurality of beverage cartridges in said beverage preparation machine and means for supplying, in use, to said beverage cartridge an aqueous medium at a pressure of less than 2 bar to produce a beverage from the one or more beverage ingredients contained therein; b. a reader in said beverage preparation machine for automatically interpreting a code written on said beverage cartridge; c. processing means for creating a specific brewing cycle based on said code; d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, David Smith
  • Patent number: 7592027
    Abstract: A method of preparing a beverage with the steps of: a) inserting a first beverage cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients into a beverage preparation machine; b) operating said beverage preparation machine to pass an aqueous medium through the first beverage cartridge to dispense a first portion of said beverage into a receptacle; c) inserting a second beverage cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients into the beverage preparation machine; and d) operating the beverage preparation machine to pass an aqueous medium through the second beverage cartridge to dispense a second portion of said beverage into the receptacle; wherein one of the first or second beverage cartridges contains a liquid dairy-based ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar
  • Patent number: 7533604
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cartridge for dispensation of a beverage comprising the steps of: a. manufacturing a plurality of outer members comprising at least a first type of outer member and a second type of outer member having differing shape or configurations; b. manufacturing a plurality of inner members comprising at least a first type of inner member and a second type of inner member having differing shape or configurations; c. storing said plurality of outer members and said inner members; d. selecting one of the first type of outer member or the second type of outer member from the plurality of outer members; e. selecting one of the first type of inner member or the second type of inner member from the plurality of inner members; f. conjoining the selected inner member to the selected outer member; g. filling the outer member with one or more beverage ingredients; and h. sealing the outer member with a lid to form the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar
  • Patent number: 7340990
    Abstract: A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising a storage chamber containing the one or more beverage ingredients, characterised in that the aspect ratio of the vertical height of the storage chamber to the breadth of the storage chamber is between 0.10 and 0.43.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard
  • Patent number: 7322277
    Abstract: A cartridge containing one or more liquid beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, a compartment containing the one or more liquid beverage ingredients and an outlet for a beverage produced by dilution of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients by the aqueous medium, characterised in that the compartment includes means for controlling dilution of at least a proportion of the one or more liquid beverage ingredients on introduction of the aqueous medium into the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar, Maria Gomez
  • Publication number: 20070175334
    Abstract: An insert for use in a beverage preparation machine of a type comprising a brew head suitable for receiving a rigid or semi-rigid cartridge. The brew head comprises an upwardly directed inlet for supplying water to the brew head, a downwardly directed outlet for outflow of beverage produced by the machine, and a closure mechanism moveable between open and closed configurations. The insert comprises a receptacle and sealing means, the receptacle having an opening through which, in use, a quantity of beverage ingredients may be loaded into the receptacle, a lower portion of the insert comprising an inlet and an outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventors: Andrew Halliday, Nicholas Hansen, Colin Ballard, Satwinder Panesar