Abstract: The invention relates to a portion dispenser (2) for dispensing beverage items (8) from an exchangeable cartridge (3) comprising: a frame (4) with a receiving portion (5) for receiving the exchangeable cartridge, a discharge opening (6) next to the receiving portion (5) and sized for allowing a beverage item to be individually discharged by gravity from the 5 exchangeable cartridge, a moving means assembly (16) comprising a moving means (19) and a moving means housing (20) in which the moving means are arranged for moving therein, wherein the moving means (19) are arranged for providing a discharge chamber (23) for discharge of at least one beverage item therein and for transporting to a dispensing area (17) and wherein the moving means assembly (16) is arranged for sealingly 10 connecting with the exchangeable cartridge (3) and comprises means for opening the exchangeable cartridge to allow the discharge of the beverage item in the discharge chamber and for re-closing the exchangeable cartridge.

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing a beverage has: a body (1?) with a fluid line (1?,1??) extending from a liquid inlet (1?) to a beverage outlet (1??); a liquid tank (15) that has an outlet (16) connected to the liquid inlet (1?); and a carrier (11,12) assembled to the body (1?) for carrying the liquid tank (15). The carrier (11,12) is movable with the liquid tank (15) as a unit (10) inwards into the body (1?) into an operative position for supplying liquid to the liquid inlet (1?) and outwards from the body (1?) into a service position.

Abstract: A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (84) from a capsule (2) has: an external housing (10, 30, 30?, 40, 50, 60) having an external front face (10), two external spaced-apart lateral side faces (30,30?) that extend rearwards behind the external front face (10) and that face each other; a beverage outlet (11) located on the external front face (10) and above a front area (20) for placing a user-receptacle (3,4) for collecting beverage (84) from the outlet (11); and a capsule handling device (70) that has a first part (71) and a second part (72) that are relatively movable between a capsule transfer position and a capsule extraction position. At least one part (72) of the first and second parts (71,72) is arranged to translate towards and away from at least one of the two external lateral side faces (30,30?) so that the first and second parts (71,72) relatively move between the transfer and the extraction positions.

Abstract: A package (1) containing portions of beverage precursor for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage preparation device by mixing liquid with at least one portion of the beverage precursor in the form of a portioning band (3) comprising a pair of packaging sheets (4, 5) sealed to one another for enclosing and sealing the portions individually and separately in a substantially oxygen impervious manner by the sheets being sealed together about each portion, wherein the portions take the form of substantially spherical shapes which are covered on each side of the band by a sheet being formed with cavities (16, 17) to receive a part of each portion and wherein at least one of the sheet can be cut or torn at least partially about each portion for removal of each portion individually.

Abstract: Beverage portion dispenser 40 for receiving a portioning band 3 containing a plurality of individually sealed beverage precursor portions 2 for the preparation of a beverage wherein the dispenser comprises means 42 for individually collecting and dispensing the beverage precursor portions to a dispensing area, wherein the collecting and dispensing means comprises a portion drive assembly 48 arranged for receiving a part of the flexible portioning band and a separating assembly for individually separating the beverage precursor portions from the portioning band.

Abstract: The invention relates to beverage extraction unit (1) for extracting a beverage from an exchangeable capsule (2) containing beverage ingredients and being configured for operating according to two beverage extraction modes, e.g. at respectively high pressure or low pressure. The invention also relates to the beverage machine comprising the extraction unit.

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (110) from an ingredient (102) has an extraction unit (2) with: an ingredient extraction seat (20); an inlet arrangement (21) for guiding water into the seat (20); and a dispensing arrangement (22) for guiding beverage (110) out of the seat (20). The dispensing arrangement (22) has a face (220) delimiting a downstream part of the seat (20). The face (220) is made of an upper portion (220a) and a lower portion (220b) that are delimited by a substantially horizontal physical or notional delimitation line (220c) that is located between a top end and a bottom end of the face (220). The upper portion (220a) is nude of an upper outflow passage (222a) and an upper impervious part delimiting the upper outflow passage. The upper portion (220a) has an upper surface area ratio transverse to a direction (200) of downstream flow in the seat (20) of: a surface area of the upper outflow passage (222a) over a surface area of the upper impervious part.

Abstract: A machine (1) for homogenising a food substance has: a container (10) with a side wall (11) and a bottom wall (12) delimiting a cavity (10?); an impeller (30) with an impelling member (31) forming an impelling surface (31?,31?,31?) that is drivable in rotation (r) about a central axial direction (30?) of the impelling surface (31?,31?,31??) for imparting a mechanical effect to the food substance; and a module (20) which has a housing means (22?) that contains an inner chamber (22,22a) and that delimits a seat (21) for the container (10), the chamber (22,22a) containing an electric motor (24). The electric motor (24) has an output drive axis (24?) with a driver device (24?) configured to drive a follower device (35) of the impeller (30). The driver device (24?) and the follower device (35) are magnetically coupled through a sidewall (11) and/or bottom wall (12) of the container (10).

Abstract: Exchangeable cartridge (3) for portion dispenser (1) arranged for storing and dispensing beverage items (8) for the preparation of beverages comprising: an elongated hollowed storage member (7) comprising an interior for accommodating a plurality of beverage items (8), comprising a closed end (9) and an open end (10) comprising an exit opening (11), a closure cap (14) adapted to connect in a removable manner to the elongated hollowed storage member (7) at the open end of the storage member and to be sealed through a removable complementary connection (15) of the storage member (7) and closure cap (14), wherein the closure cap (14) comprises a locking member (26), or respectively keying member, being arranged for complementarily fitting with a keying member (25), or respectively a locking member, of the portion dispenser (1) and for allowing the closure cap (14) to be removed from the elongated hollowed member (7) and to be re-connected to the elongated hollowed member (7).

Abstract: The invention relates to a beverage preparation machine (20) for providing a pressurized liquid to a dose of beverage ingredients (10) such as a coffee capsule, the machine comprising a pressurizing liquid chamber (1) designed for being filled with a predefined amount of liquid upon operation of a liquid pump (2) connected to a liquid reservoir (3) of the machine, a potential energy accumulator (4) that is associated to the pressurizing liquid chamber (1) and which is designed for being brought into a charged position upon filling of the pressurizing liquid chamber (1), a brewing chamber (5) for receiving the dose of beverage ingredients (10) and which is designed for being selectively brought in fluid communication with the pressurizing liquid chamber (1), the machine (20) further comprising flow control means (6a,6b) designed for regulating the amount of liquid conveyed from the liquid pump (2) into the pressurizing liquid chamber (1) depending on an operating position of the potential energy accumulator (4

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage has an outside housing (30) having one or more outside faces (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d). The machine includes a user-interface device (31) movable from: a deployed operative position adjacent to a face (30a) of such one or more outside faces (30a, 30b, 30c) so that the device (31) is accessible by a user; to a retracted storage position in the outside housing (30). The user-interface device (31) is movable from its deployed operative position into its retracted storage position and vice versa along a first direction (31?) and a second direction (31?) that is non-parallel to the first direction (31?).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for preparing a beverage, more particularly, for a vehicle comprising: a brewing unit (2) for receiving a dose (3) of beverage ingredients, a pressure pump (4) for supplying pressurized liquid to the brewing unit, an electronic control unit (5) for selectively controlling the activation of the pressure pump, wherein the electronic control unit (5) is arranged to control the activation and deactivation of the pressure pump (4), by providing output to the pressure pump as response to input indicative of a determined inclination angle relative to horizontal and/or to a detected spatial displacement or acceleration; said input being received from inclination angle and/or displacement sensing means (6) which are part of and/or foreign to the device.

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage has an outside housing (30) with one or more outside faces (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d). The machine includes a dispensing head (35) that has a beverage outlet (36) and that is movable: outwards out of the outside housing (30) into a deployed operative position in which a beverage is dispensible via the outlet (36) to a user-cup or user-mug (4); and inwards into the outside housing (30) into a retracted storage position. The machine has a liquid circuit for processing beverage and delivering such beverage into the beverage outlet (36), the liquid circuit comprising at least one activatable unit (40, 51, 52) that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation.

Abstract: A machine (1) for homogenizing a food substance includes a container (10) delimiting a cavity (10?) for containing the food substance. The machine has an impeller (30) with an impelling member (31) having a generally disc-shaped or conically-shaped impelling surface (31?, 31?, 31??) that is drivable in rotation about a central axial direction (30?) for imparting a mechanical effect to the food substance in the container (10) to homogenize different phases in the food substance. The impelling member (31) has at least one opening (31a, 31b1, 31b2, 31b4, 31b4, 31c, 31c?, 31d1, 31d2) which extends through the member (31) from the impelling surface (31?, 31?, 31??) to an opposite surface (31IV) of the member (31).

Abstract: A machine (1) has a unit for preparing and dispensing via an outlet (36) a beverage. The machine includes: an outside housing (30) with one or more outside faces (30a,30a?,30b,30c,30d); and at least one placement member (30e) for resting onto a generally flat external support surface (5) in a configuration such that the unit is in an orientation for preparing and dispensing the beverage via the beverage outlet (36) to a beverage dispensing surface (5,37). At least one placement member (30e) is movable and has: a deployed placement position providing a stability of the unit in this orientation on the external support surface (5); and a retracted rest position within the outside housing (30) or collapsed against the outside housing (30).

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage includes a beverage preparation and dispensing unit that has: an ingredient container (46, 50, 50a); a dispensing head (35) with a beverage outlet (36) for dispensing the beverage to a beverage dispensing surface (5, 37); and a liquid circuit for processing the beverage and delivering such beverage into the beverage outlet (36). The liquid circuit has at least one activatable unit (40, 51, 52) that is passed through by liquid during beverage preparation. The machine further includes: a power unit (54?) connected to a main switch (54) and to the activatable unit(s) (40, 51, 52); and a functional part that is configured to perform a function other than actuating the main switch (54) and that has a beverage preparing and dispensing position and that is movable into a different position in which no beverage is intended to be prepared or dispensed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multipurpose beverage preparation machine (10) comprising: a beverage preparation chamber (11) for receiving a liquid, processing means for processing the beverage in the beverage preparation chamber (11), a motor (15) configured for driving the processing means in the beverage preparation chamber (11), a heating means (16) configured for heating a liquid in the beverage preparation chamber (11), a control unit (17) operable to execute a beverage preparation process comprising control of the motor (15) and the heating means (16), the control unit (17) being coupled to a network interface (18) of the machine (10) to receive beverage process parameters (9) from an external electronic device (1), wherein the processing means comprises at least one foaming insert (13) and/or at least one support insert (14) for supporting solid ingredients, which is or are selectively and removably positioned within the beverage preparation chamber (11) and wherein the control unit (17) is confi

Abstract: A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises a source of liquid (2,3) and a dispensing outlet (4) connected via a pump (10) that includes a chamber (11) and a displaceable wall (12) delimiting the chamber (11). The pump (10) further has: an electric actuator (13) driving the displaceable wall (12) for causing an inflow of liquid from the source into the chamber (11) and for causing an outflow of liquid from the chamber (11) to the dispensing outlet (4); and a powering unit (14) that comprises an electric power source (142) and that is configured for supplying power to the actuator (13).

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2) has: a capsule extraction unit (10) having a first part (11) and a second part (12) that are relatively movable between a distant position for inserting a capsule (3) and a close position for extracting such capsule (3); a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) to extract such capsule (3); an outlet (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting such capsule (3) to a user-receptacle (4) located in a receptacle placing area; and a detection arrangement (30) connected to the control unit (40) for detecting the presence of such receptacle (4) in the placing area. The unit (10) has an actuator (13) configured to relatively move the first and second parts (11, 12) between their distant and close positions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a beverage preparation machine (10) for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge, the machine comprising a first liquid supply circuit (13) configured for selectively providing liquid of predefined temperature and/or volume from a liquid reservoir (22) of the machine (10) to a cartridge inserted into the machine, a second liquid supply circuit (14) configured for selectively providing liquid of predefined temperature and/or volume from the liquid reservoir (22) of the machine to a liquid delivery outlet (11b) of the machine, a control unit (15) for controlling the first and second liquid supply circuit (13, 14), and a network unit (16) comprising a network interface for communication with an external electronic device (1) over a network, wherein the control unit (15) is configured to individually control the selective provision of liquid from the first and the second liquid supply circuit (13, 14) in response to information obtained via the network unit (16).