Abstract: An beverage-preparation apparatus includes a capsule receptacle (204, 300, 400, 416, 500) receiving a beverage capsule (306, 418) containing a quantity of a beverage ingredient, and an injection head (202) for injecting fluid into said beverage capsule (306, 418) to produce a beverage, said injection head (202) being mobile between a first, inactive position and a second, active position, and further having a biasing device (226, 304) selectively preventing the injection head (202) from remaining in the first, inactive position, and a capsule-detecting means (308, 402, 404, 422, 508) activating the biasing device (226, 304) when the presence of a beverage capsule (306, 418) within said capsule receptacle (204, 300, 400, 416, 500) is detected.

Abstract: A container for food or beverage preparation has walls defining at least one compartment adapted for containing at least one precursor ingredient, the walls including at least one fluid connection portion for fluidly coupling to a cooperating fluid connection portion of a food or beverage preparation machine having at least one source of a fluid mixing ingredient, whereby a food or beverage product is prepared within the compartment by mixing the mixing ingredient with the precursor ingredient. The container further includes at least one food or beverage delivery wall, and the container includes built-in pump means suitable for pumping the mixing ingredient from the source when the container is fluidly connected to the machine and for generating a fluid circulation within the at least one compartment, such that a food or beverage product is prepared and expelled through the delivery wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a food or beverage preparation assembly comprising: —a container holder (11) adapted for receiving a container and comprising an outlet port (15), and—an inlet port (14) for connecting the assembly to a source (3) of a fluid mixing ingredient. Between the inlet port (14) and the container holder (11), the assembly comprises a chamber (16) having a variable volume, such that an alternating increase and decrease in the volume of the chamber (16) may be provided for pumping mixing ingredient from the source of mixing ingredient to the inlet port (14) of the assembly, and for generating a flow of mixing ingredient through the chamber (16) having a variable volume and through the container holder (11). The invention also relates to a food or beverage preparation machine such an assembly embedded in a mixing head.

Abstract: An beverage-preparation apparatus comprises a capsule receptacle (204, 300, 400, 416, 500) receiving a beverage capsule (306, 418) containing a quantity of a beverage ingredient, and an injection head (202) for injecting fluid into said beverage capsule (306, 418) to produce a beverage, said injection head (202) being mobile between a first, inactive position and a second, active position, and further comprising a biasing device (226, 304) selectively preventing the injection head (202) from remaining in the first, inactive position, and a capsule-detecting means (308, 402, 404, 422, 508) activating the biasing device (226, 304) when the presence of a beverage capsule (306, 418) within said capsule receptacle (204, 300, 400, 416, 500) is detected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a capsule holder (2) for a beverage preparation machine, said capsule holder (2) comprising a cavity for receiving an ingredient capsule for beverage preparation, the capsule holder (2) comprising communication means (6) for communicating with a main assembly of a beverage preparation machine adapted to receive said capsule holder. The communication means (6) has a variable element, and the capsule holder (2) comprises electronic circuitry configured to set a state of said variable element. The communication means makes (6) it possible to provide to the rest of a beverage preparation machine a signal according to which an operating parameter of the machine may be based. In some embodiments, such a capsule holder (2) may be used to transform a manual beverage preparation machine into a machine having an automated operating parameter, e.g. an automated flow-stop capability. The invention also relates to a beverage preparation machine comprising such a capsule holder (2).

Abstract: Capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, comprising a body (2) comprising at least one compartment for receiving said beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim (4) extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis (I) of said body; a membrane (6) for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim, an optical code (7) containing binary information configured to be read by a camera (11) of a beverage producing device (20), wherein the optical code (7) is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders (7a-7d) and which is inscribed in a circular area (8) concentric relative to the center (O) of the membrane having a radius (R) smaller than the radius (R0) of the membrane.

Abstract: Method for providing information to a user from a capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage producing device (20) comprising a capsule with a two-dimensional barcode (7) thereon, capturing at least one image of the barcode via a digital camera (42) and displaying decode information from said image on a display (41).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to container (11) for food or beverage preparation, comprising walls (12) defining at least one compartment adapted for containing at least one precursor ingredient, said walls (12) comprising at least one fluid connection portion (20) for fluidly coupling to a cooperating fluid connection portion (31) of a food or beverage preparation machine (1) having at least one source (3, 28) of a fluid mixing ingredient, whereby a food or beverage product is prepared within said compartment (11) by mixing said mixing ingredient with said precursor ingredient, said container (11) further comprising at least one food or beverage delivery wall (16, 17), characterized in that said container (11) comprises built-in pump means (10, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 29) suitable for pumping said mixing ingredient from said source (3, 28) when said container (11) is fluidly connected to said machine (1), and for generating a fluid circulation within said at least one compartment, such that a food or beverag

Abstract: The present invention is directed to container (11) for food or beverage preparation, comprising walls (12) defining at least one compartment adapted for containing at least one precursor ingredient, said walls (12) comprising at least one fluid connection portion (20) for fluidly coupling to a cooperating fluid connection portion (31) of a food or beverage preparation machine (1) having at least one source (3, 28) of a fluid mixing ingredient, whereby a food or beverage product is prepared within said compartment (11) by mixing said mixing ingredient with said precursor ingredient, said container (11) further comprising at least one food or beverage delivery wall (16, 17), characterized in that said container (11) comprises built-in pump means (10, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 29) suitable for pumping said mixing ingredient from said source (3, 28) when said container (11) is fluidly connected to said machine (1), and for generating a fluid circulation within said at least one compartment, such that a food or beverag

Abstract: Capsule for the preparation of a beverage from beverage ingredients contained therein, comprising a body (2) comprising at least one compartment for receiving said beverage ingredients and a flange-like rim (4) extending outwardly and transversally to a central axis (I) of said body; a membrane (6) for closing the opening which is sealed onto the flange-like rim, an optical code (7) containing binary information configured to be read by a camera (11) of a beverage producing device (20), wherein the optical code (7) is a two-dimensional barcode having rectilinear borders (7a-7d) and which is inscribed in a circular area (8) concentric relative to the centre (O) of the membrane having a radius (R) smaller than the radius (R0) of the membrane.

Abstract: Method for providing information to a user from a capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage producing device (20) comprising providing a capsule with a two-dimensional barcode (7) thereon, capturing at least one image of the barcode via a digital camera (42) and displaying decoded information from said image on a display (41).