Abstract: An adapter for machines for preparing beverages, particularly espresso coffee, comprising a supporting element which can be associated with water dispensing means and a cartridge holder associated with the supporting element, the cartridge holder comprising a plurality of receptacles for respective cartridges for infusions or the like and being movable, with respect to the supporting element, from a position for dispensing the infusion to a position for loading and/or unloading the cartridges, the supporting element being further provided with a front opening for moving the cartridge holder from the position for dispensing the infusion to the position for loading and/or unloading the cartridges and vice versa, at least one guide being provided for the translational motion of the cartridge holder with respect to the supporting element between two intermediate positions which are comprised between the loading and/or unloading position and the infusion dispensing position.

Abstract: An insert for filter holders of coffee machines, particularly espresso coffee machines, comprising an adapter provided with means for fixing to a filter holder and a disposable tray for containing a dose of ground coffee; the tray comprising a base which has a discharge port and a side wall which, together with the base, defines the tray; the tray further comprising a protrusion on the side wall which protrudes substantially radially toward the outside of the tray.

Abstract: A cartridge for the preparation of a beverage consists of a lateral cylindrical surface (S) obtained by rolling of a sheet and welding thereof along a line (L), as well as a top base (T) and a bottom base (B) welded to the cylindrical surface (S) so as to close the apertures at the ends of the latter, both the cylindrical surface (S) and the bases (B, T) being made from a flexible and gastight material. In this way a cartridge is obtained with a regular shape and easy to manufacture that not only is cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than prior art cartridges, but it also allows to make a coffee machine that is cheaper, more practical and lighter and can even be totally automatic.

Abstract: A heavily foaming coffee fraction characterized by the following bands in the FT-IR spectrum: 3400 cm−1, 2900 cm−1, 1655 cm −1, 1524 cm−1 1000-1150 cm−1, 894 cm−1 and 876 cm−1 and a production process for the coffee fraction (1) defatting with an organic solvent and extracting with hot water, (2) filtrating the extract, (3) adding a precipitation agent to the extract and centrifugation of the obtained precipitate, (4) dissolving the precipitate in water or an aqueous alcohol, (5) dialysing the solution against water, (6) filtrating the non-dialysable solution and (7) freeze-drying the filtrate.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is associated with a dose-holder in the coffee machine and is adapted to detect the thermal status thereof. The temperature sensor is connected to a measurement device that measures the temperature sensed and a signaling device for signaling the measured temperature positioned to be visible for the user.

Abstract: A coffee machine wherefrom an user may optionally request different coffees as to the volume of beverage and wherein the infusion water temperature in a heater (7) is made to lower as the quantity of the requested beverage increases; to this purpose, the machine is provided with a control means assembly comprising: a meter (12, 24) for the quantity of water moving to an extraction chamber (3), a temperature transducer (13) for sensing the temperatures the water achieves in the heater (7) and a calculator (14) adapted to receive the signals from said meter (12, 24) and temperature transducer (13) and control, according to a given algorithm, the water temperature in the heater (7) as a function of the moving water quantity.

Abstract: The procedure includes observation of each grain by optic-electronic devices and consists of an initial stage during which several values, representing color signals, are extracted and read and are then processed by a computer to reduce all the signals to two numbers only, defining a pair of coordinates on a plane where the colorimetric characteristics of the grains are represented, and of a second stage in which each grain is automatically classified within an electronic grid, related to the above plane, wherein an operator has already assigned the squares for classes of unacceptable grains. The machine includes an analog-to-digital converter able to convert the analog signals received from the observation devices into binary form, two adapter circuits, a computer and a memory for controlling, sampling and analog-numerical conversion of the color signals, also for storing all samples obtained, as well as for executing the above first and second stages of the procedure.