Patents by Inventor Alain Boily

Alain Boily 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: 9907427
    Abstract: A system and a method for making a beverage from a mixture of liquid and solid particles are disclosed. The liquid and solid particles are introduced into a chamber so as to allow the liquid to infuse with the flavor or quality of the solid particles. A piston having an integrated filter is in sealed contact with the chamber, and can be vertically displaced within the chamber. When the piston is displaced downward, air is forced from below the filter and into the mixture sitting above the filter, agitating the mixture. When the piston is displaced upward, the mixture is drawn from above the filter. This separates the spent solid particles from the infused liquid, which collects in the chamber, thereby making the beverage. Also described are a driving mechanism for displacing the piston, a dispensing mechanism for releasing the beverage, and a wiping mechanism for wiping spent solid particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Keurig Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Marc St-Germain, Stephen Grant, Marc-Andre Vaillant, Alain Boily, Jorge Barbales
  • Publication number: 20150107459
    Abstract: A system and a method for making a beverage from a mixture of liquid and solid particles are disclosed. The liquid and solid particles are introduced into a chamber so as to allow the liquid to infuse with the flavour or quality of the solid particles. A piston having an integrated filter is in sealed contact with the chamber, and can be vertically displaced within the chamber. When the piston is displaced downward, air is forced from below the filter and into the mixture sitting above the filter, agitating the mixture. When the piston is displaced upward, the mixture is drawn from above the filter. This separates the spent solid particles from the infused liquid, which collects in the chamber, thereby making the beverage. Also described are a driving mechanism for displacing the piston, a dispensing mechanism for releasing the beverage, and a wiping mechanism for wiping spent solid particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: VKI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Marc St-Germain, Stephen Grant, Marc-Andre Vaillant, Alain Boily, Jorge Barbales
  • Patent number: 8968449
    Abstract: A spout, system, and method for producing a foam from a pressurized mixture of a liquid containing gas bubbles, e.g., air bubbles. The spout consists of a spout enclosure defining the body of the spout, and which receives the pressurized mixture and conveys the foam out of the spout enclosure. The spout enclosure houses a plurality of screens disposed in series that successively screen the pressurized mixture. Each screen is separated from a consecutive screen by a screen spacing. The screening of the pressurized mixture progressively transforms the gas bubbles in the liquid into foam bubbles of a smaller and generally uniform size. The system uses a manifold having a plurality of intakes which introduce under pressure into a chamber gas, and a solute, solvent or liquid, thereby generating the pressurized mixture containing gas bubbles. This mixture is conveyed out of the chamber via an outtake to the spout enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: VKI Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Boily, Jorge Barbales, Marc St. Germain, Marc-Andre Vaillant
  • Publication number: 20140170280
    Abstract: A system and a method for making a beverage from a mixture of liquid and solid particles are disclosed. The liquid and solid particles are introduced into a chamber so as to allow the liquid to infuse with the flavour or quality of the solid particles. A piston having an integrated filter is in sealed contact with the chamber, and can be vertically displaced within the chamber. When the piston is displaced downward, air is forced from below the filter and into the mixture sitting above the filter, agitating the mixture. When the piston is displaced upward, the mixture is drawn from above the filter. This separates the spent solid particles from the infused liquid, which collects in the chamber, thereby making the beverage. Also described are a driving mechanism for displacing the piston, a dispensing mechanism for releasing the beverage, and a wiping mechanism for wiping spent solid particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: VKI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Marc St. Germain, Stephen Grant, Marc-Andre Vaillant, Alain Boily, Jorge Barbales
  • Publication number: 20140010936
    Abstract: A spout, system, and method for producing a foam from a pressurized mixture of a liquid containing gas bubbles, e.g., air bubbles. The spout consists of a spout enclosure defining the body of the spout, and which receives the pressurized mixture and conveys the foam out of the spout enclosure. The spout enclosure houses a plurality of screens disposed in series that successively screen the pressurized mixture. Each screen is separated from a consecutive screen by a screen spacing. The screening of the pressurized mixture progressively transforms the gas bubbles in the liquid into foam bubbles of a smaller and generally uniform size. The system uses a manifold having a plurality of intakes which introduce under pressure into a chamber gas, and a solute, solvent or liquid, thereby generating the pressurized mixture containing gas bubbles. This mixture is conveyed out of the chamber via an outtake to the spout enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: VKI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Alain Boily, Jorge Barbales, Marc St. Germain, Marc-Andre Vaillant