Abstract: A system comprising a container for containing precursor material and a machine for preparing a beverage and/or foodstuff or a precursor thereof from said precursor material, the container including: a machine-readable code storing preparation information, wherein the code extends along a encoding line, and comprises a series of discrete positions that either comprise or do not comprise a unit to at least partially encode the preparation information, the machine including: a code reading system to obtain a digital image of the code and to fit a colour model to the digital image; a processing unit for processing the precursor material of the container, and; electrical circuitry to control the processing unit based on the preparation information read from the code and the code reading system, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to: sum values of the colour model along the encoding line, including for the units of the code and the encoding line; determine an orientation of the code based on said sum,

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 capsule recognition arrangement (30) connected to the control unit (40) for recognizing the colour of at least part of a capsule inserted in the machine (1).

Abstract: A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance (10) includes: a container (2) having an outside wall (2?) and In delimiting a food cavity (2?) for containing the food substance (10); an impeller (20) for driving the food substance (10) in the cavity (2?); a housing (3) having an outside wall and delimiting a powered cavity (3?) that is adjacent the container (2) and that contains a motor (30) for driving the impeller (20) and a thermal conditioner (40) for managing heat in the food cavity (2?); and a control unit (31) for controlling the impeller motor (30) and the thermal conditioner (40). The thermal conditioner (40) has different first and second sections (41,42) extending over different first and sections of the outside housing wall (3??). The first and second conditioner sections (41,42) are configured to generate different levels of thermal energy per cm2.

Abstract: A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance (10) includes: a container (2) delimiting a food cavity (2?) for containing said liquid food substance (10); an impeller (20) for driving the food substance (10) in the food cavity (2?); a housing (3) delimiting a powered cavity (3?) that is adjacent the container (2). The powered cavity (3?) contains: a motor (30) for driving the impeller (20); a heat evacuation system (35, 36, 37, 37?, 37?) for evacuating heat from the powered cavity (3?) to a space (6) outside such machine (1), comprising a motorized ventilation arrangement (35,36); and a control unit (31). The motorized ventilation arrangement has a first ventilation device (35) driven by the impeller motor (30).

Abstract: A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance includes: a jug (20) having a container (21) and delimiting a food cavity (21?) for containing the liquid food substance; and a base (10) that has one or more walls (11) forming a seat (11?) for removably receiving the container (21). The base (10) and the jug (20) comprise or delimit, respectively, an off-centred projecting member (33) and a corresponding off-centred seat (13) for the projecting member (33) or vice versa. The off-centred seat (13) is configured to receive the projecting member (33) when the container (21) is received by the base seat (11?) such that the container (21) is in place for processing the liquid food substance. The off-centred projecting member (33) is configured to maintain the container (21) off its place for processing the liquid food substance in the cavity (21?) when the projecting member (33) is off-set relative to the off-centred seat (13).

Abstract: A machine for processing a liquid food substance includes a jug that has a container and a handle for holding the jug by an adult human hand. The container delimits a food cavity for containing the food substance. The handle has a connection member projecting from the container and a substantially elongated upright gripping member that is connected to the connection member at a distance from the container. The gripping member has an upper portion that is above the connection member and a lower portion that is below the connection member. The upper portion is configured to support a thumb of the hand and delimits with the connection member an upper seat for accommodating an index finger of the hand.

Abstract: A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance includes: a jug (20) having a container (21) and delimiting a food for containing the liquid food substance; and a base (10) that has one or more walls (11) forming a seat (11?) for removably receiving the container (21). The base (10) and/or the container (21) has one or more thermally insulating spacers (11a) spacing the base wall(s) (11) from thermally conditioned outside container wall(s) (21a) when the container (21) is received in or on the seat (11?) so as to prevent or inhibit thermal transfer from the container (21) into the base (10) via the base wall(s) (11) from the container wall(s) (21a) adjacent the base wall(s) (11).

Abstract: A system (10,20) for processing and handling a liquid food substance, comprises: a processing device (20) that has a processing cavity (21) in which the liquid food substance is processed (21), the processing cavity (21) having an opening (22) that is configured so that the liquid food substance is removable from the processing cavity (21) via the opening (22); and a handling arrangement (10) that is configured to handle the liquid food substance when the liquid food substance is collected in an external user-recipient, such as a cup or a mug, after its processing in the processing cavity (21). The handling arrangement (10) is seizable by a human hand. The handling arrangement (10) is separate from the processing device (20) and from the external user-recipient and is freely movable relative thereto.

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: A machine (1) for dispensing a dispensable liquid (5) has: a liquid delivery module (10) for delivering the dispensable liquid (5) from a source (50) and a service area (7) for collecting collectable liquid (5?) from the liquid delivery module (10). The machine further includes a directing device (20) that has a dispensing position for directing said dispensable liquid (5) from the delivery module (10) to a dispensing area (6) and a collecting position for directing collectable liquid (5?) from the delivery module (10) to the service area (7). The directing device (20) has only one evacuation portion (21) from which: —the dispensable liquid (5) is evacuated from the directing device (20) to the dispensing area (6) when the directing device (20) is in the dispensing position; and—the collectable liquid (5?) is evacuated to the service area (7) when the directing device (20) is in the collecting position.

Abstract: A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance incorporates: a container (10) delimiting a cavity (10?) for containing said liquid food substance; an impeller (20) for driving the liquid food substance in the container (10); a motor (30) for driving the impeller (20); a motor chamber (40) for containing the motor (30); and a means for evacuating heat from the motor chamber (40). Such means comprises one or more movable members (50) that are driven by the motor (30) and that are configured to circulate air (2a,2b) in the motor chamber (40) to evacuate heat therefrom.

Abstract: Machine (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2), such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food, wherein the machine comprises a capsule recognition module (8) for recognizing a type of a capsule (3) inserted in the machine (1), the capsule recognition module (8) comprising a light source (82) for lighting at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) and an optical sensor (81) for sensing an optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3); and wherein the capsule recognition module (8) is configured to: determine a correction value of the optical property by sensing the optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) while said light source (82) is switched off; determine at least one sample value of the optical property by sensing the optical property of the at least part of the surface of the capsule (3) while the light source (82) is switched on; calculate a corrected sample value with the correction value and the at le

Abstract: A beverage preparation machine using capsules and configured to automatically recognize a type of a capsule inserted in the machine in order to adapt the beverage preparation parameters to the recognized capsule type.

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: 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: 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 capsule recognition arrangement (30) connected to the control unit (40) for recognizing the colour of at least part of a capsule inserted in the machine (1).

Abstract: A machine (1) for preparing a beverage has: a body (1?) comprising a seat (4) and a beverage processing line (1?, 1??) extending from a liquid inlet (1?) to a beverage dispenser (1??); and a service unit (10) that is removably received in or on the seat (4) and that comprises a foot part (11) and a recipient part (12) removably received in or on the foot part (11) so as to be supported thereby. The foot part (11) has a bottom face (11?) configured to rest on an external horizontal support surface (100) when the service unit (10) is removed from the seat (4). When the recipient part (12) is received in or on the foot part (11), the recipient part (12) is movable relative to the foot part (11) from a first stable position when the service unit (10) rests on the external horizontal support surface (100) to a second stable position when the service unit (10) is received in or on the seat (4), and vice versa.

Abstract: A machine (1) for stirring a liquid food substance has: a container (10) delimiting a cavity (11) with a bottom (12) and a peripheral wall (13) for containing the liquid food substance to be stirred; an impeller (20) comprising an impelling member (21) which is configured to be rotated in the cavity (11), the impeller (20) including an arrangement of driven magnetic elements (26) in the form of permanent magnets; and a motor (30) having an output shaft (31) that is magnetically coupled to the impelling member (21) via the container bottom (12) and/or peripheral wall (13) for driving the impelling member (21), the output shaft (31) driving an arrangement of driving magnetic elements (36,36?) that cooperate magnetically with the driven magnetic elements (26) so as to drive the impeller (20) in rotation.

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).