Abstract: The present invention is directed to a container (11) for food or beverage preparation, adapted for containing at least one precursor ingredient within at least one compartment (34), and comprising an injection wall (17) for coupling to a food or beverage preparation machine (1) having at least one pressurized source of a mixing ingredient, whereby a food or beverage product is prepared within said container (11) by mixing said mixing ingredient with said precursor ingredient, said container (11) further comprising at least one food or beverage delivery wall (16, 37), characterized in that said injection wall (17) comprises outwardly expandable connection means (18, 19, 20) suitable for connecting said container (11) to said mixing ingredient source and establish a fluid communication between said container and said mixing ingredient source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a beverage preparation machine (1) with a machine body (2) and a machine dispensing head (3), characterized in that said dispensing head (3) and machine body (2) comprise cooperating means (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, ghd, gmb, gil, cmb) that allow movement of said head (3) relative to said body (2) along a non-linear path, and such that the trim of the dispensing head (3) is constant whatever its position.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a capsule (11) containing a beverage ingredient, adapted to be functionally inserted in a food preparation machine (1), said capsule comprising walls (12) that define a cavity wherein said beverage is prepared by mixing said ingredient with a fluid injected therein under pressure by said machine, said capsule further comprising a dispensing opening (13), and opening means that open upon effect of the rise of pressure within said cavity, characterized in that said opening means comprise a flow-conducting channel (14) able to connect the capsule cavity to the dispensing opening (13) and a spring-mounted piston plug (15) that is movable in said channel between: (i) a closed position where said cavity pressure is below a first predetermined pressure Pc, the piston spring (16) is at rest, and the piston plug (15) seals against a sealing portion (19) of the channel walls, (ii) a dispensing position where said cavity pressure is equal or superior to Pc, the piston spring (16) is elasti

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) having a tank (2) for containing a food-grade fluid, said tank comprising: (i) a reservoir body with side, bottom and top walls, (ii) at least one filling opening, (iii) at least one dispensing opening comprising a dispensing valve for establishing a fluid connecting between said machine and said tank, said tank having a weight WE when less than 5% of its total volume is filled, and a weight WF when at least 5% of its total volume is filled with fluid, said valve being reciprocally movable between a first position where the tank has a weight WE and the valve is open and a second position where the tank has a weight WF and the valve is closed characterized in that said machine comprises a switch disposed in the vicinity of at least one wall of the tank (2), so that: —when the tank has a weight WF said tank is in a first position so that it contacts said switch, and —when the tank has a weight WE said tank is in a second position, away from said

Abstract: The present invention concerns a food preparation system producing a food product, comprising a food preparation machine (500) with a receptacle (501) for a food capsule (300) and fluid injecting means (503), and a food capsule (300) comprising a capsule body (301), a cavity (302), a first end (303), an opening (305) communicating with said cavity (302), a second end (304) comprising at least one outlet (310, 311) communicating with said cavity (302), an injection wall (314), and at least one partition (306) dividing said cavity (302) into chambers (308, 309) containing a respective quantity of an alimentary substance (315, 316) and having at least one outlet (310, 311) with an independently-operable closure means (312, 313) in said second end (304), characterized in that the injection means (503) injects a quantity of fluid (508, 512) into said capsule (300) through a single injection point (504), and a sealing means (507A) selectively blocks fluid communication between said chambers (308, 309), resisting a

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a food preparation machine (1) for preparing a food product by mixing a fluid with an ingredient, said machine comprising: i. a base (2) having a fluid reservoir (3) and a pump able to withdraw said fluid through fluid-conducting pipes, said base optionally comprising an element suitable for heating and/or chilling said fluid, ii.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a brewing unit (3) for enclosing a food preparation ingredient, said brewing unit being releasably and leak-tightly connectable to a pressurized fluid source (2) through connecting means (6, 7, 8), said unit (3) further comprising fluid injection means (19), and at least two cavity parts (10, 11) able to assemble to create a closed cavity for enclosing said ingredient functionally such that said brewing unit (3) can inject fluid through said ingredient under pressure for mixing with said ingredient, said brewing unit (3) is fully detachable from said pressurized fluid source (2), and comprises locking means (22, 23, 24) for preventing disassembly of the cavity parts (10, 11) when said brewing unit (3) is detached from the fluid source (2).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage capsule (300) comprising a capsule body (301) defining a cavity (302) in communication an open end (304), an injection wall (303) enclosing the cavity (302), a partition dividing the cavity (302) into an injection space (306) and a product space (307) which has at least one channel (311) configured to retard fluid flow between the two spaces, a rupturing means (309) within said injection space (306) configured to rupture said injection wall when deflected into said cavity (302), and a quantity of a beverage ingredient (308) within said product space (307); characterized in that it comprises a sealing support (312) disposed about said rupturing means (309), projecting from said partition (305) towards said injection wall (303), having a sealing surface (313) proximal to said injection wall (303), and configured to contact said injection wall (303) when it is deflected into said cavity (302) of said capsule body (301).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a food capsule (100, 300) comprising a cup-shaped capsule body (101, 301) enclosing a cavity (102, 302) with an opening (105, 305) at a first end (103, 303), a second end (104, 304) comprising at least one outlet (106a, 106b, 310, 311) communicating with said cavity (102, 302); an injection wall (112, 314) closing said opening (105, 305); and at least one partition (107, 306) within said cavity (102, 302) extending from said injection wall (112, 314) to said second end (104, 304) of said capsule body (101, 301) and dividing said cavity (102, 302) into a plurality of chambers (108, 109, 308, 309); characterized in that each chamber houses a quantity of an alimentary substance (110, 111, 315, 316) and communicates with at least one outlet comprising an independently-operable closure means (106a, 106b, 310, 311) in said second end (104, 304).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage capsule (11) comprising capsule side walls (20), a capsule top, and a capsule bottom (21) having a dispensing outlet (22), that define a chamber for containing a food or beverage precursor ingredient soluble and/or extractable when a fluid is injected inside said chamber under pressure, said capsule (11) further comprising a pressure-sensitive membrane (25), characterized in that said pressure-sensitive membrane (25) comprises at least one weakened or precut zone defining a non-reclosable opening (26) which: (i) elastically and plastically opens, respectively widens when the fluid pressure inside said capsule reaches a predetermined value between 0.5 and 20 bar relative pressure, and then (ii) maintains a widen configuration after the fluid pressure within the chamber is released to an atmospheric pressure value, such that the width of said at least one opening (26) does not exceed 1 mm.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) comprising: —a capsule holder (8) for holding a capsule, —a fluid conduction system, —a brewing head (3) having an aperture for receiving said capsule holder (8), and an injection support (17) connected to the fluid conduction system, —an injection plate (18) supported by said support (17), comprising an upper surface (23) connected to the fluid conduction system through said support, characterized in that said injection plate (18) comprises at least one channel (21) independent from the fluid conducting channel connecting its upper (23) and lower (22) surfaces, said channel (21) being suitable for circulating fluid at least from the lower surface (22) towards the upper surface (23) of said injection plate (18), said channel (21) further comprising at least one piercing element (24) having a base (25) attached to said injection plate and an apex (26) directed towards the lower surface (22) of said injection plate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a capsule (11) for containing a food ingredient, adapted to be functionally inserted in the cavity of a food preparation machine (1), characterized in that said capsule (11) comprises at least one resilient portion (17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 38) that is deformable when said capsule is inserted into the machine cavity, and/or when said cavity is closed, and in that at least one machine operational data is function of the elastic deformation properties of the resilient portion.

Abstract: A system and device for preparing a liquid beverage from a cartridge. The device includes a supply unit for supplying an injection fluid into the cartridge, a cartridge holder configured to accept and support the cartridge with the cartridge holder being detachable from the device. A complementary insertion mechanism of the device is configured to receive the cartridge holder in the device. The cartridge is positioned in the supply unit in an injection position with its injection surface substantially in an inclined plane relative to the horizontal plane and the injection mechanism is offset from the highest edge of the cartridge. The cartridge holder preferably comprises a linear wedge-shaped insertion member having a bearing surface inclined along an angle. The method of operation of the system and device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a capsule (1) for containing a food ingredient, adapted for use in a food preparation machine able to inject a fluid under pressure inside said capsule to prepare a food product, said capsule comprising a capsule body with side walls (2), a top wall (3), and an impermeable flexible pierceable bottom membrane (4), characterized in that it further comprises a rigid support structure (5, 7) located adjacent and outside of said flexible pierceable bottom membrane, such that said structure covers and supports partially said membrane (4).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for producing a beverage from portioned ingredients provided within a capsule or pod, the system including a base station including a (e.g. removable) water reservoir of large capacity, and an autonomous beverage preparation module including an extraction head and being removably connectable to the base station from an autonomous-use mode to docked-use mode. The autonomous module includes a water inlet connection member. The autonomous module and the base station respectively include matching positioning members which engage when the beverage preparation module is connected to the base station in the docked position, and the system includes alternative water supply members and water outlet connection members adapted for connecting to the water inlet connection member of the module for supplying water to the module when the module is in the autonomous-use mode.

Abstract: The invention proposes a device for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule (24) by injection of a liquid into the capsule (24), wherein said liquid is provided by a pump (70) of the device, said device comprising an extraction head (20) having an aperture (22) for inserting a capsule-holder (30) providing the capsule (24) to a capsule-holder receiving chamber (25) of the device, a closing mechanism (21) to selectively enclose said capsule (24) in the capsule-holder receiving chamber (25), at least one injection member (11) to supply a liquid received from the pump (70) to the inside of the capsule (24), a control unit (80) for controlling at least the pump (70) of the device, and decoding means (1) connected to the control unit (80) and designed to read information from the capsule-holder (30).

Abstract: The present invention proposes a system for producing a beverage from portioned ingredients provided within a capsule or pod, the system comprising a base station (1) comprising a (e.g. removable) water reservoir of large capacity (12), an autonomous beverage preparation module (2) comprising an extraction head (4) and being removably connectable to the base station (1) from an autonomous-use mode to docked-use mode, wherein the autonomous module (2) comprises a water inlet connection means (27, 27a), wherein the autonomous module (2) and the base station (1) respectively comprise matching positioning means (5a, 5b) which engage when the beverage preparation module (2) is connected to the base station (1) in the docked position, and wherein it comprises alternative water supply means (11, 29, 36) and water outlet connection means (28, 32, 36a) adapted for connecting to the water inlet connection means (27) of the module (2) for supplying water to the module when the module is in the autonomous-use mode.

Abstract: The invention proposes a device for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule (24) by injection of a liquid into the capsule (24), wherein said liquid is provided by a pump (70) of the device, said device comprising an extraction head (20) having an aperture (22) for inserting a capsule-holder (30) providing the capsule (24) to a capsule-holder receiving chamber (25) of the device, a closing mechanism (21) to selectively enclose said capsule (24) in the capsule-holder receiving chamber (25), at least one injection member (11) to supply a liquid received from the pump (70) to the inside of the capsule (24), a control unit (80) for controlling at least the pump (70) of the device, and decoding means (1) connected to the control unit (80) and designed to read information from the capsule-holder (30).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule (12) by injection of a fluid into said capsule (12), said machine comprising:—a capsule holder (8) for holding a capsule, said holder (8) having a cup-shaped body (27), a handle portion (28), and a dispensing opening (29) through the bottom portion (30) of said body (27);—a fluid conduction system comprising a fluid reservoir (2), a fluid pump, optionally a fluid heater, said reservoir, pump and heater being connected by fluid pipes;—a brewing head (3) having an aperture for receiving said capsule holder (8), and an injection support (17) connected to the fluid conduction system;—an injection plate (18) supported by said support (17), said injection plate (18) comprising an upper surface (23) with a fluid coupling (32) connected to the fluid conduction system through said support, said injection plate (18) further comprising a fluid conducting channel (24) connecting the flui

Abstract: The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) comprising: a reservoir (2) for a fluid, a brewing head (3) adapted to receive at least one ingredient capsule (100) comprising at least one beverage preparation ingredient (104), a pump (6) for pumping a predetermined volume of said fluid from said reservoir (2) to said brewing head (3), such that said fluid can be injected into said capsule (100), when said capsule (100) is received by said brewing head (3), to mix with said ingredient (104) under pressure and produce a predetermined volume of beverage, wherein the reservoir (2), the pump (6), and an inserted ingredient capsule (100) in use are in fluidic communication and form a fluid system (800), and wherein the beverage preparation machine (1) further comprises a pressure sensor (301; 302; 303; 304) adapted to measure internal pressure (P) within an ingredient capsule (100) inserted inside said brewing head (3), and a locking mechanism (401) adapted to prevent disconnection of the inserte