Abstract: A capsule (550) for use in apparatus for dispensing liquid beverage, the capsule including at least one capsule side wall (551), a capsule base (552) and a capsule lid (553) defining a capsule cavity containing concentrated beverage and first (555) and second (556) capsule conduits wherein the first capsule conduit extends from proximate the lid and terminates remote from the capsule base allowing fluid to be supplied to the capsule away from the capsule base and the second capsule conduit extends substantially along a length of the capsule and terminates adjacent the capsule base allowing fluid to be dispensed from the capsule via the second capsule conduit.

Abstract: In order to create a fully automatic electric coffee maker, at least comprising a housing (1) having a water tank (12), a water pump, a brewing unit (2), controls, an electrical controller (3), and a collecting container (4) for coffee remains (5) or used coffee grounds, possibly having a bean container (6) and a grinding assembly (7), wherein the formation of mildew is substantially or completely prevented, the fully automatic electric coffee maker being cheap and easy to produce and having a long operating life, at least one UV light source (8, 11, 13, 14, 15) is arranged on the housing (1) or inside the housing (1) in such a way that the parts of the fully automatic coffee machine in contact with used coffee grounds or coffee remains (5) and/or the coffee remains (5) or the used coffee grounds and/or the bean container (6) and/or the grinding assembly (7) and/or the water tank (12) and/or a connecting line between the water tank (12) and the water pump or the brewing unit (2) is or can be irradiated with u

Abstract: A brewing unit for a coffee machine has a brewing cylinder on a second end of which an end plate is pivotal between a closed position and an open position. A piston is axially movable in the cylinder away from the first end of the cylinder past the fill opening to compact coffee introduced through a fill opening at the second end in a brewing position and from the brewing position toward the second end in the open position of the end plate into an eject position to eject the used ground coffee from the brewing chamber. A pair of gear wheels flank the cylinder at the second end. Respective coupling plates each having an inner end pivoted on a respective one of the wheels and an outer end pivoted on the end plate about an actuating axis. A drive synchronously rotates both wheels.

Abstract: In order to create a fully automatic electric coffee maker, at least comprising a housing (1) having a water tank (12), a water pump, a brewing unit (2), controls, an electrical controller (3), and a collecting container (4) for coffee remains (5) or used coffee grounds, possibly having a bean container (6) and a grinding assembly (7), wherein the formation of mildew is substantially or completely prevented, the fully automatic electric coffee maker being cheap and easy to produce and having a long operating life, at least one UV light source (8, 11, 13, 14, 15) is arranged on the housing (1) or inside the housing (1) in such a way that the parts of the fully automatic coffee machine in contact with used coffee grounds or coffee remains (5) and/or the coffee remains (5) or the used coffee grounds and/or the bean container (6) and/or the grinding assembly (7) and/or the water tank (12) and/or a connecting line between the water tank (12) and the water pump or the brewing unit (2) is or can be irradiated with u

Abstract: In order to provide an electrical beverage preparation machine, in particular for preparing coffee, espresso, mixed milk drinks or the like, the machine comprising an outlet housing part that has an inlet for coffee, fresh air and hot steam as well as milk and outlets for on the one hand coffee and on the other hand milk and milk foam, wherein the coffee outlet as well as the milk frothing system can easily be cleaned, it is proposed that a connector plate is fixed in the outlet housing part, said connector plate comprising connections for the coffee inlet, the steam inlet and the air inlet, and the coffee outlet branching off therefrom, as well as a connection port or similar coupling part, which comprises the steam and air outlets, and at which a mixing chamber with a milk connection is attached in a tightly mountable or detachable manner.

Abstract: A grinder has a hollow housing, a support rotatable in the housing about an upright axis, a lower annular grinding disk fixed atop and rotatable with the support, and an upper grinding disk nonrotatably fixed in the housing above the lower disk and forming therewith a radially extending annular grinding gap. The disks form with the housing an annular outlet chamber into which the gap opens radially outwardly. The housing forms an upwardly open intake into which the gap opens radially inward. An electrical drive is connected to the support for rotating the support and lower disk in the housing so that material charged into the intake is ground in the gap and expelled as particles into the output chamber. An angular-contact bearing is braced axially and radially between the support and the housing below the disks.

Abstract: An electric machine for making a beverage has a water heater having an inlet and an outlet, a pump for supplying fresh water to the water-heater inlet so that the water heater can supply heated or vaporized fresh water to the outlet, a port, and a milk supply. A mixer has a steam/water intake, a milk intake, an air intake, and an outlet. A milk conduit is connected between the milk supply and the milk intake and an gas conduit between the port and the air intake. A two-position valve connected to the water-heater outlet, to the gas conduit, and to the steam/water intake of the mixer is movable between a first position feeding steam or hot water from the water heater to the steam/water intake of the mixer and a second position feeding steam from the water heater to the gas conduit.

Abstract: In order to provide a coffee machine comprising a housing that contains the components of the machine, in particular a bean container, a grinder, at least one pump, a water container, a brewing assembly, at least one heater, power electronics with mains connection, control electronics with control modules, switches, signal lamps, display, level indicator, a beverage dispenser, a cup tray, or further components, for which design variants can be obtained at as low cost as possible, it is proposed that at the housing, there is detachably attached a head section covering an upper opening of the housing or one or two side parts that cover lateral openings of the housing or a front section forming the front of the housing, or a rear section forming the rear of the housing, or a beverage dispenser or a tray.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic test instrument, in which a receiver amplifier is controlled in dependence upon time by means of a depth compensation signal or else the ultrasonic signal amplified independently of the depth is evaluated by means of a time-dependent variable threshold signal. The depth compensation signals and the time-dependent threshold signals are derived from the same digital signal values stored in a main memory. The test instrument comprises a microprocessor by means of which the digital signal values for each material requiring testing are automatically measured by the instrument itself in conjunction with whichever test probe is used provided a corresponding test block of this material is available.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining by the pulse-echo method the acoustic velocity of a workpiece of known thickness utilize measurement of the transit time of the first rear wall echo signal and that of the second rear wall echo signal. The two transit times are then processed in a microprocessor which also controls the entire measuring cycle. For accurate measurement the transit time is defined as the time interval from the leading edge of the trigger pulse, which triggers the transmit pulse generator, to the time at which the respective echo signal exceeds a preset threshold amplitude.

Abstract: Display of the results of non-destructive testing with a beam of ultrasonic energy is enhanced by exercising precise control over the horizontal sweep voltage which is applied to the deflection plates of a cathode ray tube on which the test information is displayed. The sweep voltage generator produces a sawtooth waveform which has a precisely selectable slope. The sawtooth voltage waveform slope may be adjusted by selecting the capacitance, which is charged from an adjustable constant current source, and by varying the charging current. A microprocessor, which stores information commensurate with various waveform slopes, will control the adjustment of the sawtooth waveform slope by comparison of the stored information with keyboard entered data corresponding to a desired slope.