Patents by Inventor Luca Bugnano

Luca Bugnano 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: 11939142
    Abstract: A capsule for extraction of a beverage of the filter-coffee type has a capsule body (2), made of water-impermeable material, which defines a chamber (3), present inside which is a precursor of the beverage, comprising soluble coffee and roast and ground coffee. At least 51 wt % of the precursor is roast and ground coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 350 and 800 ?m, and the complement to 100 wt % of the precursor is soluble coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 1000 and 5000 ?m. The roast and ground coffee is laid out to form a first layer (GC) in the lower part of the capsule body (3), and the soluble coffee (SC) is laid out to form a second layer (SC) in the upper part of the capsule body, i.e., in a position corresponding to the inlet wall (5) and/or above the first layer (GC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Tottone, Luca Bugnano, Emilio Cugnetto, Luisa Borello, Silvia Barus, Alberto Cabilli
  • Publication number: 20220265082
    Abstract: A machine for preparing a food product comprises at least a stationary structure, a hydraulic circuit and a control system. The hydraulic circuit comprises at least one water-supply source, means for heating water and pumping means, as well as a first dispensing element (51), which can be supplied with pressurized hot water and/or steam. The first dispensing element (51) is configured for coupling, in particular sealed coupling, with an inlet (18, 26) of a disposable container (11) for preparing and retaining the food product, and the hydraulic circuit (40) is controllable, in particular via the control system, for conveying pressurized hot water and/or steam to the first dispensing element (51).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Carlo CARBONINI, Carlo DE MANGO, Luca BUGNANO
  • Publication number: 20220240710
    Abstract: A system for preparing a food product comprises a sealed disposable container (11) and a preparation machine (1), having a hydraulic circuit that comprises at least one water-supply source, means for heating water and pumping means, as well as a first dispensing element (51), which can be supplied with pressurized hot water and/or steam. The entry wall (13) of the disposable container (11) has at least one axially hollow coupling element (18, 26), which defines at least part of an inlet of the disposable container (11). The disposable container (11) comprises an axially extending injector element (20), which can be coupled to the at least one coupling element (18, 26) or is formed integrally therewith in such a way that at least one first distal portion of the injector element (20) extends within the internal volume (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Carlo CARBONINI, Carlo DE MANGO, Luca BUGNANO
  • Publication number: 20210253336
    Abstract: A capsule for extraction of a beverage of the filter-coffee type has a capsule body (2), made of water-impermeable material, which defines a chamber (3), present inside which is a precursor of the beverage, comprising soluble coffee and roast and ground coffee. At least 51 wt % of the precursor is roast and ground coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 350 and 800 ?m, and the complement to 100 wt % of the precursor is soluble coffee having a grain size expressed in x50 comprised between 1000 and 5000 ?m. The roast and ground coffee is laid out to form a first layer (GC) in the lower part of the capsule body (3), and the soluble coffee (SC) is laid out to form a second layer (SC) in the upper part of the capsule body, i.e., in a position corresponding to the inlet wall (5) and/or above the first layer (GC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Fabio TOTTONE, Luca BUGNANO, Emilio CUGNETTO, Luisa BORELLO, Silvia BARUS, Alberto CABILLI
  • Patent number: 10947034
    Abstract: The cartridge (1) according to the invention comprises an envelope (2) having a first and a second end wall (4, 5) connected together by an annular lateral wall (6) and defining an inner chamber (7) containing a quantity or dose of a substance (S) for preparation of the beverage. The envelope (2) has at least one first and at least one second permeable wall (6a, 5) acting as an inlet for the introduction of a flow of water into the chamber (7) and as an outlet from it respectively for outflow of the beverage from chamber (7). Between the first and the second permeable walls (6a, 5) the envelope (2) has an outwardly projecting annular formation (3g). A portion of the permeable inlet wall (6a) for the introduction of water into the chamber (7) is made in the annular lateral wall (6) of the envelope (2). The annular formation (3g) extends from the second end wall (5) in a direction substantially opposite to the first end wall (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli
  • Patent number: 10743707
    Abstract: A capsule or cartridge (1) including a cup-shaped body (2) with a bottom wall (3), a lateral wall (4) and a flange-like top formation (5) which is essentially planar and extends transversely towards the outside, and a cover (6) fixed to the flange-like formation (5) of the body (2), such as to define a chamber (7) containing the material for the preparation of the beverage, in particular ground roasted coffee. The lateral wall (4) of the body (2) has a plurality of projections (8) and recesses (9) which as a whole define at least an identification of the capsule (1). The projections (8) and recesses (9) are aligned in an essentially rectilinear direction, belonging to a plane essentially parallel to the flange-like formation (5) of the body (2) of the capsule (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A
    Inventors: Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli, Denis Rotta, Danilo Bolognese
  • Patent number: 10631681
    Abstract: The system comprises: capsules (C) of at least a first type and a second type, having outwardly protruding transverse flanges (32), and respective different axial lengths (h1, h2, h3), and a brewing unit (6, 20, 7), in which there is defined a variable-volume brewing chamber (100) with a lateral delimiting part (81, 81a) and a slidable end delimiting part (54, 55), for receiving capsules (C) of said types introduced into the chamber (100). The capsules (C) of the aforementioned different types have flanges (32) of correspondingly different shapes, and the end delimiting part (54, 55) of the brewing chamber (100) carries stop members (70, 71) adapted to be coupled to the flanges (32) of said different types of capsules (C) when the latter are introduced into the brewing chamber (100), so as to allow correspondingly different relative movements of the end delimiting part (54, 55) relative to the lateral delimiting part (81, 81a) of said chamber (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A
    Inventors: Danilo Bolognese, Elvio Bonisoli, Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli, Denis Rotta, Alfredo Vanni
  • Patent number: 10568451
    Abstract: A dispensing assembly for a machine for preparing a liquid food product by means of capsules including a casing having an inlet passage, suitable for enabling insertion of a capsule into the dispensing assembly, and an outlet passage, suitable for enabling discharge of the capsule from the dispensing assembly, an infusion chamber which comprises two chamber parts, at least one of which defines a housing for at least partially receiving the capsule, retention elements, for keeping the capsule in a retaining position, essentially coaxial to the two chamber parts, the retention elements being within the casing in an intermediate position between the inlet and outlet passages, to be operative between the two chamber parts when they are in a spaced-apart position, an actuation system, operable for causing relative movements between the two chamber parts according to an actuation axis, between the spaced-apart position and a close position, a guide member mounted at the inlet passage to be displaceable between a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A., ARGOTEC S.r.l.
    Inventors: Danilo Bolognese, Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli, Denis Rotta
  • Patent number: 10376093
    Abstract: A machine for preparing liquid food products includes: a source of a liquid; a delivery assembly, having a brewing chamber for receiving a precursor of a liquid food product and for delivering the food product following passage of the liquid through the brewing chamber; a pump, for pumping the liquid; and a control system, for controlling an electric motor of the pump. The pump has a casing with an inlet and an outlet and an arrangement driven via the motor. The motor is bidirectional, and the control system includes means for controlling reversal of rotation of the motor between a primary direction and a secondary direction. The pump has a priming system including a recirculation valve and an actuation arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Danilo Bolognese, Alberto Cabilli, Denis Rotta, Luca Bugnano
  • Patent number: 10368687
    Abstract: A machine for preparing liquid food products includes a pump. A cylinder is defined in the pump casing, with a piston extending in the cylinder at least in part to define a variable-volume work chamber. Between a shaft of a motor and the piston there is a transmission arrangement for causing a reciprocating movement of the piston with a predetermined stroke between advanced and retracted positions, to vary a volume of the work chamber. The pump has an intake valve and a delivery valve, for connecting the work chamber with an inlet and an outlet of the pump casing, respectively. The transmission arrangement has an actuation member driven in rotation by the shaft and operatively coupled to the piston. The actuation member defines a cam path to which the piston is coupled. The cam path is prearranged for determining the predetermined stroke of the piston between the advanced position and the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Danilo Bolognese, Alberto Cabilli, Denis Rotta, Luca Bugnano
  • Patent number: 10258189
    Abstract: The gripper device (100) comprises a pair of opposite movable jaws (41) having respective coordinated gripping profiles (50) intended to cooperate with corresponding predetermined portions of the lateral surface of a capsule (C) of a first predetermined type so as to define a retaining position for such a capsule (C) in which the capsule (C) is essentially coaxial with a predetermined reference direction (R-R). The jaws (41) are able to assume a relative rest or standby position in which they are close together and inlet portions thereof (41a, 45) are capable of being splayed and passed beyond by a capsule (C) introduced into the machine (1), so as to allow said capsule (C) to be positioned and gripped between the gripping profiles (50) in the retaining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alfredo Vanni, Alberto Cabilli, Luca Bugnano, Denis Rotta, Danilo Bolognese
  • Publication number: 20190077587
    Abstract: The cartridge (1) according to the invention comprises an envelope (2) having a first and a second end wall (4, 5) connected together by an annular lateral wall (6) and defining an inner chamber (7) containing a quantity or dose of a substance (S) for preparation of the beverage. The envelope (2) has at least one first and at least one second permeable wall (6a, 5) acting as an inlet for the introduction of a flow of water into the chamber (7) and as an outlet from it respectively for outflow of the beverage from chamber (7). Between the first and the second permeable walls (6a, 5) the envelope (2) has an outwardly projecting annular formation (3g). A portion of the permeable inlet wall (6a) for the introduction of water into the chamber (7) is made in the annular lateral wall (6) of the envelope (2). The annular formation (3g) extends from the second end wall (5) in a direction substantially opposite to the first end wall (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca BUGNANO, Alberto CABILLI
  • Publication number: 20180370719
    Abstract: A cartridge (10) for the preparation of a liquid product by means of liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge (10) comprises a casing (14) having inside it a first receiving chamber with a filling of a first substance (S1) for preparation of said liquid product. The casing has a bottom wall (142) through which the liquid product is able to flow out of the cartridge (10), with said bottom wall (142) having, if viewed from outside the cartridge (10), a protruding central portion (1420) having inside it a second receiving chamber with a filling of a second substance (S2) for preparation of said liquid product. Applied on the bottom wall (142) is a laminar filter element (180) that separates the first receiving chamber from the second receiving chamber. The bottom wall (142) has at least one opening (1428) for outflow of said liquid product from the cartridge (10) located in the protruding central portion (1420), coupled to which is a further filter element (182).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto CABILLI, Danilo BOLOGNESE, Luca BUGNANO
  • Publication number: 20180334319
    Abstract: A cartridge (10) for the preparation of a liquid product by means of liquid and/or steam introduced into the cartridge (10) comprises a casing (14) with a central axis (X14), which has inside it a receiving 5 chamber with a filling of a substance (12) for preparation of the liquid product. The casing has a bottom wall (142), through which the liquid product is able to flow out of the cartridge (10). The aforesaid bottom wall (142) has a peripheral rim (1432) lying in 10 a plane (B-B?) and has, when viewed from outside the cartridge (10), a protruding central portion (1420) that provides on its inside an extension of said receiving chamber with a filling of a substance for preparation of the liquid product. The central portion 15 (1420) protrudes from the casing of the cartridge beyond (d) the plane (B-B?) in which the peripheral rim (1432) lies and is surrounded by an annular portion (1422) of the bottom wall, which extends in a direction orthogonal to the central axis (X14) of the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto CABILLI, Danilo BOLOGNESE, Luca BUGNANO
  • Patent number: 10130211
    Abstract: A machine for preparing liquid food products using capsules includes a dispensing assembly, a loading arrangement, an actuation system and a control system, including a processor, a non-volatile memory and an optical sensor device for acquiring characteristic information associated to an end wall of the body of a capsule. The actuation system is prearranged so that movements of the first part and the second part of the infusion chamber take place in a direction generally transverse to a direction of movement of the capsule determined by the insertion guide. The optical sensor device is mounted laterally with respect to the insertion guide. The loading arrangement has first retaining elements, which define an intermediate retention position of the capsule, in such a way that the control system is able to acquire the characteristic information by the optical sensor device when the capsule is in the intermediate position of retention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli
  • Patent number: 10080461
    Abstract: A machine for preparing liquid food products using capsules includes a dispensing assembly having a first part and a second part designed to define an infusion chamber between them, a loading arrangement for the insertion of the capsule, an actuation system, a control system, and an arrangement for heating the fluid. A processor of the control system is prearranged for controlling at least the heating arrangement and the feeding arrangement. Encoded instructions contained in a memory of the control system has sets of brewing information that are differentiated from each other according to a type of capsule. The processor is prearranged for comparing an image acquired by an optical sensor device with reference images of the capsules that are encoded in the memory and for associating a set of brewing information to a corresponding type of capsule to select an operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli
  • Patent number: 9974409
    Abstract: A system for the preparation of beverages including capsules (C) with a cup-shaped body (1) having an annular lateral wall (6) which tapers from a mouth opening (2) towards a bottom wall (5). These capsules (C) are of at least a first type and a second type, and have identical bottom walls (5) and different axial lengths (h1, h2, h3). An infusion assembly (10) has a variable-volume infusion chamber (20), having an introduction opening (20a), an end delimitation part (16a) having a shape corresponding to that of the bottom wall (5) of the capsules (C), and with a lateral delimitation structure (13a, 13b; 14) which includes a static portion (13a, 13b) and which extends between said introduction opening (20a) and the end delimitation part (16a). The latter is movable away from the introduction opening (20a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Cabilli, Danilo Bolognese, Denis Rotta, Luca Bugnano, Elvio Bonisoli
  • Publication number: 20170319003
    Abstract: A capsule or cartridge (1) including a cup-shaped body (2) with a bottom wall (3), a lateral wall (4) and a flange-like top formation (5) which is essentially planar and extends transversely towards the outside, and a cover (6) fixed to the flange-like formation (5) of the body (2), such as to define a chamber (7) containing the material for the preparation of the beverage, in particular ground roasted coffee. The lateral wall (4) of the body (2) has a plurality of projections (8) and recesses (9) which as a whole define at least an identification of the capsule (1). The projections (8) and recesses (9) are aligned in an essentially rectilinear direction, belonging to a plane essentially parallel to the flange-like formation (5) of the body (2) of the capsule (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.p.A
    Inventors: Luca BUGNANO, Alberto CABILLI, Denis ROTTA, Danilo BOLOGNESE
  • Patent number: 9770130
    Abstract: A system and machine for the preparation of beverages using capsules which includes a perforation device having an annular perforation member which, in the closed condition of the infusion chamber, extends into the interspace and is designed to cause a tear in the protruding portion of the wall of the capsule contained inside the chamber, such that a flow of pressurized water can be introduced into the capsule through the interspace or gap and the tear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli, Alfredo Vanni
  • Patent number: 9756978
    Abstract: A machine for preparing coffee, including a brewing chamber; a water supply for supplying a flow of water to the brewing chamber; and an adaptive flow control device for the flow of water, positioned in series with the water supply and the brewing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alfredo Vanni, Luca Bugnano, Alberto Cabilli, Giovanni Jacazio, Laura Gastaldi, Massimo Sorli