IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0663623
(2004-10-01)
|
등록번호 |
US-7806043
(2010-10-26)
|
국제출원번호 |
PCT/IT2004/000541
(2004-10-01)
|
§371/§102 date |
20070322
(20070322)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO06/038227
(2006-04-13)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Hausbrandt Trieste 1892 SpA
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
The present invention provides for at least a dispensing spout to be directly formed in the sealing membrane that closes the bottom of a capsule containing an edible raw material for preparing a beverage, e.g. coffee. In this manner, the beverage is able to directly fall from the capsule into a drin
The present invention provides for at least a dispensing spout to be directly formed in the sealing membrane that closes the bottom of a capsule containing an edible raw material for preparing a beverage, e.g. coffee. In this manner, the beverage is able to directly fall from the capsule into a drinking vessel arranged therebelow. What is claimed are both a machine, characterized by the means that form the spout and the open bottom of the container in which the capsule is loaded, and a method for preparing and dispensing the beverage.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages with the use of at least a capsule (200) containing an edible raw material, in which said capsule comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion (206) with an upper edge (209) and a lower edge (204), onto which there ar
The invention claimed is: 1. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages with the use of at least a capsule (200) containing an edible raw material, in which said capsule comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion (206) with an upper edge (209) and a lower edge (204), onto which there are applied respective sealing membranes (208, 210), as well as with a bottom wall (202) provided with filtering orifices (203) and recessed with respect to said lower edge (204), so that between the corresponding sealing membrane (210) and the lower surface of the same bottom wall (202) there forms a chamber that fills up with the beverage percolating through said orifices (203) prior to dispensing, said machine comprising a functional unit (10) with a so-called active part (100) supported by a load-bearing structure of the machine and a so-called passive part (150) which is adapted to be coupled to said active part (100) and includes a container (151) with an open bottom (156) for holding and retaining the capsule (200), the said active part (100) including: (a) a base member (110), (b) a brewing device arranged so as to be aligned along a common vertical axis with the capsule (200) and the open bottom (156) retaining the capsule when said container (151) is fixedly received into said base member (110), (c) piercing means (173) associated to said brewing device to perforate said upper membrane (208) of the capsule (200), (d) means (175) for letting hot water or steam under pressure into the capsule (200), and (e) perforating means for the lower membrane (210) and consisting of punching means (119) adapted to be moved, either prior to the beverage being brewed or at the beginning of the brewing process, from a resting configuration of said functional unit (10) to an operating configuration with the result that the beverage is dispensed directly into the drinking vessel provided therebelow by falling freely thereinto from the capsule (200), characterized in that in said resting configuration the punching means (119) are offset of the vertical common axis of the brewing device and of the capsule (200) and are adapted to give shape to at least a spout (220) in the capsule (200) by rupturing said lower membrane (210) in said operating configuration. 2. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that the punching means (119) are part of a lever (114) pivoted on a pin (127) which is offset and perpendicular to said vertical common axis of the brewing device and of the capsule (200). 3. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that the base member (110) of said active part (100) has an accommodation (112) where said punching means (119) are arranged at a distance from the capsule (200) loaded in said container when said functional unit is in resting configuration. 4. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises an electromagnetic device (120) for moving the lever (114) of which the punching means (119) are part from said resting configuration to said operating configuration. 5. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 4, characterized in that it also comprises a counter-spring connecting the lever (114) of which the punching means (119) are part with said base member (110) of the stationary active part (100) for moving said lever (114) back from said operating configuration to said resting configuration soon after the spout (220) has been formed. 6. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that the brewing device comprises a first cup-shaped body portion (130), which is provided with a port (137) for admitting the hot water or steam under pressure required to prepare the beverage, and a second cup-shaped body portion (140), which is supported by the load-bearing structure of the machine and arranged coaxially with the first cup-shaped body portion (130), in which said first cup-shaped body portion (130) is capable of sliding along said second cup-shaped body portion (140), in the direction of the capsule (200), owing to water under pressure being let onto the bottom of said first cup-shaped body portion (130) through apertures provided in said second cup-shaped body portion (140). 7. Machine for preparing and dispensing beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that said piercing means for perforating said upper membrane (208) of the capsule (200) comprise a disk (170) attached to the bottom of said first cup-shaped body portion (130) and provided with: a ring-shaped groove (177) adapted to the upper edge (209) of the capsule (200), so as to keep the same capsule firmly locked in place during the beverage brewing process, a plurality of needles or similar puncturing means (173), and a plurality of nozzles (175) to inject hot water or steam under pressure into the capsule (200). 8. A beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule, the combination comprising: a capsule (200) containing an edible raw material, in which said capsule comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion (206) with an upper edge (209) and a lower edge (204), onto which there are applied respective sealing membranes (208, 210), as well as with a bottom wall (202) provided with filtering orifices (203) and recessed with respect to said lower edge (204), so that between the corresponding sealing membrane (210) and the lower surface of the same bottom wall (202) there forms a chamber that fills up with the beverage percolating through said orifices (203) prior to dispensing, said machine comprising a functional unit (10) with a so-called active part (100) supported by a load-bearing structure of the machine and a so-called passive part (150) which is adapted to be coupled to said active part (100) and includes a container (151) with an open bottom (156) for holding and retaining the capsule (200), the said active part (100) including: (f) a base member (110), (g) a brewing device arranged so as to be aligned along a common vertical axis with the capsule (200) and the open bottom (156) retaining the capsule when said container (151) is fixedly received into said base member (110), (h) piercing means (173) associated to said brewing device to perforate said upper membrane (208) of the capsule (200), (i) means (175) for letting hot water or steam under pressure into the capsule (200), and (j) perforating means for the lower membrane (210) and consisting of punching means (119) adapted to be moved, either prior to the beverage being brewed or at the beginning of the brewing process, from a resting configuration of said functional unit (10) to an operating configuration with the result that the beverage is dispensed directly into the drinking vessel provided therebelow by falling freely thereinto from the capsule (200), characterized in that in said resting configuration the punching means (119) are offset of the vertical common axis of the brewing device and of the capsule (200) and are adapted to give shape to at least a spout (220) in the capsule (200) by rupturing said lower membrane (210) in said operating configuration. 9. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 8, wherein the punching means (119) are part of a lever (114) pivoted on a pin (127) which is offset and perpendicular to said vertical common axis of the brewing device and of the capsule (200). 10. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 8, wherein the base member (110) of said active part (100) has an accommodation (112) where said punching means (119) are arranged at a distance from the capsule (200) loaded in said container when said functional unit is in resting configuration. 11. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 9, further comprising an electromagnetic device (120) for moving the lever (114) of which the punching means (119) are part from said resting configuration to said operating configuration. 12. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 11, further comprising a counter-spring connecting the lever (114) of which the punching means (119) are part with said base member (110) of the stationary active part (100) for moving said lever (114) back from said operating configuration to said resting configuration soon after the spout (220) has been formed. 13. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 8, wherein the brewing device comprises a first cup-shaped body portion (130), which is provided with a port (137) for admitting the hot water or steam under pressure required to prepare the beverage, and a second cup-shaped body portion (140), which is supported by the load-bearing structure of the machine and arranged coaxially with the first cup-shaped body portion (130), in which said first cup-shaped body portion (130) is capable of sliding along said second cup-shaped body portion (140), in the direction of the capsule (200), owing to water under pressure being let onto the bottom of said first cup-shaped body portion (130) through apertures provided in said second cup-shaped body portion (140). 14. The beverage preparation machine in combination with a capsule of claim 8, wherein said piercing means for perforating said upper membrane (208) of the capsule (200) comprise a disk (170) attached to the bottom of said first cup-shaped body portion (130) and provided with: a ring-shaped groove (177) adapted to the upper edge (209) of the capsule (200), so as to keep the same capsule firmly locked in place during the beverage brewing process, a plurality of needles or similar puncturing means (173), and a plurality of nozzles (175) to inject hot water or steam under pressure into the capsule (200).
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