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A device including a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of an infusion chamber, movable with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction; a first duct to feed an infusion fluid into said infusion chamber; a second duct for delivery of the food product f

A device including a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of an infusion chamber, movable with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction; a first duct to feed an infusion fluid into said infusion chamber; a second duct for delivery of the food product from the infusion chamber; a pair of guide channels to insert a capsule into a space between the first portion of the infusion chamber and the second portion of the infusion chamber. The guide channels are each produced on a respective movable element; and the movable elements are positioned substantially opposite each other and can be opened to release the capsule into the infusion chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An infusion device to prepare a food product, in particular a beverage, from capsules, the device comprising: a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of the infusion chamber, movable apart with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction;a first duct to

1. An infusion device to prepare a food product, in particular a beverage, from capsules, the device comprising: a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of the infusion chamber, movable apart with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction;a first duct to feed an infusion fluid into the infusion chamber;a second duct for delivery of the food product from the infusion chamber;a pair of first guide channels configured to receive a flange of a capsule during insertion of the capsule in a space between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber when the first and second portions are in the open position, wherein the first guide channels are each provided on a respective movable element, the movable elements being positioned substantially opposite each other and can be opened to release the capsule into the infusion chamber, each of the movable elements being provided with an extractor member to engage the capsule and extract the capsule from the infusion chamber when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber open, wherein the device is configured to move the flange past the first guide channels when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber move in the opening direction. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each one of the first guide channels and a respective one of the extractor members are positioned on the respective movable element sequentially along the opening and closing direction, wherein the device is configured to initially move the flange towards the first guide channels when the first and second portions begin movement in the opening direction. 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable elements have an opening movement in a plane parallel to the direction of the opening and closing movement of the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the movable elements are constrained to the first portion of the infusion chamber; andthe opening movement of the movable elements is controlled by interaction of the movable elements with the second portion of the infusion chamber. 5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable elements are positioned at the sides of the first portion of the infusion chamber. 6. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second portion of the infusion chamber has first thrust profiles cooperating with corresponding second thrust profiles of the movable elements to cause reciprocal opening of the movable elements. 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second portion of the infusion chamber has opposed outer sloping surfaces, inclined with respect to the direction of opening and closing of the infusion chamber, forming the first thrust profiles. 8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second thrust profiles of the movable elements are formed by sloping surfaces, which are inclined with respect to the direction of opening and closing of the infusion chamber. 9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first guide channels are associated with a lower stop which defines a capsule retention position in the space between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first guide channels terminates with a lower stop, the stops defining a position to retain the capsule in the space between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. 11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first guide channels are positioned and configured so that in the retaining position the capsule is held with the axis thereof substantially coinciding with the axis of the infusion chamber. 12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the extractor members comprises a respective second guide channel, the second guide channels inferiorly defining an opening for unloading the capsule, the first and second guide channels being substantially parallel and positioned side by side with each other along the opening and closing direction of the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. 13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein surfaces to facilitate insertion of the flange of the capsule in the first channels are positioned over the second channels. 14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and said second portions of the infusion chamber are movable with respect to one another according to a substantially horizontal direction, the first guide channels being substantially vertical and the movable elements being provided with an opening movement in a substantially horizontal plane. 15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the infusion chamber defines a seat for insertion of the capsule, with an inlet facing the first portion of the infusion chamber, surrounded by a first pressure surface cooperating with the flange of said capsule, the first portion of the infusion chamber having a second pressure surface opposite the first pressure surface, wherein when the device is in a closed position the flange of the capsule is compressed and held between the first and said second pressure surfaces. 16. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the infusion chamber is movable and the second portion of the infusion chamber is fixed with respect to a load-bearing structure, the movable elements moving along with the first portion of the infusion chamber in the opening and closing direction. 17. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a lever mechanism for manual control of opening and closing of the infusion chamber. 18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first portion of the infusion chamber and the movable elements are constrained to a common support. 19. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable elements are elastically deformable. 20. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable elements are substantially laminar in shape. 21. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each extractor member is integral to the respective movable element, and wherein the extractor members activate to engage the capsule when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber open. 22. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the movable elements are elastically openable to cause release of the capsule during closing of the infusion chamber and to engage the capsule by the extractor members during opening of the infusion chamber. 23. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable elements are constrained to one of the first and second portions of the infusion chamber and cooperate with opposing surfaces integral with another of the first and second portions of the infusion chamber to cause opening of the movable elements and release of the capsule during closing of the infusion chamber. 24. A machine to prepare a food product from capsules, the machine comprising: a device including: a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of an infusion chamber, movable with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction;a first duct to feed an infusion fluid into the infusion chamber;a second duct for delivery of the food product from the infusion chamber;a pair of guide channels configured to receive a flange of a capsule during insertion of the capsule in a space between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber, when the first and second portions are in the open position, wherein the guide channels are each provided on a respective movable element, the movable elements being positioned substantially opposite each other and can be opened to release the capsule into the infusion chamber, each of the movable elements being provided with an extractor member to engage the capsule and extract the capsule from the infusion chamber when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber open, wherein the device is configured to move the flange past the first guide channels when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber move in the opening direction. 25. An infusion device to prepare a food product, in particular a beverage, from capsules, the device comprising: a first portion of an infusion chamber and a second portion of an infusion chamber, movable with respect to each other according to an opening and closing direction;a first duct to feed an infusion fluid into the infusion chamber;a second duct for delivery of the food product from the infusion chamber;a pair of first guide channels to insert a capsule in a space between the first and second portions of the infusion chamber when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber are in the open position, wherein the guide channels are each provided on a respective movable element, the movable elements being positioned substantially opposite each other and can be opened to release the capsule into the infusion chamber, each of the movable elements being provided with an extractor member to engage the capsule and extract the capsule from the infusion chamber when the first and second portions of the infusion chamber open, wherein each of the extractor members comprises a respective second guide channel, the second guide channels inferiorly defining an opening for unloading the capsule, the first and second guide channels being substantially parallel and positioned side by side with each other along the opening and closing direction of the first and second portions of the infusion chamber. 26. The device as claimed in claim 25, wherein surfaces to facilitate insertion of a flange of the capsule in the first channels are positioned over the second channels.