Patent Application
20250089927
The present invention relates to a beverage system using packs of beverage ingredient.
WO 2021/110652 describes a beverage preparation machine for the preparation of beverages from containers holding beverage ingredients. The system machine a specific fluid processing device designed to pierce the bottom of a container introduced inside the machine, to introduce fluid therein through its fluid inlet and to dispense the beverage resulting from the mixing of the ingredient and fluid though a specific dispensing outlet of this device. Two different relative positions of the device and the container enable either the introduction of fluid or the dispensing of beverage.
Since the size of these containers can be rather large, after beverage preparation and once the beverage has been fully dispensed, used containers are not automatically ejected and stored in a bin integrated to the machine. Accordingly, the container is removed manually from the beverage preparation machine and thrown away by the user. Yet frequently, a little bit of the liquid still remains inside the container and when the user grabs the container, particularly if it is made of flexible material, liquid can drip either inside the part of the machine holding the container or outside and around the machine or on the hand of the user creating dirtiness and mess which is not acceptable. There is a need to improve the removal of the container and increase cleanliness.
This container is preferably essentially made of flexible material providing the advantages of compactness, manufacturing speed (forming, filling, sealing can be performed in a row) and enhanced recycling capabilities. These advantages are particularly obtained with a container that is void of any plastic insert, the whole container being made of recyclable or compostable material(s).
Due to the flexible property of the material, it has been observed that the piercing of the bottom of the container can be difficult because the bottom of the container moves or deforms under the force of the fluid processing device. This is an issue because the relative position of this fluid processing device inside the container is critical to obtain a correct preparation of the beverage. In particular, if this device does not correctly pierce the bottom of the container, there is a risk that the device does not enter sufficiently inside the volume of the container. In that situation, the introduction of fluid through the fluid processing device and inside the container leads to a leak of water below the device meaning imperfect preparation of the beverage.
In addition, it has been observed that, even if the device pierces correctly the flexible material of the bottom, the force of the jet of water squirting out of the inlet of the device can be so strong that this force impinges on the internal walls of the container and can push and move the container upwardly. This is particularly true for a flexible container because under the effect of an upwardly force, its upper part is able to fold itself along the top wall of the container holder. This upward movement of the container directly affects the connection between the fluid processing device and the bottom of the container, which creates fluid leaks or the dispensing of the beverage too early in the process of preparation of the beverage. There is a need to guarantee an efficient piercing and efficient beverage preparation. An object of the invention is to address the above existing problems.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage production system comprising a pack and a module for producing a beverage from said pack,
This system comprises a pack comprising a food or beverage ingredient able to produce a beverage further to mixing with an aqueous fluid, preferably water.
This food or beverage ingredient packed in the package can be a water soluble powder or a soluble concentrate in liquid or semi-liquid form. In that embodiment water dissolves the beverage ingredient. The ingredient can be selected within the list of: soups, fruit juices, vegetable juices, bouillons, coffee, chocolate, tea, milk or creamer, smoothies, purees, coulis, creams or any combination thereof. Preferably, the food or beverage ingredient is a soluble food or beverage ingredient selected in the list of:
The powders can be agglomerated or sintered. The powders or liquid concentrates can be mixed with solid pieces for example for preparing soups with solid or encapsulated pieces.
This food or beverage ingredient packed in the package can also contain a food or beverage ingredient able to be infused like a roast and ground coffee, or tea leaves. In that embodiment water extracts the beverage ingredient.
The pack presents a plane shape oriented along a plane (P).
Preferably most of the walls of the pack are made of flexible material. Yet in less preferred embodiments, the pack can be made at least partly of semi-flexible or even rigid material. The pack is configured for being openable at its bottom in order to introduce the fluid inside the pack and to dispense the prepared beverage from the pack. Preferably, an area of the bottom side is configured for being openable by piercing, tearing or puncturing in particular by applying an upwardly pointed, acute or sharp device, such as the fluid processing device, to said area. Preferably this area is positioned at the middle of the transversal dimension of the longitudinal shape of the pack. Preferably this openable area is made of a flexible material.
The pack comprises at least two holes and/or deformable areas. These holes and/or deformable areas in the pack are usually provided transversally to the plane shape of the pack. The holes can present any shape such a round, oval, square, etc . . . as long as one positioning mean of the movable locking device can enter it.
The deformable area can be designed or made from a material such that when a positioning means, such as a pin, of the movable locking device is pushed against it, it is deformed and the positioning means extends perpendicularly to the plan shape of the pack and fix the bottom of the pack relatively to the module, that is the fixing and positioning function of the pin occurs. The deformation can happen without the material being torn or pierced if the material is sufficiently stretchable. Such deformable area can be also a slit or two crossed slits, for example in an edge part of the pack.
Preferably, the pack comprises two identical holes or two identical deformable areas, yet the following embodiments are possible too:
In one preferred embodiment, the pack comprises a front wall and a back wall, said front and back walls being made of flexible material, and at least the edges of the bottom parts of said walls are sealed together around the openable area of the bottom side, and the holes and/or deformable areas are provided in said sealed edges.
Preferably they are positioned symmetrically around the axis extending longitudinally along the middle of the plane shape of the pack.
Preferably they are positioned close to the bottom of the pack.
In the preferred embodiment, these holes are positioned in a part of the sealing area of the longitudinal plane walls of the pack.
The system comprises a module for producing a beverage which comprises a fluid processing device configured to cooperate with the bottom of the pack to introduce a fluid in the pack in order to prepare a beverage inside the pack and then to dispense the prepared beverage from the pack. This fluid processing device can be the device described in WO 2021/110650. This fluid processing device is movable in different positions, said positions comprising at least one position where the device is out of the pack and at least one other position where the device is introduced inside the pack during the beverage preparation.
In addition, said module comprises a pack holder assembly configured to hold the pack within the module and outside the module too.
This pack holder assembly comprises a pack chamber adapted for receiving a pack for a beverage preparation inside the module. The pack chamber comprises an upper pack inlet to introduce the new pack and the pack chamber is configured for holding the pack in an essentially vertical position inside the module. This vertical position guarantees the efficient preparation of the beverage and particularly the dispensing of the beverage from the pack so that the less possible liquid remains inside the pack at the end of the extraction and when the pack must be removed from the system to be thrown to the bin.
The pack chamber presents a bottom opening configured to enable an access of the movable fluid processing device to the bottom of said pack hold in the chamber. This access or passage is particularly designed to enable the upwards movement of the fluid processing device to the bottom of the pack when it is hold inside the chamber.
In addition, the pack holder assembly comprises a movable locking device too. This locking device is movable between two positions.
In its first fixing position, this interacting device interacts with the pack received in the chamber and locks it inside the pack holder assembly.
In its second release position, this interacting device does not interact with the pack although the pack is present in the chamber.
The movable locking device comprises two pins configured to fit in the holes and/or deformable areas of the pack when the locking device is in the first fixing position.
The size (length and diameter) of the corresponding pins of the locking device and the distance between the pins are set to enter in the two holes and/or deformable areas of the pack. Usually, two holes and two pins are sufficient to fix the pack in the pack holding assembly.
In addition, this pack holder assembly comprises a door configured to be positioned in at least two different positions.
In the first position called “closed”, the door covers the pack inlet of the pack chamber and is able to enclose the pack inside the pack chamber is one pack has been introduced inside the chamber, and consequently a beverage preparation is possible.
In the second position called “opened”, the door uncovers the pack inlet of the pack chamber and consequently the introduction of a pack inside the pack holder is enabled.
The movable locking device is mechanically connected to the door so that it is configured to be pushed away from the chamber when the door is in the second opened position and to be pushed to the chamber when the door is in the first closed position.
Due to the connection between the locking device and the door, the position of the movable locking device is coordinated with the position of the door so that the locking device moves the pins inside the holes or deformable areas when the door is closed and releases the pack when the door is opened, enabling in that last case the introduction or the removal of a pack in or out of the module.
Usually, the module comprises a receiving area configured to receive and hold the pack holder assembly, and this receiving area and the pack holder assembly comprise respective cooperating means to position the bottom opening the pack holder assembly relatively to the movable fluid processing device.
Accordingly, after having been removed from the module, the pack holder assembly is positioned correctly inside the module for the next beverage preparation.
In the present invention fluid covers either any aqueous diluent that can be mixed with a soluble beverage ingredient to prepare a beverage, like water, carbonated water, milk, etc. (preferably, water is the preferred aqueous diluent) or any gaseous fluid such as for example air. When referring to aqueous fluid, water is the preferred fluid; when referring to gaseous fluid, air is the preferred fluid.
According to the invention, the package is arranged essentially vertically during the production and dispensing of the food or beverage product.
According to the present invention, the aqueous fluid, typically water, is supplied into the package at any temperature: cold, ambient or hot, depending on the type of food or beverage product to be prepared
In one embodiment,
The code of the pack can be any type of code like: mechanical code, optical code (including colour code, codes printed with non-visible ink, one-dimension barcode, two dimensions bar code, QRcode), RFID tags, magnetic code, conductivity code
Generally, the code provides directly or indirectly information related to the contained product, said information being comprised in the list of: identification of the product, quantity of product, beverage preparation parameters or any combinations thereof. The beverage preparation parameters can provide:
Usually, the readable code is positioned on at least one side of the pack, said side extending along the plane (P).
The chamber and the locking device present designs enabling the positioning of the readable code in front of the code reader when the door is in the second closed position, that is when the beverage preparation is possible.
In one embodiment, the movable locking device can be shaped so that, when the door is in the first closed position, the movable locking device pushes the code in direction of the reader.
Preferably in the system, the fluid processing device comprises:
In such a preferred embodiment, the fluid processing device corresponds to one of the devices disclosed in WO 2021/110650, WO 2021/110652 or WO 2021/110654.
Preferably, the module comprises an actuating device configured to move the fluid processing device to the pack whereas the pack is hold in the chamber in a fixed manner.
In fact, since the pack holder assembly is removable from the module, once it has been positioned inside the module, it is preferable to let it immobile inside the module to avoid a too complex architecture of the module.
Preferably, the actuating device is configured to move the fluid processing device upwardly to the bottom side of the fixed pack.
Preferably, the module comprises:
This electrical switch of the module enables the automatic preparation of a beverage with the system, in particular the supply of electrical power to the different electrical devices of the machine such as the actuating device of the fluid processing device.
The door can cooperate directly with this switch through a shape designed to push the switch when the door is closed or indirectly through a movable member designed to move relatively to the electrical switch of the module between a first and a second position, wherein in the first position said movable member releases said electrical switch and a second position said movable member pushes said electrical switch.
With this automatic switch off of electrical power when the door is opened, no risk of injury of the user can happen for example by sudden projection of hot water from the fluid processing device while no pack is present in the assembly and the door is opened.
Preferably, the module comprises a receiving area configured to receive and hold the pack holder assembly and said receiving area comprises at least one first magnet, and the door comprises at least one corresponding second magnet, and
It has been observed that during a beverage preparation, in particular with a pack made of flexible walls, this pack can inflate inside the chamber and can exert a force on the inside wall of the door such that the door is pushed away and opens during the preparation.
Magnets cooperating between the door and the receiving area of the module prevent this undesired sudden opening.
It is preferred that said first magnet and second magnet are positioned at the upper parts of the receiving area and of the door respectively. Actually, it was observed that it is the upper part of the pack hold in the chamber that inflates and opens the door. By exerting an attraction force between the door and the receiving area at the upper part of the door, the risk that the door opens is limited. For the same reason, it is preferred that the first and second magnets are positioned close to the contacting part of the door designed to interfere with the electrical switch of the module. Consequently, it is preferred that said contacting part of the door is positioned in the upper part of the door.
Preferably, the pack chamber comprises at least one internal front wall, this internal front wall being positioned below the movable door, and at least one rib rises from said internal front wall inside the chamber.
By extending inside the chamber, the end of this rib is close to the surface of the pack or even contacts this surface. Such a rib helps to prevent the upper part of the pack to inflate too much as mentioned above and to prevent the sudden opening of the door too.
Preferably several ribs are designed in the internal front wall.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a pack holder assembly for a beverage production system comprising a pack and a beverage producing module,
Usually, the pack holder assembly comprises a door, said door being movable relatively to the pack chamber and being configured to be positioned in at least:
The bottom opening is configured to enable access to the bottom of the pack hold in the chamber from the outside, Accordingly, this opening is sufficiently large to enable the movement of a fluid processing device through the opening and then through the pack.
The means to position the pack holder assembly inside the module enables the right orientation of the assembly so that the plane shape of the pack is oriented vertically and that the bottom of the pack is positioned correctly in front of the fluid processing device, and optionally a code present on the pack is positioned in front of a code reader.
Preferably, the door comprises at least one magnet, said magnet being positioned at the upper side of the door.
Consequently, this magnet is at a position that is opposed to the bottom opening.
Preferably, the door comprises a contacting part designed to cooperate with an electrical switch of the module, and this contacting part is positioned in the upper part of the door.
In a third aspect, there is provided the use of a pack holder assembly such as described in the above second aspect in a beverage production system such as described in the above first aspect.
In the present application the terms “internal”, “back”, “front”, “top” “bottom”, “lateral”, “upper” and “lower” are used to describe the relational positioning of features of the invention. These terms should be understood to refer to the pack in its normal orientation when positioned in a beverage preparation dispenser for the production of a beverage as shown in the
The above aspects of the invention may be combined in any suitable combination. Moreover, various features herein may be combined with one or more of the above aspects to provide combinations other than those specifically illustrated and described. Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the claims, from the detailed description, and annexed drawings.
Specific embodiments of the invention are now described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:
The system 100 comprises a module 1 and a pack 10. The module is adapted for receiving the pack and producing a beverage from said pack.
The module 1 comprises a pack holder assembly 2 and a fluid system to introduce a fluid inside the pack.
The fluid system usually comprises a fluid source 13, like a water tank, pumping means 14 to pump the fluid from the source. Usually heating and/or cooling means are part of the system to adapt the temperature of the fluid to be introduced inside the pack.
The fluid is supplied to a fluid processing device 11 configured to cooperate with the bottom of the pack in order to introduce the fluid in said pack.
Generally, the module comprises am actuating device 12 move this fluid processing device 11 to said pack hold in the pack holder assembly 2.
The module comprises usually a system control unit 16 to control the above different devices for the preparation of a beverage from a pack.
Such a beverage production system 100 corresponds to the system described in the publications WO 2021/110650, WO 2021/110654 and/or WO 2021/110652.
This pack comprises an ingredient that is configured to be mixed with a fluid to produce a beverage. The pack presents a plane shape oriented along a plane P. Two longitudinal plane walls 105 (front and back) extends along this plane P. The lateral edges 106 of these walls are sealed as well as the edges at the top end 107. The bottom side 101 of said pack is configured for being openable, preferably through a pierceable area 104. The openable area is positioned at an edge of the plane P and enables the dispensing of the beverage along a direction comprised in this plane P.
The pack comprises at least two holes 103 at the bottom side 101.
The actuating device 12 is adapted to move this fluid processing device 11 to said pack hold in the chamber and in particular the pointed part 113 to the openable area 104 in order to open the openable area 104 or any membrane or cover provided at this area. Usually, the fluid processing device is adapted to move along a direction that is comprised in the plane P of the pack.
Other fluid processing device 11 such as described in WO 2021/110650 can be used in the system of the present invention.
In
When the door is opened, as illustrated in
Once the whole pack holder assembly 2 is removed from the receiving area 3, as shown in the
Then the pack holder assembly 2 can be positioned back inside the receiving area 3: guiding means 21 on the wall of the pack chamber 22 cooperates with corresponding guiding means 31 of the receiving area.
The pack chamber 22 presents a plane shape oriented along a plane (Pc), said plane of the chamber being oriented in an essentially vertical position when the assembly is inside the module 1. As shown in
The the pack holder assembly 2 comprises a movable locking device 24 that is configured to fix the pack 10, in particular the bottom of the pack, inside the pack holder assembly when the door 23 is in the closed position, and to release the pack when the door is in the opened position.
In
The opening movement of the door 23 is a rotation along hinges 231 attached to the side walls of the chamber 22. The door is connected to each of said hinges by arms 234 presenting a shape configured to enable the position of the door in first opened position either when the assembly 2 is hold in the receiving area 3 of the module, as illustrated in
The movable locking device 24 is attached to the lateral walls of the chamber through dedicated hinges 244 enabling the rotation of said device. In addition, the movable locking comprises a hole 2445 designed to cooperate with the hinges 231 of the door, so that:
In addition, this locking device 24 comprises two pins 242 configured to fit in corresponding holes 103 of the pack when the door 23 is in the second closed position.
In
Preferably, the pack 10 comprises a readable code 102 (see
Generally, the module comprises an electrical switch 8 that can be switched on or off depending if the door 23 is closed or opened. In particular, a part 233 of the door can be designed to move a member 7 configured to switch on the electrical switch.
Preferably, the receiving area 3 comprises at least one first magnet 32 and the door 23 comprises at least one corresponding second magnet 232 positioned in the receiving area and in the door respectively so that, when the door is closed, the first and second magnets cooperate. The position of these both magnets improves the closure of the door 23 during the beverage preparation when a pack inflates too much and is able to push and open the door. The position of the magnets close to the part 233 of the door designed to switch on the electrical switch improves the effect and holds the door even more firmly. Magnets provided at a lower position of the door were less efficient in keeping the door closed when the pack inflated.
Although the invention has been described with reference to the above illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not limited in any way by these illustrated embodiments.
Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.
As used in this specification, the words “comprises”, “comprising”, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean “including, but not limited to”.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21188906.8 | Jul 2021 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/071437 | 7/29/2022 | WO |
