Pressure selector for beverage machine

Abstract

A pressure selector valve for use with a beverage machine may be controllable to provide one or more levels of backpressure. The different levels of backpressure may be used to brew different beverage types. The valve may include an orifice plate movable relative to a valve body and having a multiple orifices of different sizes, each orifice corresponding to a different level of backpressure.

Description

PRESSURE SELECTOR FOR BEVERAGE MACHINECROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 447,630, filed February 22, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to beverage making machines, such as coffee brewers that use a liquid to form a coffee beverage and specifically pressure selectors for a brewing pressure within a beverage machine.BACKGROUND

[0003] Beverage machines are widely used to make beverages using capsules that contain ingredients, such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, and / or other soluble and / or insoluble ingredients. Such beverage machines can often be used with capsules containing a wide variety of different ingredients so as to make different beverages, such as coffee, espresso, tea, hot chocolate, flavored still drinks, flavored carbonated drinks, and so on.SUMMARY

[0004] According to some aspects, a valve for use with a beverage machine outlet comprises a valve body configured to mount in a beverage flow path and a moveable orifice plate including a first orifice and a second orifice. The orifice plate may be supported by the valve body such that the orifice plate may be configured to move relative to the valve body. The orifice plate may have a first position and a second position. When the orifice plate is in a first position, the first orifice may be in the beverage flow path and the second orifice may be out of the beverage flow path, and when the orifice plate is in the second position, the second orifice may be in the beverage flow path and the first orifice may be out of the beverage flow path.

[0005] According to some aspects, a beverage machine is configured to brew a beverage from a beverage pod. The beverage machine comprises a flow path of a beverage,an outlet valve body and an orifice plate configured to move relative to the outlet valve body. The orifice plate may have a first position and a second position. When the orifice plate is in the first position, the first orifice may be in the beverage flow path and the second orifice may be out of the beverage flow path. When the orifice plate is in the second position, the second orifice may be in the beverage flow path and the first orifice may be out of the beverage flow path.

[0006] It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Further, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various nonlimiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front, left side perspective view of a beverage forming system in an illustrative embodiment;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the beverage forming system in FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of functional components of the beverage forming system in an illustrative embodiment;

[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a pressure selector valve according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIG. 5A is a cross sectional view of the pressure selector valve in a first position according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIG. 5B is another cross sectional view of the pressure selector valve of FIG. 5A in a second position;

[0014] FIG. 6 is a side view of a pressure selector valve according to other embodiments; and

[0015] FIG. 7 an upward facing view of a pressure selector valve according to some embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] It should be understood that aspects are described herein with reference to the figures, which show illustrative embodiments. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not necessarily intended to show all embodiments, but rather are used to describe a few illustrative embodiments. Thus, aspects of the disclosure are not intended to be construed narrowly in view of the illustrative embodiments. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of this disclosure may be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the disclosure.

[0017] The inventors have recognized the benefits of a beverage machine having a capability to prepare more than one type of beverage within the same beverage machine. According to some embodiments, a beverage machine may brew beverages requiring different amounts of brew pressure. For example, a beverage machine may be able to brew both drip-type coffee, or other beverages made using lower pressure liquid, and espresso (e.g. with differing amounts of crema or no crema), or other beverages made using higher pressure liquid. The amount of crema produced may also depend on the amount of brew pressure applied. According to some embodiments disclosed herein, a beverage machine may include a pressure selector valve configured to establish one of a plurality of brewing pressures in a brew chamber, each of the plurality of brewing pressures corresponding to a brewing pressure for a different type of beverage.

[0018] According to some embodiments, a beverage machine may brew drip-type coffee (or other beverages made using lower pressure liquid) and espresso (or other beverages made using higher pressure liquid). The beverage machine may brew lower pressure beverages such as drip-type coffee near atmospheric pressure, at a pressure of less than 1 atm, at a pressure between 2-4 psig, or at a pressure below 2 psig, below 5 psig, below 10 psig, below 15 psig, and / or may be brewed under gravity driven flow conditions. The beverage machine may brew higher pressure beverages such as espresso (which may or may not additionally include a crema component) at a pressure greater than drip-type coffee, e.g. around 10-19 atmospheres or over a range of 100-300 psig or higher pressures.

[0019] In some embodiments, a beverage machine may brew drip-type coffee (or other beverages made using lower pressure liquid) and espresso (or other beverages made using higher pressure liquid) using a beverage pod.

[0020] Turning to the figures, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described relative to these embodiments may be used either individually and / or in any desired combination as the disclosure is not limited to only the specific embodiments described herein.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a beverage forming system 100, e.g., a beverage machine, that incorporates various features of the disclosure. Although the beverage forming system 100 may be used to form any suitable beverage, such as tea, coffee, other infusion-type beverages, beverages formed from a liquid or powdered concentrate, soups, juices or other beverages made from dried materials, carbonated or uncarbonated beverages, or other, in this illustrative embodiment the system 100 is arranged to form coffee beverages. In some embodiments, a beverage pod 1 may be provided to the system 100 and used to form a beverage that is dispensed into a user’s cup or other suitable container 2. The pod 1 may be manually or automatically placed in a brew chamber 15 that can include a pod holder 3 and cover 4. For example, the pod holder 3 may include a cup-shaped or otherwise suitably shaped opening in which the pod 1 may be placed. With a pod 1 placed in the pod holder 3, a handle 5 may be moved (e.g., downwardly) so as to move the cover 4 to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 1). In the closed position, the cover 4 may at least partially cover the pod 1, e.g., so the pod is at least partially enclosed in the brew chamber 15. Water or other liquid may be provided to the pod 1 (e.g., by injecting the liquid into the pod interior) to form a beverage that exits the pod 1 and is provided via a beverage outlet to a cup 2 or other container. As can be seen in FIGs. 1 and 2 for example, liquid may be provided to a brew chamber 15 or other dispensing station from an external reservoir 6 and / or an internal reservoir 7. The reservoirs 6, 7 may be provided with liquid from a mains water connection 8 which allows the machine 100 to be connected to a plumbed water source and / or by a user, e.g., by pouring the liquid into the external reservoir 6 and / or through an opening in the beverage machine housing 10 into the internal reservoir 7. In some embodiments, the external reservoir 6 can include a tank 61 which is removable from a tank base 62, e.g., toallow the tank 61 to be more easily filled with water. The tank base 62 may additionally be removable from the housing 10 if the external reservoir 6 is not used.

[0022] The beverage machine 100 shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 is only one example of a beverage forming system that can incorporate inventive features described herein. Thus, disclosed features may be employed with any suitably arranged beverage forming system, including drip-type coffee brewers, espresso-type coffee machines, carbonated beverage machines, and other systems that dispense a beverage. Such systems need not necessarily use a pod 1, but instead the brew chamber or other dispensing station may accept ground coffee (e.g., in loose form) or other beverage material in other ways to make a beverage. Also, the brew chamber 15 need not necessarily include a pod holder 3 and a cover 4. For example, the brew chamber may include a filter basket or other receptacle arranged to receive beverage material and to combine the beverage material with water or other liquid to form a beverage. In some embodiments, the brew chamber need not be user accessible, but instead beverage material may be automatically provided to, and / or removed from, the brew chamber.Moreover, the system 100 need not have a brew chamber 15, but instead other types of dispensing stations, e.g., that dispense hot and / or cold water or other liquid (whether still or carbonated) at a beverage outlet such as a dispensing nozzle without mixing with any beverage ingredient.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a liquid supply and other components of an illustrative beverage machine 100 for forming a beverage. As noted above, the liquid supply of the machine 100 may include an external reservoir 6 and / or an internal reservoir 7, e.g., including a mains water connection 8 having a connector 81 to fluidly connect to mains water, a mains valve 82 that controls flow to the internal reservoir 7 and a level sensor 83 to detect a liquid level in the internal reservoir 7. The mains valve 82 can be controlled by a controller or control circuitry 11 based on information from the liquid level sensor 83, e.g., the mains valve 82 can be operated to establish a desired water level in the internal reservoir 7. A distribution valve 9 can selectively couple either of the reservoirs 6, 7 to the brew chamber 15 or other dispensing station for delivery of liquid. The distribution valve 9 may be controllable, such as manually by a user or electronically by the controller 11, to select between the external reservoir 6 and internal reservoir 7. Beverage parameters may be set bydefault by the controller 11, by a user interacting with a user interface, and / or by reading a machine-readable feature on a pod 1 and using corresponding parameters.

[0024] A pump 12 may deliver liquid from the valve 9 to a heater tank 13 or other liquid conditioning device, e.g., to heat, cool, carbonate, or otherwise condition water or other liquid for forming a beverage. Employing a pump 12 may allow the beverage machine 100 to vary a flow rate and / or pressure of the liquid as desired, e.g., to form espresso-type or other beverages using higher pressure liquid as well as drip-type coffee or other beverages made using lower pressure liquid. In some embodiments, pumping of water or other liquid into the heater tank 13 causes heated liquid to flow to the brew chamber 15 for mixing with a beverage medium (if a beverage medium is present) and for dispensing as a beverage.

[0025] In some embodiments, a pressure selector valve 31 may be fluidly coupled to an outlet (e.g., exit needle 41) of the brew chamber 15 or other dispensing station and may be used to control a pressure in the brew chamber 15 or other portion of the beverage flow path. For example, when forming a coffee beverage, the pressure selector valve 31 is situated in the beverage flow path, and may be operated to adjust a backpressure in the brew chamber 15 or elsewhere in the flow path to cause (or prevent) formation of crema or other foam in the coffee beverage. The valve 31 may perform other functions, such as controlling a flow rate of liquid through the brew chamber 15, selecting a beverage outlet from which beverage is dispensed, etc. The valve 31 may be manually controlled, e.g., by a user moving a user interface, such as a handle (e.g. a lever, tab or any other suitable component), and / or automatically, e.g., by an electric or other actuator under the control of the controller 11 to move one or more components of the valve 31. In the illustrated embodiment, a handle 47 is included for a user to manually control the pressure selector valve 31, such as by sliding the selector linearly along a longitudinal axis of the handle, or in other embodiments by moving the handle along an arcuate path. Other user controls are also contemplated.

[0026] In some embodiments, the pressure selector valve may include a valve body having and an orifice plate which moves relative to the valve, such as to position one or another orifice of the orifice plate in fluid communication with a brew chamber outlet. In one illustrative embodiment, moving the orifice plate aligns one or another orifice of the orifice with the brew chamber outlet.

[0027] For example, FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a pressure selector valve 31 that includes a valve body 40 having an inlet 33. The valve body 40 may be a unitary piece with the pod holder 3, as illustrated, or the pod holder and the valve body (and hence valve 31) may be separate pieces. A sliding orifice plate 46 may be positioned within the body and slidably supported to allow the orifice plate to slide between at least two positions. The orifice plate 46 may include at least two orifices: a first orifice 42 and a second orifice 43. As illustrated, the first orifice 42 has a larger diameter than the second orifice 43. The second orifice 43 may produce a pressure drop across the orifice when flow is moved through the orifice 43. Different orifice diameters may correspond with different pressure drops and correspondingly with different inlet side pressures (note that both orifices 42, 43 exit the beverage machine to the atmosphere). As such, the first orifice 42, which has a larger diameter than the second orifice 43, may produce a lower backpressure (including zero backpressure), as compared to the second orifice 43.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first orifice 42 may be an opening formed directly in the orifice plate 46 itself. In some embodiments, the second orifice 43 may be an opening in a separate disc 53 or other flat sheet that is attached to the orifice plate 46. In other embodiments, however, the second, smaller orifice 43 may also be formed directly in the orifice plate 46 itself.

[0029] The inlet 33 of the valve may be configured for coupling to an outlet of a brew chamber, e.g., by coupling an outlet conduit or port of the brew chamber outlet to the inlet 33, forming the valve body 40 as a unitary part of a portion of the brew chamber 15, etc. The inlet 33 may be fluidly coupled to an exit needle 41 (e.g. needle exiting the brew chamber 15). The exit needle 41 is configured to pierce a beverage pod 1 during a brewing process.

[0030] In some embodiments, an exit needle seal 72 may be provided around the exit needle 41. The exit needle seal 72 may be compressed between the beverage pod 1 (the bottom of beverage pod 1) and the beverage pod holder 3. The exit needle seal may help to mitigate leakage from the beverage pod 1 between the exit needle 41 and the beverage pod 1, such as through the hole pierced by the exit needle.

[0031] A beverage may be brewed inside the brew chamber 15. Brewed beverage exits the brew chamber 15 through the exit needle 41, here illustrated penetrating a lowersurface of the beverage pod 1. Brewed beverage flows from the exit needle 41 into the valve 31.

[0032] The orifice plate 46 may move between two (or more) positions. In a first position, a first orifice is positioned be in fluid communication with the brew chamber 15 (in other words, the first orifice is positioned in the beverage flow path). In a second position, the second orifice is positioned to be in fluid communication with the brew chamber 15 (in other words, the second orifice is positioned in the beverage flow path). In the second position, fluid communication between the valve inlet 33 and the first orifice may be closed. As illustrated with arrow 49 in FIG. 4, the orifice plate 46 may be slidably positioned relative to the valve body 40.

[0033] In some cases, the orifice plate 46 may be configured to adjust a backpressure of fluid in the flow path, e.g., upstream of inlet 33, such as to control pressure in the brew chamber 15 where a beverage is brewed. For a given flow rate, fluid and flow conditions, a smaller diameter orifice may result in a greater upstream pressure (also referred to as a backpressure) and a larger orifice may result in a lower upstream pressure. In some embodiments, the backpressure created may be a function of both the pump and the orifice. Greater backpressure resulting from a smaller orifice may reduce flowrate through the flow path based on the capability of the pump and how it is controlled, so the flow rate may not be consistent when a first orifice is used and when a second orifice is used.

[0034] In some cases, the valve 31 may include a seal 45, e.g., an o-ring or other compliant elastomeric seal. In some embodiments, inclusion of a seal 45 around the higher backpressure orifice 43 may help to decrease fluid leakage between the orifice plate 46 and the valve body 40 in order to decrease inadvertent leakage of brewed beverage and / or maintain a high backpressure. Alternatively or in addition, the seal 45 may serve to prohibit fluid communication between the first orifice 42 and the second orifice 43 while still permitting the orifice plate 46 to slide within the valve body 40. While a seal is included only with the higher backpressure orifice 43 in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, in other embodiments, each orifice (e.g. 42, 43) may have a seal. In some embodiments having greater than two orifices, a seal may only be included on some, but not all, orifices, such as on the higher backpressure orifices.

[0035] In some embodiments, a larger orifice (such as orifice 42) may be large enough so as not to interact with the flow on the sides of the orifice. For example, such an orifice may be a clearance hole through which flow may pass. In some embodiments, flow after the orifice (and potentially within the orifice for clearance hole orifices) may be a jet, such as, but not limited to, a free jet. The jet may exit the orifice at atmospheric pressure and may be directed into a cup or other drinking vessel, or other larger volume container such as a carafe, so as to fill the cup with the brewed beverage.

[0036] In some embodiments, an agitator 44 may be included to intersect with the brewed beverage exiting an orifice and may serve to agitate the beverage. Contact with the agitator may create bubbles and aid in the formation of crema. In some embodiments, the agitator 44 comprises a post having a contact surface 54 that is positioned to be in the direct flow path of fluid exiting the orifice 43. Impact of the fluid, which may in some embodiments be in the form of a jet, against the contact surface 54 may result in the creation of bubbles that may form crema in the brewed beverage. In some embodiments, the contact surface 54 may have a concave shape. Alternatively or in addition, the contact surface 54 may have other surface features, such as surface roughness, protrusions, indentations, or other features to, for example, increase or decrease agitation.

[0037] The agitator 44 may be configured to move with the orifice plate. In some embodiments, the agitator 44 may be rigidly connected with the orifice plate. In other embodiments, the agitator 44 may be moveable relative to the orifice 43, e.g. to move the agitator in and out of the beverage flow path while the orifice 43 remains in the beverage flow path. Such an arrangement may permit a user to control a level of crema / foam produced. As a result, for example, a user may form an espresso with and without crema using the same orifice 43 by choosing whether to position the agitator in the beverage flow path.

[0038] The agitator 44 is positioned to intersect with liquid emitted from a single orifice. Multiple agitators may be included to intersect with flow from different orifices. In some embodiments, two identical orifices may be provided but with different agitators (or with and without agitators) so as to provide different beverage characteristics even if the backpressure (e.g. pressure at inlet 33) is the same with both orifices.

[0039] FIG. 4 is illustrated with the larger orifice 42 in fluid communication with the valve inlet 33, and the smaller orifice 43 out of fluid communication with the valve inlet 33. As it is the larger orifice, the orifice 42 may be associated with a lower backpressure. In some embodiments, the orifice 42 may be used to brew drip-type coffee, or other beverages made using lower pressure. Orifice 43, the smaller illustrated orifice, may be associated with higher brew pressure beverages, such as espresso. As in the illustrative example of FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the smaller orifice 43 may have a corresponding agitator. The agitator 44 is aligned with and configured to move with orifice 43. In some embodiments, the larger orifice 42 may not have a corresponding agitator, such that no agitator is used with fluid exiting the orifice 42. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the larger orifice 42 may also have a corresponding agitator. Although the illustrated embodiment shows two different size orifices, any number of orifices may be used including different combinations of orifice size, orifice shape, and agitator (or no agitator).

[0040] FIGS. 5 A and 5B show another embodiment of a pressure selector valve according to some aspects. FIG. 5A shows the valve in a first position, where the valve is in a low pressure brewing configuration, and FIG. 5B shows the valve in a second position, where the valve is in a high pressure brewing configuration. The sliding orifice plate 46’ may be slidably positioned to allow the orifice plate to slide between at least two positions. The orifice plate 46’ includes at least two orifices: a first orifice 42’ and a second orifice 43’. As illustrated, orifice 42’ has a larger diameter than orifice 43’. When the valve is in the first position shown in FIG. 5A, a lower backpressure (including zero backpressure) may be produced as compared to when the valve is in the second position shown in FIG. 5B.

[0041] Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the second orifice 43’ may be an opening formed in a disc 53’ or other flat sheet. The second orifice 43’ may produce a pressure drop across the orifice when brewed beverage is moved through the second orifice ‘43. Flow may be provided to the pressure selector valve 31’ by the exit needle 41’ (e.g. needle exiting the brew chamber 15’). The exit needle 41’ is configured to pierce a beverage pod 1’ during a brewing process.

[0042] In some embodiments, the exit needle may have a seal 72’. The exit needle seal 72’ illustrated around the exit needle 41’ may be compressed between the beverage pod 1’ and the beverage pod holder 3’. The exit needle seal may mitigate leakage from thebeverage pod 1’ between the exit needle 41 and the beverage pod 1’, such as through the hole pierced by the exit needle.

[0043] A beverage may be brewed within beverage pod 1 ’ inside the brew chamber 15’. Brewed beverage exits the beverage pod 1’ through the exit needle 41’, here illustrated penetrating a lower surface of the beverage pod 1’. Brewed beverage flows from the exit needle 41’, out through a brew chamber outlet 39’, and into the valve 31’. (In some embodiments, the exit needle 41’ may serve as the brew chamber outlet 39’). Brewed beverage exiting the valve 31 ’ may be dispensed out of the beverage machine through a dispensing outlet 34’ into, e.g. a cup or other receptacle. In some embodiments, the beverage machine may include a funnel 71’ to direct brewed beverage from the valve 31 ’ toward the dispensing outlet 34’.

[0044] The first orifice 42’ is the larger orifice and may be associated with a lower backpressure. FIG. 5A depicts the pressure selector valve arrangement with the larger orifice 42’ positioned in the beverage flow path such that the larger orifice 42’ is in fluid communication with the brew chamber outlet 39’.

[0045] FIG. 5B depicts the pressure selector valve arrangement with the smaller orifice 43’ positioned in the beverage flow path such that the smaller orifice 43’ is in fluid communication with the brew chamber outlet 39’ . Orifice 43’ may be associated with a higher backpressure than the larger orifice 42’. Having the valve 31’ in the high pressure configuration shown in FIG. 5B, may enable the beverage machine to form an espresso type beverage, with or without crema.

[0046] In some embodiments, the smaller, high pressure orifice 43’ may include an agitator 44’ as in previously described embodiments.

[0047] The beverage pod may be the same (or the same type, variety, formulation etc.) as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5A to brew drip-type coffee (or other beverages made using lower pressure) and as illustrated in FIG. 5B to form espresso-type beverages (or other beverages made using higher pressure). A user may select whether to brew drip-type coffee or espresso with a given beverage pod of beverage material.

[0048] In some embodiments, a user may move the orifice plate between high pressure and low pressure configurations. A handle 47’ may be connected to the orifice plate 46’. A user may slide the handle 47’ along a longitudinal direction 49’ (e.g. in and out) toposition the pressure selector valve 31’ in a position to brew a specific beverage. The user may control the handle valve by tactile input to the handle 47’, such as by grasping and pushing or pulling the handle. In some embodiments, the orifice plate 46’ may slide along a linear path. Detent stops may be provided for user feel to establish a position where a specific orifice is in position to brew a beverage. In other embodiments, the orifice plate 46 may be connected by linkages to other user controls to automatically position the pressure selector to brew a desired beverage.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 6, the orifice plate may be positioned by an actuator. The actuator 651 may be an electrical actuator, such as a solenoid, linear motor, or motor driven leadscrew, or the actuator may be a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or other actuator. The actuator may be controlled by a controller within the beverage machine. A user may not take any action in setting the pressure selector valve other than by selecting a desired beverage type. For instance, a user may select drip-type coffee and the pressure selector valve may be actuated to position the appropriate orifice in the flow path to brew drip-type coffee.

[0050] As seen in FIG. 6, valve body 640 slidably supports a sliding orifice plate 646. The orifice plate may include three orifices, though any suitable number of orifices may be used. Orifice 642 is the largest orifice and may be used to brew drip-type coffee. No agitator is provided with orifice 642, though in other embodiments, the orifice 642 may have an associated agitator. Orifice 643a and orifice 643b are smaller orifices which may be associated with creation of higher brew chamber pressures. Orifice 643b has a smallest orifice diameter and may be associated with the highest brew chamber pressure (and / or lowest beverage flow rate). Orifices 643a and 643b may be used to brew espresso beverages (having or not having crema). Orifice 643a has agitator 644a positioned beneath the orifice 643a to intersect with a jet emitted from the orifice 643a. Orifice 643b has agitator 644b positioned beneath the orifice to intersect with a jet emitted from the orifice 643b. The pressure selector valve 631 receives flow from a brew chamber outlet 641. As previously noted, the embodiment of FIG. 6 includes actuator 651 to position the orifice plate 646.

[0051] FIG. 7 shows an upward facing view of a pressure selector valve according to some embodiments. Pressure selector valve 731 includes a valve body 740 and a moveable orifice plate 746 including a first orifice 742, a second orifice 743, and a handle 747 for usercontrol. A user may move the orifice plate by pivoting the handle 747 about pivot 755 as indicated by arrow 70. Pivoting the handle 757 in turn pivots the orifice plate about the pivot 755 and rotates the orifices 742 and 743 along an arcuate path such that the orifices each traces an arc. A brew chamber outlet 741 is shown dashed as it is obscured by a portion of the orifice plate 746. In some embodiments, the brew chamber outlet 741 comprises an exit needle, but in other embodiments, no exit needle is used. As illustrated, orifice 743 is in a position to brew a beverage as the orifice 473 is in fluid communication with the brew chamber outlet 741 (e.g. orifice 743 is aligned with and coaxial to the brew chamber outlet 741). In some embodiments, Orifices 743 and / or 742 may include seals disposed between the orifice plate 746 and the brew chamber and / or valve body 740.

[0052] Although the embodiment of FIG. 7 is shown with a user-controlled handle 747, the orifice plate 746 may be positioned by an actuator as in previously described embodiments. Agitators are not illustrated in FIG. 7 to provide a clear view of the orifices, however agitators may be included. The agitators may be rigidly attached to the orifice plate and may move with the orifice plate. As with previous embodiments, different combinations of orifices and agitators are contemplated. The orifice plate 746 may include more than two orifices, three orifices, or more than three orifices. One or more of defined positions of the orifice plate 746 may correspond to particular levels of backpressure, crema production, foam production, or other characteristics regarding beverage formation and / or of a finished beverage. For example, the orifice plate may have a defined position for dispensing coffee with no foam or with crema created, and may have one or more other positions that each correspond to a particular level of crema or foam production and / or a type of coffee beverage.

[0053] Movement of the orifice plate of a pressure selector valve and / or operation of other components of the beverage machine 100 may be controlled by the control circuit 11 in FIG. 3 which may include a programmed processor and / or other data processing device along with suitable software or other operating instructions, one or more memories (including nontransient storage media that may store software and / or other operating instructions), temperature and liquid level sensors, pressure sensors, input / output interfaces (such as a user interface on the housing 10), communication buses or other links, a display, switches, relays, triacs, or other components necessary to perform desired input / output or other functions. A user interface may be arranged in any suitable way and include any suitable components toprovide information to a user and / or receive information from a user, such as buttons, a touch screen, a voice command module (including a microphone to receive audio information from a user and suitable software to interpret the audio information as a voice command), a visual display, one or more indicator lights, a speaker, and so on. Liquid may be introduced into the brew chamber 15 at any suitable pressure, e.g., 1-2 psi or higher, and the pressure may be adjustable by the control circuit 11, e.g., based on operation of the pump 12 and / or pressure selector valve 31. While in this illustrative embodiment, a liquid supply system arranged to provide liquid to a beverage outlet (at the brew chamber 15) may include a pump 12, other arrangements may be used, such as gravity flow of liquid, flow forced by air pressure, or other motive force.

[0054] For those systems employing a beverage pod 1, the beverage machine 100 may access or otherwise use the beverage pod 1 in any suitable way. For example, one or more inlet needles associated with the cover 4 or other part of the system 100 may pierce the beverage pod 1 (e.g., a lid of the beverage pod) so as to inject heated water or other liquid into the beverage pod 1. The injected liquid may form the desired beverage or a beverage precursor by mixing with beverage material in the beverage pod 1. The cover 4, beverage pod holder 3 or other portion of the beverage machine 100 may also include one or more outlet needles or other elements to puncture or pierce the beverage pod 1 at an outlet side to permit the formed beverage to exit the beverage pod 1. Other inlet / outlet piercing arrangements are possible, such as multiple needles, a shower head, a non-hollow needle, a cone, a pyramid, a knife, a blade, etc. In another arrangement, a beverage machine may include a piercing element (such as a spike) that forms an opening and thereafter a second inlet element (such as a tube) may pass through the formed hole to introduce liquid into (or conduct liquid out of) the container. As with the inlet piercing arrangement, the outlet piercing arrangement may be varied in any suitable way. Thus, the outlet piercing element may include one or more hollow or solid needles, knives, blades, tubes, and so on. The outlet piercing element may be an exit needle. Alternately, the beverage pod 1 may include a valve, septum, or other element that opens to permit beverage to exit when liquid is introduced into the beverage pod, but otherwise remains closed (e.g., to protect the beverage medium from external conditions such as oxygen, moisture or others). In such a case, no piercing element for forming the outlet opening is necessarily required although may be used, e.g., to allow thevalve or other element to open. Also, in some embodiments the piercing element remains in place to receive beverage as it exits the opening formed in the beverage pod. However, in some embodiments, the piercing element may withdraw after forming an opening, allowing beverage to exit the opening and be received without the piercing element being extended into the beverage pod 1. Other arrangements for a beverage outlet are possible however, e.g., the beverage pod may have a permeable portion that allows beverage to exit beverage pod 1. Also, there is no requirement that an inlet and / or an outlet pierce a beverage pod to provide liquid to, or receive beverage from, a beverage pod. Instead, communication with a beverage pod may be performed using any suitable ports or other features. In some embodiments, the beverage pod comprises a package-less tablet or a capsule that is not pierced. Rather, the tablet or capsule may be configured to be broken and / or at least partially or completely dissolved during a brew process. In some embodiments, however, the tablet or capsule may be pierced. Regardless of how beverage is output from a beverage pod, the beverage outlet may be fluidly coupled to a pressure selector valve 31, e.g., so the valve 31 can influence a pressure in the beverage pod or otherwise control characteristics of beverage dispensed.

[0055] With a beverage material provided in the brew chamber 15, the control circuit 11 may operate in different ways to dispense a beverage. In some embodiments, the control circuit 11 may automatically select one or more brew parameters for automatically controlling the liquid supply to dispense a beverage during a dispensing operation. For example, the control circuit 11 may select default values for parameters such as a beverage volume, beverage temperature, whether beverage frothing or whipping will be employed, a beverage dispense time or speed, a precursor liquid flow rate, a precursor liquid pressure, whether beverage chilling will be employed, whether brew chamber air or steam purge will be employed, whether beverage material pre-wet or pulse-type brewing will be employed and if so time periods between liquid delivery, a backpressure provided by the pressure selector valve 31, and others. Such parameters may be automatically determined in different ways, such as by reading parameter values from an information element (such as an RFID tag) on a beverage pod 1, receiving input from a user via a user interface such as by the user pressing a button or otherwise indicating a parameter, by employing default values stored in a memory of the control circuit 11, and / or by a combination of such techniques or others. In some cases, the control circuit 11 may begin a dispensing operation once the brew parameter valuesare set, or in response to additional user input such as the user pressing a brew start button. In one example, a user may press one of several beverage volume buttons to select a beverage volume, and then press a brew start button to cause the control circuit 11 to start an automated dispensing operation. Parameters used to dispense a beverage may be set by default by the control circuit 11 and / or by input from the user. For example, other brew parameters such as beverage temperature, etc. may be automatically selected by the control circuit 11 using default values unless the user provides additional input to adjust those values.

[0056] With water or other liquid sufficiently heated in the heater tank, the control circuit 11 may continue with the automated process of beverage dispensing by causing the pump 12 to deliver liquid to the tank, thereby delivering heated liquid to the brew chamber 15. The control circuit 11 may sense or otherwise keep track of a volume of liquid delivered to the brew chamber 15 so that the appropriate beverage volume can be dispensed. For example, the control circuit 11 may cause the pump 12 to operate a specified number of cycles where a particular volume of liquid is delivered by the pump 12 for each pump cycle. Alternately, a flow meter may be used by the control circuit 11 to detect a volume of liquid delivered to the brew chamber 15, or other techniques. Pressure in the brew chamber 15 may be sensed, e.g., using a sensor in the brew chamber 15 or line coupled to the chamber 15, and the control circuit 11 may adjust the outlet valve 31 or other parameters to control a backpressure in the brew chamber 15. Thus, varying levels of backpressure may be employed in the formation of a single beverage, or a single backpressure level may be used.

[0057] While aspects may be used with any suitable beverage pod of beverage material, or no beverage pod at all, some beverage pods may include features that enhance the operation of a beverage forming system 100. As is known in the art, the beverage pod 1 may take any suitable form such as those commonly known as a sachet, tablet, capsule, container or other. For example, the beverage pod 1 may include an impermeable outer covering within which is housed a beverage medium, such as roasted and ground coffee or other. The beverage pod 1 may also include a filter so that a beverage formed by interaction of the liquid with the beverage medium passes through the filter before being dispensed into a container 2. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, beverage pods in the form of a pod having opposed layers of permeable filter paper encapsulating a beverage material may use the outer portion of the beverage pod 1 to filter the beverage formed.

[0058] While the illustrations shown in FIGS. 4, 5 A and 5B show beverage pods with packaging, it should be appreciated that the beverage machine, including the ones discussed in the embodiments of FIGS. 4, 5A, and 5B, may be used with package-less beverage pods. The package-less beverage pod may be able to hold its own shape, and thus may not require individual packaging to prevent dispersing of the beverage ingredients prior to use in forming a beverage. Such beverage pods may, for example, be in the form of a compacted tablet or a capsule (which may or may not be made of compacted materials). The beverage ingredients may be contained without separate, removable packaging. In some embodiments, the beverage ingredients of the package-less beverage pod have been compacted. In some embodiments, the package-less beverage pod may be bound together with a food-grade binder or with another beverage ingredient that promotes formation of the beverage tablet into a cohesive structure. Some package-less beverage pods may be formed through processing alone, such as by pressing, heating, or drying into the desired form.

[0059] In some embodiments, the package-less beverage pod may include a shell, such as a coating, disposed along the outer surface at the periphery of the pod. In some embodiments, the shell may bind the beverage ingredients within the interior of the pod. The beverage ingredients within the pod may be loose, such as loose ground coffee, or compacted. The shell may be a food grade binder, an alginate, edible, soluble, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the shell may serve as a barrier to reduce infiltration of oxygen and / or moisture such as to maintain freshness of the beverage ingredients. Material of the package-less beverage pod, including a shell of the pod if one is present, may directly contact some portion of the beverage machine, such as the brew chamber, before brewing the beverage, without intervening packaging in-between.

[0060] The package-less beverage pod may be configured to break into pieces during brewing or it may be configured to remain intact during brewing. The package-less beverage pod may be configured to at least partially or completely dissolve. In some embodiments, the package-less beverage pod may contain roasted coffee grounds (e.g. that remain behind after forming a beverage), soluble coffee, soluble materials, binders or other materials, and any combination of the above. The package-less beverage pod may be any suitable shape, such as a cylinder, a sphere, an ellipsoid, an elliptical prism, a teardrop shape, a frustrum of a cone, a cone or other shape.

[0061] As used herein, “beverage” refers to a liquid substance intended for drinking that is formed when a liquid interacts with a beverage material, or a liquid that is dispensed without interacting with a beverage material. Thus, beverage refers to a liquid that is ready for consumption, e.g., is dispensed into a cup and ready for drinking, as well as a liquid that will undergo other processes or treatments, such as filtering or the addition of flavorings, creamer, sweeteners, another beverage, etc., before being consumed.

[0062] Although aspects of the present disclosure may be described with respect to single serving beverage machines, this disclosure is not meant to be limiting to single serving beverage machines or to the preparation of any quantity of beverage and may be applied to any beverage machine which may prepare any quantity of beverage or any number of beverage servings during a beverage forming operation.

[0063] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments.

[0064] Also, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a method, of which an example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

[0065] Use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second,” "third," etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

[0066] Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including,” “comprising," or"having," "containing,” “involving," and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

[0067] Further, some actions are described as taken by a “user.” It should be appreciated that a “user” need not be a single individual, and that in some embodiments, actions attributable to a “user” may be performed by a team of individuals and / or an individual in combination with computer-assisted tools or other mechanisms.

[0068] While the present teachings have been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A valve for use with a beverage machine outlet, comprising: a valve body configured to mount in a beverage flow path; and a moveable orifice plate including a first orifice and a second orifice, the orifice plate being supported by the valve body such that the orifice plate is configured to move relative to the valve body, wherein the orifice plate has a first position and a second position, and wherein when the orifice plate is in a first position, the first orifice is in the beverage flow path and the second orifice is out of the beverage flow path, and wherein when the orifice plate is in the second position, the second orifice is in the beverage flow path and the first orifice is out of the beverage flow path.

2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the orifice plate is slidably supported by the valve body such that the orifice plate is configured to slide relative to the valve body.

3. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first orifice has a first diameter and the second orifice has a second diameter, the second diameter being different from the first diameter.

4. The beverage machine of claim 3, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter.

5. The valve of any one of claims 1 and 4, wherein the second orifice has a diameter that is sized such that liquid passing through the second orifice is formed into a jet.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein the orifice plate additionally includes an agitator positioned downstream of the second orifice to intersect the jet.

7. The valve of claim 6, wherein the orifice plate is configured to move with the orifice plate.

8. The valve of claim 1, wherein the valve body includes an exit needle, configured to pierce a beverage pod and to receive a flow of brewed beverage from the beverage pod that moves through the beverage flow path.

9. The valve of claim 1, wherein the orifice plate includes at least a third orifice configured to be moveably positioned in the beverage flow path.

10. The valve of claim 9, wherein the orifice plate additionally includes a first agitator and a second agitator, the first agitator and the second agitator being configured to move with the orifice plate, wherein the first agitator is positioned downstream of the first orifice to intersect with liquid that has exited the first orifice, and the second agitator is positioned downstream of the second orifice to intersect with liquid that has exited the second orifice.

11. The valve of claim 1, wherein the second orifice is configured to produce crema or foam.

12. The valve of claim 1, wherein the second orifice is configured to produce a greater backpressure than the first orifice.

13. The valve of claim 12, wherein the second orifice is configured to produce an espresso beverage.

14. The valve of claim 1, wherein the orifice plate further includes a seal, the seal being configured to prevent leakage between the orifice plate and the valve body when the seal is in the beverage flow path.

15. The valve of claim 1, wherein the orifice plate is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position by a tactile input of a user.

16. The valve of claim 1, wherein the orifice plate is configured to be movable by a user relative to the valve body to adjust the backpressure on beverage in the flow path.

17. The valve of claim 1, wherein the orifice plate is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position by an actuator.

18. The valve of claim 17, wherein the actuator is an electric actuator.

19. The valve of claim 1, wherein orifice plate is configured to slide along a linear path.

20. The valve of claim 1, wherein orifice plate is configured to be rotated relative to the valve body.

21. The valve of claim 1, in combination with a beverage machine, comprising: a liquid supply arranged to provide a liquid for forming a beverage; and a brew chamber arranged to introduce the liquid to a beverage material to form a beverage, wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to an outlet of the brew chamber and is configured to adjust a pressure in the brew chamber based on the position of the orifice plate relative to the valve body.

22. The valve of claim 21, wherein an outlet of the orifice plate is fluidly coupled to a beverage outlet of the beverage machine for dispensing the beverage out of the beverage machine.

23. The valve of claim 21, wherein the valve is configured to adjust an amount of crema or foam dispensed with a coffee beverage from the beverage outlet.

24. A beverage machine configured to brew a beverage from a beverage pod, the beverage machine comprising: a flow path of a beverage; an outlet valve body; and an orifice plate configured to move relative to the outlet valve body,wherein the orifice plate has a first position and a second position, and wherein when the orifice plate is in the first position, the first orifice is in the beverage flow path and the second orifice is out of the beverage flow path, and wherein when the orifice plate is in the second position, the second orifice is in the beverage flow path and the first orifice is out of the beverage flow path.

25. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein the orifice plate is slidably supported by the valve body such that the orifice plate is configured to slide relative to the valve body.

26. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein the first orifice has a first diameter and the second orifice has a second diameter, the second diameter being different from the first diameter.

27. The beverage machine of claim 26, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter.

28. The beverage machine of any one of claims 24 and 27, wherein the second orifice has a diameter that is sized such that liquid passing through the second orifice is formed into a jet.

29. The beverage machine of claim 28, wherein the orifice plate additionally includes an agitator positioned downstream of the second orifice to intersect the jet.

30. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein the orifice plate includes at least a third orifice configured to be moveably positioned in the beverage flow path.

31. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein the orifice plate is configured to be movable by a user relative to the valve body to adjust the backpressure on beverage in the beverage flow path.

32. The beverage machine of claim 29, wherein the orifice plate is configured to be movable by a user relative to the valve body to position the agitator into the beverage flow path.

33. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein the beverage machine additionally includes an actuator configured to move the orifice plate.

34. The beverage machine of claim 33, wherein the beverage machine additionally includes a controller configured to actuate movement of the orifice plate based on a beverage selection input to the beverage machine by a user.

35. The beverage machine of claim 24, wherein a greater backpressure is created when the orifice plate is in the second position than in the first position.

36. The beverage machine of claim 24, further comprising a brew chamber, the brew chamber being configured to receive a beverage pod and to brew a beverage from the beverage pod, wherein when the orifice plate is in the first position, a first pressure is generated in the brew chamber during beverage formation, and when the orifice plate is in the second position, a second pressure is generated in the brew chamber during beverage formation, the first pressure being different than the second pressure.

Images