beverage pod system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an extraction device for extracting beverage ingredients by supplying an extracting liquid into a pod, the extraction device comprising an upstream pod enclosing part (2) and a downstream pod enclosing part (1), the upstream pod enclosing part (2) being movable along a horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and removing a pod (3) and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber enclosing the pod during extraction, and in the upstream pod enclosing part (1) a cage (21) comprising side walls (211) movable between an open position and a closed position and end walls (22) movable inside the side walls (211), the side walls (211) and the end walls (22) being actuated by one common motor (10) and a common actuator (8).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of beverage preparation using a system that includes a single-serving container containing beverage ingredients and a machine having a brewing chamber into which the container can be inserted, brewed and removed. [Background technology]

[0002] Single-serving containers for automated beverage preparation include various types of containers that can be brewed according to various types of systems. In these systems, a container introduced into the system by a user is enclosed in a chamber to carry out the brewing process and then removed from the chamber. The chamber has two parts that are configured to move apart during introduction of the container and then move toward each other to form a brewing chamber around the container for brewing the beverage. Generally, a first, upstream part of the chamber includes perforation means configured to perforate a wall of the container and an injection means configured to introduce water through the perforated wall to prepare the beverage, and a second, downstream part of the chamber includes opening means configured to open another wall of the container to dispense the prepared beverage.

[0003] Due to the demand for more sustainable single-portion containers, containers made of compostable materials such as paper for use in such systems have been proposed. For example, International Publication No. 2020 / 114995 proposes the use of containers essentially made of paper. To enable the formation of the cup-shaped body of these containers, the paper material used is quite thick, and therefore the side and bottom walls of the cup-shaped body have the same height thickness. Due to this large thickness, perforation of the bottom wall during beverage preparation requires a strong force from the chamber's perforation means, which current systems are not suited to.

[0004] Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a system that can accommodate different sized containers for extraction, as described in WO 2020 / 089404. In such a machine, the two parts of the chamber can be moved relative to one another by a motor to surround the container. Regardless of the size of the container, the thick bottom wall of the container must be accurately perforated by the perforation means of the chamber.

[0005] WO 2017 / 137933 describes a system in which containers of different heights can be used in the chamber because the perforation means in the upstream portion of the chamber is attached to a spring. This spring allows the size of the chamber to be adapted to the height of the cup-shaped body of the container. However, to allow such a spring-loaded perforation means to perforate the bottom wall, the container's bottom wall must be thin enough to tear. This makes it impossible to extract regular containers whose bottom wall is made of the same material as the side walls. Therefore, containers with a thinner bottom wall than the side walls must be used in this system. This solution cannot be used with containers whose bottom wall is made of a thick paper material.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to address at least the above-mentioned existing problems.

[0007] These problems are solved by the spirit of claims 1-14. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an extraction device for extracting beverage ingredients by supplying an extraction liquid into a pod, the extraction device comprising: an upstream pod enclosing portion and a downstream pod enclosing portion, the upstream pod enclosing portion being movable along a horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and removing a pod and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber enclosing the pod during brewing; the upstream portion defines a cage and includes a piercing element for piercing the bottom wall of the pod and a liquid outlet opening; the downstream part comprises a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX'), said plate comprising a downstream piercing mechanism for opening the lid of the pod, an upstream pod surrounding portion and a downstream pod surrounding portion; a pod holder configured to hold a pod between the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion when the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion are in an open position, and configured to hold a pod lid in front of the downstream flat-surface piercing mechanism; Equipped with In the upstream pod surrounding portion, the cage comprises: a sidewall extending along the cage longitudinal axis between an open front end and a rear end, the sidewall being movable between an open position and a closed position; an end wall of the cage transverse to said longitudinal axis, said end wall having a front face, said front face carrying a piercing element and a liquid outlet opening; an end wall that is longitudinally movable within a side wall of the upstream pod-enclosing portion of the cage; Equipped with The side wall and the end wall are actuated by a common motor and a common actuator, the common actuator being connected to the side wall and the end wall, so that when the upstream pod enclosing portion moves from the open position to the closed position: First, the side walls move from an open position to a closed position to form a fully enclosed brewing chamber around the pod; The end wall then moves from a rearward position to a forward position inside the side wall to pierce the bottom wall of the pod. An extraction device is provided.

[0009] The extraction device is adapted to extract the pod, which typically comprises: a pod body including side walls and a bottom wall defining a chamber, the chamber extending axially between the bottom and a top opening; an upper lid for closing the upper opening of the pod body; Equipped with.

[0010] The brewing device of the system is typically included in a beverage preparation machine configured to accept the pod. Preferably, it is a coffee machine, but the machine can be designed to prepare, for example, tea, chocolate, or soup, depending on the ingredients enclosed in the pod. Specifically, the machine is configured to prepare a beverage in a brewing chamber by passing water or another liquid through a pod containing the ingredients of the beverage to be prepared, preferably roast and ground coffee, but also tea leaves, instant coffee, instant tea, chocolate, cocoa, dairy powder, or dried soup. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage ingredient is roast and ground coffee.

[0011] The device is configured to extract beverage ingredients contained in a pod by supplying an extracting liquid, such as water, into the pod, and includes upstream and downstream pod-enclosing portions that are relatively movable between an open position for inserting and / or ejecting such a pod and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber surrounding the pod during extraction of the beverage ingredients.

[0012] Typically, the pod can be inserted into the extraction device from above under the influence of gravity. Ejection or removal of the pod upon reopening of the enclosure may also be effected by gravity.

[0013] The extraction device comprises an upstream pod-enclosing portion and a downstream pod-enclosing portion, and at least the upstream enclosing portion is movable, preferably movable, along a horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and removing the pod and a closed position for forming an extraction chamber that encloses the pod during extraction.

[0014] The downstream or dispensing portion defines a downstream piercing mechanism or dispensing portion for opening the lid wall of the pod when brewing liquid is introduced into the interior of the pod. Typically, this downstream planar piercing mechanism is designed to open the lid by engaging with it relative to the lid under the influence of the increased pressure of liquid injected into the pod chamber and the expansion of the lid relative to the piercing mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, this downstream planar piercing mechanism comprises a plate, which is preferably rigid and is provided with a plurality of reliefs and opening elements such as concave elements, e.g., spikes, which may have the shape of a cone or pyramid, on its surface facing the second wall.

[0015] In addition, the plate is provided with a transverse hole for discharging beverage dispensed from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle that collects the beverage and dispenses it into a drinking cup.

[0016] The upstream or injection portion comprises an upstream piercing mechanism in the form of one or more perforators for piercing the bottom wall of the pod body of an inserted pod, and at least one liquid injector for supplying liquid through the perforated first wall of the pod.

[0017] The upstream perforation mechanism may comprise perforators in the form of blades that may be designed and positioned to perforate the bottom wall of the pod body when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing portions are in the closed position. A liquid injector, e.g., a shower, in the upstream portion of the cage may introduce brewing liquid through the pre-perforated openings.

[0018] In an alternative form, the upstream piercing mechanism may comprise at least one hollow needle configured to pierce the bottom wall of the pod body, and the hollow needle may comprise an internal axial flow channel for guiding the brewing liquid into the chamber of the pod.

[0019] Typically, the shape of the upstream and surrounding portions of the extraction device is defined according to the shape of the pod it is configured to extract from.

[0020] Generally, the extraction device may include an insertion section for inserting a pod into the device. This section is generally located above the upstream and downstream pod enclosing sections so that the pod is inserted between these two sections by gravity. Depending on the shape of the pod, this insertion section may be designed to encourage the user to place the pod with the pod lid facing the downstream piercing mechanism.

[0021] The extraction device includes a pod holder configured to hold a pod between the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion when the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion are in an open position, the holder configured to hold a pod lid in front of the downstream planar piercing mechanism.

[0022] Such a pod holder can be retracted and the pod can be released to be enclosed by the two enclosing parts when they are in the closed position. For example, WO 2005 / 004683 or WO 2007 / 134960 illustrate such types of pod holders.

[0023] In the upstream pod-enclosing portion, the cage has a sidewall extending along the cage longitudinal axis between an open front end and a rear end, the sidewall being movable between an open position and a closed position, and generally having a length greater than the maximum height of all the different pods usable in the extraction device.

[0024] The cage comprises end walls transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cage, the end walls having a front face carrying the piercing elements and the liquid outlet openings, the end walls being movable inside the side walls so that the interior volume of the cage can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of pods.

[0025] Preferably, the end wall is not attached to other elements of the extraction device and is free to move inside the side wall under the force of other elements, for example the pod or nut device, as described above.

[0026] The perforation elements of the upstream pod enclosure portion are raised from the front surface at a perforation height.

[0027] The side walls and end walls are actuated by a common actuator connected to the side walls and the end walls, which connection may be direct or indirect, for example the actuator may be connected to a carrier of the side walls to which the side walls are fixedly attached.

[0028] A common actuator is connected to the side wall and the end wall, whereby when the upstream pod enclosing portion moves from the open position to the closed position: First, the side walls are moved by an actuator from an open position to a closed position to form a brewing chamber around the pod; Once the brewing chamber is formed around the pod, only the end wall is then moved by the actuator from a rearward position to a forward position inside the side wall to pierce the bottom wall of the pod.

[0029] As a result, the same actuator can perform two different actions, namely: the actuator displaces the side wall of the cage against the downstream portion, thereby enabling sealing of the extraction chamber; The actuator displaces the end wall of the cage in a second step, thereby enabling the perforation of the bottom wall of the pod. This second action ensures efficient perforation of the bottom wall, which provides good delivery of the liquid inside the pod. This action also avoids the presence of a headspace in the chamber holding the pod, which ensures better extraction.

[0030] The actuators for both walls can be moved by the same motor, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing and operating the extraction device.

[0031] A motor, preferably an electric motor, is used to enable movement of the actuator, and is typically connected to the actuator by a gear mechanism with the motor shaft.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, the upstream pod enclosing portion is held by two lateral sheets between which the side walls can slide, each of the lateral sheets being attached to a first fixed lateral rear axis and a second fixed lateral forward axis.

[0033] The seats and the shafts define a frame that supports the pod enclosure and the actuators.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment, the common actuator comprises: a knee joint mechanism comprising two symmetrical assemblies of push rods and cranks, each crank attached to a lateral rear shaft and each rod attached directly or indirectly to a sliding side wall of the upstream pod enclosure; a nut device configured to be displaced by a spindle; Equipped with The lateral portions of the nut device are designed to engage and slide on guide curves designed into the crank of the knee joint mechanism.

[0035] Thus, movement of the nut device allows movement of the knee mechanism which controls movement of the side wall of the upstream pod enclosure.

[0036] The spindle can be rotated by a gear mechanism connected to the shaft of a motor, which in turn is used to actuate the spindle, nut device and knee joint mechanism.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the guide curve of each crank of the knee joint mechanism comprises: a first guide portion that enables the knee joint to move between a flexed configuration and an extended configuration; a second guide portion oriented along the horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') when the knee joint is in the extension configuration; Equipped with.

[0038] The first guide portion of the curved section is designed to allow the upstream pod enclosing portion to move between an open configuration in which the knee joint is bent and a configuration in which the knee joint is extended. In this extended configuration, the brewing chamber is tightly closed due to the force of the extended knee joint. The chamber can withstand an increase in pressure inside the chamber during beverage extraction without any risk of leakage. This tight tightness is even more interesting in brewing devices in which the flange of the pod is sandwiched between the edge of the open front end of the side wall and the downstream pod enclosing portion.

[0039] A second guide portion of the curved section is contiguous with and extends from the first portion.

[0040] Due to its orientation along the horizontal longitudinal axis, downstream movement of the nut device is possible when the knee joint is extended and the extraction chamber is closed, with the result that longitudinal movement of the end wall of the upstream pod enclosing portion in particular is still possible.

[0041] Preferably, the lateral portions of the nut may comprise wheels arranged to roll in guide curves of the crank.

[0042] Preferably, the rear face of the end wall of the upstream pod surrounding portion is configured to be pressed by the front end of the nut device during movement of the nut device along the second portion of the guide curve.

[0043] The rear surface of the end wall and the front end of the nut device are designed and arranged relative to one another to cooperate during movement of the nut device along the second portion of the guide curve.

[0044] Because the end wall is free to move, the force applied to the end wall by the nut device pushes the end wall downstream within the chamber, and because the chamber contains a pod, the front surface of the end wall is pressed against the bottom wall of the pod, allowing the piercing element to contact and pierce the bottom wall of the pod.

[0045] Regardless of the height of the pod, the nut device can move the end wall until it is blocked by the perforated pod.

[0046] Preferably, the front face of the end wall carries a pod ejector with a back rod extending through the end wall; the rod of the pod ejector is freely movable through the end wall; The rod of the pod ejector is configured to be able to interact with the downstream end of the spindle of the nut device.

[0047] Preferably, the ejector rod is configured to be pushed by the front end of the spindle when the upstream pod enclosing portion is moving to the open position.

[0048] The pod ejector rod is sized and positioned relative to the nut device spindle such that an end of the rod interacts with an end of the spindle during pod ejection, i.e., when the upstream pod enclosing portion moves from the closed position to the open position and the knee joint is bent, such interaction resulting in relative movement within the freely movable ejector chamber, which assists in separation of the pod from the end wall piercing element.

[0049] Typically, the extraction device comprises a control system configured to control the operation of the motor.

[0050] Preferably, the control system is configured to measure the motor current and detect a pod perforation based on an increase in the measured current, and based on this measurement, the control system can be configured to stop the actuator motor and initiate beverage extraction by activating the liquid pump.

[0051] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage preparation machine comprising an extraction device as described above.

[0052] Typically, the beverage machine comprises a liquid supply system connected to the upstream pod surrounding portion, the liquid supply system comprising: a liquid supply unit such as a liquid tank; pump means for driving liquid from the liquid supply to the extraction device; heating and / or cooling means for adapting the temperature of the liquid before it is introduced into the interior of the pod; It can be equipped with:

[0053] The liquid is usually water.

[0054] Typically, the beverage machine comprises at least a control system configured to control the brewing device, the supply of liquid to the brewing device, and the motor of the actuator.

[0055] In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising a brewing device as described above and a plurality of pods of different sizes, or a beverage preparation machine as described above and a plurality of pods of different sizes, the system comprising: Each of the pods comprises: a pod body having side walls and a bottom wall defining a chamber; an upper lid for closing the upper opening of the pod body; Equipped with The pods vary in sidewall depth, A system is provided.

[0056] Regardless of the depth of the pod, the body and lid of the pod can be made of a paper material.

[0057] In one preferred embodiment, the paper material is a multi-layered paper material comprising at least a paper layer coated with a plastic film, preferably a compostable plastic film. The compostable plastic film may be a multi-layered plastic film. The film may provide additional properties such as an air barrier and a sealant to prevent delamination.

[0058] Preferably, the body is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

[0059] The extraction device of the present system facilitates piercing such pods made of thick material regardless of the depth of the body.

[0060] Typically, the thickness of the material of the side and bottom walls of the pod body is the same, so that there is no need to manufacture a complex pod to achieve perforation of the bottom wall of the pod in the extraction device.

[0061] Preferably, the pod contains roast and ground coffee which is compressed within the interior of the pod, the compressed coffee providing a bearing surface for the opening means in the upstream pod surrounding portion, thereby facilitating piercing of the bottom wall of the pod.

[0062] In a fourth aspect, there is provided the use of a set of different pods with different sidewall depths in an extraction device as described above, or in a beverage machine as described above, or in a system as described above.

[0063] In this application: The term "pod" is used broadly to refer to any type of single-dose container suitable for preparing a beverage or other edible product, such as a capsule, cartridge, divided package or individual package, without limitation to the shape of the container, the material from which the container is made, or the type of piercing means required to extract the beverage therefrom.

[0064] The term "longitudinal" refers to the orientation of the two enclosing portions relative to each other and their movement along the longitudinal axis XX'. Accordingly, the term "lateral" refers to an orientation that is lateral or perpendicular to the longitudinal orientation. Generally, the longitudinal and lateral orientations extend in a horizontal plane. The term "lateral" is defined by reference to a horizontal axis that includes the longitudinal axis XX'.

[0065] The terms "vertically," "upward," and "downward" refer to the movement of the pod in the brewing device from its introduction between two enclosing parts to its removal therefrom. The terms "upper" and "lower" also refer to this vertical axis.

[0066] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the path of liquid through the extraction device from the upstream pod enclosure to the downstream enclosure.

[0067] Generally, these terms are used to describe the relative arrangement of features of a brewing device and should be understood to refer to said device in its normal orientation when placed in a beverage machine to produce a beverage, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

[0068] The above-described 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-described aspects to provide combinations other than those specifically shown and described. Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, detailed description, and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0069] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0070] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of a pod used in an extraction device of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 1B] 1 is a perspective view of a pod used in an extraction device of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 1C] 1 is a perspective view of a pod used in an extraction device of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2A] 1 is a side view of an extraction device according to the invention in an open position; FIG. [Figure 2B] 1 is a side view of an extraction device according to the invention in a closed position; FIG. [Figure 3] 2B is a perspective view of the downstream surrounding portion separated from the extraction device of FIG. 2A. FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the upstream pod enclosure portion separated from the extraction device of FIG. 2B. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the upstream pod enclosure portion separated from the extraction device of FIG. 2B. [Figure 5] 2C is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upstream pod enclosure of FIG. 2B. [Figure 6A] FIG. 10 is an isolated perspective view of the common actuator of the side and end walls of the upstream pod enclosing portion in the open position. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a top view of FIG. 6A. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6B is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 6A. [Figure 6D] FIG. 10 is an isolated perspective view of the common actuator and upstream pod enclosure in the open position. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is an isolated perspective view of the common actuator of the side and end walls of the upstream pod enclosing portion in the closed position. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a top view of FIG. 7A. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7B is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 7A. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is an isolated perspective view of the common actuator of the side wall and end wall of the upstream pod enclosure portion in a piercing position. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a top view of FIG. 8A. [Figure 8C] FIG. 8B is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 8A. [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the common actuator, side wall and end wall of the upstream pod enclosure portion in the open position. [Figure 9B] FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the common actuator, side wall and end wall of the upstream pod enclosure portion in the closed position. [Figure 9C] FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the common actuator, the side wall and end wall of the upstream pod enclosure portion in the piercing position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0071] Figure 1A (perspective view) and Figure 1B (exploded view) illustrate a pod 3 that can be used in the extraction device of the present invention.

[0072] The pod 3 comprises a pod body 31 having a side wall 311 extending axially from a bottom wall 313 to a top. The side wall 311 extends to a top opening 312. At the top opening 312, the body comprises a peripheral annular flange 314 extending radially outward from the side wall 311 along the periphery of the opening 312.

[0073] The flange has an upper surface 3142 facing the top and a lower surface 3141 .

[0074] Generally, any cross section of the body is circular from bottom to top, and the flange is also circular.

[0075] The body defines a chamber for containing beverage ingredients.

[0076] The beverage ingredient is preferably an ingredient that can be brewed, such as roast and ground coffee.

[0077] In a second preferred method, the beverage ingredient may be tea leaves, or a water-soluble powder ingredient, such as instant coffee powder, milk powder, creamer powder, instant tea powder, cocoa powder, soup powder, fruit powder, or a mixture of these powders, or a soluble liquid ingredient, or even a beverage concentrate, such as a syrup or a milk concentrate. The powder may be agglomerated or sintered.

[0078] The capsule includes a lid 32 that is secured, sealed, or attached to at least a portion of the upper surface 3142 of the peripheral flange, thus covering and closing the top opening 312 .

[0079] A machine-readable code 34 may be located on the lid. This code may be the nature of the beverage ingredients; Pod size, Regular pods, The brew recipe applied to the pod: fluid temperature, fluid volume, fluid flow rate, Different types of information can be provided, such as:

[0080] The bottom wall 313 is configured to be perforated so that liquid can be injected into the pod through the perforated opening.

[0081] The lid 32 is configured to be opened by relative engagement with the piercing mechanism under the influence of increased liquid pressure inside the pod during injection of liquid.

[0082] The pod shape is symmetrical about a central axial axis ZZ' extending from the bottom wall to the lid, and the pod shape is asymmetrical about the plane and flange of the lid.

[0083] 1C illustrates another pod 3' that can be used in the brewing device of the present invention and differs from the pod 3 of FIG. 1A only in the depth size (along ZZ') of the pod body 31'. The pod body 31 of the large pod 3 defines an ingredient chamber having a larger volume than the pod body 31' of the small pod 3', and the side wall 311 is taller than the side wall 311'. The diameters of the lid 32' of the small pod and the lid 32 of the large pod are the same.

[0084] This difference in size allows for the preparation of different beverages, preferably different coffee beverages such as ristretto, espresso, lungo (long cup), americano, etc.

[0085] Sizes other than those shown may be provided, such as intermediate sizes.

[0086] The machine readable code 34 may store information regarding the size of the pod.

[0087] Preferably, the pod contains roast and ground coffee, which is compressed within the pod itself, as described in WO 2020 / 089403.

[0088] Preferably, the pod 3 is made of an essentially biodegradable or compostable material, preferably a home compostable material, so that the coffee cake after extraction can be easily composted at home.

[0089] Preferably, the material of the pod comprises a paper layer, which is formable, i.e., a sheet of paper that can be given a three-dimensional shape in the form of the body of the pod as described above, in contrast to typical pods made from filter paper, this paper is thick and maintains the three-dimensional shape given to it during the forming step of the pod's manufacture.

[0090] Preferably, the paper layer of the pod has a thickness of at least 20 g / m 2 , preferably up to 150 g / m 2The paper of the main body may have a basis weight higher than that of the lid, and the basis weight of the paper of the main body may be 80 to 150 g / m 2 It could be.

[0091] Both papers are approximately 100 g / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight of

[0092] The pod material may include a paper layer and several other materials to provide additional properties, such as air barrier properties, stretchable properties, or deformable properties. These additional properties may be provided by at least one plastic layer, for example, as described in WO 2020 / 114995. Some additional layers in the body and some additional layers in the lid may be different.

[0093] In fact, the paper must be thick enough to be molded into a beverage container and to form a barrier to protect the beverage ingredients. In addition, the paper layer is preferably coated with a compostable plastic film to create a barrier against the atmosphere, especially oxygen, to which roast and ground coffee is particularly sensitive. A sealant layer is often required to attach the different layers together and prevent delamination. For example, such a multi-layer paper material can be the material described in WO 2020 / 114995 or WO 2022 / 022899.

[0094] In such pod materials, the thickness of the multi-layer paper material of the body may be about 200 μm and the thickness of the multi-layer paper material of the lid may be about 140 μm, which means that the flange thickness is usually more than 200 μm or even more than 300 μm.

[0095] The extraction device of the present invention can be configured to use alternative containers to those described above, so long as the container has a body defining a chamber and a lid for closing the chamber. The two pod enclosing portions only need to have an internal shape that conforms to the container.

[0096] For example, the container may be a frusto-conical capsule made of aluminum or plastic.

[0097] Figure 2A is a side view of an extraction device of a beverage preparation machine according to the present invention. The extraction device comprises an upstream pod enclosing portion 2 and a downstream pod enclosing portion 1 that are relatively movable along a longitudinal axis XX'. Preferably, this axis XX' is essentially horizontal. In Figure 2A, the pod enclosing portions 1, 2 are arranged in the fully open position of the extraction device, with the enclosing portions at their furthest positions from each other.

[0098] A pod can be introduced through an insertion section arranged above the two enclosing parts 1, 2, from which the pod can fall by gravity into the interior of the pod holder between these two enclosing parts 1, 2, as shown by arrow F. After extraction, the pod can again fall by gravity below these enclosing parts 1, 2 when these two enclosing parts 1, 2 move away from each other.

[0099] The two pod enveloping parts 1, 2 are held between two lateral longitudinal sheets 4 and between two transverse axes 6a, 6b. The upstream pod enveloping part 2 is movable between these two sheets 4 and between these two axes 6a, 6b to achieve different relative and functional positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral faces of the carrier 23 of the upstream pod enveloping part are provided with sliding portions 231 designed to engage in grooves 41 of the lateral sheets to form sliding portions with each other.

[0100] The downstream enclosing part 1 is fixed and only the upstream pod enclosing part 2 is movable back and forth along the longitudinal axis XX' between this fully open position in Figure 2A and the closed position shown in Figure 2B, where these two parts are in the closed position and form a brewing chamber configured to enclose the pod during brewing.

[0101] The upstream pod enclosure is moved by an actuator comprising a knee joint mechanism 81 which cooperates at one end with the upstream pod enclosure 2 and at the other end with the transverse shaft 6b. The knee joint mechanism is actuated by a motor 10 via a gear mechanism 102. In Figure 2A the knee joint mechanism is bent, whereas in Figure 2B it is extended, thereby ensuring a tight seal between the upstream and downstream enclosures.

[0102] The insertion section 4 may be equipped with a recognition device for recognizing or identifying the pod introduced inside the extraction device. a temporary blocking means for blocking the pod at the recognized location; a recognition device, such as a camera, that recognizes the blocked pod at this temporary recognition position; It can be equipped with:

[0103] The control system may be configured such that, once the pod is recognised, the blocking means allows the pod to drop into a pod holder of the extraction device.

[0104] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the downstream pod enclosing portion 1 of Figures 2A and 2B. The downstream portion 1 defines a plate perpendicular (i.e., transverse) to the longitudinal axis XX'. This plate comprises a central downstream planar piercing mechanism 12 for opening the pod lid 32 when brewing liquid is introduced into the interior of the pod, causing the lid to expand. The opening occurs when a spike engages with the lid under the influence of increased pressure from the liquid injected into the pod body chamber. This downstream planar piercing mechanism may comprise a plate with an opening element 121, such as a spike, on its surface facing the lid, which may have the shape of a cone or pyramid, optionally with a removed end. In addition, the plate comprises a transverse hole for releasing the brewed beverage from the opened lid to a tube or nozzle that collects and dispenses the beverage into a drinking cup.

[0105] The downstream section 1 includes a pod holder attached to the peripheral region. While attached, the pod holder can be moved between two positions. In Figure 3, the pod holder is in a first position for receiving and holding a pod lid in front of the downstream planar drilling mechanism.

[0106] The pod holder 11 comprises a pair of arms 11a, 11b which hold and position the pod when the pair is in the first receiving position as shown in Figure 3. In this position of the pod holder, the arms hold the pod vertically, i.e., stop the pod from falling vertically from the insertion position.

[0107] The pair of retaining elements 11a, 11b are movable from the receiving position to a second retracted position at the lateral side of the downstream planar perforation when the upstream pod enclosing portion moves longitudinally from the fully open position to the closed position.

[0108] Preferably, each of the arm portions 11a, 11b of the pod holder can be locked in a retracted position during pod extraction and pod ejection to prevent any malfunction during ejection.

[0109] 4A and 4B are isolated views of the upstream pod-enclosing portion 2 of the extraction device of FIG. 2B. The upstream portion defines an empty cage or cavity 21 for enclosing the pod body. The cage is defined by a sidewall 11 extending along the cage longitudinal axis between an open front end 214 and a rear end 213. The sidewall is configured to enclose the sidewall of the pod and has a shape that generally conforms to the sidewall of the pod body. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall has a circular cross-section.

[0110] The side walls are fixedly mounted within an external carrier or chassis 23. The carrier is movable between open and closed positions by means of a sliding arrangement between its side sliding portions 231 and corresponding seat grooves 41, as described above. The carrier 23 and side walls are movable by actuators, which will be described below.

[0111] The cage 21 is also defined by an end wall 22 transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cage. Figure 5 shows an isolated view of the end wall 22. This end wall rises from its front face 22a and carries a piercing element 222 configured to open the bottom wall of a pod inserted into the cage. The piercing element rises from the front face of the end wall at a piercing height. This upstream piercing mechanism can include perforators in the form of blades 222. These blades can be designed and arranged to pierce the bottom wall of the pod body when the upstream and downstream pod enclosing portions are in the closed position and the movable end wall is pressed against the pod bottom wall, as described below.

[0112] The end wall 22 is provided with at least one liquid injector for supplying liquid into the pod through a hole in the bottom wall of the pod. The liquid injector has a liquid inlet 226 on the rear face 22b of the end wall. This liquid inlet is connected to the liquid supply system of the beverage preparation machine. The liquid inlet is configured to supply liquid to the cage at the front face 22a of the end wall. The liquid exits through several liquid outlets 223 provided on the front face 22a of the end wall. A seal 26 provides a liquid-tight seal to the movable end wall 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid inlet 223 is provided around the blade 222, allowing liquid to be introduced into the perforated holes in the bottom wall of the pod. Furthermore, any other known means for introducing liquid into the cage, such as a shower, may be provided.

[0113] This end wall 22 is not attached to the cage side wall 21 and is free to move longitudinally inside the cage side wall 211 under the forces of the rest of the system. The end wall can be moved back and forth depending on the step of extraction. when the upstream pod enclosing part 2 is closed around the holding pod, it can be pushed rearward by the bottom wall of the pod to fit the cage volume into the pod volume; When the chamber is closed, the blade 222 can be pushed forward by an actuator so that it can pierce the bottom wall of the pod. This actuator is the same as the side wall actuator, described further below. The force of the actuator is applied directly to the end wall, and there is no intermediate elastic means such as a spring. As a result, the force of the actuator is fully transferred to the perforator, which allows for efficient piercing of the bottom wall regardless of the thickness of the material. Due to the frictional forces between the bottom wall of the pod and the blade 222 introduced into said bottom, the chamber can be pulled forward by the extracted pod when it is opened.

[0114] 6A-6C show the common side and end wall actuator 8 when the upstream pod enclosing portion is in the open position.

[0115] The actuator includes a knee joint mechanism 81 with two assemblies of push rods 811 connected to cranks 812. Each assembly is located on one side of the upstream pod enclosure. Each crank 812 is attached to a fixed lateral rear shaft 6b. The free end 8111 of each rod 811 is attached directly or indirectly to a side wall 211 of the upstream pod enclosure; in the illustrated embodiment, the push rod end 8111 is attached to a connecting portion 232 of the carrier of the upstream pod enclosure, as shown in FIG. 6D.

[0116] The actuator comprises a nut device 82 configured to be displaced by a spindle 823. This spindle is rotated by a gear mechanism 102 connected to the shaft of a motor. The nut comprises two wheels 822, each of which engages and slides in a corresponding guide curve 813 designed in the crank 812 of the knee joint mechanism. As a result, movement of the nut actuates movement of the knee joint, which in turn actuates movement of the carrier and the side walls of the cage.

[0117] In particular, the guide flexures 813 of each crank of the knee joint mechanism comprise a first guide flexure 813a that allows the knee joint to move between a bent configuration corresponding to the open position of the brewing device (FIG. 2A) and an extended or aligned configuration corresponding to the closed position of the brewing device (FIG. 2B). In this closed position, the alignment of the knee joint mechanism ensures that the chamber is sufficiently closed and will not open even if pressure inside the chamber increases during beverage extraction. A front seal 24 of the upstream pod enclosing portion is pressed against the peripheral area 13 of the downstream enclosing portion.

[0118] 7A-7C show the common actuator 8 when the upstream pod enclosing portion is in this closed position. Each lateral portion of the nut is positioned at one end of a first guide curve 813a. In this position, each lateral portion of the nut is positioned at one end of a second guide curve 813b extending from the first guide curve 813a. This second guide curve 813b is designed so that when the knee joint is in the extended configuration, this second guide curve is oriented along the horizontal longitudinal axis (XX'). As a result, this second guide curve allows longitudinal movement of the nut while the cage side wall 211 is tightly closed. In particular, this movement of the nut, guided by the second guide curve, allows movement of the cage end wall 22 while the side wall 211 remains stationary.

[0119] Figures 8A-8C show the common actuator 8 with the nut 82 moved by the spindle 823 to the other end of the second guide curve 813b following movement of the spindle 823 by the gear mechanism 102. As a result of the movement of the nut from the position shown in Figures 7a-7C to the position shown in Figures 8a-8C, the front end 824 of the nut can engage the rear face 22b of the end wall of the chamber and press the rear face 22b into the interior of the chamber, as will be described below in connection with Figure 9C.

[0120] 9a-9c show the relative positions of the common actuator, the upstream pod enclosure side wall 211, and the upstream pod enclosure end wall 22 in the open, closed, and piercing positions, respectively.

[0121] In Figure 9A, the upstream and downstream enclosing portions are in an open position to allow the pod to be introduced into the extraction device, the knee joint mechanism 81 is bent, and the nut device 82 is in its rearmost position along the spindle 823.

[0122] From the step shown in FIG. 9A to the step shown in FIG. 9B, the motor was operated to rotate the spindle 823, thereby moving the nut device 82 upward. The nut device's wheel 822 engaged with the first portion of the guide curve of the crank moved the knee joint mechanism to an extended position, causing the side wall 211 to move upward around the pod held in the pod holder. During the relative movement between the side wall and the pod, the bottom wall of the pod contacted the front surface 22a of the end wall, and the end wall 22 then moved freely toward the rear end of the side wall. Although the pod was enclosed, the bottom wall of the pod was not perforated. In particular, if the pod had a depth smaller than the size of the chamber, the end wall 22 was still free to move toward the rear end of the side wall, preventing the blade 222 from exerting a perforation force on the bottom wall of the pod. Even with the largest pods, perforation may not generally occur, particularly due to the thickness of the material.

[0123] From the step shown in FIG. 9B to the step shown in FIG. 9C, the motor is still operating to rotate the spindle 823. Due to the nut device wheel 822 engaging the second portion 813b of the crank's guide curve, the knee joint mechanism remains in the extended position and the nut continues to move. During this movement, the front end 824 of the nut engages the rear surface 22b of the end wall, pushing the rear surface 22b toward the interior of the cage. The movement of the nut and end wall continues until the end wall 22b firmly engages the bottom wall of the pod residing within the cage and the blade 222 penetrates the bottom wall. The force applied by the motor via the spindle is sufficient to allow the blade to penetrate the thick pod material. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a specific pod with a thinner bottom wall to the system.

[0124] The process control system of the extraction device may be configured to measure the current supplied to the motor during the closing operation of the two pod enclosure portions. the two enclosing portions form an airtight chamber, and the closure of the cage formation when the knee joint reaches an extension position corresponding to a first increase in current; and Perforation of the bottom wall of the pod as the nut device presses against the end wall of the chamber, corresponding to a second increase in current. When this second increase is detected, the motor is stopped and extraction can begin by introducing liquid by means of the water injector.

[0125] Once extraction is complete, the motor is actuated in the other direction, causing the nut device 82 to move back along the second portion 813b of the guide curve, so that the end wall 22 is again free to move within the chamber. Due to the engagement of the blade 222 with the bottom wall of the pod, the end wall 22 often remains attached to the bottom wall. In fact, the pod can drive the freely movable end wall 22 towards the front end of the chamber during pod ejection due to the frictional forces between the blade 222 and the bottom wall.

[0126] As the nut device 82 moves back along the first portion 813a of the guide curve, the upstream pod surrounding portion moves away from the downstream surrounding portion.

[0127] To facilitate ejection of a pod from the open upstream pod enclosing portion, this portion includes an ejector 25, as shown in FIG. 5 . The ejector has a front surface that contacts the bottom wall of the pod when the pod is enclosed in the chamber, and a rod 251 that extends from the rear surface of the ejector through the end wall toward the end 823 of the spindle. The rod 251 is aligned with the spindle so that when the knee joint bends and the upstream pod enclosing portion moves back to the open position, the upper end of the rod is biased against the end 823 of the spindle, pushing the ejector 25 upstream and against the bottom wall of the pod. Separating the pod from the blade by separating the upstream and downstream enclosing portions is not always sufficient, particularly because the pod material can be thick and may thicken further when wet. Therefore, the ejector facilitates separation of the bottom wall from the blade 222.

[0128] Preferably, the ejector 25 is designed to prevent the smaller pod from remaining laterally blocked between the upstream and downstream surrounding portions after separation from the blades. In particular, the front end of the ejector comprises a downward lateral extension 251 extending from the rod towards the edge of the end wall, defining a downward sliding surface or guide chute for the bottom wall of the ejected pod.

[0129] Preferably, the ejector 25 can provide the effect of improving the closure between the upstream and downstream enclosing portions when a larger pod is loaded into the extraction device. In practice, due to the asymmetric shape of the pod, when a larger pod is introduced into the pod holder of the extraction device, the bottom wall of such a pod may be too tilted / positioned in the holding position, so that when the upstream pod enclosing portion moves to the downstream pod enclosing portion, the pod is not set upright and accurate closure cannot be achieved. Preferably, the ejector includes an upward lateral extension 253 extending from the rod and designed to straighten the bottom wall of the pod while the upstream pod enclosing portion moves to the pod.

[0130] Regardless of the size of the pod and the thickness of the material of the bottom wall of the pod, the extraction device of the present invention allows Sealing the upstream and downstream pod enclosures using a knee joint mechanism Adaptation of the chamber's internal size to the pod depth and precise drilling of any pod by moving the nut device This becomes possible.

[0131] While the invention has been described with reference to the above-described exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the invention as claimed is in no way limited to these exemplary embodiments.

[0132] Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist for specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to herein.

[0133] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," and similar terms should not be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to." [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 10 Drinking Devices 1. Downstream enclosing section 11a, 11b Pod holder arm 12 Downstream plate drilling mechanism 121 Spiked part 13 Surrounding Areas 2. Upstream pod enclosure 21 Cage 211 Side wall 213 Rear end 214 Front end 22 End Wall 22a front 22b Rear 222 Perforation Elements 223 Liquid outlet 226 Liquid inlet 23 Career 231 Sliding part 232 Connection to knee joint 24, 26 seals 25 Pod ejector 251 Back Rod 3,3' pod 31, 31' Main body 311, 311' side wall 3111 Upper end 312 Top opening 313 Bottom Wall 314 Annular flange 3141 Upper surface 3142 Lower surface 32 Lid 34 Machine-readable code 4 seats 41 sliding groove 6a, 6b axis 8 Actuators 81 Knee joint mechanism 811 Push rod 8111 Free end 812 crank 813 Guide curve 813a First Part 813b Second part 82 Nut Device 821 Lateral part 822 Wheels 823 Spindle 8231 Front end of spindle 824 Front end of nut device 10 Motor 101 Shaft 102 Gear mechanism

Claims

1. 1. A brewing device for brewing beverage ingredients by supplying brewing liquid into a pod, comprising: The extraction device comprises: an upstream pod enclosing portion (2) and a downstream pod enclosing portion (1), the upstream pod enclosing portion (2) being movable along a horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') between an open position for inserting and removing the pod (3) and a closed position for forming a brewing chamber enclosing the pod during brewing; the upstream part (2) defines a cage (21) and comprises a perforating element (222) for perforating the bottom wall (313) of the pod and a liquid outlet opening (223); the downstream part (1) comprises a plate transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX'), the plate comprising a downstream planar piercing mechanism (12) for opening the lid (32) of the pod; an upstream pod surrounding portion (1) and a downstream pod surrounding portion (2); a pod holder configured to hold the pod between the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion when the upstream pod enclosing portion and the downstream pod enclosing portion are in the open position, and configured to hold the lid (32) of the pod in front of the downstream flat-surface piercing mechanism (12); Equipped with In the upstream pod surrounding portion (1), the cage (21) a sidewall (211) extending along the cage longitudinal axis between an open front end (214) and a rear end (213), the sidewall (211) being movable between said open position and said closed position; an end wall (22) transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cage, the end wall (22) having a front face (22a), the front face carrying the perforating element (222) and the liquid outlet opening (223), the end wall (22) being longitudinally movable inside the side wall (211) of the cage of the upstream pod-enclosing portion; Equipped with The side wall (211) and the end wall (22) are actuated by one common motor (10) and one common actuator (8), the common actuator being connected to the side wall (211) and the end wall (22), so that when the upstream pod enclosing part (2) moves from the open position to the closed position: First, the side wall (211) moves from the open position to the closed position to form the brewing chamber around the pod; The end wall (22) then moves from a rear position to a front position inside the side wall (211) to pierce the bottom wall of the pod. Extraction device.

2. the side wall (211) of the upstream pod enclosing portion is held by and can slide between two side sheets (4), each of which is attached to a first fixed lateral rear axis (6b) and a second fixed lateral front axis (6a); The common actuator a knee joint mechanism (81) comprising two symmetrical assemblies of push rods (811) and cranks (812), each crank attached to the lateral rear shaft (6b) and each rod attached to the sliding side wall (211) of the upstream pod enclosing portion; a nut device (82) configured to be displaced by a spindle (823); Equipped with The lateral portion (821) of the nut device is designed to engage and slide on a guide curve (813) designed in the crank (812) of the knee joint mechanism. The extraction device of claim 1 .

3. The guide curved portion (813) of each crank of the knee joint mechanism is a first guide portion (813a) that allows the knee joint to move between a flexed configuration and an extended configuration; a second guide portion (813b) oriented along the horizontal longitudinal axis (XX') when the knee joint is in the extended configuration; The extraction device of claim 2 , comprising:

4. 4. The extraction device of claim 3, wherein the rear surface (22b) of the end wall of the upstream pod surrounding portion is configured to be pressed by the front end (824) of the nut device (82) during movement of the nut device (82) along the second portion (813b) of the guide curve.

5. the front surface (22a) of the end wall carries a pod ejector (25), the pod ejector having a back rod (251) extending through the end wall (22); the rod of the pod ejector is freely movable through the end wall (22); The rod of the pod ejector is configured to be able to interact with the downstream end (8231) of the spindle of the nut device.

5. An extraction device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. 6. The extraction device according to claim 5, wherein the rod (251) of the ejector is configured to be pushed by the front end (8231) of the spindle when the upstream pod enclosing part (2) is in the open position.

7. the device comprising a control system configured to control operation of the motor; the control system is configured to measure a current in the motor and detect the perforation of the pod based on an increase in the measured current. An extraction device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A beverage preparation machine comprising an extraction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A system comprising an extraction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a plurality of pods of different sizes, or a beverage preparation machine according to claim 8 and a plurality of pods of different sizes, Each of said pods (3, 3') a pod body (31) having a side wall (311) and a bottom wall (313) defining a chamber; an upper cover (32) for closing the upper opening of the pod body; Equipped with The pods differ in the depth of the sidewalls (311), system.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the body of the pod is made of a paper material having a thickness of at least 100 μm, preferably at least 120 μm.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the paper material is a multi-layer paper material comprising at least a paper layer coated with a plastic film.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the pod contains compressed roast and ground coffee.

13. The system of any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall of the pod body have the same material thickness.

14. Use of a set of different pods (3, 3') with different depths of the side walls (311) in a device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or in a beverage machine according to claim 8 or in a system according to any one of claims 9 to 13.

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