Beverage preparation machine with outlet

Abstract

A machine (1) is configured for preparing a beverage (4) from a flavouring ingredient (5a) in a processing cavity (5) by mixing therein said ingredient (5a) with water (4'). The processing cavity (5) is delimited by an ingredient handling system (10, 20) associated with at least one water inlet (24) for supplying the water (4') to the ingredient (5a) in the cavity (5). The beverage (4) is dispensed out of the machine (1) via an outlet (25) so as to flow by gravity from the outlet (25) into a dispensing area (40) in which a user-receptacle (42) can be placed. The machine has a beverage passage (26) extending from the processing cavity (5) to the beverage outlet (25). Such outlet (25) is located above a bottom level (5') of the processing cavity (5) so that the beverage dispensing area (40) extends upright in front of the cavity (5).

Description

[0001]BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINE WITH OUTLET Field of the Invention The field of the invention pertains to beverage preparation machines from a flavouring ingredient, e.g. supplied within a capsule. For the purpose of the present description, a “beverage” is meant to include any human-consumable liquid substance, such as tea, coffee, hot or cold chocolate, milk, soup, baby food, etc… A “capsule” is meant to include any container such as a packaging for containing a pre-portioned beverage ingredient, e.g. a flavouring ingredient, the packaging forming an enclosure of any material, in particular an airtight or pervious material, porous or non-porous material, e.g. plastic, aluminium, recyclable and / or biodegradable packagings, and of any shape and structure, including soft pods or rigid cartridges for containing the ingredient. Background Art Certain beverage preparation machines use capsules containing ingredients to be extracted or to be dissolved and / or ingredients that are stored and dosed automatically in the machine or else are added at the time of preparation of the drink. Some beverage machines possess filling means that include a pump for liquid, usually water, which pumps the liquid from a source of water that is cold or indeed heated through heating means, e.g. a thermoblock or the like. Beverage machines have been developed for out-of- home uses, e.g. as disclosed in EP 1764014, WO2011 / 067264 and WO2019 / 057619, for in-home, e.g. as disclosed in WO2009 / 074553 and WO2010 / 015427, and for mobility uses, e.g. as disclosed in WO2018 / 189070 and WO2018 / 189073. Especially in the field of coffee preparation, machines have been widely developed in which a capsule containing beverage ingredients is inserted in a brewing device. The brewing device is tightly closed about the capsule, water is injected at the first face of the capsule, the beverage is produced in the closed volume of the capsule and a brewed beverage can be drained from a second face of the capsule and collected into a receptacle such as a cup or glass. Brewing devices have been developed to facilitate insertion of a "fresh" capsule and removal of the capsule upon use. Examples of such brewing devices are disclosed in EP 1 767 129, WO 2009 / 043630, WO 2005 / 004683 and WO 2007 / 135136. The preparation of a beverage by using centrifugation is also known. Examples of centrifugation processes and corresponding devices are disclosed in WO 2008 / 148601, WO2008 / 148650, US 5,566,605, WO 2013 / 007776, WO 2013 / 007779 and WO 2013 / 007780. Irrespectively of the extraction process itself it has also been proposed to facilitate the handling of capsules by systems for extracting them, in particular by motorizing the opening and / or closure of the extraction system for inserting and / or removing a capsule. Examples of such systems are for example disclosed in EP 1 767 129, WO 2009 / 113035, WO 2012 / 025258, WO 2012 / 025259, WO 2012 / 041605, WO 2013 / 127476, WO 2014 / 096122, WO 2014 / 096123 and EP2015185946.9. The preparation of a beverage by using centrifugation is also known. Such beverage preparation includes: providing a beverage (flavoring) ingredient, e.g. as powder and / or leaves, in a capsule; circulating liquid (e.g. water) into the capsule and rotating the capsule at sufficient speed to ensure interaction of the liquid with the ingredient while creating a gradient of pressure of liquid in the capsule. Such pressure increases gradually from the centre towards the periphery of the capsule. As liquid traverses the ingredient, e.g. coffee bed, extraction of the ingredient, e.g. coffee compounds, takes place and a liquid extract is obtained that flows out at the periphery of the capsule. Examples of such systems are disclosed in WO 2008 / 148601, WO 2013 / 007776, WO 2013 / 007779, WO 2013 / 007780, WO 2017 / 046294, WO 2017 / 068134 and WO 2017 / 202746. It has been proposed to prepare beverages by centrifugation along a horizontal axis. WO 2015 / 173123 and WO 2015 / 173124 disclose a centrifugal brewing chamber formed between two enclosing parts that are relatively translatable between an open position and a closed position. The enclosing parts cooperate with a pair of jaws that are movable between a capsule holding position to hold a capsule between the enclosing parts in the open position and a capsule release position to release the capsule. The jaws are actuated by a first actuator and a second actuator that are activated by the enclosing parts during their the relative translation. The jaws guide a capsule into a position between the enclosing parts in the open position and immobilize the capsule thereinbetween. Then, when the enclosing parts are translated together to enclose the capsule, the jaws release the capsule so that the brewing chamber is formed about the capsule. The enclosing parts are rotated about a horizontal axis to centrifuge the capsule for preparing the beverage with the ingredient in the capsule. At the end of beverage preparation, centrifugation stops and the enclosing parts are relatively translated to the open position whereby the used capsule is allowed to drop from the enclosing parts. Then the jaws are brought back into their capsule holding position. WO 2008 / 148646 and WO 2008 / 148650 describe a beverage preparation device wherein a flow restriction is created downstream of the receptacle, in particular a capsule, for example, by a valve which opens or enlarges under the pressure created by the centrifuged liquid leaving the receptacle. In WO 2017 / 068134 the centrifugal brewing chamber is fitted with an outlet valve that is controlled by an inertia body of the machine rotating with the centrifugal brewing chamber. The valve leads into a collector forming a crema chamber in which the beverage upon undergoing a pressure drop at the valve is refined for dispensing into a user-recipient, e.g. a cup or a mug. Such collection chamber is typically arranged around the centrifugal brewing chamber, as for example disclosed in WO 2020 / 201469. It is a preferred object of the present invention to improve some of the architecture of the prior art beverage preparation machines. Summary of the Invention The invention relates to a machine for preparing a beverage from at least one ingredient. Normally such beverage is then dispensed to a user, e.g. to a user-cup or user-mug. For instance, the machine is a coffee, tea, chocolate, cacao, milk or soup preparation machine. For example, the machine is arranged for preparing within a beverage processing module that includes an ingredient holder, a beverage by passing hot or cold water or another liquid through the ingredient held in the holder, such as a flavouring ingredient, of the beverage to be prepared, such as ground coffee or tea or chocolate or cacao or milk powder. Such beverage preparation typically includes the mixing of a plurality of beverage ingredients, e.g. water and milk powder, and / or the infusion of a beverage ingredient, such as an infusion of ground coffee or tea with water. One or more of such ingredients may be supplied in loose and / or agglomerate powder form and / or in liquid form, in particular in a concentrate form, and / or within a capsule. A carrier or diluent liquid, e.g. water, may be mixed with such ingredient to form the beverage. Typically, a predetermined amount of beverage is formed and dispensed on user-request, which corresponds to a portion (e.g. a serving). The volume of such a serving may be in the range of 15 to 1000 ml such as 25 to 600 ml for instance 40 to 250 ml, e.g. the volume for filling a cup or mug, depending on the type of beverage. Formed and dispensed beverages may be selected from ristrettos, espressos, lungos, cappuccinos, café latte, americano coffees, teas, etc... For example, a coffee machine may be configured for dispensing espressos, e.g. an adjustable volume of 20 to 60 ml per serving, and / or for dispensing lungos, e.g. a volume in the range of 70 to 200 ml per serving, and / or for dispensing americanos, e.g. a volume in the range of 150 to 750 ml. An aspect of the invention relates to a machine for preparing a beverage from a flavouring ingredient in a processing cavity by mixing therein the ingredient with water. Such a cavity may be configured for holding the ingredient supplied within a capsule. When the flavouring ingredient is supplied within a capsule, the capsule can have a body containing such ingredient and a peripherally projecting flange, e.g. a body in the shape of a cup or other container and a lid covering the mouth of the container and extending beyond the mouth to form the peripherally projecting flange. The capsule may have a body that is symmetric or asymmetric, conical or frusto-conical or cylindrical or spherical or hemispherical or frusto-spherical, containing the ingredient, e.g. ground coffee, tea or cacao or another beverage ingredient. The capsule may be of the type described above under the header “field of the invention”. The capsule may be a capsule that has a container-body, e.g. a generally cup- shaped or hemispherical or hemi-ellipsoidal body, having a flange to which a cover lid (or membrane) is attached, in particular sealed. Typically the capsule contains a beverage ingredient. Examples of suitable capsules are disclosed in WO 2008 / 148601, WO 2008 / 148604, WO 2008 / 148646, WO 2008 / 148650, WO 2008 / 148656, WO 2008 / 148834, WO 2011 / 141532, WO 2011 / 141535, WO 2013 / 072239, WO 2013 / 072297, WO 2013 / 072326, WO 2015 / 044400. The capsule may be of the variety commercialised by Nespresso under the brand Vertuo. When the processing cavity is configured to operate with capsules that need to be opened prior to mixing the ingredient with the water, the cavity may be associated with openers, as for example disclosed in WO2023 / 198819 and in EP2023215020.1. The processing cavity may also be associated with a capsule and / or ingredient remover, e.g. as disclosed in EP2023215021.9. The beverage preparation machine includes an ingredient handling system delimiting the processing cavity. The system has at least one water inlet for supplying the water to the ingredient in the processing cavity. The system may have a first ingredient handler and a second ingredient handler that are movable one relative to the other from: - a distant ingredient transfer configuration for receiving the ingredient by the first and second handlers and / or releasing the ingredient from the first and second ingredient handlers, optionally at least one of the handlers being associated with a guide for guiding the ingredient towards and / or from the handlers in the transfer configuration; to - a proximate ingredient processing configuration for mixing the ingredient and the water optionally the water having been thermally conditioned, e.g. by a heater or a cooler, and / or pressurized, e.g. by a pump; and - vice versa. Upon processing, the ingredient, e.g. contained in a capsule, or an empty ingredient capsule may be collected in an ingredient (or capsule) collector downstream the handling system, as for example disclosed in WO 2009 / 074559, WO 2009 / 135869 and EP2023215016.9. The beverage preparation machine has a beverage outlet fluidically connected to the cavity and configured to dispense out of such machine (e.g. to exit the machine) the beverage that flows, e.g. freely falls, by gravity from the outlet into a beverage dispensing area delimited by a placing surface for placing a user- receptacle, such as a cup or mug, to collect the dispensed beverage. The beverage preparation machine includes a beverage passage extending from the processing cavity to the beverage outlet. The first and second ingredient handlers may be relatively movable by an actuator, such as a motor or a user-handle, for instance via a transmission, such as one or more of transmission levers and transmission gears. Examples of ingredient handlers and ingredient insertion processes are disclosed in WO2023 / 118247, WO2023 / 118248, WO2023 / 118249, WO2023 / 1198821 and WO2023 / 1198823. The outlet is located above a bottom level of the processing cavity during beverage preparation so that the beverage dispensing area extends upright in front of the processing cavity. The beverage passage may have a bottom end that is located below the beverage outlet and / or below the bottom level. Typically, the machine has a machine frame and / or housing which is stationary during beverage preparation and which stands on or is fixed to an external support surface, such as a table, shelf or bar top. Hence, by locating the outlet above the bottom of the processing cavity, it is possible to lower the overall height of the machine while keeping the beverage outlet sufficiently high for dispensing to user-cups or mugs, as desired. Typically, the machine includes one or more of the following components: a) a fluid system in fluid communication with the flavouring ingredient during beverage preparation; b) an in-line heater and / or cooler for thermally conditioning a flow of the water circulated to the flavouring ingredient or a batch heater and / or cooler for circulating thermally conditioned water from the batch heater and / or cooler to the flavouring ingredient; c) a pump for pumping liquid (e.g. the water) to the flavouring ingredient, in particular a low pressure pump e.g. within the range of 1 to 5 bar, such as 1.5 to 3 bar; d) a motor for driving the flavouring ingredient in rotation during beverage preparation; e) an electric control unit, in particular comprising a printed circuit board (PCB), for receiving instructions from a user via an input user-interface and for controlling the heater and / or cooler, pump and motor(s); and f) one or more sensors for sensing at least one characteristic selected from characteristics of fluid system, the heater and / or cooler, the pump, a liquid tank (e.g. a water tank), an ingredient collector, a flow of the liquid such as the water (e.g. by a flowmeter), a pressure of liquid and a temperature of liquid (e.g. water and / or beverage), and for communicating such characteristic(s) to the control unit. The beverage passage can be connected to a purging line, e.g. a purging tube, configured to purge the beverage passage, e.g. when no beverage is dispensed such as: - at an end of dispensing a beverage, e.g. to prevent dripping of residual beverage from the beverage outlet by drawing such residual beverage towards the purging line; and / or - at an end of or during a cleaning or rinsing process. For instance, the purging line may extend from a or the above mentioned bottom end of the beverage passage. The purging line may be configured to purge fluid from the beverage passage to a waste collector and / or a drip tray. The purged fluid can be at least one of residual beverage, cleaning fluid and rinsing fluid. The machine may include a valve configured to direct fluid from the beverage passage either to the beverage outlet or to the purging line, such as valve for opening and closing the purging line, e.g. a valve located on the purging line. The valve can be controlled by:- a machine control unit connected thereto, e.g. via anelectric actuator such as: a motor, memory shape alloy e.g. wire, and / or linear actuator; and / or- a mechanical actuator, such as by an actuator of theingredient handling system or by a movable part of the ingredient handling system. The valve may be a pinch valve having a fluid conduit section that is deformable by an actuator between a closed and an open state of the section, such as an actuator that is urged against the fluid conduit section and / or that is pivotable against and away from the fluid conduit section. The beverage passage can be connected to a gas sources configured to purge the beverage passage, e.g. when no beverage is dispensed. For instance, the gas source is a source of pressurized air, e.g. a compressed gas tank and / or an air pump, such as a source of gas that is further configured to supply gas into the beverage during beverage preparation. The beverage passage may include upstream the outlet a conditioning cavity for conditioning the beverage delivered form the processing cavity. Optionally, the beverage passage has one or more tubular conduits fluidically connecting: the processing cavity with the conditioning cavity; and / or the outlet with the conditioning cavity. For instance, at least one tubular conduit is controlled by a pressure valve. Examples of pressure valves are disclosed in WO2023 / 118244 and WO2023 / 118246. The conditioning cavity can be associated with: a heater and / or a cooler for heating and / or cooling the beverage; and / or an air inlet for mixing the beverage with air in the conditioning cavity, e.g. for foaming the beverage. The conditioning cavity may be configured to stir the beverage by an impeller rotating about a processing axis, e.g. for foaming the beverage optionally with air. The beverage can being conditioned between two relatively moving surfaces such as between surfaces of a rotor and a stator operating about a processing axis. The conditioning cavity may incorporate one or more of the features described in WO2023 / 118245. The ingredient handling system can be configured to rotate the processing cavity about a or the abovementioned processing axis, so that the flavouring ingredient and the water is centrifugally driven about the processing axis during mixing to form the beverage. The centrifugation process for preparing a beverage is known for example from EP 2000 062, EP 2155 020, EP 2 152 128, WO 2008 / 148646, WO 2009 / 106175, WO 2009 / 106589, WO 2010 / 026045, WO 2010 / 026053, WO 2010 / 066736, WO 2008 / 148650, WO 2008 / 148834, WO 2010 / 066705, WO 2010 / 063644, WO 2011 / 023711, WO 2014 / 096122 or WO 2014 / 096123. The processing cavity and the impeller can be synchronised or coordinated, e.g. via a mechanical connection or transmission for instance actuated by a same motor and / or about the same processing axis. The beverage preparation machine can have a recipient support forming the placing surface. The beverage preparation machine can be configured to stand during beverage preparation on the placing surface external to such machine. The processing cavity may have a maximum cavity height, the outlet being located spaced by at least 30% of the maximum cavity height above the bottom level of the processing cavity during beverage preparation, such as spaced above by at least 40%, e.g. at least 75%, above the bottom level of the processing cavity. The processing cavity may have a or the abovementioned processing axis which extends centrally along the cavity and along which processing axis or parallel thereto: the water is fed into the cavity; and / or the beverage is delivered out of the cavity. The centrally extending processing axis may be horizontal during beverage preparation or at an angle thereto that is of at most 75 deg., optionally at most 60 deg., such as at most 45 deg., for instance at most 30 deg., e.g. at most 15 deg. The invention also relates to a method of preparing in the above described machine, the beverage from the flavouring ingredient. The method includes the steps of: - supplying the flavouring ingredient into the cavity; - feeding the water via the water inlet into the cavity and mixing it with the ingredient to form the beverage; and - releasing the beverage from the beverage outlet out of the machine from above the bottom level of the processing cavity and allowing the beverage to flow down by gravity, e.g. to freely fall, from the outlet into the beverage dispensing area. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 is a side view of part of an ingredient handling system with a beverage outlet of a machine according to an embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the handling system shown in Fig. 1; - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional front view of the handling system shown in Fig. 1; - Figure 4 is another side view of the handling system shown in Fig. 1, in which the handling system is in a proximate configuration; and - Figure 5 is a side view of the handling system shown in Fig. 4, in which the handling system is in a transfer configuration. Detailed description Figures 1 to 5 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a machine 1 in accordance with the invention. Machine 1 is configured for preparing a beverage 4 from a flavouring ingredient 5a in a processing cavity 5 by mixing therein such ingredient 5a with water 4’. Cavity 5 may be configured for holding such ingredient 5a when supplied within a capsule 5b into cavity 5. Machine 1 has a ingredient handling system 10,20 delimiting processing cavity 5. System 10,20 has at least one water inlet 24 for supplying water 4’ to ingredient 5a in processing cavity 5. System 10,20 may have a first ingredient handler 10 and a second ingredient handler 20 that are movable one relative to the other from: - a distant ingredient transfer configuration for receiving ingredient 5a by first and second handlers 10,20 and / or releasing ingredient 5a from first and second ingredient handlers 10,20, optionally at least one of handlers 10,20 being associated with a guide 20’ for guiding ingredient 5 towards and / or from handlers 10,20 in transfer configuration; to - a proximate ingredient processing configuration for mixing ingredient 5a and water 4’, optionally water 4’ having been thermally conditioned, e.g. by a heater or a cooler, and / or pressurized, e.g. by a pump; and - vice versa. Cavity 5 is fluidically connected to a beverage outlet 25 to dispense out of such machine 1 beverage 4 that flows, e.g. freely falls, by gravity from outlet 25 into a beverage dispensing area 40 delimited by a placing surface 41 for placing a user-receptacle 42, such as a cup or mug, to collect the dispensed beverage 4. Machine 1 includes a beverage passage 26 extending from processing cavity 5 to beverage outlet 25. First and second ingredient handlers 10,20 may be relatively movable by an actuator, such as a motor or a user-handle 30, for instance via a transmission 31, such as one or more of transmission levers and transmission gears. Outlet 25 is located above a bottom level 5’ of processing cavity 5 during beverage preparation so that beverage dispensing area 40 extends upright in front of processing cavity 5. Beverage passage 26 can have a bottom end 26’ that is located below beverage outlet 25 and / or below bottom level 5’. Beverage passage 26 may be connected to a purging line 27, e.g. a purging tube, configured to purge the beverage passage 26, e.g. when no beverage is dispensed such as:- at an end of dispensing a beverage, e.g. to preventdripping of residual beverage from beverage outlet 25 by drawing such residual beverage towards purging line 27; and / or- at an end of or during a cleaning or rinsing process.Purging line 27 may extend from a or the above mentioned bottom end 26’ of beverage passage 26. Purging line 27 can be configured to purge fluid 4’’ from beverage passage 26 to a waste collector and / or a drip tray 27’. A valve 28 may be provided to direct fluid from beverage passage 26 either to beverage outlet 25 or to purging line 27. Valve 28 can be configured for opening and closing purging line 27, e.g. a valve 28 located on purging line 27. Valve 28 may be controlled by: - a machine control unit connected thereto, e.g. via an electric actuator such as: a motor, memory shape alloy e.g. wire, and / or linear actuator; and / or - a mechanical actuator, such as by an actuator of the ingredient handling system or by a movable part of the ingredient handling system. Valve 28 can be a pinch valve having a fluid conduit section 28’ that is deformable by an actuator 28’’ between a closed and an open state of the section 28’. Actuator 28’’ may be urged against fluid conduit section 28’ and / or may be pivotable against and away from the fluid conduit section 28’. The beverage passage may be connected to a gas sources configured to purge the beverage passage, e.g. when no beverage is dispensed, optionally the gas source being a source of pressurized air, e.g. a compressed gas tank and / or an air pump, such as a source of gas that is further configured to supply gas into the beverage during beverage preparation. Beverage passage 26 may include upstream outlet 25 a conditioning cavity 6 for conditioning beverage 4 delivered form processing cavity 5. Beverage passage 26 can include one or more tubular conduits 6’,6’’ fluidically connecting: processing cavity 5 with conditioning cavity 6; and / or outlet 25 with conditioning cavity 6. For instance at least one tubular conduit 6’ may be controlled by a pressure valve 6’’’. Conditioning cavity 6 can be associated with: a heater 7 and / or a cooler for heating and / or cooling beverage 4; and / or an air inlet for mixing beverage 4 with air in conditioning cavity 6, e.g. for foaming beverage 4. Conditioning cavity 6 is configured to stir beverage 4 by an impeller 8 rotating about a processing axis 30’, e.g. for foaming beverage 4 optionally with air. Beverage 4 may be conditioned between two relatively moving surfaces such as between surfaces of a rotor 8 and a stator 9 operating about a processing axis 30’. Ingredient handling system 10,20 can be configured to rotate processing cavity 5 about a or the abovementioned processing axis 30’, so that flavouring ingredient 5a and water 4’ is centrifugally driven about processing axis 30’ during mixing to form beverage 4. Processing cavity 5 and impeller 8 may be synchronised or coordinated, e.g. via a mechanical connection or transmission for instance actuated by a same motor 29 and / or about the same processing axis 30’. Machine 1 can have a recipient support forming placing surface 41. Machine 1 may be configured to stand during beverage preparation on placing surface 41 external to such machine 1. Processing cavity 5 can have a maximum cavity height 5’’. Outlet 25 may be located spaced by at least 30% of maximum cavity height 5’’ above bottom level 5’ of processing cavity 5 during beverage preparation, such as spaced above by at least 40%, e.g. at least 75%, above the bottom level 5’ of processing cavity 5. Processing cavity 5 may have a or the abovementioned processing axis 30’ which extends centrally along cavity 5 and along which processing axis 30’ or parallel thereto: water 4’ is fed into the cavity 5; and / or beverage 4 is delivered out of cavity 5. Centrally extending processing axis 30’ can be horizontal during beverage preparation or at an angle thereto that is of at most 75 deg., optionally at most 60 deg., such as at most 45 deg., for instance at most 30 deg., e.g. at most 15 deg.

Claims

Claims 1. A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (4) from a flavouring ingredient (5a) in a processing cavity (5) by mixing therein said ingredient (5a) with water (4’), such as a cavity (5) for holding said ingredient (5a) supplied within a capsule (5b), such machine (1) comprising: - an ingredient handling system (10,20) delimiting the processing cavity (5), the system (10,20) having at least one water inlet (24) for supplying said water (4’) to said ingredient (5a) in the processing cavity (5), for instance the system (10,20) having a first ingredient handler (10) and a second ingredient handler (20) that are movable one relative to the other from: - a distant ingredient transfer configuration for receiving said ingredient (5a) by the first and second handlers (10,20) and / or releasing said ingredient (5a) from the first and second ingredient handlers (10,20), optionally at least one of the handlers (10,20) being associated with a guide (20’) for guiding said ingredient (5) towards and / or from the handlers (10,20) in the transfer configuration; to - a proximate ingredient processing configuration for mixing said ingredient (5a) and said water (4’), optionally said water (4’) having been thermally conditioned, e.g. by a heater or a cooler, and / or pressurized, e.g. by a pump; and - vice versa; - a beverage outlet (25) fluidically connected to the cavity (5) and configured to dispense out of such machine (1) said beverage (4) that flows, e.g. freely falls, by gravity from the outlet (25) into a beverage dispensing area (40) delimited by a placing surface (41) for placing a user-receptacle (42), such as a cup or mug, to collect the dispensed beverage (4); and- a beverage passage (26) extending from the processing cavity (5) to the beverage outlet (25), optionally the first and second ingredient handlers (10,20) being relatively movable by an actuator, such as a motor or a user-handle (30), for instance via a transmission (31), such as one or more of transmission levers and transmission gears, characterized in that the outlet (25) is located above a bottom level (5’) of the processing cavity (5) during beverage preparation so that the beverage dispensing area (40) extends upright in front of the processing cavity (5), optionally the beverage passage (26) having a bottom end (26’) that is located below the beverage outlet (25) and / or below the bottom level (5’).

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the beverage passage (26) is connected to a purging line (27), e.g. a purging tube, configured to purge the beverage passage (26), e.g. when no beverage is dispensed such as: - at an end of dispensing a beverage, e.g. to prevent dripping of residual beverage from the beverage outlet (25) by drawing such residual beverage towards the purging line (27); and / or - at an end of or during a cleaning or rinsing process, optionally the purging line (27): - extending from a or said bottom end (26’) of the beverage passage (26); and / or - being configured to purge fluid (4’’) from the beverage passage (26) to a waste collector and / or a drip tray (27’).

3. The machine of claim 2, which comprises a valve (28) configured to direct fluid from the beverage passage (26) either to the beverage outlet (25) or to the purging line (27), such as valve (28) for opening and closing the purging line (27), e.g. a valve (28) located on the purging line (27), optionally the valve (28) being controlled by:- a machine control unit connected thereto, e.g. via an electric actuator such as: a motor, memory shape alloy e.g. wire, and / or linear actuator; and / or - a mechanical actuator, such as by an actuator of the ingredient handling system or by a movable part of the ingredient handling system.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the valve (28) is a pinch valve having a fluid conduit section (28’) that is deformable by an actuator (28’’) between a closed and an open state of the section (28’), such as an actuator that is urged against the fluid conduit section (28’) and / or that is pivotable against and away from the fluid conduit section (28’).

5. The machine of any preceding claim, wherein the beverage passage is connected to a gas sources configured to purge the beverage passage, e.g. when no beverage is dispensed, optionally the gas source being a source of pressurized air, e.g. a compressed gas tank and / or an air pump, such as a source of gas that is further configured to supply gas into the beverage during beverage preparation.

6. The machine of any preceding claim, wherein the beverage passage (26) comprises upstream the outlet (25) a conditioning cavity (6) for conditioning said beverage (4) delivered form the processing cavity (5), optionally the beverage passage (26) comprising one or more tubular conduits (6’,6’’) fluidically connecting the processing cavity (5) with the conditioning cavity (6) and / or the outlet (25) with the conditioning cavity (6), for instance at least one tubular conduit (6’) being controlled by a pressure valve (6’’’).

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein the conditioning cavity (6) is associated with: a heater (7) and / or a cooler for heating and / or cooling said beverage (4); and / or an air inlet for mixing the beverage (4) with air in the conditioning cavity (6), e.g. for foaming the beverage (4).

8. The machine of claim 6 or 7, wherein the conditioning cavity (6) is configured to stir saidbeverage (4) by an impeller (8) rotating about a processing axis (30’), e.g. for foaming the beverage (4) optionally with air, for instance said beverage (4) being conditioned between two relatively moving surfaces such as between surfaces of a rotor (8) and a stator (9) operating about a processing axis (30’).

9. The machine of any preceding claim, wherein the ingredient handling system (10,20) is configured to rotate the processing cavity (5) about a or said processing axis (30’), so that said flavouring ingredient (5a) and said water (4’) is centrifugally driven about the processing axis (30’) during mixing to form said beverage (4).

10. The machine of claim 9 when depending on claim 8, wherein the processing cavity (5) and the impeller (8) are synchronised or coordinated, e.g. via a mechanical connection or transmission for instance actuated by a same motor (29) and / or about the same axis (30’).

11. The machine of any preceding claim, which has a recipient support forming the placing surface (41).

12. The machine of any one of claims 1 to 10, which is configured to stand during beverage preparation on the placing surface (41) external to such machine (1).

13. The machine of any preceding claim, wherein the processing cavity (5) has a maximum cavity height (5’’), the outlet (25) being located spaced by at least 30% of the maximum cavity height (5’’) above the bottom level (5’) of the processing cavity (5) during beverage preparation, such as spaced above by at least 40%, e.g. at least 75%, above the bottom level (5’) of the processing cavity (5).

14. The machine of any preceding claim, wherein the processing cavity (5) has a or said processing axis (30’) which extends centrally along the cavity (5) and along which processing axis (30’) or parallel thereto: - said water (4’) is fed into the cavity (5); and / or - said beverage (4) is delivered out of the cavity (5),the centrally extending processing axis (30’) being horizontal during beverage preparation or at an angle thereto that is of at most 75 deg., optionally at most 60 deg., such as at most 45 deg., for instance at most 30 deg., e.g. at most 15 deg.

15. A method of preparing in a machine (1) as defined in any preceding claim, said beverage (4) from said flavouring ingredient (5a), such method comprising: - supplying said flavouring ingredient (5a) into the cavity (5); - feeding said water (4’) via the water inlet (24) into the cavity (5) and mixing it with the ingredient (5a) to form the beverage (4); and - releasing the beverage (4) from the beverage outlet (25) out of the machine (1) from above the bottom level (5’) of the processing cavity (5) and allowing the beverage (4) to flow down by gravity from the outlet (25) into the beverage dispensing area (40).

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