642 results about "Ground coffee" patented technology

An apparatus for preparing and vending beverages based on selections input by consumers is provided, including one or more sources of roasted coffee beans; one or more sources of teas; one or more sources of cocoa; at least one grinder for preparing ground coffee from said roasted coffee beans; one or more sources of flavoring ingredients; a source of water; one or more sources of fresh dairy products; and a mechanism for preparing the beverage. Also provided is a method for preparing a beverage according to selections entered by a consumer, including receiving beverage selections entered by a consumer; collecting payment for the beverage based on the beverage selections entered; retrieving preset standards for proper preparation of the beverage based on the beverage selections; displaying the beverage preparation process and the freshness of ingredients used to prepare the beverage; preparing the beverage in accordance with the preset standards; monitoring the preparation of the beverage for compliance with the preset standards; and providing the beverage to the consumer.

Taught herein are a precharged ground coffee capsule comprising a polygonal cross-section container body made of a liquid-impermeable material, the container body having an open end and a large axial opening formed in a bottom wall of the container body, two walls made of a liquid-permeable material being arranged on the open end and at the bottom wall respectively, the liquid-impermeable material comprising a metallic material support layer and a thermoplastic material layer, the thermoplastic material layer facing the interior of the container body, the permeable walls being coupled to the container body through the thermoplastic material layer, an outwardly projecting radial flange being provided at the open end of the container body; a method for producing the capsule; and an apparatus for implementing the method.

A beverage system for selectively delivering, in a same coffee extraction device, short coffee liquid extracts and long coffee liquid extracts comprising: cartridges containing ground coffee; a receiving device for receiving one cartridge at a time and pumping means or injecting water under pressure in the cartridge; means for opening the cartridge wherein these means comprises retaining means to retain the liquid under pressure in the cartridge and engaging means which engage the retaining means to open the cartridge and deliver the coffee liquid extract; wherein the system comprises at least a first cartridge adapted to deliver a short coffee liquid extract, wherein the system comprises at least a second cartridge which has substantially the same external configuration and shape as the first cartridge so as to be capable of being received in the same receiving device as the first cartridge and which is adapted to deliver a longer coffee liquid extract upon allowing a larger amount of water to flow there trough, wherein the second cartridge for the longer coffee liquid extract is configured so that water flows through it at a higher rate than in the first cartridge during extraction.

A brewing apparatus for infusing compacted ground coffee in a grounds cup at a brewing station with heated water under pressure. At a brewing station, a piston head with an active seal that is spaced from the grounds cup wall during motion, extends into the grounds cup. When the piston head begins to compact the ground coffee it activates the seal to form a sealed upper end of a brewing chamber. Hot water is admitted to the brewing chamber to produce the coffee. When the brewing cycle is completed, the piston head displaces further to force additional coffee from the grounds. Then the piston head retracts to allow the infusion chamber assembly to be removed for cleaning.

The present invention relates to non-segregating flavored coffee compositions. In particular, the present invention relates to novel flavored coffee compositions that minimize or inhibit the segregation and separation of constituent components, and the corresponding processes for making such compositions. The flavored coffee compositions herein are characterized as having a roast and ground, an instant coffee component, or mixtures thereof. The roast and ground coffee component will have a moisture level in the range of from about 1% to about 15%, a particle density in the range of from about 0.1 g/cc to about 0.45 g/cc, and a mean particle size distribution in the range of from about 400 microns to about 1300 microns. The instant coffee components used herein will have a particle density in the range of from about 0.1 g/cc to about 0.8 g/cc, a mean particle size distribution in the range of from about 250 microns to about 2360 microns, and a moisture level in the range of from about 1% to about 4.5%. The flavored coffee composition further contains a flavoring component with a moisture level in the range of from about 1% to about 7%, a particle density in the range of from about 0.1 g/cc to about 0.8 g/cc, and a mean particle size distribution in the range of from about 5 microns to about 150 microns. The ratio of coffee component particle size to flavor component particle size is in the range of from about 100:1 to about 5:1.

A combination grinder and brewer for grinding of coffee beans and delivering ground coffee to a brewing chamber for the brewing of a coffee beverage includes a fan for creating a positive pressure air blanket at the interface between the delivery system and the brewing chamber so as to minimize movement of moistened air from the brewing chamber into the delivery system.

A container for holding ground coffee or tealeaves. The container may include a body and a lip extending from the body. The lip may include a top substantially flat surface and a width of no more than about 2.6 millimeters (about 0.1 inch).

The invention relates to a capsule for preparing a drink, for example coffee, comprising a hollow element (1,1a,1b) for containing a dose, for example of ground coffee. Said hollow element (1,1a,1b) has a lateral wall (2, 2a, 2b), an upper face (3) and a lower face (4), the lower part of said lateral wall (2, 2a, 2b) extending in such a way as to create a rim (6, 3a, 3b) oriented along a plane cutting the lateral wall (2, 2a, 2b). The invention is characterised in that the thickness of the upper face (3) and/or the lateral wall (2, 2a, 2b) and/or the rim (6, 3a, 3b) is variable.

The invention relates to a capsule for preparing a beverage, for example coffee, comprising a hollow element intended to contain a metered amount, for example of ground coffee, said hollow element including a side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall comprising an extraction membrane; the top wall comprising, on the inner surface thereof, a weakened area capable of moving when an external element exerts a force thereon, thereby providing a passage for the liquid to flow between the outside and the inside of the capsule

A fresh packaging system for roast and ground coffee having a top load capacity of at least about 16 pounds (7.3 Kg) comprising a container with a closed bottom, an open top, and a body enclosing a perimeter between the bottom and the top. A protuberance is continuously disposed around the perimeter of the body proximate to the top and forms a ridge external to the body. A flexible closure is removeably attached and sealed to the protuberance so that the closure seals the interior volume of the container. The container bottom and container body are constructed from a material having a tensile modulus number ranging from at least about 35,000 to at least about 650,000 pounds per square inch (at least about 2,381 to at least about 44,230 atm).

A method of processing roasted coffee to improve the retention of carbon dioxide and aromatics liberated from the roasted coffee. The method involves preparing one or more containers for receiving coffee. The containers are purged of contained air through flushing with an inert gas. Roasted coffee is transported and delivered to a grinding circuit where it is ground directly into a container filling apparatus. The container filling filling apparatus delivers the ground coffee directly into the purged containers after which the containers are sealed to maximize the retention of carbon dioxide and aromatics liberated from the roasted coffee and to minimize contact of the ground roasted coffee with the air.

A coffee maker may include a reservoir section and a grinding section coupled to the reservoir section. The reservoir section and the grinding section are may be included in an internal volume of a container. A grinder is disposed in the grinding section. The coffee maker includes a filter between the grinding section and the reservoir section. In certain embodiments, a grinding section, reservoir section, and a pressing element are contained with one chamber. In certain embodiments, the grinder grinds coffee beans while the coffee beans are in water. The container may dispense coffee from the reservoir section when the container is tipped.

An automated dispenser for dispensing spices, condiments, herbs, teas, ground coffees, or powdered beverages, comprising a plurality of cartridges mounted on a carrier respectively containing said items, having a dispensing means with relative movement capable between said dispensing means and said cartridges. A look-up table, containing a plurality of separate, discrete dispensing programs is provided for operation of the dispensing means to dispense a particular variety of mixtures and quantities from said cartridges. When a spice blend and associated dispensing program is selected by a user, the dispensing program aligns the dispensing means relative to the cartridge carrier and cartridge, to dispense a particular quantity and, in the case of a mix, to subsequently align with other selected cartridges to provide, from said cartridges, the mix of spices, herbs, condiments, powdered beverages or ground coffees. A specialized cartridge adapted for use in said automated dispenser is also disclosed.

To make a coffee beverage in a coffee percolator, hot water is fed, at relatively low pressure of about two atmospheres, into a sealed capsule defined by a cup-shaped body housing a measure of ground coffee and closed in fluidtight manner at an open end by a sealing wall connected integrally to the cup-shaped body; the beverage being extracted from the sealed capsule through hollow extraction needles, which have longitudinal inlet slits of substantially 0.3 mm in width, and are inserted into the sealed capsule through the sealing wall before the hot water is fed into the sealed capsule, and so that the relative longitudinal slits extend inside the sealed capsule by respective lengths at least equal to a third of the depth of the relative cup-shaped body.

A device for brewing coffee. The device includes a microprocessor, a user actuated controller for interfacing with the microprocessor, a tank for retaining water and a heating element for selectively heating the water. The device further includes a brewing basket for receipt of water from the tank, and a cone valve located in a dispersing end of the brewing basket. The microprocessor dictates a measured quantity of water to be delivered to the brewing basket in conjunction with a measured amount of ground coffee for brewing. In a preferred embodiment, a multichannel valve is employed together with a suitable pump for controlling fluid flow as dictated by the microprocessor.

An espresso machine having a brew water tank and a heating block located within the brew water tank. The heating block is preferably made of a thermally conductive material such as copper and will preferably have a body and thermally conductive vertical members extending vertically from the body within the brew water tank. The heating block will be associated with a heat source which can be an electric heater. The espresso machine may also include a pump head consisting of an input, and output, and an impeller mechanism, positioned within the brew water tank and in contact on at least one side with heated brew water. In addition, the brew water conduit connecting the pump to the brew head will be located substantially within the brew water tank. Thus, temperature loss in the brew water conduit or in the pump head will be minimized. In addition, a second heat source may be operatively associated with the bayonet or portafilter. Thus, a reduction in the temperature of brew water as it passes through the ground coffee in the portafilter can be minimized. A separate and distinct exhaust conduit may also be placed in fluid communication with the brew head, allowing the exhaustion of pressurized water from the brew head, after the preparation of a shot of espresso, entirely through a conduit which is separate from the clean water supply.

A method and apparatus for brewing coffee or the like uses a cartridge having filters on two opposed sides that is filled with ground coffee and then pressed through a container of heated liquid. The pressing forces the liquid Into one filter, through the ground coffee, and out the other filter to produce the brewed beverage.

A packaging system useful for roast and ground coffee, having a container with a bottom, a top, and a body enclosing a perimeter between the bottom and the top. A flexible closure is removably attached and sealed to the protuberance so that the closure seals the interior volume of the container.