Cartridge, Machine and System for Preparing Beverages

• US 20080302251A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Rijskamp, Peter, De Jong, Olaf Martin, Hille, Rogier, Rozeboom, Frans Wiebe, Herrewijnen, Jeroen
• Application Number:
  US12/158,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302251A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8058 Coding means for the contents

Abstract

The present invention provides a cartridge (16) for preparing beverages, comprising a container (18) for containing at least one beverage ingredient, wherein the cartridge (16) is adapted to be inserted into a beverage preparation machine (10) in an insertion direction (36) and provided with a shape-encoded recognition code (32) comprising at least two encoding positions (34). The encoding positions (34) are arranged along an encoding line (38), wherein the insertion direction (36) and the encoding line (38) are nonparallel. Moreover the present invention provides a beverage preparation machine (10) comprising decoder means (24) for decoding a shape-encoded recognition code (32) off a cartridge (16) for supplying ingredients for preparing beverages, wherein the recognition code (32) comprises at least two encoding positions, wherein the decoder means (24) are adapted to decode the at least two encoding positions (34) in parallel. Further the present invention provides a beverage preparation system comprising such a cartridge (16) and such a beverage preparation machine (10). Due to the interaction of the cartridge (16) and the beverage preparation machine (10) a parallel encoding of the code provided at the cartridge (16) can be conducted, which enables a simple encoding.

Claims

1. A cartridge (16) for preparing beverages, comprising a container (18) for containing at least one beverage ingredient, wherein the cartridge (16) is adapted to be inserted into a beverage preparation machine (10) in an insertion direction (36) and provided with a shape-encoded recognition code (32) comprising at least two encoding positions (34), wherein the encoding positions (34) are arranged along an encoding line (38), characterized in that the insertion direction (36) and the encoding line (38) are nonparallel.

2. The cartridge (16) according to claim 1, wherein the encoding line (38) is a straight line which is perpendicular to the insertion direction (36).

3. The cartridge (16) according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge (16) further comprises a connector (20) being connected with the container (18) and provided with the recognition code (32) at a leading end with respect to the insertion direction (36), which is adapted to be introduced first when the cartridge (16) is installed into a beverage preparation machine (10).

4. The cartridge (16) according to claim 3, wherein the connector (20) is adapted for mixing and/or brewing the at least one ingredient supplied from the container (18) with fluid.

5. The cartridge (16) according to claim 3, wherein the connector (20) has at least one inlet (26) for receiving fluid, at least one inlet (28) for receiving the ingredients from the container (18) and at least one outlet (30) for discharging the mixture or extract resulting from the mixing and/or brewing of the ingredients with the fluid.

6. The cartridge (16) according to claim 3, wherein each encoding position (34) is intended to either comprise a cam or not.

7. The cartridge (16) according to claim 6, wherein the connector is of an elongated flat shape, wherein the encoding positions (34) are provided at a longitudinal end of the connector.

16. A beverage preparation system comprising a cartridge (16) according to claim 1 and a beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 8.

8. A beverage preparation machine (10) comprising decoder means (24, 52) for decoding a shape-encoded recognition code (32) off a cartridge (16) for supplying ingredients for preparing beverages, wherein the recognition code (32) comprises at least two encoding positions (34), characterized in that the decoder means (24, 52) are adapted to decode the at least two encoding positions (34) in parallel.

9. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 8, wherein the decoder means (24) are mechanical decoder means comprising at least two push-button switches (40) assigned to the at least two encoding positions (34).

10. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 9, wherein the decoder means (24) further comprises at least two levers (22) for operating the at least two push-button switches (40).

11. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 10, wherein the beverage preparation machine (10) further comprises biasing means for biasing the levers (22) such that the push-button switches (40) are operated by the levers (22) in a state in which the respective levers are not operated by the encoding positions (34).

12. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 11, wherein the biasing means comprise at least one spring (44) being branched at one end thereof, wherein each branch is biasing one of the levers (22).

13. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 11, wherein the biasing means, the levers (22) and the push-button switches (40) form a module and are all accommodated in a single housing (46).

14. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 13, wherein the housing comprises pollution channels (48) provided at an outer surface of the housing (46) for leading away pollution materials.

15. The beverage preparation machine (10) according to claim 8, wherein the decoder means (52) are electronic decoder means comprising at least two reading sections (40) assigned to the at least two encoding positions (34).