METHOD FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE SUITABLE FOR CONSUMPTION FROM AT LEAST TWO INGREDIENTS TO BE DISSOLVED AND/OR EXTRACTED AND AN AMOUNT OF LIQUID

• US 20090022864A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Steenhof, Vincent Jan, Knitel, Joseph Theodoor
• Application Number:
  US11/814,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/433
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/262 the extraction liquid flows through a stationary bed of solid substances, e.g. in percolation columns
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/007 for brewing on a large scale, e.g. for restaurants, or for use with more than one brewing container
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0652 with means to by-pass a quantity of water, e.g. to adjust beverage strength
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges

Abstract

A method for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption from at least two ingredients to be dissolved and/or extracted and an amount of liquid such as water which is supplied to the ingredients, the method comprising the following steps:—a first ingredient is utilized in a first holder system; and—a second ingredient is utilized in a second holder system.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption from at least two ingredients to be dissolved and/or extracted and an amount of liquid such as water which is supplied to the ingredients, the at least two ingredients comprising a first ingredient utilized in a first holder system and a second ingredient utilized in a second holder system, the method comprises the following steps:

supplying a first part of the amount of liquid such as hot water to the first holder system so that the first holder system is flowed-through with the liquid whereby the first ingredient is dissolved or extracted for obtaining a first beverage part;

supplying a second part of the amount of liquid to the second holder system so that the second holder system is flowed-through with the liquid such that the second ingredient is dissolved or extracted for obtaining a second beverage part; and

combining the first beverage part and the second beverage part for obtaining the beverage.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the amount of liquid is supplied to the second holder system and, after that, the first part of the amount of liquid is supplied to the first holder system.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first beverage part is also supplied from the first holder system to the second holder system and, after that, from the second holder system, is combined with the first beverage part.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first ingredient comprises a product to be extracted such as ground coffee, the first holder system being provided with a first pouch provided with the first ingredient and a first covering in which the first ingredient is included, the first covering being manufactured, at least partly, from a sheet-shaped material such as filtering paper, transmissive to water and forming a barrier to the first ingredient, and in that the second ingredient comprises a water-soluble product such as a creamer/milk powder, the second holder system being provided with a second pouch provided with the second ingredient and a second covering in which the second ingredient is included, the second covering being manufactured, at least partly, from a sheet-shaped material such as filtering paper, transmissive to the liquid and forming a barrier to the second ingredient.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first holder system is further provided with a first holder with at least one inflow side and at least one outflow side, with the first pouch included in the first holder, while the second holder system is further provided with a second holder with an inflow side and an outflow side, with the second pouch included in the second holder, and wherein the second part of the amount of liquid is supplied to the inflow side of the second holder so that the liquid flows through the second pouch for obtaining the second beverage part which leaves the second holder via the outflow side of the second holder, while the first part of the amount of liquid is supplied to the inflow side of the first holder so that the liquid flows through the first pouch for obtaining the first beverage part which leaves the first holder via the outflow side of the first holder.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first beverage part which leaves the first holder is supplied to the inflow side of the second holder so that the first beverage part flows through the second pouch and, thereupon, leaves the second holder via the outflow side of the second holder.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second beverage part is first supplied to the inflow side of the first holder and is then rerouted to the inflow side of the second holder and flows through the second holder without flowing through the first holder.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first holder system and the second holder system are included in a collecting container.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the collecting container is provided with an inflow opening and an outflow opening, with the first part and the second part of the amount of liquid being supplied to the collecting container, whereupon the second part of the amount of liquid is fed to the second holder system and the first part of the amount of liquid is fed to the first holder system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second beverage part are combined in a third container such as a cup or mug.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein air is whipped into the second beverage part.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein air is whipped into the first beverage part.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the amount of liquid is supplied under pressure to the first holder system.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the amount of liquid is supplied under pressure to the second holder system.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the amount of liquid is heated.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the amount of liquid is heated.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first beverage part is dispensed in the form of a jet.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second beverage part is dispensed in the form of a jet.

40. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ingredients is provided with a substance generating froth when it is contacted with a liquid such as water.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the first ingredient comprises ground coffee and that the second ingredient comprises a milk powder/creamer and a substance generating froth when it is contacted with a liquid such as water.

42. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first part is a predetermined part of the amount of liquid and that the second part is a predetermined part of the amount of liquid.

19. An apparatus for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption from at least two ingredients to be dissolved and/or extracted and an amount of liquid such as water which is supplied to the ingredients, the apparatus comprising:

a first holder system in which a first ingredient is included, the first holder system being provided with at least one inflow side and at least one outflow side, a second holder system in which a second ingredient is included, the second holder system being provided with at least one inflow side and at least one outflow side,

liquid supply means for supplying to the inflow side of the first holder system a predetermined first amount of the amount of liquid so that the first holder system is flowed through with the liquid whereby the first ingredient is extracted, or dissolves for obtaining a first beverage part which leaves the first holder system via the outflow side of the first holder system, and for supplying to the inflow side of the second holder system a predetermined second part of the amount of liquid so that the second holder system is flowed through with the liquid whereby the second ingredient is extracted, or dissolves for obtaining a second beverage part which leaves the second holder system via the outflow side of the second holder system, and

wherein the apparatus is further designed for dispensing the first beverage part and the second beverage part to a receiving container such as a cup or mug.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for supplying, first, the second part of the amount of liquid to the second holder system and, after that, supplying the first part of the amount of liquid to the first holder system.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the outflow side of the first holder system is in fluid communication with the inflow side of the second holder system such that, in use, the first beverage part is supplied from the outflow side of the first holder system via the inflow side of the second holder system to the second holder system and, thereupon, flows from the second holder system at the outflow side of the second holder system.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the liquid supply means are provided with a sealable and releasable bypass channel extending from the inflow side of the first holder system to the inflow side of the second holder system, the liquid supply means being further designed for supplying the second part of the amount of liquid to the inflow side of the first holder system while the bypass channel is opened so that the second part of the amount of liquid flows directly via the bypass channel via the inflow side of the second holder system through the second holder system so that the second ingredient is dissolved or extracted for obtaining the second beverage part which leaves the second holder system via the outflow side of the second holder system, and for supplying the first part of the amount of liquid to the inflow side of the first holder system while the bypass channel is closed off so that the first part of the amount of liquid flows via the inflow side of the second holder system through the first holder system such that the first ingredient is extracted, or dissolves for obtaining the first beverage part which leaves the first holder system via the outflow side of the first holder system.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein an inlet of the bypass channel is located near the inflow side outside the first holder system.

24. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further provided with a collecting container in which the first and second holder system are included.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the collecting container is provided with at least one inflow opening and at least one outflow opening and a liquid flow path extending from the inflow opening to the outflow opening of the collecting container, the first and second holder system being included in the liquid flow path of the collecting container so that the first and second holder system each form a barrier in the liquid flow path, the first holder system being located upstream of the second holder system in the liquid flow path of the collecting container, while the bypass channel to be closed off and released extends from a position located upstream of the first holder system of the liquid flow path to a position downstream of the first holder system and upstream of the second holder system of the liquid flow path.

26. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first holder system is provided with a first pouch provided with the first ingredient and a first covering in which the first ingredient is included, the first covering being manufactured, at least partly, from a sheet-shaped material such as filtering paper, transmissive to the liquid and forming a barrier to the first ingredient while the second holder system is provided with a second pouch provided with the second ingredient and a second covering in which the second ingredient is included, the second covering being manufactured, at least partly, from a sheet-shaped material such as filtering paper, transmissive to the liquid and forming a barrier to the second ingredient.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the first holder system is further provided with a first holder with at least one inflow opening and at least one outflow opening, with the first pouch being included in the first holder, the second holder system further being provided with a second holder with an inflow opening and an outflow opening while, in use, the second pouch is included in the second holder, while the second part of the amount of liquid is supplied to the inflow opening of the second holder so that the liquid flows through the second pouch for obtaining the second beverage part which leaves the second holder via the outflow opening of the second holder, the first part of the amount of liquid being supplied to the inflow opening of the first holder so that the liquid flows through the first pouch for obtaining the first beverage part which leaves the first holder via the outflow opening of the first holder.

28. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for supplying the first part of the amount of liquid under pressure to the first holder system.

29. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for supplying the second part of the amount of liquid under pressure to the second holder system.

30. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for heating the first part of the amount of liquid.

31. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for heating the second part of the amount of liquid.

32. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply means are designed for supplying, first, the second part of the amount of liquid to the second holder system and, subsequently, supplying the first part of the amount of liquid to the first holder system.

33. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further provided with air whip-in means for whipping air into the first and/or second beverage part.

34. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the apparatus is designed for dispensing the first beverage part in the form of a jet.

35. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the apparatus is designed for dispensing the second beverage part in the form of a jet.

36. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the bypass channel is provided with a pressure sensitive valve while opening or closing the valve depends on the prevailing pressure at an entrance of the valve.

37. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the water supply means are designed to regulate the pressure with which a liquid is supplied to the inflow side of the first holder system.

38. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the bypass channel is provided with a valve for releasing and closing off the bypass channel, the valve being designed such that it releases the bypass channel when the pressure in the bypass channel is below a predetermined value, the liquid supply means being further designed for dispensing, when the second amount of liquid is being dispensed to the inflow side of the first holder system, a second amount of liquid at a pressure which is lower than the predetermined value so that the valve of the bypass channel is opened and for dispensing, when the first amount of liquid is being dispensed to the inflow side of the first holder system, the first amount of liquid at a pressure which is higher than the predetermined value so that the valve of the bypass channel is closed.

39. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein not filled with the first ingredient and the second ingredient.

43. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the ingredients is provided with a substance generating froth when it is contacted with a liquid such as water.

44. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the first ingredient comprises ground coffee and that the second ingredient comprises a milk powder/creamer and a substance generating froth when it is contacted with a liquid such as water.