SUPPORT AND CAPSULE FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE BY CENTRIFUGATION, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE BY CENTRIFUGATION

• US 20130064929A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Jarisch, Christian, Perentes, Alexandre, Kaeser, Stefan, Magri, Carlo, Gerbaulet, Arnaud, Kaeser, Thomas, Abegglen, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/697,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20130064929A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/87
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/38 Other non-alcoholic beverages drinks from legumes A23L11/60
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/22 Centrifuges for producing filtered coffee A47J31/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/205 Means for the attachment of labels, cards, coupons or the like; cards or coupons for the other types of rigid or semi-rigid containers B65D25/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8043 Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8058 Coding means for the contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/00 Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06018 one-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0614 the marking being selective to wavelength, e.g. color barcode or barcodes only visible under UV or IR methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers using a selected wavelength, see G06K7/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/10 Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics

Abstract

Support (20) adapted to be associated with, or part of a capsule (7) for the preparation of a beverage, comprising a section on which at least one sequence of symbols (24) is represented so as that each symbol is sequentially readable, by a reading arrangement of an external device, while the capsule is driven in rotation along an axis of rotation, each sequence coding a set of information related to the capsule.

Claims

1. Support adapted to be associated with, or part of, a capsule for the preparation of a beverage, comprising a section on which at least one sequence of symbols is represented so that each symbol is sequentially readable, by a reading arrangement of an external device, while the capsule is rotated along an axis of rotation, each sequence coding a set of information related to the capsule.

2. Support according to claim 1, wherein the set of information of at least one of the sequences comprises information for recognizing a type associated to the capsule.

3. Support according to claim 1, wherein the set of information of at least one of the sequences comprises information for detecting errors, and/or for correcting errors in the set of information.

4. Support according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sequences comprises symbols defining a preamble sequence, so as to allow a determination of a position of the symbols in the sequence coding the set of information related to the capsule.

5. Support according to claim 4, wherein the preamble symbols and/or the preamble sequences comprise information for authentifying the set of information.

6. Support according to claim 1, wherein each symbol is represented in the section by an entity having a measurable characteristic, readable by the measuring arrangement, the measurable characteristic varying according to a value conveyed by the symbol.

7. Support according to claim 6, wherein each symbol is printed and/or embossed in the section of the support.

8. Support according to claim 7, wherein the section of the support is a circumference, each symbol being represented in the section by a segment which is substantially rectilinear and extends substantially along at least a part of the circumference.

9. Support according to claim 6, wherein the symbol are readable by an optical sensor included in the reading arrangement, the color and/or the shape of each symbol being chosen according the value of the symbol.

10. Support according to claim 6, wherein the symbols are printed by an ink which is not visible by the human eye under natural light.

11. Support according to claim 6, wherein the symbols is printed or embossed by a pattern which possesses surfaces having different reflective and/or absorbing properties to light.

12. Support according to claim 11, wherein the pattern possesses a first surface having inclined mirroring or absorbing properties to light and a second surface having flat mirroring or flat reflective properties to light.

25. Support according to claim 6, wherein each symbol is feinted of one or a plurality of discrete polygonal or elliptical surfaces.

13. Capsule for the preparation of a beverage comprising a container and a beverage ingredient contained therein, wherein the container comprises at least one support comprising a section on which at least one sequence of symbols is represented so that each symbol is sequentially readable, by a reading arrangement of an external device, while the capsule is rotated along an axis of rotation, each sequence coding a set of information related to the capsule.

14. Capsule according to claim 13 wherein the support is permanently attached or placed on the capsule, or, is removably connected.

15. Capsule according to claim 13, wherein the section is arranged on the container along an arc-shaped or circular path of a circumference of the capsule.

16. Capsule according to claim 15, wherein each sequence is arranged along at least an eighth of the circumference.

17. Capsule according to claim 13, wherein the container comprises a body and a lid connected to the body and the section is present on the lid of the container.

18. Capsule according to claim 15, wherein the section is present on the rim of the capsule.

19. Capsule according to claim 18, wherein the section is present on a bottom of the rim of the capsule which is opposed to the lid or foil of the capsule.

20. System for preparing a beverage from a capsule comprising a container and a beverage ingredient contained therein, wherein the container comprises at least one support adapted to be associated with, or part of, a capsule for the preparation of a beverage, comprising a section on which at least one sequence of symbols is represented so as that each symbol is sequentially readable, by a reading arrangement, while the capsule is rotated along an axis of rotation, each sequence coding a set of information related to the capsule, the beverage preparation device comprises a capsule holder for holding the capsule and rotational driver for driving the holder and capsule in rotation along the axis of rotation and the reader arranged for reading the sequences of symbols in the section when the capsule is rotated along said axis.

21. System according to claim 20, wherein the reader comprises a light emitter and a light sensor or an inductive sensor.

22. System according to claim 20, wherein the optical reader or inductive sensor is arranged to read the sequences on the rim of the capsule.

23. Method for preparing a beverage from a system comprising a container and a beverage ingredient contained therein wherein the container comprises at least one support adapted to be associated with, or part of, a capsule for the preparation of a beverage, comprising a section on which at least one sequence of symbols is represented so that each symbol is sequentially readable, by a reading arrangement of an external device, comprising rotating the capsule along an axis of rotation so that the symbols are read, each sequence coding a set of information related to the capsule, and extracting the beverage from the capsule by rotating the capsule along the axis.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein the symbols are read at a first rotational speed and the beverage is extracted from the capsule at a second rotational speed.