APPARATUS AND METHODS RELATING TO DISPENSATION FROM BEVERAGE MACHINES

• US 20130230627A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Nick Andrew, Norton, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/988,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20130230627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0689 Reusable cartridges suitable to be opened for being filled with brewing material and to be closed to envelope the brewing material therein
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8052 Details of the outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8058 Coding means for the contents

Abstract

The present invention provides a device (1), suitable for use with a beverage machine of the type comprising a code reader, the device (1) comprising: an inlet (40) for receiving, in use, heated water from a water supply of the beverage machine; and an outlet (43) through which said heated water can be dispensed; the device (1) further comprising a plurality of codes (19), each other plurality of codes (19) containing information relating to one or more dispensation parameters of the beverage machine; the device (1) being configurable by a user such that the user can choose one of the plurality of codes (19) to be read by the code reader of the beverage machine during a dispensation operation in order to set one or more dispensation parameters o the beverage machine.

Claims

1. A device, suitable for use with a beverage machine of the type comprising a code reader, the device comprising:

an inlet for receiving, in use, heated water from a water supply of the beverage machine; and

an outlet through which said heated water can be dispensed;

the device further comprising a plurality of codes, each of the plurality of codes containing information relating to one or more dispensation parameters of the beverage machine;

the device being configurable by a user such that the user can choose one of the plurality of codes to be read by the code reader of the beverage machine during a dispensation operation in order to set one or more dispensation parameters of the beverage machine.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device is empty of beverage ingredients prior to use.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of codes are spatially distributed on the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a part of, or the whole of, the device can be disposed in a plurality of dispositions relative to the beverage machine in order to choose the one of the plurality of codes to be read by the code reader.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device comprises a first part and a second part;

the second part comprising the plurality of codes and being movable relative to the first part to allow the user to configure the device.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second part is rotatable relative to the first part and the plurality of codes are circumferentially distributed on the second part.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first part comprises a window through which the code reader of the beverage machine is enabled to read one of the plurality of codes during the dispensation operation.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first part comprises the inlet and the outlet.

9. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first part further comprises a passage for conveying heated water from the inlet to the outlet.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more dispensation parameters includes one or more of:

the volume of heated water to be dispensed;

the temperature of the heated water to be dispensed; and

the timing of dispensation of the heated water.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of codes are a plurality of barcodes.

12. The combination of a device as claimed in claim 1 and a beverage machine which comprises a code reader.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the outlet of the device defines a discharge outlet of the beverage machine.

14. The combination of claim 12 wherein the device is interchangeable with a cartridge piercing unit and/or a discharge spout of the beverage machine.

15. A method of dispensing heated water from a beverage machine of the type comprising a code reader, comprising utilising a device comprising a plurality of codes in combination with the beverage machine to set one or more dispensation parameters of the beverage machine;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) configuration of the device by a user to thereby select one of the plurality of codes to be read by the code reader of the beverage machine;

b) operating the beverage machine such that the code reader reads the selected code of the device to thereby set one or more dispensation parameters of the beverage machine;

c) dispensing heated water in accordance with the one or more dispensation parameters via the device into a receptacle.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the one or more dispensation parameters includes one or more of:

the volume of heated water to be dispensed;

the temperature of the heated water to be dispensed; and

the timing of dispensation of the heated water.

17. A refillable device, suitable for use with a beverage machine, the device comprising:

an inlet for receiving, in use, water from a water supply of the beverage machine;

an outlet through which fluid can be dispensed; and

a plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers.

18. A refillable device as claimed in claim 17, wherein a plurality of fluid flow paths extend from the inlet to the outlet and the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers are located such that a fluid flow path passes through each of the refillable beverage ingredient chambers.

19. A refillable device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the inlet is located at or near a periphery of the device, the outlet is located at or near a centre of the device and the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers are distributed circumferentially around the outlet.

20. A refillable device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the upstream and downstream ends of each of the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers are defined by a barrier with one or more apertures therein.

21. A refillable device as claimed in claim 17 comprising a first part and a second part that can be separated from one another to allow filling of beverage ingredients into the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers and subsequently coupled together.

22. A refillable device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers comprises main beverage ingredient chamber and a plurality of ancillary beverage ingredient chambers.

23. The combination of a refillable device as claimed in claim 17 and one or more portions of beverage ingredients.

24. The combination of claim 23 wherein the one or more portions of beverage ingredients are individually contained in a bag, wrapper, capsule, film or similar.

25. The combination of claim 24 wherein the bag, wrapper, capsule, film or similar is water soluble.

26. The combination of a refillable device as claimed in claim 17 and a beverage machine.

27. The combination of claim 26 wherein the outlet of the device defines a discharge outlet of the beverage machine.

28. The combination of claim 26 wherein the device is interchangeable with a cartridge piercing unit and/or a discharge spout of the beverage machine.

29. A method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage machine, comprising utilising a refillable device comprising an inlet for receiving, in use, water from a water supply of the beverage machine;

an outlet through which fluid can be dispensed; and

a plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) opening the device;

b) filling one or more of the plurality of refillable beverage ingredients with one or more beverage ingredient portions;

c) closing the device;

d) inserting the device in the beverage machine;

e) operating the beverage machine to thereby dispense water via the plurality of refillable beverage ingredient chambers and out of the outlet of the device into a receptacle.