Beverage machines with simplified servicing

• US 9,351,600 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Rime, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorkin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): RASHID, FAZLE A
• Application Number:
  US13/318,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20120182825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 366/160.1, 366/160.5, 2221292-1294, 222/142.8, 222/144.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3676 Cartridges being employed

Abstract

A machine for a given geographical market and for preparing a beverage from a combination of a first ingredient and a second ingredient. The machine includes first and second containers, container arranged for storing one of these ingredients or a packaging thereof. Such machine is so arranged as to let a user select a quantity ratio of the first and second ingredients for preparation of a beverage. The containers have normal storage volumes for their respective ingredient or packaging. The first and second normal storage volumes of the containers have a volume ratio equivalent to a ratio of respective normal volumes necessary for storing the first and second ingredients or packaging thereof used in an estimated average quantity ratio for preparing such beverage in the given geographical market.

Claims

1. A machine for preparing a beverage from a combination of an ingredient and a liquid, the machine comprising:

a housing comprising a front face and a back face on an opposite side of the housing from the front face, the housing containing an infusion chamber for preparing the beverage;

a first container and a second container, the first container being a capsule receptacle and located underneath the infusion chamber, and the second container being a liquid reservoir, such machine constructed and arranged to let a user select a quantity ratio of the ingredient and the liquid for preparation of the beverage;

a detecting member for detecting a predetermined level of fill in at least one of the first and second containers, the detecting member connected to a printed circuit board configured to activate an indicator to provide a single signal for indicating to a user that both the first and second containers of the machine need an action selected from the group consisting of refilling, emptying, and combinations thereof;

a user-interface comprising the indicator and arranged to indicate to a user the detection of the predetermined level of fill and a message that either the first or second containers, or both, need refilling or emptying, as appropriate, before a further beverage may be prepared;

a beverage outlet connected to the front face of the housing and configured to dispense the beverage prepared in the infusion chamber to a dispensing area underneath the beverage outlet, the beverage outlet is at a different position from the capsule receptacle; and

an opening in the housing configured to receive the capsule receptacle, and a distance from a front of the opening to the back face of the housing in a horizontal direction is less than a distance from the beverage outlet to the back face of the housing in the horizontal direction.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the capsule receptacle is arranged to collect an item selected from the group consisting of (i) capsules after use for preparing a soup or a coffee, tea, chocolate, or milk containing beverage, (ii) waste ground coffee, and (iii) waste tea.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user-interface is arranged to indicate with an explicit text or symbol sign that both the first and second containers need refilling or emptying.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the detecting member is arranged to detect a predetermined level of fill in each of the containers.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein only one of the first or second containers is associated with the detecting member.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the user-interface includes light guides that are arranged to guide light generated by light emitting diodes (LEDs) to a wall of the capsule receptacle.