Ceramic valve unit for a beverage machine

A beverage preparation machine comprising:

• a mixing chamber having an inlet for receiving a doser outlet of an exchangeable supply pack,
• a beverage outlet,
• liquid supply means including a liquid flow path for supplying a liquid [water under pressure] to the mixing chamber;
• air supply means for supplying air to the liquid flow path,
• a drive shaft, and
• a ceramic valve unit including a housing, a water inlet pipe for receiving hot water, an outflow opening, and first and second ceramic elements within the housing, the first and second ceramic elements each having mutually abutting surfaces and being relatively movable in a plane common to the abutting surfaces, wherein the plane common to the abutting surfaces is downstream of the water inlet pipe and the first ceramic element, but upstream of the second ceramic element and the outflow opening, wherein the first ceramic element has at least differently sized first and second openings for allowing a liquid flow there through, wherein the second ceramic element has only a single liquid flow opening permanently aligned with the outflow opening, and wherein the first ceramic element is engaged for sliding movement by an operating arm sector of a material different from ceramic.

A system for preparing beverage consumptions, the system comprising:

• a beverage preparation machine, and
• at least one exchangeable supply pack arranged for holding a beverage related ingredient;
• wherein the beverage preparation machine comprises a mixing chamber having a beverage outlet, liquid supply means including a liquid flow path for supplying a liquid [water under pressure] to the mixing chamber;
• air supply means for supplying air to the liquid flow path, and a drive shaft;
• wherein the at least one exchangeable supply pack includes a container for holding a beverage related ingredient, and a doser having an outlet, wherein the doser is arranged for supplying the beverage related ingredient from the container to the outlet of the doser in a dosed manner;
• wherein the at least one exchangeable supply pack and the beverage preparation machine are mechanically connectable, and wherein when connected the outlet of the doser is brought in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and the beverage preparation machine is arranged for activating the doser for supplying the ingredient from the outlet of the doser into the mixing chamber, wherein the liquid flow path is arranged to include a second nozzle for generating a jet of liquid which, in use, spouts into the mixing chamber, characterized in that the system further comprises a ceramic valve unit integrated into the beverage device, the ceramic valve unit including a first, second and third ceramic element wherein the third ceramic element including an outflow opening and the second element includes an inflow opening which is at least substantially aligned with the outflow opening, and wherein the first element is sandwiched between the third and second element, the first, second and third ceramic elements each having mutually abutting surfaces and wherein the first element is movable relative to the third and second element in a plane common to the abutting surfaces, wherein the first ceramic element comprises the second nozzle for allowing a liquid flow there through if the nozzle is substantially aligned with the inflow and outflow opening, and wherein the first ceramic element is selectively slidable between at least first and second different positions in a path of movement about a centre of rotation beyond the boundaries of the first ceramic element wherein in the first position the second nozzle is substantially aligned with the inflow and outflow opening so that a jet of the fluid is generated by the second nozzle and spouts via the outlet opening into the mixing chamber and wherein in the second position the second nozzle is not aligned with the inflow and outflow opening so that fluid can not flow from the inlet opening to the nozzle for generating the jet.