# US 12,213,618 B2 · Beverage preparation machine

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- Number: US 12,213,618 B2
- Document ID: US12213618B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/768,061
- Filed: 2016-10-07
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-15
- Assignees: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
- Applicants: Societe Des Produits Nestle S.A.
- Inventors: Yann Brunner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213618B2

## CPC

- A47J 31/46: Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices
- A47J 31/40: Beverage-making apparatus with dispensing means for adding a measured quantity of ingredients, e.g. coffee, water, sugar, cocoa, milk, tea
- A47J 31/401: {whereby the powder ingredients and the water are delivered to a mixing bowl}
- A47J 31/525: {the electronic control being based on monitoring of specific process parameters}
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES

## Abstract

The invention concerns a beverage preparation machine (1) in which the beverage is prepared by introducing at least one jet of liquid, such as water, in a container (2) comprising a beverage ingredient (3), said machine comprising a nozzle (11) connected to a liquid supplying system (12), said nozzle comprising a tube (110), said tube comprising a liquid inlet (111) and a liquid outlet (112), the jet of liquid emerging from said liquid outlet, wherein the nozzle (11) comprises a sleeve (120), said sleeve presenting an internal section (Ss) greater than the internal section (So) of the liquid outlet end of the tube and said sleeve surrounding the jet of liquid emerging from the liquid outlet (112) of the tube.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for preparing a beverage with a beverage preparation machine, the beverage preparation machine comprising at least one nozzle connected to a liquid supplying system, the at least one nozzle comprising a tube, the tube comprising a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, wherein the at least one nozzle further comprises a sleeve, the sleeve presenting an internal section greater than an internal section of the liquid outlet of the tube, and the sleeve surrounding the liquid outlet of the tube, and wherein the sleeve comprises at least one opening in a lateral wall of the sleeve, the opening being positioned near the liquid outlet end of the tube, the method comprising:
introducing a beverage ingredient in a container in the beverage preparation machine;
introducing at least one jet of liquid into the container through the liquid outlet of the at least one nozzle, wherein the sleeve surrounds the at least one the jet of liquid emerging from the liquid outlet; and
sucking air through the at least one opening into the sleeve such that the air in the sleeve is flowing in the sleeve around the at least one jet of liquid, wherein the at least one jet of liquid enters inside the beverage in preparation, carrying along air bubbles in the beverage and producing foaming.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before the introducing of the at least one jet of liquid, measuring the height of the container.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving, during the introducing of the at least one jet of liquid into the container, the at least one nozzle and/or the container one to the other in order to keep the at least one nozzle above and near to a surface level of the beverage in preparation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising stabilizing the at least one jet of liquid emerging from the liquid outlet along a length of the sleeve, the length is between 15 mm and 25 mm, and the liquid outlet having a diameter between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening establishes a communication between the internal section of the sleeve and an outside of the at least one nozzle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening has a diameter of 0.5 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve and the tube extend and are substantially centred along the same longitudinal axis, the sleeve presents a length of 15 mm to 25 mm, the tube comprises a first portion comprising the liquid inlet, the tube further comprising a last portion comprising the liquid outlet, the tube further comprising a step between the first and last portions of the tube and by which the internal section of the tube decreases from the first portion to the last portion, wherein the last portion has a diameter of 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm and a length of 2 mm to 5 mm.