Beverage machine with an arrangement for maintenance

A combination of a machine for handling a flavouring ingredient and preparing a beverage therefrom and serving said beverage via a dispensing outlet to a consumer receptacle having a mixing unit that comprises:

• a support, such as a frame and/or housing, that is stationary during said handling of said flavouring ingredient;
• a seat, such as a seat delimiting a substantially prismatic or cylindrical inner shape having a base having an ingredient opening configured to receive said flavouring ingredient unwrapped before mixing with said water;
• a closure part configured to close and open the ingredient opening;
• and
• a wall part that is movable inside the seat,
• the seat, the closure part and the wall part being:
• directly or indirectly mounted to the support;
• and
• relatively movable between:
• a transfer configuration for supplying said flavouring ingredient into the seat and/or removing such ingredient upon beverage preparation;
• and a mixing chamber configuration in which the seat and the closure part and the wall part form a mixing chamber fluidically connected with the water source,
• during beverage preparation, said flavouring ingredient being mixed with said water in the mixing chamber to form said beverage prior to serving thereof via the dispensing outlet, the mixing unit comprises a maintenance guide and a gate, the gate being configured to open and close the maintenance guide;
• and
• at least one of the frame, the seat, the closure part and the wall part is/are configured:
• for interaction with the maintenance guide when the gate is open;
• to be prevented from passing the gate when the gate closes the maintenance guide;
• and
• so that upon operational entry into the maintenance guide said at least one of the frame, the seat, the closure part and the wall part, is/are relatively movable along the maintenance guide such that at least one of the seat, the closure part and the wall part are moveable relative to the support into a maintenance configuration for carrying out a maintenance operation on at least one of the seat, the closure part and the wall part, the transfer configuration and the mixing chamber configuration being different to the maintenance configuration and said flavouring ingredient for preparing said beverage in the machine.

A method of operating a machine comprising the steps of:

• A) subjecting the machine to a maintenance operation by:
• opening a maintenance guide by a gate operating at least one of a frame, a seat, a closure part, a wall part and the maintenance guide so that at least one of the frame, the seat, the closure part and the wall part relatively enters the maintenance guide and moves therealong into a maintenance configuration;
• carrying out in the maintenance configuration a maintenance operation on at least one of the seat, the closure part and the wall part;
• and
• operating said at least one of the frame, the seat, the closure part, the wall part and the maintenance guide so that at least one of the frame, the seat, the closure part and the wall part relatively moves along the maintenance guide and exits thereof, and closing the maintenance guide by the gate;
• B) handling a flavouring ingredient and preparing a beverage therefrom and serving said beverage via a dispensing outlet to a consumer receptacle by:
• supplying said flavouring ingredient into the seat in said transfer configuration;
• in the mixing chamber configuration, mixing the ingredient with said water in said mixing chamber to form the beverage;
• and serving the beverage via the outlet.