Beverage preparation by centrifugation with reliable capsule transfer

A system comprising a capsule processing machine for preparing a beverage from a capsule having a body containing an ingredient by circulating a liquid into such capsule and centrifugally driving such capsule, comprising:

• a first capsule handler and a second capsule handler that are movable one relative to the other from:
• a capsule transfer configuration for receiving said capsule by the first and second capsule handlers and/or releasing said capsule from the first and second capsule handlers;
• to
• a capsule processing configuration for centrifuging said capsule by rotation about a processing axis of the first and second capsule handlers;
• and
• a machine frame and/or housing which is stationary when the first and second capsule handlers are rotated for centrifugation and which supports the first and second capsule handlers,
• at least one of the first and second capsule handlers is fixed to or integral with or connected to a positioning device configured to position the at least one of the first and second capsule handlers at a predetermined angular position about the processing axis when the first and second capsule handlers are in the capsule transfer configuration and optionally in the processing configuration when rotation of the first and second capsule handlers about the processing axis is at a stop and a capsule having a body containing an ingredient, the capsule being held by the machine's first and second capsule handlers.

A method of preparing in a machine a beverage from a capsule having a body containing an ingredient by circulating a liquid into such capsule and centrifugally driving such capsule, comprising:

• a first capsule handler and a second capsule handler that are movable one relative to the other from:
• a capsule transfer configuration for receiving said capsule by the first and second capsule handlers and/or releasing said capsule from the first and second capsule handlers;
• to
• a capsule processing configuration for centrifuging said capsule by rotation about a processing axis of the first and second capsule handlers;
• and
• a machine frame and/or housing which is stationary when the first and second capsule handlers are rotated for centrifugation and which supports the first and second capsule handlers, at least one of the first and second capsule handlers is fixed to or integral with or connected to a positioning device configured to position the at least one of the first and second capsule handlers at a predetermined angular position about the processing axis when the first and second capsule handlers are in the capsule transfer configuration and optionally in the processing configuration when rotation of the first and second capsule handlers about the processing axis is at a stop a beverage from a capsule having a body containing an ingredient, the method comprising:
• transferring the capsule to the first and second capsule handlers in their transfer configuration to receive the capsule, the capsule handler that is fixed to or integral with or connected to the positioning device being positioned at a predetermined angular position about the processing axis;
• bringing the first and second capsule handlers into the capsule processing configuration, the capsule handler that is fixed to or integral with or connected to the positioning device being optionally positioned at a predetermined angular position about the processing axis;
• and
• centrifuging the capsule handled by the first and second capsule handlers that are rotated about the processing axis and circulating the liquid into the capsule to form the beverage.