Drink dispensing device with holding and drip-collecting system for receptacles of different sizes
AssigneeNestec S.A.
InventorsAntoine Cahen, Philippe Cahen, Christophe S. Boussemart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drink preparing device that includes a box and a holding and drip-collecting system that comprises a holding part positionable beneath a drink outlet in order to accept a first, relatively small receptacle, and being configured and dimensioned to be moveable between a deployed holding position suitable for accepting the small receptacle and a second position in which the part is moved at least partly out of the way of the drink outlet to create an unoccupied space in which a second, larger receptacle can be positioned, in place of the first receptacle, beneath the drink outlet.
Claims17
A drink preparing device placeable onto a supporting or placement surface, such as a device comprising a box that covers at least an internal frame to which one or more panels are fitted, and a holding and drip-collecting system that comprises a holding part positionable underneath a drink outlet protruding from one panel in order to accept a first, relatively small receptacle, the holding part being hinged to the box so that it is rotatably moveable between a relatively horizontal deployed holding position suitable for accepting the first receptacle beneath the drink outlet and upward to a relatively vertical retracted position in which the holding part is moved at least partly out of the way of the drink outlet to create a delimited unoccupied space in which a second, relatively larger receptacle can be positioned, in place of the first receptacle, underneath the drink outlet, wherein the holding part is associated with the box as a cantilever projection for supporting the first receptacle when in the deployed position wherein the free end of the cantilever projection cannot move downwardly below the deployed position, and is freely moveable from the deployed position to the retracted position to raise the free end of the holding part upwardly in order to allow the second receptacle to be placed under the outlet, and thereafter is freely rotatable from the retracted position back to the deployed position under gravity,
- wherein the upper boundary of the unoccupied spaced is defined by the vertical position of the drink outlet relative to the supporting or placement surface, and the lower boundary of the unoccupied space is defined by the supporting or placement surface, with the distance between the drink outlet and the supporting or placement surface being greater than the height of the second receptacle, and
- wherein the second receptacle has a height that is greater than that of the first receptacle.
A drink preparing device placeable onto a supporting or placement surface, such device comprising a box that covers at least an internal frame to which one or more panels are fitted, and a holding and drip-collecting system associated with the internal frame comprising a holding part positionable underneath a drink outlet protruding from one panel in order to accept a first, relatively smaller receptacle, the holding part being moveable between a deployed holding position beneath the drink outlet where it is arranged to collect liquid and is suitable for accepting the first receptacle, and a retracted position in which the holding part is moved at least partly out of the way of the drink outlet, to create an unoccupied space in which a second, relatively larger receptacle can be positioned, in place of the first receptacle, underneath the drink outlet, wherein the second receptacle has a height that is greater than that of the first receptacle, and a liquid collecting tray arranged to receive liquid collected by the holding part when the holding part is moved out of the deployed holding position, and wherein the holding part and the collecting tray are joined together to form a drawer which is removable from the box.
A drink preparing device placeable onto a supporting or placement surface, such device comprising a box that covers at least an internal frame and a holding and drip-collecting system associated with the internal frame comprising a holding part positionable underneath a drink outlet in order to accept a first, relatively smaller receptacle, the holding part being moveable between a deployed holding position suitable for accepting the first receptacle beneath the drink outlet and a retracted position in which the holding part is moved at least partly out of the way of the drink outlet, to create an unoccupied space in which a second, relatively larger receptacle can be positioned, in place of the first receptacle, underneath the drink outlet, wherein the second receptacle has a height that is greater than that of the first receptacle, and a liquid collecting tray arranged to receive liquid from the holding part, wherein the holding part is hingedly connected to the liquid collecting tray, and the collecting tray forms a drawer which is removable from the box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.