Device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule
AssigneeEthical Coffee Company SA
InventorAlain Mariller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule include a capsule mounting and a capsule housing, inside of which at least one water inlet and a capsule-boring means are arranged, wherein the housing is sized so as to at least partially deform any capsule, consisting of a material that is deformable when placed in contact with hot water and placed in the housing, such that the capsule is retained in the housing after the contact thereof with the hot water.
Claims29
A device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule comprising:
- a capsule support,
- a capsule cage, and
- at least a water inlet and capsule-piercing device inside the capsule cage, wherein
- the capsule cage is sized in such a way as to at least partially deform any capsule made of a material that can be deformed upon contact with hot water which is placed in the capsule cage so that the capsule is retained in the capsule cage following its contact with hot water, and wherein the capsule cage includes an internal wall which comprises at least one recess, and
- at least one deformable element housed in the at least one recess, the at least one deformable element being compressed therein by the capsule so as to responsively cause the at least one deformable element to deform the capsule.
A device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule containing a drink substance to be extracted by hot water therefrom and being formed of a material which softens and deforms in response to contact with the hot water during drink extraction, wherein the device comprises a capsule cage for receiving the capsule;
- a capsule support for supporting the capsule within the capsule cage,
- a water inlet to introduce hot water into the capsule cage,
- a capsule-piercing device located inside the capsule cage for piercing the capsule to allow hot water introduced into the capsule cage to contact the drink substance within the capsule, and
- a capsule-retaining device in operative association with the capsule cage, the capsule retaining device being in retaining engagement with the capsule only in response to the capsule being softened and at least partially deformed upon contact with the hot water thereby retaining the capsule in the capsule cage once contact between the capsule and the hot water has been removed, wherein
- the capsule-retaining device comprises a recess formed in an internal wall of the capsule cage, and a deformable element positioned within the recess, wherein in response to the at least one deformable element being compressed by the capsule, the at least one deformable element is caused to deform the capsule.
A device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule containing a drink substance to be extracted by hot water therefrom and being formed of a material which softens and deforms in response to contact with the hot water during drink extraction, wherein the device comprises:
- a capsule cage for receiving the capsule;
- a capsule support for supporting the capsule within the capsule cage;
- a water inlet to introduce hot water into the capsule cate;
- a capsule-piercing device located inside the capsule cate for piercing the capsule to allow hot water introduced into the capsule cage to contact the drink substance with in the capsule;
- and
- a capsule-retaining device in operative association with the capsule cage, the capsule-retaining device being in retaining engagement with the capsule only in response to the capsule being softened and at least partially deformed upon contact with the hot water thereby retaining the capsule in the capsule cage once contact between the capsule and the hot water has been removed, wherein
- the capsule-retaining device comprises pivoting elements formed on an internal wall of the capsule cage, wherein the pivoting elements are completely housed in the internal wall of the cage if the capsule exhibits a coefficient of rigidity which exceeds a set value and emerge at least partially from the internal wall of the capsule cage when the coefficient of rigidity of the capsule is less than the set value in response to being softened by contact with hot water.
A device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule containing a drink substance to be extracted by hot water therefrom and being formed of a material which softens and deforms in response to contact with the hot water during drink extraction, wherein the device comprises:
- a capsule cage for receiving the capsule;
- a capsule support for supporting the capsule within the capsule cage;
- a water inlet to introduce hot water into the capsule cate;
- a capsule-piercing device located inside the capsule cate for piercing the capsule to allow hot water introduced into the capsule cage to contact the drink substance with in the capsule;
- and
- a capsule-retaining device in operative association with the capsule cage, the capsule-retaining device being in retaining engagement with the capsule only in response to the capsule being softened and at least partially deformed upon contact with the hot water thereby retaining the capsule in the capsule cage once contact between the capsule and the hot water has been removed, wherein
- the capsule-retaining device comprises a barbed hook relief formed on an internal wall of the capsule cage.
A device for preparing a drink extracted from a capsule containing a drink substance to be extracted by hot water therefrom and being formed of a material which softens and deforms in response to contact with the hot water during drink extraction, wherein the device comprises:
- a capsule cage for receiving the capsule;
- a capsule support for supporting the capsule within the capsule cage;
- a water inlet to introduce hot water into the capsule cate;
- a capsule-piercing device located inside the capsule cate for piercing the capsule to allow hot water introduced into the capsule cage to contact the drink substance with in the capsule;
- and
- a capsule-retaining device in operative association with the capsule cage, the capsule-retaining device being in retaining engagement with the capsule only in response to the capsule being softened and at least partially deformed upon contact with the hot water thereby retaining the capsule in the capsule cage once contact between the capsule and the hot water has been removed, wherein
- the capsule-retaining device comprises a bell-shaped internal wall of the capsule cage having an internal volume greater than a volume of the capsule in the capsule cage prior to contact with hot water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.