Beverage machine carriable single-handed
A machine ( 1 ) for preparing a beverage ( 3 ) has a beverage processing unit ( 10, 20 ) formed of a first processing unit member ( 10 ) and a second processing unit member ( 20 ) that delimit a chamber ( 21 ) and that are movable between a distant configuration in which a flavouring ingredient ( 2 ) is received in the chamber ( 21 ) and a proximate configuration in which the flavouring ingredient ( 2 ) is held and mixed with the water ( 4 ) in the chamber ( 21 ). The machine includes: a water source for delivering the water ( 4 ) towards the beverage processing unit ( 10, 20 ); a water guide ( 30 ) for guiding the water ( 4 ) between the water source and the chamber ( 21 ); and a support structure ( 70 ) having a base ( 72 ) that comprises a main outside housing ( 72 ′), a fluid line support ( 72 ′″) and a supporting foot ( 72 IV ) at a bottom of the main outside housing ( 72 ′). The processing unit ( 10, 20 ) and the water guide ( 30 ), and optionally the water source, are supported by the base ( 72 ). The foot ( 72 IV) is configured to rest on an external substantially horizontal surface and is located right below a beverage dispensing area ( 90 ) configured to receive a user-receptacle ( 100 ). The housing ( 72 ′) extends in an upright manner from the foot ( 72 IV ). The fluid line support ( 72 ′″) is located at an upper part, e.g. at a top, of the housing ( 72 ′) to hold the processing unit ( 10, 20 ) right above the foot ( 72 IV ), such that the support structure ( 70 ) is substantially L-shaped or C-shaped or inverted G-shaped. The housing ( 72 ′) has a gripping surface ( 722 ) to facilitate hand gripping. The surface ( 722 ) extends between the foot ( 72 IV ) and the fluid line support ( 72 ′″) for seizing the support structure ( 70 ) single-handed and carrying the machine ( 1 ).
1 . A machine for preparing a beverage from a flavouring ingredient by mixing water with the flavouring ingredient by centrifugally driving the flavouring ingredient with the water, the machine comprising:
a beverage processing unit formed of a first processing unit member and a second processing unit member that delimit a chamber and that are movable between a distant configuration in which the flavouring ingredient is received in the chamber and a proximate configuration in which the flavouring ingredient is held and mixed with the water in the chamber during beverage preparation;
a water supply tank for delivering the water towards the beverage processing unit, wherein the water supply tank extends vertically from the beverage processing unit;
a water guide for guiding the water between the water supply tank and the chamber, wherein the flavouring ingredient is supplied into the chamber within a capsule, and wherein the first processing unit member is configured to delimit a water inlet of the chamber and/or a beverage outlet out of the chamber, the water inlet forming an extremity of the water guide, the water inlet and/or the beverage outlet being formed by and/or associated with one or more corresponding piercing elements for piercing the capsule;
a support structure having a base that comprises a main outside housing, a fluid line support, and a supporting foot at a bottom of the main outside housing, the main outside housing being stationary during beverage preparation, the beverage processing unit and the water guide being supported by the base, the supporting foot being configured to rest on an external substantially horizontal surface during beverage preparation and being located right below a beverage dispensing area configured to receive a user-receptacle in a position for collecting the beverage from the beverage processing unit;
the main outside housing extending in an upright manner from the supporting foot, the fluid line support being located at an upper part of the main outside housing to hold the beverage processing unit right above the supporting foot when oriented to prepare the beverage; and
the main outside housing has a gripping surface to facilitate hand gripping, extending between the supporting foot and the fluid line support for seizing the support structure single-handed.
2 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the gripping surface extends over:
a height of at least 3 cm; and
a portion of a horizontal outside perimeter having a length in a range 3 to 30 cm.
3 . The machine of claim 1 , which comprises a beverage collector, the beverage collector being configured to collect the beverage from the beverage processing unit during beverage preparation, the beverage collector having at least one collecting wall directing the beverage out of the beverage collector to the beverage dispensing area.
4 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the water guide extends uprightly from the beverage processing unit to the water supply tank.
5 . The machine of claim 4 , wherein the water guide extends to a bottom part of the water supply tank.
6 . The machine of claim 1 , which comprises one or more electric devices, a control device and a user-interface, all of the one or more electric devices being confined in and/or comprised in the main outside housing and/or the supporting foot, and wherein the beverage processing unit, the water supply tank and the water guide are located entirely outside the main outside housing and outside the supporting foot.
7 . The machine of claim 1 , which comprises an actuator that is supported by the support structure and that has a driving output member, the driving output member being coupled to the beverage processing unit for driving the beverage processing unit in rotation to centrifugally drive the flavouring ingredient with the water in the chamber.
8 . The machine of claim 7 , wherein the beverage processing unit is driven by the driving output member via a transmission, the beverage processing unit being located externally to the main outside housing so that the actuator is substantially shielded by the main outside housing from the beverage processing unit and from the beverage during beverage preparation, the transmission extending through a transmission opening of the main outside housing to couple the beverage processing unit and the driving output member.
9 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein one of the first processing unit member or the second processing unit member is provided with a cavity delimiting the chamber, the first processing unit member and the second processing unit member in their distant configuration being configured for direct manual insertion into the cavity of the first processing unit member or the second processing unit member delimiting the chamber containing the flavouring ingredient.
10 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the water supply tank is configured to contain a limited amount of the water that corresponds to a maximum amount needed for a serving.
11 . The machine of claim 10 , wherein the machine is configured to deliver all the water contained in the water supply tank for preparing a serving of the beverage; and/or the limited amount of the water is in a range of 200 to 1000 ml; and/or the water supply tank comprises an indication arrangement.
12 . The machine of claim 11 , wherein the indication arrangement is a marking system on the water supply tank to indicate different levels of water amounts below the maximum amount corresponding to different types of beverage servings.
13 . The machine of claim 1 , which is configured to:
prepare the beverage: without thermally conditioning the water delivered from the water supply tank into the chamber.
14 . The machine of claim 1 , which is configured to deliver the water from the water supply tank into the chamber at an average rate for a beverage serving in a range of 10 to 300 ml/min.
15 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the beverage processing unit is arranged in order to rotate the chamber at a speed in a range of 500 to 10000 RPM to prepare the beverage.
16 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the supporting foot delimits and forms a placement surface for supporting the user-receptacle in the beverage dispensing area.
17 . A combination of a machine for preparing a beverage from a flavouring ingredient by mixing water with the flavouring ingredient by centrifugally driving the flavouring ingredient with the water and the flavouring ingredient, the machine comprising:
a beverage processing unit formed of a first processing unit member and a second processing unit member that delimit a chamber and that are movable between a distant configuration in which the flavouring ingredient is received in the chamber and a proximate configuration in which the flavouring ingredient is held and mixed with the water in the chamber during beverage preparation;
a water supply tank for delivering the water towards the beverage processing unit, wherein the water supply tank extends vertically from the beverage processing unit;
a water guide for guiding the water between the water supply tank and the chamber,
wherein the flavouring ingredient is supplied into the chamber within a capsule, and wherein the first processing unit member is configured to delimit a water inlet of the chamber and/or a beverage outlet out of the chamber, the water inlet forming an extremity of the water guide, the water inlet and/or the beverage outlet being formed by and/or associated with one or more corresponding piercing elements for piercing the capsule;
a support structure having a base that comprises a main outside housing, a fluid line support and a supporting foot at a bottom of the main outside housing, the main outside housing being stationary during beverage preparation, the beverage processing unit and the water guide being supported by the base, the supporting foot being configured to rest on an external substantially horizontal surface, during beverage preparation and being located right below a beverage dispensing area configured to receive a user-receptacle in a position for collecting the beverage from the beverage processing unit;
the main outside housing extending in an upright manner from the supporting foot, the fluid line support being located at an upper part of the main outside housing to hold the beverage processing unit right above the supporting foot when oriented to prepare the beverage; and
the main outside housing has a gripping surface to facilitate hand gripping, extending between the supporting foot and the fluid line support for seizing the support structure single-handed.
18 . The machine of claim 17 , wherein the supporting foot delimits and forms a placement surface for supporting the user-receptacle in the beverage dispensing area.