Cartridge extraction device

1. A device for receiving an ingredient cartridge and extracting the ingredient by passing liquid through the cartridge for preparing a beverage, comprising:

a cartridge seat for receiving the cartridge for extraction, the cartridge seat comprising a first cartridge support and a second cartridge support facing the first cartridge support, the first and second cartridge supports being movable relative to one another from an open position for insertion or removal of the cartridge into the seat to a closed position for passing liquid through the cartridge;

a beverage outlet connected to the cartridge seat for dispensing beverage during extraction; and

a liquid injection arrangement comprising a pump for pressurising and circulating liquid from a source via the cartridge seat into the beverage outlet, the liquid injection arrangement comprising a valve between the pump and the cartridge seat, the liquid injection arrangement configured to selectively release, via the valve, pressure from the pressurised liquid in the injection arrangement after the pump is stopped, so as to inhibit dripping from the beverage outlet, the liquid injection arrangement configured to maintain liquid in the injection arrangement from the pump to the cartridge seat after the pump is stopped, and the liquid injection arrangement comprising a second valve designed to build up a controlled pressure in unheated circulating liquid, at least one support of the first and second cartridge supports is hydraulically actuatable and movable into the closed position by the liquid injection arrangement, and the liquid injection arrangement is configured to:

pressurise and circulate unheated liquid to the at least one support for actuating and moving the at least one support by the circulating unheated pressurised liquid; and

guide the circulating unheated pressurised liquid under pressure from the at least one support via a heater into the cartridge seat for extracting the ingredient.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a one-way valve.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement is configured:

in a first mode, to release the pressure and maintain the liquid upon pressure release in the liquid injection arrangement between the pump and the cartridge seat; and

in a second mode, to purge the liquid from the injection arrangement between the pump and the cartridge seat by venting the injection arrangement therebetween through the valve.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement is designed to open the pressure release valve for a period of time of at least 0.05 sec.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement comprises an inline heater between the pump and the cartridge seat, the valve being located between the pump and the heater.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement is configured to delay after the pump is stopped the release of pressure in the liquid.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the hydraulically movable cartridge support moves away from the facing support by the pressure release in the liquid injection arrangement via the valve.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement injects heated liquid into the cartridge seat through a liquid inlet in one of the cartridge supports, the facing cartridge support having an outlet for dispensing liquid upon extraction of the ingredient.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cartridge supports is movable towards and away from the facing cartridge support by a mechanical drive arrangement.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pump provides a pressure in the range of 5 to 25 bar in the liquid circulated into the cartridge seat.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid injection arrangement delays after the pump is stopped the release of pressure in the liquid for a period of time ranging from 0.1 to 5 sec.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hydraulically movable cartridge support comprises a hydraulic piston movable in a piston chamber, the liquid injection arrangement being connected to the piston chamber for injecting pressurised liquid into the chamber and driving hydraulically the support with the piston against the facing support into the closed position, the liquid injection injecting unheated pressurised liquid into the piston chamber and guiding via the in-line heater the liquid under pressure from the piston chamber into the cartridge seat, the piston chamber having an inlet and an outlet for circulating pressurised liquid through the piston chamber while the cartridge supports are in the closed position.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein a drip tray is associated with a used cartridge collector, for collecting liquid draining from in-between the cartridge supports that are moved away from one another.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein a force transmission lever is selected from the group consisting of a knuckle arrangement, a force transmission gear arrangement, and a spur gear arrangement.

15. A device for receiving an ingredient cartridge and extracting the ingredient by passing liquid through the cartridge for preparing a beverage, comprising:

a cartridge seat for receiving the cartridge for extraction, the cartridge seat comprising a first cartridge support and a second cartridge support facing the first support, the first and second cartridge supports being movable relative to one another from an open position for insertion or removal of a cartridge into the seat to a closed position for passing liquid through such a cartridge;

a beverage outlet connected to the cartridge seat for dispensing beverage during extraction; and

a liquid injection arrangement comprising a pump for pressurising and circulating liquid from a source via the cartridge seat into the beverage outlet, the liquid injection arrangement comprising a valve between the pump and the cartridge seat, the liquid injection arrangement configured to selectively release, via the valve, pressure from the pressurised liquid in the injection arrangement and maintain liquid in the injection arrangement from the pump to the cartridge seat after the pump is stopped, so as to inhibit dripping from the beverage outlet, and the liquid injection arrangement configured to pressurise and circulate unheated liquid to the at least one support for actuating and moving the at least one support by the circulating unheated pressurised liquid, and to guide the circulating unheated pressurised liquid under pressure from the at least one support via a heater into the cartridge seat for extracting the ingredient, and at least one support of the cartridge supports being hydraulically actuatable and movable into the closed position by the liquid injection arrangement.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one hydraulically movable cartridge support comprises a hydraulic piston movable in a piston chamber, the liquid injection arrangement being connected to the piston chamber for injecting pressurised liquid into the chamber and driving hydraulically the support with the piston against the facing support into the closed position, the liquid injection injecting unheated pressurized liquid into the piston chamber and guiding via the in-line heater the liquid under pressure from the piston chamber into the cartridge seat, the piston chamber having an inlet and an outlet for circulating pressurised liquid through the piston chamber while the cartridge supports are in the closed position.