Infusion unit for drinks with washing system
An infusion unit includes a moving element with a seat for ingredients for making beverages. The moving element is configured to shift from a position for charging the ingredients to an infusion position, where the seat is between a hot water dispensing device and a beverage outlet nozzle opposite one another. A washing member is integral to the moving element where, through the movement of the moving element, the washing member may be positioned between the hot water dispensing device and the beverage outlet nozzle for forming a washing channel. Through the washing channel, the water dispensed by the hot water dispensing device flows towards the beverage outlet nozzle.
1. An infusion unit for making beverages comprising:
a moving element movable among an ingredient charging position, an infusion position, and a washing position;
a seat within the moving element for an ingredient for making the beverages;
a washing member integral to the moving element, wherein the washing member and the seat are opposite to one another on the moving element;
a hot water dispensing device;
a beverage outlet nozzle, wherein the seat is positioned between the hot water dispensing device and the beverage outlet nozzle when the moving element is moved into the infusion position, and wherein the washing member is positioned between the hot water dispensing device and the beverage outlet nozzle when the moving element is moved into the washing position; and
a washing channel,
wherein the washing channel is completed when the moving element is moved into the washing position, and
wherein the water dispensed by the hot water dispensing device flows through the washing member via the completed washing channel and towards the beverage outlet nozzle to wash residues formed during a previous dispensing cycle.
2. The infusion unit of claim 1 , wherein the seat is configured for seating single-dose capsules containing the ingredients for making beverages.
3. The infusion unit of claim 1 , wherein the moving element is provided with a sliding movement according to a trajectory passing by the hot water dispensing device and the beverage outlet nozzle to take three alternative positions: the ingredient charging position, the infusion position and the washing position, the infusion position being intermediate between the charging position and the washing position.
4. The infusion unit of claim 1 , wherein the moving element further comprises a frame structure with an opening extending according to a longitudinal direction parallel to a direction of the movement of the moving element, the seat and the washing member being interchangeably arranged in the opening.
5. The infusion unit of claim 1 , wherein the washing member comprises a body with a top face and a bottom face, wherethrough an open conduit extends on the top face and on the bottom face, the top face forming a surface cooperating with the hot water dispensing device and the bottom face forming a surface cooperating with the beverage outlet nozzle.
6. The infusion unit of claim 5 , wherein the washing member further comprises seals on the top face and on the bottom face.
7. The infusion unit of claim 5 , wherein the body of the washing member has a substantially cylindrical shape.
8. The infusion unit of claim 5 , wherein the washing member is constrained to the moving element by an elastic connection.
9. The infusion unit of claim 5 , wherein the hot water dispensing device comprises a hydraulic closing system, wherein the hydraulic closing system includes a cylinder-piston actuator fed by a circuit of water under pressure that controls a closing movement of the dispensing device towards the seat, wherein the piston of the actuator is connected to a feeding conduit of hot water under pressure, and wherein the piston has a chamber for feeding the hot water under pressure with an outlet port of the hot water on a closing surface cooperating with the seat.
10. The infusion unit of claim 9 , wherein the closing surface is made and arranged for sealing on a surface of a single-dose capsule containing the ingredients for making the beverages seated in the seat.
11. The infusion unit of claim 9 , wherein the moving element follows a substantially rectilinear trajectory tilted relative to the horizontal.
12. The infusion unit of claim 9 , further comprising a discharge opening for spent capsules containing the ingredients for making the beverages.
13. The infusion unit of claim 11 , wherein the trajectory is inclined from the top downwards in the advance direction from the charging position to the infusion position and towards the discharge opening.
14. The infusion unit of claim 12 , further comprising a stopping element for retaining a capsule in an infusion position between the hot water dispensing device and the beverage outlet nozzle when the moving element is returned to the charging position, wherein the moving element comprises an ejector for ejecting the capsule from the infusion position when the subsequent movement is carried out from the charging position to the infusion position, wherein the ejecting pushes the capsule held into infusion position towards the discharge opening.
15. The infusion unit of claim 12 , wherein the seat is configured for receiving a capsule of ingredients for making the beverages and for releasing a capsule in the infusion position when the moving element is moved from the infusion position to the charging position.
16. The infusion unit of claim 12 , wherein the beverage outlet nozzle comprises a counter pressure valve that opens when the pressure of the beverage being prepared has reached a predetermined value.
17. The infusion unit of claim 12 , wherein the seat comprises a pair of oscillating arms defining a seat for single-dose capsules containing the ingredients for making the beverages.
18. The infusion unit of claim 12 , wherein the seat is configured for seating a container with a filtering wall for containing the ingredients for making the beverages.