Beverage preparation machine with cleanable brewing head
The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine ( 1 ) for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule ( 12 ) by injection of a fluid into said capsule ( 12 ), said machine comprising: —a capsule holder ( 8 ) for holding a capsule, said holder ( 8 ) having a cup-shaped body ( 27 ), a handle portion ( 28 ), and a dispensing opening ( 29 ) through the bottom portion ( 30 ) of said body ( 27 ); —a fluid conduction system comprising a fluid reservoir ( 2 ), a fluid pump, optionally a fluid heater, said reservoir, pump and heater being connected by fluid pipes; —a brewing head ( 3 ) having an aperture for receiving said capsule holder ( 8 ), and an injection support ( 17 ) connected to the fluid conduction system; —an injection plate ( 18 ) supported by said support ( 17 ), said injection plate ( 18 ) comprising an upper surface ( 23 ) with a fluid coupling ( 32 ) connected to the fluid conduction system through said support, said injection plate ( 18 ) further comprising a fluid conducting channel ( 24 ) connecting the fluid coupling ( 32 ) to a fluid injection element ( 19 ) located in the lower surface ( 22 ) of said injection plate ( 18 ), such that said injection element ( 19 ) is able to inject fluid into the capsule ( 12 ), characterized in that said injection plate ( 18 ) further comprises at least one cleaning channel ( 21 ) independent from the fluid conducting channel ( 24 ) connecting its upper ( 23 ) and lower ( 22 ) surfaces, said cleaning channel(s) ( 21 ) being suitable for circulating fluid at least from the lower surface ( 22 ) towards the upper surface ( 23 ) of said injection plate ( 18 ).
1. A beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule by injection of a fluid into the capsule, the beverage preparation machine comprising:
a capsule holder for holding the capsule, the capsule holder having a cup-shaped body, a handle portion, and a dispensing opening through a bottom portion of the cup-shaped body;
a fluid conduction system comprising a fluid reservoir and a fluid pump, the fluid reservoir, the fluid pump and a heater being connected by fluid pipes;
a brewing head having an aperture configured to receive the capsule holder, and an injection support connected to the fluid conduction system; and
an injection plate supported by the injection support, the injection plate comprising an upper surface with a fluid coupling connected to the fluid conduction system through the injection support, the injection plate further comprising a fluid conducting channel connecting the fluid coupling to a fluid injection element located in a lower surface of the injection plate, such that the fluid injection element is able to inject the fluid into the capsule,
the injection plate further comprises at least one cleaning channel independent from the fluid conducting channel connecting the upper surface and the lower surface of the injection plate, the at least one cleaning channel configured to circulate the fluid at least from the lower surface towards the upper surface of the injection plate,
the upper surface of the injection plate comprises an overflow directing channel fluidly connecting an upper aperture of the at least one cleaning channel to an opening of the overflow directing channel that is positioned to direct the fluid exiting through the opening of the overflow directing channel toward a cup tray.
2. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , comprising a closing member operable between an open position wherein the capsule holder can be inserted or removed from the brewing head, and a closed position wherein the capsule holder and the injection plate are moved towards each other such that the injection plate can inject the fluid into the capsule.
3. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the injection plate is releasably mounted on the injection support at an injection side of the brewing head by a releasable connection member, wherein the releasable connection member comprises a latch member configured to removably lock the injection plate to the injection support.
4. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the injection of the fluid into the capsule is performed under pressure.
5. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid injection element is a needle which projects into the brewing head, such that the fluid injection element is able to pierce through a wall of the capsule inserted in the brewing head.
6. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid injection element is a series of injection holes forming a liquid shower at an injection side of the injection plate.
7. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 6 , wherein the series of injection holes are connected to a common fluid inlet at the injection support by a common manifold.
8. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the injection plate comprises a substantially concave portion, wherein a lowermost level point of the substantially concave portion coincides with one of the at least one cleaning channel of the injection plate.
9. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule holder comprises a dispensing opening having a diameter ranging between 1 and 10 mm.
10. A process for cleaning an injection plate of a beverage preparation machine, the process comprising the steps of, in order:
(i) inserting a capsule holder in a brewing head of the beverage preparation machine, the capsule holder having a dispensing opening with a diameter of between 1 and 10 mm, or alternatively inserting a capsule in the capsule holder, the capsule having side walls, a bottom wall, an upper opening, and a dispensing opening located through a bottom and/or the side walls, the dispensing opening having a diameter of between 1 and 10 mm;
(ii) injecting fluid from a reservoir of the beverage preparation machine through a fluid system into the capsule holder, or the capsule, until the fluid fills the capsule holder or capsule, overflows upwardly through a cleaning channel of an injection plate, and contacts an upper surface of the injection plate; and
(iii) stopping the fluid injection to let the injected fluid to flow by gravity from an upper surface of the injection plate, through the cleaning channel, into the capsule holder, or the capsule, through the dispensing opening of the capsule holder or the capsule into a receptacle located hereunder.
11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid is hot water, or a hot descaling solution.
12. The process according to claim 10 , comprising repeating steps (ii) and (iii) a predetermined number of times.
13. A beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule by injection of a fluid into the capsule, the beverage preparation machine comprising:
a capsule holder for holding the capsule, the capsule holder having a cup-shaped body, a handle portion, and a dispensing opening through a bottom portion of the cup-shaped body;
a fluid conduction system comprising a fluid reservoir and a fluid pump, the fluid reservoir, the fluid pump and a heater being connected by fluid pipes;
a brewing head having an aperture configured to receive the capsule holder, and an injection support connected to the fluid conduction system; and
an injection plate supported by the injection support, the injection plate comprising an upper surface with a fluid coupling connected to the fluid conduction system through the injection support, the injection plate further comprising a fluid conducting channel connecting the fluid coupling to a fluid injection element located in a lower surface of the injection plate, such that the fluid injection element is able to inject the fluid into the capsule,
the injection plate further comprises at least one cleaning channel independent from the fluid conducting channel connecting the upper surface and the lower surface of the injection plate, the at least one cleaning channel configured to circulate the fluid at least from the lower surface towards the upper surface of the injection plate,
the beverage preparation machine further comprising a control board configured for the beverage preparation machine to inject the fluid from the reservoir of the beverage preparation machine through the fluid system into the capsule holder or the capsule until the fluid fills the capsule holder or the capsule, overflows upwardly through the at least one cleaning channel of the injection plate, and contacts the upper surface of the injection plate; and to stop the fluid injection to let the injected fluid to flow by gravity from the upper surface of the injection plate through the at least one cleaning channel.