Capsule-based system for preparing and dispensing a beverage
The present invention relates to dispensing of a substance from a container by means of a dispensing apparatus. Specifically, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to (1) a container and (2) the automated method for opening such container and (3) the automated method of dispensing of the contents from such container into a customer receptacle or glass.
1 . A method of making a beverage from a beverage capsule using a machine comprising:
accepting a beverage capsule into the machine, the beverage capsule having a capsule body, rim and lid, and containing a beverage mix;
the machine reading a barcode or numerical code on the capsule or lid with an optical reader and identifying the beverage mix in the capsule;
the machine cracking said capsule open by tearing the capsule body along a crease by rotating the capsule body away from the rim;
the machine determining a correct quantity of mixing liquid based on identification of the beverage mix on said code;
forcing the beverage mix out of the capsule and into a dispensing orifice with the mixing liquid stream.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said code is a bar code.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mixing liquid stream is at ambient temperature being neither chilled nor heated.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mixing liquid stream is water.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the mixing stream is filtered in the machine.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the capsule body is rotated 45 degrees with respect to the rim.
7 . The method of claim I wherein said step of determining is performed by a processor in said machine.
8 . A method of dispensing a beverage with a machine comprising:
accepting a beverage container into the machine from a user by providing the user with instructions to place the beverage container in the machine, the beverage capsule having a capsule body, capsule rim, solid or liquid beverage mix in the capsule and capsule lid, the capsule lid sealed to the capsule rim;
with a sensor, sensing if the beverage container is present, the machine reading a barcode or numerical code on the capsule lid or capsule body with an optical reader, the barcode or numerical code containing information specifying the beverage mix in the capsule;
determining the liquid beverage mix from the barcode or numerical code;
providing the user with instructions to close the compartment lid over the capsule;
pivoting the capsule rim away from the capsule body cracking the capsule open along a crease in the capsule body;
determining a quantity of mixing liquid to be injected into the capsule from identification of the beverage mix contained in said code;
injecting a flow of mixing liquid into the capsule;
further injecting mixing liquid into the capsule flushing its contents into a dispensing port thus dispensing the beverage into the beverage container.
9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising: the machine sensing when the beverage container has been removed the machine by the user, and opening a recycle bin, crushing the capsule, and forcing it into the recycle bin.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the mixing liquid is water.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the water is chilled.