Apparatus and capsule for preparing a drink
Apparatus for making a drink or liquid food from a capsule ( 3 ) containing a substance to be mixed with water injected at pressure into the capsule, the apparatus comprising a mixing unit ( 4 ) with a capsule insertion channel ( 14 ), a capsule holder ( 8 ) with a mixing wall ( 22 ), an injecting head ( 10 ) for injecting water into the capsule, and an opening and closing mechanism ( 12 ) for producing a relative movement between the capsule holder and the injecting head to open and close the injecting head on the capsule holder. The insertion channel is inclined at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to a horizontal plane (HZ).
1. An apparatus and capsule for preparing a drink or a liquid foodstuff, the capsule containing a substance to be extracted by introducing pressurized water into the capsule, the apparatus comprising an extraction block with an introduction channel for introducing the capsule, a capsule-holder with a housing, an extraction wall, a sidewall, an injection head for injecting water into the capsule, and an opening and closing mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the capsule-holder and the injection head for opening and closing the injection head at the capsule-holder, wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle (α) between 30 and 70 degrees relatively to a horizontal plane (HZ) and in that the angle (γ) between a portion of the sidewall of the capsule-holder away from the introduction channel and the horizontal plane (HZ) is between 55 and 25 degrees, and wherein the mechanism for opening and closing the injection head comprises at least two jointed arms or pairs of arms, a first arm being pivotally mounted to the body of the extraction block and the other one pivotally mounted to the injection head, the first jointed arm having a shorter length than the second jointed arm.
2. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle between 40 and 50 degrees relatively to the horizontal plane, and the average angle between the sidewall and the horizontal plane is between 50 and 40 degrees.
3. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the extraction block comprises an orifice for ejecting the capsule oriented at a side angle β between 20 and 60 degrees, relatively to a vertical plane (PV) passing through an axis (IN) of the introduction channel.
4. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the side angle β is between 30 and 50 degrees.
5. An apparatus and capsule for preparing a drink or a liquid foodstuff, the capsule containing a substance to be extracted by introducing pressurized water into the capsule, the apparatus comprising an extraction block with an introduction channel for introducing the capsule, a capsule-holder with a housing, an extraction wall, a sidewall, an injection head for injecting water into the capsule, and an opening and closing mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the capsule-holder and the injection head for opening and closing the injection head at the capsule-holder, wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle (α) between 30 and 70 degrees relatively to a horizontal plane (HZ) and in that the angle (α) between a portion of the sidewall of the capsule-holder away from the introduction channel and the horizontal plane (HZ) is between 55 and 25 degrees, wherein the apparatus comprises a mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprising a pusher configured for engaging with the underside of a flange of the capsule when the injection head is moved up again to its open position, and wherein the mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprises a tie rod or tie rod portion integral with the pusher and comprising a hook configured so as to engage with a shoulder or hook of the injection head when it is moved upward again.
6. An apparatus and capsule for preparing a drink or a liquid foodstuff, the capsule containing a substance to be extracted by introducing pressurized water into the capsule, the apparatus comprising an extraction block with an introduction channel for introducing the capsule, a capsule-holder with a housing, an extraction wall, a sidewall, an injection head for injecting water into the capsule, and an opening and closing mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the capsule-holder and the injection head for opening and closing the injection head at the capsule-holder, wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle (α) between 30 and 70 degrees relatively to a horizontal plane (HZ) and in that the angle (γ) between a portion of the sidewall of the capsule-holder away from the introduction channel and the horizontal plane (HZ) is between 55 and 25 degrees, wherein the apparatus comprises a mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprising a pusher configured for engaging with the underside of a flange of the capsule when the injection head is moved up again to its open position, and wherein the mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprises a return spring pushing the pusher back into a setback position allowing insertion of a capsule into the housing of the capsule-holder.
7. An apparatus and capsule for preparing a drink or a liquid foodstuff, the capsule containing a substance to be extracted by introducing pressurized water into the capsule, the apparatus comprising an extraction block with an introduction channel for introducing the capsule, a capsule-holder with a housing, an extraction wall, a sidewall, an injection head for injecting water into the capsule, and an opening and closing mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the capsule-holder and the injection head for opening and closing the injection head at the capsule-holder, wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle (α) between 30 and 70 degrees relatively to a horizontal plane (HZ) and in that the angle (γ) between a portion of the sidewall of the capsule-holder away from the introduction channel and the horizontal plane (HZ) is between 55 and 25 degrees, wherein the apparatus comprises a mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprising a pusher configured for engaging with the underside of a flange of the capsule when the injection head is moved up again to its open position, and wherein the mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprises a cam engaging with the tie rod when the injection head moves closer to its open position in order to release a tie rod from the injection head.
8. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule-holder is pivotally mounted relatively to the body of the extraction block, the capsule-holder being pivotable from an extraction position to a position for ejecting the capsule, the apparatus further comprising a mechanism for ejecting the capsule comprising a rail configured for supporting a lower rim of the capsule when the capsule-holder is pivoted from its extraction position to its ejection position.
9. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 8 , wherein the rail has a shape such that the distance between the rail and the pivoting axis of the capsule-holder increases from the extraction position to the ejection position.
10. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 8 , wherein the rail has a curved and smoothed shape.
11. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule has a weight distribution such that its centre of gravity G is in a lower portion of the capsule.
12. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule is only partly filled to a level of less than 90% of the total volume of the interior of the capsule.
13. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , 5 , 6 , or 7 wherein the combination of the tilt angle (α) of the channel, of the weight, an external shape of the capsule and of a friction coefficient of the capsule against the channel is configured in order to ensure a peak velocity of the capsule at the instant just before it abuts against the sidewall of the housing of the capsule-holder, comprised between 0.5 ms −1 and 3.0 ms −1 .
14. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 1 , 5 , 6 or 7 wherein the combination of the tilt angle (α) of the channel, of the weight, an external shape of the capsule and of a friction coefficient of the capsule against the channel is configured in order to ensure a peak velocity of the capsule at the instant just before it abuts against the sidewall of the housing of the capsule-holder, comprised between 1.0 ms −1 and 2.0 ms −1 .
15. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 5 , 6 or 7 wherein the introduction channel is tilted at an angle between 40 and 50 degrees relatively to the horizontal plane, and the average angle between the sidewall and the horizontal plane is between 50 and 40 degrees.
16. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 5 , 6 , or 7 wherein the extraction block comprises an orifice for ejecting the capsule oriented at a side angle β between 20 and 60 degrees, relatively to a vertical plane (PV) passing through an axis (IN) of the introduction channel.
17. The apparatus and capsule according to claim 16 , wherein the side angle β is between 30 and 50 degrees.