Coffee bean packaging cartridge and coffee beverage system including same

1. A coffee beverage system, comprising:

a coffee bean packaging cartridge arranged for holding and supplying multiple servings of coffee beans, the cartridge comprising:

a container having an outer wall defining an interior volume and at least one exit opening defining a coffee bean outlet, the container holding at least one serving of coffee beans;

a conveyor adapted to be rotatably driven exteriorly of the cartridge for transporting the coffee beans towards the exit opening of the cartridge, wherein the rotatably driven conveyor includes a rotating conveyor disc and a permanent, non-removable closure member fitted to at least one end of the outer wall and including the exit opening, wherein the closure member has a relatively movable closing device for selectively opening and closing the exit opening, wherein in a closed condition the coffee beans are prevented from leaving the cartridge but content of the coffee beans in a form of gases can escape to surrounding air; and

a coupling device adapted for drivingly coupling the conveyor to a motor of a coffee brewing apparatus, wherein the cartridge is selectively positionable in an open position, wherein in the open position the exit opening allows coffee beans to leave the cartridge;

wherein the coffee bean packaging cartridge is removably connected to the coffee brewing apparatus wherein the motor drivingly engages the coupling device of the coffee bean packaging cartridge in its connected state for driving the conveyor for transporting coffee beans from the cartridge via its exit opening into the coffee brewing apparatus wherein the coffee brewing apparatus further comprises a control unit for controlling the motor, wherein a dosed amount of coffee for one serving is determined by a complete fill of a fixed or adjustable volume of a dosing chamber, and wherein part of a dosing volume is accommodated in a cavity of the coffee bean packaging cartridge and another part of the dosing volume is accommodated in the dosing chamber within the coffee brewing apparatus, wherein the cartridge further includes a connecting device for removably connecting the cartridge to the coffee brewing apparatus, wherein the relatively movable closing device includes a closing flap connected to the conveyor disc, and wherein the closing flap extends axially from the conveyor disc.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a dosing device for dosing an amount of coffee beans which, in use, is transported from the cartridge into the coffee brewing apparatus.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the dosing device comprises at least one of the conveyor and the relatively movable closing device.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the dosing device includes a metering chamber for receiving a portion of coffee beans corresponding to the dosed amount of coffee beans which is necessary for preparing a single serving of coffee beverage wherein the system is arranged for transporting the coffee beans from the cartridge into the metering chamber.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the dosing device further comprises an emptying device for emptying the metering chamber.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the emptying device is adapted to be controlled by the control unit.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the coffee brewing apparatus further comprises a grinder mechanism configured to grind coffee beans which are transported from the cartridge into the coffee brewing apparatus, wherein the grinder mechanism is controlled by the control unit.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit is arranged to start operation of the grinding mechanism only upon verifying occurrence of at least one of relatively movable closing device having closed an exit passage or the conveyor having interrupted.

9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the coffee brewing apparatus further comprises a brewing device for brewing coffee on the basis of ground coffee, starting from a supply of partly ground beans, broken beans, or whole beans, and water wherein the brewing device is controlled by the control unit.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is arranged to start operation of the brewing means only upon verifying occurrence of at least one of relatively movable closing device having closed the exit opening or the conveyor having interrupted.

11. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the grinding mechanism is adapted to receive a metered amount of coffee beans from the dosing device.

12. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the grinding mechanism, under control of the control unit, is adapted to be emptied automatically.

13. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the system is adapted to empty the grinding mechanism.

14. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the coffee brewing apparatus comprises a coffee bean entrance for supplying the coffee beans from the coffee bean packaging cartridge to the grinding mechanism.

15. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the coffee brewing apparatus is arranged for brewing the coffee beverages by supplying water for extraction to ground coffee from a water supply to the grinding mechanism, and wherein the system is further provided with a coffee beverage outlet for delivering the coffee beverages.

16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein about 20% of the dosing volume is accommodated in a cavity of the coffee bean packaging cartridge and about 80% of the dosing volume is accommodated in a dosing chamber within the coffee brewing appliance.