Abrégé

Methods are described for creating shapes for the frozen liquid contents stored within single- serve pods used in dispensing machines for products such as coffee. Shapes may include freezing a liquid held statically in the pod in various orientations. Methods may include freeze/thaw/refreeze strategies, freezing the liquid while the pod is spinning or tumbling, use of preforms from molds, preforms made with probes, and/or use of preforms that have been formed by extrusion or pressing. In some embodiments, a shape is produced that does not interfere with the entrance of entrance or exit needles projected into the pod by the dispenser and shapes that do not interfere with the flow of a melting/diluting liquid during its transit from entrance to exit needle.

Classes IPC  ?

• A23L 2/38 - Autres boissons non alcoolisées
• A23F 5/24 - Extraction du caféExtraits de caféFabrication du café instantané
• A23F 5/38 - Agglomération, mise en flocons ou en tablettes
• A23G 9/04 - Production de desserts glacés, p. ex. de glaces

Abrégé

A method and equipment for extracting dissolvable solids from small particles using a staged, counter-current battery of centrifuges is described. The advantages gained by working with particles having a mean diameter smaller than 50 microns and doing the extraction with the particles dispersed in a non-flowing liquid are (1) a significant reduction in the concentration gradient of the dissolvable solids across the diameter of the particles and throughout the body of particles being extracted in a comparable standard column battery and (2) higher overall yields because extraction can be conducted to a uniform limit rather than being constrained by a local (surface or column position) limit. As regards coffee extraction, the equipment and method are intended for the production of high quality concentrated coffee extracts rather than the production of soluble or instant coffee.

Classes IPC  ?

• A47J 31/22 - Centrifugeuses pour préparer du café-filtre
• A23F 5/26 - Extraction des constituants solubles dans l'eau

Abrégé

Systems (400) for and methods of controlled liquid food or beverage product creation are provided. A method of producing a liquid product from a receptacle (110) containing frozen liquid contents (120) includes receiving the receptacle (110) containing a frozen liquid contents in a dispenser (400), identifying a characteristic of the receptacle, the contents, and/or a desired product, melting at least a portion of the contents to generate the product by selectively heating the receptacle and/or the contents without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle and/or supplying a liquid to the interior of the receptacle, wherein the selectively heating without adding liquid to the interior of the receptacle and/or suppling the liquid is based on the identified characteristic. The method also includes perforating the receptacle (110) and dispensing the product from the receptacle (110).

Classes IPC  ?

• A47J 31/40 - Appareils à préparer des boissons avec des moyens de distribution pour ajouter une quantité mesurée d'ingrédients, p. ex. du café, de l'eau, du sucre, du cacao, du lait, du thé
• A47J 31/36 - Appareils à préparer le café dans lesquels l'eau chaude passe sous pression à travers le filtre avec de l'eau chaude sous pression d'un liquide avec des moyens mécaniques pour produire la pression
• A23G 9/04 - Production de desserts glacés, p. ex. de glaces

Abrégé

Systems for controlled heating and/or agitation for liquid food or beverage product creation are disclosed. A dispenser (400) for producing a food or beverage liquid product from a frozen contents (120) in a receptacle (110, 1700) includes a chamber configured to hold a receptacle containing the contents and a dilution liquid inlet configured to supply a dilution liquid to the interior of the receptacle. The dispenser also includes a perforator (1720) configured to perforate the receptacle (1700) and form a product outlet from the receptacle for the liquid product and an agitator configured to impart motion to the receptacle (110, 1700) and/or the contents in the receptacle that increases a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by at least a portion of dilution liquid, when supplied, relative to a flow path from the liquid inlet to the product outlet taken by the portion of dilution liquid without the imparted motion.

Classes IPC  ?

• A47J 31/40 - Appareils à préparer des boissons avec des moyens de distribution pour ajouter une quantité mesurée d'ingrédients, p. ex. du café, de l'eau, du sucre, du cacao, du lait, du thé
• A47J 31/36 - Appareils à préparer le café dans lesquels l'eau chaude passe sous pression à travers le filtre avec de l'eau chaude sous pression d'un liquide avec des moyens mécaniques pour produire la pression

Abrégé

The techniques provide for a reconfigurable extraction column length based on the number of columns from a plurality of columns configured for use in an extraction apparatus. The apparatus includes a plurality of columns that each have an inlet, a central portion configured to hold extractable material during an extraction process, and an outlet. The reconfigurable extraction apparatus also includes a piping system connected to each of the plurality of columns that can selectively connect each of the plurality of columns, such that each column from the plurality of columns can be configured for an extraction process either singularly or in series or in parallel with one or more other columns from the plurality of columns, administering a solvent to one or more of the plurality of columns, and outputting the solvent after an extraction process occurs in the one or more of the plurality of columns.

Classes IPC  ?

• A23F 5/26 - Extraction des constituants solubles dans l'eau

Abrégé

Techniques and systems are provided for continuous production of a coffee extract product. A method includes roasting green coffee beans in a roaster, which may be a continuous roaster, and grinding the roasted beans in a grinder, which may be a continuous grinder. The ground roasted coffee beans are brewed in a continuous brewing station, where the ground roasted coffee beans and water co-flow through a tube during the brewing process. The tube has dimensions selected to provide a desired brewing time. The brewed coffee is separated into a liquid coffee extract and coffee grounds. The liquid coffee extract is cooled to a desired temperature, packaged, and frozen.

Classes IPC  ?

• A47J 31/06 - Filtres ou passoires pour appareils à café et à thé
• A47J 31/42 - Appareils à préparer des boissons avec des moyens incorporés pour moudre ou torréfier le café
• A23N 12/08 - Machines à nettoyer, blanchir, sécher, griller ou torréfier les fruits ou les légumes, p. ex. le café, le cacao, les noix à sécher, griller ou torréfier
• A23F 5/00 - CaféSuccédanés du caféLeur préparation

Abrégé

Apparatuses and processes for creating a consumable liquid food or beverage product from frozen contents is provided. A receptacle is configured for insertion into an apparatus. The receptacle includes a tapered sidewall, an end layer, and a closure defining a cavity; a frozen content is disposed within the cavity. The cavity has empty space not occupied by the frozen content. The receptacle is perforable, and the frozen content is displaceable from a first position in contact with the end layer into a second position in the empty space. When melted and/or diluted with a liquid, the frozen content provides a final food or beverage product.

Classes IPC  ?

• A23F 5/24 - Extraction du caféExtraits de caféFabrication du café instantané
• B65D 85/72 - Réceptacles, éléments d'emballage ou paquets spécialement adaptés à des objets ou à des matériaux particuliers pour produits comestibles sous forme liquide, semi-liquide, plastique ou pâteuse
• B65D 85/804 - Réceptacles ou emballages jetables dont le contenu est infusé ou dissous en restant dans l'emballage