Beverage Dispensing Machine

Abstract

A beverage dispensing machine ( 2 ) has a housing that provides a receptacle for receiving an expandable cartridge ( 12 ) that is coupled into the machine so that it can receive a charge of water. A kneading system ( 40 ) is provided to act on the cartridge within the receptacle. The kneading system is activated after water has been allowed to enter the cartridge and mechanically acts on or from the exterior of the cartridge in order to compress and release regions of the cartridge in order to create vigorous agitation to move the contents of the cartridge around inside the main compartment and bring them into close contact with a charge of water from the supply. Such a machine allows a wide variety of beverages to be created conveniently on demand from freeze-dried ingredients that can be stored inside the cartridges with a long shelf life.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A machine for producing a beverage comprising reconstituted freeze-dried fruit and/or vegetable ingredients, the machine comprising: a water supply; a housing comprising a receptacle for receiving a sealed flexible, expandable cartridge having an inlet section adapted to be coupled to the water supply, a main compartment with major surfaces on each side, and an outlet section; coupling means to allow a charge of chilled water to enter the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge; and a kneading system configured to act mechanically on the exterior of the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge to move ingredients inside the sealed flexible cartridge and bring the ingredients into close contact with the water under a hydrostatic pressure less than 10 kiloPascal. 
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the kneading system comprises at least one roller that moves over a surface of the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge in order to compress and release regions of the sealed flexible cartridge. 
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one roller has independently movable segments. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the kneading system comprises a pivotally mounted paddle and a driving mechanism for rocking the paddle against the main compartment of the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the kneading system comprises an electromagnetic transducer configured to drive a paddle to act mechanically on the exterior of the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge. 
     
     
         21 . The machine of  claim 16 , wherein the kneading system comprises an ultrasound source acting from the exterior of the sealed flexible, expandable cartridge. 
     
     
         22 . A sealed flexible cartridge, comprising a sealed pouch having an expandable main compartment and inlet and outlet sections, that merge with the expandable main compartment, wherein the main compartment has major surfaces on each side and contains freeze-dried fruit and/or vegetable ingredients and/or freeze-dried fruit or vegetable juice, and further wherein at least one of the major surfaces is ridged, corrugated or dimpled on at least an internally facing surface, wherein the cartridge is adapted for use in the machine of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         23 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein the main compartment further comprises a compressible foam filter adjacent the outlet section and adapted to be acted on by the kneading system of the machine. 
     
     
         24 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 22 , further comprising a non-return valve adjacent the inlet section to allow water to enter but not exit the main compartment. 
     
     
         25 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein the main compartment further comprises one or more permeable walls such that during activation of the kneading system, at least part of the contents of the cartridge is pushed through the one or more permeable walls to facilitate the mixing and homogenization of the beverage. 
     
     
         26 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 23 , further comprising a separately sealed compartment disposed in the outlet section downstream of the filter to house additional ingredients. 
     
     
         27 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein the main compartment is divided into multiple ingredient compartments, each provided with a separate inlet section. 
     
     
         28 . The sealed flexible cartridge of  claim 27 , wherein each of the multiple ingredient compartments is provided with a separate outlet section.