US 11,944,232 B2
Apparatus for making a beverage, comprising an image acquisition device
Maurizio Diamanti, Castel di Casio (IT); and Ivan Cati, Camugnano (IT)
Assigned to CAFFITALY SYSTEM S.P.A., Gaggio Montano (IT)
Appl. No. 17/258,608
Filed by CAFFITALY SYSTEM S.P.A., Gaggio Montano (IT)
PCT Filed Jul. 11, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/055926
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 7, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/012409, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102018000007178 (IT), filed on Jul. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0267407 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A47J 31/44 (2006.01); A47J 31/36 (2006.01); A47J 31/60 (2006.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01); H05B 3/86 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/4492 (2013.01) [A47J 31/3676 (2013.01); A47J 31/60 (2013.01); G02B 27/0006 (2013.01); H05B 3/86 (2013.01); H05B 2203/008 (2013.01); H05B 2203/013 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus (1) for making a beverage, comprising:
an infusion chamber (21) suitable for receiving a capsule containing a food substance for making a beverage;
an insertion opening (31) for inserting the capsule into the apparatus (1);
a transfer channel (32) for the capsule, which connects the insertion opening (31) to the infusion chamber (21);
an image acquisition device (4) which is intended, in use, to acquire at least one image of a portion of the capsule, the image acquisition device (4) including an optical sensor (42) facing an image capture zone (40) in which, in use, said capsule is located or passes;
a viewing window (45), made of transparent material, which is interposed between the optical sensor (42) and the image capture zone (40), the viewing window (45) having a first face (451) facing the optical sensor (42) and a second face (452) facing the image capture zone (40);
a heating element (6) applied to the viewing window (45) or incorporated in the viewing window (45), wherein the heating element (6) is an electrical resistor-type heater and is electrically connectable to an electricity supply, the heating element (6) being intended for heating the viewing window (45) during use of the apparatus (1), wherein the viewing window (45) has a central region (455), which is located on the optical path between the optical sensor (42) and the image capture zone (40), and a peripheral region (456) which is located around the central region (455); wherein the heating element (6) comprises an electrical conductor (61) which forms a heating electrical resistor and which is positioned at the peripheral region (456) of the viewing window (45).