US 12,280,347 B2
Machine for preparing fluid products and method for preparing a formulation of fluid products by means of such a machine
Edoardo Rossetti, Calderara di Reno (IT); Marco Rossetti, Calderara di Reno (IT); and Marco Lunghini, Calderara di Reno (IT)
Assigned to ALFA S.R.L., Bologna (IT)
Appl. No. 17/768,400
Filed by Alfa S.r.l., Bologna (IT)
PCT Filed Oct. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/059039
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/070154, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000023191 (IT), filed on Oct. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0071789 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B01F 33/85 (2022.01); B01F 35/22 (2022.01); B01F 101/30 (2022.01)
CPC B01F 33/85 (2022.01) [B01F 35/2207 (2022.01); B01F 2101/30 (2022.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine for preparing fluid products, comprising:
at least two dispensing modules for dispensing measured quantities of at least one fluid product in order to obtain a finished fluid product, the dispensing modules being disposed adjacent one another and being positioned one above the other and defining at least two levels of the machine, each dispensing module comprising:
at least one module inlet;
at least one module outlet different from the at least one module inlet;
at least one operating dispensing zone, at least one container being selectively locatable in the at least one operating dispensing zone;
at least one pump device for dispensing upon request measured quantities of at least one fluid product in the at least one operating dispensing zone;
at least one tank for fluid products connected to the at least one pump device; and
at least one transport device for transporting at least one container from the at least one module inlet to the at least one module outlet by passing the at least one container through the at least one operating dispensing zone;
the machine further comprising:
at least one machine inlet for introducing to the machine the at least one container;
at least one machine outlet different from the at least one machine inlet for removing from the machine the at least one container;
a transport path for the at least one container, the transport path being defined between the at least one machine inlet and the at least one machine outlet, the at least one machine inlet being disposed to communicate, with continuity of transport, with the at least one module inlet of one of the dispensing modules and the at least one machine outlet communicating, with continuity of transport, with the at least one module outlet of one of the dispensing modules, the transport path being configured to sequentially pass through all of the dispensing modules between the at least one machine inlet and the at least one machine outlet, the at least one transport device of each of the dispensing modules transporting the at least one container along the transport path, and the at least one container being selectively locatable in one or more of the at least one operating dispensing zones to receive a predetermined measured quantity of fluid products; and
at least one vertical transport device configured for transporting the at least one container from one level to another along the transport path from the at least one machine inlet to the at least one machine outlet.