US 12,402,744 B2
Apparatus and method for preparing a beverage
Andrew Charles Bentley, Banbury (GB); Nicholas Andrew Hansen, Banbury (GB); Willem Johan Plantinga, Utrecht (NL); and Henrik Johan Dees, Utrecht (NL)
Assigned to Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V., Utrecht (NL)
Appl. No. 17/414,896
Filed by Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V., Utrecht (NL)
PCT Filed Dec. 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/085750
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/127344, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1821105 (GB), filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0061578 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. A47J 31/053 (2006.01); A23F 5/26 (2006.01); A47J 31/00 (2006.01); A47J 31/46 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/053 (2013.01) [A23F 5/26 (2013.01); A47J 31/002 (2013.01); A47J 31/468 (2018.08)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of preparing a beverage or beverage extract comprising steps of:
a. providing an extraction chamber comprising an extractable beverage material, a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet,
b. providing a liquid conveying means comprising at least one pump configured to convey a liquid through the extraction chamber alternately via the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet,
c. conveying a liquid into the extraction chamber via the liquid inlet and at least a portion of the liquid out of the extraction chamber via the liquid outlet,
d. dispensing a portion of the liquid that has exited the extraction chamber from step c); and
e conveying a portion of the liquid that has exited the extraction chamber from step c) back into the extraction chamber via the liquid outlet and conveying at least a portion of the liquid conveyed back into the extraction chamber out of the extraction chamber via the liquid inlet;
wherein in steps c) and e) the liquid does not come into contact with the liquid conveying means after the liquid has gathered material from the extraction chamber and the liquid does not flow into the pump outlet.