System for preparing a beverage from ingredients supported by an encoded insert

Abstract

A device prepares a beverage from a food substance contained in a capsule by injection of a liquid into the capsule. The liquid is provided by a pump of the device. The device includes an extraction head having an aperture for inserting a capsule-holder providing the capsule to a capsule-holder receiving chamber of the device, a closing mechanism to selectively enclose the capsule in the capsule-holder receiving chamber, at least one injection member to supply a liquid received from the pump to the inside of the capsule, a control unit for controlling at least the pump of the device, and decoding means connected to the control unit and designed to read information from the capsule-holder.

1 . A capsule holder designed for insertion into an aperture of a device for preparing a beverage from ingredients contained in a capsule by injection of a liquid into the capsule, the capsule-holder comprising:
 a housing comprising walls that form an inside configured for receiving the capsule;   the walls comprising a front wall having an inner surface facing the inside and an outer surface comprising at least one magnet; and   a handle diametrically opposite to the front wall.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule holder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is positioned to interact with a magnetic material provided on a rear wall of a capsule-holder receiving chamber when the capsule holder is inserted into the capsule-holder receiving chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule holder of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one magnet of the front wall and the magnetic material of the capsule-holder receiving chamber interact by a method selected from the group consisting of optically, magnetically, by contact, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule holder of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises at least two magnets symmetrically arranged thereon. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule holder of  claim 4 , wherein the at least two magnets interact equally with a magnetic material provided on a rear wall of a capsule-holder receiving chamber when the capsule holder is inserted into the capsule-holder receiving chamber to assure correct placement of the capsule holder in the capsule-holder receiving chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule holder of  claim 1  further comprising means for detecting and decoding information transmitted by the capsule. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule holder of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least two outlets. 
     
     
         8 . An insert designed for insertion, in lieu of a capsule-holder, into a device for preparing a beverage from ingredients contained in a capsule by injection of a liquid into the capsule, the insert comprising:
 a front wall comprising encoding means for interaction with decoding means provided in the device in which the insert is designed to be inserted;   a base comprising a water injection interface configured to accommodate an injection member of the device; and   a handle located opposite to the front wall on the insert.   
     
     
         9 . The insert of  claim 8 , wherein the encoding means comprises at least one magnet. 
     
     
         10 . The insert of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one magnet is positioned to interact with a magnetic material provided on a rear wall of an insert receiving chamber of the device when the insert is inserted into the insert receiving chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The insert of  claim 8 , wherein the encoding means comprises at least two magnets symmetrically arranged thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two magnets interact equally with a magnetic material provided on a rear wall of an insert receiving chamber when the insert is inserted into the insert receiving chamber to assure correct placement of the insert in the insert receiving chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The insert of  claim 12 , wherein the insert further comprises a plurality of injection outlets.