Method for preparing a beverage

Abstract

A method for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in a capsule is provided. The method includes rotationally driving the capsule at an adjustable rotational speed while feeding liquid into the capsule and draining the beverage produced in the capsule by a beverage draining means. Flow resistance of the beverage draining means is modified by at least one valve, and a state of the at least one valve is controlled by external valve operating means to modify the flow resistance of the beverage draining means while draining the beverage. The external valve operating means applies a force from outside the beverage draining means, and a magnitude of the force is not based on the beverage flowing inside the beverage draining means.

1 . A device for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in a capsule, the device comprising:
 a capsule holder arranged for holding such capsule;   means for rotationally driving the capsule at an adjustable rotational speed;   a liquid feeding unit for feeding liquid into the capsule; and   beverage draining means for draining a beverage produced in the capsule, the beverage draining means comprising:   at least one valve, and   at least one external valve operating means that is arranged to control the state of the valve in order to modify the flow resistance of the beverage draining means.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the external valve operating means is arranged to control the state of the valve such that the higher the rotational speed, the higher the closing force of the valve. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the rotational speed is adjusted by flow-rate control means adjusting the flow rate such that a desired flow rate of the beverage is achieved. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the valve operating means may control the state of the valve such that the flow resistance of the beverage draining means increases in at least one subrange or the total of the range of the adjustable rotational speed. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is controlled such that the flow resistance of the beverage draining means is higher at a first rotational speed than at a second rotational speed, wherein the second rotational drive speed is lower than the first rotational speed. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the valve operating means controls the state of the valve such that:
 the valve is in a state of lower flow resistance when the rotational speed is between 0 rpm and a threshold rotational speed, and   the valve is in a state of higher flow resistance when the rotational speed is higher than the threshold rotational speed.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein, when the rotational speed is higher than the threshold rotational speed, the valve operating means control the state of the valve such that the valve:
 increases the flow resistance with increasing rotational speed, or   keeps constant the flow resistance with increasing rotational speed.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage draining means comprise a section which is arranged to be rotatable together with the capsule holder, and wherein the at least one valve is arranged in the rotatable section of the beverage draining means. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the external valve operating means comprise a valve member which is arranged to be displaced in a flow resistance increasing direction by centrifugal forces when a mass of the valve member or a mass connected thereto is rotated. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the valve member is arranged to be displaceable in rotation and/or translation. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising restoring force means biasing the valve towards a state with reduced flow resistance. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the restoring force means is a spring element external to the walls of the beverage draining means, or wherein the restoring force means is an integral resilient wall part of the beverage draining means. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a flexible membrane arranged to vary the free cross-section of the beverage draining means when displaced. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising capsule identification means and/or user interface means, wherein valve operating means control the state of the valve are designed to control the state of the valve based on information provided by the capsule identification means and/or user interface means. 
     
     
         15 . A method for preparing a beverage from a substance contained in a capsule, the capsule being placed in a beverage production device, the method comprising:
 rotationally driving the capsule at an adjustable rotational speed while feeding liquid into the capsule, and   draining the beverage produced in the capsule by a beverage draining means, wherein flow resistance of the beverage draining means is modified by at least one valve comprising an elastic membrane or a compressible beverage conduit,   wherein a state of the at least one valve is controlled by external valve operating means to modify the flow resistance of the beverage draining means while draining the beverage, wherein the external valve operating means applies a force from outside the beverage draining means which does not result from the beverage flowing inside the beverage draining means, wherein the flow resistance is modified by deforming the elastic membrane or compressible beverage conduit of the at least one valve in response to the force applied by the external valve operating means.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the external valve operating means comprises a valve compressing member. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising controlling, by the external valve operating means, the state of the at least one valve such that a higher rotational speed of the capsule corresponds with a higher closing force of the at least one valve. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising adjusting, by a flow-rate control member, the adjustable rotational speed of the capsule to thereby achieve a desired flowrate of the beverage. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising controlling, by the external valve operating means, the state of the at least one valve such that the flow resistance of the beverage draining means increases in at least one subrange or a total of a range of the adjustable rotational speed. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising controlling the at least one valve such that the flow resistance of the beverage draining means is higher at a first rotational speed than at a second rotational speed of the capsule, wherein the second rotational speed is lower than the first rotational speed. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising controlling, by the external valve operating means, the state of the at least one valve such that the at least one valve is in a state of lower flow resistance when the adjustable rotational speed is between 0 rpm and a threshold rotational speed, and the at least one valve is in a state of higher flow resistance when the adjustable rotational speed is higher than the threshold rotational speed. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising controlling, by the external valve operating means, the state of the at least one valve when the adjustable rotational speed is higher than the threshold rotational speed, such that the at least one valve increases the flow resistance when the adjustable rotational speed increases or keeps the flow resistance constant when the adjustable rotational speed increases. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising rotating a section of the beverage draining means together with a capsule holder that is holding the capsule, and wherein the at least one valve is arranged in a rotating section of the beverage draining means. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising displacing, by centrifugal forces, a valve member of the external valve operating means in a direction increasing the flow resistance. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the displacing of the valve member displaces the valve member in rotation and/or translation. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising biasing the at least one valve towards a state with reduced flow resistance. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the biasing of the at least one valve is by a spring external to walls of the beverage draining means or an integral resilient wall part of the beverage draining means. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising varying, by a flexible membrane in the at least one valve, a free cross-section of the beverage draining means when displaced. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 15 , controlling, by the external valve operating means, the state of the at least one valve based on information provided by a capsule identification member and/or a user interface.