CARTRIDGE HOLDER FOR BEVERAGE MACHINE

摘要

A beverage making machine may include a cartridge holder to hold a cartridge used to form a beverage. The cartridge holder may include a lower portion arranged to receive and hold the cartridge and a movable upper portion arranged to clamp the cartridge in place. The cartridge holder may be arranged to hold upper and lower compartments of the cartridge in spaces having a different pressure, e.g., an upper compartment of the cartridge may be held under relatively high pressure, and a lower compartment may be held in a space at ambient pressure. The cartridge holder may pierce upper and/or lower compartments of the cartridge to introduce activating fluid and/or receive carbonating gas from the upper compartment, and/or to introduced pressurized air into the lower compartment to force beverage medium to exit.

主权项

1. A beverage making machine, comprising:
a precursor liquid supply to provide precursor liquid used to form a beverage; a tank having an inlet coupled to the precursor liquid supply, and an outlet to deliver precursor liquid from the tank to a dispensing station; and a cartridge holder arranged to receive and hold a cartridge used to form a beverage with the precursor liquid, the cartridge having an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the cartridge holder including a lower portion arranged to receive and hold the cartridge and a movable upper portion arranged to move to clamp the cartridge in place in the lower portion, wherein the cartridge holder is arranged to hold the upper and lower compartments in spaces having a different pressure.