Modular manufacturing of beverage production machines

摘要

A modular method of manufacturing a set of beverage production machines with different beverage-related functions. The machines are designed for producing a beverage on the basis of pre-portioned ingredient packages. The method includes providing a plurality of identical core units having control circuitry and a beverage production module for housing an ingredient package and feeding a liquid to the interior of the ingredient package, providing a plurality of different base platforms that differ as to beverage production functions, and manufacturing a set of different beverage production machines by mounting respectively at least one of the core units on a top surface of one of the differing base platforms while also mounting water reservoirs on the base platforms.

主权项

1. A set of at least two different beverage production machines with each beverage production machine comprising a core unit provided with control circuitry, and a plurality of different base platforms that differ as to beverage production functions relating to the chemical, physical or mechanical processing of the liquid fed to the interior of the ingredient batch of the beverage production machine, with the set including at least one or more of (1) a first machine having a first base platform that includes means to process a first liquid comprising water and being in fluid and electric connection with the core unit of a first beverage production machine; (2) a second machine having a second base platform that includes means to process a second liquid comprising water and being in fluid and electric connection with the core units of two beverage production machines; and (3) a third machine having a third platform and a core unit in fluid and electric connection with the platform and including a milk frother to froth a third liquid comprising milk, wherein each beverage production module includes means for housing an ingredient batch and means for feeding a liquid comprising water to the interior of the ingredient batch, with at least one core unit being fixedly mounted on one of the different base platforms, wherein the first, second and third platforms differ between them in view of the dedicated respective combination with the core(s) and milk frother in order to provide different beverage production functions relating to the chemical, physical or mechanical processing of the liquid fed to the interior of the ingredient batch.