Patent Description:
In many households, numerous different spices are available for cooking. Often users do not know how to make use of the different spices when cooking a food item, in particular with regards to mixing and dosing different spices.

A spice storage and dispensing system according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is described in <CIT>.

The present document addresses the technical problem of increasing the comfort when creating spice mixtures and/or of increasing the quality of spice mixtures. The technical problem is solved by each of the independent claims. Preferred examples are described in the dependent claims.

According to an aspect, a spice storage and dispensing system is described. The system comprises a base station with a plurality of different storage containers for storing a corresponding plurality of spices. The base station may be designed to be placed onto a workplace of a kitchen. The base station may comprise a power cord for providing a power supply to the base station. The base station may have a cylindrical (notably a circular cylindrical) housing, e.g. with a diameter of <NUM> or less (e.g. between <NUM> and <NUM>) and/or with a height of <NUM> or less.

The housing of the base station may exhibit a well, which is configured to take up a dispensing device of the system. The well may have a depth of <NUM> or more (e.g. between <NUM> and <NUM>). The well may have a cylindrical, notably a circular cylindrical, shape. The well may be positioned at the center, notably around the center axis, of the housing of the base station.

The base station may comprise means for setting the air pressure, the temperature and/or the humidity within the plurality of storage containers of the base station. As a result of this, the base station may be configured to provide a reliable storage for spices.

The system further comprises a dispensing device which is configured to be coupled to the base station (e.g. by placing the dispensing device within the well of the base station) for transferring a spice from the base station to the dispensing device. Furthermore, the dispensing device is configured to be decoupled from the base station (e.g. by taking out the dispensing device from the well of the base station) for dispensing the spice from the dispensing device onto a food item.

The dispensing device may be designed to be held within the hand of a user. In particular, the dispensing device may have a diameter of <NUM> or less and/or a height of <NUM> or less. The dispensing device may e.g. have the shape of a handheld spice grinder.

In a preferred example, the housing of the dispensing device exhibits a corresponding shape with regards to the shape of the well, such that the dispensing device can be placed within the well for coupling the dispensing device with the base station. The well and the dispensing device may be designed such that <NUM>% or more of the height of the dispensing device lies within the well, when the dispensing device is placed within the well, thereby ensuring a reliable transfer of spices from the base station to the dispensing device.

As indicated above, the well of the base station may have a cylindrical, notably a circular cylindrical, shape. The housing of the dispensing device may have a corresponding cylindrical, notably a corresponding circular cylindrical, shape. As a result of this, the transfer of spices may be performed in a particularly flexible and reliable manner.

The dispensing device comprises at least one storage container configured to take up a spice (notably a spice mixture) from one or more storage containers of the base station, when the dispensing device is coupled with the base station (notably when the dispensing device is placed within the well of the base station). Hence, the dispensing device may be configured to be charged or filled with one or more spices from the base station, when coupling the dispensing device with the base station.

Furthermore, the dispensing device comprises a controllable dispensing unit configured to dispense the spice from the storage container of the dispensing device. The dispensing unit may (at least partially) be placed at the bottom of the dispensing device. The dispensing device comprises a control element (e.g. a button) configured to cause the dispensing unit to dispense the spice from the storage container of the dispensing device, when being actuated by a user. The dispensing device may be used in a comfortable manner to spice a food item.

Hence, a system is described which comprises a handheld dispensing device that is configured to be refilled in a comfortable and reliable manner with spices from a base station.

The plurality of storage containers of the base station may be placed around the well, notably such that spices from the respective storage containers are directly transferable to the dispensing device, notably to the one or more storage containers of the dispensing device, placed within the well. In particular, the well may be located at the center, notably around the center axis, of the base station. The plurality of storage containers of the base station may be positioned on a circle around the well, notably around the center axis of the well or of the base station. As a result of this, a particularly efficient transfer of spices from the base station to the dispensing device may be provided.

In an example, the dispensing device comprises a corresponding plurality of storage containers to the plurality of storage containers of the base station. The system may be configured to transfer spices from a storage container of the base station to a corresponding storage container of the dispensing device (in a one-to-one correspondence), when the dispensing device is coupled with the base station (notably when the dispensing device is placed within the well of the base station). As a result of this, refilling of the storage containers of the dispensing device can be achieved in a particularly efficient manner.

The (circular cylindrically shaped) dispensing device may be configured to be turned within the well, notably around the center axis of the well, to cause the storage container of the dispensing device to sequentially face a different one of the plurality of storage containers of the base station. Turning of the dispensing device may then be used to selectively transfer spices from the storage container of the base station facing the storage container of the dispensing device to the storage container of the dispensing device. Hence, a turning movement of the dispensing device within the well may be used to efficiently and reliably transfer different spices to the dispensing device, e.g. for creating a spice mixture within the storage container of the dispensing device.

The system (notably the base station) may comprise a transfer mechanism configured to transfer a defined amount of spices from a container of the base station to the container of the dispensing device, when the dispensing device is coupled with the base station (notably when the dispensing device is placed within the well of the base station). The transfer mechanism may comprise a transfer channel for guiding spices from a (selected) container of the base station to the container of the dispensing device. The transfer channel may be configured to be opened when the dispensing device is coupled with the base station, and to be closed when the dispensing device is decoupled from the base station.

The transfer mechanism may e.g. comprise a fan for generating an air stream configured to carry spices across the transfer channel, and/or a worm shaft configured to withdraw spices from a container of the base station.

By providing a transfer mechanism, a precise and reliable transfer of spices from the base station to the dispensing device may be achieved.

The system may comprise a user interface, notably a user interface of the base station and/or a user interface of a separate personal electronic device (e.g. a smartphone) of the user of the system. The base station may comprise a control unit which is configured to determine a recipe for a spice mixture, wherein the recipe may have been selected by the user via the user interface. The recipe may have been selected from a list of recipes.

Furthermore, the control unit of the base station may be configured to trigger the generation of the spice mixture within the storage container of the dispensing device (based on the determined recipe) using the spices from one or more spice containers of the base station. For this purpose, the control unit may be configured to control one or more actuators of the base station in dependence of the determined recipe, to transfer spices from one or more storage containers of the base station to the storage container of the dispensing device, in order to generate the spice mixture (e.g. for generating the spice mixture in an automatic manner). Alternatively, or in addition, the control unit may be configured to output one or more instructions to the user via the user interface to cause the user to support the transfer of spices from one or more storage containers of the base station to the storage container of the dispensing device, in order to generate the spice mixture (e.g. for generating the spice mixture in a semi-automatic manner and/or in a manual manner). By taking into account data from a recipe, a spice mixture may be generated in a precise and reliable manner within the dispensing device.

The dispensing device may comprise a scent interface configured to be opened or closed to enable a user to smell and/or to taste the spice comprised within the storage container of the dispensing device, when being opened. By providing a specific scent interface within the dispensing device, the comfort for the user may be further increased.

The dispensing device may comprise a battery configured to store electrical energy for enabling an autonomous operation of the dispensing device, when the dispensing device is decoupled from the base station. The base station may comprise a charging unit for charging the battery of the dispensing device, when the dispensing device is coupled with the base station (notably when the dispensing device is placed within the well of the base station). As a result of this, the comfort of use of the dispensing device may be increase further.

The dispensing device may comprise a control unit configured to track the amount of spices that has (actually) been dispensed from the at least one storage container of the dispensing device. Furthermore, the control unit may be configured to cause a recipe for a spice mixture to be created and/or updated and stored on a data storage or memory unit (e.g. a data storage unit of the base station and/or a data storage unit of a server) based on the tracked amount of dispensed spices. Hence, the user may be enabled to create new spice mixtures in a comfortable and precise manner.

Furthermore, a base station is described, which comprises any one or more base station related features from this document. In addition, a dispensing device is described which comprises any one or more dispensing device related features from this document.

It should be noted that the systems including its preferred embodiments as outlined in the present document may be used stand-alone or in combination with the other systems disclosed in this document. In addition, the features outlined in the context of a system are also applicable to a corresponding method.

As outlined above, the present document is directed at enabling a user to create high quality spice mixtures in a comfortable manner. In this context, <FIG> shows a base station <NUM> and <FIG> shows a dispensing device <NUM> of a spice dispensing system. <FIG> and <FIG> show different states of the spice dispensing system <NUM>.

The base station <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> with a well (or slot) <NUM>, into which the dispensing device <NUM> can be placed for refilling the one or more spice containers <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> with spices <NUM>. The well <NUM> may be advantageously placed in the center of the housing <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. The well <NUM> may exhibit a cylindrical (notably a circular cylindrical) shape, for taking up the dispensing device <NUM> having a housing <NUM> with a corresponding shape. The well <NUM> may extend from the upper surface of the housing <NUM> of the base station <NUM> downwards towards the lower surface of the housing <NUM> of the base station <NUM>.

The base station <NUM> comprises a plurality of spice containers <NUM> for storing a corresponding plurality of different spices <NUM>. The spice containers <NUM> may be arranged around the central well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. A spice container <NUM> comprises a cover <NUM> which is configured to be opened for filling a spice <NUM> into the container <NUM>, and which is configured to be closed for protecting the spice <NUM> within the container <NUM>.

The base station <NUM> comprises a user interface <NUM> with an output unit (e.g. a display) for outputting information to a user of the base station <NUM> and/or with an input unit (e.g. one or more input buttons) for user input. The user interface <NUM> may allow a user to select a recipe for a spice mixture and/or to initiate the creation of a spice mixture.

The dispensing device <NUM> shown in <FIG> comprises a (cylindrical) housing <NUM> which is adapted to the shape of the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. Furthermore, the dispensing device <NUM> comprises one or more storage containers <NUM> which are each configured to take up a spice <NUM> or a spice mixture. The dispensing device <NUM> exhibits at the bottom of the housing <NUM> a dispensing unit <NUM> which is configured to dispense a spice <NUM> or spice mixture from the one or more containers <NUM> onto a food item <NUM>. Dispensing of the spice <NUM> or spice mixture may be controlled using a control element <NUM> (e.g. a button) which may be conveniently placed at the top of the housing <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>.

The dispensing device <NUM> may be configured to dispense the spice <NUM> or spice mixture from the one or more spice containers <NUM> through the dispensing unit <NUM>, in reaction to a user actuating the control element <NUM>.

The dispensing device <NUM> may exhibit a scent interface <NUM> which allows a user to smell the spice <NUM> or spice mixture within the one or more spice containers <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>. The scent interface <NUM> may e.g. be coupled with the one or more spice containers <NUM> via one or more air ducts. The scent interface <NUM> may comprise a cover for closing and/or for opening the scent interface <NUM>, thereby allowing the spice <NUM> or spice mixture to be stored in a reliable manner.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the dispensing device <NUM> may be inserted into the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>, e.g. such that <NUM>% or more of the length or height of the dispensing device <NUM> is contained within the base station <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). Once the dispensing device <NUM> is located within the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>, the one or more storage containers <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> may be refilled with a spice <NUM> or a spice mixture from the plurality of storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. For this purpose, a refill or transfer mechanism may be used.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of the cross section of the spice dispensing system <NUM>, within the dispensing device <NUM> being placed within the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. The illustrated cross section cuts the spice dispensing system <NUM> in half, with the section plane being oriented perpendicular to the ground that the base station <NUM> is standing on.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the dispensing device <NUM> may be placed within the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM> such that a storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> is facing a storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. For transferring a spice <NUM> from the storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM>, a transfer channel <NUM> may be established between the storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM> and the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>. This may be achieved e.g. by providing a pipe at the storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM> which opens a door (such as a flap or a valve) of the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>, when the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> is positioned in front of the storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM>.

Once the storage container <NUM> of the base station <NUM> is coupled to the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> via a transfer channel <NUM>, spice <NUM> may be transferred <NUM> via the transfer channel <NUM> from the base station <NUM> to the dispensing device <NUM>. This may be achieved by making use of a worm shaft or by making use of an air stream. The transfer channel <NUM> may allow to dose the amount of spice <NUM> that is being transferred from the base station <NUM> to the dispensing device <NUM>. The base station <NUM> may comprise an electrical actuator <NUM> which is configured to actuate the transfer mechanism (e.g. a motor for turning the worm shaft or a fan for generating the air stream).

The base station <NUM> may comprise a control unit <NUM> which is configured to control the operation of the base station <NUM>, notably with regards to the transfer of one or more spices <NUM> from one or more containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM> to the dispensing device <NUM>. In particular, the control unit <NUM> may enable a user of the base station <NUM> to select a recipe for a spice mixture which is to be transferred from the base station <NUM> to the dispensing device <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> may have access to a list of different recipes, which may be stored on a local data storage unit (not shown) of the base station <NUM> and/or which may be provided to the base station <NUM> from an external server <NUM> via a (wireless) communication interface <NUM>.

The user interface <NUM> of the base station <NUM> may enable the user to scroll through the list of recipes and to select an appropriate recipe. The list of recipes, which is provided to the user, may depend on the plurality of spices <NUM> which are stored in the plurality of storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. In particular, the list of recipes may be determined such that the list of recipes only comprises recipes for spice mixtures, which can be created using the spices <NUM> that are stored within the base station <NUM>.

The user may select a recipe from the list of recipes via the user interface <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> may then cause the base station <NUM> to transfer one or more spices <NUM> from one or more storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM> to the dispensing device <NUM>, in accordance to the selected recipe. This may be performed automatically. Alternatively, or in addition, the control unit <NUM> may guide the user via the user interface <NUM> through the mixing process for creasing the spice mixture corresponding to the selected recipe. By way of example, the user may be asked to turn the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> sequentially to different storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM>, so that spices <NUM> from the different storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM> can be transferred to the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>.

After having created a spice mixture within the dispensing device <NUM> using one or more spices <NUM> from the base station <NUM>, the user may withdraw the dispensing device <NUM> from the well or slot <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. The dispensing unit <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> may then be positioned above a food item <NUM>, and the control element <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> may be actuated for causing the dispensing unit <NUM> to dispense some or all of the spice mixture from the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM> onto the food item <NUM>.

The dispensing device <NUM> may comprise a battery <NUM> which is configured to store electrical energy for enabling an autonomous operation of the dispensing device <NUM>. The base station <NUM> may comprise a charging unit (not shown) for charging the battery <NUM>, when the dispensing device <NUM> is placed within the (well <NUM> of the) base station <NUM>.

The dispensing device <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> which is configured to control the operation of the dispensing device <NUM>, notably to control the operation of the dispensing unit <NUM> and/or the operation of the scent interface <NUM>. In particular, an actuator of the dispensing device <NUM> (not shown) may be controlled for causing the dispensing unit <NUM> to dispense the spice mixture from the storage container <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>.

Hence, a spice dispensing system <NUM> is described which comprises a base station <NUM> that acts as a relatively big storage space for herbs and/or spices <NUM>. Furthermore, the spice dispensing system <NUM> comprises a relatively small dispenser device or dispensing device <NUM>, which is configured to be placed in a well <NUM> in the middle of the base station <NUM> and which may be used for dispensing the right amount of herbs or spices <NUM> within a meal in a comfortable manner.

The base station <NUM> comprises a plurality of storage containers <NUM> for storing herbs and/or spices <NUM> in an appropriate manner (e.g. within a (partial) vacuum and/or at a defined temperature). The base station <NUM> may comprise means (e.g. a pump) for generating a (partial) vacuum within one or more storage containers <NUM>. Alternatively, or in addition, the base station <NUM> may comprise means for setting the temperature and/or the humidity within one or more storage containers <NUM> to a target temperature and/or to a target humidity level. The herbs and/or spices <NUM> may be stored as powder or in pieces.

The dispensing device <NUM> may be filled from the one or more storage containers <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. This transfer process may be controlled by a user via a user interface <NUM> of the base station <NUM> and/or via a software application provided on an electronic device (e.g. a smartphone or tablet PC) of the user. Alternatively, or in addition, a manual transfer of herbs and/or spices <NUM> from the base station <NUM> to the dispensing unit <NUM> may be enabled (when the dispensing device <NUM> is placed within the well <NUM> of the base station <NUM>). The dispensing device <NUM> may then be used to spice a food item <NUM>. The dispensing may be controlled by the user or may be performed automatically (e.g. according to the amount defined within a recipe).

The list of recipes may be stored and/or updated on the base station <NUM>, on an external server <NUM> and/or on an electronic device of the user (e.g. using a software application). The user may be enabled to select and/or to edit a recipe.

The dispensing device <NUM>, notably the control unit <NUM> of the dispensing device <NUM>, may be configured to track the amount of a spice or spice mixture <NUM> that has been dispensed by the dispensing device <NUM>. The actually dispensed amount may deviate from the amount that is indicated within a recipe. This information may be used by the control unit <NUM> to update the recipe and/or to create a new recipe (based on the actually dispensed amount of spice or spice mixture <NUM>).

The dispensing device <NUM> and/or the base station <NUM> may have different operation modes, such as.

As indicated above, the dispensing device <NUM> may comprise a scent interface <NUM> which enables a user to smell and/or to taste a spice <NUM> or spice mixture before usage. Furthermore, the dispensing device <NUM> may comprise a motor <NUM> powered by a battery <NUM> for dispensing one or more spices <NUM>.

The spice storage and dispensing system <NUM> described herein allows a user to properly store herbs <NUM>, to create and to dispense a mixture of herbs <NUM> in a precise and comfortable manner, and possibly to easily smell and/or taste herbs <NUM>. A software application for an electronic device may be provided to enable a comfortable and reliable control of the system <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A spice storage and dispensing system (<NUM>) comprising
- a base station (<NUM>) with a plurality of different storage containers (<NUM>) for storing a corresponding plurality of spices (<NUM>); and
- a dispensing device (<NUM>) which is configured to be coupled to the base station (<NUM>) for transferring a spice (<NUM>) from the base station (<NUM>) to the dispensing device (<NUM>); and to be decoupled from the base station (<NUM>) for dispensing the spice (<NUM>) onto a food item (<NUM>); wherein the dispensing device (<NUM>) comprises
- at least one storage container (<NUM>) configured to take up a spice (<NUM>) from one or more storage containers (<NUM>) of the base station (<NUM>), when the dispensing device (<NUM>) is coupled with the base station (<NUM>); and
- a controllable dispensing unit (<NUM>) configured to dispense the spice (<NUM>) from the storage container (<NUM>) of the dispensing device (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the dispensing device (<NUM>) comprises a control element (<NUM>) configured to cause the dispensing unit (<NUM>) to dispense the spice (<NUM>) from the storage container (<NUM>) of the dispensing device (<NUM>), when being actuated by a user.