Patent ID: 7100496

Claim:
A combination of a unit for the preparation of a beverage from a soluble product and a disposable cartridge containing said soluble product, said unit including a collecting device with a seat designed to receive said cartridge, said cartridge including at least one inlet port for a suspension fluid introduced into the cartridge and at least one outlet port for delivery of the beverage including said soluble product and said suspension fluid; and at least a throttling arrangement to give said beverage a laminar flow as it is released from the cartridge, wherein: said at least one throttling arrangement is formed between said unit and said cartridge, said at least one outlet port is defined by at least one breaking line on a bottom wall of said cartridge, said collecting device comprises at least one piercing member designed to pierce said cartridge at said breaking line, said at least one throttling arrangement includes at least one engaging portion of said piercing member that has a shape and dimensions substantially equal to those of said outlet port, and the piercing member has a height that allows an upper end of the piercing member to exert a pressure on the breaking line upon insertion of the cartridge in the seal of the collecting device.