Patent ID: 7644649

Claim:
Apparatus for preparing beverages comprising: an extraction module for delivering a beverage by supplying a pressurized liquid, a liquid feed tank of sufficient capacity for supplying the extraction module with several volumes of liquid for repeatedly supplying more than one beverage, and pressurizing means suitable for supplying the extraction module with pressurized liquid, a liquid feed chamber, having a capacity that is several times smaller than the capacity of the tank; the chamber being arranged, in a filling configuration, to communicate with the tank in order to be filled with liquid and, the chamber being arranged, in an extraction module feeding configuration, to communicate with the pressurizing means in order to pressurize the liquid in the chamber and to inject pressurized liquid into the extraction module and thereby permit delivery of the liquid through the extraction module, the pressurizing means comprises at least one autonomous reserve of pressurized gas, and in the extraction module feeding configuration, the gas enters into direct contact with the liquid present in the chamber while the tank remains isolated from the pressure with respect to the chamber, so that the liquid present in the tank is not subjected to the gas pressure exerted in the chamber, and wherein the apparatus further comprises valve means that are movable in at least two positions to act, in a chamber filling position, to place the chamber in the filling configuration, and in a position for feeding the extraction module by the chamber to permit the extraction of the portion in the extraction module, wherein the chamber is connected to a gas feed line of the autonomous reserve of pressurized gas.