US Patent 9687108 Beverage machine cartridge holder with damped movement

A method and apparatus for opening and closing a cartridge holder of a beverage forming machine. The cartridge holder may have an opening arranged to receive and hold a cartridge with the cartridge holder in an open position, e.g., the opening may face a front of the beverage forming machine and be in an upwardly inclined position in the open position. A cam and cam follower may cause the cartridge holder to pivot and move to a closed position, e.g., in which the opening of the cartridge holder is in a downwardly inclined orientation. Rotation of the cartridge holder may be damped in at least a portion of movement between the open and closed positions.