Beverage extraction device

• US 10,292,524 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: Erikawa, Hajime, Nishikawa, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Keasel, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/586,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20170325618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/36 with mechanical pressure-producing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3614 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3619 Means to remove coffee after brewing
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4403 Constructional details

Abstract

A beverage extraction device includes a cylinder having a bottomed cylindrical shape; a piston member configured to move close to and away from a bottom portion of the cylinder, the beverage extraction device being configured to extract a beverage from a beverage raw material and hot water that are fed through an upper surface opening of the cylinder by a movement of the piston member and discharge the extracted beverage through a discharge passage connected to the bottom portion; and a cover member configured to move between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The cover member includes a scraper portion configured to remove an extraction residue placed on the piston member closing the upper surface opening when the cover member moves from one to another of the fully opened position and the fully closed position.

Claims

1. A beverage extraction device, comprising:

a cylinder having a bottomed cylindrical shape;

a piston member including a plurality of through holes and having a disk shape, the piston member being configured to move close to and away from a bottom portion of the cylinder in a state that a side surface of the piston member is in contact with an inner surface of the cylinder, the beverage extraction device being configured to extract a beverage from a beverage raw material and hot water that are fed through an upper surface opening of the cylinder by a movement of the piston member and discharge the extracted beverage through a discharge passage connected to the bottom portion; and

a cover member configured to move between a fully opened position at which the upper surface opening is fully opened and a fully closed position at which the upper surface opening is closed, wherein

the cover member includes a scraper portion configured to remove an extraction residue placed on the piston member closing the upper surface opening when the cover member moves from one to another of the fully opened position and the fully closed position.

2. The beverage extraction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an air supply passage that is connected to the bottom portion, the air supply passage supplying air from an air supply unit into the cylinder;

a discharge regulation member configured to open and close the discharge passage, the discharge regulation member allowing the beverage to pass through the discharge passage in an opened state and regulating the beverage to pass through the discharge passage in a closed state; and

an air supply regulation member configured to open and close the air supply passage, the air supply regulation member allowing the air to pass through the air supply passage in an opened state and regulating air to pass through the air supply passage in a closed state, wherein

the cover member is driven by a drive source commonly used to the discharge regulation member and the air supply regulation member.

3. The beverage extraction device according to claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to dispose the piston member at a bottom dead point at which the piston member approaches closest to the bottom portion, upon receiving a start instruction, and drive the air supply unit while keeping the discharge regulation member in the closed state and the air supply regulation member in the opened state when the hot water is fed into the cylinder.

4. The beverage extraction device according to claim 3, wherein the cover member is configured to move to be disposed at a midway position where a part of the upper surface opening of the cylinder is closed, the midway position being a position between the fully opened position and the fully closed position, and when the cover member is disposed at the midway position, the cover member closes a supply port of a supply unit for supplying the beverage raw material while allowing the hot water to be fed into the cylinder through the upper surface opening.

5. The beverage extraction device according to claim 2, wherein the cover member is configured to move to be disposed at a midway position where a part of the upper surface opening of the cylinder is closed, the midway position being a position between the fully opened position and the fully closed position, and when the cover member is disposed at the midway position, the cover member closes a supply port of a supply unit for supplying the beverage raw material while allowing the hot water to be fed into the cylinder through the upper surface opening.

6. The beverage extraction device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is configured to move to be disposed at a midway position where a part of the upper surface opening of the cylinder is closed, the midway position being a position between the fully opened position and the fully closed position, and when the cover member is disposed at the midway position, the cover member closes a supply port of a supply unit for supplying the beverage raw material while allowing the hot water to be fed into the cylinder through the upper surface opening.