Coffee machine

• US 20050034606A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thermoplan AG
• Original Assignee: Thermoplan AG
• Inventors: In Albon, Jean-Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/806,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/284
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2201/00 Devices having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/52 Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus ; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/521 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A coffee machine is provided with a housing frame (10), with at least one extraction device (20) for production of the coffee, an electronic control unit (40) and a hot water or steam supply (50). The extraction device (20), the control unit (40) and the hot water or steam supply (50) are each assigned to a black box (62, 63, 64, 65) provided with at least one transponder or similar for recording certain data and/or registration of certain functional processes. The recorded data can be analysed, notably by a computer program. In this way the coffee machine can be optimally serviced and hence the lifetime of the individual functional units increased.

Claims

1-18. -18. (Cancelled)

19. Coffee machine with at least one extraction device for producing coffee, an electronic control unit and a hot water and/or steam supply, wherein the extraction device, the control unit and/or the hot water respectively the steam supply are each assigned a black box provided with at least one transponder or similar to record certain data and/or register certain functional processes, while the recorded data can be analyzed in particular by a computer program.

20. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein the data of the black boxes stored in the transponders which are in the form of memory can be captured and transferred directly or via a network connection, advantageously the internet, to a computer for analysis.

21. Coffee machine according to claim 20, wherein the data stored in the transponders can be read off by means of a wireless or a cable-connected reader unit.

22. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein the data transfer from the transponders can be conducted via control modules directly via the internet into a mainframe or similar in which this transmitted data is analyzed and, where necessary, replies are sent or a service technician is notified to provide repair or maintenance.

23. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein the black boxes are attached onto functional units of the coffee machine forming independent modules, which can be slid into the housing frame and are provided with connection parts which are coupled in the slid-in condition with corresponding connection parts of the housing frame.

24. Coffee machine according to claim 23, wherein the functional units fixed to the housing, which are designed as extraction device for production of coffee, as electronic control unit, as hot water or steam supply or others, are each assigned a black box.

25. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein, in the case of the extraction device for producing coffee, the number of motor activations for driving the brewing cylinder and/or the grinders, the number of valve openings for the hot water feed and/or other values are recorded in the black box.

26. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein, in the case of the electronic control unit (40), functional processes and time lapses are recorded in the black box on actuation.

27. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein for each of the black boxes is designed in such a way that it can be used to record error messages and the status of the coffee machine.

28. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein for the hot water or steam supply, the water quantities, marches of pressure and/or temperature or other values are recorded in the black box.

29. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein a reader of proximity or insertable identity cards is included.

30. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein the black boxes are attached to the housing frame or chassis.

31. Coffee machine according to claim 19, wherein the extraction device has a piston-cylinder unit with a brewing cylinder and with a two-part piston, where this piston displays a front and a rear piston part which are connected with each other on their outer sheath by a seal with a U-shaped cross-section, where the latter is fixed all around on the lips on its end to one or other piston part.

32. Device for electronic recording of certain data, in particular for individual functional units, incorporating a transponder chip with firstly a data source and secondly a reader, wherein the device displays a number of coils disposed in a black box and isolated from each other, of which a first coil is connected electrically with a control unit acting as a data source, registering certain functional processes and time lapses, where the transponder chip is also integrated into the black box and connected to the second coil which has an electromagnetic effective connection with the first coil.

33. Device according to claim 32, wherein the transponder chip is in the form of an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

34. Device according to claim 33, wherein the data stored on the transponder chip can be read off using a reader.

35. Device according to claim 33, wherein the data stored on the transponder chip can be deleted and the transponder chip is designed to be overwritten.

36. Application of the device according to claim 32, for a coffee machine displaying a number of functional units, wherein the individual functional units are provided with their own devices connected via cables to the control unit and designed in the form of a black box.

37. Device according to claim 34, wherein the data stored on the transponder chip can be deleted and the transponder chip is designed to be overwritten.

38. Application of the device according to claim 33, for a coffee machine displaying a number of functional units, wherein the individual functional units are provided with their own devices connected via cables to the control unit and designed in the form of a black box.

39. Application of the device according to claim 34, for a coffee machine displaying a number of functional units, wherein the individual functional units are provided with their own devices connected via cables to the control unit and designed in the form of a black box.

40. Application of the device according to claim 35, for a coffee machine displaying a number of functional units, wherein the individual functional units are provided with their own devices connected via cables to the control unit and designed in the form of a black box.