Process and Apparatus for Controlling the Preparation of Beverages

• US 20080050480A1
• Filed: 01/23/2005
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheavendors Services Spa (Larene SRL)
• Original Assignee: Rhea Vendors, S.p.A. (Larene SRL)
• Inventors: Doglioni Majer, Luca
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3609 Loose coffee being employed
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/405 with one or more infusion chambers moving successively between loading, infusing and dumping stations
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/42 Beverage-making apparatus with incorporated grinding or roasting means for coffee coffee mills A47J42/00; coffee roasters in general A23N12/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4482 Details allowing to adapt the beverage-making apparatus to the size of the brewing vessel or the beverage container, e.g. with adjustable support for the beverage container or adjustable hot water outlet
• 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: A47J 31/525 the electronic control being based on monitoring of specific process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5253 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5255 of flow rate

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus for hot beverages is provided with means (4,5) to filter hot pressurised water through ground edible ingredients such as coffee, tea or herbal remedies in a chamber, means (17,18,20) of monitoring real-time data concerning brewing parameters; a controlling unit (16) comprising means of storing data, means of comparing the real-time data to a set of stored data and/or threshold parameters, stored in the controller'"'"'s memory associated with the brewing system, to determine whether a correction to the parameters should be made, and means (8,9,24) of altering at least one of the relevant brewing parameters, when required to bring said real time parameter in line with said recorded parameter to obtain consistent high quality of the dispensed beverage.

Claims

1. A process of controlling brewing of beverages from a brewing apparatus (1) that comprises a brewing chamber (2;

82) provided with means (6,7;

86,87) for filtering hot pressurized water through ground edible ingredients and a controlling unit (16) having means for storing data in memory and for comparing the stored data, comprising the steps of;

a) detecting data of at least the actual beverage flow rate of the beverage dispensed during a brewing process;

b) comparing said detected data with said stored data to determine whether a correction to the actual beverage flow rate should be made and, if so, c) making an adjustment of a beverage brewing parameter during the brewing process when required to bring said beverage flow rate in line with said stored data, the beverage brewing parameter being the flow rate of the water fed to said brewing chamber (2;

82) and said brewing chamber volume.

2. A process according to claim 1, further comprising carrying out said adjustment of the said brewing parameters in real-time, during the same brewing process.

3. A process according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting said flow rate of hot water fed to the brewing chamber (2;

82) by using a plurality of pumps (14, 14A).

4. A process according to claim 1 further comprising adjusting said brewing chamber volume by operating at least one of the motors that control of at least one of two brewing pistons (4,5) that seal said brewing chamber (2;

82).

5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the beverage brewing parameter is also an absorption rate of at least one of the motors (8,9) controlling the brewing pistons.

6. A process according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of detecting humidity data and adjusting a particle size of the ground edible ingredients accordingly based on the detected humidity data.

22. A process according to of claim 1, comprising dispensing the beverages from soluble products.

23. A process according to claim 2, further comprising adjusting said flow rate of hot water fed to the brewing chamber (2;

82) by using a plurality of pumps (14, 14A).

24. A process according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of detecting humidity data and adjusting a particle size of the ground edible ingredients accordingly based on the detected humidity data.

7-21. -21. (canceled)

25. An apparatus suited to control brewing of beverages from a brewing apparatus (1) that comprises a brewing chamber (2;

82) provided with means (6,7;

86,87) for filtering hot pressurized water through ground edible ingredients and a controlling unit (16) having means for storing data in memory and for comparing the stored data and for carrying out steps of;

a) detecting data of at least the actual beverage flow rate of the beverage dispensed during a brewing process;

b) comparing said detected data with said stored data to determine whether a correction to the actual beverage flow rate should be made and, if so, c) making an adjustment of a beverage brewing parameter during the brewing process when required to bring said beverage flow rate in line with said stored data, the beverage brewing parameter being the flow rate of the water fed to said brewing chamber (2;

82) and said brewing chamber volume.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controlling unit is configured to carry out said adjustment of the said brewing parameters in real-time, during the brewing process.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controlling unit is configured to carry out adjustment of said flow rate of hot water fed to the brewing chamber (2;

82) by using a plurality of pumps (14, 14A).

28. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said controlling unit is configured to carrying out adjustment of said brewing chamber volume by operating at least one of the motors that control of at least one of two brewing pistons (4,5) that seal said brewing chamber (2;

82).

29. An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the beverage brewing parameter is also an absorption rate of at least one of the motors (8,9) controlling the brewing pistons.

30. An apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising a detector configured to detect humidity data, the controlling unit being configured to adjust a particle size of the ground edible ingredients accordingly based on the detected humidity data.

31. An apparatus according to claim 25, comprising a dispenser of the beverages from soluble products.

32. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the controlling unit is configured to adjust said flow rate of hot water fed to the brewing chamber (2;

82) by using a plurality of pumps (14, 14A).

33. An apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a detector of humidity data, the controlling unit being configured to adjust a particle size of the ground edible ingredients accordingly based on the detected humidity data.