Unit for Preparing at Least One Espresso Coffe Cup or Other Hot Beverage From a Prepackaged Single So-Called Coffee Pod

• US 20080121111A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reneka International
• Original Assignee: Reneka International
• Inventors: Bargot, Jean-Michel, Souin, Dominique, Paget, Arnaud
• Application Number:
  US11/632,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3638 Means to eject the cartridge after brewing
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/368 Permeable cartridges being employed
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3685 Brewing heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4467 by means of linear guides, e.g. drawer-type engagement
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge

Abstract

The invention concerns a unit (1) for automatically preparing espresso coffee from prepackaged coffee pods containing one or two coffee pods and comprising a mechanism for individually detecting the presence of each pod in its location. It comprises a drawer (5) movable between a position for extracting, a position for loading and a position for discharging pods and an injection unit (6) closing the support of the preparation unit (1) in its front part above the drawer (5) in its extracting position and entirely mobile to be brought closer to the drawer through the cams (29) of the camshaft (7) driven by a single motor (8), being automatically returned away from the injection unit (6) through a return force. The invention is of interest to professional coffee machine manufacturers.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A unit (1) for automatic preparation of one serving of a hot beverage from a quantity of dry product previously measured and contained in a package called a pod (24), the unit being mounted in a hot beverage preparation machine (3) using a drawer (5) and a receiving platform (16) for accommodating at least one of the pods (24), the unit (1) comprising:

a drawer (5) movable between an extraction position for extracting the at least one pod (24), a position for loading the at least one pod (24), and a position for discharging the at least one pod (24);

an injection block (6) closing a front portion of a support (4) above the drawer (5) when in the extraction position, the injection block (6) being movable toward and away from the drawer (5);

a cam shaft (7) biasing the injection block (6) to move towards the drawer (5), and a return movement, away from the drawer (5), being accomplished automatically using a recall force (28);

a single drive motor (8) for driving the cam shaft (7), and the cam shaft (7) having at least one cam (29); and

a motion transmission means (9) located between an output of the drive motor (8) and elements the drive motor (8) controls.

28. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the at least one cam (29) enables all movement of the injection block (6) with a single rotation of the cam shaft (7) which is driven to rotate in a same direction by the single drive motor (8) by way of a pinion reduction transmission (9).

29. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 28, wherein the at least one cam (29) has projections that press against the injection block (6) near sliding contacts (39) which are used during a descent of the injection block (6).

30. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the cam shaft (7) comprises, at one extremity, an angular position detector (38).

31. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 30, wherein the angular position detector (38) detects an upper position of the cam shaft (7) and a lower neutral position of the cam shaft (7).

32. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the injection block (6) is formed of a movable metal support plate (27) which is attached to be elastically recalled toward a top by elastic forces (28).

33. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 32, wherein the movable metal plate (27) on the injection block (6) comprises two spray heads (30) connected to a hydraulic circuit which is integrated within a remainder of the hot beverage preparation machine (3).

34. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 33, wherein each of the two spray heads (30) is a water diffusion head having a flat perforated front surface and a rear inlet connected to a pressurized hot water supply circuit of the hot beverage preparation machine (3) through at least one control and safety device.

35. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 33, wherein each of the two spray heads (30) are attached to move like a piston within a protective sleeve (31) projecting from a lower surface of the movable metal support plate (27).

36. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 35, wherein a lower portion of the protective sleeves (31) on the injection block (6) comprises a sealing element (33).

37. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 35, wherein a lower edge of the protective sleeve (31) of each spray head (30) has a concave beveled portion (35) rounded in shape with a curve essentially corresponding to a rounded edge of the at least one pod (24).

38. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 33, wherein each spray head (30) communicates with a detector (37) for detecting the presence of the at least one pod (24), and the detector (37) is based on a front portion of the spray head (30) being blocked by contact with an upper surface of the at least one pod (24).

39. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 38, wherein the pod presence detector (37) comprises one of a micro-switch and a contact having contacts that are actuated to one of open and close, by blocking, an internal extremity of a body of the spray head (30) when the front portion of the spray head (30) contacts the upper surface of the at least one pod (24).

40. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the drawer (5) is a unit that moves on rollers (10) in a horizontal translation between an extended position and a retracted position.

41. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 40, wherein the drawer (5) is biased by an auxiliary motor (11) and a pinion drive (12) which engages a rack (13) affixed to a support on the drawer (5).

42. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the drawer (5) comprises a support frame (15) supporting a tilting receiving platform (16).

43. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 42, wherein the tilting receiving platform (16) communicates with the support frame (15) such that the platform (16) pivots on a front transverse axle and is maintained in a working position by a locking mechanism at a rear end of the platform (16).

44. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 43, wherein the locking mechanism comprises two locking catches (25).

45. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 43, wherein the receiving platform (16) is maintained in the working position during an entire hot beverage preparation operation by the locking mechanism, after being freed from the locking mechanism, the receiving platform (16) tilts from a horizontal operating position, at an end of the hot beverage preparation operation, to a downwardly angled ejection position, which the receiving platform (16) assumes through gravity.

46. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 42, wherein the receiving platform (16) has a groove which engages a filter-holder (18) comprising two receptor cavities (19), each housing one of a perforated cupel and a strainer (20) and each of the two receptor cavities (19) having an evacuation channel (21) in an upper surface, and at least one pod (24), containing coffee to be extracted, is placed in one of the perforated cupel and the strainer (20).

47. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 46, wherein each of the evacuation channels communicates through a passageway extending through a flexible evacuation, conduit (21) with a flow piece (22), and the flow piece (22) being a dispensing spout.

48. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 42, wherein the frame (15) providing mechanical support for the drawer (5) comprises at least one stop.

49. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 48, wherein the at least one stop is a buffer made of a flexible material.

50. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein downward movement of the injection block (6) into the extraction position causes a lower edge of a protective sleeve (31) of each spray head (30) to communicate with an upper edge of a filter-holder plate (18) on the drawer (5) forming a sealed extraction chamber shaped essentially like the pod (24).

51. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein a hopper (26) guides a used pod (24) as the used pod (24) falls into a waste receptacle located at one of a bottom of the preparation machine and beneath the preparation machine (3).

52. The preparation unit (1) according to claim 27, wherein the preparation unit (1) further comprises at least one ofan optical, a magnetic, an electronic, a mechanical and another type device for reading identification codes supplied on the pods (24).