Infusion Unit for Infusion Preparation, Infusion Machine, Device for Ejection of Exhausted Infusion Powder and Method for Making the Same

• US 20080264266A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rancilio Macchine Per Caffe' S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Rancilio Macchine Per Caffe' S.p.A.
• Inventors: Carbonini, Carlo, Nicolini, Giuseppe
• Granted Patent: US 8,225,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/289R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3609 Loose coffee being employed

Abstract

The present invention relates to a unit for the preparation of infusions comprising a stationary piston, a mobile chamber (46) and a mobile piston concentric to the mobile chamber, arranged to co-operate for the preparation of infusions and to generate a tablet of exhausted powder apt to be ejected by an ejection device (93, 97, 99). The unit comprises also a plate (45) moved by a motor and elastically linked to the mobile chamber (46) so that such a resilient link is arranged to allow relative movement of the chamber (46) as to the plate (45) and to induce the activation of the ejection device. Advantageously, the resilient link between the plate and the chamber makes the unit of particularly simple realization. The invention also relates to an infusion machine, to the ejection device and to a method for realizing the unit.

Claims

1. Infusion unit for infusion preparation, in particular espresso coffee, by means of an infusion powder, comprising

a stationary piston (43), a mobile chamber (46) and a mobile piston (48) concentric to the mobile chamber, apt to co-operate for the preparation of said infusion by means of said powder and to generate a tablet of exhausted powder, said mobile piston (48) being arranged to move relative to the mobile chamber (46) so as to prepare said tablet of exhausted powder for being ejected from said infusion unit by a mechanically activated ejection device (49);

characterised in that

said infusion unit comprises a plate (45) associated to movement means (55, 65, 66) arranged to move said plate,

said chamber comprises at least one resilient linking element (71) having a determined rigidity and arranged to link said chamber to said plate in order to induce the movement of said chamber together with said plate and to allow relative movement of said chamber as to said plate, and

said ejection device is mechanically activated by the relative movement of said plate as to said chamber.

2. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 1 characterised in that said movement means (55, 65, 66) is barycentric to said plate (45) and in that said chamber (46) is placed barycentrically with respect to said plate.

3. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 1 characterised in that said ejection device (49) is shaped as a lever having

an acting arm (93) pivoted to said chamber by means of a first pivot (96) and to said plate by means of a second pivot (95), and

a resisting arm (97) arranged to eject said tablet of exhausted powder.

4. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 3 characterised in that said first pivot (96) is the fulcrum of said lever.

5. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 3 characterised in that said chamber comprises a first cavity (76) orthogonal to the movement of said chamber, and said resisting arm (97) comprises a second cavity (107) longitudinal to the resisting arm, and in that said resisting arm is associated to a spatula (99) having sliding means arranged to slide in said first cavity (76) and in said second cavity (107) and to determine a rectilinear movement of said spatula.

6. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 1 characterised in that said mobile piston (48) comprises

at least one resilient element (81) shaped for allowing said relative movement of said mobile piston as to the mobile chamber for preparing said tablet of exhausted powder to be ejected from said infusion unit, said at least one resilient element (81) having a rigidity lower than the rigidity of said at least one resilient linking element (71).

7. Infusion units (14) according to claim 1 characterised in that said movement means (65) comprise stop means arranged to block the movement of said mobile piston (48) whereby said mobile piston (48), is arranged to move relative to the mobile chamber (46).

8. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 1 characterised in that said at least one resilient linking element (71) comprises three resilient elements (71) triangularly arranged and having the mobile chamber as barycenter.

9. Infusion unit (14) according to claim 1 characterised by being a vertical type infusion unit.

10. Machine for infusion preparation, in particular espresso coffee, by means of an infusion powder, comprising at least one infusion unit as claimed in claim 1, at least one boiler (12) connected in input to said at least one infusion unit and arranged to send a liquid for the preparation of said infusions to said at least one infusion unit, and at least one supplying spout (15) connected in output to said at least one infusion unit and arranged to supply said infusion.

11. Ejection device for ejecting exhausted powder as a result of a mechanical activation and shaped for an infusion preparation unit, in particular espresso coffee, wherein the infusion unit (14) comprises a mobile chamber (46), said ejection device being arranged to mechanically eject said exhausted powder;

characterised in that

said infusion unit also comprises a plate (45), associated to movement means (55, 65) arranged to move said plate, and in that

said chamber comprises at least one resilient linking element (71) having a determined rigidity and arranged to link said chamber to said plate (45), said at least one resilient element being arranged to induce a movement of said chamber together with said plate or to allow a relative movement of said chamber as to said plate whereby said mechanical activation of said ejection device to mechanically eject said exhausted powder is induced by said relative movement of said chamber as to said plate.

12. Device according to claim 11 characterised by being shaped as a lever having an acting arm (93) pivoted by means of a first pivot (96) to said chamber and by means of a second pivot (95) to said plate and a resisting arm (97) arranged to eject said tablet of exhausted powder.

13. Device according to claim 12 characterised in that said first pivot (96) is the fulcrum of said lever.

14. Device according to claim 12 characterised in that said chamber comprises a first cavity (76) orthogonal to the movement of said chamber, said resisting arm (97) comprises a second cavity (107) longitudinal to the resisting arm, and in that said resisting arm (97) is associated to a spatula (99) having sliding means arranged to slide in said first and second cavity, and to determine a rectilinear movement of said spatula.

15. Method for realising an infusion unit for infusion preparation, in particular espresso coffee, by means of an infusion powder, comprising the step of

providing a stationary piston (43), a mobile chamber (46) and a mobile piston (48) concentric to the mobile chamber, arranged to co-operate for the preparation of said infusion by means of said powder and to generate a tablet of exhausted powder, said mobile piston (48) being arranged to move relative to the mobile chamber for preparing said tablet of exhausted powder to be ejected from said infusion unit by an ejection device (49) mechanically activated;

and characterised by the steps of

providing a plate (54) associated to movement means (55, 65, 66) arranged to move said plate,

providing at least one resilient linking element (71) having a determined rigidity for linking said chamber to said plate so as to induce the movement of said chamber together with said plate and to allow a relative movement of said chamber as to said plate, and

providing an ejection device arranged to be mechanically activated by the relative movement of said plate as to said chamber.

16. Method according to claim 15 characterised by the step of

providing stopping means associated to said movement means (65) and arranged to block the movement of said mobile piston (48), whereby said mobile piston (48) is arranged to move relative to the mobile chamber (46).