APPARATUS FOR THE REGULATION OF OPERATION PARAMETERS, IN PARTICULAR PRESSURE, FOR A COFFEE MACHINE, MACHINE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090205502A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rancilio Macchine Per Caffe' S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Rancilio Macchine Per Caffe' S.p.A.
• Inventors: Carbonini, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/280
• 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 31/5251 of pressure

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the regulation of operation parameters, in particular pressure, in a coffee machine. The apparatus comprises a keyboard, arranged for activating the machine and setting operation parameters, and a plurality of light or sound emitting elements arranged to be selectively activated for highlight through a plurality of configurations the operation parameters of the machine set through the keyboard. Thanks to the invention it is possible to avoid on the machine the presence of a display that makes more complex and less reliable the machine. The invention relates also to a machine that comprises the apparatus and to the operating method of the apparatus.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. Apparatus for the regulation of operation parameters, in particular pressure, in a coffee machine, comprising

a commands inputting device having a plurality of keys, said commands inputting device being configured for commanding the operation of said machine and inserting at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters;

a control device having memory means, said control device being connected to said commands inputting device and arranged to store said at least one operation parameter in said memory means;

characterised by

a plurality of light or sound emitting elements connected to said control device and actuatable by said control device according to predetermined configurations corresponding each to an operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters and inputted through said commands inputting device.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterised in that it comprises

a management device having at least one sensor arranged to detect a particular operation parameter in said machine and activation means configured for activating devices adapted to manage said operation parameter in said machine;

and in that said control device is connected to said management device and is configured for measuring said particular operation parameter, comparing said particular operation parameter with said operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters and commanding said activation means to regulate said particular operation parameter in said machine as a function of said operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters.

19. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterised in that said predetermined configurations comprise the fixed activation of at least one first emitter element and the fixed or intermittent activation of at least one second emitter element.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18, characterised in that said control device is configured for

activating said management device to regulate said particular operation parameter in said machine as a function of said operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters;

activating at least one emitter element during activation of said activation means.

21. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterised in that the inputting of said at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters is realised by means of at least one first key configured for diminishing said operation parameter and at least one second key configured for increasing said operation parameter stored in said memory means.

22. Apparatus according to any one of claim 17, characterised in that at least one key of said commands inputting device is configured for switching said apparatus from an operative mode, in which said keys activate the machine to supply coffee, to a programming mode, in which said keys are arranged to input at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters.

23. Apparatus according to any one of claim 17, characterised in that said operation parameters are operation pressure values in said machine.

24. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterised in that said commands inputting device comprises said plurality of emitter elements and in that each of said keys is associated to one of said emitter elements.

25. Apparatus according to claim 18, characterised in that said control device comprises

at least one microprocessor circuit comprising program means configured for controlling said commands inputting device and said plurality of emitter elements.

26. Coffee machine comprising at least one supplying group for supplying coffee and at least one boiler connected to the supplying group, characterised in that it comprises an apparatus for the regulation of operation parameters as claimed in claim 17.

27. Operating method of an apparatus for the regulation of operation parameters, in particular pressure, in a coffee machine, comprising the steps of

inputting, by means of a plurality of keys, commands for commanding operation of said machine and at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters;

storing by means of at least one control device having memory means said operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters;

characterised in that said step of inputting at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters comprises the step of

activating, by means of said control device, a plurality of light or sound emitting elements according to predetermined configurations corresponding each to an operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters and inputted through said plurality of keys.

28. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that it comprises the steps of

comparing, by means of said control device, said stored operation parameter with a particular operation parameter detected by at least one sensor;

regulating, by means of activation means controlled by said control device, said particular operation parameter in said machine as a function of said stored operation parameter.

29. Method according to claim 28, characterised in that said step of regulating, by means of activation means controlled by said control device, said particular operation parameter in said machine comprises the steps of

activating regulation of said particular operation parameter in said machine as a function of said stored operation parameter;

activating in intermittent way at least one emitter element during said step of activating regulation.

30. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that said step of inputting at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters comprises the step of

activating in fixed way at least one first emitter element and in fixed or intermittent way at least one second emitter element.

31. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that said step of inputting at least one operation parameter chosen among a plurality of operation parameters comprises the step of

inputting an operation pressure value in said machine.

32. Computer program product or set of computer program products directly loadable in the internal memory of at least one electronic computer and comprising software code portions arranged to perform, when the product is run on at least one electronic computer, the method according to claim 27.