HEATING DEVICE WITH AN INTEGRATED THERMOBLOCK FOR A BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINE

• US 20100218684A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Kollep, Alexandre, Moser, Renzo, Etter, Stefan, Preisig, Peter, Hodel, Thomas, Gavillet, Gilles, Gaudenz, Urs, Schwab, Robin, Möri, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,573,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/288
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/441 Warming devices or supports for beverage containers warming devices not being part of the beverage-making apparatus A47J36/24; stands or holders for beverage containers not being part of the beverage-making apparatus A47J47/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/542 Continuous-flow heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/545 Control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/101 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/52 actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10181 Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10424 Frame holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/105 Mechanically attached to another device attached components H05K2201/10537
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2036 Permanent spacer or stand-off in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly pattern for applying drops or paste H05K2203/0545
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/306 Lead-in-hole components, e.g. affixing or retention before soldering, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence

Abstract

An in-line heating device for a liquid food or beverage preparation machine in which liquid is circulated through the heating device and then guided into a brewing chamber. This heating device includes a thermoblock with a metal mass that incorporates an inlet, an outlet and a heating chamber extending therebetween to form a passage for guiding the liquid circulating through the mass, with the mass arranged to accumulate heat and to supply heat to the liquid; and one or more electric components that are rigidly secured onto or into the thermoblock and that are connected to a printed circuit board or a flex-print arranged to control the thermoblock. The electric components are rigidly connected to the printed circuit board or flex-print, in particular via rigid connector pins or blades or rigid plug and socket members.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. An in-line heating device for a liquid food or beverage preparation machine, in which machine liquid is circulated through the heating device and then guided into a brewing chamber for brewing a food or beverage ingredient supplied into the brewing chamber within a capsule or pod, with the heating device comprising:

a thermoblock with a metal mass that incorporates an inlet, an outlet and a heating chamber extending therebetween to form a passage for guiding the liquid circulating through the mass, with the mass arranged to accumulate heat and to supply heat to the liquid; and

one or more electric components that are rigidly secured onto or into the thermoblock and that are connected to a printed circuit board or a flex-print arranged to control the thermoblock and optionally further functions of the liquid food or beverage preparation machine,

wherein the one or more electric components are rigidly connected to the printed circuit board or flex-print via rigid connector pins, blades or rigid plug and socket members.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the one or more electric components are secured on or in the metal mass and are selected from temperature sensors, thermal fuses, flow meters, resistor heaters, ammeters and electric power regulators.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein at least one electric component is secured in a cavity of the metal mass, with the component optionally secured by a biased spring element in the cavity or by the cavity forming a socket for a plug comprising the component.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the one or more electric components comprise a power component, a resistor heater or a power switch either of which is rigidly connected via a rigid electric power pin and a rigid power connector that has a socket for receiving the rigid electric pin, with the rigid connector being resilient or made of one or more spring blades, to allow displacements of the socket for self-positioning the socket around the pin and to secure electric contact between the pin and the connector.

26. The device of claim 22, which comprises a printed circuit board contained in an impervious or thermal and electric insulating housing that is mechanically connected to the thermoblock and that has one or more openings for the passage of electrical connectors for connecting to the printed circuit board to the one or more electric components that are rigidly secured on or in the thermoblock.

27. The device of claim 22, which comprises a flex-print secured to a surface of the thermoblock, the flex-print having an inner side that faces the thermoblock and that incorporates a resistor heater in the form of a heating foil;

and an outer side to which one or more electric components are secured optionally in a rigid manner.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the printed circuit board or flex-print is arranged to control the thermoblock and optionally further functions including a pump or an electric interface of a liquid food or beverage preparation machine.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the heating chamber in the metal mass is elongated along a direction of flow of liquid through the mass, the heating chamber optionally comprising an upper flow portion followed by a down-coming flow portion that have a narrowed cross-section for promoting an increased velocity of liquid along the upper and the down-coming flow portions to inhibit an accumulation of bubbles in the upper flow portion.

30. A liquid food or beverage preparation machine comprising:

a brewing chamber or housing for brewing a food or beverage ingredient supplied therein by circulating heated liquid therethrough; and

an in-line heating device with a thermoblock having a metal mass as defined in claim 22 for heating and supplying circulating liquid to the brewing chamber.

31. The machine of claim 30, wherein the inlet, outlet and heating chamber of the metal mass together form a rigid free-flow passage for guiding the liquid circulating through the mass.

32. The machine of claim 30, wherein the thermoblock comprises an upstream part of the brewing chamber, with the upstream part formed by or rigidly anchored in or to the metal mass so that the rigid passage of the metal mass extends into the brewing chamber.

33. The machine of claim 32, which comprises a downstream part having a liquid food or beverage outlet and cooperating with the upstream part to form the brewing chamber, the downstream part and the upstream part being optionally movable apart and movable together for the supply into the brewing chamber and the evacuation from the brewing chamber of the ingredient.

34. The machine of claim 33, wherein either the upstream part and the metal mass are fixed and the downstream part is movable to and from the upstream part;

or the upstream part and the metal mass are movable en bloc to and from the downstream part and the downstream part is fixed or movable.

35. A liquid food of beverage preparation machine comprising:

an electric supply circuit connectable to an electric power source;

a heater powered by the electric supply circuit; and

a thermal fuse device in thermal communication with the heater and associated with the electric supply circuit, the fuse device being arranged to interrupt the electric supply circuit from the power source when the heater exceeds a temperature limit,

wherein the thermal fuse device is reversible and comprises a switch for automatically interrupting the electric supply circuit when the heater exceeds the temperature limit, the switch being operable by a user to close the electric supply circuit when the heater has a temperature that has returned below the temperature limit.

36. The machine of claim 35, wherein the fuse device comprises an actuator that is arranged to push out a pin, rod or piston against the user switch when the temperature limit is exceeded by the heater so as to actuate the user switch and open the circuit

37. The machine of claim 35, wherein the fuse device has an actuator that comprises a thermo-mechanical component that is in thermal communication with the heater and that mechanically actuates the user switch to open the electric supply circuit when the heater exceeds the temperature limit, with the thermo-mechanical component comprising a shape memory element or a bimetal element.

38. The machine of claim 35, wherein the fuse device comprises a safety electric temperature sensor in thermal communication with the heater and an electromechanical actuator that actuates the user switch to open the electric supply circuit when the safety sensor is exposed to a temperature generated by the heater which exceeds the temperature limit.

39. The machine of claim 38, which further comprises a printed circuit board having a control unit for controlling the heater and optionally further functions of the machine including a pump or an electric interface, with the printed circuit board further including a safety circuit that is electrically separated on the printed circuit board from the control circuit, and with the safety circuit connected to the safety sensor and arranged to control the electromechanical actuator.

40. The machine of claim 35, which further comprises a printed circuit board with a control unit for controlling the heater and optionally further functions of the machine including a pump or an electric interface, and wherein at least one of the actuator, the user switch and, when present, the safety sensor, is rigidly connected to the printed circuit board, optionally on a part thereof that is electrically insulated from the control unit.

41. A liquid food of beverage preparation machine comprising a fluid arrangement and a printed circuit board optionally bearing a control unit for controlling one or more functions of the fluid arrangement, with the printed circuit board enclosed within a substantially impervious housing to protect the printed circuit board from fluid or vapor emissions from the fluid arrangement.

42. A printed circuit board or flex-print for a liquid food or a beverage preparation machine rigidly connected to a conventional or magnetic flow meter.

43. The printed circuit board or flex-print of claim 42, wherein the flow meter comprises a magnetic field detector that is incorporated into the printed circuit board or flex-print and a rotatable magnetic helix or turbine which is located within a duct or pipe that is arranged for circulating liquid therein and that is rigidly secured to the printed circuit board or flex print.