HEATING DEVICE WITH AN INTEGRATED THERMOBLOCK FOR A BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINE
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A liquid food of beverage preparation machine comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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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.
Specification