METHOD FOR THE MECHANICAL PREPARATION OF INDIVIDUAL CUPS OF FILTERED COFFEE

• US 3,812,273 A
• Filed: 06/09/1972
• Issued: 05/21/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Ernst Georg Ferdinand Heinrich Schmidt
• Inventors: Schmidt, Ernst Georg Ferdinand Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Lutter, Frank W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mentlik, William L.
• Application Number:
  US05/261,455
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 99/71,71.1,171P,295,295 426/433
• US Class Current: 426/433
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3623 Cartridges being employed with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3628 Perforating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3633 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3642 Cartridge magazines therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32331 comprising means for the use of condensed liquid, e.g. for humidification or for improving condenser performance
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8043 Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

The deposit of a suitable coin in a vending machine initiates the delivery of a sealed coffee pack from a revolving magazine, via a chute, to a conveyor table. The pack is advanced by a belt and a sealing sheet removed from the bottom of the pack. The pack is then advanced to a brewing station where a plurality of pointed nozzles are lowered to pierce the pack from above and deliver hot water thereto. The freshly brewed coffee exits the pack through a bottom filter and flows through a funnel into a coffee cup beneath the funnel. The spent pack is then advanced to a disposal chute where it is compacted and dropped into a waste tray.

Claims

1. A method for the preparation of individual portions of a filtered coffee beverage from ground roast coffee in a machine having a hot water heater, comprising:

a. packaging ground roast coffee in individual, aroma sealed, filter packs each pack comprising a container having an open, downwardly facing side closed off by a sealing sheet remOvably attached thereto, a filter layer mounted within the container at a distance from the sealing sheet disposed between said sheet and the coffee and containing an amount sufficient for one drink, b. storing the individual packs in a storage station of the machine, c. selecting the individual packs, as required from the storage area, d. conveying the selected packs, one at a time, to a brewing station, e. removing the sealing sheet from the pack, f. piercing the upper portion of the pack and introducing hot water into the pack to brew the ground coffee therein, said filter layer maintaining the coffee in the pack during brewing and the brewed coffee discharging through said filter layer and g. directing the discharged coffee from the pack directly into a serving container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealing sheet disposed over a downwardly facing opening of the pack is removed from the pack while the pack is being conveyed to the brewing station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein one edge of the sealing sheet is gripped by stationary gripping means while the pack is conveyed further to remove the sealing sheet from the pack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hot water is introduced into the pack via at least one nozzle connected to the hot water heater, said nozzle penetrating the upper portion of the pack.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein only a portion of the necessary hot water for brewing is introduced into the pack at first and, after a predetermined brewing period, the remainder of the water is introduced.