Espresso machine

• US 6,035,762 A
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eldom Rothrist AG
• Original Assignee: Eldom Rothrist AG
• Inventors: Ruckstuhl, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/105,090
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 99/295, 99/302 R, 99/302 P, 99/289 R
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3623 Cartridges being employed with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652

Abstract

A coffee machine, which operates with filter capsules, having a brewing unit with two brewing-chamber parts which can be displaced relative to one another and, in a closed position, form a brewing chamber for the filter capsules, one of the two brewing-chamber parts being connected to a brewing-water heater and being provided with a multiple nozzle. By virtue of the fact that the multiple nozzle in the brewing-chamber part is arranged in a movable manner and that, at least while the coffee is being prepared, is forced in the direction of the other brewing-chamber part or of the filter capsule accommodated in the brewing chamber, the extraction values are improved, the use of filter capsules of different thicknesses is possible, and the situation where the filter capsules swell up and explode when subjected to the action of superheated steam is avoided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for using a coffee-filled filter capsule to produce a coffee beverage comprising:

a brewing unit having a pair of brewing chamber sections being movable relative to one another, between an open position for receiving the filter capsule and a closed position to form a brewing chamber for brewing the coffee; and

at least one of the brewing chamber sections having a nozzle assembly in fluid communication with a water heater for admitting heated water into the brewing chamber, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle plate having at least one water nozzle wherein the nozzle plate compresses the filter when the brewing unit is in the closed position and heated water passes through at least one nozzle, also including a spring adjacent the nozzle assembly for acting with hydraulic pressure to urge the nozzle assembly toward the filter.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the nozzle plate is in immediate contact with the filter capsule across the body of the filter capsule during the brewing process.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a nozzle mount in which the nozzle plate is positioned;

and wherein the nozzle mount includes a seal substantially surrounding the nozzle mount so that the heated water from the water heater is forced to pass through the nozzle plate prior to entering the brewing chamber.

4. An apparatus for using a coffee-filled filter to produce a coffee beverage comprising:

a brewing unit having a pair of brewing chamber sections being movable relative to one another, between an open position for receiving the filter capsule and a closed position to form a brewing chamber for brewing the coffee; and

at least one of the brewing chamber sections having a nozzle assembly in fluid communication with a water heater for admitting heated water into the brewing chamber, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle plate having water nozzles, the nozzle assembly being movable in response to hydraulic pressure of the heated water toward the filter capsule during brewing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a nozzle mount in which the nozzle plate is positioned;

and wherein the nozzle mount includes a seal substantially surrounding the nozzle mount so that the heated water from the water heater is forced to pass through the nozzle plate prior to entering the brewing chamber.

6. An apparatus for using a coffee-filled filter capsule to produce a coffee beverage comprising:

a brewing unit having a pair of brewing chamber sections being movable relative to one another, between an open position for receiving the filter capsule and a closed position to form a brewing chamber for brewing the coffee; and

at least one of the brewing chamber sections having a nozzle assembly in fluid communication with a water heater for admitting heated water into the brewing chamber, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle plate having at least one water nozzle wherein the nozzle plate compresses the filter when the brewing unit is in the closed position and heated water passes through at least one nozzle, wherein the nozzle plate is in immediate contact with the filter capsule across the body of the filter capsule during the brewing process.

7. An apparatus for using a coffee-filled filter capsule to produce a coffee beverage comprising:

a brewing unit having a pair of brewing chamber sections being movable relative to one another, between an open position for receiving the filter capsule and a closed position to form a brewing chamber for brewing the coffee; and

at least one of the brewing chamber sections having a nozzle assembly in fluid communication with a water heater for admitting heated water into the brewing chamber, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle plate having at least one water nozzle wherein the nozzle plate compresses the filter when the brewing unit is in the closed position and heated water passes through at least one nozzle, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a nozzle mount in which the nozzle plate is positioned; and

wherein the nozzle mount includes a seal substantially surrounding the nozzle mount so that the heated water from the water heater is forced to pass through the nozzle plate prior to entering the brewing chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the nozzle mount and one of the brewing chamber sections defines a variable interspace upstream of the nozzle mount relative to heated water flow direction, and a distributing space is defined between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a flow cross-section for the heated water between the water heater and the variable interspace is greater than the flow cross-section between the variable interspace and a distributing space.

10. An apparatus for making a coffee beverage that utilizes a self-contained, coffee-filled filter capsule comprising:

brewing chamber sections defining a brewing chamber there-between, at least one of the brewing chamber sections being movable back and forth about an axis to provide a slot for directing the filter capsule into the brewing chamber when the brewing chamber sections are spaced apart, the slot extending substantially perpendicular to the axis;

a water heater in fluid communication with the brewing chamber when a brewing process begins; and

a nozzle assembly movably connected to one of the brewing chamber sections and comprising a nozzle plate having at least one water nozzle, wherein the nozzle plate compresses the filter during brewing.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, also including a spring adjacent the nozzle assembly for acting with hydraulic pressure to urge the nozzle assembly toward the filter capsule.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the nozzle assembly and one of the brewing chamber sections define a variable interspace upstream from the filter capsule for accommodating pressure buildup from heated water, thereby pressing the nozzle assembly downstream toward the filter capsule during the brewing process.