Coffee machine

• US 6,116,147 A
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Fianara International BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schmed, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/236,408
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 99/302 P, 99/289 R, 99/287, 99/302 R, 99/297
• US Class Current: 99/302.00P
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3609 Loose coffee being employed
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3614 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position

Abstract

A coffee machine is provided with a boiler for heating brewing water, a brewing cylinder defining a brewing chamber, a closure piston for closing the one open end of the brewing cylinder as well as a brewing piston for compressing the coffee powder in the brewing cylinder and/or for ejecting the elutriated coffee powder cake, whereby the brewing piston is longitudinally movable in the brewing cylinder. The closure piston is integrally formed or rigidly connected to the housing of the boiler and firmly mounted to the housing of the coffee machine. Moreover, there is provided a brewing module that is removably inserted into the housing of the coffee machine and that includes at least the brewing cylinder and the brewing piston. The brewing cylinder and the brewing piston are movable in longitudinal direction, but cannot be pivoted. Such a coffee machine can be designed very compactly. Moreover, the brewing module consists of only a few elements and, thus, can be manufactured at low costs and is very reliable in operation.

Claims

1. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis is a spindle drive means.

2. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis is a spindle drive means;

said brewing cylinder means is provided with, an outer thread, whereby the brewing module is provided with a rotating actuation member that is located concentrically to the brewing cylinder means that is provided with a thread at its inner side which engages the outer thread of the brewing cylinder means, and whereby said actuation member is designed as a toothed wheel at its periphery and the teeth of the toothed wheel are adapted to engage with a drive means of a drive motor adapted for moving the brewing cylinder means.

3. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis is a spindle drive means;

said drive motor is located beside the brewing module.

4. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis is a spindle drive means;

said drive motor or at least the power transmitting elements of the drive motor are pivotally supported, and

means arranged between said brewing module and said drive motor or at least the power transmitting elements of the drive motor that are adapted to pivot said drive motor or at least the power transmitting elements of the drive motor, when said brewing module is inserted into the coffee machine, from a rest position into an operating position in which said drive means of said drive motor engage the gear wheel of said rotating actuation member.

5. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said brewing piston is provided with a hollow piston rod serving as an outlet of the brewing chamber for the brewed coffee beverage;

said brewing module is provided with a tube-like collar means projecting into said brewing chamber into which said hollow piston rod partially penetrates, whereby said collar means is connected to a beverage outlet of the coffee machine.

6. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means; and

snap-in means to fix said brewing piston in its initial position.

7. A coffee machine, comprising:

a means for heating water having a housing;

an essentially hollow brewing cylinder means having a central longitudinal axis and an open end;

means for moving said brewing cylinder means along said central longitudinal axis;

a closure piston means adapted to close said open end of said brewing cylinder means to thereby form a brewing chamber, said closure piston means being rigidly connected to the coffee machine;

a brewing piston means located in the interior of said brewing cylinder means, said brewing piston means being movable along said ventral longitudinal axis to compress coffee powder received in said brewing cylinder means as well as for removing the used coffee powder cake; and

a brewing module means having a longitudinal axis, releasably inserted into the coffee machine, and including at least said brewing cylinder means and said brewing piston means;

said brewing piston is provided with a hollow piston rod serving as an outlet of the brewing chamber for the brewed coffee beverage;

said brewing module is provided with a tube-like collar means projecting into said brewing chamber into which said hollow piston rod partially penetrates, whereby said collar means is connected to a beverage outlet of the coffee machine;

said tube-like collar is provided with an indentation, whereby said snap-in means engage said indentation when said brewing piston is in its initial position.