Brewing unit for automatic beverage dispensers

• US 6,253,664 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SEB SA
• Original Assignee: Moulinex SA (SEB SA)
• Inventors: Giannelli, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/486,988
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 993/02.P, 992/87, 992/89.R, 992/80, 992/97
• US Class Current: 99/302.00P
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3614 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position

Abstract

A brewing unit comprises a body containing a brewing chamber with vertical axis capable of receiving a pressing plunger mounted mobile along the vertical axis, and a hydraulic jack whereof the piston rod is connected to the pressing plunger and can pass from an inoperative position to a working position, by the effect of a liquid under pressure. The hydraulic jack is a single-acting actuator, the piston rod being returned in inoperative position by compressible and extensible elements. The invention is applicable to espresso coffee brewing machines.

Claims

1. Infusion assembly for the automatic dispensing of beverages made from powdered coffee, comprising:

a body (10) enclosing an infusion chamber (31) with a vertical axis (V) having a bottom (11) and an outlet (15);

a filter plate (36) movably mounted in said chamber via an ejection mechanism (16), and adapted to receive a presser piston (62) movably mounted along said vertical axis (V); and

a single-acting hydraulic jack having a piston (35) which is connected to said presser piston and can pass from a rest position to a working position, under the influence of a liquid under pressure, in which working position, the presser piston is in compression in the chamber;

said piston (35) being returned to its rest position by a compressible and extensible means (34-134);

said hydraulic jack comprising a cylinder (18) closed at its ends by an upper plug (28) and a bottom (19) and through which slide respectively an upper rod (65) connected by an arm (101) to the presser piston (62) and a lower rod (38) connected to the ejection mechanism (16);

said upper and lower rods being secured to a piston head mounted slidably in the cylinder (18) and movable between the rest position in which the head can be pressed by the pressure of a liquid introduced through a conduit (71) provided in the plug (28), and the working position in which the head can be pressed toward the upper position by the compressible and extensible means arranged below the piston head.

2. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the compressible and extensible means is a coil spring (34).

3. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the compressible and extensible means is a gas spring (134).

4. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the piston head carries a sealing means.

5. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the body is arranged laterally of the cylinder (18), and the upper rod (65) of the hydraulic jack (61) carries the arm (101) forming a beam and whose free end (9) is connected to the presser piston (62);

the paths of the pistons thus being arranged in substantially parallel directions.

6. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the presser piston (62) is mounted floatingly on a pivot (99) connected to the arm (101) thereby providing a slight axial play between an upper portion (62a) of the presser piston (62) and a lower portion (101a) of the arm.

7. The infusion assembly according to claim 6, wherein the presser piston (62) comprises an internal conduit (42) for passage of the infusion said conduit having three openings, a first inlet opening for infusion (42c) opening through a lower surface (43) of the piston, a second outlet opening (42b) forming a small fountain (64) for the outlet of infusion and a third opening (42a) forming an air intake and arranged in the upper portion (62a) of the piston, said presser piston (62) being moreover movably axially mounted on the pivot (99) and said third opening (42a) comprising a joint (13) adapted to close said third opening when the piston comes into contact with the lower portion (101a) of the arm (101).

8. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ejection mechanism (16) comprises a rod (20) secured to the filter plate (36), mounted along the vertical axis (V), sliding in the body (10) and having at its external end a small plate (22), said filter plate (36) being elastically urged toward the bottom (11) of the infusion chamber (31) by a spring (21) arranged between the body (10) and the small plate (22);

and an arm (67) contacted transversely to the lower rod (38) of the jack (613, movably mounted in rotation on said rod, and of which one end (70) comes into engagement with a track (69a) of a cam (69) carried by a wing (72) extending in a vertical plane below the jack (61), whilst the other end (73) is adapted either to come into engagement with the small plate (22) when the head of the piston passes from its low position to its high position, or to escape from this plate when the head passes from its high position to its low position.

9. The infusion assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a device for expelling coffee grounds comprising a guide console (24) projecting upwardly, secured to the jack (61) and carrying a lever (25) mounted pivotably about an axis (102) transverse to the vertical axis (V) and carrying at its free end (103) a scraper (23) adapted to be moved with a transverse pendular sweeping movement in the region of the outlet (15) via a finger (40) secured to the arm (101) which comes into an engagement with a notch (41) carried by the lever (25) at the level of the axis (102), when the piston head occupies its rest position.