Coffee machine for brewing coffee power pre-packed in a cartridge

• US 6,499,388 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saeco IPR Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Fianara International BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schmed, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, Reginald L.
• Application Number:
  US09/859,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 992/95, 993/02.R, 993/02.P, 992/80, 992/86, 992/87, 992/89.R, 992/97, 993/00
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3623 Cartridges being employed with tape of cartridges A47J31/3652
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3628 Perforating means therefor

Abstract

Proposed is a coffee machine for brewing coffee powder pre-packed in a cartridge. For perforating the cartridge, the bottom of the brewing chamber is provided with inclined perforator members which provide the cartridge with elongate slots that have a greater cross section than the cross section of the particular perforator member. A brewing chamber housing receives two chamber portions delimiting the brewing chamber. The upper chamber portion is adapted to vertically support the cartridge and biased by a spring. For closing the chamber, the brewing chamber housing is raised against a closure piston. The closure piston entering the brewing chamber moves the upper chamber portion against the force of the spring downwards towards the lower chamber portion. In the final position of the brewing chamber housing, the front portion of the cartridge is hydraulically sealed with regard to the rear portion of the chamber by sealing members. For brewing the coffee powder, the chamber is hydraulically subjected to an overpressure by the brewing water in such a way that the brewing water flows through the perforations into the interior of the cartridge. The front of the cartridge is perforated by a closure member provided with projections, such that the brewed coffee beverage can escape through the so created openings and flow to a beverage outlet.

Claims

1. Coffee machine for brewing coffee powder pre-packed in a cartridge means having a cartridge bottom, comprising:

perforator means for creating at least one opening in said cartridge means, said opening having a cross sectional area;

said perforator means being adapted to create said opening in said cartridge bottom of said cartridge means;

said perforator means having a cross sectional area smaller than said cross sectional area of said opening created in said cartridge bottom of said cartridge means; and

means for feeding brewing water under overpressure through the free cross sectional area of said opening in said cartridge bottom of said cartridge means into the interior of said cartridge means.

2. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which said perforator means comprises inclined perforator members which create an opening whose cross section is greater than the mean cross section of the particular perforator member.

3. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which said perforator means comprises a frame shaped perforator member having a centrally located cut-out through which the brewing water is fed into the interior of said cartridge means.

4. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which said perforator means comprises a trapezoidal perforator member, having an inclined cutting edge means directed towards the bottom of said cartridge means.

5. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which said perforator means comprises a dragon shaped perforator member.

6. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which said perforator means comprises a perforator member in the shape of a double cone.

7. Coffee machine according to claim 1 in which a chamber for receiving said cartridge means as well as perforator members projecting or movable into said chamber are provided, and in which means for perforating the front portion of said cartridge means and means for hydraulically sealing the said front portion of said cartridge means with regard to the rear portion of said cartridge means are provided, whereby said chamber is adapted to be hydraulically subjected to overpressure in such a way that the brewing water flows through said openings into the interior of said cartridge means.

8. Coffee machine according to claim 1, in which said chamber portions delimiting said chamber and/or said closure member are axially movably arranged, and in which said cartridge means is movable with regard to said perforator means by the axial movement upon closing said chamber in such a way that said perforator means penetrate said cartridge means.

9. Coffee machine according to claim 1, further comprising a brewing chamber housing means receiving two chamber portions delimiting said chamber, whereby an upper chamber portion of said two chamber portions is provided for vertically supporting said cartridge means and is biased by means of a spring means in such a way that it is axially movable, upon closing said chamber, with regard to a lower chamber portion of said two chamber portions and against the force of said spring means.

10. Coffee machine according to claim 7 in which the inner shape of said chamber essentially corresponds to the outer shape of said cartridge means.

11. Coffee machine according to claim 8, further comprising a brewing chamber housing means receiving two chamber portions delimiting said chamber, whereby an upper chamber portion of said two chamber portions is provided for vertically supporting said cartridge means and is biased by means of a spring means in such a way that it is axially movable, upon closing said chamber, with regard to a lower chamber portion of said two chamber portions and against the force of said spring means.