Drive for a coffee-making device

• US 6,807,898 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: J.M. de Jong Duke Automatenfabriek B.V (JM de Jong Verenigde Werkplaatsen Beheer BV)
• Original Assignee: J.M. de Jong Duke Automatenfabriek B.V (JM de Jong Verenigde Werkplaatsen Beheer BV)
• Inventors: De Koning, Abraham Gijsbert, Van Hattem, Jan Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/239,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20030147997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 993/02.P, 992/89.D, 993/02.R, 992/89.R
• US Class Current: 99/289.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/36 with mechanical pressure-producing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3614 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3619 Means to remove coffee after brewing

Abstract

Coffee-making device with a piston/cylinder unit, the piston (3) being driven by a drive mechanism. A swivelling arm structure is also driven by means of said drive mechanism (10,11), with the interposition of a cam/cam follower mechanism. The swivelling arm structure is provided with a cover (39) for closing off the free end of the cylinder (2). The cover can be pressed onto the cylinder by means of a cam structure.

Claims

1. Coffee-making device (1, 51), comprising a housing with a cylinder (2) in which a piston (3) is provided, for compressing with the piston coffee placed on said piston, said piston being movable by means of a drive mechanism (10,11), and said drive mechanism being provided in said housing, and comprising a cover (39) that can be placed on said cylinder, in order to bound a compression chamber with said cylinder and piston, means for introducing water into the compression chamber, means for discharging brewed coffee from the compression chamber, and means for removing the compressed coffee tablet, said movable cover comprising a swivelling arm structure (13), which is rotatable substantially about and over said cylinder in such a way that said cover can be moved above and away from the end of the cylinder, in order to bring said cover into engagement in a sealing manner with said cylinder end, said drive mechanism being designed to operate both said piston and said swivelling arm and comprising a rotary input shaft, characterized in that said drive mechanism for said piston is provided with means for converting a uniform rotating motion into a non-uniform reciprocating motion.

2. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said drive mechanism comprises an input shaft connected to a motor (12).

3. Coffee-making device according to claim 2, in which the swivelling arm is provided in a rotating manner, and the axis of rotation of said swivelling arm structure (3) is perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder.

4. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said drive mechanism comprises a rotating curved disc and engagement means connected to the piston and engaging upon the curve of said disc.

5. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said drive mechanism comprises a crankshaft, and in which said piston is connected to the driving rod of said crankshaft.

6. Coffee-making device according to claim 5, in which the axis of rotation of said swivelling arm structure (3) coincides with the axis of rotation of said crankshaft.

7. Coffee-making device according to claim 3, in which said swivelling arm structure (13) can be driven by said crankshaft.

8. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which a cam/cam follower mechanism is present for transmitting said reciprocating motion.

9. Coffee-making device according to claim 8, in which said cam or cam follower is fitted on said crankshaft and the other of said cam follower and said cam is fitted on said swivelling arm structure.

10. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, comprising spring means for driving said swivelling arm structure into the position above the free end of said cylinder.

11. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said swivelling arm structure is provided with means (36) for discharging said coffee tablet.

12. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said drive mechanism is designed to rotate in two directions.

13. Coffee-making device according to claim 1, in which said means for discharging brewed coffee from the compression chamber comprise a restriction which reacts to pressure, designed in such a way that at relatively low pressure a restriction with larger passage is present and at relatively higher pressure a restriction with smaller passage is present.

14. A coffee-making device comprising:

(a) a housing having a cylinder;

(b) a piston movable in the cylinder;

(c) a drive mechanism provided in the housing to move the piston to compress coffee placed on the piston;

(d) a movable cover cooperative with the cylinder to define a coffee compression chamber with the cylinder;

(e) a water supply to supply water to the compression chamber;

(f) an outlet for outflow of brewed coffee from the compression chamber; and

(g) a removal mechanism to remove the compressed coffee tablet from the compression chamber;

wherein the movable cover is operable by the drive mechanism and comprises a swiveling arm structure rotatable to move the cover away from the cylinder to permit coffee to be placed on the piston and to move the cover into sealing engagement with the cylinder and wherein the drive mechanism has a rotary input shaft and operates to convert uniform rotary input motion into a reciprocating output motion.

15. A coffee-making device according to claim 14 wherein the swiveling arm structure is rotatable substantially about the cylinder and over the cylinder so that the movable cover can be moved above and away from the end of the cylinder.

16. A coffee-making device according to claim 14 wherein the cylinder is a part of the housing, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a crankshaft having a driving rod, the piston being connected to the driving rod and wherein the drive mechanism comprises a rotating curved disc and a cam follower engaging upon the curve of the disc to transmit motion from the crankshaft to the swivelling arm structure.