Espresso brewing device

• US 6,820,535 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Fischer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US10/473,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20040112222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 992/79, 993/86, 992/89.R, 992/89.T, 992/89.D, 994/43.R, 992/89.P, 992/95, 994/43.C, 993/02.R, 993/02.P, 991/77, 426/433
• US Class Current: 99/289.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3628 Perforating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3633 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3638 Means to eject the cartridge after brewing
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3642 Cartridge magazines therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge

Abstract

An espresso brewing device with a brewing unit, a magazine able to rotate via an electric motor and equipped with a magazine table (17) supporting several magazine tubes (20) located along its circumference and open below for holding single-serving capsules (16) containing coffee powder is provided with means for the individual dispensing of single-serving capsules (16) into the brewing unit and with a control system for controlling the rotation of the magazine table (17) up to the point where a magazine tube (20) containing the desired coffee type is in the dispensing position. In order to facilitate access to functionally-important parts, particularly the magazine, that are housed securely inside a casing, the brewing unit, the capsule conveying device and the magazine are positioned on a support frame (45) whereby the magazine, supported by a magazine drawer (18), is able to be pulled out.

Claims

1. Espresso brewing device with a brewing unit, with a magazine able to rotate via an electric motor and provided with a magazine table (17) supporting several magazine tubes (20), located along its circumference and open below, for holding single serving capsules (16) containing coffee powder, and with means for dispensing the single-serving capsules individually into the brewing unit, whereby a control system is provided for controlling the rotation of the magazine up to the point where a magazine tube containing the desired coffee type is in the dispensing position, characterised by the fact that the brewing unit, the capsule conveying device and the magazine are positioned on a support frame (45) and that the magazine is supported by a magazine table drawer (18) mounted on the support frame and able to be pulled out.

2. Espresso brewing device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine table (17) with the magazine tubes can be separated from the drawn-out magazine table drawer (18).

3. Espresso brewing device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine tubes (20) are each provided, in a lower section of their jacket located above the magazine table (17), with a capsule magazine opening (33) radially open towards the outside and serving as a passage for the lowest-positioned single-serving capsule (16) stored with its base facing downwards inside a magazine tube (20) whereby the capsule is pushed-out through the passage via an electromotive-actuated capsule gripper (23) when the magazine tube is in the dispensing position, and by the fact that a capsule sliding path (41) extends between the magazine table and the brewing unit whereby the pushed-out single-serving capsule (16) is able to slide further towards the brewing unit via the capsule gripper (23).

4. Espresso brewing device according to claim 3, characterised by the fact that a capsule ejection slot (49) extending radially up to the outer edge of the magazine table (17) and open in that area is formed below each magazine tube (20), whereby the capsule ejection slot (49) meets a capsule gripping guide (22), formed from the capsule slide path (41) and extending up to the brewing unit, when one of the magazine tubes (20) is in the dispensing position, and by the fact that the capsule gripper (23) is guided, as part of a capsule conveying device, in a sliding manner within the capsule gripping guide (22) and the adjoining capsule ejection slot.

5. Espresso brewing device according to claim 4, characterised by the fact that the capsule gripper (23) is connected inside the capsule conveying device with a capsule conveying driving motor (32) via an actuating lever (24) and drive mechanism elements (31, 37, 38, 40).

6. Espresso brewing device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine is essentially positioned adjacent to the brewing unit and that the capsule conveying device is designed only for the horizontal conveyance of the single-serving capsules (16) and is essentially positioned between the magazine and the brewing unit.

7. Espresso brewing device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine table (17) is in an actuation-connection with a Maltese-cross-type drive including a driving motor (30), a drive mechanism (29), a Maltese-type disc (27) with a driving pin (28) and positioned below the magazine table on the support frame, and by the fact that the driving pin (28) is in close touch with one of several Maltese-type gripping flanks (58) located at the lower surface of the magazine table (17).

8. Espresso brewing device, especially according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine table (17) is provided with a zero setting reference mark (47) able to be scanned.

9. Espresso brewing device according to claim 8, characterised by the fact that the magazine table (17) is provided with an electronic position recognition device consisting of a scanner of the zero setting reference mark (47) and a two-direction meter counting operational steps carried out by the Maltese-type drive in each direction of rotation starting from a zero setting of the magazine table (17), whereby the position recognition device is part of a logical control system controlling a set movement of a randomly selected magazine tube using the shortest possible path into the dispensing position.

10. Espresso brewing device, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the magazine table (17) is provided in the area below each magazine tube (20) with a transparent window (57) for scanning the base of a single-serving capsule (16), and by the fact that at least one sensor/scanner (55, 56) is positioned below the magazine table (17) at the path of movement of the transparent windows able to rotate together with the magazine table (17) and is directed towards the path of movement of the respective window.

11. Espresso brewing device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that a sensor (56) is located in the dispensing position for the purpose of monitoring the presence of a single-serving capsule (16).

12. Espresso brewing device, especially according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that a scanner (55) is positioned before the dispensing position in the direction of rotation of the magazine table (17), whereby a code concerning the coffee type applied to the base of the lowest single-serving capsule (16) inside one of the magazine tubes (20) can be scanned.

13. Espresso brewing device, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the brewing unit includes a spindle piston (3) driven by an electric motor and provided with an inner brewing chamber insert (5) having a piercer pointing downwards equipped with inner brewing water supply channels (42) whereby the spindle piston (3) can be lowered into a brewing position (FIG. 3b) towards a capsule ejector (14) able to swivel and a pyramid plate (13), and by the fact that a capsule ejection lever (35) engages with the spindle piston (3) whereby the capsule ejector (14) can be swivelled upwards into an ejection position (FIG. 3c) via raising the piston spindle (3) after completion of a brewing process.

14. Espresso brewing device according claim 13, characterised by the fact that the pyramid plate (13) is replaceable and, together with the capsule ejector (14) on a pyramid support drawer (12), forms a basic unit assembly group.

15. Espresso brewing device according to claim 13, characterised by the fact that the upper surface of the capsule ejector (14) is provided with a capsule centering device into which one of the single-serving capsules can be inserted horizontally.

16. Espresso brewing device according to claim 3, characterised by the fact that the horizontal capsule sliding path (41) is equipped with lateral capsule guides (21) and is part of the brewing unit.