Coffee grinder assembly for a coffee machine

• US 7,273,005 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versuni Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Saeco IPR Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Turi, Mariano
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone; Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US10/871,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 993/48, 99509-511, 99275-315, 992/89.R, 241/168, 241/169.1, 241/100, 241/DIG.27, 241/101.2
• US Class Current: 99/286
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/42 Beverage-making apparatus with incorporated grinding or roasting means for coffee coffee mills A47J42/00; coffee roasters in general A23N12/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 42/16 mechanically driven

Abstract

A coffee grinder assembly for a coffee machine comprises two coaxially arranged grinding wheels. One of the grinding wheels is driven by an electric motor, and the other one is stationary. For receiving the grinding wheels, two grinding wheel support members are provided. Each grinding wheel is provided with radially extending protrusions, and each grinding wheel support member is provided with corresponding recesses to form a bayonet closure. By such a design, the provision of connecting bores in the grinding wheels can be avoided, resulting in an enlarged effective grinding surface.

Claims

1. A coffee grinder assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first, lower grinding wheel support member and a first, lower grinding wheel;

a second, upper grinding wheel support member and a second, upper grinding wheel;

at least one of said first and second grinding wheels being rotatably received in said housing;

said first, lower grinding wheel support member and said first, lower grinding wheel both comprising first cooperating connecting means for fixing said first, lower grinding wheel in said first, lower grinding wheel support member;

said second, upper grinding wheel support member and said second, upper grinding wheel both comprising second cooperating connecting means for fixing said second, upper grinding wheel in said second, upper grinding wheel support member;

each of said first and second cooperating connecting means being designed as a rotational closure in which a mutual rotation of said first, lower grinding wheel support member and said first, lower grinding wheel as well as of said second, upper grinding wheel support member and said second, upper grinding wheel in each case provides for an interlocking closure that is driven in its locked position under the influence of the torque force occurring during the grinding operation.

2. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which said second, upper grinding wheel support member is provided with a supporting surface facing said second, upper grinding wheel, and in which said second, upper grinding wheel is provided with a smooth rest surface facing said second, upper grinding wheel support member, whereby said second, upper grinding wheel is pressed against said supporting surface of said second, upper grinding wheel support member under the influence of the torque force occurring during the grinding operation.

3. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which each of said first and second grinding wheels is provided with radially extending protrusions, and each of said first and second grinding wheel support members is provided with correspondingly located recesses, said protrusions of said first grinding wheel engaging said recesses of said first grinding wheel support members to thereby form a first bayonet closure, and said protrusions of said second grinding wheel engaging said recesses of said second grinding wheel support member to thereby form a second bayonet closure.

4. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 3 in which said protrusions of said first and second grinding wheels comprise an oblique wedge surface which axially position the grinding wheel in the associated grinding wheel support member and press the grinding wheel axially against said supporting surfaces provided on the associated grinding wheel support member.

5. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which each of said first and second grinding wheels is provided with centering means for radially positioning the grinding wheel in the associated grinding wheel support member.

6. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 5 in which said centering means of said first and second grinding wheel comprises an annular recess, the associated grinding wheel support member being provided with a corresponding annular protrusion engaging said annular recess of the grinding wheel for radially centering said grinding wheel with respect to the associated grinding wheel support member.

7. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 5 in which said centering means of said first and second grinding wheel comprises an annular protrusion, the associated grinding wheel support member being provided with a corresponding annular recess engaging said annular protrusion of the grinding wheel for radially centering said grinding wheel with respect to the associated grinding wheel support member.

8. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which said first and second grinding wheels are made of a ceramic base material.

9. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which said first and second grinding wheels are made of a carbide or carbide alloy material.

10. A coffee grinder assembly according to claim 1 in which said second, upper grinding wheel is stationary and said first, lower grinding wheel is driven by an electric motor.