Espresso coffee machine

• US 7,669,518 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Espressocap Srl (Intro Continental Investments BV)
• Original Assignee: Espressocap Srl (Intro Continental Investments BV)
• Inventors: Bardazzi, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/559,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 992/95, 993/02.R, 992/89.R, 992/89.D
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0668 specially adapted for cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0684 Sealing means for sealing the filter holder to the brewing head
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/368 Permeable cartridges being employed
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4471 by means of a hinge

Abstract

Espresso coffee machine comprising a reservoir for the water (20), a pump (21) for delivering the said water to a boiler (24), a hot water supply unit (2, 102, 122, 4, 304), and filter holder means (1, 301, 3, 103) for housing a portion of ground coffee (16), preferably pre-packaged, and provided with coffee delivery means (201; 203), characterized in that the said supply unit (2, 102, 122, 4, 304) and the said filter holder means (1, 301; 3, 103) are coupled together with a seal and the trajectory of the coupling movement lies on a plane substantially perpendicular to the median plane of coupling of the said supply unit (2, 102, 122; 4, 304) and the said filter holder means (1, 301; 3, 103), the facing surfaces of the said supply unit (2, 102, 122; 4, 304) and the said filter holder means (1, 301; 3, 103) coming into contact only at the time of their coupling.

Claims

1. An espresso coffee machine comprising:

a reservoir for water,

a pump for delivering the water to a boiler,

a hot water supply unit, and

filter holder means for housing a portion of ground coffee, and having a coffee delivery means,

the hot water supply unit and the filter holder means being coupled together with a seal and having a trajectory of coupling lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a median plane of coupling of the hot water supply unit and the filter holder means, facing surfaces of the hot water supply unit and the filter holder means coming into contact only at a time of their coupling,

wherein the filter holder means comprises a hatch hinged at one end to a body of the machine and an end opposite the hinge having releasable coupling means designed to be coupled to suitable coupling means positioned on a wall of the body of the machine, and wherein the median plane of coupling of the hot water supply and the filter holder means is inclined at an angle from 0°

to 30°

with respect to a longitudinal axis of the machine.

2. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the median plane of coupling of the supply unit and the filter holder means is perpendicular to a base plane of the machine body.

3. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the median plane of coupling of the supply unit and the filter holder means is inclined at an angle ranging from 10°

to 30°

with respect to a longitudinal axis of the machine.

4. The coffee machine according to claim 1, further comprising switch means interacting with the releasable coupling means of the hatch provided in the proximity of the coupling means positioned on the wall of the body of the machine.

5. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the hatch is hinged releasably to the body of the machine.

6. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the filter holder means comprises a filter holder, comprising a substantially cylindrical cavity provided with a radial hole communicating with the coffee delivery means.

7. The coffee machine according to claim 6, wherein the filter holder is provided with means for assisting with the extraction of a ground coffee cartridge.

8. The coffee machine according to claim 7, wherein the filter holder is provided with means for cleaning the delivery means.

9. The coffee machine according to claim 6, wherein the filter holder is permanently connected to the hatch (3).

10. The coffee machine according to claim 6, wherein the filter holder is inserted movably into the hatch, on two tubular guides, each provided with an inclined surface, interacting with two apertures formed in the base of the cavity of the filter holder, the filter holder being moved along the guides by means associated with the wall of the body of the machine.

11. The coffee machine according to claim 10, wherein a rod is parallel to the guides inserted into the hatch and passes with a seal into the filter holder through a hole which is radial with respect to the cavity of the filter holder, and emerges through the hole for communication with the supply means.