Coffee maker for brewing coffee powder contained in a cartridge

• US 7,856,920 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versuni Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Saeco International Group SPA (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schmed, Arthur, Remo, Gianni
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US11/034,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 992/95, 992/89.R, 993/02.R, 993/05
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0673 Means to perforate the cartridge for creating the beverage outlet
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/36 with mechanical pressure-producing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3628 Perforating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3695 Cartridge perforating means for creating the hot water inlet cartridge perforating means of the filter holder for creating the beverage outlet A47J31/0673
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4492 Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4496 Means to produce beverage with a layer on top, e.g. of cream, foam or froth

Abstract

The coffee maker for brewing powder coffee contained in a cartridge comprises a brewing chamber adapted to receive the cartridge, at least one punching member for punching the cartridge and a pump for feeding brewing water into the brewing chamber. In order to avoid that the prepared coffee shows froth at its surface, the coffee maker comprises means for restricting the amount of water fed by the pump into the brewing chamber per unit of time. This means ensures that the brewing water flows through the cartridge essentially unpressurized.

Claims

1. Coffee maker for brewing coffee powder contained in a cartridge, comprising:

a single brewing chamber adapted to receive said coffee powder cartridge;

at least one means for punching said coffee powder cartridge;

a pump for feeding hot brewing water through a single brewing water conduit into said brewing chamber, wherein said pump is operated with alternating current;

means for restricting the amount of brewing water fed into said brewing chamber per unit of time to such an extent that the brewing water flows through said powder coffee cartridge received in said brewing chamber essentially unpressurized, said means for restricting including an adjustable throttle valve inserted into said brewing water conduit for varying the effective cross sectional flow area of said conduit, wherein said means for restricting the amount of brewing water fed into said brewing chamber per unit of time comprises means for restricting a flow rate of said pump, and wherein said means for restricting the flow rate of said pump comprises a phase controlled modulator, a wave packet controller or a controller for changing the frequency; and

a control unit operationally connected to said pump and said means for restricting to selectively activate said pump and said means for restricting, in a first state to direct pressurized water into said brewing chamber sufficient for preparing an espresso beverage and in a second state to direct essentially unpressurized water into said brewing chamber sufficient for preparing a frothless beverage.

2. Coffee maker according to claim 1 in which said means for restricting the amount of brewing water restrict the amount of brewing water fed into said brewing chamber per unit of time to not more than 12 liters per hour.

3. Coffee maker according to claim 1 in which at least two punching members are provided for punching the bottom of the cartridge as well as the cover of the cartridge, whereby means are provided for punching said bottom and said cover of said cartridge by said punching members before brewing water is fed to the cartridge by means of said pump.

4. Coffee maker according to claim 1 in which said brewing chamber comprises a cartridge retainer and a closing plate member, both said cartridge retainer and said closing plate member being provided each with a punching member, said coffee maker further comprising means for moving said cartridge container and said closing plate member relative to each other from an open condition of said brewing chamber to a closed condition thereof, whereby said cartridge contained in said brewing chamber is punched at its cover and its bottom by means of said punching members upon closing said brewing chamber.

5. Coffee maker according to claim 4 in which said closing plate member and said cartridge retainer both are provided with a centrally located punching member.

6. Coffee maker according to claim 4 in which said closing plate member or said cartridge retainer is provided with a centrally located punching member.

7. Coffee maker according to claim 1 in which a manually operated selector switch is provided that is connected to said control unit for selecting pressurized or unpressurized flow of brewing water.

8. Coffee maker according to claim 4 in which said closing plate member is adapted to press said cartridge along an annular seating area against the end face of said cartridge retainer upon closing said brewing chamber.

9. Coffee maker according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for decoding a label or marking provided on said cartridge, whereby said sensor is operationally connected to said control unit for selecting pressurized or unpressurized flow of brewing water in response to the information content of said label or marking.

10. A coffee powder cartridge adapted to be used in a coffee maker according to claim 1, the bottom of said cartridge comprising an aperture covered by a foil fixed to the inner side of said bottom.

11. A coffee powder cartridge according to claim 10, the cartridge comprising a cup shaped lower portion, the bottom thereof constituting the cartridge bottom, whereby the foil covering the aperture provided in the cartridge bottom is made of a material that has a lower ductility and a lower tensile strength than the material of the cup shaped lower portion to ensure that the foil reliably tears open under the influence of a punching member upon closing the brewing chamber.