AU2004100302A4

AU2004100302A4 - Grindenstein

Info

Publication number: AU2004100302A4
Application number: AU2004100302A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alexander Gransbury
Original assignee: Dream Farm Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Dream Farm Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-04-25
Filing date: 2004-04-25
Publication date: 2004-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-25
Also published as: WO2005102125A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT

GRIN(DENSTEIN'

ESPRESSO MACHINE'S PORTAFILTER EMPTYING DEVICE AND COFFEE GRIND WASTE BIN The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: ESPRESSO MACHINE'S PORTAFILTER EMPTYING DEVICE AND COFFEE GRIND WASTE BIN Almost all espresso machines use a 'portafilter' basket (see Figure 7) to hold the ground coffee in the machine so that boiling water can be passed through the ground coffee to give the espresso shot. The problem for espresso machine users is that the machine does not incorporate the necessary function of emptying the portafilter ready for the next cup. There have been many proposals to empty this portafilter all requiring a separate device on which the portafilter can be knocked to empty its basket of the waste coffee grounds. These proposals have had the disadvantage that they have all taken up a lot of bench space, been hard to clean, and often break after repeated use.

These problems have been overcome by this present invention. The invention provides an espresso machine's portafilter basket emptying device comprising of completely dishwashing machine proof materials and an engineered shock absorbing design, all at a space-saving size that conveniently fits underneath the espresso machine's cup bay.

The bar through the bucket may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, or moulded plastic.

The user's espresso machine portafilter is turned upside-down onto the portafilter emptying device's dumb/knock bar. The portafilter is then knocked repeatedly over the device's dump bar until the coffee grind waste in the portafilter basket is emptied. This usually takes between 1 and 3 knocks on the dumb bar. The portafilter is then ready to be filled to make the next shot of espresso. The waste grinds are collected in the bottom of the device and ready for either disposal or use as a fertilizer in the garden.

When the portafilter is knocked on the device's dump bar, the impact force is absorbed by the sleeve covering the dump bar and transferred by the bar to the two fully enclosed rings at the ends of the dump bar. These rings also absorb the impact force and then evenly distribute the force throughout the plastic bucket to the base. The fact that these absorbing rings are fully enclosed means that the force is spread evenly through the plastic, minimising damage to the bucket or possible breakage. The force transferred to the bucket is then finally passed onto the benchtop the device is placed on at the time of the knock, via the shock absorbing pads on the base of the device. These shock absorbing pads also extend right through the base of the device to take away as much force as possible from the bucket, again minimising the potential for damage to the bucket.

The device's dump bar and bucket are preferably made out of dishwasher safe polymer plastics, however other materials can be used. The device may also be made of a suitable food grade plastics material. The device's dump bar protection sleeve, shock absorbing rings and pads are also preferably made out of a dishwasher safe rubber, however other materials such as plastics can be used.

The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of embodiment of the invention which; Figures 1, 2 and 3 are elevations of the portafilter emptying device with the dump/knock bar and the shock absorbing materials removed. They show the holes for the shock absorbing rings as well as the holes for the shock absorbing pads Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar views of the portafilter emptying device with the dump/knock bar and the shock absorbing materials inserted. This shows how the impact force of the portafilter being knocked on the bar is dispersed along the bar by the shock absorbing material covering the middle section of the bar and then further dispersed by the fully enclosed sock absorbing rings connecting the bar to the bucket As the bar's impact force is transferred to a completely enclosed shock absorbing ring, the force is the evenly dispersed throughout the bucket to the base shock absorbing pads significantly reducing long term use wear and damage.

Claims

1. A coffee grind waste bin and recycling station comprised of completely of dishwasher safe materials and engineered shock absorbing design, all at a space-saving size that conveniently fits underneath the espresso machine's cup bay.

2. The shock absorbing design of claim 1 wherein the knock/dump bar through the bucket is attached to the bucket by shock absorbing and impact spreading material, such as polymers, or moulded rubber.

3. This shock absorbing material of claim 2 is fully enclosed in the design of the bucket such that the impact force it receives is evenly dispersed through out the product reducing the chance of breakage or damage to the product through repeated use.

4. The shock absorbing pads at the bottom of the product pass right through the product's base. This design makes the pads able to gather all of the impact force sent down through the bucket by the shock absorbing rings.