CN213075268U

CN213075268U - Brewing device

Info

Publication number: CN213075268U
Application number: CN202021320147.6U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 查尔斯·芒索; 菲力浦·迪诺
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2019-07-09
Filing date: 2020-07-08
Publication date: 2021-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-08
Also published as: FR3098383B1; FR3098383A1

Abstract

The utility model relates to a brewing device, it is used for submerging in the container that holds water, this brewing device includes the chamber (6) that holds that is used for holding treating the brewing product, this chamber that holds includes the wall that can move between open position and closed position, and in open position, treat that the brewing product can be placed in the chamber (6), and in closed position, treat that the brewing product is held back in the chamber (6). The brewing device (1) comprises a water inlet hole (22), a water outlet hole (27), a pump (21) and a control circuit for the pump. The inlet opening (22) and the outlet opening (27) are arranged so that water flows through the product to be infused contained in the containment chamber (6), the pump (21) being intended to cause water to flow between the inlet opening (22) and the outlet opening (27) when the pump (21) is activated by the control circuit.

Description

Brewing device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a brewing device for immersion in a container containing water for producing a brewed beverage.

The main object of the present invention is to devise a brewing device for properly controlling the brewing time.

Background

Traditionally, the simplest brewing devices consist of a small hollow-out container in the shape of a sphere, egg or tube defining a chamber capable of containing the product to be brewed. Such brewing devices are immersed in hot water, which is placed beforehand in a container such as a teapot, cup or mug, or even directly in the jug. The main drawback of these brewing devices is that they do not provide any control of the brewing time unless the person preparing the brewed beverage carefully monitors the brewing time, which is not the case because the person does something else in the process of brewing the beverage.

In order to better control the brewing time, brewing devices such as those described in the following documents have been developed: DE2407662a1, US7219600B1, JP2007020816A and CN 102178455A.

According to patent application DE2407662a1, the brewing device is intended to be immersed in a container containing hot water, such as a teapot into which hot water is poured or a kettle which has been preheated. The brewing device comprises: a housing chamber provided with a permeable wall for housing the product to be infused; a shutter movable between an open position, in which the permeable wall is unblocked and allows the penetration of hot water into the containment chamber for the infusion of said product, and a closed position, in which the permeable wall is closed and the containment chamber is closed in a sealed manner so as to stop the infusion of said product.

The flap is initially held in the open position by a bimetallic element and a locking latch, which, when a predetermined temperature is reached, deforms at the temperature of the hot water after a certain time, which allows the bimetallic element to move the latch, which releases the flap, which is then brought into the closed position by a return spring. Although this brewing device limits the brewing time of the product, it does not ensure perfect control of the brewing time, since the movement of the shutter into the closed position depends on the imprecise time required for the bimetallic element to reach its deformation temperature, which may vary.

According to patent US7219600B1, the brewing device is intended to be placed on a container containing hot water, such as a teapot into which hot water is poured or a kettle which has been preheated of water. The infusion device comprises a containment chamber provided with a permeable wall for containing the product to be infused. The containment chamber is movable by overturning between a lowered position, in which it is immersed in the hot water, and a raised position, in which it is disengaged above the injected hot water. The brewing device comprises a mechanical timer which acts on a lamella which ensures that the containment chamber remains in the initial lowered position. When the brewing time is reached, the mechanical timer releases the flap to release the receiving chamber, which allows the counterweight or return spring to move the receiving chamber to the raised position. Although this brewing device limits the brewing time of the product, it does not ensure perfect control of the brewing time, since there is a time delay between the setting of the mechanical timer and the positioning of the brewing device above the container, which is uncontrolled. Furthermore, this design requires the container to be completely filled with hot water to ensure that the containment chamber is properly submerged in the hot water in its lowered position.

According to patent application JP2007020816A, the brewing device is intended to be immersed in a container containing hot water, such as a teapot into which hot water is poured or a kettle which has been preheated. The infusion device comprises a containment chamber provided with a permeable wall for containing the product to be infused. The containment chamber is movable between an initial open position, in which the permeable wall is not obstructed and hot water can penetrate said containment chamber, and a final closed position, in which the permeable wall is closed by a baffle of the containment chamber closed in a sealed manner, stopping the infusion. The brewing device comprises a piston, the stem end of which is fixed to the permeable wall of the containment chamber, which allows the compression of the return spring when the containment chamber is in the open position. The brewing device comprises a mechanical timer which acts on a locking mechanism which ensures that the piston is kept in the open position of the containment chamber. When the brewing time has elapsed, the mechanical timer acts on the locking mechanism, which releases the piston, which is raised again by the action of the return spring and moves the containment chamber to the closed position. Although this brewing device limits the brewing time of the product, it does not ensure perfect control of the brewing time, since there is a time delay between the setting of the mechanical timer and the positioning of the brewing device in the hot water contained in the capsule, which is uncontrolled.

According to patent application CN102178455A, the brewing device is integrated into a multi-functional beverage appliance comprising a power base and a body provided with a heated bottom. The body is removable from the base by the electrical connector. The multifunctional beverage appliance is similar to a kettle in structure. The body of the multi-functional beverage appliance comprises pumping means of the electric pump type and a conduit extending from an inlet opening arranged near the heated bottom to an outlet arranged in a lid above a filter containing the product to be infused, which allows the hot water to be re-raised from the bottom of the body to the top of the body.

This design does not ensure an optimal infusion of the product, since the filter cannot be completely and permanently immersed in hot water for a limited infusion time; it is also impossible to control the infusion time, since the product to be infused will take a certain uncontrollable time before it is completely immersed in the hot water.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model discloses the above-mentioned shortcoming of prior art's bubble device has been remedied.

To this end, the present invention relates to a brewing device for immersion in a container that already contains or is containing water. The brewing device comprises a containment chamber for containing the product to be brewed, comprising a wall movable between an open position, in which the product to be brewed can be placed in the containment chamber, and a closed position, in which the product to be brewed is trapped in the containment chamber. Furthermore, the infusion device comprises a water inlet and a water outlet, which are arranged so that the water flows through the product to be infused contained in the containment chamber. The brewing device further includes a pump for causing water to flow between the inlet opening and the outlet opening when the pump is activated by the control circuit, and a control circuit for the pump.

Thus, the infusion device according to the present invention allows to trigger the filling of the chamber with water at a given moment by actuating the pump, the actuation of which makes it possible to let in water through the inlet hole, so as to fill the chamber with water and inject it, and then to let the injected water contained in the chamber exit through the outlet hole, which injected water circulates in the circuit by flowing inside the chamber as long as the pump is actuated. Furthermore, the control circuit allows the pump to be activated for a certain period of time, allowing perfect control of the brewing time.

This design of the brewing device also has the advantage that it can be used with different types of containers. In fact, the brewing device can be immersed in cold water contained in a kettle-type container, the pump being activated to start brewing only after the water has been heated, when commanded by the control circuit. The brewing device may also be immersed in hot water contained in a conventional teapot-type container into which water previously heated in a kettle is poured, or even in a kettle-type container in which water is to be previously heated. As previously mentioned, the pump is activated to begin brewing only when commanded by the control circuit.

The brewing device according to the present invention also has the advantage of being able to perform cold brewing, which is not imaginable with the brewing device described in patent application DE2407662a1, which uses a thermally deformable bimetallic element.

In contrast to prior brewing devices, the brewing device according to the present invention no longer provides a permeable wall on the containment chamber to allow water to penetrate into said chamber and brew the water contained in the container. Thus, when water circulates from the inlet hole to the outlet hole, the containment chamber remains filled with water under the action of the pump, which ensures a proper infusion of the product to be infused contained in the containment chamber.

According to the brewing device which is the subject of the present invention, the pump and the control circuit are arranged in a sealed housing. This allows the brewing device to be completely submerged without risk of damaging the pump and control circuitry. It goes without saying that the pump is located in a sealed enclosure, which requires communication between said sealed enclosure and the containment chamber in order to allow the circulation of water under the action of the pump. For this purpose, the pump circuit opens into the bottom of the sealed housing, which communicates with the accommodation chamber when the latter is closed.

According to an embodiment of the brewing device, the water inlet and/or outlet opening comprises a valve. This allows the water circulation in the containment chamber to be stopped immediately once the pump is stopped by the control circuit.

According to the brewing device which is the subject of the present invention, the control circuit comprises an element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water. Furthermore, the control circuit activates the pump according to the information transmitted by the element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water. Thus, the pump is activated to start brewing only when the element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water provides information to the control circuit and the control circuit then activates the pump after the water has been heated.

According to a first embodiment of the brewing device, the element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water is a temperature sensor. In addition, the control circuit triggers the pump to start when the sensor detects that a predetermined water temperature or a water temperature plateau is reached. When the sensor detects that a predetermined or set temperature is reached, the container will be, for example, of the mechanical kettle type, automatically closing when the hot water reaches 100 ℃; in this case, the brewing device may comprise an indicator which signals to the user that the brewing temperature has been reached (typically below 100 ℃), so that the user can turn off the kettle. When the sensor detects that the temperature of the water is stable, the container may be, for example, of the type of an electronic kettle allowing the user to set the heating temperature of the water, or of the type of a conventional teapot into which hot water is poured.

According to a second embodiment of the brewing device, the element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water is an accelerometer. In addition, the control circuit triggers the pump to start when the accelerometer detects vibrations caused by water boiling. According to this embodiment, the container can be, for example, of the mechanical kettle type, automatically closing when the hot water reaches the boiling temperature of 100 ℃, or of the electronic kettle type, which allows to set the water heating temperature below 100 ℃. In this case, the brewing device may include an indicator to signal to the user that water is boiling and brewing is starting, so that the user can turn off the kettle.

According to the brewing device that is the subject of the present invention, the control circuit performs the activation of the pump during a time T1 that defines the brewing time, the control circuit comprising a memory that stores at least the time T1.

According to an embodiment of the brewing device, the control circuit comprises a human-machine interface provided with at least one button for setting the time T1. This advantageously allows to set different values for the time T1 in order to adapt the brewing time to the type of product to be brewed. Preferably, the control button will allow setting the time T1 within a value range between 2 and 6 minutes, preferably between 3 and 5 minutes.

Preferably, the brewing device according to the present invention comprises a handle for handling or hanging it, which will facilitate its handling without being scalded by hot water.

A handle refers to a gripping device that may be rigid or flexible, especially when it takes the form of a chain.

Preferably, the infusion device according to the present invention comprises feet which make it possible to place it in a stable manner on the bottom of the container or on a table or a kitchen counter. Such stabilizing feet also contribute to the filling of the containment chamber with the product to be infused.

According to the utility model discloses, the steep device includes the battery for the pump power supply. The power cell is located in the aforementioned sealed enclosure along with the pump and control circuitry.

According to a first embodiment, the water inlet opening is provided upstream of the pump on the aforesaid sealed casing, preferably on the outline of the sealed casing, and the water outlet opening is provided downstream of the pump on the containment chamber, preferably on the bottom of the latter. An advantage of such an embodiment is that the risk of the pump becoming clogged by the product to be infused is avoided.

According to a second embodiment, the water inlet opening is provided on the containment chamber upstream of the pump, preferably on the bottom of the containment chamber, and the water outlet opening is provided on the aforementioned sealed housing downstream of the pump, preferably on the contour of the sealed housing. An advantage of such an embodiment is to ensure that the position of the water inlet is lower than the level of water contained in the container, but it may also lead to a risk of clogging of the pump, since the product to be infused is located upstream of the pump. To avoid these risks of clogging, a pump protection filter will be provided on the brewing device.

Drawings

The features and advantages of the present invention will appear when the following description is read on the basis of the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the brewing device with the movable wall of the containment chamber in the closed position;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the brewing device of FIG. 1 partially shown to show the pump in a sealed housing;

figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the brewing device of figure 1;

figure 4 shows a perspective view of a sealed housing of the brewing device of figure 1.

Detailed Description

In the following of the description, the terms "upper" and "lower" are used in view of the normal position of the brewing device on a table or kitchen counter.

In the rest of the description, the terms upstream and downstream are defined with respect to the water flow direction, which is from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, the brewing device 1 comprises a substantially spherical body 2. The body 2 comprises an upper part 3 and a lower part 4. The upper part 3 forms a sealed housing 5 and the lower part 4 forms a chamber 6 for containing the product to be infused (not shown). The sealed housing 5 comprises a reservoir 7 at its lower part 5a and a lid 8 at its upper part 5 b. By joining the lower edge 9 of the lid 8 to the upper edge 10 of the reservoir 7, the reservoir 7 and the lid 8 are assembled together in a sealed manner.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, the sealed housing 5 and the accommodation chamber 6 are hinged by a hinge 11, the hinge 11 being arranged between a lower edge 12 of the reservoir 7 and an upper edge 13 of the accommodation chamber 6. On the side opposite to the position of this hinge 11, the contoured wall 14 of the reservoir 7 comprises a projecting element 15 and the contoured wall 16 of the housing 6 comprises a projection 17 provided with a window 18. The hinge 11 allows the containment chamber 6 to open with respect to the hermetic shell 5 while also holding them together, the open position of the containment chamber 6 allowing the material to be infused (not shown) to be introduced therein. The hinge 11 then closes the housing 6 by crimping the housing 6 onto the sealed housing 5, the bottom 19 of the reservoir 7 then forming a lid for closing the housing 6 in the closed position. The closed position is maintained by locking the receiving chamber 6 together with the sealed housing 5 by snapping the window 18 of the projection 17 onto the projecting element 15 of the reservoir 7. The presence of a shoulder 20 on the lower edge 12 of the reservoir 7 ensures the tightness of the containment chamber 6 when closed by the sealed enclosure 5.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, a pump 21 is housed in the reservoir 7. The pump 21 is connected at the inlet via an inlet pipe 23 to an inlet opening 22 arranged in the contour wall 14 of the reservoir 7. The pump 21 is also connected at the outlet to a central hole 24 arranged on the bottom 19 of the reservoir 7 by means of an outlet pipe 25. This central aperture 24 in the bottom 19 of the reservoir 7 thus opens into the receiving chamber 6 when the receiving chamber 6 is closed by the sealed housing 5. The receiving chamber 6 comprises a bottom 26, at which bottom 26 an outlet hole 27 is arranged. A check valve 28 is installed at the outlet hole 27 to prevent water from infiltrating into the receiving chamber 6 through the outlet hole 27. Such a check valve 28 may also be provided at the inlet opening 22 in addition to the check valve 28 at the outlet opening 27, or instead of the check valve 28 at the outlet opening 27. When the pump 21 is activated, water penetrates through the inlet hole 22 and is then injected into the housing 6 through the intermediate hole 24. The containment chamber 6 is filled with water which, when in contact with the product to be infused, performs the infusion. Once the chamber 6 is filled with water, the pressure in the chamber 6 opens the check valve 28, allowing the brewed water to drain through the outlet hole 27. When the pump 21 stops, the check valve 28 blocks the outlet hole 27.

The design of the brewing device 1 shown in fig. 1 to 4 requires that the body 2 is properly immersed in water to ensure that the water inlet holes 22 are immersed in water to allow water to circulate into the receiving chamber 6 and be extracted through the water outlet holes 27. Variations of the brewing device 1 can be considered by reversing the position of the inlet and outlet holes 22, 27, which would allow to design a brewing device 1, for example, containing only the chamber 6 to be submerged.

According to these variants, the check valve 28 will be arranged at the water inlet hole 22. Furthermore, according to these variants, a protective filter (not shown) will be provided at the intermediate hole 24 to prevent the return of the product to be infused to the pump 21, which could block the pump 21.

The reservoir 7 of the sealed housing 5 also allows to house a control circuit (not shown) which will be placed next to the pump 21. The control circuit activates the pump 21 to circulate water from the inlet hole 22 to the outlet hole 27, so as to fill the containment chamber 6 to brew the product to be brewed contained therein. The control circuit keeps the pump 21 activated for a time T1 and then turns off the pump 21 to interrupt the water circulation, thereby stopping the injection of the water contained in the container. In this way, the brewing time is perfectly controlled.

The brewing device 1 comprises a temperature sensor (not shown) of the NTC (negative temperature coefficient) type, which can be used to detect the temperature of the water contained in the container in which the brewing device 1 is immersed. For example, the temperature sensor may be placed on the contour wall 14 of the reservoir 7. The temperature sensor is connected to the control circuit and makes it possible to transmit a water temperature measurement to said control circuit. The control circuit can be programmed in two different ways: or the control circuit detects when the water temperature reaches a steady state, i.e. stops rising and stabilizes or even falls, or it detects when a set temperature is reached, which can be defined by the user depending on the type of product to be brewed. In both cases, once the temperature steady state or set temperature is reached, the control circuit activates the pump 21 to brew the product to be brewed contained in the containment chamber 6. The control circuit keeps the pump 21 running for a time T1 and then stops it, thus stopping the infusion of the product to be infused placed in the containment chamber 6.

The control circuit is provided with a memory (not shown) for storing a time T1 defining the brewing time. As described above, the storage memory will also store the set temperature when the control circuit is configured to detect when the set temperature is reached. Preferably, the time T1 may be set according to a range of values suitable for the different types of products to be brewed (e.g. green and black tea). This value range should preferably be between 2 and 6 minutes, preferably between 3 and 5 minutes. To this end, the memory will store a range of values of the brewing time T1, and the control circuit will additionally comprise a human-machine interface provided with at least one setting button which will allow setting of the time T1 selected within the range of values. When the control circuit is configured to detect the set temperature, as described above, the memory may also store a range of the set temperature, for example between 80 ℃ and 100 ℃, and the human-machine interface may be provided with a second setting button which makes it possible to set said set temperature.

Alternatively, the temperature sensor may be replaced by an accelerometer. When the accelerometer detects the vibration caused by boiling water, it transmits information to the control circuit which starts the pump at time T1 before the pump stops.

The form of brewing device 1 with temperature steady state is particularly suitable for use with an electronic kettle that allows setting a set temperature. In fact, this form of brewing device 1 allows to detect the end of the heating cycle, regardless of the set temperature chosen on the jug. This form is also suitable for use with conventional teapots because the control circuit will activate the pump 21 once the temperature measurement of the temperature sensor has stalled or even dropped.

The form of the brewing device 1 with a set temperature is suitable for use with an electronic kettle which allows setting the stopping temperature of the kettle, or even with a mechanical kettle which stops when the water temperature reaches 100 ℃. This form of brewing device 1 may include an indicator (not shown), such as a light signal, which the control circuit will activate at the same time as the pump 21 is activated when the set temperature measured by the temperature sensor is reached. When the kettle is a mechanical kettle, the indicator will allow the user to turn off the kettle to prevent the temperature of the water from rising further beyond the set temperature. Preferably, the set temperature on the control circuit should be settable so that it can be adapted to the type of product to be brewed.

The form of brewing device 1 with accelerometer is suitable for use with electronic type kettles allowing the temperature of the water to be regulated, or with mechanical type kettles which automatically shut off when the temperature of the water reaches 100 ℃. As previously mentioned, an indicator may also be provided on this form of brewing device 1 to indicate to the user that the mechanical kettle is turned off when the pump 21 is activated.

Referring to fig. 3, the lid 8 of the sealed housing 5 includes a recess 29 for receiving a battery 30, the battery 30 being intended to power the control circuitry and the pump 21 and other electronic components.

Brewing device 1 comprises a handle (not shown) preferably arranged on lid 8 of sealed housing 5 to enable manipulation of said brewing device 1 when it is placed in and removed from a container. The handle may also be used to hang brewing device 1. The handle may be replaced by a chain link.

The lower part 4 of the body 2 comprises a circular foot 31, in which circular foot 31 the outlet hole 27 and the non-return valve 28 are placed. This foot 31 makes it possible to place the brewing device 1 in a stable manner, for example when the brewing device 1 is immersed in a container or placed on a table or kitchen counter.

Other features are also contemplated within the context of the present invention. For example, a ballast element may be provided which will assist in the lowering of brewing device 1 into the water contained in the container, such a ballast element making it possible to ensure that inlet opening 22 is located below the level of water in said container. It is also possible to provide a floating system so that only the containment chamber 6 is immersed in the water contained in the container, this variant being envisaged only when the inlet aperture 22 is placed on the containment chamber 6. The control circuit may allow the brewing device 1 to automatically switch to a standby state after a period of non-use in order to conserve the charge of the battery 30. The brewing device 1 may also have a low battery charge indicator to inform the user that the battery needs to be replaced or recharged.

Claims

1. Brewing device for immersion in a container already containing or containing water, comprising a containment chamber (6) for containing a product to be brewed, the containment chamber comprises a wall (16) movable between an open position in which it is closed, the product to be infused being able to be placed in the containment chamber (6), in the closed position the product to be infused being trapped in the containment chamber (6), characterized in that the brewing device (1) comprises a water inlet (22), a water outlet (27), a pump (21) and a control circuit for the pump, the water inlet (22) and outlet (27) being arranged so that the water flows through the product to be infused contained in the containment chamber (6), the pump (21) is adapted to cause the water to flow between the inlet opening (22) and the outlet opening (27) when the pump (21) is activated by the control circuit.

2. The brewing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pump (21) and the control circuit are arranged in a sealed housing (5).

3. The brewing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the water inlet opening (22) is provided on the sealed housing (5) upstream of the pump (21) and the water outlet opening (27) is provided on the receiving chamber (6) downstream of the pump (21).

4. The brewing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the water inlet opening (22) is provided on the containment chamber (6) upstream of the pump (21) and the water outlet opening (27) is provided on the sealed housing (5) downstream of the pump (21).

5. The brewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the water inlet opening (22) and/or the water outlet opening (27) comprise a non-return valve (28).

6. The brewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said control circuit comprises an element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water, said pump (21) being activated by said control circuit as a function of the information transmitted by said element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water.

7. A brewing device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water is a temperature sensor, said control circuit triggering the activation of said pump (21) when said sensor detects that a predetermined water temperature is reached or that the water temperature stabilizes.

8. The brewing device according to claim 6, characterized in that said element for detecting the temperature or boiling of the water is an accelerometer, said control circuit triggering the activation of said pump (21) when said accelerometer detects a vibration caused by the boiling of the water.

9. The brewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said control circuit performs the activation of said pump (21) within a time T1 defining a brewing time, said control circuit comprising a memory for storing at least said time T1.

10. The brewing device of claim 9, wherein the control circuit comprises a human-machine interface including at least one button that sets the time T1.

11. The brewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the brewing device comprises a handle for handling or suspending the brewing device.

12. The brewing device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises feet (31).

13. The brewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a battery (30) for powering the pump (21).