DE8813285U1 - Device for indicating the fill level of beverage preparation devices - Google Patents

Description

Severin 9552/88

Device for indicating the fill level of beverage preparation devices

The invention relates to a device for indicating the fill level in beverage preparation devices, such as electric coffee or tea machines, which have a water tank provided with a fill level marking, the latter having a drain on the bottom leading to a heating device and being penetrated by a vertical riser pipe for hot water.

Until now, it has been common practice for transparent water containers to simply have a fill level mark on the side wall of the container, which the user can compare with the actual water level inside the water container, so that he or she can determine the fill level.

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it can happen that the water tank becomes calcified or otherwise •a surface that is otherwise transparent remains more or less only translucent, but not transparent, so that the water level actually present in the water tank when water is added is no longer or only very difficult for the user to read,

Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of creating a device of the type described which makes it considerably easier for the user to read the fill level.

To solve this problem, it is proposed that the device consists of a flat, disc-like float made of plastic, with at least the edge of the float opposite the wall provided with the marking being colored.

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Because a disk-like float is now arranged inside the water tank, this float can move according to the level of the water, with the colored edge of the float aligned opposite the respective marking on the outside wall of the tank, so that the user does not have to relate the water level itself to the scale as a reference value, but the user sees the colored edge of the float and can assign this to the corresponding scale division. The readability of transparent containers is excellent. If the container is no longer sufficiently transparent due to prolonged use, the water level can still be read easily indirectly through the colored edge of the float.

Even with opaque, for example colored water containers, the user can determine the water level by

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The use of the disc-shaped float is made considerably easier, especially if the marking in the water tank is located on the inside of the tank.

The user can then easily determine the fill level by recognizing the level of the float and matching its level to the corresponding marking on the inner side wall of the water tank. With this design, it is not absolutely necessary for the edge of the float opposite the marking to be colored; it is sufficient if the float is made of an opaque material that stands out clearly from the water itself, so that the position of the float and thus the water level is obvious to the user. A particularly advantageous further development is seen in the fact that the water

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container is made of opaque material, in particular that the water container is made of uncoloured polypropylene.

The previous generic level indicators require that a transparent plastic be used to manufacture the water container.

The design according to the invention makes it possible to use, for example, natural polypropylene instead of the transparent material, which is considerably cheaper than transparent material, so that the costs for the production of the water container can be significantly reduced by this measure. This cost reduction is, however, only possible in combination with the essential feature of the main claim, because only by arranging a float with a minimum colored edge can the water level be read on the

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Scaling is also possible with opaque material. Opaque material is defined as material that is translucent to light. It should be noted that the wall thickness of the water container must be relatively large in order to ensure sufficient functionality and safety, whereby the water level can be clearly read using the water level indicator according to the invention.

A preferred further development is that the float is a solid plastic part, which is fluorescent or covered, coated, printed or colored with daylight fluorescent paint at least on its edge opposite the container wall.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the float has a bearing eye through which the riser pipe of the water tank passes.

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It is particularly preferred that the water tank has a guide surface extending over its entire height, at least in the area of the level indicator marking, on which the front edge of the float is guided so that it can be moved coaxially to the riser pipe, but is relatively non-rotatable.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and described in more detail below.

It shows:

Fig. 1 shows a water tank of a coffee machine in view, partially broken away;

Fig. 2 also seen in side section;

Fig. 3 a variant of a detail in side view;

Fig. 4 the same in plan view; Fig. 5 to 10 further variants in the same representation as Fig. 3+4.

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The device for displaying the fill level in beverage preparation devices, such as electric coffee or tea machines, consists essentially of a water tank 1 made of translucent material, with a fill level marking 2 arranged on a wall of the water tank 1. The water tank 1 has a drain for the water in its bottom, which is not shown in the drawing. Furthermore, the water tank is penetrated by a riser pipe 3 for hot water. The function and structure of the coffee machine will not be discussed in detail here, since such machines are widely known in the prior art. To display the fill level, which is shown by the water level 4 in the drawing, a disk-like float 5 made of plastic is provided on the riser pipe 3, the wall of which is opposite the wall provided with the marking 2.

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standing edge 6 is colored. The water tank is preferably made of opaque plastic material, for example natural PP material. The water tank 1 is thus designed to be almost milky, so that the water level 4 can no longer be seen with the naked eye or can no longer be seen with sufficient certainty. The arrangement of the float with the colored edge 6 provides an excellent level reading device, which can be easily read even in poor lighting conditions or when the wall of the water tank 1 is only translucent. The float is also a solid plastic part, which can be designed in different ways.

The float has a bearing eye 7 through which the riser pipe 3 of the water tank 1 passes and serves as a guide. Furthermore, the water tank 1 is in the area of the level indicator marking

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It is designed over its entire height as a guide surface for the front edge 6 of the float 5, which is achieved in the embodiment by straight wall parts and straight design of the front edge 6. In this way, the float 5 can only be adjusted in height coaxially to the riser pipe, but cannot be rotated relative to the riser pipe 3, so that the front edge is always correctly positioned in the area of the markings 2.

Figures 3 to 10 show different designs of the float and the front edge 6.

According to Figures 3 and 4, the indicator float is made of buoyant plastic, which is equipped with a part 8 made of light-collecting or reflective plastic on its front edge 6. It is precisely such light-collecting plastic

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Materials can be attached excellently in this way, since the relatively large surface (see the top view according to Fig. A) has a light-collecting effect and the light emission at the front edge 6 is thereby increased. Such plastics are known, for example, under the name polymethyl methacrylate, or PMMA for short. A design according to Figures 5 and 6 is also possible with the same plastic, whereby a U-shaped plastic part made of light-collecting or reflective plastic is pushed onto the front edge of the float 5 and clipped in if necessary. In the embodiment according to Figures 7 and 8, the float 5 is made of a plastic that is colored with a fluorescent color or a daylight color. Coloring only at the front edge 6 is also sufficient.

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In the embodiment according to Figures 9 and 10, the float 5 is made of a buoyant plastic, which is printed or glued with a fluorescent layer or a daylight fluorescent paint layer on its front edge 6. As an additional or alternative guide option, guide pins 9 are provided in the area of the bearing eye 7, which can engage in a guide designed accordingly on the riser pipe 3. The guide can be formed by two grooves running in the longitudinal direction of the riser pipe 3.

In this way, the radial rotation of the float relative to the riser pipe 3 is prevented with sufficient safety.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment example, but is variable in many ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new, in the description and/or Drawing revealed individual and combination features

are all considered essential to the invention.

Claims (6)

PATENT ATTORNEYS _§ / _# ·* _§ ''.'.', . CONRAD KÖCHLING " "--"-- DlPL-ING. CONRAD-JOACHIM KÖCHLING Note: A. Severin & Co. GmbH. FleyerStraße 135,5800Hagen Röhre 27 Call (O 23 31) 81164+ 85033 Telegram: PatentMchRne Hagen D-5768 Sundern/Sauerland. p Hagen 100012043 Postal check: Dortmund 5989-460 VNR: 11 58 5_ U* Nn ?552/88 October 20, 1988 from the CJK/Li. Protection claims: 1. Device for indicating the fill level in beverage preparation devices, such as electric coffee or tea machines, which have a water tank provided with a fill level marking, the latter having a drain on the bottom leading to a heating device and being penetrated by a vertical riser pipe for hot water, characterized in that the device consists of a flat, disc-like float (5) made of plastic, at least the edge (6) of which is opposite the wall provided with the marking (2) and is colored. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the water container (1) consists of opaque material. Severin 9552/88 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water container (1) consists of unstained polypropylene. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the float (5) is a solid plastic part which is coated, printed or colored with fluorescent paint or daylight fluorescent paint at least on its edge (6) opposite the container wall. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the float (5) has a bearing eye (7) through which the riser pipe (3) of the water tank (1) passes. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the water container (1) Severin 9552/88 at least in the area of the level indicator marking (2) has a guide surface extending over its entire height, on which the front edge (6) of the float (5) is guided so as to be displaceable coaxially to the riser pipe (3) but relatively non-rotatable.