FR2836625A1 - Device for producing coffee drinks by infusion comprises chamber receiving doser comprising two parts which can be brought close together or spaced apart to close or open chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for producing drinks by infusion of a product contained in a doser (2) comprises an infusion chamber for receiving the doser comprising two parts (3,4) configured to be brought close together or spaced apart in order to close or open the infusion chamber. Only one of the parts (3) can rotate and abut the doser and this part can also translate to open or close the chamber.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a beverage production device by infusion of a product contained in a pod.

 It will particularly find application in the field of coffee production from prepackaged coffee grounds in pods.

 Such pods already exist and are generally constituted in the form of an assembly of two sheets of filter paper providing an intermediate space for packing coffee grounds.

 Various machines for extracting hot drinks from milling are known.

 In particular, the document WO-A-00138558 discloses an extraction chamber for an automatic machine for the preparation of hot drinks in which the extraction chamber is designed to receive pods or pellets pre-dosed with ground coffee.

 The chamber is made up of two parts, each movable in a horizontal plane so as to be able to move away from or close to each other.

 Moreover, according to this document, the two parts are also oscillatingly mobile.

 A machine thus equipped gives overall satisfaction but requires the training of the two constituent parts of the room.

 It is therefore necessary to provide a sufficiently powerful motor and a relatively complex power transmission system requiring the synchronization of the movement.

 Document FR-A-2 is also known. 745.995 an apparatus for making beverages in which the infusion chamber is constituted by two half-housings, one carried by one face of the body of the apparatus, the other fixed on one face of the boiler, these two faces being next to each other.

 The infusion chamber is formed when the two half-houses are adjacent.

 This assembly of the chamber is effected by a translational movement of one of the housing.

 The apparatus thus presented requires the combination of different stop means ensuring the retention of the pod at the time of feeding and then when entering the brewing chamber.

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 Mobility of the stop means is also necessary to ensure the ejection of used doses.

 The prior art disclosed by this prior art requires the separate realization of stop means and ejection pods.

 The present invention overcomes these disadvantages.

 It has for this purpose an improved beverage production device.

 A first advantage of the invention is to allow the realization of the opening and closing phases of the brewing chamber and the realization of the introduction and ejection phases pods via a smaller number of movement and, particularly, by the combined translational rotation movement of only one of the constituent parts of the chamber.

 It has overcome the prejudice that the abutment of the pod and the closing / opening of the room require the mobility of a plurality of rooms: two additional half-chambers or stops.

 Another advantage of the invention is to require in a preferred embodiment only one drive means for a rotational movement to a translational movement thus ensuring for sure and inexpensively synchronization.

 According to a preferred variant, the invention is such that it can be used and actuated by a user by means of a lever.

 The use of the device proposed here may be similar to that of a conventional machine having a filter holder handle, while performing the extraction phases of the beverage automatically.

 Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is however not limiting.

 The present invention relates to a beverage production device by infusion of a product contained in a pod, comprising a brewing chamber capable of receiving a pod and comprising two parts configured to be moved closer or further apart to close or open the chamber. infusion, characterized in that only one of the parts has a mobility in rotation adapted to abut the pod in said part.

 According to preferred variants, the device is such that: - the rotatable part has a mobility in translation to open or close the brewing chamber.

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 it comprises a common drive means for mobility in translation and mobility in translation of the mobile part.

 the drive means is a cam having: a first outer bearing surface of a translational member coupled to the movable part; a second outer bearing surface of an end of a pivoting arm coupled to the movable part; the cam is actuated in rotation by a lever.

 it comprises closing clamping means of the two parts of the infusion chamber.

 it comprises means for guiding the pod.

 - The guide means comprises a slide with at least one groove adapted to receive the periphery of a pod.

 - The guide means are mounted translative to follow the movement of approximation or removal of the parts.

 - It has a boiler located on the side of the fixed portion in rotation.

 - The mobility of the movable part is configured to face the fixed part in a parallel manner before contacting, during the closing phase of the brewing chamber.

 The accompanying drawings are given by way of example and are not limiting of the invention. They represent only one embodiment of the invention and will make it easy to understand.

 Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is another sectional view in a different configuration of the infusion chamber.

 Figure 3 is a side view of the device according to the invention.

 Figures 4 and 5 are respectively top views and a front view.

 Figure 6 is a perspective view of the device during a coffee extraction phase.

 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the device in the loading position of a pod.

 Figure 8 schematically illustrates the movement phases of the device according to the invention.

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 Figures 9 to 12 and 9bis, 10bis illustrate four successive steps of operation of the device.

 Figures 13 and 14 show in side view, the translational movement of the guide means.

 Referring to the figures and particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the device according to the invention conventionally has a boiler 9 capable of supplying the infusion chamber 1 with hot water for the extraction of the material contained in the pod and especially ground coffee.

 As shown in Figure 2, a water circuit 10 is present through the device with a portion 11 for admission of hot water into the infusion chamber 1 and an outlet portion 12 opening on a chute 13 spilling the beverage in a funnel 14 to the container of the user.

 As shown in the various figures, the end portion of this circuit is constituted in the external form of a traditional filter holder comprising a handle here represented by the lever 15 and a funnel portion 14.

 The pods used for the operation of the present invention may be of type known on the market today.

 Preferably, but in a nonlimiting manner, it is possible to use the pods 2 comprising a substantially flat and rigid periphery ensuring a maintenance in the form of the pod.

 The infusion chamber 1 consists of two parts 3.4 adapted to be brought together to close the chamber 1 as shown in FIG. 2 or to be moved away to open it as is apparent from FIG.

 Preferably, and for the rest of the description, it is the part 3 which moves in translation to move closer to or away from the other part 4.

 In addition, the part 3 is animated with a limited stroke rotation movement to pass between various positions during operation.

 As a preference, the same drive means is used to ensure the translation and rotation of the mobile part 3.

 The position of the axis 8 of rotation of the movable part 3 and the axis 7 of its translation have been identified by way of example in FIG.

 For the remainder of the description and with reference to the drawings, we place ourselves in an example of horizontal extraction machine (in which the pod is

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 positioned substantially vertically and receives the hot water in a substantially horizontal circuit).

 However, other orientations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

 The single drive means may be constituted by a cam 16 rotated and having an outer surface having two parts.

 A first part of the outer surface 17 of the cam 16 ensures the support of the cam on a translational member adapted to transmit the translational movement to the movable part 3.

 The second outer surface of the cam 16, marked surface 18, in Figure 1, provides support for an end of a pivoting arm 19 whose pivoting movement is reflected in the movable portion 3 to achieve its rotation.

 The coupling between the pivoting arm 19 and the mobile part 3 may be effected by means of a finger 22 inserted into a fork 23 of the movable part as shown in FIG.

 The pivot axis of the pivoting arm 19 is carried by a coupling part 21 also visible in FIG. 1 and marked in FIG.

 It is this coupling piece which drives in translation the mobile part 3 by pressing on the cam 16.

 Other means of transmitting rotational and translational movements to the movable portion 3 are also conceivable.

 As a preference, the pivoting arm 19 comprises a limit-limiting extension 20 and able to abut with an abutment surface when a predetermined angular position of the movable part 3 is reached.

This is the case in the upward opening position of the infusion chamber 1.
According to a first possibility, the cam 16 is rotated by a motor.

 According to a second possibility, envisaged in the figures, the rotational drive of the cam 16 is effected by means of a lever 15 which can be actuated by the user.

 Figures 6 and 7 illustrate two positions of the lever 15.

 In the case of FIG. 7, the lever position 15 is such that it implies a position of the cam 16 substantially corresponding to the operating phase of FIG. 1.

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 In this context, the movable portion 3 is inclined downwards to make a stop surface 6 at its upper portion to cooperate with the lower outer surface of the pod 2.

 The surface 6 thus constitutes a stop in the feeding phase of the pod 2.

 Depending on the position of the lever 15 illustrated in FIG. 6, the cam 16 has been rotated to reach the operating position illustrated in FIG. 2, and in which the infusion chamber 1 is closed in the extraction position.

 The stroke of the lever 15 may be limited in rotation by means of a stop 28 of current design for example in the form of a finger adapted to move in an oblong hole secured to the frame of the device.

 To optimize the sealing of the brewing chamber 1 in the closed position, it may be advantageous to add to the closing pressure operated by the user by means of the lever 15, an additional pressure.

 In this context, a closure clamping means of the two parts 3,4 of the infusion chamber 1 may be formed in addition.

 As a preferred example, clamping means will be used in the form of a hydraulic diaphragm cylinder whose movable membrane is capable of generating a slight displacement of the part 4 of the infusion chamber.

 Any other means of clamping is also conceivable.

 Advantageously, the device also comprises means for guiding the pod 2 during its displacement during the operating phases.

 In this context, it will be possible to constitute guiding means in the form of a slide 25 constituted by two grooves 26 able to frame the periphery of the pod 2.

 The periphery of said pod 2 can be inserted into each of the grooves 26 thus formed.

 Guide means are advantageously mounted translative to follow the movement of approximation or removal of the two parts.

 In this sense, these means have a displacement coupled to that of the translational member 21 via pusher 31 shown in particular in Figure 7.

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 The pusher 31 comprises a crenel portion 32 adapted to form two bearing portions of the pusher 31 on a corresponding surface of the guide means.

 In this way, the movement of the guide means follows that of the translational member 21 during the operating phases.

 Furthermore, the vacuum formed between the two bearing surfaces formed by the crenel 32 provides a delay in the displacement of the guide means capable of first ensuring an advance of the movable portion 3 only and a coupled advance of the guide means and from the movable part 3 to the fixed part 4.

 The pusher system thus constituted can be made guided around two lateral guides 30a, 30b providing guidance in translation of the movable elements and the cohesion of the component parts of the device.

 The operating phases of the present device are more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 14.

 FIG. 8 schematizes the different mobilities of the part 3 of the infusion chamber 1.

 In this context, the arrows schematize the translation adapted to be operated by the mobile part 3 by means of the cam 16.

 The sections A-A and B-B of FIG. 8 also illustrate schematically the production of the cam 16 and particularly the formation of two external bearing surfaces 17 and 18.

 The surface 18 is able to receive the end of the pivoting arm 19.

 With reference to FIGS. 9 to 12 and 9bis, 10bis, four successive operating steps of the invention are illustrated.

 In FIG. 9, the cam 16 has been actuated to cause rotation of the mobile part 3 tending to open it to accommodate a pod 2.

 The upper part of the moving part 3 slipping away, the feed stop surface 6 previously formed at this level, is retracted and causes the gravity to fall off the pod 2.

 This is then received by the mobile part 3 in its interior volume and it is applied on the surface 5 constituting a reception stop.

 The continued rotation of the cam 16 induces a translation of the movable part 3 which is shown in FIG.

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 However, the movable portion 3 also continues to rotate so as to achieve a situation substantially parallel to that of the fixed portion 4 before the translational movement puts them in contact. This is visible in Figure 9bis and 10bis. In this way, the docking of the movable portion 3 operates optimally over the entire contact surface of the two parts 3,4 in the closed position.

 As soon as the brewing chamber is closed, the hot water is injected into the brewing chamber along the path of the hollow arrows illustrated in FIG.

 The drink is recovered in the chute then in the funnel.

 As soon as the lixiviation is operated, a reverse movement of the cam 16 induces a recoil of the movable part 3 and its pivot in the trigonometrical direction.

 The mobile part slipping, the pod 2 can be released and fall by gravity to a recovery zone.

 The pivoted position of the movable part 3 downwards again ensures the formation of the feed stop surface 6 in the upper part of the movable part 3.

 Figures 13 and 14 illustrate in side view the realization of the translational movement of the guide means when they are present.

 In this regard, the pusher 31 is shown capable of causing the advancement of the guiding means 25 as the moving part 3 advances.

 The crenel 32 present on the pusher 31 however provides a delay in the translation of the guide means 25.

 Figure 14 illustrates the end of the evacuation of the pod 2 which occurs as soon as the movable portion 3 is retracted and while the guide means 25 are still in position.

 Once the pod is evacuated, the guide means 25 are in turn translated in the direction of the indicated hollow arrow.

 The delay in the translation of the guide means 25 ensures the good detachment of the pod 2 before returning to the full initial position of the device.

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REFERENCES 1. Infusion chamber 2. Pod 3. Movable part 4. Fixed part 5. Receiving stop 6. Feed stop 7. Translation axis 8. Rotation axis 9. Boiler 10. Water circuit 11. Intake 12. Exit 13. Chute 14. Funnel 15. Lever 16. Cam 17. First surface 18. Second surface 19. Swivel arm 20. Stroke limiter 21. Shifting member 22. Finger 23. Fork 25. Slide 26. Groove 27 Pod periphery 28. Stopper 29. Cam shaft 30a, 30b. Lateral Guides 31. Pusher 32. Niche

Claims (11)

Apparatus for producing beverage by infusion of a product contained in a pod (2), comprising an infusion chamber (1) adapted to receive a pod (2) and comprising two parts (3,4) configured to be close or remote to close or open the infusion chamber (1), characterized in that only one of the parts has a mobility in rotation adapted to abut the pod (2) in said part.  2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the movable portion (3) in rotation has a mobility in translation to open or close the brewing chamber (1).  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a common drive means for mobility in translation and mobility in translation of the movable part (3).  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive means is a cam (16) having: - a first outer surface (17) bearing a translational member (21) coupled to the movable part (3); - a second outer surface (18) for supporting an end of a pivoting arm (19) coupled to the movable portion (3); 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the cam (16) is actuated in rotation by a lever (15).  6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises closing clamping means of the two parts of the brewing chamber (1).  7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises guide means of the pod (2).  8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the guide means comprise a slide (25) with at least one groove (26) adapted to receive the periphery (27) of a pod.  9. Device according to claims 8 or 7, characterized by the fact <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  that the guide means are mounted translative to follow the movement of approximation or removal of parts.  10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that it comprises a boiler (9) located on the side of the fixed part (4) in rotation.  11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the mobility of the movable part (3) is configured to face the fixed part (4) in parallel manner before they come into contact, during the closing phase of the brewing chamber (1).