GB2531287A - Coffee grinder - Google Patents

Abstract

A coffee grinder comprises base 1, stand 2 extending from the base, hand-driveable mechanism, grinder mechanism 9 and rotable drive handle 31. In a first aspect the base rests on a support surface when in use and comprises one or more drop abutment elements 9 moveable between a retracted position and an operational position in which they project below the plane defined by the underside of the base. A second aspect of the invention discloses a stand that comprises two uprights 21 and a drive housing 22 which houses a geared drive connection between a horizontal input shaft and an upright grinder shaft 35 connected to the grinder mechanism 4. The horizontal input shaft is connected to a rotable drive handle. The drive housing is mounted between the tops of the uprights. There is a grinder unit housing mounted between the uprights beneath the drive housing. The grinder unit housing houses the grinder mechanism and provides or supports a hopper 41. The hopper leads to a grinder intake. The grinder unit housing is mounted to the uprights by mounting formations on the grinder unit housing.

Description

CI3rFEE GRLNDER This invexti;ox ha: t dtrwith affa qflnden4 artd especltally manua11y..Adriyen Uee gr:isers. 5:

A wide variety of coffee grinders is known typically hat gflrtdjfl niethatii Wiith pAtd teitivei-mtatabie qiadittq &enth:rs (known as &: bn) Mounted tO be irE 4Ly c?Pfl4:pi by a ckkwe> 944L the :rinder has an int&ct: asnircq with hopps tr ctf fee beans shaped to u1de $eans proressivSiy into dhe jp ot the burr. ron the burr coffee gcount taste frçm an outet for iitia M atent desifla iØz1u4 1.5;a4jj4sLxg e fln.ness qt grInd by Afl:xing kh ttt: q&nditi eiatterts ct the b:tt:wteft ttiet. in e:eit years eteotritd r4riten gn8sxs line t>eer pøpular betse of jc qt e(fl nd pzicWiJ4e cvsuts owenz har*-dtfltti flindets t4in poxsia bWt df VttfltiIit iit more dec± ic1yemt th the p:rcs.

ThéS ace tta1:i Màñüàl iiicIEts Sthb1tiin the gEindiiig ad OblleCt±Ofl into a, sIr Ic unit held in n' haAd,, while 9Th gfl4Lg, c,:r ige fr*e-standiug' gin,de:rs ne prefe:e4 TyçiAtally' these 23 han a base flanØ thtabLy Qn a flat: suflace, a san4 extezid1n,g up fth the bãé and the intakeThopper grinding nte:ehafltsXn/bat and dri*te wechan,isrns nriausly Momted t:he ::&4:, $çifl,,g spzw. vezy 9.4 cric4.9:. : tM qriMe ttatitt nis enial, tht butt at th hotSkt aS a Se onn*iocri at the top via keyS. gean to a handle crank with a horizontal &xls. ians: are intcotoed fl thtød 4fl$ ftPt tl' tttitt f thO giz4éi usually:PV: the fo; cq1lg,.qn.

EINVENTION

Te present inntiqn prpvic$: cgf g44, base and a: stand, *tendtng up from the haae grinder rnechanJ. sm.1 a suoport ed by-the stand and has an intake for beans and an outlet for grounds -The grinder has a:na.rd-d.ri.vahie. drive nechan tern for the grinder mechanism inciuctmng a rotataoe ctnve hancile.

The grinder nay comprise a hopper to hold beans.

comrnvnicating with the intake to the grinder mechanism.

There may be a grinder hous. tog which corer rises or sr.cports the. hoppe r houses the grinder mechanism and has one or more mounting formations by which it is connected to the stand.

The grinder housing may be a oneupiece element, e.g. a metal casting.

As mentioned the grinder mechanism has opposed relatively rotatable grinder members or burr parts. These may be mounted with an upright (vertical) axis of relative rotation, Desirably the drive mechanism has a driven shaft o grner ohCtL inj.ch drne0 ne gnnder mechanism, ann at or nLor tha thu of ot-& r)3 CCLLQ e j_icDer shaft to a drive shaft (input shaft) having a generally horizontal axis. The drive shaft can be connected directly to the rotatable drive handle A particular aspect of the c-re-sent proposal sisto assist corn/en lent onerattion ci the device.. Hand-crrinding of coffee is an-energetic process Turning the handle is apt to rock ors line the qri.ri.c:er unless L.t i fastened down or extremeky heavy, and this is tiring and frustrating.

Typically the user steadies the grinder wit-h-their other hand wh lie. they turn, the handle According to a first nrcpc-sal here, the base of the grinder has an underside whir h defines a base plane, on which it rests on-a support surface such as a work top.. The base may be a fiat p1-ate. The base comprises on-c or more drop abutment elements movable up and down relat l';e to the base pla.n.e between a retracted cosit ion anc. an operation-al posit on-in which they project. be-low the base plane.

1k Descrac1 tic onc or norc aroc cbtnc't clamant. dcli &, th.e operational. nosition., an abutment iin.e extending (as a continuous elongate abutment, or as plural spaced elements) aetoss th undesid t the bst tpsii as stiht lIne, an1 preeaWy at o art e8g tthereot, eg a fr,nt edge. "fl r 4j acent" the edfl, j:t gsanntiiy inaas titt th?. &bUti1t. 1iri tètdS ac±óis the bàe at S sat h!i way fçm th cnr to he rpnd1n eøge, It aéfefabll at least theequarters of the way.

Fcm aonenieme and unobtruzivre aperatitn we prefer tw sppj4: drop a txnent rnefls ppiejorye4 tgward no at tii èè i. e at &r adjacnt respeptive oppasite sIdes f th base.

The drop *tet flO ai 4p ptQtfliy or by sttSi 1idiiq 2atie to tht ba e±t±!o1 SiidTh4 beitg preterecL. the Szp abutment element Cs;) may ma've dowrt s:tareeusly to the operati?onSI t&reped) pcsitfon when the grinøer is beJ4 uprtØt with the basa free, and. be pushed US:y up p the. t.a4t.d pqsitjqp tev' flat: ptt qf ba is pid Oh a. flat urfaaé t±p±q tff be fSé Ser gravity (pefere4) ar assisted by spting biaa.

The base may have a base body with a twnwacdly-open rec:ess at the unders ide tar each abntment:e1aent This: may b cIose at the top; so that tihe drop ab;utneut eemeth does ht poje:t ábë ui* ba. Se bdd ih the fltt%éd ositit PretrSbty he bae cpflsist$ of or:comp:rIses a sq:Uci baae pLate portion providing this body.

in a nYeitt ethatii th dt thtEuEhtf óitht? has a body mqanSd extiai1.y-sidab;ty: in a recesi o the bace ba:, as a ii1dtäi eté with: an inward proj act iq of the base body engageable with a eo*ceapanthaq downwardly_directed a tment s face f the *fl'ifl S tOJftLt its tp aPd!r to top it falliiiq out 7e:nienty the drop e:iements have a top dg 1anqe, an:d thE bAto Øia t&:ss has a corresponding inward projeotion at øt adaePt ns tt mis Y b$ provided by a appinent:a;y Qtt:om pie:ce or i-ayer fittd Oflt th Utldeflit df 0 t: ]4tt: body. SUth a bc4t:om lay,r may S a wSictipn.enhancjng layr, St as a polymer layer with niLtural tack, which again improves stability in use, Preferably the drop abutment (s) is/are provided c.n.ly o q the rc nr eoe, but it be pasriole t provnde corresponding elements along another edge, a,y. on the hack edqe as well, 0] is preferably rectangular, or at least has a straigat front edge.

Afurthe r a spect. of our prooosal a, independent from the above but usefully in combination with it, is a novel 1.0 disposition of the main grinder functional components.

According: to this proposal the stand cornpris es a pair of uprights or legs excend]ng up from the base, with spacing between them A drive housing bridges between tops of i-he uprights. The drive housing houses a geared drive connection between aria rizontal input shaft connected to a rotatable drive handle and an. upright grinder shaft rQfl cted to e crrnecr nu h ii A rr jdr unit tiousirg, housing the grinner srechani em and prov.i.d i.ng an upwardly open hopper leading to the grinder intake, is mount. ed between the 23 uori hts of the stand beneath the drive housinc, by oppositely irected mount inc formations of the grinder unit housing which connect to the respective uprights. An outlet for grounds to escape from the grinder mechanism may be directed d;ownwardly from th.e grinder unit housing onto a --space between that housing and th' se, where a cotiector vessel mar be placed. Preferably the drivo housinc comprises a convex -top--cover for the gear mechanism whi oh may also constitute a uop grip porbic-r.. of the grinder, Or, a transverse top grip element may be provided at-the top of L An ig + 1r on h-a ye hu 5 by this construction, the upright axis at the device can he qeneraily centred relative to th.e support uprights, and the grinder can easily be lield still while the handle is turned.

Desirably the grinder unit. housing is a one--piece integral component, and may also compr-ise integrally the mounting formations which may comprise.r:especti ye sleeve, tube tr httk fornati&ts whtch arOtthd tespttive upri4hts. The ra&y;qensv&11y cfliflrai, e.q.

mal ti Des ably tb up:i.i:hta ecteS up t,: vS tse at a fiat wideflcSa4 fd: a the tai the t±tiöet urttt hsing i, mourtM, ana bnvege inwardly abi;n the gig4er unIt housing to a second, narrower spacing where the drive hthsfing is faounted. The drive input shaft axis ply lies in o' pi1i tg.: Qw pi.na tS upn+Js: nice difte hthdlé ñäi th&i hakié a iôwetEd rtt p;os4tton nezt ta one of the uprights; ::othr new PQPS4& bezeiA::, ccinabU.e with ay f the abnt, ±t ear ispatinq the fte tti the q±i± UYechEáiEñi A griSer unit Susthq hsss tS gdnder me anisitr aS dfines or siapports a iopper tbove, with a ccntrol barrier L5 hflweeM. The;cantoaarir is generafly in the font at a 2i!W Q:: qpeaxjpg t,cy allow Saps thrqh front the ht St S eätfl?Otèd ±ät!e. AatSat±i9 tb thfs ptoa1 d'e retatthte grinder shaft fx the grinde?r ntchaism extends down throufl this control banter, and eazxes a p:ro ecting agitator ftrrnation in the hopper above the cctro1 barrier q 5$? to rotate w1jh tthe ahai A simple iquce pddLe t:oj:eati adiA11: fóth ói's side cf The Chat w4s well. the ag taor heLps t keep a fl:awfl flow from the hopper into the grinder.

AS: tilt sIt: t pt:4J i tbW deaibtd b 4x oct enittple, with reteence to the accTepanytng drawIngs in WLtth Fi:g. 1 is a front:esp:e:ctive v&ew at. & octf tee g&nder; !l& 4&:! verUca3i ctic:: taken at IL-tI of flg and tiffid ftotri the bã3t4 tlg. a ccerii5%na1 secHzti kaken cerztre t III'-ifl &f Etg. I, viewed from the side, and Fi4. 4 ±a a e*pLodsd vcit frtn the satne ptntcttki4t as g, 1.

3:5 Th: tidet han C 1t base plate 1 m thE fttu f tera1 t: soiidrectanj1e beze çf: nt a131fl'dflLUflt ggg othtr matetifls sus±h as wood taxi be used, and taving a top surface 11 and an underside 12. A stand 2 is provided by a pair of tubular steel unrights Or: legs; 2.1., each mounted in a cvllrd.r.tcai.. hole in the base plate 1 towards the right and left side respectively, slightly more than half-way hack from the front edqe of the base plate. The un ghts 21 ate hold _n riaco by sctu.s 24 enuaol?g i Hxinq p KJa 14 which rnsert. in and reinfbrce the bottom ends of the uprights 21. The uprights 21 extend up vertically to about half the beiaht of the grinder, and then have, an inwardly curving portion 212 leading to a final short vertical top tt,here they cconecr to a o.rive horsinc.12 rrO.1 iv housing 22 consists of a cast aluminium cradle component. 25, defining a floor and two side u:orights 251 throuc:h which an input shaft 32 is j.ournalled with heaiinq sleeves 322 * and a removable transparent plastic cover 23 which fits over the open uop of the crcole 25 to enciose a space contnnrn.

drive mechanism components. The d.c i vs housing is mounted rigidly on top of the legs or uprights 21, which fit into holes in the underside of the cradle 25 and are. held by pin.s 243. As seen in Fin. I, the drive housinq with its upwardly-convex cover 23in place provides a comfortable top grin for one hand Below the drive housing 23 a grinder unit. 4 is S 2pou led ocr r1] y hstwc the U: n Cts The ot.nder unit 4 has a housing formed integrally of cast aluminium, with ooposltely-iaterally-proj ecting maccuing iugs includina vertical sleeves 43 through which the upricrhts 21 extend and are held in place by pins 242 to sunpor't the grinder housing at a spacing above the base plate 1. The grinder housing has a flaring open ton or cup forming a hopper 11 wiub a circular upper rim 42, to receive coffee beans The in vet patt or the crinicr un..r 4 hnu CC t1 3 o the form of a burr 53 wi. bh a central conical grinder element 531 and an outer counter sleeve 532 defining between them a c.ownwardly -convergent grinding I egcun or nip leading to the LitiCt opening at the bottom. 45 of the grinder unit. This nirr 3 conectiona. anc. acd rut cc Oin.Lt 1td ill (111 The central con.cà1 element Sfl is driven in rotation a: cta3 vtiaI qtt hatt 3 to ththh it n këfld t tha sMft Th gagSng a bespnding flat 5fl w. a kI:&á dAt si o the bböth:f the Staaft 3&a héh ha S upward laq pQjectians Ml whiph eiag in the. of the coxncal burr element 531. These components are held up in p1a b;y a thai whee1 56 so;tewed nta the th ded htom eS ø± tl3⁄4 Shift 5: aae. Fias. 2 and 4 dth spxd-n SI trapped between: to bias the conical burr 531 downwardly.

Tht tIle hartdle fl cormects directly: tt the npLXt Sh,fl * m jt rest posi:Ua Vas shown): 1ie: aaggs:ide the ±i4ht?-tiàzid üi4ht 2L Thè\ hté tbthPletheñtã±'*: Shaà, with: S'u:rve 312 Cf the: tantilt f±tting otet the; S-rsrve 212 cf:: cwcc$flt 21: handle cr:;ant i3 kL pro j;eots at ts ent The irptxt shaft 3 and gtflder shaft: 5 tteagt wia qptyentiona1 bvei getr 3334. The ratiQ: is ntt c:ziticai, in this embodiment ft is 1:1.

Rtturin4 to the:qfifldtt in haM:smt isteqtal 4::t4l walL 44 with array cz± ioles 441 a toatre1 batri:er aepatatMq th isertr:t the hoppet 42.

from tS; grinder burr S3. ixrued±atLy above the harrier wal 4:4 an agitating.pad4le Si is keyed to the shift 35, pr:Gi e:ct±nq ozt nd:taky øa one sIde o s to:seep aronnd the pp 9f the ir waIl 44 the: ttLrza. kt the btWtS of The tthdé thè dial thëe1:56 hs à dfrtEt tit 562 with zrt&rkS qtaduatio;ns, ce>nnet±:ng to; a: hb by: spAks 5:s:3 eting openingw for grpunds c in4 the hb set of radiaL keying p:j ect&ons fl on its up:e suri:ce *biS engage:sppdixg (tt shown) Q1V 3D the uñdè:idé el the kéit dM 54 Eö aà t& ttttt dth it and. nintain its thrsa&'adjustS posit ian. The:thtefad øAjifled P9,,4?flQ! ot the dial. 4 can contr& tjç of ild bàjWEtit th taint of th4 OiiLa1 bii3⁄4rr:bfl. flgc thtws the hL#iest a:dIusSent f,jjyfl 35. gritsd).

A removable receiving c'ip S or gcounds can staS on th bssft 3. thtpa4hts 21, b1 thiVt1Ut1t t bttox8 of tS rind* unit tS tñ±i the 1täié. fl td to rock the grinder tc and ro and/qr aJ,ide it aun on a appart suztac pecSally tf tha.s.s sntooth. We propose improvements to avoid this as Mi aoert eaph thnt ntxier S he bas 1 a drop: abutment peg S ±s mounted. :$ flgs. 3 and 4 Eacb. peg is a small bns cylinder tth a slight annuiar f1$ant 91 arwii its top be mate:Hal is nat áHia1, but aei&iettei4ht hip the pógà to drop. The pegs are housed :j, orresptndinq ty11n.dtita1 tecSSes 14 tetidiliq verUcaijly txp do the base pl;fl f;ip Its r-sta, face 1 2 A p1ast2cs sheet t3 is sWck ai 1 &wet the ndtsSd4 of t$ ase, pate 1, and is deUri1y; ot a mat:eriL with intrinst!c tack so as to inhibit sliding on th# Ippo;t uttfacC. The Shett fl ha hLe 131 ct. ifl ta fr&t corners that are sflghtly smaller than the recesses 14 in the base p:lAte 1, o that th:eaain bodies fftht btafl pegs 4 can pass freely ut rot thtir top fiann 91. When tch grinder is picked up the abutment pegs tin4:y drop Ør a seen aFi&gs ii and Z A support £urfac 1ib wIth a e içii. i an tiq1ly n rig. The fl1nde iá±t bt placed s th EuØpôt ttf IOV and pushed up to positiort ptj ecting sti4htly bsyx4 the fnt ed9 101, so thfl the pegs9 abut against t e8ge 101 aAd prevext backwards s1tdiqA Tha user ca tura the haidZe $, 4th q!a hand, steay}dh grinder at the top with St the ôthEi hàñdtStiri dothfbrtably on the convex top of the d:tie Ikcusig 2, and with the base head by the cbntbiPattht ef iqt4naengagmen on s1ce and abu&aen by t:he f dS$ au ±tuitsjt iti tab1t ahd doMèthêñt pe:Ea ion. t t:h r Inder is p:osrt J. one ±urefrsr bac:k o:n th fl surflöe, e.g. wher out df use, the pegs 9 si1qpZy push ip ifltQ th eeases 14 ofl tha ny. IuiM.