TWI483699B - A machine for the preparation of beverages - Google Patents

Description

Machine for preparing beverages

The present invention is a machine for preparing a beverage.

(The original has no corresponding content)

The present invention is a machine for preparing a beverage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine that is adapted to permit the preparation of a variety of beverages, such as expresso coffee, so-called cappuccino, and the like, and which has improved features.

These or other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention by a machine comprising: an electric heating device adapted to heat a quantity of water to a predetermined temperature to prepare a hot beverage; a first unit for use Preparing and delivering a first hot beverage, in particular coffee, comprising: a bearing structure, wherein: loading: at least one squeeze assembly, the squeeze assembly being adapted to receive a small box or small container containing the substance to prepare the first a beverage, in particular a roasted ground coffee; and a movable dispenser placed below to reach at least the first and second delivery locations; a first pump means coupled to the heating device and adapted to supply water to the first a unit extrusion assembly; and a second unit for preparing a beverage by centrifugation, disposed adjacent to the first unit, and comprising: a container adapted to receive a quantity of the first beverage from the dispenser of the first unit when the dispenser is in a predetermined delivery position and optionally other materials; the motor-driven centrifuge assembly includes a An agitating member adapted to be guided into the container and rotatably operated therein to agitate therein, the agitating member having a longitudinal tube with an outlet end in the container.

A second pump means is coupled to the heating means and selectively supplies a stream of hot vapor to the inlet of the longitudinal tube of the agitator agitating member.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of the Drawing.

Figure 1 with M generally shows a machine for preparing a beverage according to the present invention

The machine M is primarily provided with first and second units, designated 1 and 2, respectively, for the preparation of individual beverages.

This unit 1 is intended for the preparation and delivery of a first hot beverage, in particular expresso (concentrated) coffee, while unit 2 is intended for the preparation of a second hot beverage, such as the so-called cappuccino.

The unit 1 comprises a bearing structure 3 fixedly operated, wherein at least one extrusion assembly 4 is loaded, the extrusion assembly 4 comprising a lower body 5, wherein the housing 6 is defined as being adapted to receive a small box containing material Or a small container to prepare the first beverage, especially the roasted ground coffee. The extrusion assembly 4 further includes a vertical movement relative to the body 5 by means of a manually operated lever 8 and a so-called toggle type (example described herein) motion transmitting mechanism 9. The movable member 7.

In the exemplary embodiment herein (especially Figures 2 and 3), the lever 8 is pivotally coupled to the transverse shaft 10 of the bearing structure and pivotally coupled to the shaft 12 parallel to the shaft 10 ( Fig. 3) Pair of rods 11. The rod 11 is then pivoted onto a slide 13 parallel to the horizontal axis 14 of the shafts 10 and 12. The slider 13 is vertically movable along the guide groove and connected to the movable member 7 of the extrusion assembly.

The above motion mechanism is just an exemplary embodiment. Other kinematics, as well as other general squeezing assemblies, may be used, other than those mentioned herein, for example, the squeezing assembly described in the European Patent Application No. EP 1 854 384 A1 to the present applicant.

Referring to Fig. 1, an electric heater 15 generally referred to as an instant type (i.e., hot type) is preferably fixed to a bearing structure 3 preferably of a metallic material, and the electric heater 15 is adapted to heat a passing water stream to a specific temperature. . The electric heater 15 includes at least one resistor 16 and has an inlet 15a connected to the outlet 17b of the three-way solenoid valve 17.

The solenoid valve 17 has an inlet 17a connected to a pump 18, such as an outlet of an electric shock pump, the suction side of which is connected to the water tank 19 via a tube 20.

The three-way solenoid valve 17 further has a row of outlets 17c.

The outlet of the instant electric heater 15 is connected to a working chamber (not shown) of the extrusion assembly 4 with a small box or small container for preparing the first beverage.

The squeeze assembly 4 has a dispenser 21 disposed therebelow, which in the illustrated example includes a delivery nozzle 22 that slopes downwardly.

The dispenser 21 is pivotally mounted along a vertical axis 23 and can be disposed between (at least) the first and second delivery positions, respectively, in solid lines in Figure 1 And dotted lines are displayed.

In the first delivery position, the dispensers 21, 22 can inject the beverage provided by the extraction assembly 4 into a container 25, such as a coffee cup, disposed beneath it.

In the second delivery position, the dispenser 21 and the associated nozzle 22 are capable of cooperating with the second unit 2 of the machine M, the manner of which will be described later.

The second unit 2 of the machine M comprises a container 26 having an opening above which is operatively positioned on a fixed support surface 27.

After the dispenser is brought to the second working (delivery) position described above (as indicated by the dashed line in Figure 1), the container 26 is adapted to receive a certain amount from the dispensers 21, 22 of the first unit 1 of the machine. A quantity of the first drink, such as expresso (condensed) coffee.

Additional materials such as hot milk or cold milk can be optionally added to the container 26 to prepare a second beverage, such as a so-called cappuccino.

The second unit 2 of the machine M contains a motor-driven centrifuge assembly, indicated at 28, above the container 26. As described in this specification, the assembly 28 includes an electric motor 29 that is fixed to a stationary bearing structure 30. The electric motor 29 has a vertical shaft 31, and a pulley 33 and a centrifuge assembly fixed to the vertical shaft 31 and the drive belt 34. 32 phase links.

The centrifuge assembly 32 basically includes an upper hub 35 that is pivotally mounted along a vertical axis and is rotatable by the motor 39 using the drive belt 34.

The agitating member 36 is coupled to the underside of the hub 35 and the hub 35 includes a rod 37 that is coaxial therewith. Connected to an assembly impeller 38 at the end of the rod 37, Here, only a simple disc-shaped impeller is used as an exemplary embodiment, and the impeller 38 may be conical, with or without the blades being provided.

A passage or shaft tube is provided in the hub 35 and its associated rod 37, designated 39 in Figure 1, with its end passing through the impeller 38 at the bottom of the vessel 26.

At the higher end, the shaft tube or passage 39 is connected by a tube 40 to the outlet of the heating assembly labeled 41. The assembly includes a so-called instant type electric heater 42, which corresponds to the electric heater 15 described above, and includes at least one thermal resistor 43.

The instant heater 42 has therein an inlet connected to the outlet or delivery port of the second pump 44, which is also in the form of an electrical shock, the suction side of which is connected to the water tank 19.

The outlet of the instant heater 42 is connected to the inlet of another heat exchanger 45, wherein the body of the heat exchanger 45 is fixed to the body of the instant heater 42 to form a heat exchange relationship.

The outlet 43 of the heat exchanger 43 is connected to the passage end of the centrifuge assembly 32 or the inlet end of the shaft tube 39.

Machine M further includes an electronic control electronics unit, designated 50 in Figure 1. The control unit 50 can drive the machine M, in particular the pumps 18, 44, the heating resistors 16, 43, the discharge solenoid valve 17, and the electric motor 29, according to pre-set conditions.

The control unit 50 can be selectively coupled to additional drive means (eg, a drive that can cause the dispenser 21 to rotate), as well as to sensors that are placed with the machine M, such as temperature and pressure sensors, and selection The height sensor of the water tank 19 is connected.

The control unit 50 can further connect the manually operated drivers and selective devices 51, 52.

The machine M has a very versatile operational organization.

In the first mode of use, only the first unit is used to prepare and deliver the first hot beverage, such as expresso coffee.

In the second mode of use, both the first and second units 1, 2 are used to prepare a second beverage, such as a so-called (cappuccino), the first beverage prepared by the first unit 1, by being placed in the first A dispenser device at the position indicated by the dashed line in the figure is injected into the container 26 of the unit 2. At least one component can be added stepwise to the first amount, such as milk, hot or cold, so that the mixture obtained in container 26 can be agitated by the motor driven centrifuge assembly 28.

However, the second unit 2 can be used independently of the first unit 1 for preparing other kinds of beverages, such as so-called milk shakes, that is, directly injecting various components into the container 26 without using the first unit. 1 Any beverage prepared.

In still another example (not shown in the drawings), machine M can include (at least) one pressure boiler in place of instantaneous heaters 15 and 42 to provide hot water and/or vapor to first unit 1, and to second unit 2 Provide hot steam.

Obviously, the results of the study can be understood, and the embodiments and details can be widely practiced in accordance with the non-limiting examples described and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the scope of the invention. change.

1‧‧‧ first unit

2‧‧‧Second unit

3‧‧‧ bearing structure

4‧‧‧Squeeze the assembly

5‧‧‧ Subject

6‧‧‧Shell

7‧‧‧Removable parts

8‧‧‧Manual lever

9‧‧‧Sports transmission agency

10‧‧‧transverse axis

11‧‧‧Parts

12‧‧‧Axis

15‧‧‧Electric heater

15a‧‧‧ entrance

16‧‧‧resistance

17‧‧‧Three-way solenoid valve

17a‧‧‧ Entrance

17b‧‧‧Export

17c‧‧‧Export

I8‧‧‧ pump

19‧‧‧Water tank

20‧‧‧ tube

21‧‧‧Distributor

22‧‧‧ delivery spout

23‧‧‧Vertical axis

25, 26‧ ‧ container

27‧‧‧Fixed support surface

28‧‧‧Motor-driven centrifuge assembly

29‧‧‧Electric motor

30‧‧‧Moving bearing structure

31‧‧‧ vertical axis

32‧‧‧Centrifuge assembly

33‧‧‧ pulley

34‧‧‧ drive belt

35‧‧ ‧ hub

36‧‧‧Agitating members

37‧‧‧ rod

38‧‧‧Combined impeller

39‧‧‧ channel

40‧‧‧ tube

41‧‧‧heating assembly

42‧‧‧Electric heater

43‧‧‧Thermal resistance

44‧‧‧ pump

45‧‧‧ heat exchanger

50‧‧‧Control electronic unit

51‧‧‧ drive

52‧‧‧Selective devices

M‧‧‧ machine

1 is a partial schematic view of a machine for preparing a beverage according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the designation II in FIG. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial side view of the arrow III according to Fig. 2.

1‧‧‧ first unit

2‧‧‧Second unit

3‧‧‧ bearing structure

4‧‧‧Squeeze the assembly

5‧‧‧ Subject

6‧‧‧Shell

7‧‧‧Removable parts

8‧‧‧Manual lever

9‧‧‧Sports transmission agency

10‧‧‧transverse axis

11‧‧‧Parts

12‧‧‧Axis

15‧‧‧Electric heater

15a‧‧‧ entrance

16‧‧‧resistance

17‧‧‧Three-dimensional solenoid valve

17a‧‧‧ Entrance

17b‧‧‧Export

17c‧‧‧Export

I8‧‧‧ pump

19‧‧‧Water tank

20‧‧‧ tube

21‧‧‧Distributor

22‧‧‧ delivery spout

23‧‧‧Vertical axis

25, 26‧ ‧ container

27‧‧‧Fixed support surface

28‧‧‧Motor-driven centrifuge assembly

29‧‧‧Electric motor

30‧‧‧Moving bearing structure

31‧‧‧ vertical axis

32‧‧‧Centrifuge assembly

33‧‧‧ pulley

34‧‧‧ drive belt

35‧‧ ‧ hub

36‧‧‧Agitating members

37‧‧‧ rod

38‧‧‧Combined impeller

39‧‧‧ channel

40‧‧‧ tube

41‧‧‧heating assembly

42‧‧‧Electric heater

43‧‧‧Thermal resistance

44‧‧‧ pump

45‧‧‧ heat exchanger

50‧‧‧Control electronic unit

51‧‧‧ drive

Claims (8)

A machine for preparing a beverage, comprising: an electric heating device adapted to heat a certain amount of water to prepare a hot beverage; a first unit (1) for preparing and delivering a first hot drink; and a second The unit (2) is disposed adjacent to the first unit for preparing a beverage by centrifugation; wherein: the first unit has: a bearing structure (3) in which at least one press-out assembly (4) is loaded The squeeze assembly (4) is adapted to contain a small box or small container containing a substance from which the first beverage can be prepared; and a movable dispenser (21, 22) placed underneath, capable of reaching at least the first and the a second delivery location; and a first pump means (18) coupled to the heating means and a stripping assembly (4) adapted to supply water to the first unit (1); the second unit (2) having; a container (26) for receiving a quantity of the first from the dispenser (21, 22) of the first unit (1) when the dispenser (21, 22) is in one of the delivery positions a beverage, and optionally other materials; a motor-driven centrifuge assembly (28) comprising a body adapted to be guided into the container (26) a stirring member (36) rotatably operable within the container to agitate contents therein, the agitating member (36) having a longitudinal tube (39) having an outlet end in the container (26); and a second A pump means (44) is coupled to the heating means and, optionally, a supply of hot vapor to the inlet of the longitudinal tube (39) of the agitation member (36). The machine of claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises: a first instantaneous electric heater (15) coupled to the first unit (1) and adapted to heat the passing water stream; and a second instant electric heater (42) coupling the second unit (2) and adapted to convert the passing water stream into a vapor. The machine of claim 2, wherein the first instant electric heater (15) is fixed to the bearing structure (3) and is in heat exchange relationship therewith. The machine of claim 2, wherein the second instant electric heater has an outlet connected to another heat exchanger (45), the other heat exchanger (45) being coupled to the second electric heater The heat exchange relationship is connected. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating means comprises at least one pressure boiler adapted to produce water and/or steam. The machine of claim 1, wherein the dispenser (21, 22) of the first unit is pivotally mounted between at least a first and second delivery position about a vertical axis (23). The machine of claim 1, wherein the centrifuge assembly (28) includes an electric motor (29) coupled to the agitating member (36) by means of a belt type drive (33, 34). The machine of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the agitating member (36) is provided with an end impeller (38).