WO2005004685A1

WO2005004685A1 - Dosing device for ground products

Info

Publication number: WO2005004685A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/007145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Blancafort Marc Recasens
Original assignee: Compak Coffee Grinders, S.A.
Priority date: 2003-07-11
Filing date: 2004-07-01
Publication date: 2005-01-20
Also published as: ES2246649A1; ES2246649B1

Abstract

Dosing device (1) for ground products, such as coffee, which can be attached to the outlet part of a grinder, of the type used to dispense one or more doses of coffee into a measuring ladle, which comprises two or more receptacles (a1,a2,b1,b2), each one able to store a dose (2) of ground coffee from a coffee grinder, and in that each receptacle has an upper opening (3, 4, 5, 6) through which a dose of coffee drops, due to gravity, and is stored inside it, this dose then being able to be unloaded in a receptacle directly below it, or in a measuring ladle, by the action of corresponding unloading means of said receptacles, producing a series of stacked coffee doses which, along with the unloading of the dose of coffee contained in the lower receptacle, allows the unloading in a measuring ladle of as many doses of coffee as unloading means (7, 8, 9, 10) of stacked receptacles are activated at the same time.

Description

D E S C R I P T I O N

"Dosing device for ground products" Technical field of the invention The invention relates to a dosing device for ground products, such as coffee, for attaching to the outlet part of a grinder, preferably a coffee grinder, and used to dispense one or more doses of a ground product. Background of the invention Various embodiments are currently known for dispensing doses of coffee quickly and automatically into the measuring ladle of a coffee machine. The dispensers known are attached to coffee grinders, which deposit doses of coffee into different compartments or receptacles with lower swinging doors which, when closed, keep the coffee doses inside the compartments and, when they swing, drop the dose into the measuring ladle which is placed directly below the compartment. The dispensers then load a new dose into the empty compartment. Such embodiments have the disadvantage that, when a dose for preparing two cups of coffee, or simply a bigger dose than the one kept in the compartments is required, the measuring ladle must be placed under more than one compartment in order to get a combined dose from both of them. Patent document ES 2137811 discloses an embodiment wherein, by means of a single duct attached to the coffee grinder, using a swinging door which can take up two positions moved by the measuring ladle itself, one dose of coffee can be loaded in either one of two vertical ducts, with lower swinging hatches, each one of which closes off a compartment for storing the dose of coffee. The device in question can store the same or different doses of ground coffee in each duct, and thus a different amount of coffee is dispensed on the measuring ladle, depending on the duct used for unloading. This system allows a different dose to be loaded depending on the unloading duct under which the measuring ladle is placed. For this, purpose, however, each duct must incorporate at the desired height a filling level photocell or other device which stops the grinder when it has reached the desired amount of coffee to be stored in each duct. Explanation of the invention The dosing device for ground products of the invention, allows the optional unloading of one or more doses of ground coffee using the same duct, and does not need filling level photocells or controlled timing devices for such operation. The dosing device of the invention is of the type which is for attaching to the outlet part of a grinder, preferably a coffee grinder, and which can dispense one or more doses of coffee into a measuring ladle. The very essence of the device is characterized in that it comprises two or more stacked receptacles, each one able to store a dose of ground coffee from a coffee grinder, and that each receptacle has an upper opening through which a dose of coffee drops, due to gravity, and is stored inside it, said dose being able to be unloaded into a receptacle directly below, or into a measuring ladle, by using corresponding unloading means said receptacles, producing a series of stacked coffee doses which, along with the unloading of the coffee contained in the lower receptacle, it allows as many doses of coffee to be unloaded into a measuring ladle as unloading means receptacles stacked at the same time. According to one embodiment of the invention, the device is made up of two stacked receptacles, and the unloading means said receptacles are made up of the bottoms of the receptacles themselves, which can slide from their initial resting position, in which they hold the doses of coffee, to an unloading position, wherein they allow said dose to drop due to gravity. According to another embodiment, the device is also made up of two stacked receptacles, but here the unloading means the upper receptacle are such that the dose of coffee contained and unloaded, due to gravity, can optionally be emptied via two different ducts, the lower receptacle being located on one of them, with its corresponding upper opening and unloading means, while the other duct is connected to the outside. According to a preferred embodiment, the two ducts are provided with a corresponding receptacle, each receptacle having an upper opening and unloading means. According to.._. another characteristic of the previous embodiment, the unloading means the upper receptacle consist of the receptacle itself, inside which the coffee dose is stored, which turns around a horizontal axis to one side or another, whereby the coffee dose is unloaded due to gravity on the lower receptacle or directly to the outside depending on the direction in which the receptacle turns. Brief description of the drawings Two preferred embodiments of the dosing device for ground products of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, which the invention is not limited to, in which: Fig. 1 , is an elevational view of a first embodiment of the dosing device; Fig.2, is an elevational and section view of the device shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are both section views of the device shown in Fig.1, in which different stages of its operation can be seen; Fig. 5, is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the dosing device; Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are all elevational and section views of the device shown in Fig. 5 from the opposite side, in which different stages of its operation can be seen.

Detailed description of the drawings The following description refers to the abovementioned drawings, in which the different parts making up the dosing device for ground products of the invention can be seen. The dosing device 1 in Fig.1, is for attaching to the outlet part of a coffee grinder, not shown in the drawings, provided with a motor for grinding the coffee. The dosing device 1 has an upper opening or inlet 5 through which the grinder conveys coffee doses to the dosing device 1 , for storing in the dosing device 1 for later unloading. The device in Fig. 1 has two different ducts 11 and 12, whose ends are made up of a receptacle b2' and b2, respectively, which have an upper opening 6' and 6 through which they receive a dose of coffee from an upper receptacle b1 due to gravity. The doses contained in the receptacles b2' and b2 can be unloaded to the outside, preferably into a measuring ladle, via corresponding unloading means which, in the case of the example, are formed of both unloading hatches 10' and 10. The unloading hatches 10' and 10 are swinging hatches powered by their respective electric motors 13 and 14 and via corresponding transmissions 15 and 16. The upper receptacle b1 also has an unloading hatch, which is made up of a tipper 9, which turns around a horizontal axis 13 to one side or another, whereby the dose 2 of coffee is unloaded, due to gravity, into the lower receptacle b2' or b2, depending on the direction in which the tipper 9 is turned. Like the hatches of the lower receptacles 10' and 10, the tipper 9 is powered by an electric motor 17 and via a transmission 18. The dosing device works as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and is as follows: The initial position of the device is when the upper receptacle b1 and the lower receptacles b2' and b2 store respective doses 2 of coffee. In this position, the user can obtain one dose or two doses of coffee to be placed in a measuring ladle. This stage is shown in Fig. 2. When the user wishes to have a dose 2 of coffee, either of the hatches 10' or 10 opens, letting the dose of coffee drop due to gravity, and then closing. In the example in Fig. 3, the lower receptacle b2 empties the stored dose of coffee when the hatch 10 opens. The tipper 9 then turns in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, tipping the dose of coffee stored in the lower receptacle b2 which has emptied, and the motor of the grinder starts up to grind a new dose of coffee, and deposits it again in the upper receptacle b1 through its upper opening 5. To do this, the tipper 9 returns to its initial position and the dosing device returns to the position indicated in Fig. 2. When two doses of coffee are required, the tipper 9 turns and tips its contents into one of the lower receptacles b2' or b2, whose hatch 10' or 10 of which opens letting the dose stored as well as the dose from tipper 9 drop, two doses thus being deposited in the measuring ladle which is placed directly under the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 4. Nejct, the hatch of the lower receptacle closes, the motor of the grinder starts up and grinds a dose of coffee which it deposits in the tipper 9, which turns and drops the dose in the lower receptacle which has been emptied. The tipper 9 returns to its initial position and the coffee grinder deposits a new dose in the tipper 9 through the opening 5, this dose being stored in the upper receptacle b1 of the tipper 9, the device returning to its initial position shown in Fig. 2. It should be mentioned that a minor variation of the device in Fig. 1 is that in which one of the ducts 11 or 12 has a free end, without having a receptacle or hatch

10 or 10' on the end for storing coffee. In said variation, when one dose of coffee is required, the tipper 9 turns to unload the dose contained in it via the free duct in contact with the outside. The dosing device 21 shown in Fig. 5 is also for attaching to the outlet part of a coffee grinder, not shown in the drawings. Said dosing device 21 consists of a single duct with two stacked receptacles a1 and a2, each one having an upper opening 3, 4 and unloading means made up of respective hatches 7 and 8. Each receptacle can store one dose 2 of ground coffee, which can be unloaded, due to gravity, into the lower receptacle or to the outside, upon pulling back the hatches 7 and 8, which are swinging hatches and which are powered by respective electric motors 19, 20, and via corresponding transmissions 22, 23. In the initial position shown in Fig. 6, each receptacle stores a dose 2 of ground coffee, so that the user can obtain one or two doses of coffee, the dosing device 21 working differently in each case. If one dose of coffee is required, the hatch 8 of the lower receptacle a2 opens, dropping the dose stored, due to gravity, as shown in Fig. 8. The hatch 8 then closes, the lower receptacle being emptied and the upper one full. On opening the upper hatch 7 of the upper receptacle a1, the dose of coffee stored in this receptacle passes to the lower receptacle a2 as shown in Fig. 9. The upper hatch 7 then closes and the motor of the grinder starts up, depositing a dose of coffee in the upper receptacle a1 through its opening 3, whereby the dispenser 21 returns to its initial position in Fig. 6. If two doses 2 of coffee are required, the two hatches 7 and 8 open simultaneously or with a short delay, so that the doses of coffee stored in the upper receptacle a1 and lower one a2 drop, due to gravity, and two doses of coffee are deposited in the measuring ladle positioned under the dispenser 21. This is shown in Fig. 7. The lower hatch 8 then closes and the grinder deposits a dose of coffee in the dispenser 21 through the upper inlet 3. When the upper hatch 7 is open, the dose of coffee drops to the lower receptacle a2 through its opening 4, being stored in said lower receptacle. The upper hatch 7 then closes and the grinder deposits a new dose of coffee in the measuring dispenser 21, the coffee being stored in the upper receptacle a1 , the dispenser 21 returning to the initial position in Fig. 6. The unloading means the measuring dispenser of the invention can also be activated by respective electromagnets. The lower hatches of each device are mechanically activated by the contact of a measuring ladle or similar, when the latter is placed under the external outlet part of the duct from which one or two doses of coffee are required, or activated by photovoltaic or light cells, which detect the presence of a measuring ladle below the duct and the dose of coffee is thus dispensed.

Claims

C L A I M S

1.- Dosing device (1) for ground products, such as coffee, for attaching to the outlet part of a grinder, preferably a coffee grinder, of the type which can dispense one or more doses of coffee in a measuring ladle, characterized in that it comprises two or more stacked receptacles (a1 , a2 and b1 , b2), each one being suitable for storing a dose (2) of ground coffee from a coffee grinder, and that each receptacle has an upper opening (3, 4, 5, 6) through which a dose of ground coffee drops, due to gravity, and is stored inside, said dose being able to be unloaded in a receptacle directly below it, or in a measuring ladle, by the action of corresponding unloading means (7, 8, 9, 10) of said receptacles, producing a series of stacked coffee doses which, along with the unloading of the coffee contained in the lower receptacle, allows the unloading in a measuring ladle of as many doses of coffee as unloading means of stacked receptacles are activated at the same time.

2.- Dosing device for ground products according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is made up of two stacked receptacles (a1, a2), and that the unloading means (7, 8) of said receptacles are made up of the bottoms of the receptacles themselves, which can slide from their initial resting position, in which they are holding the coffee dose, to an unloading position in which they allow said dose to drop due to gravity.

3.- Dosing device for ground products according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is made up of two stacked receptacles (b1 , b2), and that the unloading means (9) of the upper receptacle (b1) are such that the dose of coffee (2) contained and unloaded, due to gravity, can be optionally emptied via two different ducts (11, 12), the lower receptacle (b2), with its corresponding upper opening (6) and unloading means (6), being located in one of them, the other duct being connected to the outside.

4.- Dosing device for ground products according to claim 3, characterized in that the two ducts (1.1, 12) have a corresponding receptacle (b2 and b2'), each receptacle being provided with an upper opening (6' and 6) and unloading means (10' and 10).

5.- Dosing device for ground products according to claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the unloading means (9) of the upper receptacle (b1) are made up of the receptacle itself, inside which the coffee dose (2) is stored, which can turn around a horizontal axis (13) to one side or another, whereby the dose of coffee is unloaded, due to gravity, in the lower receptacle (b2' or b2) or directly to the outside depending on the direction in which the receptacle turns.