WO2007129204A2

WO2007129204A2 - Hydraulic fitting for draining a beverage from a percolating cup of a coffee machine

Info

Publication number: WO2007129204A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/001173
Authority: WO
Inventors: Virginio Cortese
Original assignee: Sgl Italia S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-05-05
Filing date: 2007-05-07
Publication date: 2007-11-15
Also published as: WO2007129204A3; EP2019613A2; ITTO20060330A1

Abstract

A hydraulic fitting (1) for fluidtight connecting a first drain conduit (3) of a percolating cup (4) , movable along a path, of a coffee machine (2) to a fixed second conduit (5) for receiving a beverage from the first conduit (3) ; the fitting (1) being defined by a first and second tubular member (16, 18) , at least one of which is made of elastically deformable material, and which respectively define an outlet portion of the first conduit (3) and an inlet portion of the second conduit (5) ; the second tubular member (18) being funnel-shaped, and the first tubular member (16) clicking releasably and in fluidtight manner inside the second tubular member as the percolating cup (4) reaches a percolating position along the path.

Description

HYDRAULIC FITTING FOR DRAINING A BEVERAGE FROM A PERCOLATING CUP OF A COFFEE MACHINE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a fast-connect hydraulic fitting for draining a beverage from a percolating cup of a coffee machine.

More specifically, the present invention may be used to advantage in coffee machines of the type in which the, or each, percolating cup is mounted to move through a percolating position, in which the outlet of a drain conduit of the cup is aligned with the inlet of a fixed intake conduit to feed the percolated beverage to an external nozzle or to another part of the machine, if the beverage is processed further. BACKGROUND ART

A fast-connect hydraulic fitting between the drain conduit of the cup and the fixed intake conduit is often extremely difficult to produce, mainly on account of the drain conduit normally being moved towards and into alignment with the intake conduit in a direction substantially crosswise to the intake conduit axis, thus precluding straightforward axial connection of the conduits .

Such is the case, for example, when one or more percolating cups are mounted on a rotor rotating about a fixed axis, and are moved selectively into the percolating position along a substantially circular path.

In machines of this type, to which the following description refers purely by way of example, the problem of draining the beverage is often solved by avoiding direct connection of the conduits, and by feeding the beverage from the drain conduit into a funnel communicating directly with the intake conduit.

Though straightforward from the manufacturing standpoint, and for this reason widely adopted, the above solution is unsatisfactory in terms of hygiene, on account of the funnel having to "open" on the side facing the drain conduit to catch the beverage, and so possibly also admitting foreign substances.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic fitting for draining a beverage from a percolating cup of a coffee machine, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is cheap and easy to produce. According to the present invention, there is provided a hydraulic fitting as claimed in Claim 1 and, preferably, in any one of the following Claims depending directly or indirectly on Claim 1. T IB2007/001173

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a detail in perspective of a coffee machine featuring a preferred embodiment of the hydraulic fitting according to the present invention and shown in an idle position;

Figure 2 shows a partly sectioned side view of the Figure 1 detail, with the hydraulic fitting in a work position;

Figure 3 shows a larger-scale view of the Figure 2 fitting;

Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 3.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a fast- connect hydraulic fitting for fluidtight connecting a drain conduit 3 of a percolating cup 4 of a coffee machine 2 to an intake conduit 5, by which a percolated beverage is fed to a beverage dispensing nozzle (not shown) or to another part of the machine, if the beverage is processed further before being dispensed.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, cup 4 is mounted on a rotor β, which is preferably fitted with other cups 4 (identical or not to the one shown) equally spaced along the periphery of rotor 6.

Rotor 6 is fitted to an end portion of a shaft 7, which is fitted through a fixed supporting wall 8 and rotates about a substantially horizontal axis 9 to feed cups 4 in steps along a circular path P coaxial with axis 9, and to selectively position each cup 4 in a percolating position (Figure 2) , in which cup 4 cooperates with a pressurized-hot-water sprinkler (not shown) to define, with the sprinkler, a fluidtight percolating chamber.

Each cup 4 is a cup-shaped body comprising a bottom wall 10; and a substantially cylindrical lateral wall 11 defining, with bottom wall 10, a percolating half-chamber 12 bounded along its free edge by a circular outer flange.

A perforated disk 13 at the bottom of percolating half-chamber 12 acts as a filter for the percolated beverage, and separates the inside of half-chamber 12 from a conical catch surface tapering towards the inlet of a beverage outflow channel 14.

In connection with cup 4, it should be pointed out that the example shown relates to a cup 4 for receiving a measure of ground coffee (not shown) , or a filter-paper wafer, or a rigid perforated capsule (both known and not shown) .

In a variation not shown, cup 4 is designed to receive a known sealed capsule; in which case, perforated disk 13 at the bottom of half-chamber 12 is replaced by a known piercing device with needles facing inwards of half-chamber 12 to pierce a bottom wall of the capsule to permit outflow of the beverage.

As shown in Figure 2, outflow channel 14 has an axis 15 sloping towards axis 9, and is formed partly through bottom wall 10 and partly along drain conduit 3, which is coaxial with axis 15 and projects from bottom wall 10 towards supporting wall 8.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 and in more detail in Figure 3, a tubular member 16 of elastically deformable material is fitted to the end portion of drain conduit 3, and has an end portion 17 projecting axially from the end of drain conduit 3.

Tubular member 16 forms part of fitting 1, which also comprises a funnel 18 connected rigidly to the free end of intake conduit 5, and which, as explained in detail below, cooperates with tubular .member 16, when drain conduit 3 is in the percolating position (Figures 2 and 3) , to fluidtight connect drain conduit 3 to intake conduit 5.

With particular reference to Figures 2 and 3, funnel 18 has an axis 19, and is connected to intake conduit 5 by a tubular body 20 coaxial with axis 19 and inserted through a hole formed in a tilted portion 21 of supporting wall 8. Tubular body 20 and intake conduit 5 are connected by a cylindrical end portion of tubular body 20 located on the opposite side of portion 21 to funnel 18 and inserted inside a corresponding end of intake conduit 5.

Tubular body 20 is locked axially to portion 21 of wall 8 by a flange 22, which is pressed against portion 21 by a nut screwed to a threaded portion of tubular body 20 on the opposite side of portion 21 to the flange.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, funnel 18 has a central hole of a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of tubular member 16, has an outside diameter equal to at least 4/5 times the diameter of the central hole, and is bounded, on the side facing cup 4, by a concave surface 23 with its concavity facing cup 4. Funnel 18 is made of rigid plastic material, and may be fitted rigidly and locked axially to tubular body 20 or form an integral part of tubular body 20.

Finally, funnel 18 has a transverse hole, in which is inserted a vent pipe 24 for releasing any air bubbles forming at fitting 1.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) , fitting 1 has no vent pipe 24.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, surface 23 is located in the percolating position to interfere with path P of portion 17 of tubular member 16, so that, when portion 17 is moved, together with cup 4, along path P into the percolating position in a direction crosswise to axis 19, surface 23 intercepts portion 17, which advances and deforms elastically to click inside and engage surface 23 in fluidtight manner when cup 4 (Figure 4) is arrested in the percolating position.

In this connection, it should be pointed out that portion 21 of wall 8 must be so tilted that, when cup 4 is in the percolating position, axis 19 of funnel 18 is substantially aligned with axis 15 of tubular member 16 to achieve uniform pressure of portion 17 on concave surface 23. In alternative embodiments not shown, also or only funnel 18 is made of elastically deformable material.

The advantages of fitting 1 according to the present invention are obvious. It provides for fast, fluidtight connection of drain conduit 3 of cup 4 to fixed intake conduit 5, is extremely straightforward and cheap to produce, and is connected and disconnected automatically simply by the movement of cup 4, with no additional actuating members required.

Claims

1) A hydraulic fitting for fast connection of a first drain conduit (3) of a percolating cup (4) of a coffee machine (2) to a fixed second conduit (5) for receiving a beverage from the first conduit (3) , the hydraulic fitting (1) being characterized by comprising a first tubular member (16) movable with the percolating cup (4) along a path (P) extending through a percolating position, the first tubular member (16) being crosswise to the path (P) and defining an end portion of the first conduit (3) ; and a funnel-like second tubular member

(18) , which is crosswise to the path (P) , defines an inlet portion of the second conduit (5), and interferes with the first tubular member (16) as the first tubular member (16) moves along the path (P) into the percolating position; at least one of the two tubular members (16; 18) being made of elastically deformable material to enable the first tubular member (16) to click releasably and in fluidtight manner inside the second tubular member (18) in the percolating position.

2) A fitting as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the second tubular member (18) is bounded by a concave surface (23) on the side facing the percolating cup (4) . 3) A fitting as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second tubular member (16, 18) are coaxial with each other when the percolating cup (4) is in said percolating position. 4) A fitting as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the first tubular member (16) comprises a tube (16) of elastically deformable material fitted to the first conduit (3) and having an end portion (17) projecting from the free end of the first conduit (3) .

5) A fitting as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the second tubular member (18) is made of elastically deformable material.

6) A fitting as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the second tubular member (18) is connected to the second conduit (5) by a tubular connecting body (20) fixed rigidly to a fixed wall (8) of the machine (2) .

7) A fitting as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein the second tubular member (18) is fitted with a vent pipe (24) .

8) A coffee machine comprising a percolating cup (4) having a first drain conduit (3) and movable along a path extending through a percolating position; a fixed second conduit (5) for receiving the beverage, and which is located in the percolating position, and is aligned with the first conduit (3) when the percolating cup (4) is in the percolating position; and a hydraulic fitting (1) for fast connection of the first and second conduit (3, 5) to each other, and as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims .