WO2008075175A2

WO2008075175A2 - Machine for making a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container

Info

Publication number: WO2008075175A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/003943
Authority: WO
Inventors: Virginio Cortese
Original assignee: Sgl Italia S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
Priority date: 2006-12-18
Filing date: 2007-12-17
Publication date: 2008-06-26
Also published as: WO2008075175A3; ITTO20060899A1

Abstract

A machine for making a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container (2), wherein two members (10, 11) are movable with respect to each other to and from a mutual contact position, in which the two members (10, 11) define an annular body (12) which laterally encloses the container (2) in an infusion position; and wherein one (11) of the two members (10, 11) is a rigid curved member extending along an arc of over 180° to click laterally onto the container (2).

Description

MACHINE FOR MAKING A BEVERAGE BY PERCOLATING ANHYDROUS MATERIAL IN A CONTAINER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a machine for making a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a machine, for making a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container, of the type comprising two members movable with respect to each other to and from a mutual contact position, in which the two members define an annular body laterally enclosing the container in an infusion position. BACKGROUND ART

In known machines of the above type, at the end of the infusion stage, in which pressurized hot water is fed through the container closed inside the percolating chamber, the two members are normally moved into respective open positions to insert a fresh container inside the annular body.

In known machines of the above type, the used container is normally expelled from the percolating chamber either later, when the fresh container is inserted, or immediately by an ejector device, which has the drawback of seriously complicating the design of the machine, and so making it difficult and expensive to produce .

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine of the above type, in which the used container can be expelled automatically in a straightforward, low- cost manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for producing a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container, as claimed in the independent Claim and, preferably, in any one of the following Claims depending directly or indirectly on the independent Claim.

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 side view of a first embodiment of the machine according to the present invention;

Figures 2a-2e show a larger-scale side view of a detail of the Figure 1 machine in different operating configurations;

Figures 3a-3e show a larger-scale plan view of the Figure 2 detail in different operating configurations; Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 3c;

Figure 5 shows the Figure 4 detail in a different operating configuration; Figure 6 shows a section along line VI-VI in Figure 3c;

Figure 7 shows the Figure 6 detail in a different operating configuration;

Figure 8 shows a section along line VIII-VIII in Figure 3c ;

Figure 9 shows the same section as in Figure 4, of a variation of a detail of the Figure 2 to 8 machine.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a machine for making a beverage from anhydrous material in a container 2.

Machine 1 comprises a casing 3 having a machine front 4 and housing an infusion assembly 5 with a beverage outflow conduit 6, and a pressurized-hot-water dispenser comprising a piston (known) and a sprinkler 7 connected to an end portion of the piston to move to and from a position engaging infusion assembly 5.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, infusion assembly 5 comprises a fixed, substantially parallelepiped- shaped support 8, which has a front portion projecting from machine front 4, and is bounded at the top by a flat, substantially horizontal top surface defining a loading surface 9 for container 2. At the end inwards of machine front 4, support 8 is bounded by a transverse surface 8a perpendicular to loading surface 9.

Infusion assembly 5 also comprises two half-rings 10 and 11, which, as explained below, are movable to and from a mutual contact position (Figures 2c, 3c), in which half-rings 10 and 11 define an annular body 12 having an axis 13 perpendicular to loading surface 9. Annular body 12 is coaxial with sprinkler 7, and, in use, laterally encloses a container 2 located inside machine front 4 in an infusion position coaxial with axis 13 and directly beneath sprinkler 7.

More specifically, half -ring 10 is defined by a rigid curved member positioned with its concavity facing axis 13, and extending along an arc of less than 180° and preferably of about 170°.

Half -ring 10 is connected to one end of a slide 14 fitted to support 8 to translate, along loading surface 9 and in a direction 15 perpendicular to axis 13 and machine front 4, between a forward position coaxial with axis 13 (Figures 2c, 3c) and contacting half-ring 11, and an extracted position opening half -ring 10 (Figures 2e, 3e) .

In the course of its opening stroke from the forward to the extracted position, slide 14 assumes an intermediate position defining a first intermediate position of half-ring 10 (Figures 2d, 3d) ; and, in the course of its closing stroke from the extracted to the forward position, slide 14 assumes a further intermediate position defining a second intermediate position of half-ring 10 (Figures 2b, 3b) .

At the opposite end to half-ring 10, slide 14 is fitted with a handle 16, which projects from machine front 4, beyond the front portion of support 8, and is fitted with two parallel rods 17 parallel to direction 15 and mounted to slide through respective through holes formed in support 8 to guide slide 14 with respect to support 8 in direction 15. Half-ring 11 is defined by a rigid curved member, which is positioned, in the contact position, with its concavity facing axis 13 and slide 14, and is fitted to support 8 to rotate, about an axis 18 parallel to axis 13, to and from the contact position in a direction 19 substantially opposite direction 15 of half-ring 10.

More specifically, half-ring 11 extends along an arc of over 180°, preferably of about 190°, and, as it moves into the contact position, clicks laterally onto container 2 in the infusion position. As explained in detail below, at the end of the infusion stage, half- ring 11, taking container 2 with it, withdraws from the contact position into a respective open position outwards of loading surface 9.

A transmission 20 is interposed between half-ring 11 and slide 14 to rotate half-ring 11, about axis 18 and as explained below, between said contact and open positions, as a function of the movement of slide 14 along loading surface 9 in direction 15. More specifically, transmission 20 rotates half- ring 11 from the contact position to its open position in response to translation of half-ring 10 from the first intermediate position to its open position, and rotates half-ring 11 about axis 18 from its open position to the contact position in response to translation of half-ring 10 from the second intermediate position to the contact position.

To do this, transmission 20 comprises a substantially rectangular plate 21 parallel to direction 15 and axis 13, and fitted in sliding manner to a longitudinal lateral surface of support 8. For which purpose, as shown in Figure 2, plate 21 has two identical slots 22 parallel to direction 15 and engaged in transversely sliding manner by respective pins 23, which are connected rigidly to support 8 and have flared heads to hold plate 21 on support 8.

At half-ring 11, plate 21 is fitted integrally with an L-shaped appendix projecting upwards from plate 21 and fitted on its free end with a rack 24, which extends parallel to direction 15 and alongside half-ring 11 to mesh with a pinion 25 coaxial with axis 18 and connected rigidly to half-ring 11.

At the opposite end to rack 24, plate 21 comprises a further appendix 26 having a slot 27 parallel to direction 15 and engaged in transversely sliding manner by a pin 28 similar to pins 23 and integral with slide 14. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 , support 8 has a cylindrical cavity 29 formed in support 8, through loading surface 9, and coaxial with axis 13. Cavity 29 has a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of annular body 12 , and is connected to loading surface 9 by a flared, truncated-cone-shaped lateral wall.

As explained below, cavity 29 is engaged, in use, by respective truncated-cone-shaped bottom portions of half-rings 10 and 11, when half-rings 10 and 11 are in the contact position and the resulting annular body 12 is moved along axis 13 by sprinkler 7 and pushed in fluidtight manner against support 8.

To allow sprinkler 7 to move annular body 12 along axis 13, both half-rings 10 and 11 are mounted to move axially from a normal position resting on loading surface 9, to a lowered position partly engaging cavity

29.

In fact, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and in more detail in Figure 8, half-ring 10 is connected to slide

14 by two pins 30 crosswise to axis 13, and which slide transversely inside respective slots 31, parallel to axis 13, on slide 14.

Half-ring 11 in turn is mounted (Figure 2) to slide axially with respect to support 8 by means of a pin 32, which is coaxial with axis 18, is fitted on its top end with pinion 25 integral with half-ring 11, and rotates and slides axially inside a hole formed through support A coil spring 33 is compressed between support 8 and pinion 25 to push pinion 25 and pin 32 upwards and hold half-ring 11 in a raised position, in which the truncated-cone-shaped bottom portion of half-ring 11 substantially rests on support 8, and to allow half-ring 11 to move parallel to axis 18, together with pin 32 and in opposition to spring 33, when half -ring 11 is pressed inside cavity 29 by sprinkler 7. The bottom end of pin 32 projecting from support 8 is fitted with an axial stop ring to ensure pinion 25 meshes with rack 24 even when pin 32 and pinion 25 are pushed upwards by spring 33.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, at the half-ring 11 end, support 8 is fitted with a rectangular appendix 34, which extends horizontally, on a level with loading surface 9, outwards of transverse surface 8a, and is located across the path of half-ring 11 to intercept a used container 2 - as this, still engaged by half -ring ring 11, is withdrawn by half-ring 11 from the infusion position - and detach container 2 from half-ring 11 so that it falls into a catch bin (not shown) .

Appendix 34 therefore defines an unloading station for unloading used container 2. Operation of machine 1 will now be described as of the Figure 1, 2a and 3a configuration, in which slide 14 is set to the extracted position, and both half-rings 10 and 11 are set to their respective open positions. Operation of machine 1 will also be described with reference to a container 2 which, in the Figure 1-8 example, comprises a known perforated rigid capsule defined by a truncated-cone-shaped lateral wall, and by two perforated end walls, the larger top end wall of which has an outer annular flange 2a. To better accommodate such a container 2, half-rings 10 and 11 are designed so that annular body 12 has a truncated-cone- shaped inner surface of the same taper as the lateral wall of container 2.

Obviously, in a variation not shown, container 2 may have a cylindrical lateral wall; in which case, the inner surface of annular body 12 is also cylindrical .

The open position of half -ring 10 also defines a loading position in which to load a fresh container 2, which may be placed by the user on the portion of loading surface 9 outside machine front 4, in a position facing the concavity of half -ring 10.

Once container 2 is loaded, the user pushes slide 14 in direction 15 towards machine front 4, so that container 2 is engaged by half-ring 10 and pushed by it along loading surface 9.

Over a first part of the closing stroke of slide 14, pin 28 slides (rightwards in Figure 2a) along slot 27, while plate 21 and half-ring 11 remain stationary. When pin 28 comes to the end of slot 27, half-ring 10 is set to the first intermediate position shown in Figures 2b and 3b. From this point on, the forward movement of slide

14 is transmitted by pin 28 to plate 21, which begins translating in direction 15, so that slots 22, engaged by respective pins 23 integral with support 8, slide rightwards .

As plate 21 advances, rack 24 moves in direction 15 to rotate pinion 25 (anticlockwise in Figure 3b) about axis 18, thus moving half-ring 11 from the open position to the contact position. As shown in Figures 2c and 3c, when slide 14 comes to the end of its closing stroke, plate 21 is moved leftwards, pins 23 have come to the end of respective slots 22, and half-rings 10 and 11, in the contact position, form annular body 12 surrounding container 2, at this point, in the infusion position.

Over the last part of the movement of half-ring 10 into the contact position (Figure 7) , container 2 is pushed by half-ring 10 towards half-ring 11, which, extending along an arc of over 180°, clicks laterally onto the lateral wall of container 2.

As shown in Figure 4, in the infusion position, annular body 12 laterally encloses container 2 aligned axially with sprinkler 7, and flange 2a projects over a top surface of annular body 12. When machine 1 is activated by the user, sprinkler

7 is moved downwards by the piston onto flange 2a of container 2, and pushes annular body 12 towards support

8 to insert the truncated-cone-shaped bottom portions of half-rings 10, 11 and the bottom portion of container 2 into cavity 29.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when compression by sprinkler 7 is completed, the truncated-cone-shaped bottom portion of annular body 12 is locked inside cavity 29, and sprinkler 7 is connected in fluidtight manner to the top surface of container 2, and presses flange 2a onto the top surface of annular body 12, and the bottom surface of container 2 onto the bottom surface of cavity 29 to form a percolating chamber inside container 2.

Once the infusion stage is completed, in which pressurized water is fed through container 2 and the resulting beverage flows out along outflow conduit 6, the piston withdraws to detach sprinkler 7 from annular body 12, so that half-ring 11 is raised by spring 33 and simultaneously withdraws container 2 from cavity 29.

If, at this point, the user pulls slide 14, half- ring 10, sliding with its truncated-cone-shaped portion in contact with the truncated-cone-shaped lateral surface of cavity 29, is raised with respect to cavity 29, and moves in direction 15 into the second intermediate position (Figures 2d, 3d) , while half-ring 11 remains stationary, with container 2, in the contact position.

By means of pin 28, further travel of slide 14 from the second intermediate position of half-ring 10 draws along plate 21 and rack 24, which, as it moves in direction 15 together with slide 14, meshes with pinion 25 and rotates half-ring 11 (clockwise in Figures 2 and 3) about axis 18 towards the open position.

As shown in Figures 2e and 3e, by the end of the open stroke of slide 14, half-rings 10 and 11 are set to their respective open positions, and plate 21 is moved to the left, with pins 30 at the end of slots 31.

As it moves into its open position, half-ring 11 travels along a path having an end portion extending beyond transverse surface 8a and over appendix 34, which intercepts the bottom portion of container 2 to detach the container from half-ring 11, so that it drops by force of gravity beyond the end of support 8.

In the Figure 9 variation, infusion assembly 5 is designed to operate with known sealed containers 2, i.e. comprising a cup-shaped body having a truncated-cone- shaped lateral wall and sealed at the top end by foil.

In the Figure 9 variation, infusion assembly 5 comprises two piercing devices 35 and 36; piercing device 36 is carried by sprinkler 7, and comprises a number of needles projecting from sprinkler 7 towards support 8 to pierce the sealing wall of container 2 to permit inflow of pressurized hot water into container 2 ; and piercing device 35 is located at the bottom of cavity 29, and comprises a number of needles, which pierce the bottom wall of container 2, when the container is pushed into cavity 29 by sprinkler 7, to permit outflow of the resulting beverage from container 2 to outflow conduit 6.

In a variation not shown, infusion assembly 5 only comprises piercing device 36, and outflow conduit 6 is formed through sprinkler 7.

Claims

1) A machine for making a beverage by percolating anhydrous material in a container (2) through which pressurized hot water is fed; the machine comprising two members (10, 11) movable with respect to each other to and from a mutual contact position, in which the two members (10, 11) define an annular body (12) which laterally encloses the container (2) in an infusion position; the machine (1) being characterized in that a first (11) of the two members (10, 11) is a rigid curved member extending along an arc of over 180°.

2) A machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first member (11) is movable into the contact position to click laterally, in use, onto the container (2) in the infusion position.

3) A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the annular body (12) has a first axis (13), and the first member (11) is movable to and from the contact position in a first direction (19) crosswise to the first axis (13) .

4) A machine as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the annular body (12) has a first axis (13), and the first member (11) is mounted to move to and from the contact position by rotating about a second axis (18) parallel to the first axis (13) .

5) A machine as claimed in one of Claims 2 to 4 , wherein the annular body (12) has a first axis (13), and the first member (11) is movable crosswise to the first axis (13) to move the container (2) from the infusion position to an unloading position of the container (2) .

6) A machine as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, and comprising a fixed support (8) defining a loading surface (9) for the container (2) , and wherein the first (11) and a second (10) of the two members (10, 11) are movable with respect to the fixed support (8) .

7) A machine as claimed in Claims 5 and 6, wherein the first member (11) is movable with respect to the fixed support (8) along a path, a portion of which extends outwards of the loading surface (9) and across the unloading position of the container (2) .

8) A machine as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the unloading position is defined by a fixed stop (34), which intercepts the container (2) as the first member (11) moves, in use, with the container (2) along said portion of the path.

9) A machine as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the annular body (12) has a first axis

(13) , and the first (11) and a second (10) of the two members (10, 11) are movable to and from the contact position in a first (19) and, respectively, second (15) direction crosswise to the first axis (13) and substantially opposite each other.

10) A machine as claimed in Claims 6 and 9, wherein the second member (10) is mounted to translate in the second direction (15) to and from the contact position to move the container (2) , along the loading surface (9) , between a loading position of the container (2) and an infusion position coaxial with the first axis (13) .

11) A machine as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, and comprising transmission means (20) interposed between the first (11) and second (10) member to move the first member (11) in the first direction (19) in response to movement of the second member (10) in the second direction (15) . 12) A machine as claimed in Claims 10 and 11, wherein the two members (10, 11) are movable between the contact position forming the annular body (12), and respective open positions on opposite sides of the loading position of the container (2). 13) A machine as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, and comprising locking means (7, 29) for locking the two members (10, 11) in the contact position.

14) A machine as claimed in Claims 6 and 13, wherein the two members (10, 11) are movable with respect to the fixed support (8) in a direction parallel to the first axis (13), and the locking means (7, 29) comprise a cavity (29) formed in the fixed support (8), through the loading surface (9), at the contact position; and push means (7) for pushing the annular body (12), in a direction parallel to the first axis (13) , into a position engaging the cavity (29) .

15) A machine as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the first member (11) is movable in opposition to elastic means (33) into the position engaging the cavity (29) .

16) A machine as claimed in Claim 14 or 15, wherein said cavity (29) communicates with a beverage outflow conduit (6) .