WO2017097652A1

WO2017097652A1 - A coffee machine with improved coffee transfer into an exterior receptacle

Info

Publication number: WO2017097652A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/079233
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ismail GERZELI; Eren MUTLU; Emre AYAROGLU; Omer Burak Coban; Celal Vatansever; Nihat Gunduz; Resul KARTAL; Osman Cengiz; Ali Levent Hasanreisoglu; Aylin MET
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2015-12-08
Filing date: 2016-11-30
Publication date: 2017-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coffee machine (1 ) comprising a body (2); a compartment (3) disposed in the body (2); a brewing chamber (4) that is disposed in the compartment (3) and wherein the coffee and the water are added and the brewing process is carried out, and a pouring port (5) that is disposed at the base of the brewing chamber (4).

Description

A COFFEE MACHINE WITH IMPROVED COFFEE TRANSFER INTO AN EXTERIOR RECEPTACLE

The present invention relates to a coffee machine wherein the coffee is transferred from the chamber in which the same is brewed to a cup.

In coffee machines, nozzles spraying water in the form of a water jet for cleaning the pipes and chambers where the coffee or milk is transferred are known. Transfer of water to the chamber wherein the coffee is brewed for coffee varieties such as Turkish coffee by mixing the coffee with water is realized by means of nozzles similar to the nozzles used for the cleaning process. Due to the structure of the nozzles transferring water to the chamber, the chamber cannot be cleaned efficiently. Moreover, the water used for the coffee brewing process cannot be supplied by means of the nozzles used for cleaning. In the coffee machines produced in increasingly smaller sizes, due to the small spaces, structural freedom decreases.

In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2004069013, a coffee machine having a nozzle spraying water to the base of the chamber is disclosed.

In the state of the art Chinese Patent Application No. CN201104788, a coffee machine having a telescopic nozzle is disclosed.

In the state of the art Chinese Patent Application No. CN204378929, a coffee machine having a nozzle extended into the chamber is disclosed.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a coffee machine with improved coffee transfer to an external cup.

The coffee machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the claims, comprises a nozzle that is disposed on the ceiling of the compartment wherein the brewing chamber in which coffee is brewed is placed and that sprays water on the side walls of the brewing chamber. By means of the present invention, the side walls of the brewing chamber are completely soaked with water. The nozzle sweeps the side walls of the brewing chamber with water by spraying water in a conic form.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in the cleaning process carried out by pressing a cleaning button disposed on the coffee machine, the nozzle sprays water on the side walls of the brewing chamber and provides the washing of the side walls of the brewing chamber. The water transferred to the brewing chamber in the cleaning process is discharged by means of a pouring port disposed at the base of the brewing chamber.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle supplies the water to be used in the brewing process by spraying water on the side walls of the brewing chamber. Thus, the powder coffee at the base of the brewing chamber is enabled to be efficiently mixed with the water coming from the side walls of the brewing chamber. Moreover, any coffee particles stuck on the side walls of the brewing chamber when the coffee is being poured into the brewing chamber are enabled to be cleaned.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle sprays water linearly directly from the center thereof. Thus, any waste coffee stuck on the base of the brewing chamber in the cleaning process is removed and the coffee is enabled to be more efficiently mixed with the water in the coffee brewing process.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle is positioned obliquely so as to face the middle point of the brewing chamber. By means of this embodiment, the nozzle, which is eccentrically disposed at the side, is enabled to effectively spray the water into the brewing chamber.

In the coffee machine of the present invention, by means of the nozzle spraying water on the side walls of the brewing chamber, both the coffee is enabled to be efficiently mixed with the water in the coffee brewing process and any waste coffee accumulated on the side walls while the brewing chamber is being cleaned is removed. By means of the present invention, both the cleaning process and the brewing process are realized efficiently by using a single nozzle.

The coffee machine realized to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the sideways schematic view of a coffee machine.

Figure 2 - is sideways cross-sectional view of the brewing chamber and the nozzle related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 - is the perspective view of the brewing chamber and the nozzle related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 - is the top view of the brewing chamber and the nozzle related to an embodiment of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures and the steps are numbered as follows:

Coffee machine
Body
Compartment
Brewing chamber
Pouring port
Nozzle
Flow guide
Channel

The coffee machine (1) comprises a body (2); a compartment (3) disposed in the body (2); a brewing chamber (4) that is disposed in the compartment (3) and wherein the coffee and the water are added and the brewing process is carried out, and a pouring port (5) that is disposed at the base of the brewing chamber (4).

The coffee machine (1) of the present invention comprises a nozzle (6) that is fixed to the ceiling of the compartment (3), that is disposed on the upper section of the brewing chamber (4) and that has one or more than one flow guide (7) in the form of a cone that enables the water to be sprayed all over the interior surfaces of the side walls of the brewing chamber (4). In the coffee machine (1) of the present invention, the nozzle (6) has the flow guides (7) opened on the sides thereof so as to spray the water in conic form. Moreover, the nozzle (6) sprays the water in conic form preferably such that the central angle is greater than 90 degrees. Thus, the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) are completely swept with the water.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle (6) enables the brewing chamber (4) to be washed by spraying the water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) while the pouring port (5) is in the open position during the brewing chamber (4) cleaning/washing process. When the brewing chamber (4) is to be cleaned, the pouring port (5) is brought to the open position and the liquid in the brewing chamber (4) is enabled to be discharged. The nozzle (6) provides the cleaning of any waste coffee remaining on the side walls effectively by spraying water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4).

In another embodiment of the present invention, while the coffee brewing process is realized in the brewing chamber (4), the nozzle (6) sprays the water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) while the pouring port (5) is in the closed position, thus providing the mixing of the coffee and the water. When the coffee is to be brewed, the water needed for the brewing process is provided by means of the nozzle (6), meanwhile by means of the nozzle (6) spraying the water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4), any powder coffee that stuck on the side walls while the coffee is added into the brewing chamber (4) is enabled to be involved in the brewing process. Moreover, by delivering the water as pressurized over the side walls of the brewing chamber (4), the coffee at the base of the brewing chamber (4) is agitated and a more effective mixing is provided. Furthermore, by transferring the water over the side walls, in other words, by carrying out the mixing process with the water going under the coffee, clumping of the coffee is reduced.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle (6) comprises a channel (8) that enables the water to be sprayed onto the base of the brewing chamber (4). In this embodiment, by means of the channel (8), it is aimed to better mix the coffee with the water. Moreover, any waste coffee stuck on the base is enabled to be cleaned during the cleaning of the brewing chamber (4).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle (6) is used both in the coffee brewing process and in the cleaning of the brewing chamber (4). In the coffee brewing process, preferably cold water is sprayed by means of the nozzle (6) into the brewing chamber (4). Also in the process of automatic cleaning of the brewing chamber (4), the water is enabled to be sprayed into the brewing chamber (4) preferably so as to hit the side walls/the side surfaces thereof via the same nozzle (6). In this embodiment, both the coffee and the water are enabled to be mixed in the coffee brewing process and any waste coffee accumulated on the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) is enabled to be efficiently cleaned in the cleaning process.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle (6) is eccentrically disposed with respect to the central axis of the brewing chamber (4) and in an angular position such that the center of the flow guides (7) and/or the tip of the channel (8) face(s) almost the center of the brewing chamber (4). In the coffee machine (1) wherein preferably single-use capsules are used, the coffee is transferred upon the opening of the capsule when the same is on the brewing chamber (4) into the brewing chamber (4) from the upper section thereof. In this embodiment, in order to prevent the disruption of the transfer of the coffee from the capsule to the brewing chamber (4), the nozzle (6) is positioned on the ceiling of the compartment (3) such that the projection thereof is on the edge of the brewing chamber (4). Moreover, the nozzle (6) is positioned angularly so as to face the center of the brewing chamber (4) and the water is efficiently sprayed.

In the coffee machine (1) of the present invention, the nozzle (6) sweeps with the water all the internal surfaces of the brewing chamber (4), including not only the base but also the side walls thereof. Thus, the nozzle (6) can be used effectively both in the coffee brewing process and in the cleaning of the brewing chamber (4). Since the nozzle (6) of the present invention is suitable for using in two different processes, the interior space of the coffee machine (1) is used effectively.

Claims

A coffee machine (1) comprising a body (2); a compartment (3) disposed in the body (2); a brewing chamber (4) that is disposed in the compartment (3) and wherein the coffee and the water are added and the brewing process is carried out, and a pouring port (5) that is disposed at the base of the brewing chamber (4), characterized by a nozzle (6) that is fixed to the ceiling of the compartment (3), that is disposed on the upper section of the brewing chamber (4) and that has one or more than one flow guide (7) in the form of a cone that enables the water to be sprayed all over the interior surfaces of the side walls of the brewing chamber (4).
A coffee machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the nozzle (6) that enables the brewing chamber (4) to be washed by spraying the water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) while the pouring port (5) is in the open position during the brewing chamber (4) washing process.
A coffee machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the nozzle (6) that provides the mixing of the coffee and the water by spraying the water onto the side walls of the brewing chamber (4) while the pouring port (5) is in the closed position during the coffee brewing process in the brewing chamber (4).
A coffee machine (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by the nozzle (6) having a channel (8) that enables the water to be sprayed onto the base of the brewing chamber (4).
A coffee machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the nozzle (6) that is eccentrically disposed with respect to the central axis of the brewing chamber (4) and in an angular position such that the center of the flow guides (7) and/or the tip of the channel (8) face (s) almost the center of the brewing chamber (4).