Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
  • A47J31/24—Coffee-making apparatus in which hot water is passed through the filter under pressure, i.e. in which the coffee grounds are extracted under pressure
  • A47J31/34—Coffee-making apparatus in which hot water is passed through the filter under pressure, i.e. in which the coffee grounds are extracted under pressure with hot water under liquid pressure
  • A47J31/36—Coffee-making apparatus in which hot water is passed through the filter under pressure, i.e. in which the coffee grounds are extracted under pressure with hot water under liquid pressure with mechanical pressure-producing means
  • A47J31/3666—Coffee-making apparatus in which hot water is passed through the filter under pressure, i.e. in which the coffee grounds are extracted under pressure with hot water under liquid pressure with mechanical pressure-producing means whereby the loading of the brewing chamber with the brewing material is performed by the user
  • A47J31/3671—Loose coffee being employed
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
  • A47J31/06—Filters or strainers for coffee or tea makers ; Holders therefor
  • A47J31/0657—Filters or strainers for coffee or tea makers ; Holders therefor for brewing coffee under pressure, e.g. for espresso machines
  • A47J31/0668—Filters or strainers for coffee or tea makers ; Holders therefor for brewing coffee under pressure, e.g. for espresso machines specially adapted for cartridges
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
  • A47J31/44—Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus
  • A47J31/4403—Constructional details
  • A47J31/446—Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus
  • A47J31/4464—Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus by means of bayonet-type engagement
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
  • A47J31/44—Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus
  • A47J31/4496—Means to produce beverage with a layer on top, e.g. of cream, foam or froth

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a percolating method for making a beverage from anhydrous powdered material .
• the present invention relates to a percolating method for making a beverage from anhydrous powdered material, wherein pressurized hot water is fed through a fluidtight percolating chamber containing a measure of said material and communicating with the outside via a discharge channel.
• pressurized hot water is fed through a fluidtight percolating chamber containing a measure of said material and communicating with the outside via a discharge channel.
• Formation of the cream normally depends on various factors, such as the grain size of the ground coffee; the amount of ground coffee used and the extent to which it is compressed inside the percolating chamber; and the pressure of the hot water fed through the percolating chamber . Correct interaction of all these parameters is necessary, in fact, to produce sufficient hydraulic resistance inside the percolating chamber to oppose flow of the water and form in the percolated beverage stationary emulsion swirl, which forms microscopic air bubbles inside the beverage.
• Claim 1 and, preferably, in any one of the following
• a percolating machine for making a beverage from anhydrous powdered material, as claimed in independent Claim 3 and, preferably, in any one of the following Claims depending directly or indirectly on Claim 3.
• Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of the coffee machine according to the present invention
• Figure 2 shows a larger-scale axial section of an infusion device of the Figure 1 machine
• Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the Figure 2 infusion device
• Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 2;
• Figure 5 shows a larger-scale detail of Figure 2
• Figure 6 shows a top plan view of Figure 5 ;
• Figure 7 shows a left side view of Figure 5
• Figure 8 shows an underside view of Figure 7.
• Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a coffee machine comprising an outer casing 2; and an infusion device 3 having a substantially vertical axis 4 and located over a flat horizontal surface of outer casing 2 defining a cup supporting surface.
• infusion device 3 comprises a removable percolating cup 5; a pressurized-hot-water sprinkler 6 coaxial with axis 4; and a casing 7 integral with outer casing 2 and comprising a C-shaped bottom portion defining a seat 8 for supporting cup 5 in a percolating position ( Figure 1) , in which cup 5 is coaxial with, and connected in fluidtight manner to, sprinkler 6 to form, with sprinkler 6, a percolating chamber 9.
• cup 5 comprises a body 10, which, has an axis coincident with axis 4 in the percolating position, has a radial handle 11, and is bounded at the top by a flat surface 12 having a central cavity 13 defining a bottom half- chamber of percolating chamber 9 , and for partly housing a known wafer 14 containing a measure of ground coffee.
• Cavity 13 is fitted at the bottom with a perforated disk 15, which defines a filter for the beverage extracted from wafer 14, and separates the centre of cavity 13 from a conical, downward-tapering catch chamber 16 communicating with the outside via a coffee discharge channel 17.
• Cup 5 comprises an emulsifying device 18 which is inserted inside a seat 19 formed, coaxially with axis 4, at the bottom of catch chamber 16, and has a sinusoidal emulsion channel 20 which, as explained in detail below, defines a first portion of discharge channel 17, receives a coffee-air mixture from catch chamber 16, and imparts a swirling movement to the mixture to emulsify the liquid particles with the air particles and so form a thick, stable surface layer of cream on the resulting beverage .
• a sinusoidal emulsion channel 20 which, as explained in detail below, defines a first portion of discharge channel 17, receives a coffee-air mixture from catch chamber 16, and imparts a swirling movement to the mixture to emulsify the liquid particles with the air particles and so form a thick, stable surface layer of cream on the resulting beverage .
• Emulsifying device 18 is defined by a contoured body comprising a cylindrical main portion 21 coaxial with axis 4, housed precisely inside a respective cylindrical portion of seat 19, and having, at the top end facing catch chamber 16, a cylindrical appendix 22 coaxial with axis 4, and, at the opposite end, a circular flange 23 coaxial with axis 4. and housed precisely inside a respective wider cylindrical portion of seat 19.
• Appendix 22 projects inside catch chamber 16 from portion 21, and is connected to disk 15 by a screw 24 inserted through a central hole in disk 15 and a through hole formed in emulsifying device 18 and coaxial with axis 4.
• emulsifying device 18 is locked inside seat 19 by a coffee spout 25 connected rigidly to the rest of cup 5' by a respective circular flange 26, which is inserted inside a wide end portion of seat 19, and is tightened by screws to body 10, with the interposition of an annular seal 27.
• Spout 25 has a central hole 28, which is coaxial with axis 4, defines a second, and end, portion of discharge channel 17, and has, at the end facing emulsifying device 18, a wide portion 29 defining a header for the emulsified beverage from emulsifying device 18.
• Spout 25 also comprises .a tubular appendix 30, which projects axially from the free edge of wide portion 29 up to and into contact with flange 23, and surrounds a bowl-shaped projection 31 projecting inwards of wide portion 29 from the centre of flange 23, and which in use converges the coffee from emulsion channel 20 towards axis 4 and hole 28.
• emulsion channel 20 is defined by a peripheral groove, which is formed in the cylindrical wall of emulsifying device 18 along a path substantially coiling about axis 4 from catch chamber 16 to wide portion 29, and is closed laterally by the lateral surface- of seat 19.
• emulsion channel 20 comprises a helical first portion 32 formed in main portion 21 and extending " up to flange 23 from an inlet I communicating with catch chamber 16; a helical second portion ' 33 formed in flange 23 as an extension of portion 32, and extending up to an outlet Ul facing wide portion 29; and a third portion 34, in turn comprising a first portion coaxial with axis 4 and formed along roughly a quarter of a circle at the base of main portion 21, and a helical second portion formed in flange 23 as an extension of the first portion, and which comes out inside wide portion 29 at an outlet U2 roughly diametrically opposite outlet Ul with respect to axis 4 ( Figure 8) .
• emulsion channel 20 is defined by one groove, which coils about axis 4 from an inlet I facing catch chamber 16, to an outlet U facing wide portion 29.
• emulsion channel 20 may in turn comprise two or more channels coiling from catch chamber 16 to wide portion 29 along respective fully or partly independent paths .
• emulsion channel 20 may be formed entirely inside emulsifying device 18, or may be defined by a helical groove formed in the lateral wall of seat 19 and closed laterally by a lateral wall of an insert inserted inside seat 19.
• the cross section of emulsion channel 20 is small enough to prevent a fall in pressure- of the mixture flowing from catch chamber 16 into emulsion chamber 20, and is such as to keep the mixture at a pressure higher than an outside pressure outside discharge channel 17, i.e. at the outlet end of hole 28.
• the small cross section and helical design of emulsion channel 20 produces, in the pressurized mixture flowing along first portion 32, second portion 33, and third portion 34, strong turbulence caused by the formation of stationary microswirls, so that the liquid particles in the mixture are emulsified with the air particles in the mixture to form a thick froth of liquid coffee mixed with fine air bubbles.
• percolating cup 5 may be one of various known types commonly- used in percolating machines, e.g. a removable bayonet-connection or non-removable type.
• percolating cup 5 may be designed to house a measure of loose ground coffee, or a known perforated or sealed capsule containing a measure of ground coffee.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)
• Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38894936

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2006
  • 2006-06-30 IT ITTO20060481 patent/ITTO20060481A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-06-29 EP EP07789465A patent/EP2040585A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-06-29 WO PCT/IB2007/001797 patent/WO2008004072A2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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