Brewing device for a coffee machine

p0001The invention relates to a brewing device formed according to claim 1 for a coffee machine. Generic type brewing devices come in both manually operated as well as in fully automatic espresso coffee machine for use. The manual machines are generally equipped with a cartridge holder, which is secured by a bayonet lock on the brew head of the coffee machine. Both cartridge holder to be used which serve to direct intake of coffee, as well as cartridge holder, which are designed to hold so-called portion capsules. For puncturing of such portion capsules a grid disposed on the brewing head of the coffee machine, which is provided on the front with pointed elevations. These surveys penetrate the cover when mounting the portion capsule. For perforating the capsule base projections are located at the bottom of the cartridge holder also. Once brewing water is introduced into the capsule, the capsule base is pressed by the hydraulic pressure against these surveys and been loosened. Such coffee is beispieisweise from<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP521187A"><text>EP 521 187</text></patcit> known. In addition, even Brühköpfe for coffee machines are known in which not a cartridge holder is provided in the previously-mentioned sense, but the two Brühkopfteile are pivotally arranged to each other.

p0002For example, from the <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE9415374U1"><text>DE 94 15 374 U1</text></patcit> a brewing head of portion capsules of an espresso machine is known, which consists of a brewing head lower part and a swivel associated brewing head upper part. The two parts form between them a seat for a portion capsule. The shell is provided with a hot water channel, which branches to several hollow needles which are in the piercing of the capsule film. In brewing head lower part truncated pyramids are arranged, which penetrate the capsule body, once this is pressurized by the brewing water under pressure and pressed against these truncated pyramids. To open and close the two Brühkopfteile a locking lever is provided, which operated an ejector for the used capsule can.

p0003From the <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="EP528757A"><text>EP 528 757</text></patcit> is a brewing device known as it comes in fully automatic espresso coffee machines. This brewing device comprises a brewing cylinder with a movable piston received therein, an upper, fixedly arranged closure piston for closing the brewing cylinder and a funnel to fill coffee powder into the brewing cylinder. Side of the brewing cylinder, a drive spindle is arranged, with which the brewing cylinder is connected non-positively by means of a drive member. This spindle drive is used to move the brewing cylinder by the latter is driven to the brewing of the coffee powder upwardly into the brewing position, in which the brewing cylinder is closed by the closure piston. After brewing the coffee powder, the brewing cylinder is driven back down. This downward movement of the leached coffee powder is discharged by means of the recorded in the brewing cylinder piston.

p0004From the <patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="EP1090574A1"><text>EP 1090574 A1</text></patcit> discloses a generic device for extracting a substance for preparing a beverage. This apparatus, which forms the brewing device of a coffee machine, consists of a first stationary and a second movable member. The two elements are a arranged at its rear end axis of rotation relative to each other. Both elements are provided on the front with a cavity for receiving the substance to be extracted. For pivoting, that is for opening and closing of the two elements a toggle type mechanism is provided, which consists of a two-armed closing lever and two tension rods. A fundamental disadvantage of the adhering of such a device is that the lever mechanism does not engage the two elements in the region of the cavity. This sealing the cavity is made relatively difficult because high hydraulic forces occur during brewing of the coffee powder in the cavity, which press the two elements apart. In addition, carry out the two elements during closure no parallel but pivotal movement, which additionally complicates the sealing of the cavity.

p0005From the <patcit id="pcit0005" dnum="EP0838185A1"><text>EP 0838185 A1</text></patcit> is an espresso coffee machine is known which comprises a conventional, provided with a handle filter support. For securing the filter medium to a boiler said closure piston, an annular intermediate element is provided. This intermediate element comprises on the upper side on two mutually opposite, rising projections, which together with the closing piston disposed projections of a bayonet closure. On the bottom of the intermediate member is provided with a front and a back, U-shaped opening. Between these two openings, two parallel ridges extending laterally into the prismatic grooves are recessed and are used to hold the filter support. The filter holder can be inserted from the side into the intermediate element or removed therefrom. By rotating the intermediate element accommodated in the filter carrier can be an axial displacement of the filter support against the closure piston and thus closure of the filter support arranged in the chamber can be achieved.

p0006From the <patcit id="pcit0006" dnum="US2002144603A1"><text>US 2002/144603 A1</text></patcit> discloses a coffee machine for extracting accommodated in Portinenkapseln coffee. The coffee machine is provided with a brewing head, the brewing chamber can be slid sideways for receiving and removal of a portion capsule. In a first brewing chamber Aufstechorgan disposed, which is intended to puncture the portion capsule eccentrically. On the top side of the brewing chamber, a second tubular Aufstechorgan is arranged, which is fastened to a pivotable arm and connected via a flexible line to a hot water heater. The arm is supported via a pin on a round plate. Under this plate an inflatable bladder disposed, which can be deployed by means of an air pump to push the arm down. At the lower end of the bolt is arranged a diaphragm which seals the lower part of the boiler upward when the bellows is inflated. By activating the air pump and the inflation of the bellows with the simultaneous displacement of the arm, the portion capsule is first pierced on the bottom and then on the top by means of the tubular Aufstechorgans. Thereafter, hot water is conveyed through the flexible pipe into the tubular Aufstechorgan and extracts received in the Portinenkapsel coffee.

p0007In the <patcit id="pcit0007" dnum="DE19647039A1"><text>DE 196 47 039 A1</text></patcit> is a coffee discloses a guide columns at aufund down movable brew head. To move the brewing head a toggle mechanism is provided. Beneath the brewing head two lateral guide rails are arranged, in which a filter pan in the horizontal plane is displaceably guided. In the filter pan, a filter holder are used, which is suitable for containing coffee powder or portion capsules.

p0008The <patcit id="pcit0008" dnum="EP1319357A1"><text>EP 1319357 A1</text></patcit> describes a device for producing foam in the filter of espresso coffee machines. For this purpose, an overpressure valve is arranged on the underside of the female to be extracted is ground coffee vessel. This consists of a ball which is pressed by the prestressing of a spring against a bore through which the outlet of the prepared coffee infusion from the vessel. To change the amount of foam produced, the bias of the spring can be changed manually.

p0009In addition, the <patcit id="pcit0009" dnum="EP1208782A1"><text>Patent EP 1208782 A1</text></patcit> and the patent <patcit id="pcit0010" dnum="CA2121998"><text>CA 2,121,998</text></patcit> known. Both show devices for brewing coffee, a shell having an inner portion and an outer part, which move relative to each other in the axial direction of movement of an operating lever.

p0010Finally, from <patcit id="pcit0011" dnum="EP1183975A1"><text>EP 1183975 A1</text></patcit> known coffee maker for brewing packaged in a capsule powder coffee. This coffee machine is provided with a Brühkammergehäuse, at the bottom thereof a plurality of piercing elements are arranged. In Brühkammergehäuse an upper and a lower chamber part are arranged. The upper chamber part serves to vertically support the capsule and is supported by a compression spring in the lower chamber. In order to protect the user from injuries, a protective member is arranged on the upper chamber part, which is intended to prevent access to the puncturing.

p0011The invention aims a brewing device for a coffee machine in such a way that it has few moving parts, a simple and compact and is easy to use.

p0012For this purpose, according to the invention a brewing device is provided in accordance with claim first

p0013Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims 2 to sixteenth

p0014A preferred embodiment of the coffee machine is explained in detail with reference to drawings. In these drawings:<ul><li><figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> a perspective view of a brewing chamber and provided with a brewing chamber brewing;</li><li><figref idrefs="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> according to a side view of the two scalding chamber <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>;</li><li><figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> according to the brewing device <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> in a first longitudinal section, and</li><li><figref idrefs="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> according to the brewing device <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> in a second longitudinal section;</li><li>The <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> shows a perspective view of a brewing device for a coffee machine. The brewing device comprises a brewing chamber 1 and a brewing chamber 2, which together define a brewing chamber for receiving and for brewing -Extrahieren- a serving of coffee.</li></ul>

p0015The brewing chamber 1 consists of an inner part 4 and a coaxially arranged thereto, via springs 8 movable on the inner part 4 supported outer part 9. Both the inner part 4 as well as the outside part 9 are each provided with a recess 5, 10, wherein both the inner member 4 as also the outer part 9 are formed essentially as a hollow cylinder. The respective recess 5, 10 is laterally at least partially bounded by a wall 6, 11th The inner part 4 is provided with a mounting flange 7 which has four holes through which it can be fixed to the coffee machine. At the brewing chamber 1, an operating lever 13 is arranged in the other, which is formed in a bow shape and can be by means of which the inner part 4 is moved relative to the outer part. 9 The one side portion of the operating lever is designated by 13a and the other 13b. The outer part 9 is provided with a flattened portion 14 to which the operating lever 13 is rotatably mounted. To this operating lever 13, and thus in operative connection elements is described in detail hereinafter. The outer part 9 of the top part 1 is provided on the underside with guide rails 15, which are provided with a lateral insertion opening 16 for insertion and removal of Brühkammerunterteils. 2 These guide rails 15 serve to fix the Brühkammerunterteils 2 on the outer part 9. The springs 8 are intended to outer part 9 to press down into the illustrated end position -Offenstellung-, in which the brewing chamber 2 can be fixed or removably on the outer part. 9

p0016The brewing chamber 2 is provided with a chamber 3 for receiving a serving of coffee. It basically does not matter whether the chamber 3 is designed for direct recording of coffee or to receive a filled coffee capsule. The brewing chamber 2 consists of a base part 17 and a resiliently supported thereon capsule receptacle 19, the inside of which serves to receive a portion capsule and is provided with an annular end face 20 to which a arranged at the top part 1 closure element in closing the chamber 3 applies. The base portion 17 is provided on the top with a flange 18, by means of which the brewing chamber 2 on the guide rails 15 of the outer part 9 is fixed. From the base part 17 is also from a plate-shaped handle 21st

p0017In which, in <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> example shown the brewing chamber 2 is shown laterally displaced towards the top part. 1 In this position, the chamber 3 of Brühkammerunterteils 2 can be fed a serving of coffee, or a -ausgelaugte- Espresso capsules are removed from it by tilting the Brühkammerunterteils. 2

p0018The <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> shows a side view of the two scalding chamber according <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>, From this description, it is seen that the wall 11 of the outer part 9 is provided on the side opposite the lateral opening 16 side with a slot-shaped recess 12 and that the brewing chamber 2 against its end tapered guide cam 22 is formed. This guide cam 22 serves to center the Brühkammerunterteils 2 when fixing the outer part 9 by it aligns on the side walls of the recess 12th The operating lever 13 is rotatably supported about an axis denoted by X on the outer part of the top part 9 first In the two flattened portions 14 of the outer part 9, two opposite grooves 23 are recessed in the form of curved coaxial to the rotation axis X of the operating lever 13 disposed scenes. On the two side portions 13a, 13b (<figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>) Of the operating lever 13 is a member in the form of an axle 25 is mounted, which extends through both the outer part 9, as well as by the inner part 4 through it and by means of which during the pivoting of the actuating lever 13, a relative axial movement between the inner member 4 and the outer part 9 is effected , The two gate-shaped grooves 23 are designed such that the axis can move 25 during pivoting of the operating lever 13 freely within these grooves 23rd Thus, the axis 25 can extend through the inner part 4, two opposite grooves are recessed in the wall of which also, which are not apparent from this view, however.

p0019The <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shows a longitudinal section through the top part 1 and fixed to the outer part 9 brewing chamber 2. As can be seen, one filled with ground coffee portion capsule P is accommodated in the capsule accommodation 19th The brewing chamber 2 facing the bottom 27 of the inner part 4 is designed as a closure element 28, by means of which the capsule holder 19 at the annular end face 20 (<figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>) Can be closed. From the bottom 27 of the closure element 28 is facing an upper Aufstechorgan 29 pertaining to the piercing of the capsule lid. At the bottom of the base part 17, a lower Aufstechorgan 30 is disposed which serves the piercing of the capsule base.

p0020The capsule holder 19 is provided for this purpose with an opening 31, through which the lower Aufstechorgan 30 may extend the closure of the chamber into the capsule receptacle 19 inside. On the underside of the base part 17 is provided with a beverage outlet 35, through which the brewed coffee beverage can flow. In this beverage outlet 35, a spring-loaded closure member 37 is arranged, which closes the beverage outlet 35 in the state shown here and prevents undesired leakage of -Tropfen- allfälligem residual water or coffee drink. To actuate this closure member 37 projects from the bottom of the capsule receiving before 19 an extension of 36th This projection 36 opens the closure member 37 when the chamber is closed and 3, the closure element 28, the capsule housing 19 downward.

p0021In the wall of the inner part 4, two opposing, substantially horizontally extending grooves 24 are recessed, whereby in accordance with the illustration of <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> only one of the two grooves 24 is visible. The axis positively connected at the point marked Y to the closure lever 13 25 extends through the gate-shaped grooves 23 and the substantially horizontally extending grooves 24. The configuration shown is for a pivoting of the actuating lever 13, a relative movement between the inner member 4 and the outer part 9 of the top part 1 effected by the axis 25 while pressing the locking lever 13 positively rests against the wall of the groove 24 and the inner part 4 in relation to the outer part 9 moves downwards. When the inner part 4 is fixed to the coffee machine, while pressing the operating lever 13 of the outer part is in relation to the inner part 4 in the axial direction, that is, pulled in the direction of the longitudinal axis 9 of L1, upwards. Through this mechanism, the force is substantially centrally, ie a transfer to the Innenteii 4 in the area of ​​the longitudinal axis L1 intersecting plane from the locking lever 13 about the axis of the 25th The groove 24 limits the pivotal movement of the actuating lever 13 and serves as an end stop. The processing performed by the pivoting of the actuating lever 13 between the inner member 4 and the outer part 9 relative movement -Hub- is selected so that the lid and the bottom of the captured in the chamber 3. Portion capsule P of the two puncturing 29, 30 during closure of the chamber 3. be sure punctured. For closing the chamber 3 and for piercing the portion capsule P a comparatively small stroke is necessary. This has the further advantage that the manually by the user applied via the actuating lever 13 force is also relatively low. The whole mechanism is designed so that the force engagement point Y of the shaft 25 while pressing the locking lever 13 from one side of the rotational axis X moves to the other side of the axis of rotation X. With respect to the representation according to<figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> travels the force engagement point Y axis 25 while pressing the locking lever 13 from the right side of coinciding with the longitudinal axis L1 of rotation axis X by about 5 ° above zero -Totpunkt- addition to the left side of the rotation axis X. Such a design has the advantage that the locking lever 13 in the closed, ie assumes a self-locking position downwardly pressed state, so that there is no risk by when extracting the coffee portion P hydraulically on the Verschlusseiement 28 and the brewing chamber 2 acting forces that the locking lever 13 inadvertently opens.

p0022If the inner part 4, as proposed, fixedly connected to the coffee machine, then 13 down the outer part in relation to the inner part 4 is axially moved by pivoting the operating lever 9 upwards, while 9 in by pivoting the operating lever 13 upward of the outer part relation is moved to the inner part 4 axially downward. In order to prevent a rotation of the inner part 4 than the outer part 9, the inner part 4 is provided with a projection 32 which extends in an outer part arranged on the groove 9 the 33rd In the illustrated state in which the brewing chamber 2 is fixed by means of the outer part 9 at the top part 1, the longitudinal axis falls L1 together of the top part 1 and the closure element 28 with the longitudinal axis L2 of the Brühkammerunterteils 2, that the two parts are disposed coaxially to each other. When closing the chamber 3 L2 finds both a relative movement of the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 9, as well as a relative movement of Brühkammerunterteils 2 against the provided with the closure member 28 inner part 4 in the direction of longitudinal axes L1, instead. The two piercing elements 29, 30 are also arranged in the region of the longitudinal axes L1, L2. Finally, the rotation axis X of the operating lever 13 is located on the longitudinal axis L1.

p0023The inner part 4 of the brewing chamber 1 is provided with an integral, suggestively drawn hot water heater 34th An integral hot water heater 34 has the advantage that on the one hand no interconnections between the closure member 28 and the hot water heater must be 34 -Boilervorgesehen and that the closure element 28 on the other hand preheated by the hot water heater 34 or scalding water.

p0024To benefit from the in <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> shown in the open position in <figref idrefs="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> to reach the closed position shown, the operating lever must be pressed 13 downwards, whereby now the outer part 9 is moved along with the brewing chamber 2 fixed thereto along the longitudinal axis L1 upward. Based on<figref idrefs="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> is particularly evident that the force application point of Y axis has shifted 25 in the closed position of Betätigungshebels13 through its zero point on the left side of the rotational axis X. By the upward movement of the cover 2 Brühkammerunterteils the portion capsule is pierced by the upper Aufstechorgan 29 firstly. On the other hand, the closure element 28 lays against the annular end face 20 of the capsule holder 19 so that this is moved together with the capsule received therein P downward. Thus, the lower Aufstechorgan 30 penetrates through the bottom of the capsule is arranged in the recess 19 a hole 31 in the capsule receptacle 19 and pierces the bottom of the capsule on P. After the chamber 3 is closed by the closure element 28, the chamber 3 forms the actual brewing.

p0025During the subsequent brewing cycle the brewing water 29 is introduced into the capsule through the upper P Aufstechorgan. The brewed coffee beverage can escape through the lower Aufstechorgan 30 from the portion capsule P and flow out through the open closure member 37 and the beverage outlet 35 of the brewing device.

p0026can be provided instead of a manually operated control lever 13, and of course an electric motor drive.

p0027The advantages of the invention designed according to the brewing device can be summarized as follows:<ul><li>Simple and compact construction. Particularly low height.</li><li>Simple and safe puncturing the received in the chamber portion capsule without a rotational movement between the brewing chamber and the top part is executed.</li></ul>

p0028By the coffee portion is fed to the brewing chamber when the latter is drawn off laterally from the brewing chamber, a comparatively small stroke movement is sufficient to open and close the chamber. Likewise, a comparatively small stroke motion for piercing the capsule is sufficient. The proposed mechanism is of simple design, has relatively few moving parts and can be manufactured inexpensively. In addition, the locking lever takes after closing a self locking position.

p0029The data transmitted by the shutter lever mechanism forces act centrally, ie in the region of the longitudinal axis of the two scalding chamber a.

p0030The parallel movement and the central power transmission reliable sealing of the chamber is achieved.

p0031By longitudinally movable arranged capsule receiving the lower Aufstechorgan received protected against access in the base part of Brühkammerunterteils.

p0032By the previously described brewing module and the built-in coffee maker closure piston, the entire coffee can be very compact. In addition, the brewing module from a comparatively small number elements is constructed, which delivers high reliability and, moreover provides a cost-effective production permits.