Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-30
2004-11-23
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S30200C, C099S44300R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06820535
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns an espresso brewing device according to the generic term of claim
1
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Such an already-known espresso brewing device consists of a brewing unit, a rotatable magazine—also rotatable via an electric motor—with a magazine table whereupon several magazine tubes also termed cartouches for holding single-serving capsules containing coffee powder are arranged approximately in the circumferential direction of the magazine table (EP 1 460 366 A1). In order to feed the single-serving capsules individually into the brewing unit, a comparatively complicated lever mechanism coupled with an electronic magnet is provided. The lever mechanism acts upon swivel-mounted latches both of whose sides are provided with a supporting surface each for supporting an individual serving of coffee. The latches take hold of a projecting edge of the individual coffee servings that are stacked inside the magazine tubes with their edges and thus their bases facing upwards. When the lever mechanism is operated, the respective lowest single-serving capsule separates from the latches and drops into that part of the brewing chamber that was swivelled into position below the capsule, whereby the brewing chamber is an integral part of the brewing unit. In order to brew the coffee, the above-mentioned lower part of the brewing chamber must be swivelled to the upper part of the brewing chamber whose upper surface is equipped with a piston-shaped stopper with pyramid-like projections and openings. Subsequently a ram is raised from the lower surface of the lower part of the brewing chamber, entering the single-serving capsule in order to introduce hot water for brewing into the individual coffee serving. After breaking the top-side base of the individual coffee serving by means of the pyramid-shaped projections, the brewed coffee or espresso is able to flow out through the upper openings of the stopper. Subsequently the brewing chamber is conveyed back to its original position and the now empty single-serving capsule is ejected from the brewing chamber via the stopper that continues to rise. The swivel mechanism and operational mechanism of the brewing chamber and of the stopper able to move therein are relatively complicated. It is not clear just how the empty single-serving capsule is to be ejected completely, since a magazine tube is positioned right above when the brewing chamber is in its original position.—For the selection of a coffee type or rather a single-serving capsule containing the desired coffee type, each magazine tube is provided with a window permitting the consumer to visually recognize which coffee type is contained in the respective magazine tube, as well as recognize which coffee type is located above the brewing unit at this point and will be used next for brewing a cup of coffee. A colour identification, for example, is suggested as a means of recognizing the desired coffee type. However, it is also possible to provide each single-serving capsule with a code able to be registered electronically via a suitable reading device in order to recognize single-serving capsules and particularly their contents. This recognition is utilized, for example, to show via a display which type of coffee is being used to brew the next cup of coffee. A further variation includes a control panel for the selection of the desired coffee type whereby the magazine table is rotated by means of an electric motor until the respective magazine tube containing the selected coffee type is in the effective position above the brewing unit. The means for achieving this are not shown. Recognition of a code applied on the circumference of a single-serving capsule whereby the code could be scanned through a window appears difficult, if not impossible, while the recognition of a code on the base of the single-serving capsule, for example, is out of the question since the base is covered by the single-serving capsule stacked above it.
Another state-of-technology drink dispensing machine for drinks such as coffee or tea is provided with a magazine table carrying a number of magazine tubes arranged along its circumference and holding single-serving capsules (EP 1 002 490 A1). The magazine table can be rotated via a drive sysstem, also a Maltese-cross-type drive ssystem, in such a way that one magazine tube holding the desired single-serving capsules can be positioned adjacent to a water/steam supplying device. From this position the bottom capsule of the single-serving capsules stacked with their edge facing downwards can be pushed via a thrusting device into the position below the water/steam supplying device. The thrusting device used for this purpose is located entirely within the configuration of the magazine tubes centrally above the magazine table. Although this machine is not very high, the water/steam supplying device must be located closely adjacent to the configuration of the magazine tubes due to the arrangement of the thrusting device.
For the horizontal conveyance of single-serving capsules to be selected from a magazine with its magazine chambers arranged in a linear manner next to each other and to be conveyed into a brewing unit positioned adjacent to the magazine at a certain distance from it, the use of a conveyor band is already known, whereby the conveyor band is essentially located below the magazine chambers and is equipped with a delivery station for the horizontal delivery of a selected single-serving capsule from the conveyor band to the brewing unit (U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,273). The linear configuration of the magazine chambers, however, requires a correspondingly large extension of the entire assembly with regard to its breadth. In addition, conveyance and delivery of the selected single-serving capsule from the magazine to the brewing unit necessitate expensive technology.
In the case of another device for the brewing of beverages, a rotatable drum with an intake opening for a selected single-serving capsule is positioned below pipe-shaped magazine compartments wherein single-serving capsules are stacked with their base facing downwards (FR-A 1 564 088). The selected single-serving capsule is conveyed via the drum to an opening within a stationary plate bar through which the single-serving capsule is conveyed to another conveying device for its horizontal conveyance up to a beverage preparation unit, whereby the single-serving capsule is additionally tilted above this unit.—This assembly is complicated, since a selected single-serving capsule must not only be transported horizontally, but must also be released for its sectionally-controlled free drop, and must finally be tilted from its position inside the magazine where its base is facing downwards to the opposite position above the beverage preparation unit where its base is facing upwards.
As far as the coding of the single-serving capsule and control of the espresso brewing device is concerned, single-serving capsules or cartridges for the preparation of foamed beverages provided with at least a code or means of identification whereby the cartridge is identified when the brewing device is being used and whereby the cartridge or its contents are made to undergo the correct operational steps, are already part of the present state-of-technology, including the introduction of a watery medium inside the cartridge (DE 694 00 787 T2). The means of identification may include a bar code printed upon the body of the cartridge and able to be scanned via an optical device. The means of identification may also include one or several strips of a magnetic material able to be read by a magnetic sensor. Preferably, the device for preparing beverages is designed in such a way that the cartridge is processed automatically once it has been inserted into the device.
In general, the use of single-serving capsules provided with means of identification and the identification of those means in order to handle the single-serving unit and its contents correctly, and the introduction of liquid media into the capsule in particular, are revealed in EP 0 455 337 B1
Kinberg Robert
Nestec S.A.
Simone Timothy F.
Venable LLP
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