Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-31
2001-03-13
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S293000, C099S290000, C099S299000, C099S30200C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199472
ABSTRACT:
FIELD
The invention relates to a beverage preparer.
BACKGROUND
A known method of preparing beverages, in particular coffee, involves the use of different liquid pressures for different kinds of beverages. In particular for coffee machines, it is known to prepare espresso with high liquid pressure and brewed coffee with low liquid pressure.
FIG. 1
shows a coffee machine
1
according to the state of the art. The coffee machine
1
comprises at its input side a pressure reducer D
1
, which places an upper limit, for example 2 bar, on the input pressure. At the output side of the pressure reducer D
1
is a branch point, at which the water flowing in through the pressure reducer D
1
can be directed towards a first beverage region for the preparation of coffee and/or towards a second beverage region for the preparation of hot water. In the second beverage region steam can also be produced, for example in order to heat beverages already available outside the apparatus. In the second beverage region are disposed, in sequence in the direction of flow, a nonreturn valve R
3
followed by a boiler valve Y
2
, which can be controlled by an electronic controller E
1
, and finally a water boiler K in which hot water can be prepared. At the output side of the water boiler K is a hot-water valve Y
4
, likewise controllable by the electronic controller E
1
, by way of which the hot water can be released into a vessel, for example the cup shown in the figure.
In the first beverage region a pressure pump M
1
is provided at the entrance. Arranged in parallel with the pressure pump M
1
is a nonreturn valve R
1
, to limit the output-sided pressure of the pressure pump M
1
to a specified maximum, in particular 8 bar. At the-output side of the pressure pump M
1
, in sequence in the direction of flow, are first a flow meter B
4
, then a nonreturn valve R
2
and a water heater HW to warm the water needed for the preparation of coffee. At the output side of the heater HW are a first and a second pipe branch, both of which open into a coffee preparation unit KB. In the first pipe branch is an infusion valve Y
1
, which is controllable by the electronic controller E
1
, and a flow resistance D
2
by means of which the water pressure is made lower at the output side of the second pipe branch than at the input side of the first pipe branch. The infusion valve Y
1
is opened when brewed coffee is to be prepared in the coffee preparation unit KB. In this case the pressure pump M
1
is turned off, so that water flows through it with no increase in the water pressure. During the preparation of brewed coffee, therefore, only the pressure prevailing in the pipeline at the input side of the coffee machine
1
is used, in particular about 2 bar.
In order to prepare espresso, cafe-creme and similar coffee under pressure, an admixture valve Y
3
in the second pipe branch at the output of the water boiler HW is opened. At the same time the pressure pump M
1
is operated in such a way that at its output a high liquid pressure is provided, in particular at least 8 bar. Therefore at the output of the second pipe branch, for the preparation of pressurized coffee, a high liquid pressure is available, only slightly below the liquid pressure at the output of the pressure pump M
1
.
In the preparation of both brewed and pressurized coffee the finished coffee is conducted into a vessel, such as a cup, at the output of the first beverage region.
As described above, the preparation of beverages with the coffee machine
1
depends on an adequate input pressure, in particular at least 2 bar. The pressure pump M
1
for the preparation of pressurized coffee is also designed for a corresponding input pressure, if necessary reduced to the specified level by the pressure reducer D
1
. If the input pressure were lower, in some circumstances the pressure-raising action of the pressure pump M
1
would not suffice to generate the required pressure in the second pipe branch and in the coffee preparation unit KB. Furthermore, the preparation of hot water in the second beverage region also depends on an adequate input pressure. The controller of the second beverage region is set to a predetermined input pressure, so that according to the selected mode of operation the right result is obtained, namely either hot water or steam.
If the pressure in the pipes of a water-supply mains system is sufficient, the coffee machine
1
can be connected directly to the water mains. However, if the available water mains do not provide sufficient pipeline pressure, it is possible to interpose external pressure-raising equipment ahead of the coffee machine
1
.
FIG. 1
illustrates another case, in which the water for the preparation of beverages in the coffee machine
1
comes from a water tank
3
. For this purpose an external pressure-generating apparatus
2
is provided, which by means of a feed pump M
2
conveys water out of the water tank
3
and generates a specified minimal water pressure, in particular at least 2 bar, at the output of the pressure-generating apparatus
2
. To regulate this minimal pressure a pressure regulator P is provided, which cooperates with the controller E
2
of the pressure-generating apparatus
2
. The controller E
2
, in addition to cooperating with the pressure regulator P, actuates a magnetic valve Y
5
disposed between the water tank
3
and the feed pump M
2
. The magnetic valve Y
5
also functions as a nonreturn valve, to prevent water from flowing back into the tank
3
. This arrangement makes it possible to operate the feed pump M
2
only when necessary, i.e. when the pressure at the output side of the pressure-generating apparatus
2
falls below the specified minimum or when water is drawn from the pressure-generating apparatus
2
.
When needed, water flows out of the pressure-generating apparatus
2
into the coffee machine
1
and/or into other devices, e.g. accessories of the coffee machine
1
such as chocolate-drink devices or hot-water devices, indicated by “n”.
SUMMARY
The object of the present invention is to provide a beverage preparer, in particular a coffee machine, of the kind described at the outset that with the minimum possible technical complexity is independent of the magnitude of the liquid pressure available at the input of the beverage preparer.
According to a central concept of the invention, the pressure-raising stage is connected at its output side to the input of the second beverage region by way of a pressure reducer. Thus the liquid pressure needed for the operation of the second beverage region can be made available by the pressure-raising stage. The pressure-raising stage is, for example, a pressure pump. However, if the liquid pressure available at the input of the beverage preparer is sufficient for the operation of the second beverage region without operation of the pressure-raising stage, it is possible to operate the second beverage region in a manner similar to the operation of the first beverage region without the use of the pressure pump M
1
of the known coffee machine
1
(see above).
The beverage preparer further comprises a pipe connection from the input of the second beverage region to an input of the first beverage region, which can be closed off by a switch according to the mode of operation. By this means, depending on the state of the operating-mode switch apparatus, either the first or the second liquid pressure prevails in the first beverage region. Accordingly, for example, either pressurized coffee-or brewed coffee can be prepared in the first beverage region.
It is a substantial advantage of the invention that the same pressure-raising stage can be employed to provide the first and the second liquid pressure in the first beverage region. When the first beverage region is in operation, therefore, depending on the desired mode of operation either the liquid flows directly from the pressure-raising stage to the first beverage region, or there is an indirect flow of liquid from the pressure-raising stage through the pressure reducer, the entrance to the second beve
Alexander Reginald L.
Palux AG
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