Grinding and Tamping of Ground Coffee

Abstract

The present invention relates to coffee tamping and dosing devices and machines, and more particularly to a portafilter dosing tool for controlling the amount, distribution, and / or tamping of ground coffee within the filter basket of a portafilter prior to extraction. In one aspect, the present invention provides a device for vibrating a filter basket to agitate coffee grounds within the filter basket to facilitate deagglomeration and degassing prior to compaction. In other aspects, the present invention provides machines and methods for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee to a target level. In still other aspects, the present invention provides a tool for manually applying a uniform compaction force to coffee during tamping.

Description

[0001] Citation of Related Patent Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2019902301, filed on June 28, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to coffee tamping and dosing devices and machines, and more particularly to a handle dosing tool for controlling the amount, distribution, and / or tamping of ground coffee within a filter basket of a handle prior to extraction. Background Art

[0004] During the extraction process, espresso is prepared by passing hot water through coffee grounds under pressure. Typically, the coffee grind is held within a handle attached to a brew head of an espresso machine. The handle includes a head having a filter basket that holds a quantity or dose of ground coffee tamped into a chamber having a perforated bottom plate that serves as a filter and a handle for grasping by a user. In some handles, the filter basket is removable.

[0005] It is known that the quality and characteristics of the produced espresso are significantly affected by a number of variables, including water volume, temperature, and pressure; the coarseness, uniformity, and amount or "dose" of the ground coffee, and the density and distribution of the coffee grounds through which the hot, high-pressure water is forced.

[0006] It is known that using traditional machines, consistently preparing high-quality coffee is complex and requires skill and experience. Such skill and experience may not be easily obtained, especially in a home environment.

[0007] For example, to improve the flavor of coffee, the coffee grounds are compacted or compressed into the basket to form a coffee "puck" during a process known as tamping, which delays the flow of hot water through the coffee grounds, thereby allowing for a higher extraction pressure. However, if the coffee grounds are not uniformly dense / distributed within the basket, during the extraction phase, the pressurized water will find the path of least resistance through the coffee puck and may bypass portions of the coffee, resulting in both waste of coffee and the production of inferior coffee.

[0008] In addition, the amount of coffee added to the handle is very important for producing a high-quality and consistent coffee beverage. Thus, in the preparation of espresso, the fill height of the tamped coffee within the filter basket is an important parameter.

[0009] Tools have been developed to help make coffee in a consistent manner. For example, automatic coffee machines have been developed that seek to transfer specific tasks of coffee preparation from the user to the machine. For example, the applicant's previous PCT patent application published as WO 2014 / 165905 proposed an apparatus for at least partially automating the grinding and tamping of coffee, while various tools such as those mentioned in US7992486 and US8240244 have been proposed for tamping and dosing the handle basket. However, it is desirable to further automate grinding, filling, and tamping to enhance coffee consistency.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one disadvantage of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for tamping ground coffee in a coffee filter basket, the apparatus comprising:

[0012] A docking station for receiving the filter basket to be tamped with ground coffee;

[0013] A shaker associated with the docking station, the shaker for shaking the filter basket and thereby distributing the ground coffee within the filter basket.

[0014] In certain embodiments, the shaker includes a vibrator having a vibrating member connected to the docking station. Preferably, the vibrating member includes an eccentric rotating mass vibrator.

[0015] Preferably, the vibrator includes a motor for driving the vibrating member via an eccentric coupler. More preferably, the drive shaft of the motor is vertically oriented.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the eccentric coupler includes a cam connected to the drive shaft driven by the motor.

[0017] In certain embodiments, the eccentric coupler includes a bearing disposed between the cam and the docking station to allow the cam to rotate freely relative to the docking station.

[0018] In certain embodiments, the vibrator is configured to shake the filter basket in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the vibrator is configured to produce vibrations having an amplitude between about 0.1 mm and 1 mm, preferably about 0.25 mm.

[0020] In certain embodiments, the vibrator is configured to produce vibrations having a frequency between about 2000 rpm and 5000 rpm, preferably about 3500 rpm.

[0021] In some embodiments, the shaker includes a linear actuator. Preferably, the shaker includes an electromechanical solenoid.

[0022] In some embodiments, the device includes a grinder configured to grind coffee beans and direct ground coffee into the filter basket when the filter basket is located in the docking station; and / or a coffee compaction assembly configured to compact the coffee in the filter basket.

[0023] Preferably, the filter basket is the filter basket of a coffee machine handle.

[0024] Preferably, the docking station and the handle include complementary snap formations for connecting the handle to the docking station.

[0025] Preferably, the docking station includes a platform, and the docking station and the handle include complementary formations for connecting the handle to the platform.

[0026] In another embodiment, a machine for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee is provided, the machine including:

[0027] A docking station configured to receive the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee;

[0028] A ground coffee metering device configured to meter ground coffee into the filter basket when the filter basket is located in the docking station;

[0029] A compaction assembly configured to compact the coffee in the filter basket, the compaction assembly having:

[0030] A compaction head including a compaction surface;

[0031] A compaction actuator configured to move the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking station and to apply a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and

[0032] A member configured to collect displacement data indicative of displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path;

[0033] A controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly and adapted to:

[0034] Meter a first quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device;

[0035] Determine the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly;

[0036] Calculate a compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface;

[0037] Calculate the change in the amount of ground coffee to be added to or removed from the filter basket based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and a predetermined target compaction height value range;

[0038] If the actual compaction height value is less than the predetermined target compaction height value range, meter the change in the amount of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device.

[0039] In some embodiments, the first amount of powder is estimated based on known filter basket parameters to provide a target compaction height of compacted coffee in the filter basket.

[0040] Preferably, the controller is adapted to determine a calibration parameter based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and the predetermined target compaction height value range, and wherein the calibration parameter is used to calibrate the ground coffee metering device.

[0041] Preferably, the machine includes a shaker associated with the docking station, the shaker being adapted to shake the filter basket and thereby distribute the ground coffee within the filter basket. More preferably, the shaker is operatively connected to the controller to shake the coffee in the filter basket prior to compaction.

[0042] Preferably, the shaker includes a vibrator having a vibrating member connected to the docking station.

[0043] In some embodiments, the metering device includes a coffee bean grinder for grinding coffee beans into ground coffee.

[0044] Preferably, the grinder includes a hopper, a grinding mechanism, and a grinder outlet, the hopper being adapted to store and supply coffee beans to be ground, the grinding mechanism being driven by an electric motor to grind the coffee beans, and the grinder outlet being adapted to direct the ground coffee into the filter basket.

[0045] Preferably, the filter basket is the filter basket of a coffee machine handle.

[0046] Preferably, the docking station and the handle include complementary snap formations for connecting the handle to the docking station.

[0047] Preferably, the docking station includes a platform, and the docking station and the handle include complementary attachment formations for connecting the handle to the platform.

[0048] In a third aspect, there is provided a method of filling a coffee filter basket with ground coffee using a machine, the machine comprising:

[0049] a docking station for receiving the filter basket to be tamped with ground coffee;

[0050] a ground coffee metering device for metering ground coffee into the filter basket when the filter basket is located in the docking station;

[0051] a tamping assembly for tamping the coffee in the filter basket, the tamping assembly having:

[0052] a tamping head including a tamping surface;

[0053] a tamping actuator for moving the tamping surface along a tamping path aligned with the docking station and for applying a tamping pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and

[0054] a member for collecting displacement data indicative of the displacement of the tamping surface along the tamping path;

[0055] a controller operatively connected to the metering device and the tamping assembly;

[0056] The method includes the steps of:

[0057] metering a first quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the ground coffee metering device;

[0058] determining the displacement of the tamping surface along the tamping path when a tamping pressure is applied by the tamping assembly;

[0059] calculating a tamping height value indicative of the actual tamping height of the tamped coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the tamping surface;

[0060] determining the difference between the actual tamping height value and a predetermined target tamping height value range; and

[0061] calculating the change in the amount of coffee powder to be added to or removed from the filter basket based on the difference between the actual tamping height value and the predetermined target tamping height value range;

[0062] If the actual compacted height value is less than the predetermined target compacted height value range, the metering device meters the amount of coffee powder change into the filter basket.

[0063] In some embodiments, the first powder amount is estimated based on known filter basket parameters to provide a target compacted height of compacted coffee in the filter basket.

[0064] Preferably, the controller is adapted to determine a calibration parameter based on the difference between the actual compacted height value and the predetermined target compacted height value range, and wherein the calibration parameter is used to calibrate the ground coffee metering device.

[0065] Preferably, the machine includes a shaker associated with the docking station, the shaker for shaking the filter basket and thereby distributing the ground coffee within the filter basket. More preferably, the shaker is operatively connected to the controller to shake the coffee in the filter basket before compaction.

[0066] Preferably, the shaker includes a vibrator having a vibrating member connected to the docking station.

[0067] In some embodiments, the metering device includes a coffee bean grinder for grinding coffee beans into ground coffee.

[0068] Preferably, the grinder includes a hopper, a grinding mechanism, and a grinder outlet, the hopper for storing and supplying coffee beans to be ground, the grinding mechanism driven by a motor to grind the coffee beans, and the grinder outlet for guiding the ground coffee into the filter basket.

[0069] Preferably, the filter basket is the filter basket of a coffee machine handle.

[0070] Preferably, the docking station and the handle include complementary snap formations for connecting the handle to the docking station.

[0071] Preferably, the docking station includes a platform, and the docking station and the handle include complementary formations for connecting the handle to the platform.

[0072] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a machine for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee, the machine comprising:

[0073] A docking station for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee for compaction;

[0074] A ground coffee metering device for metering a quantity of ground coffee based on at least one metering parameter;

[0075] A compaction assembly for compacting coffee added to a filter basket, the compaction assembly having:

[0076] A compaction head including a compaction surface;

[0077] A compaction actuator for moving the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking seat and for applying a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and

[0078] A sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path;

[0079] A controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly and adapted to iteratively:

[0080] (a) Meter a quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device based on a metering parameter value;

[0081] (b) Determine an actual compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly;

[0082] (c) Calculate the difference between the actual compaction height value and a target compaction height value corresponding to a desired predetermined target coffee quantity;

[0083] (d) If the difference between the actual compaction height value and the target compaction height value indicates that the actual coffee quantity in the filter basket is less than the target coffee quantity in the filter basket, then

[0084] Adjust the metering parameter value and re - execute steps (a) to (d).

[0085] Preferably, the metering parameter is time - related and the metering parameter value is a time period.

[0086] Preferably, the metering parameter is the dosing time. More preferably, the metering parameter is the grinder activation time.

[0087] Preferably, the step of adjusting the metering parameter value is based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and the target compaction height value over a time period indicated by the metering parameter value used in previous iterations of steps (a), (b) and (c).

[0088] In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a method for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee by a machine, the machine including:

[0089] A docking station for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee for tamping;

[0090] A ground coffee metering device for metering a quantity of ground coffee based on at least one metering parameter;

[0091] A tamping assembly for tamping the coffee added to the filter basket, the tamping assembly having:

[0092] A tamping head including a tamping surface;

[0093] A tamping actuator for moving the tamping surface along a tamping path aligned with the docking station and for applying a tamping pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and

[0094] A sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the tamping surface along the tamping path;

[0095] A controller operatively connected to the metering device and the tamping assembly and adapted to iteratively:

[0096] (a) Meter a quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device based on a metering parameter value;

[0097] (b) Determine an actual tamping height value indicative of the actual tamping height of the tamped coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the tamping surface along the tamping path when a tamping pressure is applied by the tamping assembly;

[0098] (c) Calculate the difference between the actual tamping height value and a target tamping height value corresponding to a desired predetermined target coffee quantity;

[0099] (d) If the difference between the actual tamping height value and the target tamping height value indicates that the actual coffee quantity in the filter basket is less than the target coffee quantity in the filter basket, then

[0100] Adjust the metering parameter value and re - execute steps (a) to (d).

[0101] Preferably, the metering parameter is time - related and the metering parameter value is a time period.

[0102] Preferably, the metering parameter is the dosing time. More preferably, the metering parameter is the grinder activation time.

[0103] Preferably, the step of adjusting the metering parameter value is based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and the period of time indicated by the metering parameter value used in the previous iterations of steps (a), (b) and (c).

[0104] In another aspect, the present invention provides a ramming device comprising:

[0105] A body having a longitudinal axis and including a peripheral side wall extending upward from a base wall and an inner bore vertically aligned with the longitudinal axis, the base wall wherein the bottom outer surface of the base wall provides a compaction surface orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;

[0106] A compaction piston slidably mounted within the bore for movement along a compaction path aligned with the cylinder axis between a raised position and a striking position abutting a striking stop on the body;

[0107] A release mechanism for biasing the piston above an upper portion of the compaction path between the raised position and a release position towards the raised position and allowing the piston to travel substantially freely along a lower portion of the compaction path between the release position and the striking position; and

[0108] A filling assembly connected to the piston, the filling assembly including an elastic filling member for storing an impact load and a filling handle for applying a filling force to the piston to fill the filling member with the impact load and move the piston between the release position and the raised position, whereby the impact load is released to act on the piston to move the piston to the striking position.

[0109] Preferably, the release mechanism includes a track and a track follower biased to engage the track. More preferably, the track includes a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the follower engages the first portion of the track when the piston is between the raised position and the release position, and wherein the follower engages the second portion of the track when the piston is between the release position and the striking position.

[0110] Preferably, the follower is urged to engage the track at an acute angle along the first portion of the track to bias the piston towards the raised position, and wherein the follower is urged to engage the track perpendicular to the track along the second portion of the track to allow the piston to travel substantially freely.

[0111] Preferably, the track is disposed on the piston, and the follower is carried by the body. Description of the Drawings

[0112] With reference to the drawings, the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of embodiments given by way of example only of the present invention, in which: -

[0113] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for tamping ground coffee into a ground coffee filter basket according to the present invention and a handle of a filter basket provided in a docking seat of the device;

[0114] Figure 2a is Figure 1 a side view of the device and handle shown in

[0115] Figure 2b is Figure 2a a detailed cross-sectional side view of

[0116] Figure 2c is Figure 2a another detailed cross-sectional side view of

[0117] Figure 2d is Figure 2a yet another detailed cross-sectional side view of

[0118] Figure 3a and 3b is a schematic view of a vibrator assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention shown from the side;

[0119] Figure 4a and 4b is a schematic view of a vibrator assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention shown in plan;

[0120] Figure 5a and 5b is a schematic view of an espresso machine according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0121] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a device for tamping ground coffee into a ground coffee filter basket according to another embodiment of the present invention and a handle of a filter basket provided in a docking seat of the device;

[0122] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a schematic side view of the device and handle shown in

[0123] Figure 8a is Figure 7Schematic side view of a cross-section thereof, showing coffee powder in the filter basket of the handle before tamping;

[0124] Figure 8b is Figure 7 Schematic side view of a cross-section thereof, showing coffee powder in the filter basket of the handle during tamping;

[0125] Figure 9 is a flow chart representing an apparatus and method for tamping a handle;

[0126] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a tamping device according to another aspect;

[0127] Figure 11 is Figure 10 Side view of the tamping device shown in, where internal features are shown in dashed lines;

[0128] Figure 12a - 12d is Figure 10 Cross-sectional side view of the tamping device shown in, sequentially showing the filling and releasing operations of the device;

[0129] Figure 13a and 13b is a cross-sectional side view of another tamping device according to the present invention, which includes an adjustable pre-tension of the filling member;

[0130] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the distance traveled by the tamping machine (tamping height) during an iterative filling step of tamping and filling the filter basket according to the present invention;

[0131] Figure 15 is a graphical representation of the operating time t of the grinder versus the distance H (tamping height) traveled by the tamping machine during an iterative filling step of tamping and filling the filter basket according to the present invention;

[0132] Figure 16a 、 16b and 16c are graphical representations of the operating time t of the grinder versus the distance H (tamping height) traveled by the tamping machine during an iterative filling step of tamping and filling the filter basket according to the present invention; and

[0133] Figure 17a and 17b together form a schematic block diagram representation of an electronic device on which the described arrangement can be practiced. Detailed Description

[0134] Figure 1Shows a device 10 for filling a container with ground coffee and more specifically for filling the coffee filter basket 100 of a coffee machine with ground coffee. The device comprises a docking seat 12 for receiving and positioning the filter basket 100 to be filled with ground coffee, and as Figure 2b shown in, a shaker 14 is associated with the docking seat 12 to shake and / or vibrate the filter basket so as to cause the ground coffee to settle and spread within the basket during and / or after filling the basket with ground coffee and before compaction. Advantageously, the present invention relies on shaking to increase the fluidity of the ground coffee within the filter basket, reduce the adhesion force and the cohesion force. High-frequency vibration is used to promote the fluidization or partial fluidization of the ground coffee to help disperse and reduce packing, thereby promoting the uniform distribution of the coffee within the basket. Lower-frequency shaking can advantageously be applied for a similar effect. In this embodiment, the basket 100 is disposed within a handle 102 commonly used for producing espresso coffee beverages in an espresso machine, and the shaker 14 is in the form of a vibrator. The handle comprises a head 104 for receiving the filter basket 100 and a handle 106.

[0135] The docking seat comprises a filter basket engagement formation for firmly supporting and positioning the basket within the docking seat 12 and at least one vibration member for delivering vibration from the vibrator to the basket. Referring to Figure 2a and in particular to Figure 2b the detailed view shown, the docking seat 12 includes a bottom vibration platform 16 and positioning formations 18a, 18b, the bottom vibration platform being operatively connected to the vibrator 14, the positioning formations for engaging the snap "ears", tabs or pins on the handle head 104 for attaching the handle 102 to the brewing head of the espresso machine. When engaged within the docking seat 12, the snap ear 108 is held by a pair of snap supports 18a, and the edge of the head of the handle is positioned below a balance tab 18b at the rear of the docking seat such that the mass of the handle grip 104 is balanced. The base of the basket rests on the vibration platform 16, which directly transmits the vibration generated by the vibrator 14 to the basket 100 and the ground coffee within the basket.

[0136] In an alternative embodiment, the vibrator 14 is associated with a formation configured to cooperate with an attachment formation of the handle for fixing the handle to the brewing head of the espresso machine. For example, the docking seat may comprise a snap formation operatively connected to the vibrator and configured to receive the snap formation 108 on the handle head 104 in a manner similar to the fitting on the brewing head for fixing the handle when brewing coffee.

[0137] Referring to Figure 2a the side view of and Figure 2bIn the detailed cross-sectional side view shown, the vibrating platform 16 is driven by an electric motor 20. In this embodiment, the electric motor 20 drives an eccentric coupler 22, which includes a cam 24 fixedly mounted to the main shaft 26 of the electric motor. As Figure 2a shown, the platform 16 is concentrically mounted on the cam 24 on a common axis X, which is offset from but parallel to the axis of rotation Y of the main shaft 26 of the electric motor. Thus, rotation of the main shaft of the electric motor produces an eccentric circular oscillation of the platform about the axis of the main shaft of the electric motor, thereby imparting 360-degree vibration on the horizontal plane associated with the platform 16. A bushing or bearing such as a roller bearing 28 is placed between the cam 24 and the platform 16 to allow the cam 24 to rotate freely relative to the platform 16 and to reduce friction and prevent wear of the coupler.

[0138] The displacement d between the common axis X and the axis of the main shaft Y determines the amplitude of the vibration, while the rotational speed of the cam determines its frequency. The coupler is offset from the center axis of rotation by 0.1 mm to 1 mm, ideally about 0.25 mm. Generally, the electric motor is a Figure 2b , 2c and Figure 2d electric motor placed below the platform as shown and configured to rotate the cam at a speed between 2000 - 5000 rpm, ideally about 3500 rpm (providing a vibration frequency between about 30 Hz and 85 Hz, preferably about 58 Hz).

[0139] In use, as Figure 2c and 2d shown, ground coffee or brewed coffee GC is added to the basket 100. Generally, as Figure 2c shown, coffee is added and the coffee falls in a heap and does not distribute or spread itself over the area of the basket. Shaking or vibrating the coffee through the basket 100 has the effect of spreading or distributing the ground coffee over the area of the basket. Shaking, which knocks the coffee or subjects the coffee to impacts, tends to shake the level of the piled-up coffee, while at least in part, the vibration provides a "fluidization" effect, thereby changing the flow characteristics of the ground coffee so as to behave in a fluid-like manner. As Figure 2d shown, this allows the coffee to at least partially overcome the tendency to "pile up", and thus promotes self-leveling and more uniform filling of the basket. Additionally, advantageously, the application of vibration tends to cause the ground coffee GC to fold and rotate within the filter basket 100, thereby causing the coffee grounds to "nest" with each other, enhancing tamping by reducing the interstitial air gaps / voids between the coffee particles.

[0140] Thus, advantageously, by vibrating the ground coffee prior to compression during tamping, the "cake" of coffee formed has increased density uniformity, thereby reducing the tendency for smaller resistance paths (or channels) to water during the extraction phase.

[0141] It should be understood that the method of shaking or generating vibration can take other forms. For example, in an alternative embodiment, one or more eccentric rotating mass (ERM) vibrators can be used instead of the eccentric coupler to transmit vibration to the basket and evenly distribute the coffee powder. Another embodiment includes using an acoustic vibrator. Another embodiment includes using an impact shaker or ram to provide an impact force to the basket to shake the coffee grounds. impart

[0142] Figure 3a and 3b Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in. In this embodiment, the shaking is provided by a linear actuator such as the electromechanical solenoid 30. The solenoid 30 activates one or more formations that are configured to transmit a pulse or vibration directly or indirectly to the basket 100 and provide shaking of the ground coffee in the basket. In Figure 3a and 3b In the embodiment shown, the solenoid 30 oscillates a rod 34 connected to a pair of spaced-apart arms 36, with one of the pair of spaced-apart arms on either side of the basket or the handle head. Energizing the solenoid 30 drives the rod in a first direction, while when the solenoid is de-energized, an elastic member such as the return spring 38 is arranged to push the rod in a second direction. Thus, by energizing and de-energizing the solenoid 30, the rod and the formations are moved to oscillate as shown by the arrow OS that taps the basket 100 and delivers vibrations to it.

[0143] Various different configurations of this general concept can be applied for a similar effect. For example, the solenoid can be configured to alternately move the rod in two directions by switching the direction of the current, or a tapper connected to the actuator through a mechanical linkage.

[0144] Figure 2a The vibration system shown in is different from the vibration system shown in Figure 3a and 3b in one aspect related to the vibration mode applied to the basket. As previously described, Figure 2a the motor spindle shown in generates an eccentric circular oscillation of the platform about the axis of the motor spindle, thereby imparting 360-degree vibration on the horizontal plane of the platform. In contrast, the linear actuator system described above and as shown in Figure 3a and 3b generates vibration along a single axis.

[0145] Therefore, in Figure 4a and 4bAnother embodiment is shown in which a rotary actuator designed to generate vibrations along multiple axes is employed. In this embodiment, the tapping mechanism 40 includes a rotary cam 41 arranged to activate tapping members 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d circumferentially spaced around the docking seat 12. Each tapping member 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d includes a radially oriented rod 43, a head 44, and a tail 45, and is slidably mounted for radial displacement. A biasing member in the form of an axial spring 46 urges the tapping members inward toward the path of the end of the rotary cam and advances the tapping members into the path. The cam 41 is driven by a motor (not shown) to rotate as shown by arrow R, such that the end then engages the head of each tapping member 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, thereby forcing the tapping member ( Figure 4b 42a as shown therein) outward against the urging of the spring 46. This movement generally causes vibrations along a first axis A1, as shown by arrow V. Upon release, the tapping member rebounds by the spring tension of the spring 46 such that the tail 45 impacts the docking seat 16, thereby further vibrating the basket. In this embodiment, a first aligned pair of tapping members and a second aligned pair of tapping members (42a and 42c and 42b and 42d) are arranged to operate on respective axes A1 and A2. Alternatively, however, each tapping member can be arranged on a dedicated axis. As can be seen in this embodiment, the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 are generally orthogonal. However, the first axis and the second axis can be set at any angle. Additionally, the system can be configured to vibrate the basket on more than two different axes, for example, by circumferentially spacing three tapping members around the docking seat.

[0146] The device 10 can be incorporated into a ground coffee dosing device, such as Figure 1 and 2a the coffee grinder illustrated therein, where the coffee grinder, the docking seat, and the vibrator are housed within a single housing 50. Thus, when coffee is ground and added to the filter basket 100, the vibration function can be used to reduce mess, noise, and evenly distribute the coffee as it is ground and added to the basket.

[0147] The coffee supply outlet or chute 52 from the grinder is positioned above the docking seat 12 to direct the ground coffee into the basket 100 of the handle when the filter basket is positioned in the docking seat. This enables the user to conveniently add the ground coffee to the basket and level any coffee heap that is added, such that the ground coffee is relatively evenly spread over the basket by vibrating the handle.

[0148] In addition, the device 10 can be combined with other coffee-making equipment. For example, it can be combined with a coffee bean grinder or a coffee grounds distribution device as a filter basket tamping press or integrated into an espresso machine. For example, FIG. 5 shows a schematic front view of an espresso machine 60 that has a handle tamping station 62 on a first side of the machine and an espresso station 63 that includes a brewing head on a second side. The tamping station 62 includes a docking seat 62a, a grinder 62b, and a vibrator 62c. The docking seat is for receiving the filter basket, and the grinder is for grinding coffee beans and adding the coffee grinds to the basket. A compaction member can also be provided. The espresso station 63 includes a boiler and a brewing head. This allows the user to grind coffee, tamp, and compact the handle on one side of the machine and conveniently brew coffee on the other side of the machine. For example, Figures 7 to 9 the combined grinding, dosing, vibrating, and compaction device is shown in b.

[0149] Figure 6 and 7 the filling and compaction machine 200 for filling and compacting the filter basket 100 of the handle 102 with ground coffee before extracting coffee in a coffee machine is shown in. Figure 6 and 7 the machine shown in meters a predetermined amount of coffee into the basket, compacts the coffee into the basket; determines whether the amount of coffee in the basket falls within a predetermined range and if not; and calculates a certain amount of coffee to be added or removed. Preferably, the machine then adds any shortage of coffee to the basket and recompacts the coffee. More preferably, if an excess of coffee is detected in the filter basket, the machine can use a user interface to notify the user to remove the excess coffee from the basket before recompacting the coffee in the basket. In addition, the machine includes a vibrator that is used to vibrate the ground coffee in the basket before compaction in order to enhance the compression of the grinds and the uniformity of the coffee puck, as previously described with reference to Figure 1 -4.

[0150] In this regard, the machine 200 includes: a housing 202 that houses a coffee bean grinder 220 for producing ground coffee powder from coffee beans and metering a predetermined amount of ground coffee; a docking seat 212 for receiving and positioning the head of the handle 102 and the filter basket 100; a compaction assembly 230 for compacting the coffee grinds to a predetermined degree of compaction; a vibrator 240 that is associated with the docking seat 212 to vibrate the filter basket so as to sediment and disperse the ground coffee within the basket during and / or after filling the basket with ground coffee; and a machine control unit (MCU) 250 that is operatively connected to the grinder 220, the compaction assembly 230, and the vibrator 240 and is used to control various aspects of the machine operation.

[0151] The grinder system 220 includes a hopper 222, a grinding mechanism 224, and a grinder outlet 228. The hopper is used to store and supply coffee beans to be ground. The grinding mechanism is driven by a motor 226 to grind the coffee beans. The grinder outlet is used to direct the ground coffee from the grinder 220 into the filter basket 100. Preferably, the grinder 220 is a conical burr grinder with a grinding adjustment mechanism and is disposed in the upper portion of the housing 202 to utilize gravity flow to move the coffee beans and coffee powder through the grinder and from the grinder outlet 228 to the filter basket position in the lower portion of the device located in the docking seat. However, it should be understood that other types of grinders and configurations may be applied.

[0152] Preferably, the vibrator 240 is as previously described and is associated with the docking seat to generate vibrations and transfer those vibrations to the filter basket 100 when positioned in the docking seat. That is, when the coffee grind is added from the grinder 220 to the basket, the coffee grind is settled and spread. In this embodiment, as Figure 6 and 7 shown, the carriage arm that engages with the head of the handle is not shown. However, it can be seen that the filter basket 100 rests on the docking seat support platform 214 associated with the vibrator as previously described. Additionally, resting the handle basket on the docking seat platform sets it at a known height relative to the compaction assembly 230, the importance of which will become apparent.

[0153] The compaction assembly 230 is configured to compact the coffee grind in the filter basket to a predetermined degree of compaction. The degree of compaction can be determined by a change in the volume of the coffee and / or by running a preset compaction cycle or process configured to provide a predetermined compaction force or pressure.

[0154] Figure 6 The machine shown in Figure 8a includes a compaction actuator 232 for driving a compaction head 234 along a generally linear compaction path in a vertical orientation aligned with the docking seat / filter basket between the raised position shown in Figure 8b and the lowered compaction position shown in

[0155] In this embodiment, as Figure 8a and 8bAs seen, actuator 232 is a linear actuator that includes a piston 236 carrying a compaction head 234, and the linear actuator is driven by an electric motor. The electric motor includes a drive linkage that may have a gear linkage for converting the rotational movement of the electric motor into a linear movement, such as by a rack and pinion drive or a screw drive. Alternatively, the linear actuator may include any other type of actuator, including hydraulic, pneumatic, or even manually operated actuators.

[0156] Preferably, compaction assembly 230 is configured to deliver a predetermined compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the basket. When the compaction head engages the coffee, the pressure required to compress the coffee rises sharply as the coffee is compressed. When the compaction force and the reaction force of the coffee are in balance, the compaction head stops moving downward. Thus, by configuring the compaction assembly to deliver a predetermined maximum compaction pressure and by monitoring the movement of the compaction assembly, the machine can determine when the compaction cycle is complete. Therefore, preferably, the compaction assembly includes a sensor for determining the movement of the actuator and / or the compaction head. Additionally, preferably, the machine includes a component for adjusting the compaction pressure.

[0157] It should be understood that the inner diameter of the handle, together with the depth and density of the ground coffee in the basket, determines the amount or mass of the powder contained therein. Thus, by compacting the ground coffee at a predetermined compaction pressure into a basket of known size to provide a specific compaction density, a measurement of the depth or fill height can be used as an indicator of the amount of coffee powder. Additionally, the fill height of the compacted coffee plays an important role in coffee brewing because the fill height determines the separation gap between the showerhead of the brewing head and the upper surface of the coffee in the filter basket. Maintaining a consistent and predetermined separation gap is very important for brewing coffee. The gap allows the headspace above the coffee puck to be filled with water before forcing water through the coffee. The water-filled headspace acts like a piston to evenly distribute the water pressure on the surface of the puck when pressure builds up to extract the coffee.

[0158] Accordingly, the compaction assembly of the present invention includes a component (such as a position gauge or sensor 237) for collecting data indicative of the position of the compaction head 234 and specifically indicative of the position of the compaction surface on the compaction path during compaction and more specifically once the compaction cycle is complete and the coffee has been compacted. The relative position of the compaction surface 235 of the compaction head 234 with respect to the filter basket 100 corresponds to the compaction height of the coffee in the filter basket. Thus, by setting the basket 100 at a known height on the support platform 214 of the docking station 212, the position or displacement of the compaction head 234 along the compaction path can be used to calculate the compaction height of the coffee and the amount of coffee in the handle filter basket, and specifically whether the amount of coffee in the filter basket is within a predetermined range, below, or above the predetermined range.

[0159] A position sensor can measure the position of the compaction head or the extension of the piston 236 carrying the compaction head along the compaction path from a reference position. The position sensor 237 can include a potentiometer; an optical sensor; a magnetic sensor; a magnetostrictive sensor; a capacitive sensor; an inductive position sensor or any other type of sensor suitable for determining the position of the compaction head. The position sensor 237 is operatively connected to the MCU 250 to determine and control the compaction cycle and provide an indication of the filling of the handle basket.

[0160] Specifically, the MCU is adapted to determine the position of the compaction surface along the compaction path when a predetermined compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly; calculate a compaction height value indicative of the relative compaction height of the compacted coffee in the basket based on the position of the compaction surface and known basket parameters; and determine the difference between the compaction height value and a predetermined target compaction height value range to provide an indication of the amount of coffee powder that needs to be added to or removed from the filter basket.

[0161] In some embodiments, the compaction assembly includes a compaction force sensor 238 for providing an indication of the compaction pressure applied to the coffee by the linear actuator 232 during compaction. This allows the MCU to determine that the required compaction pressure has been applied to the coffee, thereby indicating the completion of compaction, and deactivate the compaction actuator to prevent further compression of the coffee. Additionally, the maximum compaction pressure applied during compaction can be selectively adjusted by the user / MCU. The compaction sensor 238 is operatively connected to the MCU 250 and is used in combination with the position sensor 237 to determine and control the compaction cycle and provide an indication of the filling of the handle basket. For example, the compaction pressure sensor 237 is used to monitor and ensure that a predetermined compaction pressure has been applied to the coffee in the handle basket, while the position sensor 237 is used to determine the compaction height and thus the amount of coffee that has been added to the basket in order to confirm that the correct amount of coffee has been tamped.

[0162] In some embodiments, the current consumption on the compaction motor is used and monitored by a current sensor that provides a load signal to the MCU 250, the load signal indicating the amount of pressure applied by the motor through the compaction assembly and applied to the coffee during compaction. In other embodiments, the pressure can be directly measured by a strain gauge or the like incorporated into the compaction assembly to provide a data signal to the MCU indicating the compaction pressure applied by the compaction assembly.

[0163] The basic sequence of events for filling and compacting the handle basket is as Figure 9 shown in the flowchart presented. As Figure 7As shown, with the filter basket of the handle in the docking seat 212 below the outlet 228 of the coffee grinder and a sufficient amount of coffee beans in the grinder hopper, the activation device is activated to start the filling and tamping cycle. The MCU energizes the grinder motor 501 to grind the coffee beans to meter a first predetermined amount of coffee powder into the filter basket, where the powder amount is calculated to provide a target tamped height in the basket of tamped coffee based on known basket parameters.

[0164] Since the cycle of grinder activation is directly related to the amount of ground coffee produced, the MCU sets a timer 502 to stop the grinder 503 after a predetermined time for delivering the powder amount determined by the MCU. The MCU can adjust the grinder activation cycle based on a range of possible input variables and known grinding information, including but not limited to coffee bean type, grinding coarseness, temperature and humidity, and past grinder performance.

[0165] In step 504, the vibration mechanism is activated to settle and disperse the coffee grounds when or shortly after the coffee grounds are added to the basket, thereby preventing the grounds from piling up. Although Figure 9 the flowchart shown in shows the vibration mechanism step 504 activated after the step of grinding coffee, it should be understood that alternatively, the vibration device can be activated before or during the grinding of coffee, but preferably, the vibration will remain activated at least until the grinding is complete and the entire powder amount of ground coffee is delivered to the handle.

[0166] The tamping cycle is initiated in step 505 such that the linear actuator moves the tamping head downward along the tamping path into the mouth of the filter basket and makes tamping contact with the coffee therein. Initially, the coffee grounds are compressed below the advancing tamped mass, where a relatively low tamping force is applied. However, as the air gaps / voids in the coffee are substantially removed and the density of the coffee increases, further downward movement of the tamping head is resisted and the tamping load increases sharply.

[0167] Once the tamping head stops as indicated in step 506 (as Figure 8b shown), typically because the tamping pressure has increased to a predetermined value, the position of the tamping head is read with a position sensor 507 to determine a tamped height value indicating the actual tamped height of the tamped coffee in the basket based on the position of the tamping surface and known basket parameters. In step 508, the tamped height value is compared with a range of predetermined target tamped height values. If the measured value is within the range, then as shown in step 509, the tamping head retracts and the handle is ready for extraction.

[0168] If the sensor shows a value above the predetermined range of compacted height, it indicates that too much coffee 510 has been added to the basket. The compaction head is raised, and the device indicates to the user that too much coffee has been added 511. The user can then remove the excess coffee powder from the filter basket, for example, by means of a device as described in US 8240244. The powder measurement process of vibrating, compacting, and determining the amount of coffee is repeated.

[0169] If the gauge shows a compacted height value below the predetermined range, thereby indicating an insufficient amount of coffee powder 512, the compaction head is raised 513, and in step 514, the MCU calculates the shortage of coffee required to be added to the filter basket. The MCU then determines how long the grinder must be activated to make up the shortage. Optionally, in step 515, the vibrator 240 is activated to loosen the compacted coffee in the handle so that when additional coffee is added, the compaction provides an overall uniform density rather than a layered structure. Additional ground coffee is added to the basket by running the grinder (step 516), and then the powder measurement process including vibration (step 517) is repeated before the steps of compacting 505 and determining the amount of coffee (507, etc.).

[0170] Although Figure 9 it is shown that the vibration device is activated in step 517 after running the grinder, the vibration device can be activated before or during grinding the coffee, as in step 504, but preferably, the vibration will remain activated at least until grinding is complete and the entire powder volume of ground coffee is delivered to the handle.

[0171] It should be understood that the flowchart "loop" indicated by arrow 520 provides for iteratively loading the powder, compacting the coffee, and measuring the height of the compacted coffee (compacted height) by measuring the displacement of the compactor during compaction until the optimal coffee compaction height in the handle is reached or at least until the compacted height within the tolerance range.

[0172] Figures 14 - 16c Schematically shows an iterative powder loading algorithm according to the present invention. Specifically, Figure 14 schematically represents the iterative filling steps of gradually adding coffee to the handle and compacting as described above, where H is the maximum travel distance of the compactor (compacted height) at which the compactor will hit the bottom of the portable filter basket; h opt represents the compacted height that gives the optimal amount of coffee in the handle within the tolerance ε, and h i represents the distance traveled by the compactor at the i-th iteration. For example (h 0 , h 1 , h 2 … etc.) indicate the compacted height at the initial filling and then at the first, second, etc. iterative fillings. Refer to Figure 15, the distance traveled by the compactor (compaction height) H is plotted against the metering parameter used to adjust the amount of powder. In this example, the metering parameter is the "powder loading time" used by the metering device as a surrogate for the amount of ground coffee. However, instead of or in addition to the powder loading time, another metering parameter, time, or other parameter indicating the amount of coffee added can be substituted. For example, the grinder activation time (the period during which the grinder is activated) can serve as the metering parameter.

[0173] During each powder loading iteration, the coffee is compacted and the distance h traveled by the compactor from a predetermined position is measured i . During the i-th iteration, the coffee grounds are loaded for a duration of (t i -t i-1 ) seconds. The aim is to minimize the difference between the distance traveled by the compactor and the optimal coffee level given by h opt or as follows:

[0174] Ah i = h i -h opt

[0175] A tolerance or specified error limit ε is set such that if Δh i ≤ ε, then the powder loading is considered complete when the coffee grounds have reached the optimal height within the specified error limit ε. Otherwise, another iteration is required.

[0176] Figure 15 Graphically shows the distance traveled by the compactor (compaction height) for an initial fill h 0 and the powder loading time t 0 . The distance gradient m is evaluated as:

[0177]

[0178] As indicated by the dashed line, it is assumed that the distance gradient m remains constant for the next iteration. Thus, the powder loading time for the (i + 1)-th iteration is

[0179]

[0180] Figures 16a - 16c An example is shown where three iterations are required to reach the optimal height. In Figure 16a the iteration 0 represented, for a predetermined metering parameter or in this example the time t 0 , the ground coffee is dispensed into the filter basket. Since Δh 0 > ε, another amount of powder is required and the duration is calculated based on the gradient,

[0181]

[0182] In iteration 1, the compactor travels a distance of h 1 . Nevertheless, Δh 1 > ε, and thus, another amount of powder is required.

[0183] The powder loading duration is

[0184]

[0185] In iteration 2, the compactor travels a distance of h 2 . At this time, Δh 2 ≤ ε, and thus the powder loading is completed.

[0186] The above algorithm can be implemented by the MCU based on preset values set by the programmed and measured parameters.

[0187] In addition, each time the compaction height is measured, the MCU 250 can use the data to adjust the grinding control profile and specifically adjust for the performance of the grinder. For example, if an insufficient amount of coffee is measured, not only does the MCU calculate the activation time of the grinder required to make up the deficiency, but the data can be used to provide feedback to recalibrate the grinder and grinder control to compensate for the unexpected deficiency. For example, due to changes in environmental conditions, the performance of the coffee beans and / or the grinder degrades over time. When the coffee beans are replaced or after machine maintenance, the grinder control profile can be reset.

[0188] In addition, generally, the vibration device is activated for a period of time before being deactivated. The period can be selected to be constant, for example, lasting for a predetermined number of seconds, or can vary according to another or multiple parameters. For example, since usually the initial fill will add relatively more coffee to the basket than subsequent full fills, the vibration device can be programmed to run for a longer time during the initial fill (i.e., step 504) and run for gradually shorter times during subsequent full fills (i.e., step 517). Parameters that can be used to determine the activation period of the vibration device include but are not limited to one or more of the number of times the grinder is activated during the fill cycle, the amount of coffee added to the basket, the plunger depth, or the duration of grinder operation.

[0189] Figure 10 and 11Shown therein is a compaction device for manually operating alternative to compact coffee grounds in a coffee filter basket and especially in the handle of the filter basket. The compaction device 600 includes a body 610 in the form of a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis AT, the body including a peripheral side wall 613 extending upward from a base wall 615 at the root of the body, the base wall providing a compaction surface 612 orthogonal to the cylinder axis at the bottom outer surface. The body 610 includes an internal chamber or bore 614 vertically aligned with the cylinder axis AT for receiving a compaction piston 620 slidably mounted within the bore 614, the compaction piston being adapted to move along a vertical compaction path between a raised position and a lower impact position abutting an impact stop 616 of the body 610. The device further includes a release mechanism 630 for biasing the piston 620 above an upper portion of the compaction path between the raised position and a release position toward the raised position and allowing the piston 620 to travel substantially freely along a lower portion of the compaction path between the release position and the impact position.

[0190] The device further includes a filling assembly 640 connected to the piston 620, the filling assembly including an elastic filling member 642 and a filling handle 644, the elastically loaded member for storing an impact load or energy, the filling handle for applying a filling force to the piston 620 to fill the filling member with the impact load and move the piston 620 between the raised position and the release position.

[0191] Reference Figure 10 and 11 , in this embodiment, the body 610 is circular and generally cup-shaped, the cup-shaped having a closed bottom end forming the compaction surface 612 and preventing coffee powder or other material from entering and an open top allowing access to the chamber. The bore 614 is also preferably circular and the bottom of the bore provides the impact stop 616. While the upper portion of the body may have a non-circular cross-section, the compaction surface 614 and the root of the body are adapted to correspond to the shape and diameter of the handle filter basket so as to fit within the basket and are thus preferably circular. Additionally, the body and especially the lower portion of the body providing the compaction surface may be interchangeable or provided with an adapter, allowing the compaction device to be adapted to fit a range of different handles.

[0192] The piston 620 is preferably formed of a tough, dense material having a high specific gravity to enhance its inertia and impact force. The bottom surface 621 of the piston is configured to impact the impact stop 616 at the bottom of the bore 614 when the piston moves to the impact position.

[0193] In this embodiment, the release mechanism 630 includes a track 632 and a track follower 634 that is biased into engagement with the track 632 by a resilient release spring 635. In this embodiment, the track 632 is disposed on the piston 620 and the follower 634 is carried by the body 610. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the track may be disposed on the body and the follower may be carried by the piston.

[0194] As can be seen, the follower 634 is formed as a plunger that is slidably mounted to the body 610 and is partially received within a recess 636 disposed in the sidewall 613 of the bore 614 and extending orthogonally to the cylinder axis. The follower 634 is biased into engagement with the track 632 on the piston by the release spring 635. A roller 637 disposed on the tip of the follower 634 abuts the track 632 to reduce friction as the follower 634 travels along the track 632.

[0195] The track 632 includes a first inclined portion 632a that biases the piston 620 toward the raised position above an upper portion of the compaction path that is between the raised position and the release position due to the pushing of the follower 634 on the track 632. A second vertical portion 632b of the track is engaged by the follower above a lower portion of the piston's travel along the compaction path that is between the release position and the impact position. It should be understood that when the follower engages the second portion of the track 632b, the biasing force provided by the return spring 635 acts perpendicular to the track 632 such that the piston 620 can travel relatively freely along the lower portion of the compaction path.

[0196] As referenced Figure 10 Visibly, the filling handle 644 can be implemented in the form of a cap that provides an ergonomic surface 645 to the user for applying pressure to the preloading member. The cap includes a peripheral skirt 646 that slidably surrounds the outer wall of the body to provide a measure for sealing the device against the entry of dust and debris into the internal components. The handle 644 includes a shaft 647 that extends from the lower side surface 648 of the cap and is adapted to be positioned within a corresponding hole 624 in the piston 620 to actively connect the handle to the piston while allowing slidable movement between the handle and the piston. The filling member 642 itself is positioned between the piston 620 and the handle 644 and is in the form of a helical spring.

[0197] In some embodiments of the compaction device 600, as Figure 13a and 13bAs shown, a preload adjuster 700 is provided to preload the filling member spring, thereby providing a measure of adjustment for the compaction impact. In FIG. 13, a support member 701 supports the resilient filling member 642 and is in threaded engagement with the cap 644. As can be seen in FIG. 123b, the winding of the threaded member allows the support member to be vertically displaced relative to the cap 644 and allows the filling member 642 to be pre-tensioned.

[0198] The operation of the compaction device will now be explained with reference to Figures 12a to 12d . In Figure 12a , the compaction device is shown in a stationary configuration. It will be noted that the piston 620 is in a raised position relative to the body 610, which is biased by a release spring 635 that holds the follower 634 firmly against the inclined portion 632a of the track 632. More specifically, the follower 634 is biased by the release spring 635 to the extreme end position of the inclined portion of the track. The filling member 642 located between the piston 620 and the filling handle 644 is largely uncompressed and biases the filling handle 644 away from the piston 620.

[0199] In Figure 12b , a filling force is applied downwardly to the change handle 644 and the filling force is indicated by the arrow CF. Preferably, the lower end of the body is positioned within the open top of a filter basket (not shown) containing a quantity of coffee grounds to be compacted such that the compaction surface 612 is in contact with the coffee. The filling force CF has the effect of compressing the filling spring 642 and moving the filling handle 644 downwardly towards the piston 620 such that the cap shaft 647 is advanced into the hole 624 in the piston 620 and the cap skirt 646 slides downwardly over the exterior of the body 610. It should be noted that in this illustration in the direction of arrow C, the filling spring 642 is fully compressed, thereby preventing the filling handle 644 from moving closer to the piston 620.

[0200] In Figure 12c , additional pressure, again indicated by CF, begins to force the piston 620 to move downwardly relative to the body in the direction of arrow D within the hole 614. It can be seen that the follower 634 has started to move along the inclined portion 632a of the track, compressing the release spring 635 in the direction of arrow E.

[0201] Once the piston 620 has traveled to the release position, the follower 634 travels to the second vertical track portion 632a such that the release mechanism 630 no longer resists the downward movement provided by the filling force CF as the follower biasing force now acts perpendicular to the track 632a.

[0202] The release mechanism is not strained, and the piston 620 is now relatively free to move downward under the influence of the filling force CF and the potential energy stored as spring energy in the filling spring. These forces accelerate the piston 620 downward toward the impact position as shown by the arrow F. As Figure 12d shown, the piston moves toward the impact position where the bottom surface 621 of the piston impacts the impact stopper 616 at the bottom of the hole 614. When the piston impacts the body, inertial energy is transferred to the body and through the compaction surface 612 to the coffee to be compacted.

[0203] When the follower 634 transitions from the first inclined surface 632a to the second vertical surface 632b along the track 632, haptic feedback is provided to the user to ensure the delivery of the compaction force to the user. It should be understood that the compaction device will deliver a consistent compaction force to the coffee in the handle, thereby enabling the user to be confident that an appropriate amount of compaction has been applied. In addition, since the compaction stored in the device is released when additional pressure is applied, the user will not tend to apply too much force to the device, thereby minimizing the risk of injury due to repeated use.

[0204] Although the compaction device has been designed as a manual tool, the compaction device can be incorporated into machines such as those described in Figure 6 and 7 so as to be actuated directly manually through a lever system to provide a mechanical advantage or actuated by a power actuator.

[0205] Figure 17a and 17b collectively form a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose electronic device 1701 that serves as a machine control unit (MCU) 250. The electronic device includes embedded components on which the methods described herein are desired to be practiced. For example, the electronic device 1701 can be a household appliance with limited processing resources. Nevertheless, the methods to be described can also be executed on more advanced devices such as desktop computers, server computers, and other such devices with significantly greater processing resources.

[0206] As Figure 17a shown, the electronic device 1701 includes an embedded controller 1702. Thus, the electronic device 1701 can be referred to as an "embedded device". In this example, the controller 1702 has a processing unit (or processor) 1705 that is bi-directionally coupled to an internal storage module 1709. As Figure 17b shown, the storage module 1709 can be formed by a non-volatile semiconductor read-only memory (ROM) 1760 and a semiconductor random access memory (RAM) 1770. The RAM 1770 can be a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory.

[0207] The electronic device 1701 may include a display controller 1707, which is connected to a video display 1714, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel or the like. The display controller 1707 is configured to display graphical images on the video display 1714 according to instructions received from an embedded controller 1702 connected to the display controller 1707.

[0208] The electronic device 1701 may also include a user input device 1713, which is typically formed by keys, a keypad, or similar controls. In some embodiments, the user input device 1713 may include a touch-sensitive panel physically associated with the display 1714 to jointly form a touch screen. Thus, contrary to the prompt- or menu-driven graphical user interface (GUI) typically used with a keypad-display combination, such a touch screen can operate as a form of GUI. Other forms of user input devices may also be used, such as a microphone (not shown) for voice commands or a joystick / thumbwheel (not shown) for easy menu navigation.

[0209] As Figure 17a shown, the electronic device 1701 also includes a portable memory interface 1706, which is coupled to a processor 1705 through a connector 1719. The portable memory interface 1706 allows a complementary portable memory device 1725 to be coupled to the electronic device 1701 to serve as a source or destination of data or to supplement an internal storage module 1709. Examples of such interfaces allow coupling to portable storage devices, such as universal serial bus (USB) storage devices, secure digital (SD) cards, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMIA) cards, optical discs, and magnetic discs.

[0210] The electronic device 1701 may also have a communication interface 1708 to allow the device 1701 to be coupled to a computer or a communication network 1720 through a connection 1721. The connection 1721 may be wired or wireless. For example, the connection 1721 may be radio frequency or optical. Examples of wired connections include Ethernet. Additionally, examples of wireless connections include BluetoothTM-type local interconnection, Wi-Fi (including protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards), Infrared Data Association (IrDa), etc.

[0211] Generally, the electronic device 1701 is configured to perform some special functions. An embedded controller 1702 is provided, which may incorporate additional special function components 1710 to perform the special functions. For example, the components 1710 may include sensors, timers, etc. The special function components 1710 are connected to the embedded controller 1702.

[0212] The method described above may be implemented using the embedded controller 1702, whereFigure 9 The process of FIGS. 16 can be implemented as one or more software applications 1733 executable within the embedded controller 1702. Figure 17a The electronic device 1701 implements the described method. Specifically, referring to Figure 17b , the steps of the described method are implemented by instructions in the software 1733 executed within the controller 1702. The software instructions can be formed into one or more code modules, each code module for performing one or more specific tasks. The software can also be divided into two separate parts, where the first part and the corresponding code modules perform the described method, and the second part and the corresponding code modules manage the user interface between the first part and the user.

[0213] The software 1733 of the embedded controller 1702 is typically stored in the non-volatile ROM 1760 of the internal storage module 1709. When needed, the software 1733 stored in the ROM 1760 can be updated from a computer-readable medium. The software 1733 can be loaded into the processor 1705 and executed by the processor. In some instances, the processor 1705 can execute software instructions located in the RAM 1770. The processor 1705 can load the software instructions into the RAM 1770, and the processor initializes a copy of one or more code modules from the ROM 1760 into the RAM 1770. Alternatively, the manufacturer can pre-install the software instructions of one or more code modules in the non-volatile area of the RAM 1770. After one or more code modules are located in the RAM 1770, the processor 1705 can execute the software instructions of the one or more code modules.

[0214] Typically, before distributing the electronic device 1701, the manufacturer typically pre-installs and stores the application 1733 in the ROM 1760. However, in some cases, before being stored in the internal storage module 1709 or the portable memory 1725, the application 1733 can be encoded on one or more CD-ROMs (not shown) and passed through Figure 17aIt is supplied to the user by being read by the portable memory interface 1706. In another alternative, the software application 1733 can be read by the processor 1705 from the network 1720, or loaded into the controller 1702 or the portable storage medium 1725 from other computer-readable media. A computer-readable storage medium refers to any non-transitory tangible storage medium that participates in providing instructions and / or data to the controller 1702 for execution and / or processing. Examples of such storage media include floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CD-ROMs, hard disk drives, ROMs or integrated circuits, USB memories, magneto-optical disks, flash memories, or computer-readable cards such as PCMCIA cards, whether such devices are internal or external to the device 1701. Examples of transitory or non-tangible computer-readable transmission media that can also participate in providing software, applications, instructions, and / or data to the device 1701 include radio or infrared transmission channels and network connections to another computer or network device, as well as the Internet or an intranet, including information recorded on email transmissions and websites, etc. A computer-readable medium recording such software or computer program is a computer program product.

[0215] The second part of the application program 1733 and the corresponding code module described above can be executed to implement one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to be presented or otherwise represented on the Figure 17a display 1714 of. By manipulating the user input device 1713 (e.g., keypad), the user of the device 1701 and the application program 1733 can manipulate the interface in a functionally adaptable manner to provide control commands and / or inputs to the application associated with the GUI. Other forms of functionally adaptable user interfaces can also be implemented, such as an audio interface that utilizes voice prompts output through a speaker (not shown) and user voice commands input through a microphone (not shown).

[0216] Figure 17b An embedded controller 1702 having a processor 1705 for executing the application program 1733 and an internal storage device 1709 is shown in detail. The internal storage device 1709 includes a read-only memory (ROM) 1760 and a random access memory (RAM) 1770. The processor 1705 is capable of executing the application program 1733 stored in one or both of the connected memories 1760 and 1770. When the electronic device 1701 is initially powered on, the system program resident in the ROM 1760 is executed. The application program 1733 permanently stored in the ROM 1760 is sometimes referred to as "firmware". The processor 1705 executing the firmware can implement various functions, including processor management, memory management, device management, storage management, and user interface.

[0217] Processor 1705 typically includes multiple functional modules, the multiple functional modules including a control unit (CU) 1751, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 1752, a digital signal processor (DSP) 1753, and a local or internal memory including a set of registers 1754, the set of registers typically containing atomic data elements 1756, 1757, as well as an internal buffer or cache memory 1755. One or more internal buses 1759 interconnect these functional modules. Processor 1705 typically also has one or more interfaces 1758, the one or more interfaces for communicating with external devices via a system bus 1781 using a connection 1761.

[0218] Application program 1733 includes an instruction sequence 1762 to 1763 that may include conditional branch and loop instructions. Program 1733 may also include data used in the execution of program 1733. This data may be stored as part of the instruction or in a separate location 1764 within ROM 1760 or RAM 1770.

[0219] Typically, a set of instructions is provided to processor 1705 for execution therein. This set of instructions may be organized into blocks that perform a particular task or handle a particular event occurring in electronic device 1701. Typically, application program 1733 waits for an event and then executes a code block associated with the event. As detected by processor 1705, an event may be triggered in response to an input from a user via Figure 17a user input device 1713 of the user. An event may also be triggered in response to other sensors and interfaces in electronic device 1701.

[0220] The execution of a set of instructions may require reading and modifying digital variables. These digital variables are stored in RAM 1770. The disclosed method uses input variables 1771 stored in known locations 1772, 1773 in memory 1770. The input variables 1771 are processed to produce output variables 1777, which are stored in known locations 1778, 1779 in memory 1770. Intermediate variables 1774 may be stored in additional memory locations at locations 1775, 1776 in memory 1770. Alternatively, some intermediate variables may exist only in registers 1754 of processor 1705.

[0221] The execution of an instruction sequence is implemented in the processor 1705 by repeatedly applying the fetch-execute cycle. The control unit 1751 of the processor 1705 maintains a register called the program counter, which contains the address in the ROM 1760 or the RAM 1770 of the next instruction to be executed. At the start of the fetch-execute cycle, the contents of the memory address indexed by the program counter are loaded into the control unit 1751. The instruction thus loaded controls the subsequent operation of the processor 1705, such that for example data is loaded from the ROM memory 1760 into the processor register 1754, the contents of a register are arithmetically combined with the contents of another register, the contents of a register to be written to a location are stored in another register, etc. At the end of the fetch-execute cycle, the program counter is updated to point to the next instruction in the system program code. Depending on the instruction just executed, this may involve incrementing the address contained in the program counter or loading a new address into the program counter to effect a branch operation.

[0222] Each step or sub-process in the process of the following method is associated with one or more sections of the application program 1733 and is performed by repeatedly executing the fetch-execute loop in the processor 1705 or similar procedural operations in other independent processor blocks in the electronic device 1701.

[0223] Although the inventive technique has been described with reference to specific examples, those skilled in the art will understand that the inventive technique can be embodied in many other forms.

[0224] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the use of the ordinal adjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. to describe a common object merely indicates that different instances of similar objects are being referred to and is not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given order in time, space, ranking, or in any other manner.

[0225] References to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" or "an example" throughout this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the technology of the present invention. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an example" appearing in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example, but may refer to the same embodiment or example. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure. Similarly, it should be understood that in the above description of the exemplary embodiments of the technology of the present invention, for the purposes of simplifying the present disclosure and assisting in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the present invention, the various features of the technology of the present invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, the method of the present disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed technology of the present invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, the aspects of the present invention lie in less than all of the features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Any claim following the detailed description is hereby expressly incorporated into the detailed description, where each claim stands on its own as a separate embodiment of the technology of the present invention.

[0226] When an element or layer is referred to as "on another element or layer", "engaged to", "connected to", or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer may be directly on, engaged, connected, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly on another element or layer", "directly engaged to", "directly connected to", or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, intervening elements or layers may not be present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0227] Spatial relative terms, such as "inner", "outer", "beneath", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", etc., may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the figures. In addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, the spatial relative terms are also intended to cover different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features will be oriented "above" those other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can cover both an orientation above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0228] Unless otherwise specifically stated, as will be apparent from the following discussion, it should be understood that throughout this specification, discussions using terms such as "processing", "computing", "calculating", "determining", etc., refer to actions and / or processes of a microprocessor, controller computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, which manipulate and / or transform data.

[0229] In addition, although some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, combinations of features of different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the technology of the present invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the following claims, any claimed embodiment can be used in any combination.

[0230] Accordingly, while what has been described is considered to be the preferred embodiments of the technology of the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and additional modifications can be made to the technology of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the technology of the present invention; and the present invention is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the technology of the present invention.

[0231] Although the technology of the present invention has been disclosed with reference to specific details of the construction, these details should be understood to have been provided by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope or spirit of the technology of the present invention.

Claims

1. A machine for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee, the machine comprises: a docking seat for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee; a ground coffee metering device for metering ground coffee into the filter basket when the filter basket is in the docking seat; a compaction assembly for compacting the coffee added to the filter basket, the compaction assembly having: a compaction head including a compaction surface; a compaction actuator for moving the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking seat and for applying a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and a sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path; a controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly and adapted to perform the following steps: (a) Based on metering parameters, meter a first amount of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device; (b) Determine the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly; (c) Calculate a compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface; (d) Calculate the difference between the calculated compaction height value and a predetermined target compaction height value range; and (e) Based on the difference between the calculated compaction height value and the predetermined target compaction height value range, calculate a metering parameter value associated with the amount of coffee powder to be added to or removed from the filter basket.

2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined target compaction height value range is determined by a target compaction height value and a tolerance range.

3. The machine according to claim 2, which is further adapted to perform the following step: (f) If the calculated compaction height value is less than the predetermined target compaction height value range, meter the amount of coffee powder change into the filter basket according to the metering parameter value using the metering device.

4. The machine according to claim 3, which is further adapted to: if the calculated compaction height value is less than the predetermined target compaction height value range, iteratively repeat steps (b) to (f).

5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the first amount is estimated to provide compacted coffee at a target compaction height in the filter basket based on known filter basket parameters.

6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a calibration parameter based on the difference between the calculated compaction height value and the predetermined target compaction height value range, and wherein the calibration parameter is used to calibrate the ground coffee metering device.

7. The machine according to claim 1, further comprising a coffee bean grinder for grinding coffee beans into ground coffee, the grinder including a hopper, a grinding mechanism, and a grinder outlet, the hopper being for storing and supplying the coffee beans to be ground, the grinding mechanism being driven by a motor to grind the coffee beans, and the grinder outlet being for guiding the ground coffee into the filter basket.

8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the filter basket is the filter basket of a coffee machine handle.

9. The machine according to claim 8, wherein the docking seat and the handle include complementary snap-forming formations for fixing the handle to the docking seat.

10. The machine according to claim 8, wherein the docking seat includes a platform, and the docking seat and the handle include complementary formations for fixing the handle to the platform.

11. The machine according to claim 1 wherein, the metering parameter is time-related, and the metering parameter value is a time period.

12. A method of filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee by a machine, the machine comprising: a docking seat for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee; a ground coffee metering device for metering ground coffee into the filter basket when the filter basket is in the docking seat; a compaction assembly for compacting the coffee in the filter basket, the compaction assembly having: a compaction head including a compaction surface; a compaction actuator for moving the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking seat and for applying a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and a sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path; a controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly; the method comprising the steps of: (a) metering a first quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket by the ground coffee metering device based on a metering parameter; (b) determining the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly; (c) calculating a compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface; (d) determining the difference between the calculated compaction height value and a predetermined target compaction height value range; and (e) calculating a metering parameter value associated with the change in the quantity of coffee powder to be added to or removed from the filter basket based on the difference between the calculated compaction height value and the predetermined target compaction height value range.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein, the predetermined target compaction height value range is determined by a target compaction height value and a tolerance range.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: (f) if the calculated compaction height value is less than the predetermined target compaction height value range, metering the change in the quantity of coffee powder into the filter basket by the metering device according to the metering parameter value.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of: If the calculated compaction height value is less than the predetermined target compaction height value range, repeat steps (b) to (f).

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first powder amount is estimated based on known filter basket parameters to provide compacted coffee in the filter basket with a target compaction height.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a calibration parameter based on the difference between the calculated compaction height value and the predetermined target compaction height value range, and wherein the calibration parameter is used to calibrate the ground coffee metering device.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein, the machine further comprises a coffee bean grinder for grinding coffee beans into ground coffee, the grinder including a hopper, a grinding mechanism and a grinder outlet, the hopper for storing and supplying coffee beans to be ground, the grinding mechanism driven by a motor to grind the coffee beans, and the grinder outlet for guiding the ground coffee into the filter basket.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein, the metering parameter is time-related and the metering parameter value is a time period.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the docking seat and the handle include complementary snap formations for fixing the handle to the docking seat.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the docking seat includes a platform, and the docking seat and the handle include complementary formations for fixing the handle to the platform.

22. A machine for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee, the machine comprising: a docking seat for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee; a ground coffee metering device for metering a quantity of ground coffee based on at least one metering parameter; a compaction assembly for compacting the coffee added to the filter basket, the compaction assembly having: a compaction head including a compaction surface; a compaction actuator for moving the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking seat and for applying a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and a sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path; a controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly and adapted to iteratively: (a) meter a quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device based on a metering parameter value; (b) determine an actual compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly; (c) calculate the difference between the actual compaction height value and a target compaction height value corresponding to a desired predetermined target coffee quantity; and (d) If the difference between the actual compaction height value and the target compaction height value indicates that the actual amount of coffee in the filter basket is less than the target amount of coffee in the filter basket, then adjust the metering parameter value and re - execute steps (a) through (d).

23. The machine according to claim 22, wherein the metering parameter is time - related and the metering parameter value is a time period.

24. The machine according to claim 23, wherein the metering parameter is the powder - filling time.

25. The machine according to claim 23, wherein the metering parameter is the grinder activation time.

26. The machine according to claim 22, wherein the step of adjusting the metering parameter value is based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and the target compaction height value over a time period indicated by the metering parameter value used in previous iterations of steps (a), (b), and (c).

27. A method for filling a coffee filter basket with compacted ground coffee by a machine, the machine comprising: a docking station for receiving the filter basket to be filled with ground coffee; a ground - coffee metering device for metering a quantity of ground coffee based on at least one metering parameter; a compaction assembly for compacting the coffee added to the filter basket, the compaction assembly having: a compaction head including a compaction surface; a compaction actuator for moving the compaction surface along a compaction path aligned with the docking station and for applying a compaction pressure to the ground coffee in the filter basket; and a sensor for collecting data indicative of the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path; a controller operatively connected to the metering device and the compaction assembly, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Metering a quantity of ground coffee into the filter basket using the metering device based on a metering parameter value; (b) Determining an actual compaction height value indicative of the actual compaction height of the compacted coffee in the filter basket based on the displacement of the compaction surface along the compaction path when the compaction pressure is applied by the compaction assembly; (c) Calculating the difference between the actual compaction height value and a target compaction height value corresponding to a required predetermined target amount of coffee; (d) If the difference between the actual compaction height value and the target compaction height value indicates that the actual amount of coffee in the filter basket is less than the target amount of coffee in the filter basket, then adjust the metering parameter value and re - execute steps (a) through (d).

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the metering parameter is time - related and the metering parameter value is a time period.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the metering parameter is the powder - filling time.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the metering parameter is the grinder activation time.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of adjusting the value of the metering parameter is based on the difference between the actual compaction height value and the time period indicated by the value of the metering parameter used in the previous iterations of steps (a), (b), and (c) for the target compaction height value.

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