Coffee maker and method of brewing with the same

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of household appliances, and particularly to a coffee machine and a method for making a coffee slurry, comprising a crushing structure, the crushing structure comprising a crushing cavity for containing raw materials, a crushing device and a crushing motor, the crushing motor being arranged at the bottom of the crushing cavity; a spraying structure is arranged in the crushing cavity, an outlet is arranged on the bottom surface or the lower part of the side wall of the crushing cavity, and an outlet valve is arranged at the position of the outlet of the crushing cavity, the outlet valve being closed during the crushing of the raw materials; a filter screen and a slurry receiving cup are arranged below the outlet of the crushing cavity, the filter screen is arranged in the slurry receiving cup and is detachably connected to the slurry receiving cup, and the filter screen is used for filtering the mixture of the raw materials and water discharged through the outlet when the outlet valve is opened. The coffee machine of the present application does not have a filter screen in the crushing cavity, which is convenient for cleaning, and when the coffee machine of the present application is used to make a slurry, the coffee powder is fully contacted with hot water in the crushing cavity for extraction, and meanwhile, the coffee powder can be extracted again in the filter screen, so that the extraction is more sufficient and the coffee is more fragrant and strong.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of household appliances, and particularly relates to a coffee machine and its pulping method. Background Technology

[0002] Since its invention in 1965, the drip coffee machine has been popular with consumers due to its simple principle and product structure, low cost, and its structure has remained unchanged to this day (e.g., Figure 1 However, since these products use coffee powder, which is not easy to preserve and is susceptible to moisture, affecting its taste and aroma, the raw materials currently available on the market are basically roasted coffee beans. Therefore, before brewing coffee, the coffee beans need to be ground into coffee powder using a grinder, which increases the amount of time spent brewing coffee and is inconvenient to operate.

[0003] Based on the problems mentioned above, some machines that combine coffee bean grinding and brewing functions have appeared on the market. Their basic principle is that the grinding chamber has a filter. One method involves grinding the coffee beans to a certain fineness, then using centrifugal force to pass through the filter in the grinding chamber before entering the coffee extraction chamber (e.g., ...). Figure 2 In this method, after the heating element is activated, water is heated and flows into the coffee extraction chamber via a siphon effect to brew coffee. However, because the extraction chamber and grinding chamber are connected, and some coffee powder residue remains in the grinding chamber, the grinding chamber requires cleaning, and water vapor enters and condenses. This results in numerous cleaning items and a less than ideal user experience. Another method integrates the coffee bean grinding chamber and extraction chamber (e.g.,...). Figure 3 After the coffee beans are ground, they are extracted in the grinding chamber. The grinding chamber, filter, and lid all need to be cleaned. There are many parts to clean, and it is easy to forget to clean the grinding chamber after use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a coffee machine and a method for making coffee paste.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a coffee machine, characterized in that it includes a grinding structure, the grinding structure comprising a grinding chamber for holding raw materials, a grinding device for grinding the raw materials located inside the grinding chamber, and a grinding motor for driving the grinding device, the grinding motor being disposed at the bottom of the grinding chamber; a grinding chamber cover is provided on the upper part of the grinding chamber, a sealing structure is provided between the grinding chamber and the grinding chamber cover, a spray structure for adding water into the grinding chamber is provided inside the grinding chamber, an outlet is provided on the bottom surface or lower part of the side wall of the grinding chamber, an outlet valve is provided at the outlet of the grinding chamber, the outlet valve being closed during the grinding of raw materials; a filter screen and a receiving cup are provided below the outlet of the grinding chamber, the filter screen being placed inside the receiving cup and detachably connected to the receiving cup, the filter screen being used to filter the mixture of raw materials and water discharged through the outlet when the outlet valve is open.

[0006] Furthermore, the drive shaft of the pulverizing motor extends directly into the pulverizing chamber through the bottom of the pulverizing chamber, and the drive shaft and the pulverizing chamber are sealed together. Alternatively, the drive shaft of the pulverizing motor drives a cutter shaft that passes through the pulverizing chamber via a coupling, and the cutter shaft and the pulverizing chamber are sealed together.

[0007] Furthermore, the crushing chamber cover is provided with a water inlet, and the spray structure is located at the water inlet position; Alternatively, the spray structure may be rotatable; Alternatively, the spray structure rotates under the reaction force of steam and water; Alternatively, the spray structure sprays water onto the inner walls of the crushing chamber and the crushing chamber cover; Alternatively, the spray structure has a plurality of spray holes with a diameter of 0.5-2 mm; Alternatively, the spray structure has at least one spray nozzle that sprays water toward the pulverizing chamber cover, located on the horizontal cross-section of the spray structure, wherein the angle formed by the orientation of a single spray nozzle relative to the vertical plane of the water inlet is α, where 90˚≤α<180˚; or, located on the vertical cross-section of the spray structure, wherein the angle formed by the orientation of a single spray nozzle relative to the vertical plane of the water inlet is b, where 0 <b<90˚。

[0008] Furthermore, when the outlet valve is closed, the pulverizing chamber is either a non-sealed design or a sealed design.

[0009] Furthermore, the water pipe integrated with the heating pipe is connected to the pulverizing chamber through a spray structure;

[0010] Alternatively, the top of the crushing chamber cover is provided with a vent hole.

[0011] Furthermore, the outlet valve can be opened by means of a heat-deformation element, an electrical drive element, or manually.

[0012] Alternatively, the crushing device may be a blade or a grinding structure.

[0013] Meanwhile, the present invention also provides a method for making coffee using the above-mentioned coffee machine, characterized in that: the method includes:

[0014] (1) With the outlet valve closed, the raw material is placed into the crushing chamber and crushed by the crushing device;

[0015] (2) Hot water is added into the grinding chamber through the spray structure, and the ground raw material is mixed with hot water in the grinding chamber for extraction;

[0016] (3) When the outlet valve is opened, the powder and water flow into the filter screen together, and after being filtered by the filter screen, it flows into the receiving cup.

[0017] Furthermore, after hot water is added to the spray structure, the pulverizing device agitates the mixture, causing the pulverized raw material to mix with water in the pulverizing chamber for further extraction.

[0018] Furthermore, the method also includes:

[0019] Hot water is continuously added to the grinding chamber through a spray structure. The hot water cleans the inner wall of the grinding chamber and the grinding chamber cover, and carries the remaining powder residue in the grinding chamber into the filter screen for further extraction.

[0020] Furthermore, before water is added to the grinding chamber by the spray structure, the raw materials are ground into coffee powder inside the grinding chamber.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0022] 1. The coffee bean grinding chamber does not have a filter, and the grinding chamber can be easily cleaned automatically;

[0023] 2. The water inlet of the grinding chamber adopts a rotatable design, which is driven by the steam itself to rotate, and the hot water automatically cleans the grinding chamber without dead angles.

[0024] 3. The outlet of the grinding chamber is equipped with an opening device, which is closed during grinding and opened after grinding is completed, so that coffee powder will not block the channel.

[0025] 4. The outlet valve of the crushing chamber is opened by a heat-deformation element, which eliminates the need for electrical drive components, resulting in a simple structure and low cost.

[0026] 5. The filter screen is installed inside the slurry cup, which has a simple structure, saves space in the whole machine, and makes cleaning easy.

[0027] 6. The coffee grounds undergo a first brewing and extraction process by fully contacting hot water in the grinding chamber, and a second brewing and extraction process by passing through the filter screen. This results in a more thorough brewing and extraction, and a richer, more aromatic coffee. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a drip coffee machine in the background art.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a coffee machine that integrates the functions of grinding coffee beans and brewing coffee in the background art.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a coffee machine structure in the background art, where the coffee bean grinding chamber and coffee extraction chamber are integrated.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the coffee machine with automatic cleaning function according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the spray structure of the present invention having a spray nozzle;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the spray structure of the present invention with one spray nozzle at an angle;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the spray structure with four spray nozzles according to the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the non-sealed design of the outlet valve and the crushing chamber when the outlet valve of the present invention is closed;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing design between the outlet valve and the crushing chamber when the outlet valve is closed according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the spray structure with spray holes according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 4-10 The components are as follows: 1. Lower base; 2. Crushing motor; 3. Upper body; 4. Sealing structure; 5. Spraying structure; 51. Spray hole; 52. Spray outlet; 6. Crushing chamber cover; 7. Crushing chamber; 8. Blade; 9. Water tank; 10. Outlet valve; 11. Outlet valve drive structure; 12. Leak-proof valve; 13. Cup cover; 14. Filter screen; 15. Slurry receiving cup; 16. Insulation board; 17. Heating tube; 18. Heat insulation sleeve; 19. Base; 20. Sealing component. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0040] The present invention provides a coffee machine with an automatic cleaning function, comprising a grinding structure, wherein the grinding structure includes a grinding chamber 7 for holding raw materials, and a grinding device located inside the grinding chamber 7 for grinding the raw materials; the grinding chamber 7 is provided with a grinding chamber cover 6 at the top, and an outlet is provided at the bottom surface or lower side wall of the grinding chamber 7; a water inlet is provided on the grinding chamber cover 6, and a spray structure 5 is provided at the water inlet position, the spray structure 5 spraying water onto the grinding chamber 7 and the inner wall of the grinding chamber cover 6; a filter screen 14 is provided below the outlet of the grinding chamber 7.

[0041] Furthermore, the spray structure 5 has a plurality of spray holes 51, the number of spray holes 51 is greater than or equal to 5, and the diameter of the spray holes 51 is 0.5-2mm.

[0042] Furthermore, the spray structure 5 can rotate under the reaction force of steam and water.

[0043] Furthermore, the spray structure 5 has at least one spray nozzle 52, and at least one spray nozzle 52 sprays water toward the crushing chamber cover 6.

[0044] Furthermore, an outlet valve 10 is provided at the bottom outlet position of the crushing chamber 7, which is closed during the raw material crushing process.

[0045] Furthermore, the outlet valve 10 can be opened by means of a heat-deformation element, an electrical drive element, or manually.

[0046] Furthermore, the filter screen 14 is placed inside the slurry receiving cup 15 and is detachably connected to the slurry receiving cup 15, or the filter screen 14 is detachably connected to the machine body, with the slurry receiving cup 15 located below the filter screen 14.

[0047] Furthermore, the crushing device is a blade 8 or a grinding structure.

[0048] Furthermore, a sealing structure 4 is provided between the crushing chamber 7 and the crushing chamber cover 6; a vent hole is provided on the top of the crushing chamber cover 6; the crushing chamber 7 has a blocking feature, or a blocking component is provided inside.

[0049] A pulping method in which washing and extraction are performed simultaneously, the method comprising:

[0050] (1) Place the raw material into the crushing chamber 7, and the outlet valve 10 at the bottom of the crushing chamber 7 is closed;

[0051] (2) The raw materials are crushed by a crushing device;

[0052] (3) After crushing, hot water is added to the crushing chamber 7 through the spray structure 5 at the top of the crushing chamber 7, and water is sprayed onto the crushing chamber 7 and the inner wall of the crushing chamber cover 6 through the spray structure 5.

[0053] (4) Stir by means of the pulverizing device, so that the pulverized raw materials are mixed with hot water in the pulverizing chamber 7 to perform first extraction;

[0054] (5) The outlet valve 10 is opened, the powder residue flows into the filter screen 14 together with water, and flows into the pulp receiving cup 15 after being filtered by the filter screen 14;

[0055] (6) Continuously add hot water into the pulverizing chamber 7, the hot water cleans the inner walls of the pulverizing chamber 7 and the pulverizing chamber cover 6 through the spray structure 5, brings the residual powder residue in the pulverizing chamber 7 into the filter screen 14, and performs second extraction on the powder residue in the filter screen 14, thereby completing coffee preparation.

[0056] Example 1

[0057] In this example, as shown in Figure 4 , the coffee maker comprises an upper body 3, a lower base 1 and a bottom base 19, the pulverizing chamber 7 and a water tank 9 are installed on the upper body 3, and a heating pipe 17, a heat preservation plate 16 and a heat insulation sleeve 18 are installed in the bottom base 19; a blade 8 for pulverizing coffee beans is arranged at the bottom of the pulverizing chamber 7, and the blade 8 is driven by a pulverizing motor 2; a driving shaft of the pulverizing motor 2 directly penetrates through the bottom of the pulverizing chamber 7 and extends into the pulverizing chamber 7, and a sealing structure is arranged between the driving shaft and the pulverizing chamber 7; alternatively, the driving shaft can drive a cutter shaft penetrating through the pulverizing chamber 7 through a coupling, and a sealing structure is arranged between the cutter shaft and the pulverizing chamber 7.

[0058] A pulverizing chamber cover 6 is arranged at the upper part of the pulverizing chamber 7, and a sealing structure 4 is arranged between the pulverizing chamber 7 and the pulverizing chamber cover 6; an outlet is arranged on the bottom surface or the lower part of the side wall of the pulverizing chamber 7, a water inlet is arranged on the pulverizing chamber cover 6, a rotatable spray structure 5 is arranged at the position of the water inlet, and the spray structure 5 can rotate 360 degrees under the reaction force of steam and water to spray water onto the inner walls of the pulverizing chamber 7 and the pulverizing chamber cover 6. As shown in Figure 5 and 6 , the spray structure 5 has one spray opening 52, and the water sprayed from the spray opening 52 faces the pulverizing chamber cover 6, Figure 6 , 90° ≤ a < 180°, 0 < b < 90°. When four spray openings 52 are provided, the spray structure 5 is as shown in Figure 7 .

[0059] An outlet valve 10 is arranged at the outlet position at the bottom of the pulverizing chamber 7, the outlet valve 10 is closed during the pulverizing process of coffee beans, so that the pulverized coffee powder is not easy to leave the pulverizing chamber 7. When the outlet valve 10 is closed, it can be of non-sealing design as shown in Figure 8 , or can be of sealing design as shown in Figure 9 , and a sealing member 20 is arranged between the outlet valve 10 and the outlet valve driving structure 9.

[0060] After grinding, the heating element 17 heats up, allowing hot water from the water pipe integrated with the heating element 17 to be added into the grinding chamber 7 through the water inlet and spray structure 5. The spray structure 5 sprays water onto the inner walls of the grinding chamber 7 and the grinding chamber cover 6. The low-speed stirring blade 8 mixes the ground coffee powder with the hot water in the grinding chamber 7 for the first extraction. The grinding chamber outlet valve 10 is opened by a heat-deformation element, allowing coffee grounds and water to flow into the coffee cup. A filter screen 14, detachably connected to the coffee cup, is used to filter the coffee. The heating element 17 continues to heat, and hot water is added into the grinding chamber 7 through the water inlet and spray structure 5 to clean the grinding chamber 7 and the inner walls of the grinding chamber cover 6. The remaining coffee grounds in the grinding chamber 7 are carried into the filter screen 14, where the hot water performs a second extraction. This process continues until the water in the water tank 9 is fully heated, indicating that the coffee is ready and the grinding chamber 7 and its passageway are cleaned. This solution is simple and reliable.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] In this embodiment, the coffee machine is largely the same in structure and principle as that in Embodiment 1, except that: a water inlet is provided on the crushing chamber cover 6, and a spray structure 5 is designed at the location of the water inlet. The spray structure 5 has several spray holes 51, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the number of spray holes 51 is greater than or equal to 5, and the diameter of spray holes 51 is 0.5-2mm.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] In this embodiment, the coffee machine is largely the same in structure and principle as in Embodiment 1, except that: the grinding device is a grinding structure, the outlet valve 10 is opened by an electrical drive component (such as a solenoid valve or a motor); the filter screen 14 is detachably connected to the machine body, and the coffee cup is located below the filter screen 14.

[0065] This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art can implement this invention using various other specific embodiments based on the content disclosed herein. Therefore, any design that adopts the design structure and concept of this invention with some simple changes or modifications falls within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A coffee machine, characterized in that, The device includes a crushing structure, comprising a crushing chamber for holding raw materials, a crushing device for crushing the raw materials located inside the crushing chamber, and a crushing motor for driving the crushing device. The crushing motor is located at the bottom of the crushing chamber. A crushing chamber cover is provided on the upper part of the crushing chamber, and a sealing structure is provided between the crushing chamber and the crushing chamber cover. A spray structure for adding water into the crushing chamber is provided inside the crushing chamber. An outlet is provided on the bottom surface or lower part of the side wall of the crushing chamber, and an outlet valve is provided at the outlet position of the crushing chamber. The outlet valve is closed during the raw material crushing process. A filter screen and a receiving cup are provided below the outlet of the crushing chamber. The filter screen is placed inside the receiving cup and is detachably connected to the receiving cup. When the outlet valve is open, the filter screen is used to filter the mixture of raw materials and water discharged through the outlet.

2. The coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive shaft of the pulverizing motor extends directly into the pulverizing chamber through the bottom of the pulverizing chamber, and the drive shaft and the pulverizing chamber are sealed together. Alternatively, the drive shaft of the pulverizing motor drives a cutter shaft that passes through the pulverizing chamber via a coupling, and the cutter shaft and the pulverizing chamber are sealed together.

3. The coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crushing chamber cover is provided with a water inlet, and the spray structure is located at the water inlet position; Alternatively, the spray structure may be rotatable; Alternatively, the spray structure rotates under the reaction force of steam and water; Alternatively, the spray structure sprays water onto the inner walls of the crushing chamber and the crushing chamber cover; Alternatively, the spray structure has a plurality of spray holes with a diameter of 0.5-2 mm; Alternatively, the spray structure has at least one spray nozzle, and at least one spray nozzle sprays water toward the crushing chamber cover; Alternatively, the spray structure has at least one spray nozzle that sprays water toward the pulverizing chamber cover, located on the horizontal cross-section of the spray structure, wherein the angle formed by the orientation of a single spray nozzle relative to the vertical plane of the water inlet is α, where 90˚≤α<180˚; or, located on the vertical cross-section of the spray structure, wherein the angle formed by the orientation of a single spray nozzle relative to the vertical plane of the water inlet is b, where 0 <b<90˚。 4. The coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the outlet valve is closed, the crushing chamber is either a non-sealed or sealed design.

5. The coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water pipe, integrated with the heating element, is connected to the pulverizing chamber via a spray structure. Alternatively, the top of the crushing chamber cover is provided with a vent hole.

6. The coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outlet valve can be opened by means of a heat-deformation element; or by means of an electrical drive element; or by means of manual opening. Alternatively, the crushing device may be a blade or a grinding structure.

7. The method for making coffee paste using a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The method includes: (1) With the outlet valve closed, the raw material is placed into the crushing chamber and crushed by the crushing device; (2) Hot water is added into the grinding chamber through the spray structure, and the ground raw material is mixed with hot water in the grinding chamber for extraction; (3) When the outlet valve is opened, the powder and water flow into the filter screen together, and after being filtered by the filter screen, it flows into the receiving cup.

8. The pulping method according to claim 7, characterized in that: After hot water is added to the spray structure, the pulverizing device agitates the mixture, causing the pulverized raw material to mix with water in the pulverizing chamber for further extraction.

9. The pulping method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method further includes: continuously adding hot water into the grinding chamber through a spray structure, the hot water cleaning the inner wall of the grinding chamber and the grinding chamber cover, carrying the remaining powder residue in the grinding chamber into the filter screen, and extracting the powder residue in the filter screen again.

10. The pulping method according to claim 7, characterized in that: Before water is added to the grinding chamber by the spray structure, the raw materials are ground into coffee powder in the grinding chamber.

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