Appliances for making beverages and methods for controlling such appliances

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for making beverages, the apparatus comprising: a conduit defining a liquid flow path for a liquid; a pump for moving the liquid under pressure along the flow path and configured to operate in the first mode and the second mode different from the first mode; a sensor assembly configured to determine a first flow rate of the liquid in the flow path when the pump operates in the first mode, and to determine a second flow rate when the pump operates in the second mode; and a controller operatively coupled to the pump and the sensor assembly and configured to switch the pump from the first mode to the second mode if the first flow rate is below the first threshold, and to switch the pump from the second mode to the first mode if the second flow rate is above the second threshold. In the second mode, the pump moves the liquid at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation. A method of controlling the apparatus to make beverages is also disclosed.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2020903258, filed on September 10, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for making beverages and a method for controlling the apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] Appliances used to heat liquids to make beverages (such as coffee machines) typically include a water tank, a water pump, and a heater. The pump heats water by pumping it from the tank through a conduit to the heater.

[0005] In various situations, such as when the pump is powered on but the water tank is empty, cavitation can become trapped in the coffee machine's hydraulic system. The water tank may also become empty in several situations, such as when the machine is still new (out of the box) or if the tank lacks a water level detection system, causing the machine to operate without water.

[0006] This cavitation obstructs the flow of liquid through the hydraulic system, creating a phenomenon called cavitation, which takes the form of airlock or vaporlock. Additionally, bubbles can form due to rotor spin and pressure changes in the fluid, also contributing to cavitation. These bubbles in the flow lines reduce the energy of the flow, potentially disrupting the fluid system. When cavitation occurs, even if the tank is filled with water, it may be unable to be pumped through the system. In such cases, a normally functioning coffee machine may become unsuitable for its purpose and unable to make beverages due to cavitation in the hydraulic system. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to substantially overcome or at least improve one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for making a beverage is provided, the apparatus comprising: a conduit defining a liquid flow path for a liquid; a pump for moving the liquid under pressure along the flow path, the pump being configured to operate in a first mode and in response to detecting cavitation in a second mode different from the first mode, wherein the pump moves the liquid in the second mode at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation; a sensor assembly configured to determine a first flow rate of the liquid in the flow path when the pump operates in the first mode, and to determine a second flow rate when the pump operates in the second mode; and a controller operatively coupled to the pump and the sensor assembly, and configured to switch the pump from the first mode to the second mode if the first flow rate is below a first threshold, and to switch the pump from the second mode to the first mode if the second flow rate is above a second threshold.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pump is configured to operate at a first pump speed in the first mode and at a second pump speed in the second mode, wherein the second pump speed is greater than the first pump speed.

[0010] In some implementations, the controller is configured to apply a delay to switch the pump from the second mode to the first mode if the first threshold and the second threshold are the same.

[0011] In some implementations, the first threshold is equal to the second threshold.

[0012] In some implementations, the controller is further configured to shut down the pump in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a threshold time period.

[0013] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to signal to the appliance's warning system that the water tank supplying water to the pump is empty in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold within a predetermined time period.

[0014] In some implementations, the controller is further configured to operate based on user input.

[0015] In some implementations, the controller is configured to determine at which stage of the beverage preparation process the appliance is operating before switching the pump to the second mode, and to determine, based on the determined stage, parameters for switching the pump from the second mode to the first mode.

[0016] In some embodiments, the device further includes a heater configured to heat the liquid moved by the pump, wherein the controller is further configured to turn off the heater in response to detecting that the first flow rate is below the first threshold.

[0017] In some implementations, the controller is configured to turn on the heater in response to determining that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, to turn on the heater with heating parameters corresponding to the heating parameters before the heater was turned off.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, a method for controlling an apparatus to make a beverage is provided, the method comprising: controlling a pump of the apparatus to operate in a first mode to make the beverage; determining a first flow rate of liquid in a flow path defined by a conduit during the first mode; controlling the pump to switch from the first mode to a second mode if the first flow rate is below a first threshold, wherein the pump is controlled to move the liquid in the second mode at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation; determining a second flow rate of the liquid in the flow path during the second mode; and controlling the pump to switch from the second mode to the first mode if the second flow rate is above a second threshold.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling the pump to operate at a first pump speed in the first mode and controlling the pump to operate at a second pump speed in the second mode, wherein the second pump speed is greater than the first pump speed.

[0020] In some implementations, if the first threshold and the second threshold are the same, then the switch from the second mode to the first mode is delayed by a predetermined delay.

[0021] In some implementations, the first threshold is equal to the second threshold.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling the pump to shut down in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a threshold time period.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method further includes signaling that the tank supplying liquid to the pump is empty in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a threshold time period.

[0024] In some implementations, the pump is controlled based on user input.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining at which stage of the beverage preparation process the appliance is operating before switching to the second mode; and determining parameters for switching the pump from the second mode to the first mode based on the determined stage.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling a heater that heats the liquid moved by the pump to shut off in response to detecting that the first flow rate is below the first threshold.

[0027] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling the heater to turn on in response to determining that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, the heater being controlled to turn on with heating parameters corresponding to the heating parameters before the heater was turned off.

[0028] Other aspects were also disclosed. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for making beverages according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 It is based on the implementation scheme of this disclosure. Figure 1 The flowchart of the controller of the device.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the controller in steps 220 to 240.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an exemplary device in cavitation recovery mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an exemplary device in cavitation recovery mode according to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps involved in determining the stages used for monitoring flow rate during the beverage preparation process.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a dry pump or cavitation system.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the normal operation of the appliance in coffee mode.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of this disclosure on flow rate.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a signal representing the flow rate stored by the flow meter.

[0039] Figure 11A and Figure 11B Together, they form a schematic block diagram of the controller. Detailed Implementation

[0040] This disclosure relates to an apparatus 100 for making beverages, such as an espresso machine. Apparatus 100 typically heats a liquid to make a beverage, such as coffee. Apparatus 100 may include a conduit defining a flow path for the liquid, a pump 108 for moving the liquid under pressure along the flow path, a sensor assembly 106 configured to determine the flow rate of the liquid in the flow path, and a controller 1501 operatively coupled to the pump 108 and the sensor assembly 106 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 11A and Figure 11B The following will refer to... Figure 1 To describe in more detail the components of the utensil 100 used for making beverages.

[0041] Pump 108 can be configured to operate in a first mode to make beverages, and to switch to a second mode different from the first mode in response to the detection of cavitation. Pump 108 typically moves the liquid in the second mode at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation.

[0042] When pump 108 operates in a first mode, sensor assembly 106 determines a first flow rate of liquid in the flow path, and when pump 108 operates in a second mode, determines a second flow rate. For the purposes of this disclosure, the flow rate may be considered equivalent to, for example, a flow counter detected by a flow meter. In an alternative embodiment, the flow rate may be determined as the amount of liquid flowing through the flow meter. The first and second flow rates are used by a controller to determine whether to switch from the first mode to the second mode or from the second mode to the first mode. For example, if the first flow rate is below a first threshold, the controller may switch pump 108 from the first mode to the second mode, and if the second flow rate is above a second threshold, the controller may switch pump 108 from the second mode to the first mode.

[0043] The following text is for reference only. Figure 11A and Figure 11B Describe the structural aspects of the controller. See below for reference. Figures 2 to 11B The process executed by the controller to help resolve cavitation is described in more detail.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an apparatus 100 is shown, on which the processes of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented. Apparatus 100 includes a water tank 102 holding a water source 104 for supplying water. The output of the water tank 102 is detected and quantified by a sensor assembly 106 that provides a flow signal to a controller 1501. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor assembly 106 is in the form of a flow meter having a turbine impeller mounted on a shaft, which is in turn connected to a Hall effect sensor. The turbine impeller is configured to rotate when water contacts the fins of the turbine impeller, thereby triggering the Hall effect sensor, which generates a transient pulse every half or full revolution.

[0045] To determine the flow rate, the generated instantaneous pulses are sent to the microcontroller of sensor assembly 106 each time the flow meter completes or partially completes a revolution. The microcontroller can then use this data to determine the flow rate or flow counter. The flow rate or flow counter can be expressed as the number of instantaneous pulses generated. Alternatively, the flow rate can be expressed as the number of instantaneous pulses generated per unit time (e.g., per second). It is understood that if the pump cavitation occurs due to the lack of water flow, the turbine impeller will not rotate. Therefore, if no rotation signal (e.g., instantaneous pulses) is detected substantially over an extended period of time (e.g., which may be 3 seconds or longer), the flow counter can be reset. For the purposes of this disclosure, the flow rate and flow counter µC detected by the flow meter can be used interchangeably.

[0046] Following sensor assembly 106, the output of water tank 102 is delivered to processor-controlled pump 108. Pump 108 supplies water to heater 110. In a preferred embodiment, heater 110 is the liquid flowing through it. The output of pump 108 is regulated by overpressure valve (OPV) 112, which returns excess pump pressure or flow to the inlet of pump 108 via T-joint 114, which delivers both the water flow from water tank 102 and the excess flow from OPV 112 to the inlet of pump 108. OPV 112 is typically set to 10 bar. The conduit between water tank 102, sensor assembly 106, T-joint 114, and the inlet of pump 108 is typically in the form of silicone tubing secured with a cord at either end, while the conduit between the outlet of pump 108 and the inlet of heater 110 is typically in the form of braided silicone tubing secured with an O-clip at either end. The output of heater 110 is preferably regulated by 3 / 2 solenoid output control valve (SOV) 116. Heated water exiting the output of heater 110 is preferably delivered to SOV 116 via a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube secured at either end with a U-clamp. When SOV 116 is energized, the output of heater 110 is regulated by a guide output and discharged via a discharge line (preferably formed of PTFE) to steam OPV 117 in steam rod 118 of appliance 100 or directed to atmospheric overflow. Atmospheric overflow is preferably delivered via silicone tubing to purge connector 119 and into drip tray 120 of appliance 100. When SOV 116 is de-energized, the output of heater 110 is directed to nozzle 122 of appliance 100. The output of heater 110 is preferably delivered from SOV 116 to nozzle 122 via braided silicone tubing.

[0047] Figure 2 A flowchart of a controller according to the present invention is shown. The controller 1501 is executed by means of internal storage (“memory”) 1509. Figures 2 to 6 The processor 1505 controls the instructions to switch the pump 108 between different operating modes.

[0048] At step 210, controller 1501 receives user input associated with heating liquid to make a beverage via input device 1513. The user input may select a specific beverage mode for the espresso machine. For example, the selected beverage mode may be one of "coffee mode," "steam mode," and "hot water mode." Specifically, in steam mode, the espresso machine generates steam to foam milk; in hot water mode, it outputs hot water; and in coffee mode, it uses hot water to steep coffee to make an espresso shot.

[0049] Based on the user input received at step 210, the controller moves to step 220 to control pump 108 to operate at a first speed (or pump rate) in a first mode based on the user input. The first mode of pump 108 is configured to pump liquid according to the requirements of a specific stage of the beverage preparation process. For example, in the first mode at step 220, the controller can set different pump speeds for two different user inputs. For example, pump 108 can be set to operate at 55% of its capacity during the pre-infusion stage of the coffee mode selected by the user at step 210, and at 40% (or 55%) of its capacity during the preheating stage of the steam mode selected by the user at step 210. The different pump speeds for different user inputs can be stored in non-volatile memory 1509. During the pre-infusion stage, pump 108 typically operates at a specified pump rate for 4 seconds. The amount of time pump 108 operates at each stage can be hard-coded in memory 1509 in a non-volatile manner, or alternatively, can be changed by the user.

[0050] When pump 108 is in the first mode, controller 1501 may receive, at step 230, a signal from sensor assembly 106 indicating a first flow rate of liquid in the flow path defined by the conduit. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 106 may indicate a value of the first flow rate to controller 1501. Alternatively, sensor assembly 106 may send a Boolean value indicating that the first flow rate is below a first threshold. The first threshold is preferably three instantaneous pulses. In response to receiving the indication from sensor assembly 106, controller 1501 may determine the first flow rate.

[0051] At step 240, if the first flow rate is below a first threshold, the controller 1501 continues to control the pump 108 to switch from the first mode to a second mode (also known as cavitation recovery mode). The first threshold may be a predetermined threshold stored in memory 1509 in a non-volatile manner. The situation where the first flow rate is below the first threshold can be considered an indication of cavitation (“airlock”).

[0052] In the second mode at step 240, the controller controls pump 108 to move the liquid at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation. The capacity at which pump 108 should operate to at least help resolve cavitation for each stage of the coffee-making process can be fixed. In some implementations, the user can program the operation of the motor of pump 108 to eliminate or substantially reduce cavitation. Alternatively, for ease of product operation, the programmed operation of the motor can be kept as a hidden option accessible to a technician. For example, the capacity of pump 108 to at least help resolve cavitation can be set to 100%, 80%, or 88.87%.

[0053] In other specific implementations, the capacity of pump 108 may be based on the capacity at which pump 108 operates in the first mode. For example, if pump 108 operates at 55% capacity under the control of the controller at step 220, then pump 108 may be controlled at step 240 to operate at 100% capacity in the second mode. However, if pump 108 operates at 40% capacity in the first mode, the controller may control pump 108 to operate at 90% capacity in the second mode, at least initially.

[0054] If it is determined at step 230 that the first flow rate is higher than a first threshold, then controller 1501 determines that fluid is flowing through the hydraulic system of appliance 100 as expected, and returns control to step 220 to control pump 108 in a first mode. See below for reference. Figure 3 The operation of the controller at steps 220 to 240 is described in more detail.

[0055] When pump 108 is in the second mode, controller 1501 may receive a signal from sensor assembly 106 at step 250 indicating a second flow rate of liquid in the flow path defined by the conduit. As discussed above, sensor assembly 106 may indicate to controller 1501 a value of a first flow rate or a Boolean value indicating that the second flow rate is higher than a second threshold. In response to receiving an indication from sensor assembly 106, controller 1501 may determine the second flow rate at step 250.

[0056] Then, controller 1501 proceeds to step 260. At step 260, if the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, controller 1501 controls pump 108 to switch back from the second mode to the first mode. The fact that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold indicates that cavitation or "airlock" has likely been resolved. In some implementations, the second threshold may be different from the first threshold. Alternatively, the second threshold may be equal to the first threshold.

[0057] Once pump 108 is switched back to the first mode at step 260, controller 1501 moves to step 220 to control pump 108 in the first mode based on user input received at step 210 via user input device 1513. For example, if pump 108 was operating at 55% capacity at step 220 before switching to cavitation recovery mode, then control pump 108 to return to the original power parameter of 55% capacity specified for that particular stage and mode of the beverage preparation process.

[0058] The controller 1501 can delay the switching of pump 108 from a second mode to a first mode for a certain delay period. The delay period can be predetermined and is set in memory 1509 in a non-volatile manner. The delay period can be, for example, 2 seconds since the controller 1501 first detects that the second flow rate is higher than a second threshold. Delaying the switching of pump 108 back to the first mode is particularly advantageous if the first threshold is the same as the second threshold.

[0059] However, if the second flow rate falls below the second threshold during the threshold time period or a longer period, the controller 1501 controls the pump 108 and heater 110 (if heater 110 has not already been turned off) to shut down and sends a warning signal that the water tank 102 is empty to the warning system of the appliance 100. Then, method 200 ends.

[0060] Figure 3 The flowchart illustrates the operation of controller 1501 at steps 220 to 240 in more detail according to method 300.

[0061] Method 300 is executed by the processor 1505 of the controller 1501. Method 300 begins at step 320 and determines the current stage of the beverage preparation process. The controller 1501 may additionally check, based on user input at 210, whether the determined stage corresponds to a predetermined stage in the beverage preparation process where cavitation should be monitored. Thus, the controller 1501 may only need to monitor the flow rate at the predetermined stage.

[0062] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, at step 620, controller 1501 may receive user input 610 via user input device 1513 and check whether the user input corresponds to the hot water mode. If the user selects the hot water mode, controller 1501 determines at step 630 that the selected stage is the preheating stage. Otherwise, for coffee mode and for steam mode, controller 1501 may determine at step 640 that the selected stage includes both the preheating stage and the pre-infusion stage. Therefore, controller 1501 will only monitor the flow rate in the preheating state for hot water mode. For coffee mode and for steam mode, controller 1501 will only monitor the flow rate in the preheating and pre-infusion stages.

[0063] Once the current stage of the beverage preparation process is determined by controller 1501 at step 320, controller 1501 moves to step 330 to determine the first flow rate. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the first flow rate may be determined by controller 1501 only at a predetermined stage. Alternatively, the first flow rate may be determined regardless of the current stage of the liquid heating process.

[0064] Then, control moves to step 340, where controller 1501 determines whether the first flow rate is higher than a first threshold. If, at step 340, controller 1501 determines that the first flow rate is higher than the first threshold, controller 1501 concludes that cavitation is not present and the liquid is flowing as expected. Controller 1501 then controls device 100 to move to the next stage of the beverage preparation process. Method 300 then ends.

[0065] If, at step 340, the controller determines that the first flow rate is below a first threshold, then controller 1501 determines that airlock or cavitation is likely present in the hydraulic system, and then at step 370, controller 100 initializes a cavitation recovery mode. Specifically, controller 1501 may non-volatilely store in memory 1509 one or more of the current heating parameters of the heater and the current operating parameters (such as capacity percentage) of pump 108 for the determined current stage in the liquid heating process. Alternatively, controller 1501 may non-volatilely store in memory 1509 an indication of the current stage determined at step 320, which can then be used to determine the parameters of heater 110 and pump 108 specific to that stage when controller 100 restarts normal operation.

[0066] Once the relevant data is stored, at step 360, controller 1501 can control heater 110 to shut down. In some implementations, it is not necessary to shut down the heater. However, if heater 110 is not shut down at step 360, it will be shut down if the second flow rate is below the second threshold for a threshold time period or longer. At step 370, controller 1501 also signals the pump control circuitry to initialize cavitation recovery mode (second mode). Then, at step 380, controller 1501 continues to control pump 108 in the second mode. See below for reference. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The operation of controller 1501 in cavitation recovery mode is described. Then, method 300 ends.

[0067] Figure 4 A flowchart of method 400 is shown, illustrating the operation of appliance 100 in cavitation recovery mode.

[0068] Method 400 begins at step 410, which receives a signal to initiate a recovery mode and increase the pump rate. This signal may include a predetermined value indicating the percentage of capacity to which the pump rate will increase. For example, during appliance manufacturing, the predetermined value may be set to 100% based on firmware coding. Alternatively, the predetermined value may be determined by controller 1501 based on user input via user input device 1513 and the current stage of the beverage preparation process.

[0069] Then, controller 1501 instructs the pump control circuit to increase the pump rate to a predetermined value, such as 100% capacity. It should be noted that at various stages of the beverage preparation process, pump 108 typically operates at approximately 55% or less of its capacity. Once the pump rate has increased to the desired capacity, and while pump 108 is operating in cavitation recovery mode, controller 1501 may proceed to step 420 to determine a second flow rate. Alternatively, controller 1501 may be configured to wait for a certain period of time from the time the recovery mode was initiated before determining the second flow rate. This period of time may be set non-volatilely in the memory of 1509. For example, controller 1501 may allow pump 108 to operate at 100% capacity for 2 seconds before determining the second flow rate.

[0070] At step 420, controller 1501 receives from sensor assembly 106 a signal indicating a second flow rate during cavitation recovery mode. As discussed above, this signal may include a value of the second flow rate in pulse count (flow counter µC) or a Boolean value indicating whether the second flow rate is above or below a second threshold. In this embodiment, the second threshold is preferably 10 counts. Other values ​​for the second threshold are also possible.

[0071] Once the second flow rate is determined at step 420, controller 1501 moves to step 430 to determine whether the second flow rate is higher than a second threshold. If controller 1501 determines at step 430 that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, the cavitation recovery mode ends, and appliance 100 can restart its normal operation based on user input at 210. For example, if heater 110 was previously turned off, heater 110 can restart heating and heat according to the original heating parameters before heater 110 was turned off. The original heating parameters can be determined based on data stored at step 370. Basically, if the first flow counter µC is below 3 counts or pulses after pre-soaking, pump 108 can be switched to operate at 100% capacity until the second flow counter µC is equal to or higher than 10 pulses.

[0072] Additionally, the control parameters of pump 108 can be returned to the corresponding original values ​​determined based on the data stored in step 370. Returning to the original values ​​may include determining at which stage of the beverage preparation process the appliance was operating before switching to the second mode; and determining the parameters for switching pump 108 from the second mode to the first mode based on the determined stage. Once pump 108 returns to the first mode, method 400 ends.

[0073] If controller 1501 determines that the second flow rate is below the second threshold, control moves to step 450, which determines whether the second flow rate is below the second threshold within a time period less than the threshold time period since the pump rate was increased to the predetermined value in step 410. This time period can be 5 seconds, depending on the specific implementation. The threshold time period can be set in memory 1509 in a non-volatile manner.

[0074] If controller 1501 determines at step 460 that the second flow rate is below the second threshold for a period of time less than a predetermined time period, controller 1501 moves to step 420 to re-determine the second flow rate and check whether the second flow rate has increased. Otherwise, if controller 1501 determines at step 460 that the second flow rate is below the second threshold for a period of time exceeding the threshold time period, controller 1501 determines that the storage tank 102 of appliance 100 is likely empty, and moves to step 470 to shut off pump 108 and optionally heater 110 and signal the appliance 100's warning system that the storage tank 102 is likely empty. The warning system may then issue a filling tank warning to the output device 1514 providing the user interface of appliance 100. Then, method 400 ends.

[0075] Figure 5 A flowchart of method 500 is shown, illustrating alternative operations of the appliance in cavitation recovery mode.

[0076] The operation of controller 1501 according to method 500 is similar to that in reference [reference]. Figure 4 The description refers to the operation of the controller. Therefore, reference will be made to... Figure 4 describe Figure 5 And will only describe in detail with Figure 4 The steps are different.

[0077] Specifically, steps 510, 520, 550, 560, and 570 are very similar to... Figure 4The operations of steps 410, 420, 450, 460, and 470. Step 530 is otherwise the same as step 430, except that the second threshold at step 530 of method 500 is the same as the first threshold, i.e., 3 pulses. Additionally, at step 540, controller 1501 only restarts normal operation of pump 108 to the original pump rate after waiting for a certain period of time (e.g., 2 seconds) since the second flow rate was first detected to be higher than the second threshold in step 530. Otherwise, step 540 is the same as... Figure 4 The same as step 440.

[0078] Determining that the first flow rate is below a first threshold allows controller 1501 to determine when dry pumping or cavitation occurs based on feedback from sensor assembly 106 (such as a flow meter). Dry pumping occurs if water is not flowing through the hydraulic system, such as... Figure 7 As shown in the flow meter pulse counter 730, even if the pump 108 operates at its expected capacity (such as... Figure 7 The same applies to (as shown in 720). Figure 8 The normal coffee mode operation is shown, in which the flow meter pulse counter 830 steadily increases when the pump 108 operates at or above its expected capacity 820.

[0079] If the first flow rate is below a first threshold, the flow meter 106 can effectively detect the absence of water flow during foaming or steam circulation. Once no water flow is detected, the controller 1501... Figure 9 At the first vertical dashed line 920, pump 108 is triggered to operate at 100% capacity instead of its selected reduced capacity. As discussed above, the selected reduced capacity is setting-related and can be, for example, 55%. This 100% pump capacity ensures that cavitation is overcome or at least substantially reduced, thereby forcing water through the hydraulic system at higher pressures and removing cavitation buildup in the hydraulic system. Figure 9 As shown, after pump 108 is set to operate at increased capacity, the flow meter pulse counter 930 begins to steadily increase. Once water flows through the hydraulic system again, the flow meter 106 is able to... Figure 9 This situation is detected at the second vertical dashed line 940, and then the hydraulic system is triggered to make pump 108 operate at its intended capacity, i.e., back to 55% as shown at 950, as set for a specific stage in the beverage preparation process. The flow meter's microcontroller can essentially check whether the flow counter 930 is above a second predetermined threshold, in this case 10, to determine that water is flowing through the hydraulic system again. Optionally, a delay can be added from the period from when water is sensed flowing in the hydraulic system until pump 108 operates back to its intended capacity. This delay ensures that all air bubbles are flushed out of the hydraulic system and cavitation is essentially eliminated.

[0080] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of this disclosure on the flow rate of water through a hydraulic system. Specifically, Figure 9 Line 930, corresponding to the flow meter counter, is shown superimposed on line 950, which represents the percentage (or capacity percentage) of pump power output.

[0081] exist Figure 9 During the pre-soaking stage, as shown, pump 108 is turned on. The pre-soaking stage typically lasts approximately 4 seconds. If the system detects that the flow meter counter 930 is below a first threshold of 3 pulses after the first 4 seconds of the pre-soaking stage, as indicated by the first vertical dashed line 920, the pump rate increases to 100%. In response to the pump rate increasing to 100%, water begins to flow through the hydraulic system, and the flow meter pulse count 930 begins to increase. Once the flow meter pulse count 930 reaches a second threshold (10 in this embodiment), pump 108 is switched back to its intended capacity for that specific stage of the beverage preparation process. The pump rate can then be further adjusted depending on the pump rate specified for another stage of the beverage preparation process.

[0082] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a signal representing the flow rate registered by sensor assembly 106. Essentially, sensor assembly 106 (in this case, a flow meter) is able to register pulse 1010 and increment the flow meter counter in response to the registered pulse 1010. The pulse width indicates how long it takes for one revolution. For example, 1030 shows a revolution taking 2.56 seconds. Thus, the width of pulse 1010 indicates how fast the water is flowing through the flow meter. For example, a narrower pulse compared to another pulse indicates that the fluid is flowing faster. Therefore, if the pulse is wider, such as 1020, the water is flowing through the flow meter more slowly. A wider pulse can also instruct pump 108 to switch to a lower pumping capacity. The flow rate indicator is the number of pulses registered by the flow meter.

[0083] The inventors have discovered that the above method can substantially overcome or at least improve dry pumping / cavitation.

[0084] Figure 11A and Figure 11B Together, they form a schematic block diagram of a controller 1501 including embedded components, based on which the above-described implementation is desired. Figures 2 to 6 The controller 100 shown is a method for making beverages.

[0085] like Figure 11AAs shown, electronic device 1501 includes an embedded controller 1502. Therefore, electronic device 1501 can be referred to as an "embedded device". In this example, controller 1502 has a processing unit (or processor) 1505 bidirectionally coupled to internal storage module 1509. Storage module 1509 may be formed of non-volatile semiconductor read-only memory (ROM) 1560 and semiconductor random access memory (RAM) 1570, such as... Figure 11B As shown. RAM 1570 can be volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

[0086] Electronic device 1501 includes display controller 1507 connected to video display 1514, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. Display controller 1507 is configured to display graphic images on video display 1514 according to instructions received from embedded controller 1502 connected to display controller 1507.

[0087] Electronic device 1501 also includes a user input device 1513, which is typically formed by keys, a keypad, or similar controls. In some embodiments, user input device 1513 may include a touch-sensitive panel physically associated with display 1514 to jointly form a touchscreen. Such a touchscreen can therefore operate as a form of graphical user interface (GUI), as opposed to a prompt- or menu-driven GUI typically used with a keypad-display combination. Other forms of user input devices may also be used, such as a microphone (not shown) for voice commands or a joystick / thumb wheel (not shown) for easy navigation in menus.

[0088] Typically, electronic device 1501 is configured to perform a specific function. Embedded controller 1502 (possibly in conjunction with other special function components 1510) is set to perform that specific function.

[0089] The method described above can be implemented using an embedded controller 1502, wherein Figures 2 to 6 The process can be implemented as one or more software applications 1533 that can be executed within the embedded controller 1502. Figure 11A The electronic device 1501 implements the described method. Specifically, refer to... Figure 11B The steps of the described method are implemented by instructions in software 1533 running within controller 1502. The software instructions may be formed as one or more code modules, each code module performing one or more specific tasks. The software may also be divided into two separate parts, where a first part and its corresponding code modules execute the described method, and a second part and its corresponding code modules manage the user interface between the first part and the user.

[0090] The software 1533 of the embedded controller 1502 is typically stored in a non-volatile ROM 1560 of the internal storage module 1509. The software 1533 stored in the ROM 1560 can be updated from a computer-readable medium as needed. The software 1533 can be loaded into and executed by the processor 1505. In some instances, the processor 1505 can execute software instructions located in RAM 1570. Software instructions can be loaded into RAM 1570 by the processor 1505 initiating a copy of one or more code modules from the ROM 1560 into RAM 1570. Alternatively, the software instructions for one or more code modules can be pre-installed by the manufacturer in a non-volatile area of ​​RAM 1570. After one or more code modules are located in RAM 1570, the processor 1505 can execute the software instructions for those one or more code modules.

[0091] Application 1533 is typically pre-installed by the manufacturer and stored in ROM 1560 before the electronic device 1501 is shipped. The second part of the aforementioned application 1533 and its corresponding code module can be executed to implement the desired functionality. Figure 11A One or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are rendered or otherwise represented on display 1514. By manipulating user input device 1513 (e.g., keypad), a user of device 1501 and application 1533 can manipulate the interface in a functionally adaptable manner to provide control commands and / or input to the application associated with the GUI. Other forms of functionally adaptable user interfaces may also be implemented, such as audio interfaces utilizing voice prompts output via a speaker (not shown) and user voice commands input via a microphone (not shown).

[0092] Figure 11B An embedded controller 1502 with a processor 1505 for executing application program 1533 and an internal storage device 1509 is shown in detail. The internal storage device 1509 includes a read-only memory (ROM) 1560 and a random access memory (RAM) 1570. The processor 1505 is capable of executing application program 1533 stored in one or both of the connected memories 1560 and 1570. When the electronic device 1501 is initially powered on, a system program residing in ROM 1560 is executed. The application program 1533, persistently stored in ROM 1560, is sometimes referred to as "firmware." The execution of the firmware by the processor 1505 enables various functions, including processor management, memory management, device management, storage management, and a user interface.

[0093] Processor 1505 typically includes multiple functional modules, including a control unit (CU) 1551, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 1552, a digital signal processor (DSP) 1553, and local or internal memory including a set of registers 1554 that typically contain atomic data elements 1556, 1557, as well as internal buffer or cache memory 1555. One or more internal buses 1559 interconnect these functional modules. Processor 1505 also typically has one or more interfaces 1558 for communicating with external devices via system bus 1581 using connection 1561.

[0094] Application program 1533 includes instruction sequences 1562 to 1563, which may include conditional branch and loop instructions. Application program 1533 may also include data used in the execution of application program 1533. This data may be stored as part of the instructions or stored in a separate location 1564 within ROM 1560 or RAM 1570.

[0095] Generally, processor 1505 is given a set of instructions to execute. This set of instructions can be organized into blocks that perform specific tasks or handle specific events occurring in electronic device 1501. Typically, application 1533 waits for an event and then executes the code block associated with that event. This can be in response to events detected by processor 1505 from the user via... Figure 11A The event is triggered by input from the user input device 1513. The event may also be triggered in response to other sensors and interfaces in the electronic device 1501.

[0096] The execution of the instruction set may require reading and modifying numerical variables. These numerical variables are stored in RAM 1570. The disclosed method uses input variable 1571 stored at known locations 1572 and 1573 in memory 1570. Input variable 1571 is processed to produce output variable 1577 stored at known locations 1578 and 1579 in memory 1570. Intermediate variable 1574 may be stored in additional memory locations 1575 and 1576 in memory 1570. Alternatively, some intermediate variables may exist only in register 1554 of processor 1505.

[0097] The execution of the instruction sequence is implemented in processor 1505 by repeatedly applying a fetch-execute loop. Control unit 1551 of processor 1505 maintains a register called the program counter, which contains the address of the next instruction to be executed in ROM 1560 or RAM 1570. At the beginning of the fetch-execute loop, the contents of the memory address indexed by the program counter are loaded into control unit 1551. The instruction thus loaded controls subsequent operations of processor 1505, such as loading data from ROM memory 1560 into processor register 1554, performing arithmetic combinations of the contents of a register with the contents of another register, writing the contents of a register to a location stored in another register, etc. At the end of the fetch-execute loop, 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 the program counter with a new address to implement branching operations.

[0098] Each step or sub-process in the process described below is associated with one or more segments of application 1533 and is executed by repeated execution of a fetch-execution loop in processor 1505 or by similar programming operations of other independent processor blocks in electronic device 1501.

[0099] Industrial applicability

[0100] The described arrangement is applicable to the beverage equipment industry, and especially the coffee equipment industry.

[0101] The foregoing description only describes some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and / or changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. These embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making beverages, the apparatus comprising: A conduit that defines a liquid flow path for a liquid; A pump for moving the liquid under pressure along the flow path, the pump being configured to operate in a first mode and in response to the detection of cavitation in a second mode different from the first mode, wherein the pump moves the liquid in the second mode at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation; A sensor assembly configured to determine a first flow rate of the liquid in the flow path when the pump is operating in the first mode, and to determine a second flow rate when the pump is operating in the second mode; and A controller operatively coupled to the pump and the sensor assembly, and configured to switch the pump from the first mode to the second mode if the first flow rate is below a first threshold, and to switch the pump from the second mode to the first mode if the second flow rate is above a second threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to operate at a first pump speed in the first mode and at a second pump speed in the second mode, wherein the second pump speed is greater than the first pump speed.

3. The appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller is configured to apply a delay for switching the pump from the second mode to the first mode if the first threshold and the second threshold are the same.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first threshold is equal to the second threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to shut off the pump in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a threshold time period.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to signal to the apparatus's warning system that the water tank supplying water to the pump is empty in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a predetermined time period.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to operate based on user input.

8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine at which stage of the beverage preparation process the appliance is operating before switching the pump to the second mode, and to determine parameters for switching the pump from the second mode to the first mode based on the determined stage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater configured to heat the liquid moved by the pump, wherein the controller is further configured to turn off the heater in response to detecting that the first flow rate is below the first threshold.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to turn on the heater in response to determining that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, to turn on the heater with heating parameters corresponding to the heating parameters before the heater was turned off.

11. A method for controlling a device to make a beverage, the method comprising: The pump of the device is controlled to operate in a first mode to make the beverage; During the first mode, a first flow rate of the liquid in the flow path defined by the conduit is determined; If the first flow rate is below a first threshold, the pump is controlled to switch from the first mode to a second mode, wherein the pump is controlled to move the liquid in the second mode at an increased pressure compared to the first mode to at least help resolve cavitation. During the second mode, a second flow rate of the liquid in the flow path is determined; as well as If the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, the pump is controlled to switch from the second mode to the first mode.

12. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising controlling the pump to operate at a first pump speed in the first mode, and controlling the pump to operate at a second pump speed in the second mode, wherein the second pump speed is greater than the first pump speed.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein if the first threshold and the second threshold are the same, the switch from the second mode to the first mode is delayed by a predetermined delay.

14. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the first threshold is equal to the second threshold.

15. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising controlling the pump to shut down in response to detecting that the second flow rate is lower than the second threshold during a threshold time period.

16. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising, in response to detecting that the second flow rate is below the second threshold during a threshold time period, signaling that the tank supplying liquid to the pump is empty.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the pump is controlled based on user input.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises: Determine at which stage of the beverage preparation process the appliance operates before switching to the second mode; as well as The parameters for switching the pump from the second mode to the first mode are determined based on the identified stage.

19. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising controlling a heater for heating the liquid moved by the pump to shut off in response to detecting that the first flow rate is below the first threshold.

20. The method of claim 19, the method further comprising controlling the heater to turn on in response to determining that the second flow rate is higher than the second threshold, the heater being controlled to turn on with heating parameters corresponding to heating parameters prior to the heater being turned off.

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