Hybrid beverage preparation device with removable beverage base container

Abstract

The invention relates to a beverage preparation device (01) comprising a beverage substrate container (03) which can be removed from a receiving region (02). The device has a brewing head (12) which can be adjusted in the vertical direction (V) and which is designed and arranged relative to the receiving region (02) and the beverage base container (03) received therein in such a way that the beverage base container (03) can be inserted into the receiving region (02) and removed from the receiving region (02) in the upper position of the brewing head, a brewing chamber formed by the brewing head and the beverage base container is closed and / or sealed in a first lower position, and a beverage base (22) in the beverage base container (03) is vertically pressed in a second lower position. The adjustable brewing head (12) is designed to interact with a mechanical adjustment unit (13), in particular a manually operable adjustment unit, in order to be switched at least to an upper position, a first lower position and a second lower position. According to the invention, the adjusting unit (13) allows the brewing head (12) to be continuously locked only below the first lower position in the vertical direction (V).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage preparation device, in particular a coffee machine and / or espresso machine, according to the preamble of claim 1. Background Art

[0002] A variety of beverage preparation devices, in particular coffee machines and / or espresso machines, are already known from the prior art. Generally, a distinction is made between fundamentally different types of devices.

[0003] On the one hand, so-called fully automatic machines are known, in which, starting from a ground beverage substrate (e.g., coffee beans), all process steps for producing and dispensing a corresponding beverage, in particular a hot beverage, are carried out within the device or in a device delimited by a common housing, by filling a brewing chamber and brewing the beverage substrate, in particular the ground coffee beans, until the leached or brewed substrate or dregs are ejected or discharged. To this end, the device may also have a water tank for storing fresh water, a drip tray for storing residual water, and a dregs container for collecting the brewed or leached substrate cake or dregs. For such fully automatic machines, there is a significant risk that the presence of an organic beverage substrate, in particular ground coffee beans, and the presence of water, hot water, steam, water condensate, dripping water, etc. may result in a hygienically problematic environment inside the device, and in particular the formation of bacteria or mold may occur if the organic substances, in particular the beverage substrate and / or dregs residue, are not removed regularly and consciously.

[0004] In addition, various embodiments of so-called sieve holder machines already exist in the prior art. In these embodiments, the beverage matrix holder or sieve holder is designed to be removable from and / or insertable into a container. This allows the beverage matrix, in particular ground coffee beans, to be obtained from an external storage unit or production unit (e.g., an external grinder) and filled into the removed beverage matrix holder. The beverage matrix can then be pre-pressed in the beverage matrix holder, particularly to improve the quality of the beverage to be produced, particularly the beverage to be brewed, and this can also be done outside the beverage preparation device, e.g., manually in a conventional beverage preparation machine. After this pre-pressing, which is called tamping, the prepared beverage matrix holder is inserted into or connected to the container, e.g., using a bayonet fastener or a connection device with a similar design. To brew the beverage, when the beverage matrix holder is inserted or attached, the brewing fluid can be dispensed through the brewing unit, and the brewing fluid enters the brewing chamber, which is typically formed or defined by the brewing unit and the inserted or attached beverage matrix holder, particularly the sieve holder. The pressurized and / or supplied brewing fluid leaches the beverage matrix while flowing as uniformly as possible through the beverage matrix, or brews the beverage matrix and flows to the outlet of the beverage matrix holder, where the prepared beverage appears. The advantage of a sieve holder machine or device based on the concept of a sieve holder machine is that there is no or only a minimal amount of beverage matrix or residue in or on the device, and accordingly there is little organic material available, which can lead to an unhygienic environment when exposed to moisture and heat. However, a device based on the principle of a sieve holder machine has the following disadvantages: the external supply of the beverage matrix sometimes causes the beverage matrix and / or residue to be discharged near the beverage preparation device and / or the external grinder, which also results in corresponding cleaning requirements.

[0005] The hybrid device concept is also known in the prior art, which attempts to combine a removable beverage matrix holder or sieve holder with an integrated beverage matrix supplier (e.g., a supply shaft) and / or with an integrated grinder for producing the beverage matrix from, for example, coffee beans. Such devices are known, for example, from EP 2 811 876 A1. In such a hybrid method of a beverage preparation device, in various embodiments, not only is the filling of the removable beverage matrix holder or sieve holder achieved by a supply device integrated in the device (which can be designed to interact with the grinder), but also the pre-pressing or tamping of the beverage matrix filled into the beverage matrix holder before brewing is achieved by means of the brewing unit, through a hydraulic or mechanical solution, and the brewing unit is mounted to be displaceable in the vertical direction and also serves as a contact surface with the beverage matrix.

[0006] The mechanical pre-pressing of the beverage matrix described in this method is also intended to perform a mechanically actuated and controlled brewing process subsequently. However, if the operator is not very experienced and / or trained, consistent good results in the production or dispensing of beverages will not be achieved. In addition, through the mechanical adjustment of the brewing unit described therein, the pre-pressing also depends on the operation of the user, so it is only possible for suitable technically proficient and experienced users to perform it in a highly reproducible manner. Since especially the brewing process and its operating parameters, as well as the correct pre-pressing within certain limits, also depend on the amount of beverage matrix used to achieve the best and reproducible results for the produced beverage, the mechanical solution of EP 2 811 876 A1 only provides the possibility of effective use for very experienced operators (e.g., operators in the catering industry).

[0007] EP 2 811 876 B1 also describes hydraulic or electric drive options for adjusting the brewing unit and / or for tamping the beverage matrix, which results in an undesirably high complexity of the beverage preparation device and thus in a susceptibility to failure of components and component groups, and may require maintenance and servicing due to the machine design.

[0008] WO 2022 / 033908 A1 discloses a mechanical brewing group for an espresso machine or a coffee machine. The brewing group operates with a filter holder, and the vertical movement of the brewing piston from the open position to the pressure-sealed closed position is operated by a manual lever.

[0009] EP 0 978 245 A1 shows a coffee brewing device for a fully automatic coffee machine. The extensive electrical system includes position switches for determining the position of cams on a camshaft to control a lever mechanism. The lever mechanism acts both on the tamping of the coffee powder in the brewing chamber and on the pressure accumulation in a water filling cylinder to deliver pressurized water into the brewing chamber.

[0010] DE 20 2014 002 225 U1 shows a filter holder coffee machine, in which existing elements for interlocking the filter holder (i.e., lugs or protrusions located on the circumference) are used for presence detection by means of suitable sensors / switches and also for type detection. This is used to prevent piston movement or water release in the absence of a inserted filter holder and to select brewing parameters according to the filter holder used.

[0011] DE 10 2009 001 198 A1 shows a coffee machine for coffee pods, which is provided with a bypass through which any pressure still present in the brewing chamber is released after the coffee has been dispensed. The bypass is opened by a mechanically controllable valve. The valve is coupled to the opening movement of the brewing chamber in such a way that when it is manually opened, the bypass valve opens first and then the brewing chamber opens.

[0012] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems based on the prior art, and in particular to provide a mixed beverage preparation device that can provide improved or optimal results for beverages produced by a mechanical actuation unit for adjusting a movable brewing unit, especially for inexperienced or untrained users. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The object of the present invention is achieved by a beverage preparation device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the following description, the description of the drawings and the drawings. In principle, all features and properties disclosed with respect to the device are also considered to be disclosed and claimed accordingly with respect to the method, and vice versa.

[0014] A beverage preparation device according to the present invention, in particular a coffee machine and / or espresso machine, having a beverage matrix holder, in particular a sieve holder, removable from a container, thus provides a brewing unit that is adjustable in the vertical direction and is arranged and configured relative to the container and the beverage matrix holder received therein such that the beverage matrix holder is removable from and insertable into the container in an upper position of the brewing unit, such as a grinding position, the brewing space formed by the brewing unit and the beverage matrix holder is closed and / or sealed in a first lower position, and in a second lower position, the brewing unit makes vertical contact with the beverage matrix in the beverage matrix holder, the second lower position preferably being at the same height as or lower than the first lower position, especially when the beverage matrix holder contains the smallest amount of beverage matrix, the brewing unit is fluid-connected to a brewing water source in a fluid-guiding manner in order to discharge brewing fluid and / or supply it to the brewing chamber, and the beverage preparation device further has a supply pipe for providing the beverage matrix, the supply pipe being arranged and designed such that at one end the beverage matrix can preferably be filled into the beverage matrix holder inserted into the container only under the influence of gravity, and preferably forms a transition to a mill surrounded by the beverage preparation device at the other end, the displaceable brewing unit is configured to interact with a mechanical, preferably purely mechanical, especially manually operable actuation unit in order to be displaced to the upper position, the first lower position and the second lower position. According to the present invention, an actuation unit is provided that allows the brewing unit to be continuously interlocked only below the first lower position in the vertical direction.

[0015] The brewing unit has various advantages through the continuous interlocking of the mechanical actuating unit. On the one hand, regardless of the amount or volume of the beverage substrate used, a desired and possibly predefined pre-pressing of the beverage substrate can be achieved in the second lower position. This forms the basis for achieving reproducible tamping, regardless of the amount or volume of the beverage substrate, in order to provide starting conditions for a reproducible brewing process.

[0016] The brewing unit also has the following advantages through the continuous interlocking of the actuating unit: Different from, for example, a sealant, the transition between the brewing unit and the beverage substrate holder does not undergo any wear or only imperceptible wear, so that continuous interlocking can be reliably produced even after a corresponding large number of operations, and during the brewing process, the continuous interlocking can also be reliably maintained under the subsequent internal pressure in the brewing space or brewing chamber.

[0017] In addition, through the continuous interlocking of the actuating unit, the brewing unit enables the pre-pressing pressure or contact pressure of the tamper to be continuously or uninterruptedly maintained after the brewing unit is locked in place, especially before the brewing fluid flows in, and the brewing fluid can also be introduced using a correspondingly well-defined brewing curve, which can be easily processed by a control circuit after the brewing unit is interlocked. In this way, in addition to more reproducible tamping or pre-pressing of the beverage substrate, the subsequent brewing process can also be carried out with extremely high precision and reproducibility.

[0018] According to a first advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the actuating unit has a rod that can move together with the brewing unit, and a locking bushing that is fixed and immovable in the vertical direction and surrounds the rod. The rod is designed such that it is impossible to fix it in the first lower section of the rod through the locking bushing, and the rod is designed in the second upper section such that the interruption of the vertical downward movement of the rod, especially relative to the locking bushing, results in a locking force fit between the locking bushing and the rod, and this force fit preferably causes or supports the interlocking of the brewing unit relative to the locking bushing over the entire second section.

[0019] Advantageously, the lower and upper sections of the rod can be designed differently due to their external geometry (e.g., cross-section, etc.) such that the brewing units do not interlock in the lower section of the rod, for example, due to a smaller cross-section. This is particularly advantageous so that the user can stop or interrupt the adjustment process in the first area or first section where the brewing unit is displaced (e.g., from the grinding position to the tamping position or the brewing position) without automatically interlocking the brewing unit. On the other hand, the upper section of the rod can be designed with respect to the displacement path of the brewing unit and / or with respect to the arrangement of the locking bush, or can be extended in such a way that the interlocking of the brewing unit is only possible when the brewing unit reaches the first lower position and the brewing chamber or brewing space formed by the beverage matrix holder and the brewing unit is correspondingly closed and sealed. This enables the brewing unit to be interlocked and held in any continuous or any position relative to the beverage matrix holder, and thus is substantially independent of the amount or volume of the beverage matrix filled in the beverage matrix holder; although this interlocking is essentially purely mechanical, it does not depend on the interaction between the brewing unit and the beverage matrix holder, but is independent of these interactions and is achieved through the actuation unit, particularly through the interaction between the rod and the locking bush.

[0020] According to another particularly advantageous embodiment, a second locking mechanism, preferably a toggle lever mechanism, can be provided, which is configured to implement and / or support the interlocking of the brewing unit in addition to the locking bush through the second locking mechanism. Particularly preferably, the second locking mechanism, especially the toggle lever mechanism, is also designed as part of a mechanical, preferably manually operable actuation unit. For example, it can be provided that the toggle lever mechanism (as an exemplary or preferred second locking mechanism) is also actuated by an operating lever or an actuation lever, which can be operated by the operator and is designed in such a way that after the interlocking of the brewing unit is achieved through the interlocking of the locking bush on the movable rod, the toggle lever mechanism will cross the dead point, thereby preventing the unintentional or undesired release of the locking bush. It is also particularly preferred that when the interlocking of the brewing unit is released, the second locking mechanism is released, and if necessary, also through the corresponding operation, especially the reverse operation, of the operating or actuation lever, before the locking bush is released from the rod or the corresponding interlocking is released.

[0021] In another particularly advantageous embodiment of the beverage preparation device, it can be provided that the contact surface of the brewing unit, in particular the wetting sieve or the brewing sieve, can move in the vertical direction relative to the actuating unit and / or the rest of the brewing unit against an elastically pre-tensioned device (preferably a spring element), such that further movement of the actuating unit and / or the rest of the brewing unit results in a reduced movement of the contact surface in the vertical direction, and once the beverage substrate disposed in the beverage substrate holder comes into contact with the contact surface, a contact force is generated on the beverage substrate, which is particularly limited or reduced by the elastic deformation of the pre-tensioned device. In this case, it is particularly preferred that the pre-tensioned device is designed in such a way that a substantially constant contact pressure of the contact surface is applied to the beverage substrate independently of or to a large extent independently of the elastic deformation of the pre-tensioned device. This can be particularly advantageously achieved if a device such as a spring or a spring kit with a constant spring constant or a spring constant independent of deformation within a wide deformation range is used as the pre-tensioned device. This particularly advantageously enables the pre-pressing / tamping of the beverage substrate to be carried out with a constant force or a constant pressure, regardless of the filling level or filling height of the beverage substrate holder, in particular the sieve holder, which means that if it is ensured that the beverage substrate is pre-pressed in substantially the same or exactly the same manner in each brewing process, the brewing process can be made more reproducible on this basis.

[0022] Another advantage of the elastically pre-tensioned device can be that during each brewing process or during the preparation of each brewing process, the actuating unit, in particular the operating lever or the actuating lever directly operated by the operator, is moved to the same end position. Basically, once the contact surface of the brewing unit, in particular the brewing unit, comes into contact with the beverage substrate, the pre-tensioned device undergoes elastic deformation until the actuating lever of the actuating unit has been moved to the end position, without causing a significant or substantial further displacement of the brewing unit in the vertical direction.

[0023] Alternatively, an advantageous and defined end position substantially independent of the filling level of the beverage substrate holder or the end position of the operating lever or the actuating lever / actuating lever directly actuated by the operator can also be achieved by an interruption or decoupling in the force transmission of the actuating unit. These two end positions are also preferably determined by the geometry of the mechanical stops provided therefor. These mechanical stops can be integrated into the corresponding mechanical components, for example, into the toggle lever mechanism or the motion mechanism.

[0024] In another particularly advantageous embodiment of the beverage preparation device, a sensor device is provided for detecting the position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface when the brewing unit is in the interlocked position, in particular for detecting the vertical position. The sensor device is designed to be operatively connected to the control unit of the beverage preparation device such that the operating parameters of the beverage preparation device, in particular the parameters of the fluid pump for conveying the brewing fluid and surrounded by the device, can be indicated and / or adjusted by the control unit based on the detected position. For example, the sensor device can be designed as an optical sensor in the visible spectral range, preferably a light barrier. In addition to directly measuring the brewing unit in the interlocked position and / or the contact surface of the brewing unit, indirect measurement can also be performed, for example, by means of components of the actuating unit, such as the position of a rod that can be vertically moved together with the brewing unit, in order to draw conclusions about the position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface. In this case, it can be particularly advantageous if the sensor device is also configured to detect the deformation state of the pretensioning device (provided that an elastically deformable pretensioning device is implemented), since the end position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface depends on both the position of the actuating unit and the position or state of the pretensioning device. In particular, if the actuating unit always remains in the same end position when the brewing unit is vertically displaced, it can also be advantageous for the sensor device to only detect the deformation state of the elastic pretensioning device and infer the position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface based on this.

[0025] The operating parameters of the beverage preparation device controlled and influenced by the control unit can basically be arbitrary. For example, if the sensor device detects that the brewing chamber or brewing space has not been closed, the control of the operating parameters can completely prevent the operation of the beverage preparation device. If the position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface indicates that there is not a minimum amount of beverage substrate in the beverage substrate rack, the control device can also prevent the operation or execution of the brewing process. In the case of such position detection, alternatively, it can also be intended that the control unit can only perform cleaning and / or rinsing processes. On the other hand, if the position of the brewing unit is detected by a sensor device that detects that the filling of the beverage substrate rack is between the minimum filling and the maximum filling, the operating parameters of the subsequent brewing process may be affected by the operative connection to the control unit and the resulting control circuit, depending on the detected state or detected position of the brewing unit.

[0026] For example, the grinding time of the mill can be adjusted to the beverage substrate output of the mill depending on the selection of the beans and the set grinding degree of the mill such that the filling of the beverage substrate rack is within the expected minimum and / or maximum volume, and the amount of beverage substrate can be adjusted stepwise or continuously between these limits according to the desired beverage concentration.

[0027] Furthermore, for example, the delivery rate of the fluid pump, the steepness and length of the respective ramps in the control of the fluid pump, and the respective parametric control of the heating device, in particular the thermoblock for temperature control of the brewed fluid, can be affected accordingly.

[0028] According to another particularly advantageous embodiment of the beverage preparation device, the brewing unit can be configured such that when the brewing unit is vertically displaced starting from a third lower position, mechanical locking of the beverage matrix holder on and / or in the container is achieved. This can ensure that unintentional movement or unintentional removal of the beverage matrix holder is avoided. Designating it as the third lower position is not intended to imply that it is inevitably arranged or aligned in the vertical direction, especially with respect to the second lower position and / or the first lower position. For example, it is advantageous if the third lower position is still arranged above the first lower position in the vertical direction, which means that mechanical locking of the beverage matrix holder on or in the container occurs before the brewing space or brewing chamber is closed. Alternatively, it can also be intended that the locking occurs simultaneously with the closing of the brewing space or brewing chamber. Further alternatively, it can also be intended that the interlocking only occurs after the brewing unit is closed and / or sealed on or in the beverage matrix holder, which means that the third lower position is arranged below the first lower position.

[0029] According to another equally advantageous embodiment, contacts can be provided, preferably as part of a microswitch, by which the position and / or presence of the beverage matrix holder in the container can be detected or corrected. Particularly preferably, similar to the above-described sensor device, the contacts are operatively connected to the control device in such a way that certain functions of the beverage preparation device, in particular the execution of the brewing process and / or the lowering of the operation of the brewing unit by the actuating unit, can only be carried out or can only be successfully initiated by the operator when the contacts detect the presence and / or correct positioning of the beverage matrix holder on or in the container. The contacts are preferably formed on the container, in particular protruding onto the surface of the container on which the beverage matrix holder rests.

[0030] In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the beverage preparation device, it can further be provided that the brewing unit has an upper part and a lower part which are movably mounted relative to each other in the vertical direction, and the mechanically actuable valve is designed such that in the brewing unit, a relative movement of the upper part and the lower part away from each other opens the valve and allows, in particular even when below the first lower position of the brewing unit, the brewing unit to be ventilated. This can be particularly advantageous for ventilating the brewing chamber or brewing space after the brewing process has been carried out. Otherwise, there is a risk that after the brewing process, when the brewing unit is lifted relative to the beverage substrate holder, in particular the sieve holder, a vacuum will form in the brewing chamber or brewing space, and then when the brewing unit passes through the first lower position in the vertically upward direction, the vacuum will suddenly be released. This can cause the dregs or the brewed beverage substrate and / or liquid to be ejected unnecessarily. The two-part design of the brewing unit and the corresponding implementation of the mechanically actuable valve can ensure that after the brewing process, when the actuating unit initially performs a vertical adjustment to adjust the brewing unit vertically upward, the two parts, in particular the upper part and the lower part of the brewing unit, will first move away from each other, so that the mechanically operable valve first opens and a fluid connection is established between the environment and the interior of the brewing space or brewing chamber, which ensures that during the further movement or displacement of the actuating unit and the brewing unit it drives, a negative pressure will not form in the brewing chamber or brewing space.

[0031] Conversely, when sealing and / or compressing the beverage substrate before the start of the brewing process, the two-part design of the brewing unit having an upper part and a lower part and the mounting of the upper part and the lower part which can move relative to each other in the vertical direction, in combination with the corresponding mechanically actuable valve, can also ensure that during the pre-compression of the beverage substrate, an air cushion will not form above the beverage substrate and below the brewing unit. This is because as long as the upper part of the brewing unit and the lower part of the brewing unit are in a state of having a relatively large vertical distance from each other (for example, achieved by corresponding pre-tensioning), the mechanically actuable valve can remain in the open state, which also allows the brewing space or brewing chamber to be vented. Then, only when, for example, the beverage substrate or the beverage substrate holder exerts a force on the brewing unit (which causes the upper part and the lower part of the brewing unit to move closer together and thus close the valve), will the mechanically actuable valve close. The closed valve position is also advantageous in order to achieve and maintain as tight a design as possible of the brewing space or brewing chamber during the brewing process.

[0032] According to another particularly advantageous embodiment of the beverage preparation device, it is intended that the upper and lower parts of the brewing unit are connected to each other by a radial circumferential profile seal, and the radial circumferential profile seal causes radial expansion or swelling of the profile seal when the upper and lower parts move towards each other in the vertical direction, so as to achieve that the profile seal contacts and abuts against the inner wall of the beverage substrate holder below the first lower position. This design (especially in combination with the design of the brewing unit having an upper part and a lower part that can move vertically relative to each other) not only ensures the favorable ventilation and air circulation of the brewing space or brewing chamber as described above. In addition, an improved sealing effect of the brewing unit on the beverage substrate holder and / or a reduction in wear of the corresponding seal can also be achieved, because the sealing effect is only generated or enhanced in the following way: with the relative movement of the upper part of the brewing unit towards the lower part, radial expansion of the profile seal is achieved, thereby achieving contact and abutment with the beverage substrate holder.

[0033] Particularly advantageously, a profile seal can also be provided, because it can provide a corresponding restoring force that forces the upper part of the brewing unit away from the lower part of the brewing unit, so that it can be ensured that as long as the distance between the upper part and the lower part of the brewing unit is not lower than the limit value, or the upper part and the lower part do not approach each other to a certain extent, the mechanically actuated valve remains in the normally open position. Description of the Drawings

[0034] The following explains the advantageous embodiments and details of the beverage preparation device according to the present invention only with reference to the schematic diagrams of the embodiments. The same components or parts with the same functions of the device are marked with the same reference numerals.

[0035] Figure 1 : A partial cross-sectional view of the beverage preparation device according to the present invention when the actuating unit is in the grinding or filling position is shown.

[0036] Figure 2 : A partial cross-sectional view of the beverage preparation device according to the present invention when the actuating unit is in the intermediate position is shown.

[0037] Figure 3 : A partial cross-sectional view of the beverage preparation device according to the present invention when the actuating unit is in the end position or brewing position is shown.

[0038] Figure 4 : A cross-sectional view showing the interlocking of the brewing unit using a segmented continuous self-locking or self-interlocking locking bushing is shown.

[0039] Figure 5a : A detailed illustration of the interlocking of the locking bushing is shown.

[0040] Figure 5b : A detailed illustration of the interaction between the locking bushing and other actuating units is shown.

[0041] Figure 6 : A detailed illustration of a brewing unit having an upper part and a lower part is shown. Detailed implementation

[0042] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a beverage preparation device 01 is shown. For clarity, some parts or components of the beverage preparation device 01 are not shown. Essentially, Figure 1 the cross-sectional view shows a beverage matrix holder 03 inserted into a container 02. The beverage matrix holder 03 is in the form of a sieve holder. The beverage matrix holder 03 includes an inner wall 04, a bottom sieve 05, and a discharge element 06 formed below the sieve 05 for dispensing or conveying the brewed beverage.

[0043] A supply shaft 07 is formed above the container 02 and is used to supply the beverage matrix, especially ground coffee beans. At one end 08, the supply shaft 07 is arranged and designed such that the beverage matrix can preferably be filled from the supply shaft 07 into the beverage matrix holder 03 inserted into the container 02 only under the influence of gravity. At the second end 09, the supply shaft 07 forms a transition part 10 to a mill 11 preferably surrounded by the beverage preparation device 01. The beverage preparation device 01 further includes a brewing unit 12, which is movably guided in the vertical direction V within a housing part 35 and forms a contact surface 36 at the lower end, preferably in the form of a sieve 05. The brewing unit 12 is connected to an actuating unit 13, which also includes an operating lever or an actuating lever 14. Based on the corresponding movement and / or applied force of the operating lever or actuating lever 14, the brewing unit 12 moves up or down in the vertical direction V through the corresponding movement or adjustment of the actuating unit 13. In Figure 1 the illustration, the brewing unit 12 is shown in a first upper position, in which the beverage matrix holder 03 can be removed from the container 02 and inserted into the container 02, for example, to remove the brewed and leached beverage matrix or residue from the beverage matrix holder 03.

[0044] Figure 1 the illustration has shown that the actuating unit 13 driven by the operating lever or actuating lever 14 has a rod 15, which has a lower section 16 and an upper section 17. The rod 15 is at least partially enclosed by a locking bushing 18. The rod 15 and the locking bushing 18 will be discussed in more detail. However, it is obvious that the cross-section of the lower section 16 of the rod 15 is smaller than the cross-section of the upper section 17 of the rod 15.

[0045] In Figure 1 the illustration, a connecting element 19 is also shown, which is preferably connected to a hose and can be used to dispense brewing fluid, especially brewing water, for brewing the beverage matrix through the brewing unit 12, especially the contact surface 36. In Figure 1In the cross-sectional view, the conduit device between the connecting element 19 and the contact surface 36 is not shown in detail.

[0046] Figure 1 Another guide rod 20 is shown in addition to the rod 15. The guide rod 20 is segmented and enclosed by the locking bushing 18 and is arranged eccentrically with respect to the brewing unit 12. The centrally arranged guide rod 20 cannot be recognized in the following cross-sectional views. According to the invention, in addition to the eccentric guide rod 20, the rod 15 can also be provided. However, it is also possible to consider integrating the functions of the rod 15 and the rod 20 into a common rod 15, thereby reducing the number of the rod 15 and the rod 20 by one accordingly.

[0047] An inlet opening 21 is formed above the mill 11. The inlet opening 21 can form a transition to a storage container, in particular a coffee bean storage container, arranged above the mill 11, for example.

[0048] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The illustration in... shows how the actuating unit 13 moves from the position shown in... to the position for starting the brewing process of the beverage preparation device 01 starting from the actuation of the operating lever or actuating lever 14 of the actuating unit 13. Figure 1 to the position for starting the brewing process of the beverage preparation device 01.

[0049] Figure 2 It has been shown that lowering or depressing the operating lever or actuating lever 14 by the corresponding purely mechanical transmission kinematic characteristics of the actuating unit 13 causes the brewing unit 12 to be lowered relative to the beverage substrate holder 03 and the container 02. In the... Figure 2 intermediate position, the brewing unit 12 is still slightly above the upper edge of the inner wall 04 of the beverage substrate holder 03. This means that the brewing space or brewing chamber has not yet been closed, which means that the first lower position of the brewing unit 12 in the vertical direction V has not yet been reached. However, it can already be seen that due to the displacement of the brewing unit 12, a relative movement has occurred between the rod 15 and the locking bushing 18, and the locking bushing 18 is arranged substantially stationary in the vertical direction V in the beverage preparation device 01.

[0050] However, the part of the locking bushing 18 surrounding the rod 15 is still located in the lower section 16 of the rod 15. Due to the smaller cross-section of the lower section 16 of the rod 15, in the... Figure 2 shown position, the locking bushing 18 cannot yet cause any restraint or interlocking of the rod 15 relative to the locking bushing 18. This means that if the actuation process of the actuating unit 13 is interrupted at the... Figure 2 position and the operating lever or actuating lever 14 returns to the... Figure 1 starting position, the rod 15 will not be locked relative to the locking bushing 18. In other words, this means that a return is possible without first having to overcome or release the locking effect of the locking bushing 18.

[0051] exist Figure 3 In the illustration of , the operating lever or actuating lever 14 has been moved to the lower end position. Preferably, this position is the same for each brewing process and is preferably independent of the amount of beverage base. This leads to a further vertical displacement of the rod 15 relative to the locking bushing 18, so that the locking bushing 18 now engages around the rod 15, or at least a section thereof in the upper section 17 of the rod 15, which has a correspondingly larger cross section. As will be seen in reference Figure 4 As explained in more detail, the locking bushing 18 can be interlocked with respect to the rod 15 in any position in the upper section 17 of the rod 15, so that a continuous, and thus also continuous, interlocking of the brewing unit 12 can be achieved in the second lower position, which is caused only by the actuating unit 13. It is particularly preferred that the brewing unit 12, in particular the contact surface 36, can be interlocked by not being in the upper section 17 of the rod 15. Figures 1 to 3 The elastic pretensioning device shown in detail in the figure is fixed in such a way that as soon as the contact surface 36 comes into contact with the beverage matrix 22, essentially only elastic deformation of the pretensioning device occurs, and apart from this, no or only minimal movement of the contact surface 36 occurs relative to the beverage matrix holder 03, and apart from this, a contact pressure that is as constant as possible or essentially constant is applied to the beverage matrix 22 by the elastic pretensioning device.

[0052] A sensor device, also not shown in detail, can determine the position of the contact surface 36 when the actuating lever 14 reaches the end position and communicate it to a control unit, also not shown, in order to control or influence operating parameters of the beverage preparation device 01, in particular for a subsequent brewing process, based on this communication.

[0053] Figure 4 An enlarged view of the interaction of the rod 15 with the locking bushing 18 is shown. The locking bushing 18 is designed and aligned in such a way that the rod 15 can enter the locking bushing 18 during the transition from the first lower section 16 to the second upper section 17, taking into account both the shape of the inner opening and the alignment and any pre-tensioning or applied forces. However, as soon as a vertically upward force is generated via the contact surface 36, for example by pressing on the beverage matrix 22 or the internal pressure in the brewing space or brewing chamber, this upwardly directed force results in a retaining force on the rod 15 on or in the locking bushing 18, which, unless overcompensated by a larger force directed vertically downward, results in a completely mechanically continuous interlocking of the brewing unit 12 within the actuation unit 13. The corresponding force is Figure 4 The locking bushing 18 interacts with the frame 23, which aligns the locking bushing 18 and releases the interlocking of the locking bushing 18 again via the frame 23.

[0054] Figure 5aShows a part of the said frame 23, which is designed to interact with the clamping lever 24. The clamping lever 24 is urged against the selector groove 26 by a spring 25. The selector groove 26 is guided on a rotatable shaft 27, and the movement of the selector groove 26 is restricted by an internal cam 28. Figure 5a Shows the interlocking positions of the locking bushing 18, the frame 23 and the clamping lever 24. The rotation of the selector groove 26 about the shaft 27 causes the clamping lever 24 to pivot against the pre-tension of the spring 25, which in turn causes the frame 23 to rotate / pivot together with the clamping lever 24. This causes the locking bushing 18 to tilt, which in turn releases the interlocking of the rod 15 in the upper section 17 by increasing the effective cross-section of the inner opening of the locking bushing and releasing the clamping on the rod 15. The selector groove 26 can interact with the operating lever or the actuating lever 14 and the actuating unit 13 in such a way that when the actuating lever 14 is lifted from the lower end position, the groove 26 actuates the clamping lever 24 and releases or loosens the locking bushing 18 through the frame 23.

[0055] In a plane above the drawing plane located Figure 5a a toggle lever mechanism can also be provided, which is depicted in Figure 5b . The toggle lever 29 can also be designed to interact with the actuating unit 13 such that the movement of the toggle lever is caused and / or controlled by the operating or adjusting lever 14. In Figure 5b the illustration, the toggle lever 29 serves as an additional safety mechanism for interlocking the brewing unit 12 by the purely mechanical continuous fixation of the rod 15 relative to the locking bushing 18. In the shown positions outside the dead points of the toggle lever 29, the movement of the groove 26 is prevented, thereby preventing the locking sleeve 18 from being released by the clamping lever 24 and the frame 23. When releasing the interlocking of the brewing unit 12 (which is initiated by the upward movement of the operating or actuating lever 14), the mechanism can be designed such that the dead points of the toggle lever 29 are first overcome, thereby releasing the groove 26, and the groove 26 can move the clamping lever 24 against the spring 25 by rotating around the cam 28.

[0056] Therefore, the toggle lever mechanism together with the toggle lever 29 serves as a second locking mechanism to additionally ensure the continuous interlocking of the brewing unit 12.

[0057] The movement of the groove 26 around the shaft 27 and the movement of the toggle lever 29 can preferably be achieved by corresponding power transmission, scaling and / or deceleration from a central drive shaft 30, which can be designed to interact directly or indirectly with the operating lever or the actuating lever 14.

[0058] Figure 6An enlarged view of the brewing unit 12 is shown. The brewing unit is located in the beverage substrate holder 03. In particular, the brewing unit 12 is arranged within a volume defined by an inner wall 04. An end section of the central guide rod 20 is also shown. The brewing unit 12 includes a lower part 31 and an upper part 32 which are mounted so as to be movable relative to one another in the vertical direction V and are connected to one another by a circumferential profile seal 33.

[0059] The brewing unit 12 further comprises a mechanically actuable valve 34 which, when the upper part 32 and the lower part 31 move towards one another relative to each other, allows the brewing space or the brewing chamber to be vented and ventilated via the contact surface 36, while when the upper part 32 moves relatively away from the lower part 31, the mechanically controlled valve 34 closes or assumes a closed state. The profile seal 33 can be arranged to pre-tension the upper part 32 and the lower part 31 in a state away from one another, such that the valve 34 is designed as a normally open valve and closes only when the upper part 32 and the lower part 31 move towards one another and the profile seal 33 bulges radially outwards at the same time, which occurs only when a resultant force acting or applied causes the upper and lower parts to move towards one another.

[0060] Particularly advantageously, when the brewing unit 12 is released from the continuous interlock by the actuating unit 13, whether by Figure 6 the design of the brewing unit 12 shown, or by the manner of implementing the interlock (for example with reference to Figure 5a and Figure 5b shown), before the brewing unit 12 moves vertically upwards, the beverage substrate 22 is first additionally compressed again, or a corresponding pressure is exerted on the beverage substrate 22. This enables additional squeezing of the residue or the beverage substrate 22 before the residue or the beverage substrate 22 is removed from the beverage preparation device 01 via the beverage substrate holder 03.

[0061] Reference numerals 01 Beverage preparation device 02 Container 03 Beverage substrate holder 04 Inner wall 05 Sieve 06 Discharge element 07 Supply shaft 08 First end 09 Second end 10 Transition 11 Mill 12 Brewing unit 13 Actuating unit 14 Actuating lever 15 Rod 16 Lower section 17 Upper section 18 Locking bush 19 Connecting element 20 Additional guide rod 21 Inlet opening 22 Beverage base 23 Rack 24 Clamping lever 25 Spring 26 Selector groove 27 Shaft 28 Cam 29 Toggle lever 30 Drive shaft 31 Lower part 32 Upper part 33 Contour seal 34 Valve 35 Housing part 36 Contact surface V direction

Claims

1. A beverage preparation device (01), in particular a coffee machine and / or espresso machine, having a beverage matrix holder (03), in particular a sieve holder, which can be removed from a container (02), the device having a brewing unit (12) and a brewing space, the brewing unit (12) being displaceable in a vertical direction (V) and being arranged and configured relative to the container (02) and the beverage matrix holder (03) received therein such that the beverage matrix holder (03) can be removed from the container (02) and inserted into the container (02) in an upper position of the brewing unit (12), the brewing space formed by the brewing unit (12) and the beverage matrix holder (03) being closed and / or sealed in a first lower position and making vertical contact with a beverage matrix (22) in the beverage matrix holder (03) in a second lower position, the brewing unit (12) being fluid-connected to a brewing water source in a way that guides fluid in order to discharge brewing fluid and / or supply it to a brewing chamber, and the beverage preparation device (01) further having a supply pipe (07) for providing the beverage matrix (22), the supply pipe (07) being arranged and designed such that at one end the beverage matrix (22) can be filled into the beverage matrix holder (03) inserted into the container (02) only under the influence of gravity, and preferably forming a transition to a mill (11) surrounded by the beverage preparation device (01) at the other end, the displaceable brewing unit (12) being configured to interact with a mechanical, in particular manually operable, actuating unit (13) in order to be displaced to the upper position, the first lower position and the second lower position, characterized in that, the actuating unit (13) allows the brewing unit (12) to be continuously interlocked only below the first lower position in the vertical direction (V).

2. The beverage preparation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the actuating unit (13) has a rod (15) which can move with the brewing unit (12) and a locking bushing (18) which is immovable in the vertical direction (V) and surrounds the rod (15), the rod (15) being designed such that fixation by the locking bushing (18) in a first lower section (16) is not possible and being designed such that an interruption of the vertically downward movement of the rod (15) in a second upper section (17) causes a locking force fit between the locking bushing (18) and the rod (15), the force fit causing or supporting the interlocking of the brewing unit (12).

3. The beverage preparation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, it has a second locking mechanism, preferably a toggle lever mechanism, which is configured such that in addition to the locking bushing (18), the interlocking of the brewing unit (12) is also achieved and / or supported by the second locking mechanism.

4. The beverage preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The contact surface of the brewing unit (12), in particular the wetting sieve or the brewing sieve, can move in the vertical direction (V) relative to the actuating unit (13) and / or the remainder of the brewing unit (12) against an elastically pre-tensioned device, such that further movement of the actuating unit (13) and / or the remainder of the brewing unit (12) results in a reduced movement of the contact surface (36), and once the beverage substrate (22) comes into contact with the contact surface (36), a contact force is generated on the beverage substrate (22) during the vertical displacement of the brewing unit (12).

5. The beverage preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, it has a sensor device for detecting the position of the brewing unit and / or the contact surface when the brewing unit (12) is in the interlocked position, the sensor device being designed to be operatively connected to the control unit of the beverage preparation device (01), such that the operating parameters of the beverage preparation device (01), in particular the parameters of the fluid pump for delivering the brewing fluid, can be indicated and / or adjusted by the control unit based on the detected position.

6. The beverage preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the brewing unit (12) is configured such that mechanical locking of the beverage substrate holder (03) is achieved when the brewing unit (12) is displaced from a third lower position.

7. The beverage preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, it has contacts, preferably as part of a microswitch, by which the position of the beverage substrate holder (03) in the container (02) is detected, or by which the position of the beverage substrate holder (03) in the container (02) can be corrected.

8. The beverage preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the brewing unit (12) has an upper part (32) and a lower part (31) that are movably mounted relative to each other in the vertical direction (V), and a mechanically actuable valve (34) is designed such that in the brewing unit (12), the relative movement of the upper part (32) and the lower part (31) away from each other opens the valve (34) and allows, in particular, ventilation of the brewing unit even when it is below the first lower position of the brewing unit (12).

9. The beverage preparation device according to claim 8, characterized in that, the upper part (32) and the lower part (31) are connected to each other by a radial circumferential profile seal (33), and the radial circumferential profile seal (33) causes radial expansion or dilation of the profile seal (33) when the upper part (32) and the lower part (31) move relative to each other towards each other, so as to achieve contact of the profile seal (33) against the inner wall (04) of the beverage substrate holder (03) below the first lower position.

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