Coffee machine integrating functions of powder scattering, powder spreading and powder pressing and powder making process thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a coffee machine and its powder-making process that integrates powder dispersing, powder distribution, and tamping functions, belonging to the field of coffee equipment technology. It includes a grinding mechanism and a powder pouch preparation mechanism. The powder pouch preparation mechanism includes a powder container, a powder-making component, and a drive component. The powder-making component is positioned in the powder transport path between the powder dispensing end and the powder container. The powder-making component includes a main shaft and a first powder-making actuator connected to and rotating on the main shaft. The powder dispensing end is higher than the first powder-making actuator, allowing the powder to fall onto the first powder-making actuator and then into the powder container. By positioning the powder dispensing end above the first powder-making actuator, the powder first falls onto the rotating actuator and is dispersed, solving the problem of localized powder accumulation. Furthermore, the use of three independent drive sources achieves integrated and coordinated powder dispersing, powder distribution, and tamping functions, solving the problem of cumbersome powder-making operations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of coffee equipment technology, specifically relating to a coffee machine that integrates the functions of loosening, distributing, and tamping coffee powder, and its powder making process. Background Technology

[0002] Coffee, a popular beverage worldwide, is widely favored for its significant stimulating and invigorating effects. In professional coffee brewing, the quality of the coffee puck preparation is crucial to the final taste and flavor of the beverage. The core of this process lies in the even distribution, distribution, and tamping of the coffee grounds. A uniform, loose distribution of the coffee grounds and a smooth, consistent tamping effect are essential prerequisites for ensuring that water penetrates the puck evenly during high-pressure extraction, fully releasing the coffee's flavor compounds. Therefore, optimizing the puck preparation process and improving the synergy and uniformity of each step has become a key technical focus in the field of coffee machine design.

[0003] However, current coffee powder preparation technology still has two prominent problems.

[0004] On the one hand, the existing coffee machine's powder dispensing and distribution structure easily leads to uneven powder density. For example, Chinese patent document CN120938247A discloses a coffee extraction device in which the grinding mechanism is connected to the brewing mechanism through a powder dispensing tube, and the tamping component reciprocates within the channel. This solution essentially adopts a "lower-positioned powder dispensing port," meaning that the powder first falls completely into the powder container under gravity and naturally accumulates into a cone, and then the tamping component performs subsequent operations. Even with subsequent powder distribution, this method still cannot fundamentally eliminate the problem of uneven powder density caused by inconsistent initial powder accumulation, thus affecting the uniformity of extraction and the stability of the taste.

[0005] On the other hand, existing integrated devices lack functional completeness and have cumbersome operation steps. For example, Chinese patent document CN117084554B discloses an automatic tamping device that integrates powder distribution and tamping functions, but it does not include a powder-loosening component for breaking up clumps of coffee powder. Without a powder-loosening step, the ground coffee powder is prone to clumping due to static electricity or oils. During high-pressure extraction, this causes a channeling effect in the water flow, resulting in over-extraction of some coffee powder, producing a bitter taste, while under-extraction results in a bland flavor, seriously affecting the coffee's flavor quality. In addition, to achieve a complete powder-loosening, distribution, and tamping process, users often need to use multiple independent tools such as needle powder dispensers, powder spreaders, and tamping hammers in each step. Tool switching is cumbersome, inefficient, and makes it difficult to ensure consistency and standardization for each operation.

[0006] In summary, there is an urgent need in the existing technology for a coffee machine and its powder-making process that can not only solve the problem of uneven powder density at its root, but also highly integrate and coordinate the functions of powder dispersing, powder distribution, and powder tamping. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention addresses the problems existing in the prior art by proposing a coffee machine and its powder-making process that integrates powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions. By placing the powder dispensing end above the powder dispensing structure, this invention fundamentally changes the powder accumulation path, avoiding uneven local density. Simultaneously, through a multi-motor independent drive structure, it integrates the powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions, enabling them to work collaboratively. This solves the technical problems of cumbersome operation steps, scattered tools, and channel effects caused by the lack of a powder dispensing function.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: a coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution and tamping functions, including a grinding mechanism for grinding coffee beans into powder, and a powder preparation mechanism for receiving the powder and preparing a powder cake; the powder preparation mechanism includes a powder container, a powder making component and a driving component, the grinding mechanism has a powder dropping end for discharging powder, and the powder making component is disposed in the powder transport path between the powder dropping end and the powder container; The powder-making assembly includes a main shaft that rotates around its own axis and moves up and down along the axial direction, and a first powder-making actuator connected to the main shaft and rotating therewith; the powder-dropping end is higher than the first powder-making actuator in the vertical direction, so that the powder falls onto the first powder-making actuator and falls into the powder container after being acted upon by it. The drive assembly includes a rotary drive unit, a first lifting drive unit, and a second lifting drive unit; the rotary drive unit is used to drive the main shaft to rotate around its axis; the first lifting drive unit is used to drive the main shaft to move up and down as a whole along its axis; the second lifting drive unit is used to drive a second powder-making actuator to move up and down independently relative to the main shaft; wherein, the second powder-making actuator is movably disposed on the main shaft so that it can extend into or out of the powder container under the drive of the second lifting drive unit to disperse the powder in the powder container.

[0009] This invention solves the problem of localized powder accumulation and uneven density caused by the traditional "lower-positioned powder outlet" by placing the powder dropper of the grinding mechanism above the first powder-making actuator. The powder first falls onto the rotating first powder-making actuator, is then dispersed by it, and then falls evenly into the powder container. Simultaneously, this invention integrates the first and second powder-making actuators onto the same main shaft. Through three independent drive sources—a rotary drive unit, a first lifting drive unit, and a second lifting drive unit—the rotation of the main shaft, the overall lifting, and the independent lifting of the second powder-making actuator are controlled respectively. This achieves integrated and coordinated functions of powder dispersing, powder application, and powder pressing, solving the problems of cumbersome powder-making operations and scattered tools, while also filling the technical gap in existing integrated devices that lack powder dispersing functionality.

[0010] Furthermore, the first powder-making actuator is a powder-distributing plate, which includes a connecting column driven by the main shaft and a plurality of blades radially distributed around the connecting column; the inner end of each blade near the center extends to the connecting column, and its outer end away from the center extends outward; a powder-feeding space is formed between adjacent blades, allowing powder to fall through, and the powder-feeding space connects from the central region to the outer edge region. The powder-distributing plate uses radial blades and forms a powder-feeding space between adjacent blades, so that the powder is evenly discharged from the center to the outer edge when rotating and sweeping the powder, effectively improving the uniformity of powder distribution and reducing local accumulation or gaps in the powder layer.

[0011] Furthermore, the second powder-making actuator is a plurality of powder-dispersing needles. The powder-dispersing sheet has a plurality of perforations. The plurality of powder-dispersing needles extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the main shaft and are correspondingly inserted into the perforations, so that the powder-dispersing needles and the powder-dispersing sheet form a through-hole sliding fit that does not disengage. When the second lifting drive unit drives the powder dispersing needle to descend relative to the main shaft, the powder dispersing needle extends through the perforation to the underside of the powder dispersing sheet, penetrating into the powder layer to stir and disperse the powder. When the second lifting drive unit drives the powder dispersing needle to rise and reset, the end of the needle body does not detach from the perforation of the powder dispersing sheet. Through this penetrating and non-detaching sliding engagement, the powder dispersing needle can descend independently and penetrate deep into the powder layer for thorough stirring, significantly improving the powder dispersion effect. At the same time, it ensures smooth and stable movement when the needle body resets, guaranteeing the flatness of the subsequent powder pressing process.

[0012] Furthermore, the first lifting drive unit drives the main shaft to lift as a whole, so that the powder sheet switches between a first height position and a second height position in the powder conveying path; Both the first and second height positions are vertically lower than the powder-discharging end; the first height position is closer to the bottom of the powder-discharging end, and the second height position is closer to the container inlet of the powder container. By limiting the lifting stroke of the powder disc to a specific area below the powder-discharging end, it receives and rotates to disperse the powder at a higher position and completes the powder pressing at a lower position, fundamentally optimizing the powder discharging path and ensuring powder layer uniformity and powder compactness.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a weighing mechanism mounted on the coffee machine frame; The weighing mechanism includes a weighing sensor and a support base. The support base is a hollow annular structure, including a weighing end and an annular suspension end. The weighing end is fixed to the weighing sensor. The hollow annular opening of the suspension end is used to prevent air from entering the powder-making component. Several longitudinal support columns are arranged circumferentially on the suspension end, passing through the frame from top to bottom and connecting to the powder container. By integrating the weighing mechanism into the coffee machine, the amount of powder falling into the powder container can be monitored in real time during the powder dispensing process, achieving quantitative powder dispensing and ensuring that the amount of coffee puck prepared each time is consistent, further improving the standardization of powder preparation and the stability of the final coffee taste.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotary drive unit includes a main shaft rotary motor, the output shaft of which is connected to the main shaft for driving the main shaft to rotate. Using an independent motor to drive the main shaft rotation results in a simple and reliable transmission structure, ensuring independent power output for powder sweeping and stirring actions.

[0015] Furthermore, the first lifting drive unit includes a spindle lifting motor, a first cylindrical body axially fixed relative to the spindle, and a second cylindrical body threadedly engaged with the first cylindrical body. The output end of the spindle lifting motor is connected to the second cylindrical body for transmission, driving the second cylindrical body to rotate, thereby driving the first cylindrical body and the spindle to lift as a whole through the threaded engagement. The rotational motion of the spindle lifting motor is converted into high-precision overall lifting of the spindle through the threaded engagement, resulting in smooth and controllable transmission.

[0016] Furthermore, the second lifting drive unit includes a powder needle lifting motor, a first tubular body connected to the second pulverizing actuator, and a second tubular body threadedly engaged with the first tubular body. The output end of the powder needle lifting motor is drively connected to the second tubular body, driving the second tubular body to rotate, thereby independently lifting the first tubular body and the second pulverizing actuator along the axial direction of the main shaft through the threaded engagement. The second pulverizing actuator is controlled by an independent motor for lifting, making its extension and retraction movements independent of the main shaft movement, realizing the separate control of stirring and dispersing and pulverizing actions, resulting in a compact structure and high coordination of movements.

[0017] Furthermore, the rotation paths of all the powder needles revolve around the same center, forming multiple nested concentric circles with equal radial spacing between adjacent circles. Radially, from the center outwards, all the powder needles within a finite angle around the center constitute a needle group, and adjacent powder needles are sequentially arranged around the center in each needle group. Powder needles within the same group are distributed in an arc shape, and all needle groups are arranged in a spiral pattern. This specific spiral arrangement of the powder needles ensures that during rotational mixing, the powder needles can cover the entire powder layer within the container without any gaps, avoiding blind spots and achieving a comprehensive, highly uniform, deep powder distribution effect.

[0018] A coffee maker powder preparation process integrating loose powder, powder distribution, and tamping functions, applied to the coffee machine described above, includes the following steps: After grinding, the powder is output through the powder dropping end of the grinding mechanism and falls onto the first powder making actuator in the powder conveying path. The powder dropping end is always higher than the first powder making actuator in the vertical direction. In the first powder dispersing stage, the main shaft is driven to rotate by the rotary drive unit and is at a first height position near the powder falling end driven by the first lifting drive unit. The first powder making actuator rotates with the main shaft, so that the falling powder is evenly distributed in the powder container after being acted upon by it. In the second stirring stage, the second powder-making actuator is independently driven by the second lifting drive unit, descends relative to the main shaft and extends into the powder inside the powder container to stir and disperse the powder. In the third powder pressing stage, after the powder falling is completed, the second powder making actuator is driven to rise and reset by the second lifting drive unit and is pulled away from the powder container; simultaneously, the main shaft is driven to fall as a whole by the first lifting drive unit, which drives the first powder making actuator, which is in a rotating state, to fall from the first height position to the second height position near the inlet end of the powder container, while rotating to sweep the powder and applying downward pressure to press the powder into a powder cake.

[0019] In the aforementioned powder-making process, through the orderly connection of three stages, with the powder-dropping end always higher than the first powder-making actuator, the rotating first powder-making actuator first achieves uniform powder spreading, then the independently descending second powder-making actuator deeply disperses the powder, and finally, the rotating powder pressing is completed while the second powder-making actuator resets. This process highly integrates powder spreading, stirring, and pressing into a continuous action, and with the help of independent motor drives, it achieves precise coordination and seamless switching between stages, significantly improving the uniformity, compactness, and production efficiency of the powder cake.

[0020] Beneficial effects: This invention solves the problem of localized powder accumulation and uneven density caused by the traditional "lower-positioned powder outlet" by placing the powder dropper of the grinding mechanism above the first powder-making actuator. The powder first falls onto the rotating first powder-making actuator, is then dispersed by it, and then falls evenly into the powder container. Simultaneously, this invention integrates the first and second powder-making actuators onto the same main shaft. Through three independent drive sources—a rotary drive unit, a first lifting drive unit, and a second lifting drive unit—the rotation of the main shaft, the overall lifting, and the independent lifting of the second powder-making actuator are controlled respectively. This achieves integrated and coordinated functions of powder dispersing, powder application, and powder pressing, solving the problems of cumbersome powder-making operations and scattered tools, while also filling the technical gap in existing integrated devices that lack powder dispersing functionality. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the coffee machine of the present invention; Figure 2 A side view of the powder preparation mechanism of the invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the AA-direction cross-section; Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the powder-making component and the driving component of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the powder-making component of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a top view of the powder sheet of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the powder sheet of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a front view of the powder sheet of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of the powder needle holder and the powder dispersing needle of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the powder-making component and the driving component of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the powder-making process of the present invention; Figure label: F1, coffee machine; F2, coffee powder preparation mechanism; 100. Powder making component; 200. Powder container; 300. Drive component; 1. Spindle; 2. Powder sheet; 21. Perforation; 22. Connecting post; 23. Blade; 231. Pressing surface; 232. Pushing surface; 233. Pouring surface; 24. Powder dispensing space; 25. Protrusion; 3. Powder needle holder; 3a. Mounting base; 3b. Tubular base; 31. Cantilever; 32. Groove; 33. Through hole; 34. Polygonal prism hole; 4. Powder needle; 41. Stop end; 42. Needle body; 4a. Needle assembly; 5. Frame; 5a. First slide rail; 5b. Second slide rail; 5c. Housing; 61. Rotary drive unit; 611. Main shaft rotary motor; 612. First driving wheel; 613. First driven wheel; 62. First lifting drive unit; 621. Main shaft lifting motor; 622. Second driving wheel; 623. Second driven wheel; 624. First cylindrical body; 6241. First external threaded part; 625. Second cylindrical body; 6251. First internal threaded part; 63. Second lifting drive unit; 631. Powder needle lifting motor; 632. Third driving wheel; 633. Third driven wheel; 634. First tubular body; 6341. Second external threaded part; 635. Second tubular body; 6351. Second internal threaded part; 636. Transition piece; 7. Powdering cylinder; 71. Powdering chamber; 72. Powder dropping end; 8. Weighing mechanism; 81. Weighing sensor; 82. Support base; 821. Weighing end; 822. Suspension end; 83. Support column. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the term "a number" means "at least one", and the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0024] Example: like Figures 1-11 As shown, a coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions includes a grinding mechanism for grinding coffee beans into powder and a cake-making mechanism for receiving the powder and preparing the cake. The cake-making mechanism includes a powder container 200, a powder-making component 100, and a drive component 300. The grinding mechanism has a powder-discharging end 72 for discharging powder, and the powder-making component 100 is disposed in the powder transport path between the powder-discharging end 72 and the powder container 200. Specifically, the cake-making mechanism also includes a powder-making cylinder 7, which has a hollow powder-making chamber 71. The powder-discharging end 72 is a discharge port formed on the wall of the powder-making chamber 71 for communicating with the grinding mechanism. The powder container 200 is disposed at the bottom of the powder-making chamber 71, and the powder-making component 100 is at least partially housed in the powder-making chamber 71.

[0025] The powder-making assembly 100 includes a main shaft 1 that rotates around its own axis and moves up and down along the axial direction, and a first powder-making actuator connected to the main shaft 1 and rotating therewith. The powder-dropping end 72 is higher than the first powder-making actuator in the vertical direction, so that the powder falls onto the first powder-making actuator and, after being acted upon by it, falls into the powder container 200. The rotation drive unit 61, the first lifting drive unit 62, and the second lifting drive unit 63 are all mounted on the frame 5 of the coffee machine. The frame 5 is a fixed frame structure used to support and position the various moving parts, and a housing 5c ​​can be enclosed outside it.

[0026] The drive assembly 300 includes a rotary drive unit 61, a first lifting drive unit 62, and a second lifting drive unit 63. The rotary drive unit 61 drives the main shaft 1 to rotate around its axis. The first lifting drive unit 62 drives the main shaft 1 to move up and down along its axis. The second lifting drive unit 63 drives a second powder-making actuator to move up and down independently relative to the main shaft 1. The second powder-making actuator is movably mounted on the main shaft 1 so that it can extend into or out of the powder container 200 under the drive of the second lifting drive unit 63 to disperse the powder in the powder container 200.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first powder-making actuator is a powder-distributing plate 2, which includes a connecting column 22 driven by the main shaft 1, and a plurality of blades 23 radially distributed around the connecting column 22. The inner end of each blade 23 near the center extends to the connecting column 22, and its outer end away from the center extends outward. A powder-feeding space 24 is formed between adjacent blades 23, through which powder can fall and pass, and the powder-feeding space 24 connects from the central region to the outer edge region. The powder-distributing plate 2 uses radial blades 23 and forms a powder-feeding space 24 between adjacent blades 23. When rotating to sweep powder, the powder is evenly discharged from the center to the outer edge, effectively improving the uniformity of powder distribution and reducing local accumulation or gaps in the powder layer. The plurality of blades 23 can extend outward along an arc in the same direction of rotation, so that the plurality of blades 23 are distributed in a spiral radial pattern; or extend outward along a radial straight line, so that the plurality of blades 23 are distributed in a radial pattern. The upper surface of the blade 23 is inclined from one side to the other, forming a powder-receiving surface 233 for guiding the powder to slide into the powder-feeding space 24. The bottom surface of each blade 23 has at least one flat powder-pressing surface 231, which extends outward from the connecting post 22 along the extension direction of the blade 23; one side of the powder-pressing surface 231 extends obliquely upward, forming a powder-pushing surface 232 with an arc-shaped surface or an inclined surface, so as to apply a downward powder-pressing force to the powder when rotating and sweeping.

[0028] In this embodiment, the second powder-making actuator is a plurality of powder-dispersing needles 4. The powder-dispersing needles 4 are integrated and mounted on a powder needle holder 3. The powder needle holder 3 is slidably sleeved on the main shaft 1 and is connected to the second lifting drive unit 63. The powder-dispersing sheet 2 has a plurality of through holes 21. The plurality of powder-dispersing needles 4 extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the main shaft 1 and are correspondingly inserted into the through holes 21, so that the powder-dispersing needles 4 and the powder-dispersing sheet 2 form a through-hole sliding fit that does not disengage. Specifically, each powder-dispersing needle 4 has a locking end 41 at the top and a needle body 42 extending downward from the locking end 41. The upper end surface of the powder needle holder 3 has a groove 32 corresponding to the number of powder-dispersing needles 4. The bottom of each groove 32 has a through hole 33. The needle body 42 is inserted into the through hole 33 from top to bottom, and the locking end 41 is engaged in the groove 32 to achieve the fixed installation of the powder-dispersing needles 4.

[0029] The powder needle holder 3 includes a mounting base 3a, with a tubular base 3b at the center of the mounting base 3a. The tubular base 3b has several cantilever arms 31 circumferentially, and the distribution shape of the cantilever arms 31 is adapted to the radial shape of the powder sheet 2. Multiple powder needles 4 are spaced apart on each cantilever arm 31 along its extension direction. The main shaft 1 has at least one section of a polygonal prism. The tubular base 3b of the powder needle holder 3 has a polygonal prism hole 34 adapted to the polygonal prism. The powder needle holder 3 slides axially with the main shaft 1 through the polygonal prism hole 34 and rotates synchronously with the main shaft 1.

[0030] When the second lifting drive unit 63 drives the powder dispersing needle 4 to descend relative to the main shaft 1, the powder dispersing needle 4 extends through the perforation 21 to the bottom of the powder dispersing sheet 2 to penetrate into the powder layer and stir the powder. When the second lifting drive unit 63 drives the powder dispersing needle 4 to rise and reset, the end of the needle body 42 of the powder dispersing needle 4 does not detach from the perforation 21 of the powder dispersing sheet 2. Through a through-and-non-detaching sliding fit, the powder dispersing needle 4 can descend independently and penetrate deep into the powder layer for thorough stirring, significantly improving the powder dispersing effect, while ensuring that the needle body 42 moves smoothly and stably when resetting, ensuring the flatness of the subsequent powder pressing process. Preferably, the powder dispersing sheet 2 has an upwardly protruding protrusion 25 at the position corresponding to each of the perforations 21, and the perforation 21 penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the protrusion 25 in a vertical direction; each powder dispersing needle 4 forms a slidable guide fit with the perforation 21 of the corresponding protrusion 25 to increase the guide length for the lifting and sliding of the powder dispersing needle 4 and improve the stability of the movement.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first lifting drive unit 62 drives the main shaft 1 to lift as a whole, so that the powder sheet 2 switches between a first height position and a second height position in the powder conveying path; Both the first and second height positions are vertically lower than the powder-discharging end 72; the first height position is closer to the bottom of the powder-discharging end 72, and the second height position is closer to the container inlet of the powder container 200. By limiting the lifting stroke of the powder disc 2 to a specific area below the powder-discharging end 72, it receives and rotates to disperse the powder at a higher position and completes the powder pressing at a lower position, fundamentally optimizing the powder discharging path and ensuring powder layer uniformity and powder compactness.

[0032] In this embodiment, a weighing mechanism 8 is also provided on the coffee machine frame 5; The weighing mechanism 8 includes a weighing sensor 81 and a support base 82. The support base 82 is a hollow annular structure, including a weighing end 821 and an annular suspension end 822. The weighing end 821 is fixed to the weighing sensor 81. The hollow annular opening of the suspension end 822 is used to prevent air from entering the powder-making assembly 100. Several longitudinal support columns 83 are arranged circumferentially on the suspension end 822. The support columns 83 pass through the frame 5 from top to bottom and are connected to the powder container 200. By integrating the weighing mechanism 8 into the coffee machine, the amount of powder falling into the powder container 200 can be monitored in real time during the powder dispensing process, achieving quantitative powder dispensing and ensuring that the amount of coffee cake prepared each time is consistent, further improving the standardization of powder making and the stability of the final coffee taste.

[0033] In this embodiment, the drive assembly 300 will be described in detail. The drive assembly 300 includes a rotary drive unit 61, a first lifting drive unit 62, and a second lifting drive unit 63. The three drive units are powered by independent motors, realizing separate control of the motion.

[0034] The rotary drive unit 61 includes a main shaft rotary motor 611, the output shaft of which is connected to the main shaft 1 to drive the main shaft 1 to rotate. The first driving wheel 612 and the first driven wheel 613 can be meshing gears to achieve speed increase or decrease transmission; alternatively, they can be pulleys connected by a transmission belt; or they can be friction wheels to transmit power through frictional contact. When the main shaft rotary motor 611 is working, its output shaft drives the main shaft 1 to rotate around its own axis through the meshing transmission of the first driving wheel 612 and the first driven wheel 613, simultaneously driving the powder-dispersing sheet 2 and the powder needle seat 3 connected to the main shaft 1 to rotate as a whole. Using an independent motor to drive the rotation of the main shaft 1 results in a simple and reliable transmission structure, ensuring independent power output for powder sweeping and stirring actions.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first lifting drive unit 62 includes a main shaft lifting motor 621, a first cylindrical body 624 axially fixed relative to the main shaft 1, and a second cylindrical body 625 threadedly engaged with the first cylindrical body 624. The output end of the main shaft lifting motor 621 is connected to the second cylindrical body 625, driving the second cylindrical body 625 to rotate, thereby driving the first cylindrical body 624 and the main shaft 1 to lift as a whole through the threaded engagement. The rotational motion of the main shaft lifting motor 621 is converted into high-precision overall lifting of the main shaft 1 through the threaded engagement, resulting in smooth and controllable transmission. Specifically, the first cylindrical body 624 is engaged and sleeved on the main shaft 1 by two upper and lower retaining springs, so that the first cylindrical body 624 is axially fixed relative to the main shaft 1 and can lift synchronously with the main shaft 1; the outer wall of the first cylindrical body 624 is provided with a first external thread 6241. The first cylindrical body 624 is further fitted with a second cylindrical body 625, which is rotatably mounted on the frame 5, fixing it along the axial direction of the main shaft 1 and allowing it to rotate only circumferentially. The inner wall of the second cylindrical body 625 is provided with a first internal thread 6251 that mates with the first external thread 6241. A second driving wheel 622 is provided on the output shaft of the main shaft lifting motor 621, and a second driven wheel 623 is fixed on the outer wall of the second cylindrical body 625. The second driving wheel 622 and the second driven wheel 623 are connected in a transmission manner. When the main shaft lifting motor 621 is working, it drives the second cylindrical body 625 to rotate. Under the action of the threaded engagement, the first cylindrical body 624 is restricted circumferentially and can only move linearly along the axial direction, thereby driving the main shaft 1 to rise or fall as a whole. The outer wall of the first cylindrical body 624 has a polygonal prism surface, which engages with the first sliding groove 5a correspondingly provided on the frame 5 to circumferentially limit the first cylindrical body 624 during the lifting process and guide it to move linearly only along the axial direction.

[0036] In this embodiment, the second lifting drive unit 63 includes a powder needle lifting motor 631, a first tubular body 634 connected to the second powder-making actuator, and a second tubular body 635 threadedly engaged with the first tubular body 634. The output end of the powder needle lifting motor 631 is drively connected to the second tubular body 635, driving the second tubular body 635 to rotate, thereby driving the first tubular body 634 and the second powder-making actuator to independently lift and lower along the axial direction of the main shaft 1 through the threaded engagement. The second powder-making actuator is controlled by an independent motor for lifting and lowering, making its extension and retraction movements independent of the main shaft 1, realizing the separate control of stirring and dispersing and powder pressing actions, with a compact structure and high coordination of movements. Specifically, the first tubular body 634 is also sleeved on the main shaft 1, the first tubular body 634 is located above the powder needle seat 3, and is connected to the powder needle seat 3 through a transition piece 636. The outer wall of the first tubular body 634 is provided with a second external threaded portion 6341, and a second tubular body 635 is also sleeved on its exterior. The second tubular body 635 is rotatably mounted on the frame 5, so that it is fixed along the axial direction of the main shaft 1 and can only rotate around the circumference. The inner wall of the second tubular body 635 is provided with a second internal threaded portion 6351 that cooperates with the second external threaded portion 6341. A third driving wheel 632 is provided on the output shaft of the powder needle lifting motor 631, and a third driven wheel 633 is fixed on the outer wall of the second tubular body 635. The third driving wheel 632 and the third driven wheel 633 are connected in a transmission manner. When the powder needle lifting motor 631 is working, it drives the second tubular body 635 to rotate. Under the action of the threaded engagement, the first tubular body 634 can only move linearly along the axial direction because the circumference is restricted. Thus, through the transition piece 636, it drives the powder needle seat 3 and the powder dispersing needle 4 to rise or fall independently along the axial direction of the main shaft 1. The upper part of the first tubular body 634 is polygonal and fits into the corresponding second sliding groove 5b on the frame 5 to circumferentially limit the first tubular body 634 during lifting and guiding it to move linearly only along the axial direction. The transition member 636 is flange-shaped and rotatably connected to the lower end of the first tubular body 634. The lower end face of the transition member 636 is fixedly connected to the seat of the powder needle holder 3, so that the first tubular body 634 can drive the powder needle holder 3 to lift and lower together, while the powder needle holder 3 can rotate freely relative to the first tubular body 634 around the axis of the main shaft 1. Through the above structure, the lifting and rotating motions of the powder needle holder 3 are decoupled: while the powder needle holder 3 rotates synchronously with the main shaft 1, its lifting and lowering actions are independently controlled by the powder needle lifting motor 631, without interference.

[0037] In this embodiment, the rotation paths of all the powder needles 4 revolve around the same center, forming multiple concentric circles nested within each other, with adjacent concentric circles having equal radial spacing. Radially outward from the center, all the powder needles 4 within a limited angle around the center constitute a needle group 4a, and two adjacent powder needles 4 are sequentially arranged around the center in each needle group 4a. The powder needles 4 within the same needle group 4a are distributed in an arc shape, and all needle groups 4a are arranged in a spiral pattern. Preferably, there are 2-8 needle groups 4a, and in this embodiment, 4 are preferred. The powder needles 4 are arranged sequentially around the center in each needle group 4a, from shortest to longest, according to their distance from the center. This specific spiral arrangement of the powder needles 4 ensures that during rotational stirring, the powder needles 4 can cover the entire powder layer within the powder container 200 without any omissions, avoiding stirring blind spots and achieving a comprehensive, highly uniform deep powder distribution effect.

[0038] This embodiment also provides a coffee machine powder preparation process that integrates powder dispensing, powder distribution, and powder tamping functions, applied to the coffee machine described above, including the following steps: After grinding, the powder is output through the powder dropping end 72 of the grinding mechanism and falls onto the first powder making actuator in the powder conveying path. The powder dropping end 72 is always higher than the first powder making actuator in the vertical direction. In the first powder dispersing stage, the main shaft 1 is driven to rotate by the rotary drive unit 61 and is at a first height position driven by the first lifting drive unit 62 near the powder falling end 72. The first powder making actuator rotates with the main shaft 1, so that the falling powder is evenly distributed in the powder container 200 after being acted upon by it. In the second stirring stage, the second powder making actuator is independently driven by the second lifting drive unit 63, descends relative to the main shaft 1 and extends into the powder inside the powder container 200 to stir and disperse the powder. In the third powder pressing stage, after the powder falling is completed, the second powder making actuator is driven to rise and reset by the second lifting drive unit 63, and is pulled away from the powder container 200; simultaneously, the main shaft 1 is driven to fall as a whole by the first lifting drive unit 62, which drives the first powder making actuator, which is in a rotating state, to fall from the first height position to the second height position near the inlet end of the powder container 200, while rotating and sweeping the powder and applying downward pressure to press the powder into a powder cake.

[0039] It should be noted that, since the powder needle seat 3 slides axially with the polygonal prism of the main shaft 1 through the polygonal prism hole 34, the main shaft 1 always drives the powder needle seat 3 and the powder dispersing needle 4 to rotate synchronously in the above three stages. At the same time, the first tubular body 634 is connected to the powder needle seat 3 through the transition piece 636. The rotating connection structure of the transition piece 636 allows the powder needle seat 3 to receive the axial push and pull force transmitted by the first tubular body 634 and move up and down independently while rotating with the main shaft 1, thereby realizing the coordination and separation of the stirring action of the powder dispersing needle 4 and the rotating sweeping and pressing action of the powder dispersing sheet 2.

[0040] This embodiment addresses the problem of localized powder accumulation and uneven density caused by the traditional "lower-positioned powder outlet" design by placing the powder drop end 72 of the grinding mechanism above the first powder-making actuator. The powder first falls onto the rotating first powder-making actuator, is then dispersed by it, and finally falls evenly into the powder container 200. This fundamentally solves the problem. Furthermore, this embodiment integrates the first and second powder-making actuators onto the same main shaft 1. Three independent drive sources—rotation drive 61, first lifting drive 62, and second lifting drive 63—control the rotation of the main shaft 1, the overall lifting, and the independent lifting of the second powder-making actuator, respectively. This achieves integrated and coordinated functions of powder dispersing, powder application, and powder pressing, solving the problems of cumbersome powder-making operations and scattered tools, while also filling the technical gap in existing integrated devices that lack powder dispersing functionality.

[0041] In the aforementioned powder-making process, through the orderly connection of three stages, with the powder-dropping end 72 always higher than the first powder-making actuator, the rotating first powder-making actuator first achieves uniform powder spreading, then the independently descending second powder-making actuator deeply disperses the powder, and finally, the rotating powder pressing is completed while the second powder-making actuator resets. This process highly integrates powder spreading, stirring, and pressing into a continuous action, and with the help of an independent motor drive, it achieves precise coordination and seamless switching between stages, significantly improving the uniformity, compactness, and production efficiency of the powder cake.

[0042] Based on the disclosure and teachings of the foregoing specification, those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications to the above embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and described above, and some modifications and changes to the invention should also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention. Furthermore, although some specific terms are used in this specification, these terms are only for convenience of explanation and do not constitute any limitation on the present invention.

Claims

1. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions, comprising a grinding mechanism for grinding coffee beans into powder, and a puck preparation mechanism for receiving the powder and preparing a puck; the puck preparation mechanism includes a powder container, a powder-making component, and a drive component; the grinding mechanism has a powder-discharging end for discharging powder, and the powder-making component is disposed in the powder transport path between the powder-discharging end and the powder container; characterized in that: The powder-making assembly includes a main shaft that rotates around its own axis and moves up and down along the axial direction, and a first powder-making actuator connected to the main shaft and rotating therewith; the powder-dropping end is higher than the first powder-making actuator in the vertical direction, so that the powder falls onto the first powder-making actuator and falls into the powder container after being acted upon by it. The drive assembly includes a rotary drive unit, a first lifting drive unit, and a second lifting drive unit; the rotary drive unit is used to drive the main shaft to rotate around its axis. The first lifting drive unit is used to drive the main shaft to move up and down as a whole along its axial direction; the second lifting drive unit is used to drive a second powder-making actuator to move up and down independently relative to the main shaft; wherein, the second powder-making actuator is movably disposed on the main shaft so that it can extend into or out of the powder container under the drive of the second lifting drive unit to disperse the powder in the powder container.

2. The coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first powder-making actuator is a powder-dispersing plate, which includes a connecting column driven by the main shaft and a plurality of blades radially distributed around the connecting column; the inner end of each blade near the center extends to the connecting column, and the outer end away from the center extends outward; a powder-feeding space is formed between two adjacent blades, through which powder can fall, and the powder-feeding space is connected from the central region to the outer edge region.

3. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second powder-making actuator is a plurality of powder-dispersing needles. The powder-dispersing sheet has a plurality of through holes. The plurality of powder-dispersing needles extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the main shaft and are correspondingly inserted into the through holes, so that the powder-dispersing needles and the powder-dispersing sheet form a through-hole sliding fit that does not disengage. When the second lifting drive unit drives the powder dispersing needle to descend relative to the main shaft, the powder dispersing needle extends through the perforation to the bottom of the powder dispersing sheet to penetrate into the powder layer and stir the powder; when the second lifting drive unit drives the powder dispersing needle to rise and reset, the end of the powder dispersing needle does not detach from the perforation of the powder dispersing sheet.

4. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first lifting drive unit drives the main shaft to lift as a whole, so that the powder sheet switches between a first height position and a second height position in the powder transport path; Both the first height position and the second height position are lower than the powder dropping end in the vertical direction; wherein, the first height position is close to the bottom of the powder dropping end, and the second height position is close to the container inlet end of the powder container.

5. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a weighing mechanism mounted on the coffee machine frame; The weighing mechanism includes a weighing sensor and a support base. The support base is a hollow annular structure, including a weighing end and an annular suspension end. The weighing end is fixed to the weighing sensor. The hollow annular opening of the suspension end is used to prevent air from entering the pulverizing component. The suspension end is provided with several longitudinal support columns in the circumference. The support columns pass through the frame from top to bottom and are connected to the powder container.

6. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary drive unit includes a spindle rotary motor, the output shaft of which is connected to the spindle drive to drive the spindle to rotate.

7. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first lifting drive unit includes a main shaft lifting motor, a first cylindrical body that is axially fixed relative to the main shaft, and a second cylindrical body that is threadedly engaged with the first cylindrical body; the output end of the main shaft lifting motor is connected to the second cylindrical body for transmission, driving the second cylindrical body to rotate, so as to drive the first cylindrical body and the main shaft to lift as a whole through the threaded engagement.

8. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second lifting drive unit includes a powder needle lifting motor, a first tubular body connected to the second powder making actuator, and a second tubular body threadedly engaged with the first tubular body; the output end of the powder needle lifting motor is drivenly connected to the second tubular body, driving the second tubular body to rotate, so as to drive the first tubular body and the second powder making actuator to lift independently along the axial direction of the main shaft through the threaded engagement.

9. A coffee machine integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and tamping functions according to claim 3, characterized in that, All the powder needles rotate around the same center, forming multiple concentric circles nested inside and outside, and the radial spacing between adjacent concentric circles is equal; all the powder needles within a limited angle around the center form a needle group, and two adjacent powder needles are arranged in each needle group around the center in sequence; the powder needles in the same needle group are distributed in an arc, and all needle groups are arranged in a spiral.

10. A coffee machine powdering process integrating powder dispensing, powder distribution, and powder tamping functions, applied to a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: After grinding, the powder is output through the powder dropping end of the grinding mechanism and falls onto the first powder making actuator in the powder conveying path. The powder dropping end is always higher than the first powder making actuator in the vertical direction. In the first powder dispersing stage, the main shaft is driven to rotate by the rotary drive unit and is at a first height position near the powder falling end driven by the first lifting drive unit. The first powder making actuator rotates with the main shaft, so that the falling powder is evenly distributed in the powder container after being acted upon by it. In the second stirring stage, the second powder-making actuator is independently driven by the second lifting drive unit, descends relative to the main shaft and extends into the powder inside the powder container to stir and disperse the powder. In the third powder pressing stage, after the powder falling is completed, the second powder making actuator is driven to rise and reset by the second lifting drive unit and is pulled away from the powder container; simultaneously, the main shaft is driven to fall as a whole by the first lifting drive unit, which drives the first powder making actuator, which is in a rotating state, to fall from the first height position to the second height position near the inlet end of the powder container, while rotating to sweep the powder and applying downward pressure to press the powder into a powder cake.

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