Pressure-adjustable espresso coffee machine powder bowl

Abstract

This invention discloses a pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter, comprising a funnel, a filter cup and a distributor disposed within the funnel. The key feature is the inclusion of a ball valve assembly between the first outlet of the filter cup and the distributor. The ball valve assembly includes a valve body, a first sealing ring, a pressure regulating block, a ball valve core, and a ball valve spring. The valve body has an inner cavity with a valve hole at the top and an opening at the bottom. An internal thread is formed on the lower inner wall of the inner cavity and connects to the external thread of the pressure regulating block. The pressure regulating block has a vertically penetrating channel, allowing coffee liquid to exit after passing through the valve hole in the inner cavity and the vertical channel of the pressure regulating block. This design utilizes the portafilter's own flow-limiting structure to regulate the back pressure at the rear end without disassembling the espresso machine's water circuit or pump body. The portafilter structure allows for a stable output of 8-9 BAR extraction pressure, making it compatible with various home espresso machines with fixed pump pressures, demonstrating strong hardware versatility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of coffee machine components technology, and more specifically, to a pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technology, espresso machines rely on high-pressure hot water (e.g., 9 bar) to rapidly penetrate finely ground coffee powder within 25-30 seconds to extract espresso, the base for specialty coffees like lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos. The portafilter in an espresso machine is a stainless steel filter bowl embedded inside the portafilter, serving as the container for the coffee powder and the channel through which water flows for extraction. The flavor of coffee is significantly influenced by extraction pressure. Extraction pressure specifically refers to the effective water pressure acting on the coffee puck. Pressure essentially drives the hot water to penetrate the coffee powder; its magnitude directly alters the water penetration speed, the rate of substance extraction, and the extraction sequence of soluble substances, ultimately determining the nuances of acidity, sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, strength, and body of the flavor. In the extraction and milk frothing processes of classic Italian beverages like lattes and cappuccinos, the filter needs to consistently output an extraction pressure of 8-9 bar to fully extract the rich, creamy coffee oils, resulting in a complex and layered drinking experience. Currently, most commercially available espresso portafilters suffer from a fixed and limited extraction pressure with no adjustable range. They lack flexibility in adapting to different coffee beans, roast levels, and extraction schemes, limiting their practical use. The portafilters themselves cannot directly adjust the extraction pressure of the espresso machine. Although some portafilters employ a dual-layer pressurization structure to increase the extraction pressure, they themselves cannot adjust the extraction pressure. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: An adjustable pressure espresso machine portafilter includes a funnel, a filter cup and a distributor disposed within the funnel, characterized in that: a ball valve assembly is designed between the first outlet of the filter cup and the distributor, the ball valve assembly including a valve body, a first sealing ring, a pressure regulating block, a ball valve core, and a ball valve spring, the valve body having an inner cavity, a valve hole at the top of the inner cavity, an opening at the bottom of the inner cavity, an internal thread on the lower inner wall of the inner cavity that connects to the external thread of the pressure regulating block, and the pressure regulating block having a vertical channel running vertically through it, allowing coffee liquid to be discharged after passing through the valve hole of the inner cavity and the vertical channel of the pressure regulating block.

[0005] The ball valve core and the ball valve spring are disposed in the inner cavity of the valve body. The vertical channel has a first step. One end of the ball valve spring presses against the first step, and the other end pushes the ball valve core to close the valve orifice.

[0006] The filter cup includes an upper filter screen and a lower filter screen. The upper filter screen has multiple mesh openings, and the first liquid outlet is located at the center of the lower filter screen.

[0007] The valve body is provided with a horizontally protruding pressure flange, the lower filter screen is provided with a recessed platform at its center, the main body of the valve body extends from the first liquid outlet provided on the recessed platform, the pressure flange covers the edge of the first liquid outlet, and the first sealing ring is provided between the recessed platform and the pressure flange.

[0008] Install a nut on the main body of the valve body to lock the valve body onto the filter cup.

[0009] The valve body is welded to the lower filter screen.

[0010] The distributor is provided with a recess, which is connected to the liquid outlet channel of the distributor. The center of the recess has a central top ring, which has a side wall notch. A baffle is provided outside the side wall notch. The side wall notch and the baffle form a first outflow channel for coffee liquid. The coffee liquid leaves from the first outflow channel, enters the liquid outlet channel, and finally leaves from the distributor outlet.

[0011] A mounting truncated cone is provided on the periphery of the recess, and a central extension is mounted on the mounting truncated cone. The central extension has a basin-shaped ring and a mounting arm that connects to the basin-shaped ring. A mounting post is provided below the mounting arm. The mounting post is positioned and engaged with the mounting truncated cone. The basin-shaped ring is connected to the central top ring.

[0012] The above technical solution has the following beneficial effects: Traditional models can only change the extraction pressure by modifying the pump pressure through the pressure regulating valve and electronic control program of the whole machine. This is difficult and costly to improve. This solution relies on the flow limiting structure of the portafilter to adjust the back pressure at the rear end. It does not disassemble the water circuit and pump body of the coffee machine. Through the portafilter structure, it can stably output an extraction pressure of 8-9 BAR. It is compatible with various home coffee machines with fixed pump pressure and has extremely strong hardware versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0014] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the coffee maker's powder container in the present invention; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the coffee maker's powder container in the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the coffee maker's powder container in the present invention. Figure 4 for Figure 1 Exploded view. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these descriptions are for the purpose of aiding understanding the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0017] See Figures 1-4 As shown, this invention discloses a pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter, including a funnel 8, a handle 10, a filter cup 9 arranged vertically within the funnel, and a distributor 6. A ball valve assembly is designed between the first outlet of the filter cup and the distributor. The ball valve assembly includes a valve body 1, a first sealing ring 2, a pressure regulating block 5, a ball valve core 7, and a ball valve spring. The valve body 1 has an inner cavity with a valve hole at the top and an opening at the bottom. The lower inner wall of the inner cavity has an internal thread that connects to the external thread of the pressure regulating block 5. Adjusting the threaded connection depth of the pressure regulating block 5 relative to the inner cavity changes the depth of the inner cavity. The ball valve core and the ball valve spring are disposed within the inner cavity of the valve body. One end of the ball valve spring presses against the pressure regulating block 5, and the other end pushes the ball valve core to close the valve hole. The pressure regulating block 5 has a vertical channel running vertically through the machine, allowing coffee liquid to drain. This vertical channel has a first step, which provides physical support for the ball valve spring, i.e., the ball valve spring presses against the first step. The ball valve core is a spherical structure with a diameter larger than that of the ball valve spring.

[0018] When the pressure inside the filter cup 9 exceeds the pushing force of the ball valve spring, the ball valve core 7 moves downward, the valve orifice opens, and the coffee liquid enters the inner cavity of the valve body from the filter cup, and then leaves the coffee machine's powder container through the liquid outlet channel of the distributor 6. Since the connection height between the pressure regulating block 5 and the valve body 1 is adjustable, the operator can use a tool to rotate the pressure regulating block to change the thread engagement depth, thereby compressing the ball valve spring and adjusting the spring preload. The axial thrust generated by the spring presses the ball valve core tightly against the valve orifice. By changing the spring force, the extraction pressure can be continuously adjusted.

[0019] The filter cup 9 has a double-layer structure. The upper filter screen has multiple mesh openings, and the first outlet is located at the center of the lower filter screen. The valve body 1 has a pressure flange, and the first sealing ring 2 is placed between the pressure flange and the first outlet. The lower filter screen and the valve body 1 can be fixed together by welding, or the valve body 1 can be locked to the filter cup 9 by a nut 3. After the valve body and the lower filter screen are fixed, the upper filter screen forms an integral structure with the lower filter screen by welding. Furthermore, a recessed platform is provided at the center of the lower filter screen. The main body of the valve body extends from the first outlet on the recessed platform, and the pressure flange covers the edge of the first outlet. The first sealing ring is placed between the recessed platform and the pressure flange.

[0020] The distributor 6 has a recess 69 that communicates with the outlet channel 65. The recess 69 has a central top ring 61 at its center, and a first receiving portion 60 is formed at the bottom of the central top ring. The central top ring has a side wall notch, and a baffle 62 is provided outside the side wall notch. The side wall notch and the baffle 62 form a first outlet channel for the coffee liquid. The coffee liquid leaves the first outlet channel, enters the outlet channel 65, and finally exits from the distributor outlet 66. A pair of symmetrical mounting truncated cones 63 are provided around the recess 69 of the distributor 6. A central extension 4 is mounted on the mounting truncated cones 63. The central extension 4 has a hollow basin-shaped ring 40 and mounting arms 41 on both sides. Mounting posts 411 are provided below the mounting arms 41 and are positioned and engaged with the mounting truncated cones 63. The basin-shaped ring 40 connects to the central top ring 61, preventing coffee liquid from splashing out.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and these variations still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter, comprising a funnel, a filter cup and a distributor disposed within the funnel, characterized in that: A ball valve assembly is designed between the first outlet of the filter cup and the distributor. The ball valve assembly includes a valve body, a first sealing ring, a pressure regulating block, a ball valve core, and a ball valve spring. The valve body has an inner cavity with a valve hole at the top and an opening at the bottom. The lower inner wall of the inner cavity has an internal thread that connects to the external thread of the pressure regulating block. The pressure regulating block has a vertical channel that runs through the entire length of the filter cup, allowing the coffee liquid to be discharged after passing through the valve hole of the inner cavity and the vertical channel of the pressure regulating block.

2. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ball valve core and the ball valve spring are disposed in the inner cavity of the valve body. The vertical channel has a first step. One end of the ball valve spring presses against the first step, and the other end pushes the ball valve core to close the valve orifice.

3. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The filter cup includes an upper filter screen and a lower filter screen. The upper filter screen has multiple mesh openings, and the first liquid outlet is located at the center of the lower filter screen.

4. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 3, characterized in that: The valve body is provided with a horizontally protruding pressure flange, the lower filter screen is provided with a recessed platform at its center, the main body of the valve body extends from the first liquid outlet provided on the recessed platform, the pressure flange covers the edge of the first liquid outlet, and the first sealing ring is provided between the recessed platform and the pressure flange.

5. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 4, characterized in that: Install a nut on the main body of the valve body to lock the valve body onto the filter cup.

6. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 4, characterized in that: The valve body is welded to the lower filter screen.

7. A pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The distributor is provided with a recess, which is connected to the liquid outlet channel of the distributor. The center of the recess has a central top ring, which has a side wall notch. A baffle is provided outside the side wall notch. The side wall notch and the baffle form a first outflow channel for coffee liquid. The coffee liquid leaves from the first outflow channel, enters the liquid outlet channel, and finally leaves from the distributor outlet.

8. The pressure-adjustable espresso machine portafilter according to claim 7, characterized in that: A mounting truncated cone is provided on the periphery of the recess, and a central extension is mounted on the mounting truncated cone. The central extension has a basin-shaped ring and a mounting arm that connects to the basin-shaped ring. A mounting post is provided below the mounting arm. The mounting post is positioned and engaged with the mounting truncated cone. The basin-shaped ring is connected to the central top ring.

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