Brewing unit of coffee machine

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the field of coffee machines, and particularly relates to a brewing unit of a coffee machine. The brewing device comprises a brewing head, a brewing cup assembly, a fixing plate, a driving assembly and a residue scraping mechanism, the brewing cup assembly comprises a brewing cup and a piston, the residue scraping mechanism is arranged on the brewing cup, the driving assembly drives the brewing cup assembly to move, a guide rail is arranged on the fixing plate, and the brewing cup assembly moves along the axis of the driving assembly and moves along with the guide rail. And the brewing cup assembly is switched among a brewing position, a powder loading position, a slag jacking section and a piston retraction section. A piston buckle is arranged at the lower end of the piston. The brewing cup assembly is further provided with a buckling mechanism, the buckling mechanism is arranged at the position, corresponding to the brewing cup assembly, capable of being matched with the piston buckle in the slag jacking section, when the brewing cup assembly is driven to the slag jacking section or close to the slag jacking section, the buckling mechanism buckles the piston, and when the brewing cup assembly leaves the piston retraction section, the buckling mechanism unlocks the piston. According to the utility model, the guide rail, the buckling mechanism and the piston buckle are matched with one another, so that the action mechanism for pushing slag and retracting the piston is simpler than that in the prior art, parts of the brewing cup assembly are reduced, and the whole unit is easy to clean.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the field of coffee machines, and in particular relates to a brewing unit of a coffee machine. Background Art

[0002] Existing fully automatic coffee machines automate the entire coffee making process, including grinding beans, filling, tamping, brewing, removing grounds, and cleaning. These processes, including filling, tamping, brewing, and removing waste grounds, all require the brewing unit to coordinate and complete. Miniaturization, simplicity, and cleanability of the brewing unit are key challenges currently facing brewing mechanisms.

[0003] Utility model patent number CN 102028408 B discloses a brewing unit for a coffee machine. The top grounds and coffee pusher are reset by a reduction motor driving a gear and rack installed inside the brewer, thereby driving the coffee pusher back and forth. The addition of the gear and rack, along with the reduction motor driving them, results in a complex structure and high cost. Furthermore, the gear and rack, installed inside the brewer, are inconvenient to clean.

[0004] The utility model application with the patent application publication number CN 117017066 A discloses an extraction mechanism and a fully automatic coffee machine. The extraction mechanism includes a bracket, a brewing component, a power component, a powder bin component and a baffle component. The powder bin component includes a powder bin cup and a push rod. The push rod can reciprocate in the powder bin cup. The powder bin component has a first position for placing powder and a second position for brewing beverages. When the powder bin component moves from the second position to the first position through the intermediate position, the sliding plate abuts against the push rod, and the push rod pushes out the coffee grounds. In this solution, the powder bin component moves in an L-shaped trajectory under the drive mechanism. The guide trajectory and mechanism are complex, and the reset of the push rod in the powder bin cup is achieved by a spring, which has low reliability, and the spring is prone to trapping grounds, making it difficult to clean. Utility Model Content

[0005] The utility model provides a coffee machine brewing unit with a simple structure and an easy-to-clean brewing cup assembly.

[0006] The above purpose is achieved in this way.

[0007] A coffee machine brewing unit includes a brewing head, a brewing cup assembly, a fixed plate, a drive assembly, and a scraping mechanism. The brewing cup assembly includes a brewing cup and a piston. The scraping mechanism is disposed on the brewing cup. The piston reciprocates within the brewing cup. The drive assembly drives the brewing cup assembly to move. A guide rail is disposed on the fixed plate. The brewing cup assembly moves along the axis of the drive assembly and simultaneously follows the movement of the guide rail, allowing the brewing cup assembly to transition between a brewing position, a powder loading position, a residue removal section, a residue scraping section, and a piston retraction section. A piston buckle is disposed at the lower end of the piston. A locking mechanism is also disposed on the fixed plate. The locking mechanism is disposed at a position corresponding to the position where the brewing cup assembly can engage with the piston buckle in the residue removal section. When the brewing cup assembly is driven to or near the residue removal section, the locking mechanism locks the piston buckle. The locking mechanism has a scraping stroke. The piston buckle is not restrained by the locking mechanism when moving in the residue scraping section. When the brewing cup assembly leaves the piston retraction section, the locking mechanism unlocks the piston.

[0008] Preferably, the guide rail has three or more sections.

[0009] Preferably, the guide rail has a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section is located in the AB section of the guide rail and is parallel to the movement direction of the drive assembly. The second section is located in the BC section of the guide rail and turns from point B to point C. The center point of point C deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail by a distance of S1. The third section is located in the CF part of the guide rail. The third section starts to turn from point C and turns in the opposite direction to the second section until point F. The center point of point F deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail by a distance of S2, and S1≥S2.

[0010] Preferably, the third section of the guide rail consists of two sections, CD and DF, wherein the CD section and the movement direction of the driving component are from point C away from the movement axis of the driving component to point D close to the movement axis of the driving component, and the DF section of the third section is parallel to the first section, namely the AB section.

[0011] Preferably, the length of the DF section of the third section of the guide rail is greater than the piston top slag stroke D.

[0012] Preferably, a limiting boss is provided on the brewing cup, and the maximum position to which the piston can be extended by being limited by the limiting boss is that the top surface of the piston is flush with the top surface of the brewing cup.

[0013] Preferably, the piston buckle is a circle of ribs provided at the bottom end of the piston.

[0014] Preferably, the piston buckle is a groove provided at the lower end of the piston.

[0015] Preferably, the snap-fit ​​mechanism includes a bayonet and a top plate, the bayonet and the top plate are an integral structure or the two are fixedly connected, and both the bayonet and the top plate are fixed on the fixed plate.

[0016] Preferably, the scraping stroke is the difference between the distance L between the bayonet pin and the top plate and the thickness T of the piston buckle, and the length range of the scraping stroke is 10-40 mm.

[0017] Preferably, the locking mechanism includes a latch, a latch seat, a top plate and a driving mechanism. The latch seat is provided with a slide groove, and the latch is slidably arranged in the slide groove. One end of the latch is a locking end, and the other end of the latch is provided with a latch return spring. The driving mechanism includes a cam and a motor. The motor drives the cam to rotate. Under the action of the cam and the return spring, the latch can move to a first position to lock the piston buckle and a second position to release the piston buckle.

[0018] Preferably, the coffee brewing unit further includes a touch block, which is arranged on a fixed plate. The scraping mechanism includes a scraping plate and a return spring. The scraping plate includes a scraping plate surface, a scraping plate rotating shaft and a driven part. The scraping plate is arranged at the cup mouth of the brewing cup. The scraping plate can rotate or move relative to the cup mouth. When the brewing cup assembly is in the scraping section, the touch block contacts the driven part.

[0019] Preferably, the driving assembly includes a nut, a motor, a rotating shaft, a screw and a loading frame. The loading frame and the nut are rotatably connected, wherein the rotating shaft is provided. The brewing cup assembly is detachably connected to the loading frame. The nut is engaged with the screw. The motor drives the screw to rotate so that the nut moves along the axis direction of the driving assembly. A guide column is provided on the loading frame, and the guide column cooperates with the guide rail on the fixed plate, and the guide column moves along the guide rail.

[0020] After adopting the above implementation scheme, the utility model makes the piston top residue and retraction action mechanism simpler than the existing technology through the mutual cooperation of the guide rail, the buckling mechanism and the piston buckle, reduces the parts of the brewing cup assembly, and makes the brewing cup assembly and other components of the brewing unit easier to clean. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the brewing cup assembly moves to the powder filling position.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it moves to the brewing position.

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 AA cross-sectional view.

[0024] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure when the brewing cup assembly is preparing to enter the top slag section.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it enters the top residue section.

[0026] Figure 6This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it is in the top residue section.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it leaves the residue-top section and enters the residue-scraping section.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it leaves the scraping section and enters the piston retraction section.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly when it leaves the piston retraction section.

[0030] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of each section of the guide rail.

[0031] Figure 11 It is a structural diagram of the brewing cup assembly and the buckling mechanism.

[0032] Figure 12 It is a structural diagram of the piston.

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Example 2.

[0034] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the brewing cup assembly of Example 2 when it is in the top residue section.

[0035] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the brewing cup assembly of Example 2 when the piston is in the retracted section.

[0036] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the brewing cup assembly of Example 2 when it leaves the piston retraction section.

[0037] Figure 17 It is a structural diagram of the locking mechanism when locking the piston buckle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0039] Example 1, combined Figures 1 to 11A coffee machine brewing unit includes a brewing head 13, a brewing cup assembly 3, a fixing plate 1, a driving assembly and a scraping mechanism. The brewing cup assembly 3 includes a brewing cup 2 and a piston 5. The scraping mechanism is arranged on the brewing cup 2, and the scraping mechanism includes a scraping plate 20 and a return spring. The scraping plate 20 includes a scraping plate surface 201, a scraping plate rotating shaft 202 and a driven part 203. The return spring is arranged in the scraping plate rotating shaft 202. The scraping plate 20 is arranged at the cup mouth of the brewing cup 2, and the scraping plate 20 can rotate or move relative to the cup mouth. The brewing cup 2 is provided with a limiting boss 61. The maximum position to which the piston 5 can be extended by being limited by the limiting boss 61 is that the top surface of the piston 5 is flush with the top surface of the brewing cup 2. The piston 5 reciprocates in the brewing cup 2. The lower end of the piston 5 is provided with a piston buckle 12. The piston buckle 12 is a circle of ribs at the bottom end of the piston 5.

[0040] Combine Figures 1 to 9 The fixed plate 1 is provided with a guide rail 11, and the brewing cup assembly 3 moves along the guide rail 11 while moving along the axis of the driving assembly, so that the brewing cup assembly 3 is switched between the brewing position, the powder filling position, the top residue section, the scraping residue section and the piston retraction section.

[0041] Combine Figure 3 The driving assembly includes a nut 15, a motor 14, a rotating shaft 18, a screw 17 and a loading frame 6. The loading frame 6 and the nut 15 are rotatably connected, wherein the rotating shaft 18 is provided. The brewing cup assembly 3 is detachably connected to the loading frame 6. The nut 15 is engaged with the screw 17. The motor 14 drives the screw 17 to rotate so that the nut 15 moves along the axial direction of the driving assembly. A guide column is provided on the loading frame 6, and the guide column cooperates with the guide rail 11 on the fixed plate 1.

[0042] Combine Figure 10 The guide rail 11 has three sections, namely the first section, the second section and the third section. The first section is located in the AB section of the guide rail 11 and is parallel to the movement direction of the drive assembly. The second section is located in the BC section of the guide rail 11 and turns from point B to point C. The center point of point C deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail 11 by a distance of S1. The third section is located in the CF part of the guide rail 11 and consists of two sections, CD and DF. The CD section is in the direction of movement of the drive assembly from point C away from the movement axis of the drive assembly to point D close to the movement axis of the drive assembly. The DF section of the third section is parallel to the first section, i.e., the AB section. The center point of point F deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail 11 by a distance of S2. S1≥S2. In this embodiment, S1>S2. Comparison Figure 7 and Figure 10 , the length of the DF section is greater than the piston top slag stroke D.

[0043] Combine Figures 1 to 9The fixed plate 1 is also provided with a snap-fit ​​mechanism, which includes a latch 9 and a top plate 8. The latch 9 and top plate 8 are integrally formed or fixedly connected. The scraping stroke is the difference between the distance L between the latch 9 and top plate 8 and the thickness T of the piston buckle 12. The length of the scraping stroke is preferably 10-40 mm. The latch 9 and top plate 8 are both fixed to the fixed plate 1. The snap-fit ​​mechanism is positioned at a position corresponding to the position where the brewing cup assembly 3 can engage with the piston buckle 12 in the top-slag section. When the brewing cup assembly 3 is driven to or near the top-slag section, the snap-fit ​​mechanism snaps the piston 5. When the brewing cup assembly 3 leaves the piston retraction section, the snap-fit ​​mechanism unlocks the piston 5.

[0044] Combine Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fixed plate 1 is further provided with a touch block 19 , which includes a touch block spring 192 and a touch block shaft 191 . When the brewing cup assembly 3 is in the scraping section, the touch block 19 contacts the driven part 203 .

[0045] The operation process of the coffee machine brewing unit is as follows.

[0046] Combine Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 10 The brewing cup assembly 3 is mounted on the loading rack 6. The drive assembly drives the brewing cup assembly 3 until the boss 7 is located at position C of the guide rail 11, which is the powder loading position. Powder loading begins at this point. After powder loading is completed, the drive assembly drives the brewing cup assembly 3 upward, and the boss 7 reaches section CB of the guide rail 11. As the brewing cup assembly 3 moves, it deflects around the rotation axis 18 until the axis of the brewing cup assembly 3 aligns with the direction of movement of the drive assembly. The brewing cup assembly 3 continues to move upward, and the boss 7 reaches section BA of the guide rail 11. This process compresses the coffee powder. After the powder compaction is completed, the drive assembly stops moving and coffee brewing begins. At this time, the boss 7 is located at position A of the guide rail 11, that is, the brewing cup assembly 3 is in the brewing position.

[0047] Combine Figure 4 and Figure 5 After brewing is completed, the brewing cup assembly 3 moves downward under the drive of the driving assembly. When the boss 7 reaches point B of the guide rail 11, the brewing cup assembly 3 starts to rotate around the rotating shaft 18 while moving, and turns vertically when it reaches point C. It continues to move downward. The boss 7 reaches section CD, and the brewing cup assembly 3 deflects toward the movement direction of the driving assembly, so that the axial direction of the brewing cup assembly 3 tends to be consistent with the movement direction of the driving assembly. In this stroke, the piston buckle 12 on the piston 5 cuts into the bayonet 9.

[0048] Combine Figure 6 and Figure 7The brewing cup assembly 3 continues to move downward, with the boss 7 reaching section DF. This section of the guide rail 11 is parallel to the direction of motion of the drive assembly, and the brewing cup assembly 3 does not deflect. The piston 5 moves downward with the brewing cup assembly 3 until the bottom surface of the piston 5 contacts the top plate 8. The top plate 8 abuts the piston 5, limiting its downward movement. The brewing cup assembly 3 continues to move downward, and the piston 5 moves upward relative to the brewing cup 2, pushing the coffee grounds cake to the top of the brewing cup 2. At the same time, the driven portion 203 of the scraper 20 contacts the contact block 19. The force exerted on the contact block 19 overcomes the elastic force of the contact block spring 191, causing it to deflect around the contact block rotation axis 192, avoiding the scraper 20. During this process, the scraper 20 does not operate. The path of the brewing cup assembly 3 during this process is called the top-of-sand section.

[0049] Then the driving mechanism reverses and drives the brewing cup assembly 3 to move upward. Since there is a distance L between the latch 9 and the top plate 8, the scraping stroke is the difference between the distance L and the thickness T of the piston buckle 12. The length of the scraping stroke is preferably 10-40 mm. The piston buckle 12 is not constrained by the locking mechanism when moving within the scraping stroke. The piston 5 moves up with the brewing cup assembly 3 until the piston buckle 12 is constrained by the latch 9. At this time, the boss 7 is in the FE section of the guide rail 11. During this period, the driven part 203 of the scraping plate 20 contacts the touch block 19 again. Since the touch block 19 is constrained in this direction by the touch block rotating shaft 192, a force is generated on the driven part 203 with a spiral surface, causing the scraping plate 20 to rotate and scrape off the waste cake remaining at the cup mouth. The path of movement of the brewing cup assembly 3 in this process is called the scraping section.

[0050] Combine Figure 8 and Figure 9 , the brewing cup assembly 3 continues to move upward, and the piston 5 is restrained by the latch 9 of the fastening mechanism and cannot move upward with the brewing cup assembly 3. It moves downward relative to the brewing cup 2 and retracts to the bottom of the brewing cup 2. During this period, since S1>S2, the movement direction of the brewing cup assembly 3 forms a certain angle with the sliding direction of the piston 5, causing the brewing cup assembly 3 to gradually deviate from the latch 12 relative to the latch 9 while moving. After the piston 5 retracts to the bottom of the brewing cup 2, the piston latch 12 disengages from the latch 9, and the piston 5 is released by the latch 9 of the fastening mechanism and moves upward with the brewing cup assembly 3. During this process, the path of movement of the brewing cup assembly 3 is called the piston retraction section. When the brewing cup assembly 3 returns to the powder receiving position from the piston retraction section, the direction of the brewing cup assembly 3 changes from inclined to vertical.

[0051] Example 2, combined with Figures 12 to 16The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that the latch 22 and top plate 21 of the locking mechanism are separate. The top plate 21 is fixed to the fixed plate 1. The latch 22 is disposed in the slide groove 28 of the latch seat 26. The latch 22 can slide in the slide groove 28. Under the action of the cam 24 driven by the cam motor 23 and the latch return spring 25, the latch 22 can switch between a position of engaging the piston latch 27 and a position of releasing the piston latch 27. Secondly, the piston latch 27 of the piston 5 is a groove provided at the end of the piston 5. In addition, the DF section of the guide rail 11 is aligned with the AB section, that is, S1=S2, so that the movement direction of the piston 5 relative to the brewing cup 2 is consistent with the movement direction of the drive assembly during the slag pushing, scraping, and retraction processes.

[0052] The difference between the operation process of Example 2 and Example 1 is that Figure 13 and Figure 14 When the boss 7 moves from position C to position D of the guide rail 11, the brewing cup assembly 3 deflects from the vertical position to a position consistent with the brewing direction, that is, a position in the same direction as the movement of the drive assembly. At this time, the cam motor 23 drives the cam 24 to release the latch 22. Under the action of the latch spring 25, the latch 22 moves away from the latch seat 26, cuts into the piston buckle 27, and engages the piston 5.

[0053] Combine Figure 14 and Figure 15 Since there is a distance L2 between the bayonet 22 and the top plate 21, the scraping stroke is the difference between the distance L2 and the thickness T2 of the piston buckle 27. The length range of the scraping stroke is 10-40 mm. When the piston buckle 27 moves within the scraping stroke, it is not constrained by the locking mechanism. The piston 5 moves upward with the brewing cup assembly 3 until the piston buckle 27 is constrained by the bayonet 22. At this time, the pushing and scraping actions are completed. Then, the brewing cup assembly 3 continues to move upward, and the bayonet 22 constrains the piston 5 to move upward, causing the piston 5 to retract.

[0054] Combine Figure 16 After the piston 5 retracts to the bottom of the brewing cup 2, the cam motor 23 drives the cam 24 to operate. The cam 24 drives the latch 22 to move toward the inner direction of the latch seat 26, disengaging the piston 5 from the piston latch 27 and releasing the piston 5. The piston 5 then moves upward with the brewing cup 2 to the powder filling position. Example 2 adds motor control to the latching mechanism, which can reduce the stroke of the brewing unit drive mechanism and make the entire machine more compact. Moreover, after the latching mechanism latches the piston latch, the direction of the force for pushing out and retracting the piston is consistent with the direction of piston sliding, reducing the additional friction and wear caused by the mismatch between the force applied and the direction of movement.

Claims

1. A coffee machine brewing unit, comprising a brewing head, a brewing cup assembly, a fixing plate, a drive assembly, and a scraping mechanism, wherein the brewing cup assembly comprises a brewing cup and a piston, the scraping mechanism being disposed on the brewing cup, the piston reciprocating in the brewing cup, and the drive assembly driving the brewing cup assembly to move, characterized in that: The fixed plate is provided with a guide rail, and the brewing cup assembly moves along the axis of the driving assembly and follows the movement of the guide rail, so that the brewing cup assembly is converted between the brewing position, the powder loading position, the residue top section, the residue scraping section, and the piston retraction section; the lower end of the piston is provided with a piston buckle, and the fixed plate is also provided with a snapping mechanism, which is arranged at a position corresponding to the brewing cup assembly in the residue top section and can cooperate with the piston buckle. When the brewing cup assembly is driven to the residue top section or close to the residue top section, the snapping mechanism snaps the piston buckle. The snapping mechanism is provided with a residue scraping stroke, and the piston buckle is not constrained by the snapping mechanism when moving in the residue scraping section. When the brewing cup assembly leaves the piston retraction section, the snapping mechanism unlocks the piston.

2. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide rail has three or more sections.

3. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The guide rail has a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section is located in the AB section of the guide rail and is parallel to the movement direction of the drive assembly. The second section is located in the BC section of the guide rail and turns from point B to point C. The center point of point C deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail by a distance S1. The third section is located in the CF part of the guide rail. The third section starts to turn from point C and turns in the opposite direction to the second section until point F. The center point of point F deviates from the center line of the first section of the guide rail by a distance S2, and S1≥S2.

4. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The third section of the guide rail consists of two sections, CD and DF, wherein the CD section and the movement direction of the driving component are from point C away from the movement axis of the driving component to point D close to the movement axis of the driving component, and the DF section of the third section is parallel to the first section, namely the AB section.

5. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The length of the DF section of the third section of the guide rail is greater than the piston top slag stroke D.

6. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brewing cup is provided with a limiting boss, and the maximum position to which the piston can be extended by being restricted by the limiting boss is that the top surface of the piston is flush with the top surface of the brewing cup.

7. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston buckle is a circle of convex ribs arranged at the bottom end of the piston.

8. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston buckle is a groove arranged at the lower end of the piston.

9. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buckling mechanism includes a bayonet and a top plate. The bayonet and the top plate are an integral structure or are fixedly connected. Both the bayonet and the top plate are fixed on the fixed plate.

10. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 9, characterized in that: The scraping stroke is the difference between the distance L between the bayonet pin and the top plate and the piston buckle thickness T. The length range of the scraping stroke is 10-40 mm.

11. The coffee machine brewing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a latch, a latch seat, a top plate and a driving mechanism. The latch seat is provided with a slide groove, and the latch is slidably arranged in the slide groove. One end of the latch is a locking end, and the other end of the latch is provided with a reset spring. The driving mechanism includes a cam and a motor. The motor drives the cam to rotate. Under the action of the cam and the reset spring, the latch can move to a first position for locking the piston buckle and a second position for releasing the piston buckle.

12. The brewing unit of a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: It also includes a touch block, which is arranged on a fixed plate. The scraping mechanism includes a scraping plate and a return spring. The scraping plate includes a scraping plate surface, a scraping plate rotating shaft and a driven part. The scraping plate is arranged at the cup mouth of the brewing cup. The scraping plate can rotate or move relative to the cup mouth. When the brewing cup assembly is in the scraping section, the touch block contacts the driven part.

13. The brewing unit of a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a nut, a motor, a rotating shaft, a screw and a loading frame. The loading frame is rotatably connected to the nut. The brewing cup assembly is detachably connected to the loading frame. The loading frame is provided with a guide column, which cooperates with the guide rail on the fixed plate.

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