TEAR-OFF CONTAINER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a knock box for knocking off coffee grounds from a portafilter.

[0002] Knock boxes for coffee grounds from a portafilter are known from prior art, for example, from GB 2 485 329 A or the magazine "Crema", Vol. 5, 2015, pages 58-61, "Ten Knock Boxes Tested". Such knock boxes are also known as knock trays or coffee ground collection boxes. They serve to collect the coffee grounds from a portafilter of a coffee machine when the portafilter is struck against a horizontal bar inside the knock box. When the portafilter hits the bar, the coffee grounds are ejected from the portafilter due to its inertia and collected by the knock box, while the portafilter rebounds from the bar.

[0003] The knock boxes known according to the prior art have the disadvantage that the horizontally arranged rod inside the knock box becomes soiled both when knocking off the coffee grounds and when emptying the knock box. This makes emptying and cleaning the knock boxes known according to the prior art cumbersome.

[0004] From FR 2 567 011 A1, a knock-off container is known in which the impact surface is located on the wall of the container. However, such a knock-off container has the disadvantage that, upon impact with the wall, the force is transmitted to the base of the knock-off container at the outer edge of the container's base. Therefore, there is a high risk that the knock-off container will tip over during the knock-off process. Furthermore, the impact surface is located extremely close to the edge of the container during knock-off. Both of these factors lead to a significant risk of contamination of the area surrounding the knock-off container.

[0005] Also known from the magazine "Crema", Vol. 5, 2015, pages 58-61, "Ten knock boxes under test" or WO 2018 / 074660 are knock boxes in which a horizontal rod is supported by a receptacle projecting from the wall of the knock box towards the interior of the knock box.

[0006] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a knock box that is easier to clean and empty compared to the prior art.

[0007] The problem is solved by a knock-off container having the features of claim 1. The features of the dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments.

[0008] The knock-off container has a base and a wall extending from the base to laterally define the interior of the container. The problem described above is solved by providing the knock-off container with an impact surface located in the area of ​​its wall.

[0009] The placement of the impact surface on the wall of the knock box ensures that no obstructions are present in the path of the coffee grounds when they are knocked out. Furthermore, the knock box does not require any elements that would obstruct the opening during emptying, thus preventing the container from emptying completely.

[0010] The knock box does not have a horizontally arranged bar. The impact surface located in the wall area makes this unnecessary.

[0011] The impact surface can be oriented, at least in its essentials, horizontally. A horizontally oriented impact surface has the advantage of allowing for comfortable guidance of the movement when knocking off the portafilter. Furthermore, a predominantly horizontal orientation of the impact surface is advantageous because it is designed to be struck by the portafilter in a downward motion. When the portafilter strikes the impact surface in a downward movement, the coffee grounds are forced out of the portafilter in a downward motion as well. This ensures that the coffee grounds are reliably collected in the knock box, minimizing the risk of coffee grounds missing the knock box and thus contaminating its surroundings.

[0012] In this context, an impact surface that is at least essentially horizontally oriented is to be understood in particular as an impact surface that is not exactly horizontally oriented, but is still suitable for the portafilter to strike the impact surface in a downward movement.

[0013] In the context of the present application, the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" and all directional indications derived from these terms, such as "downwards", are to be understood as referring to the discharge container placed on a horizontal surface with its bottom pointing downwards.

[0014] The impact container has a support area below the impact surface that projects towards the interior of the impact container relative to the wall.

[0015] Such a support area has the advantage of being able to brace the impact surface when the portafilter strikes. This ensures a stable construction that allows for knock-offs even with high force and heavy portafilters.

[0016] The support area advantageously extends to the bottom of the impact container. This allows the impact force to be transferred to the bottom of the container. Furthermore, this prevents undercuts, which is beneficial both for cleaning and for manufacturing the impact container.

[0017] The support area can be designed as a hollow profile. This design allows for a lightweight yet stable support structure. The hollow profile is closed, particularly towards the interior of the knock box. This design has the advantage that the closed shape of the hollow profile prevents the formation of hard-to-clean contours on the interior side.

[0018] The impact surface can be arranged on an impact element, which is mounted on a base body of the impact container. The impact element can be manufactured as a separate component. This has the advantage that the impact element can be made of a different material than the base body. This allows for optimized material selection for both the base body and the impact element.

[0019] The impact element can have a contour adapted to the base of the impact container on its side facing away from the impact surface. This contour is specifically adapted to the support area of ​​the impact container. Such an adapted contour enables precise attachment of the impact element to the base.

[0020] The knock-off container, in particular the base, can be made of injection-molded plastic. For example, the base can be made of ABS plastic.

[0021] The material of the impact element is preferably a material with a lower Shore A hardness than the base body. The impact element material can, for example, be a thermoplastic polyurethane. Such a material allows the impact element to dampen the noise when the portafilter strikes the impact surface.

[0022] The knock box wall can have a recess located above the impact surface. This has the advantage that when the portafilter strikes the impact surface, the portafilter, especially its handle, can be positioned within the recess. In this area, no wall obstructs the knocking motion. Outside the impact surface, however, the wall can extend upwards beyond it, thus ensuring that the coffee grounds are reliably collected from inside the knock box.

[0023] The knock box may have a non-slip and / or shock-absorbing element located beneath its base. Such an element improves the stability of the knock box. The non-slip and / or shock-absorbing element may be ring-shaped. The material of the non-slip and / or shock-absorbing element may be thermoplastic polyurethane. Such a non-slip and / or shock-absorbing element improves the stability of the knock box. Furthermore, the element can reduce the transfer of energy or momentum to the surface beneath the knock box.

[0024] The impact surface can extend horizontally from the wall to the center of the knock box over a maximum of 80% of the distance from the wall to the center of the knock box. In particular, it can extend over a maximum of 65% of this distance. In the case of a knock box with a cross-section that is at least substantially circular in the horizontal plane, the distance from the wall to the center, which in this case is the center of the corresponding circle, runs along the radial direction towards the center. The advantage of this design is that the area in the center of the knock box remains free, so that it is available for the coffee grounds, which can thus leave the portafilter unhindered.

[0025] The invention is described below with reference to the Figures 1 to 8 A more detailed schematic explanation is provided. It shows: Fig. 1 a side view of a base body of an exemplary knock-off container, Fig. 2 another side view of the base body from a different direction, Fig. 3 a top view of the base body, Fig. 4 a side view of an impact element of the exemplary knock-off container, Fig. 5 a side view of the impact element from a different direction, Fig. 6 a top view of the impact element, Fig. 7 a side view of the knock-off container and Fig. 8 a top view of the knock-off container.

[0026] The exemplary knock-off container 10 can, as in the example shown, comprise a base body 12 and an impact element 14, which is manufactured in particular as a separate component. The exemplary base body 12 is in the Figures 1 to 3 The illustrations show hidden edges as dashed lines.

[0027] The base body 12 has a bottom 16 and a wall 18 extending away from the bottom 16 to form the lateral boundary of the interior of the knock-off container 10.

[0028] The in the Figures 4 to 6 The depicted impact element 14 provides the impact surface 20 of the discharge container 10. Hidden edges are indicated as dashed lines in the illustrations.

[0029] On its side facing away from the impact surface 20, the impact element 14 has a contour 24 adapted to the base body 12 of the impact container 10. This can be realized – as in the example shown – by one or more projections 22.

[0030] In the example shown, the projections 22 engage in cavities 26 when the impact element 14 is received on the base body 12.

[0031] The base body 12 can, as in the example shown, have a support area 28 designed as a hollow profile. This can extend, in particular, to the base 16. In the example shown, the hollow profile design of the support area 28, which in the illustrated embodiment has, by way of example, two vertical reinforcing webs 30, forms at least one cavity, in particular three cavities 26, below the impact surface 20.

[0032] In the Fig. 7 and 8 The images show views of the knock box 10 with the impact element 14 mounted on the base body 12. In these two illustrations, only the visible edges are shown as lines. It can be seen that the wall 18 has a recess 32 above the impact surface 20. The recess 32 makes it easier to strike the portafilter against the impact surface 20.

[0033] The features of the invention disclosed in this description, in the drawings, and in the claims can be essential for realizing the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in combination. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. Reference symbol list

[0034] 10 Knock-off container 12 Base body 14 Impact element 16 Base 18 Wall 20 Impact surface 22 Projection 24 Contour 26 Cavity 28 Support area 30 Web 32 Recess

Claims

1. Knock box (10) for knocking off coffee grounds from a portafilter, wherein the knock box (10) has a base (16) and a wall (18), which extends away from the base (16) and is intended for delimiting the interior of the knock box (10) laterally, wherein the knock box (10) has an impact surface (20) arranged in the region of the wall (18) of the knock box (10), wherein the knock box (10) has no horizontally arranged bar, characterized in that beneath the impact surface (20), the knock box (10) has a supporting region (28) for supporting the impact surface (20), wherein the supporting region (28) projects opposite the wall (18) in the direction of the interior of the knock box (10).

2. Knock box (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the impact surface (20) is oriented at least substantially horizontally.

3. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting region (28) extends to the base (16) of the knock box (10).

4. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting region (28) is configured in the form of a hollow profile.

5. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impact surface (20) is arranged on an impact element (14) which is accommodated on a main body (12) of the knock box (10), in particular wherein the impact element (14) is manufactured as a separate component.

6. Knock box (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the impact element (14) is manufactured from a material which is different from the material of the main body (12).

7. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the knock box (10), in particular the main body (12), is a plastic injection moulded part.

8. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the knock box (10), in particular the main body (12), is produced from an ABS plastic.

9. Knock box (10) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the impact element (14) is produced from a thermoplastic polyurethane.

10. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (18) has a recess (32) arranged above the impact surface (20).

11. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the knock box (10) has a slip-resistant and / or shock-absorbing element arranged beneath the base (16) of the knock box (10).

12. Knock box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impact surface (20) extends horizontally from the wall (18) in the direction of the centre of the knock box (10) over at most 80%, preferably at most 65%, of the distance from the wall (18) to the centre.