HOT DRINK MAKER WITH A DRAINAGE DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a hot beverage maker with a flow line system with a water source; a brewing unit, the brewing unit comprising a brewing chamber for receiving brewing substance to be brewed and an inlet line for introducing brewing water into the brewing chamber; a heating device for heating the water supplied to the brewing chamber; a pump configured to convey the water from the source to the brewing chamber; a control device for activating and deactivating said actuators for preparing a selected beverage; a drainage device comprising a drip tray for collecting liquid, which has an inlet opening. Such a hot beverage maker is known from DE 10 2015 208 212 B3. Here, too, a filter is used, which in this case, however, is arranged directly above the drain of the drip tray and is integrated into the drip tray.In this version, the coffee grounds are collected together with the residual liquid in the drip tray, with the filter ensuring that the aforementioned separation takes place and the wastewater is drained away via a drain located on the drip tray.

[0002] DE 20 2005 007 746 U1 generally discloses a beverage maker with a waste collection tray. An absorbent insert made of porous material is inserted into the tray to completely bind liquid in the collection tray.

[0003] US 5 245 915 A discloses a beverage maker with a drip tray in which a filter element for filtering the waste water is mounted.

[0004] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a hot beverage maker with a simple and improved drip tray.

[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved, among other things, by a hot beverage maker having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

[0006] One advantage achieved with the invention is that the wastewater and residual water are reliably freed of sediment. This ensures that the drain opening and drain hose, if present, do not become clogged. Furthermore, it is advantageous to install a valve in the drain opening. The improved filtration of the wastewater prevents the valve from being impaired in its closing function. Furthermore, the collected wastewater is less likely to develop mold than wastewater containing sediment.

[0007] For this purpose, the drainage device comprises a filter medium, which is a fleece or multi-layered fabric attached to the tray. The chaotic fiber structure reliably retains sediment and grains while also providing extremely good water permeability. This ensures that the filter medium dries faster than a conventional sieve, on which sediment accumulates as filter residue. Another advantage is that the filter medium, made of said fleece or multi-layered fabric, is pliable or flexible, allowing it to be easily removed from the tray and rinsed.

[0008] In a practical design, the collecting tray is provided with an outlet opening in the lower area or on its bottom for draining the collected liquid.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the filter medium is designed such that it has a thickness approximately corresponding to the depth of the tray. Thus, the interior of the tray is almost or completely filled. By extending the depth, the active filter layer is significantly enlarged without increasing the size of the existing collecting tray.

[0010] In an overall practical embodiment, the tray comprises a base with a slope toward the outlet opening to improve the drainage of the filtered wastewater. For this and all other embodiments, the base can be provided with a hydrophobic structure to achieve a so-called lotus blossom effect.

[0011] Furthermore, the drainage device comprises several spacers for supporting the filter media in the tray, creating a gap between the underside of the filter media and the tray floor. This provides drainage beneath the mat-shaped filter media, allowing rapid dehumidification and drying of the filter media. Overall, germ formation in the filter media is prevented or at least slowed down.

[0012] For this purpose, raised portions, preferably rounded, convex, or truncated cone-shaped portions, attached or molded into or on the bottom of the drip tray have proven useful. The underside of the filter media rests on these raised portions, thus providing the spacer function. The raised portions or integral portions have the advantage of barely impeding the fluid flow beneath the filter mat. Furthermore, they do not interfere with the manual rinsing of the drip tray.

[0013] Another refinement of the spacer device involves a grid or grid frame inserted into the collecting tray, which can be permanently installed or removed. The filter media can be placed on the grid, with the grid being dimensioned such that the flexible filter media does not touch the floor.

[0014] In an overall practical design, the filter medium is dimensioned such that it almost completely fills the area of ​​the inlet opening of the drip tray. Preferably, the tray is open at the top so that the filter medium covers the entire surface of the tray. This dimensioning can be used for all designs. This ensures that falling drops from various areas inside the device are safely filtered into the drip tray. Furthermore, dust that arises, for example, when grinding coffee beans, is safely captured and bound in the filter medium. Due to the filtration, the dust is not passed on to the outlet opening.

[0015] The filter medium preferably has a pore size suitable for retaining sediments with a grain size greater than 30 micrometers (µm) in diameter. In an advantageous embodiment, a geotextile or geofleece is used as the filter medium, which is available at a very low cost and fulfills the desired filter properties.

[0016] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. Fig. 1: a hot beverage maker in a partially schematic sectional view and Fig. 2 to 4: the drainage device in various schematic views and designs.

[0017] The Fig.1 shows the example of a hot beverage maker 1 designed as a freestanding unit with all the relevant components for preparing a hot beverage. The beverage maker 1 comprises, among other things, a housing 11 in which the storage container 71 for coffee beans with the grinder 70 with motor mounted underneath, the water tank 14 and the possibility of accommodating the flow line system 2. In the front area of ​​the hot beverage maker 1, it has a height-adjustable outlet 20 in which several dispensing devices, here outlet nozzles 21, are housed. The dispensing device 21 represents a dispensing line or dispensing nozzle 21 for dispensing coffee beverages. A brewing unit 40 with a brewing chamber 41 inside the device 1 is used to prepare the beverage, wherein the coffee powder is introduced into the brewing chamber 41 and then flooded with hot water so that the finished coffee beverage is dispensed to the dispensing line and through the dispensing nozzle 21.In this embodiment, the dispensing nozzles 21 are arranged so that they can be adjusted in height so that they can be adjusted to the height of a drinking vessel placed on the support surface 33 without causing splashing when the beverage is dispensed. The upper end of the support surface 33 is formed by a drip tray 32, which is provided with openings and slots to drain liquid residues into a collecting tray 34 located below the drip tray 32. Furthermore, the hot beverage maker 1 comprises a grounds container 35, into which the used substance, for example, coffee cake, is thrown after the beverage preparation is complete. The device 1 further comprises a control device 18, which is configured to control the individual functional assemblies, such as pumps 8, valves V, heating device 9, and grinder 70, if present, as necessary for the preparation of the selected beverage.The control device 18, which is designed as a microcontroller uC with an associated memory, is further configured in this embodiment to control the valves V of the flow line system 2 so that the hot water is pumped through the brewing chamber 41.

[0018] For all embodiments explained here, the brewing chamber 41 is cylindrical, with the brewing substance S being introduced here for brewing. After filling, the upper end is closed with the brewing sieve 43, with the brewing sieve 43 compressing the substance S in the brewing chamber 41. The hot water is admitted into the inlet 42 on the bottom end, with the brewing liquid passing through the brewing sieve 43 and preferably through a downstream pressure valve 46 to the outlet nozzle 21.

[0019] The operating and display device 19 is located on the outside of the front wall of the housing 11. In this example, it is designed with touch surfaces and a display or as a touchscreen to provide inputs regarding the beverage selection and additional settings regarding water quantity, flavor, strength, or bean type. The operating and display device 19 is connected for data purposes to the control device 18 or to the microprocessor μC located there.

[0020] The control device 18 with a microcontroller uC and a memory device MEM serves to carry out a beverage preparation, wherein the activation of the heating device 9, the valves of the valve device V as well as the pump 8, the brewing chamber 40 and, if necessary, further components, such as a grinder 70, takes place via corresponding signal connections (not shown).

[0021] Fig. 2 shows the drainage device 50 in a schematic detailed view. The collecting tray 34 as a central functional component comprises a tray base 51 which is designed with a gradient towards the drain opening 52. The gradient provides the function of a funnel in order to specifically direct the wastewater entering the tray 34 to the outlet opening 52. The tray 34 is open at the top and provides the inlet opening 53 for the incoming wastewater AW. In the illustration, the diagonal diameter of the inlet opening 53 is highlighted to illustrate the maximum cross-section. The filter medium 56 is inserted into the tray 34. In the example shown, the filter medium 56 fills the interior of the tray 34 completely or at least almost completely. The drain hose 54, which is intended for connection to a sewer, is connected downstream of the drain opening 52.A check valve 55 may be arranged in the outlet opening or immediately behind it to prevent the outflow of wastewater residues when the collecting tray 34 is pulled out of the device housing 11. The aforementioned components and their arrangement are largely also shown in the . Fig. 1 visible.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows the drainage device 50 in a sketched side view. The collecting tray 34 has a base 51 with a gradient towards the outlet opening 52. The outlet opening 52 is preferably located at the lowest point in the collecting tray 34, which is not shown so clearly in the sketch. The line 54, which carries the filtered wastewater AWF to the outside and can be connected to a sewer, is connected to the outlet opening 52. The inlet opening 53 is filled with the filter medium 56. Possible sources of wastewater AW are the outlet 20 or the outlet nozzle 21 for the beverage and the brewing unit 40. Other sources, such as drain lines or valves V for draining rinsing liquid or cleaning solution, are also possible. The wastewater AW from these sources reaches or into the filter medium 56, which completely covers the inlet opening 53.In the example shown, the filter medium 56 is shaped as a block and completely fills the interior of the shell 36. The underside 57 of the filter block 56 follows the contour of the shell bottom 51.

[0023] Fig. 4 shows the drainage device 50 in a sketched side view. In the example shown, the collecting tray has no outlet opening and serves to collect wastewater AW. The wastewater AW is thereby freed of sediment, whereby the sediment remains as grains in the filter medium 56 and dries there because it is no longer present in the water. The collecting tray 34 can have a bottom 51 with a slope towards the outlet opening 52 ( Fig. 3 ) if an outlet opening is present. The outlet opening 52 is preferably located at the lowest point in the collecting tray 34, which is not clearly shown in the diagram. Connected to the outlet opening 52 is the line 54, which carries the filtered wastewater AWF to the outside and can be connected to a sewer ( Fig. 3 ). The inlet opening 53 is filled with the filter medium 56. Possible sources of wastewater AW include the outlet 20 or the outlet nozzle 21 for the beverage and the brewing unit 40. Other sources, such as drain lines for draining rinsing liquid or cleaning solution, are also possible. The wastewater AW from these sources reaches or enters the filter medium 56, which completely covers the inlet opening 53. In the example shown, the filter medium 56 is shaped as a block and fills the interior of the bowl 36 such that there is a gap to the bowl bottom 51.

[0024] The underside 57 of the filter block 56 rests on spacers 58 mounted on the tray bottom 51. The spacers 58 are preferably formed as protrusions or recesses from the tray bottom 51. Conical protrusions are shown here; convex or rounded shapes are advantageous because they are easier to clean.

Claims

1. Hot beverage maker (1) comprising a flow line system (2) having - a water source (14) - a brewing unit (40), the brewing unit (40) having a brewing chamber (41) for receiving brewing material (S1) to be brewed and an inlet line for introducing brewing water into the brewing chamber (41), - a heating device (9) for heating the water supplied to the brewing chamber (41) - a pump (8) designed to convey the water from the water source (14) to the brewing chamber (41), - a control device (18) for activating and deactivating the heating device (9) and the pump (9) for preparing a selected beverage, - a discharge mechanism (50) comprising - a collecting tray (34) for collecting liquid (AW), which comprises an inlet opening (53), characterised by - a filter medium (56), which is a fleece or multi-layer fabric attached in the collecting tray (34) and - spacing means (58) for supporting the filter medium (56) in the collecting tray in order to provide a distance between the underside (57) of the filter medium (56) and the base (51) of the collecting tray (34), the base (51) of the collecting tray (34) being provided with elevations (58), preferably rounded, convex or frustoconical features or formations, for providing the spacing means (58).

2. Hot beverage maker according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet opening (52) arranged in the collecting tray (34) for discharging the collected liquid (AW).

3. Hot beverage maker according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the filter medium (56) has a thickness which approximately corresponds to the depth of the collecting tray (34).

4. Hot beverage maker according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the collecting tray (34) comprises a base (51) having a gradient towards the outlet opening (52).

5. Hot beverage maker according to claim 1, characterised in that the spacing means (58) is a grid frame inserted or attached in the collecting tray (34).

6. Hot beverage maker according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the filter medium (56) almost completely to completely fills the area of the inlet opening (53) of the collecting tray (34).

7. Hot beverage maker according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the filter medium (56) has a pore size to retain sediments having a grain size greater than 30 micrometres in diameter.

8. Hot beverage maker according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the filter medium (56) comprises geotextile or consists of a geotextile.