Coffee bean roasting system

Abstract

1. A coffee bean roasting machine comprising: a roasting unit having a roasting chamber for roasting a dose of coffee beans; a dosing unit; and a coffee bean reservoir for containing multiple doses of coffee beans, the dosing unit being configured to extract pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from the multiple doses of coffee beans in the reservoir and to transfer the pre-portioned doses to the roasting unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrically operated coffee bean roasting machine in which roasted coffee beans are prepared from unroasted coffee beans. [Background technology]

[0002] A system for roasting coffee beans is implemented to chemically and physically transform the properties of unroasted green coffee beans into roasted coffee beans that give coffee its characteristic flavor.

[0003] Such systems typically implement large, stand-alone machines that can only roast large quantities of coffee beans at a time, on the order of a few kilograms. A drawback is that smaller establishments, including coffee shops, that operate such machines must wait such quantities for a significant period of time before use, which may result in less than optimal roast freshness of the beans being used.

[0004] Therefore, despite the efforts already expended in developing such systems, further improvements are desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a coffee bean roasting machine comprising a roasting unit having a roasting chamber for roasting doses of coffee beans, and a dosing system comprising a dosing unit and a coffee bean reservoir for containing multiple doses of coffee beans, the dosing unit configured to extract pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from the multiple doses of coffee beans in the reservoir and transfer the pre-portioned doses to the roasting unit.

[0006] The roasting unit includes a roasting chamber inlet configured to cooperate with a dosing outlet of the dosing unit (e.g., so that the roasting chamber can receive doses from the dosing system), and a separate roasting chamber outlet for the outlet of the roasted coffee beans. By implementing separate inlets and outlets for the coffee beans, the machine can perform subsequent roasting steps without removing the roasting unit (including parts thereof), as the coffee beans can flow through the roasting chamber via the inlets and outlets.

[0007] The roasting chamber inlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the roasting chamber inlet prevents air and / or coffee beans from the air delivery system from being delivered therethrough, and in the open position the roasting chamber inlet allows delivery of coffee beans therethrough (e.g. from a dosing outlet of a dosing unit). By having an operable inlet, the bean and / or air flow conditions can be controlled.

[0008] The roasting chamber outlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the chamber outlet prevents air and / or coffee beans from the air delivery system from being transmitted through the roasting chamber outlet, and in the open position the roasting chamber outlet allows the transmission of coffee beans through the roasting chamber outlet, and optionally air from the air delivery system. By having an operable outlet, the bean and / or air flow conditions can be controlled.

[0009] The roasting unit includes an air inlet configured to transfer air from the air delivery system to the roasting chamber, and an air outlet, which may be separate from the inlet, for the exit of air from the air delivery system and the discharge of material from the roasting chamber. By implementing separate inlets and outlets, a flow path for air within the roasting chamber can be implemented, which may improve roasting.

[0010] The air outlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the air inlet prevents air from the air delivery system from exiting the roasting chamber, and in the open position the air inlet allows air from the air delivery system to exit the roasting chamber. By having an operable outlet, air flow conditions can be controlled.

[0011] The roasting unit may be configured in one or more of the following configurations:

[0012] A roasting configuration in which the roasting chamber inlet and / or roasting chamber outlet are placed in a closed position and the air outlet (or more generally the flow regulator) is placed in an open position, allowing air to be transmitted through the flow paths to roast the beans without the air and / or beans escaping through the roasting chamber outlet and / or roasting chamber inlet.

[0013] A dosing configuration in which the roasting chamber inlet is placed in an open position and the roasting chamber outlet is placed in a closed position, so that beans can enter the roasting chamber from the dosing system for roasting without escaping through the roasting chamber outlet. The air outlet (or more generally the flow regulator) can also be placed in a closed position, so that beans can be prevented from escaping through the air outlet (or flow regulator).

[0014] A brewing configuration in which the roasting chamber outlet is positioned in an open position. The air outlet (or more generally the flow regulator) may be positioned in an open position, including a partially open position, or in a closed position to control / force air flow through the roasting chamber outlet to assist in the ejection of beans through the roasting chamber outlet. In this position, the roasting chamber inlet may be positioned in a closed position to prevent roasted beans or air from exiting through the roasting chamber inlet.

[0015] By implementing a dosing system for delivering a predetermined fixed portion size of unroasted coffee beans from a container containing multiple discrete amounts of unroasted coffee beans, one dose can be processed at a time by the roasting unit, rather than processing all of the multiple doses in the container at once. Thus, small amounts of roasted coffee beans can be supplied on demand, rather than multiple larger amounts, thereby ensuring that optimal freshness of roasted coffee beans is available when needed for the grinding and coffee preparation process.

[0016] In an embodiment, the volume of the roasting chamber of the roasting unit is dimensioned to correspond to the volume of the pre-portioned doses delivered by the dosing system, for example, the roasting chamber is dimensioned to accommodate a single dose with 10-50% of its volume occupied, such that there is free space for the coffee beans in the roasting chamber to move and collide with each other during roasting.

[0017] In an embodiment, the pre-portioned dose extracted by the dosing unit is 100-200 g of unroasted coffee beans. The pre-portioned dose is a fixed amount independent of the amount of coffee beans present in the reservoir (unless the reservoir is empty or contains less than a dose of coffee beans). In an embodiment, the internal volume of the roasting chamber of the roasting unit is 0.25-0.75 liters. Such a volume may accommodate the dosing.

[0018] In an embodiment, the dosing system comprises a positioning system for guiding coffee beans in the reservoir to a dispensing unit for dispensing a pre-portioned dose of coffee beans from the positioned coffee beans. Such an arrangement may be convenient for automation.

[0019] In an embodiment, the dispensing unit is configured to transfer the received dose to a dose dispensing outlet of the dose dispensing system. In an embodiment, the dose dispensing system includes an actuator unit (e.g. controlled by an electrical circuit) configured to actuate the dispensing unit.

[0020] In an embodiment, the coffee bean reservoir and / or the dosing unit is / are removably attached to the coffee bean roasting machine. A removable reservoir may be more convenient for filling with unroasted coffee beans.

[0021] In an embodiment, the coffee bean roasting machine is configured such that the roasting unit (e.g., its roasting chamber) does not need to be removed from the machine (e.g., the assembly of other components of the machine and / or at least the body of the machine) as part of the roasting process. By configuring the roasting unit such that it is not removable as part of the roasting process (e.g., it can automatically fill doses and automatically dispense roasted coffee beans to an outlet), removal of the roasting unit (e.g., to refill beans) can be avoided, which is desirable because the roasting unit can become hot during use and therefore dangerous to handle.

[0022] In an embodiment, the roasting chamber inlet is located above the roasting chamber outlet. By positioning the inlet such that it is located depthwise above the outlet (e.g., in use), the dosing unit can gravity feed beans into the roasting chamber.

[0023] In an embodiment, the air inlet and air outlet define an air flow path of the air delivery system, the flow path being configured to extend through a pre-portioned dose of coffee beans in the roasting chamber. The air outlet may be located above the air inlet. By implementing the flow path to extend through the dose of coffee beans (e.g., with the inlet located at the base of the coffee beans and the outlet configured to carry flow from the base of the coffee beans to the top of the coffee beans), improved roasting may be achieved.

[0024] The flow path may include a flow regulator configured to control the flow path through the roasting chamber, the flow regulator having an open position (including an open position and a half-open position) and a closed position, and the flow regulator is typically implemented as an air outlet having the open and closed positions.

[0025] In an embodiment, the air outlet and roasting chamber inlet are moved between associated open and closed positions by actuation of a common member, which implementation allows a single actuator system to drive the common member and control the outlet and inlet.

[0026] In an embodiment, the dosing system is configured to transfer pre-portioned doses to the roasting chamber when the roasting unit is in the dosing configuration.

[0027] In an embodiment, the coffee bean roasting machine comprises an air delivery system for delivering air (e.g., hot air at 150-250°C) to the roasting chamber along a flow path. In an embodiment, the air delivery system comprises a flow generator, a heat exchanger for heating the air, and a filtration unit for filtering substances from the air. In an embodiment, the flow path includes an air inlet and an air outlet of the roasting chamber.

[0028] In an embodiment, the coffee bean roasting machine comprises a delivery system configured to transfer roasted coffee beans through a roasting chamber outlet of the roasting unit to an outlet receptacle (e.g., with the roasting unit in the brewing configuration and air supplied by the air delivery system).

[0029] The present disclosure provides a method for roasting coffee beans, which may implement features of any of the foregoing embodiments or another embodiment disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the method includes extracting pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from a reservoir configured to contain multiple doses of coffee beans using an automatic dosing system, transferring the pre-portioned doses using the automatic dosing system to a roasting unit, roasting the pre-portioned doses using the roasting unit, and transferring the roasted pre-portioned doses from the roasting unit to an outlet.

[0030] The present disclosure provides a coffee roasting system comprising a roasting machine according to one or more of the preceding features, further comprising a processing unit having a roasting chamber for roasting pre-portioned doses of coffee beans, and an electrical circuit for controlling the processing unit to perform a roasting process in which the pre-portioned doses of coffee beans are roasted, the electrical circuit being configured to control the processing unit to automatically perform a series of roasting processes (e.g., two or more, one after the other) such that a plurality of pre-portioned doses are roasted sequentially.

[0031] By implementing the coffee roasting system to automatically perform two or more roasting steps in succession without user instruction for each roasting step, the system can roast multiple doses, one after the other when a shortage is determined, or at a predetermined time when a shortage is anticipated.

[0032] As used herein, the term "automatically" may refer to an automated control process that does not involve user instruction via a user interface following an initial instruction, for example, no user intervention is required from the end of one roasting step to the start of another roasting step in a series of roasting steps.

[0033] In an embodiment, the electrical circuitry comprises a user interface configured to provide instructions (e.g., as a result of user input), the instructions including one or more of: a time to perform one or more roasting steps (e.g., the time may be set to a period of high demand day, including morning or midday); a frequency of roasting steps to perform (e.g., this may be a predetermined number of roasting steps per hour, over the entire day or over one or more user-selected times of the day, or a first period in the case of a first predetermined frequency, and a second period in the case of a second predetermined frequency); and an amount of coffee to roast (e.g., the number of pre-portioned doses to roast, or instructions to roast the entire amount of coffee beans present in the reservoir as a plurality of successive pre-portioned doses until the reservoir is empty). In an embodiment, the electrical circuitry is configured to control the processing unit (e.g., the roasting unit, the dosing system, and the air delivery system) to perform the roasting steps according to the one or more instructions. It will be understood that the commands may be for the performance of a single roasting step (rather than several as a sequence).

[0034] In an embodiment, the electrical circuitry is configured to receive instructions from a user interface of a coffee bean roasting machine (e.g. including a roasting unit) and / or a user interface of a portable electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) that is separate from the machine and in electronic communication with the machine by way of a communication interface.

[0035] In an embodiment, the coffee roasting system comprises a dosing system controlled by an electrical circuit configured to extract pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from a reservoir (e.g. of portions of loose coffee beans) and transfer the pre-portioned portions to a roasting unit.

[0036] In an embodiment, the electrical circuitry is configured to determine whether sufficient coffee beans are present in the reservoir for extraction of a predetermined number of doses (e.g., one or more doses, which may be on command), and if so, to perform a roasting process (e.g., one or more roasting processes, which may be on command).

[0037] In embodiments, if there are insufficient coffee beans in the reservoir to extract the predetermined number of doses, the electrical circuitry may not perform any roasting steps, or may only perform as many roasting steps as there are doses in the reservoir (e.g., fewer than the indicated number of roasting steps). The electrical circuitry may alternatively or additionally provide a notification to a user interface (e.g., to notify the user that there are insufficient doses in the reservoir to carry out the instructions). Such an implementation may avoid unnecessary energy use or damage to the machine, as the roasting steps are only performed when there are enough coffee beans for a single serving.

[0038] In embodiments, the electrical circuitry is configured to determine whether a reservoir is present and, if so, to perform a roasting process. In embodiments, if a reservoir is not determined to be present, the roasting process may not be performed. Alternatively or additionally, the electrical circuitry may provide a notification to a user interface (e.g., to notify a user that a reservoir is not present). Such an implementation may avoid unnecessary energy use or damage to the machine, as the roasting process is performed only when a reservoir is present (e.g., coffee beans are present).

[0039] In an embodiment, the electrical circuitry is configured to provide notification of the completed roasting process to a user interface, whereby notifying the user that the roasting process is complete allows the user to immediately collect the roasted coffee and / or provide instructions to perform another roasting process.

[0040] In an embodiment, the system includes a delivery system comprising an outlet receptacle for receiving roasted coffee beans from the roasting unit. The outlet receptacle may receive multiple doses of roasted coffee beans so that it does not have to be replaced for each dose.

[0041] In an embodiment, the electrical circuit is configured to determine whether an outlet receptacle is present and, if present, to perform a roasting process including dispensing roasted coffee beans into the outlet receptacle.

[0042] In embodiments, if it is not determined that an outlet receptacle is present, the roasting step may not be performed. In embodiments, if it is not determined that an outlet receptacle is present, the roasting step may be performed, but not including the step of dispensing roasted coffee beans into the outlet receptacle (which may be performed subsequently once the outlet receptacle is detected). The electrical circuitry may alternatively or additionally provide a notification to a user interface (e.g., to notify a user that an outlet receptacle is not present). Such an implementation may avoid unnecessary energy use or damage to the machine, as the roasting step is performed only when an outlet receptacle is present to receive roasted coffee beans.

[0043] In an embodiment, the electrical circuit is configured to determine a fill condition of the outlet container (e.g., no roasted coffee beans present or an amount less than or greater than a predetermined amount, such as one or more doses), and to perform or not perform the roasting process if the fill condition is met.

[0044] By determining a first fill condition when there are fewer than a certain amount of roasted coffee beans in the outlet receptacle and then automatically executing a roasting process, the outlet receptacle can be maintained with a partial amount of roasted coffee beans so that a shortage condition does not occur.

[0045] By determining a second fill condition when there are more than a certain amount of roasted coffee beans in the outlet receptacle and then automatically preventing further performance of the roasting process, the outlet receptacle can be maintained with a partial amount of roasted coffee beans so that an overfill condition does not occur.

[0046] The present disclosure provides a method for roasting coffee beans. The method may implement features of any of the foregoing embodiments or another embodiment disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the method includes automatically controlling (e.g., using an electrical circuit) a processing unit to automatically perform a series of roasting steps in which the pre-portioned doses of coffee beans are roasted, such that a plurality of the pre-portioned doses of coffee beans are roasted sequentially.

[0047] The method may be carried out as part of a method for preparing a beverage, in which a grinding unit grinds roasted coffee beans and a ground coffee processing unit processes the ground coffee beans to extract a beverage therefrom.

[0048] The present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium containing program code that may be executable on one or more processors to perform the method of the foregoing embodiment or another embodiment disclosed herein.

[0049] The electronic circuit or computer-readable medium may comprise program code (eg, including instructions) for causing a processing unit to perform the method.

[0050] The foregoing summary is provided for the purpose of summarizing some embodiments to provide a basic understanding of aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Furthermore, the above-described and / or preceding embodiments may be combined in any suitable combination to provide further embodiments. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description, brief description of the drawings, and claims.

[0051] Aspects, features, and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0052] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block system diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for roasting coffee beans. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block system diagram illustrating one embodiment of a machine of the system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block system diagram illustrating one embodiment of a processing unit of the machine of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the machine of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 4A-4C are a side perspective view, a side cross-sectional view, and a top cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of the dose delivery system of the machine of FIG. 3; [Figure 6] 4A-4C are a side perspective view, a side cross-sectional view, and a top cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of the dose delivery system of the machine of FIG. 3; [Figure 7] 4A-4C are a side perspective view, a side cross-sectional view, and a top cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of the dose delivery system of the machine of FIG. 3; [Figure 8] 4A and 4B are a top perspective view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of the roasting unit of the machine of FIG. 3; [Figure 9]4A and 4B are a top perspective view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, of one embodiment of the roasting unit of the machine of FIG. 3; [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are top and top perspective views of the roasting unit of Figures 8 and 9 in dosing, roasting, and brewing configurations, respectively. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are top and top perspective views of the roasting unit of Figures 8 and 9 in dosing, roasting, and brewing configurations, respectively. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are top and top perspective views of the roasting unit of Figures 8 and 9 in dosing, roasting, and brewing configurations, respectively. [Figure 13] FIG. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of the air delivery system of the machine of FIG. 2. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a block system diagram illustrating one embodiment of the electrical circuitry of the system of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] Before describing several embodiments of the system, it should be understood that the system is not limited to the details of construction or process set forth in the following description. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that the system is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0054] The present disclosure may be better understood in view of the following description.

[0055] As used herein, the term "machine" may refer to an electrically operated device capable of performing a roasting process on green coffee beans to derive roasted coffee beans therefrom. The machine may implement the process by one or more of the following steps: heating, applying pressure, colliding the beans, and stirring the beans to improve uniformity of heat transfer to the beans. The machine may be sized for use on a countertop, e.g., the preparation machine may be less than 70 cm in length, width, and height. The machine may be configured to operate from a mains AC power source, e.g., 110-240V at 40-70Hz. The machine may be portable by an individual user, e.g., weighing less than 10 kg.

[0056] As used herein, the term "unroasted coffee beans" may refer to natural green coffee beans, which may have been processed in some way, such as fermented or dried or partially / pre-roasted. As used herein, the term "roasted coffee beans" may refer to coffee beans that have been subjected to a roasting process, such that they are distinguishable from unroasted coffee beans in chemical and physical appearance, such as light brown, medium brown, medium-dark brown, and dark brown in color and have reduced moisture content.

[0057] As used herein, the term "roasting process" can refer to a process in which unroasted coffee beans are subjected to temperatures (e.g., 150-250°C) as part of an endothermic and / or exothermic process, and optionally collided with other beans, to obtain roasted coffee beans.

[0058] As used herein, the term "pre-portioned" or "dose" can refer to a preset fixed mass (e.g., 100 g, 150 g, or 200 g, or any of the foregoing ±20 or 40%, or 100-200 g), volume, or number of coffee beans in either green or roasted form. The dose may also be user-selectable as one of a predetermined number of different fixed amounts. For example, it may not be the amount of coffee beans present in the reservoir (unless, for example, this exactly corresponds to the dose). It may also be intended to refer to an amount independent of the amount of coffee beans in the reservoir (unless, for example, it is less than the dose present in the reservoir).

[0059] As used herein, the terms "external device" or "external electronic device" or "peripheral device" may include electronic components external to the machine, for example, electronic components co-located with the machine or electronic components remote from the machine that communicate with the machine over a computer network. An external device may include a communication interface for communicating with the machine and / or a server system. An external device may include devices including smartphones, PDAs, video game controllers, tablets, laptops, or other similar devices.

[0060] As used herein, the term "server system" may refer to an electronic component external to a machine, e.g., an electronic component located remotely from the machine and communicating with the machine via a computer network. A server system may include a communication interface for communicating with the machine and / or external devices. A server system may include a network-based computer (e.g., a remote server), a cloud-based computer, or any other server system.

[0061] As used herein, the term "system" or "roasting system" may refer to a combination of a roasting machine and one or more of coffee beans, a server system, and peripheral devices.

[0062] As used herein, the terms "electrical circuitry" or "circuitry" or "control circuitry" may refer to one or more hardware and / or software components, examples of which may include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic / electrical components (which may include combinations of transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc.), one or more processors, non-transitory memory (e.g., implemented by one or more memory devices) that may store one or more software or firmware programs, combinatorial logic circuitry, and interconnections of the above. The electrical circuitry may be located entirely on the machine or distributed among one or more of the machine, external devices, and server systems.

[0063] As used herein, the terms "processor" or "processing resource" may refer to one or more units for processing, examples of which include an ASIC, a microcontroller, an FPGA, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a state machine, or other suitable components. A processor may be configured to execute a computer program, which may take the form of machine-readable instructions that may be stored, for example, in non-transitory memory and / or programmable logic. A processor may have various configurations corresponding to those described for circuits, for example, implemented in a machine or distributed as part of a system. As used herein, any machine-executable instructions or computer-readable medium may be configured to cause, for example, a machine or system as disclosed herein to perform the disclosed methods, and thus may be used synonymously or interchangeably with the term method.

[0064] As used herein, the terms "computer-readable medium(s)" or "data storage" may include any medium capable of storing a computer program and may take the form of one or more of any conventional non-transitory memory, such as random access memory (RAM), CDs, hard drives, solid-state drives, memory cards, DVDs, etc. The memory may have various configurations corresponding to the described configurations of the circuits.

[0065] As used herein, the terms "communications resource" or "communications interface" may refer to hardware and / or firmware for electronic information transmission. A communications resource / interface may be configured for wired communications ("wired communications resource / interface") or wireless communications ("wired communications resource / interface"). Wireless communications resources include hardware that transmits and receives signals wirelessly and may include, for example, various protocol implementations of the 802.11 standard described by the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) and Bluetooth™ sold by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group of Kirkland, Washington. Wired communications resources include Universal Serial Bus (USB), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), or other protocol implementations. A machine may include communications resources for wired or wireless communications with external devices and / or server systems.

[0066] As used herein, the terms "network" or "computer network" may refer to a system for electronic information transmission between multiple apparatus / devices. A network may include, for example, one or more networks of any type, which may include a public land mobile network (PLMN), a telephone network (e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and / or a wireless network), a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, a private network, the Internet, or an intranet.

[0067] [System Overview] 1, system 2 comprises machine 4, coffee beans 6, a server system 8, and a peripheral device 10. Server system 8 communicates with machine 4 via a computer network 12. Peripheral device 10 communicates with machine 4 via computer network 12.

[0068] In alternative embodiments not shown, the peripheral devices and / or server system are omitted.

[0069] Although the computer network 12 is shown as being the same between the machine 4, the server system 8, and the peripheral device 10, other configurations are possible, including different computer networks for intercommunication between each device, i.e., the server system communicating with the machine through the peripheral device rather than directly. In a particular example, the peripheral device communicates with the machine over a wireless interface, for example using the Bluetooth™ protocol, and the server system communicates with the machine over a wireless interface, such as the IEEE 802.11 standard, and also over the Internet.

[0070] [Machine] Referring to Figure 2, the machine 4 comprises a processing unit 20 for carrying out a roasting process for processing bulk unroasted coffee beans 6 to obtain pre-portioned doses of roasted coffee beans (not shown) therefrom, and an electric circuit 22 for controlling the processing unit 20 to carry out said roasting process.

[0071] Referring to Figure 3, the processing unit 20 of the machine 4 comprises a dosing system 24 for extracting pre-portioned doses of green coffee beans from a plurality of bulk quantities of green coffee beans 6, a roasting unit 26 for receiving and roasting the pre-portioned doses of green coffee beans, an air delivery system 28 for delivering heated air to the roasting unit 26 for roasting the coffee beans, and a delivery system 30 for delivering the pre-portioned doses of roasted coffee beans from the roasting unit 26.

[0072] The dosing system 24, the roasting unit 26, the air transmission system 28 and the delivery system 30 are connected to or form part of the machine body.

[0073] An exemplary machine 4 assembly comprising the aforementioned components (excluding the top cover and dosing system 24, which are not shown) is shown in Figure 4, a suitable dosing system 24 is shown in Figures 5-7, the roasting unit 26 is shown in more detail in Figures 8 and 9, and the air delivery system 28 is shown in Figure 13.

[0074] The machine 4 has an overall depth direction 100, a longitudinal direction 102, and a lateral direction 104 that will be referenced in describing the machine 4 and its components. In use, the depth direction 100 is aligned vertically.

[0075] [Dose delivery system] 5 to 7, a first example of a dosing system 24 comprises a reservoir 36 and a dosing unit 34. The dosing unit 34 is configured to extract pre-portioned doses of coffee beans (not shown) from a multi-dose quantity of loose coffee beans in the reservoir 36 and to transfer the pre-portioned doses to the roasting unit 26.

[0076] The dosing unit 34 comprises a positioning system 40 which guides the coffee beans in the reservoir 36 to a portioning unit 42 which obtains pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from the positioned coffee beans.

[0077] In this example, the positioning system 40 comprises a funnel configuration within the reservoir 36. Thus, the positioning system 40 is separable from the machine body 32 having the reservoir 36. The funnel is configured to narrow transversely 104 and longitudinally 102 relative to the depth direction 100 towards the base of the reservoir 36. The base of the reservoir 36 comprises a reservoir outlet 48, which is also positioned proximal to the dispensing unit 42 for directing the positioned coffee beans thereto.

[0078] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the positioning system is formed separately from the reservoir, for example the reservoir has an outlet which connects the coffee beans to the positioning system, the positioning system is formed together with the dispensing unit or is removably connected to the dispensing unit, the positioning system may also be omitted, for example the reservoir is formed as an elongated column which feeds directly into the dispensing system.

[0079] The portioning unit 42 is configured as a rotating member 44 having a cutout 46. An actuator unit (not shown) drives the rotating member 44 to rotate about an axis extending in the depth direction 100. As the positioning unit 42 rotates, the outlet 48 periodically aligns with the cutout 46, at which point coffee beans in the funnel of the reservoir 36 can be transferred into the cutout 46 as divided portions under gravity. As the rotating member 44 rotates further, the divided coffee beans are dragged toward the dosing system outlet 50 as they rotate. With the cutout 46 aligned with the dosing system outlet 50, the coffee beans in the cutout 46 can be transferred into the roasting unit 26 as divided portions under gravity, as described below. A base wall 52 of the dosing unit 34 prevents the coffee beans from exiting at any location other than the dosing system outlet 50. One or more cutouts 46 may be used to define a single pre-portioned dose, for example, the pre-portioned dose may have different fixed amounts corresponding to one or more cutouts 46, as may be programmed within electrical circuitry 22, including being selectable as a user input to a user interface, as described below.

[0080] In variant embodiments not shown, alternative dose delivery systems are implemented, for example, in exemplary embodiments the dispensing unit as described is replaced by an auger or counter-rotating rollers that rotate for a predetermined amount of time or define pre-portioned doses; such systems can also be implemented without a positioning unit, e.g., an auger extending directly into the reservoir; pre-portioned containers containing individually pre-portioned doses may also be accommodated by the dose delivery system, which extracts the doses from the container, for example, by opening the container and dispensing the doses from the container. Such systems may also have several fixed doses selectable by the user.

[0081] The coffee bean reservoir 36 and / or the dosing unit 34 are removably attached to the body 32 of the machine 4 and / or to each other. In an alternative embodiment not shown, one or more of said components are integrally formed with each other.

[0082] [Roasting unit] 8 and 9, the roasting unit 26 includes a roasting chamber 60 for roasting pre-portioned doses of coffee beans supplied by the dosing system 24. The roasting chamber 60 is cylindrical having a side wall 62 between a top wall 64 and a bottom wall 66. In use, the cylindrical shape is oriented with a cylindrical axis in a depth direction 100, with the bottom wall 66 at a greater depth than the top wall 64.

[0083] In alternative embodiments not shown, the roasting chamber is alternatively shaped, for example cubic, or truncated conical, or truncated pyramidal.

[0084] The roasting chamber 60 is sized to accommodate pre-portioned doses with occupancy of 10-50% or 15-30% of its internal volume. The internal volume may be 0.1-0.9 liters, or 0.25-0.75 liters, or approximately 0.5 liters. The large proportion of unoccupied volume allows coffee beans moving within the roasting chamber 60 during roasting to collide with each other as air passes over them, which can cause the husks / outer layers of the coffee beans to be removed and carried away by the air as debris from the roasting chamber 60, as described below.

[0085] The roasting unit 26 includes a roasting chamber inlet 68 disposed through the top wall 64 to cooperate with the dose outlet 50 of the dose delivery system 24 so that the roasting chamber 60 can receive pre-portioned doses. The roasting unit 26 includes a roasting chamber outlet 70 disposed through the side wall 62 for discharging roasted coffee beans, as described below.

[0086] The roasting chamber inlet 68 is therefore positioned above the roasting chamber outlet 70 in the depth direction 100. In this way, the roasted product can flow through the roasting chamber 60 with the aid of gravity rather than requiring extraction from the body 32 of the machine 4, as will be described below.

[0087] The roasting chamber inlet 68 is movable between an open position (FIG. 10) and a closed position (FIGS. 8, 11, 12). In the closed position, the roasting chamber inlet 68 prevents air (including any debris that may be present in the air) and coffee beans from the air delivery system 28 from being transmitted therethrough. In the open position, the roasting chamber inlet 68 allows the transmission of coffee beans therethrough.

[0088] The roasting chamber entrance 68 is formed as an entrance opening 72 in the top wall 64 which rotates as an end cap around the side wall 62. In the open position, the entrance opening 72 is aligned with the dose dispensing outlet 50 of the dose dispensing system 24. In the closed position, the entrance opening 72 is not aligned with the dose dispensing outlet 50, such that the base wall 52 of the dose dispensing system 24 closes the entrance opening 72.

[0089] An actuator unit (not shown) drives the roasting chamber entrance 68 between open and closed positions by rotation of the end cap.

[0090] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the roasting chamber entrance may alternatively be implemented, for example, such that rather than being a rotating end cap, the top and side walls are integrally formed and a closure member moves relative to an entrance opening in the top wall to achieve open and closed positions, the roasting chamber entrance being formed in the side wall and the roasting chamber entrance, like the roasting chamber outlet, being arranged as a hatch which pivots between open and closed positions.

[0091] The roasting chamber outlet 70 is movable between an open position (FIG. 9) and a closed position (FIG. 8). In the closed position, the roasting chamber outlet 70 prevents air (including any debris that may be present in the air) and coffee beans from the air delivery system 28 from being transmitted therethrough. In the open position, the roasting chamber outlet 70 allows the transmission of coffee beans therethrough.

[0092] The roasting chamber outlet 70 is formed as an outlet opening 74 in the side wall 62 and a hatch 76 pivoting about an axis aligned in the depth direction 100. In the open position, the hatch 76 is separated from the outlet opening 74. In the closed position, the hatch 76 closes the outlet opening 74. The outlet opening 74 is located proximate to the bottom wall 66 but separated therefrom in the depth direction 100.

[0093] An actuator unit (not shown) drives the roasting chamber outlet 70 between open and closed positions by rotation of the hatch 76.

[0094] In variant embodiments not shown, the roasting chamber outlet is alternatively implemented, for example, rather than a rotating hatch, any of the variants described may be implemented, including an outlet that is the same as the roasting chamber entrance, or a ring with an opening that aligns with the outlet opening in a first rotational position and closes the outlet opening in a second rotational position.

[0095] The roasting unit 26 includes an air inlet 80 configured to transfer air from the air delivery system 28 to the roasting chamber 60. The roasting unit 26 includes an air outlet 82 for the exit of air from the air delivery system 28 and debris discharge from the roasting chamber 60. The air inlet 80 and air outlet 82 implement part of a flow path 84, which extends within the roasting chamber 60 through pre-portioned doses of coffee beans, as described below.

[0096] The air outlets 82 are arranged as a plurality of outlet openings 84 that are circumferentially distributed through the side wall 62 proximate to but separated from the top wall 64. The end caps that form the top wall 64 include corresponding outlet openings 86. The outlet openings 84, 86 are aligned (or at least partially aligned in an open or half-open position, as described below) or completely out of alignment in a closed position.

[0097] Thus, the air outlet 82 is movable between an open position (FIG. 8) and a closed position (FIG. 9). In the closed position, the air outlet 82 blocks air from the air delivery system 28 from exiting the roasting chamber 60, and in the open position, the air outlet 82 allows air from the air delivery system 28 to exit the roasting chamber 60.

[0098] An actuator unit (not shown) drives the air outlet 82 between open and closed positions by rotation of the end cap. The end cap is a common member that can be driven by the same actuator as it actuates the roasting chamber inlet 68 and the air outlet 82.

[0099] In alternative embodiments not shown, including the examples and variations described for the roasting chamber inlet, the air outlet may be alternatively positioned (e.g. the air outlet may be in the top wall), there may not be open and closed positions, the air outlet may be permanently in an open position, the air outlet may have a single outlet opening, the air inlet and air outlet may be integrated, for example with one flow path used sequentially for both different flow directions and a bleed / relief valve for pressure equalization.

[0100] The air inlets 80 are arranged as a plurality of circumferentially distributed inlet openings 88 through the side wall 62 proximate to but separated from the bottom wall 66 .

[0101] In alternative embodiments not shown, the air inlet is positioned similarly to the air outlet and its associated alternatives, for example the air inlet may include a closed position and an open position in addition to or instead of the flow outlet, and both the air inlet and the air outlet are in the side wall such that the flow path extends laterally and / or longitudinally (as opposed to generally depthwise in the illustrated example) through the dose of coffee beans.

[0102] Both the air inlet and / or the air outlet may be more generally referred to as flow regulators for the treatment chamber and have open and closed positions for controlling flow through the treatment chamber. The associated components of the roasting unit may have any suitable operational configuration. For example, the flow regulator, roasting chamber inlet, and roasting chamber outlet need not be integrally formed with the roasting chamber; they may be distributed anywhere on the machine; for example, the roasting chamber inlet may be located on the dosing system, and the flow regulator may be elsewhere in the flow path (as described below).

[0103] [Roasting chamber configuration] In embodiments, the roasting unit 26 may be configured in one or more of the following configurations:

[0104] Dosing configuration (Fig. 10) in which the roasting chamber inlet 68 is placed in an open position and the roasting chamber outlet 70 is placed in a closed position. This allows beans to enter the roasting chamber 60 from the dosing system 24 for roasting without escaping through the roasting chamber outlet 70. The air outlet 82 may also be placed in a closed position. This prevents beans from escaping through the air outlet.

[0105] A roasting configuration (FIG. 11) in which the roasting chamber inlet 68 and roasting chamber outlet 70 are placed in a closed position and the air outlet 82 is placed in an open position, so that air can be transmitted through the flow paths to roast the beans without the air and / or beans escaping through the roasting chamber outlet 70 or roasting chamber inlet 68.

[0106] Extraction configuration (FIG. 12) in which the roasting chamber outlet 70 is positioned in an open position. The air outlet 82 is positioned in a partially open position to control / force air flow through the roasting chamber outlet 70 to aid in the evacuation of the beans through the roasting chamber outlet 70. In this position, the roasting chamber inlet 68 may be positioned in a closed position to prevent roasted beans from exiting through the roasting chamber inlet 68.

[0107] The roasting unit 26 is controlled between these positions (as described below) by the electrical circuitry 22, which also controls the dosing unit 24 to transfer pre-portioned doses to the roasting chamber 60 with the roasting unit 26 in the dose-dispensing configuration.

[0108] The coffee bean roasting machine 4 is configured such that the roasting unit 26 does not need to be removed from the machine 4 (e.g. from the assembly of other components of the machine and / or from the body 32 of the machine) as part of the roasting process.

[0109] That is, without removing the roasting chamber 60, the electrical circuitry 22 is configured to control the processing unit 20 to automatically perform the roasting process, including the steps of delivering pre-portioned doses, roasting the pre-portioned doses, and dispensing the pre-portioned doses. In the illustrated example, this includes the electrical circuitry 22 for controlling the dosing system 24 to supply pre-portioned doses to the roasting unit 26, and for controlling the roasting unit 26 to automatically move between the dosing configuration, the roasting configuration, and the brewing configuration with corresponding control of the air delivery system 28, as described below.

[0110] It will therefore be appreciated that the machine 4 may be configured without removal of the roasting chamber 60 as required as part of the roasting process. The machine 4 is not limited to a roasting chamber 60 that cannot be removed, such as for cleaning or replacement purposes.

[0111] [Air transmission system] Referring to Figure 13, the air delivery system 28 comprises a flow generator 90 for generating an air flow, a heat exchanger 92 for heating the air, and a filtration unit 94 for filtering substances (e.g., debris from the coffee beans) and / or gases (e.g., gases that are by-products of the roasting process and may have a particular odor) from the air after it has passed through the roasting chamber 60.

[0112] The flow generator 90 is implemented as a fan or other suitable system for generating a flow in the flow path. The heat exchanger 92 heats the airflow from the flow generator 90 and comprises a heating element disposed in the flow path or other suitable system. The filtration unit filters the substance / gas from the air by a cyclone-type filtration system or other suitable system, such as an in-line filter that allows air to pass through but not the substance / gas.

[0113] 4 and 13, the flow path 96 comprises a flow path inlet 98, a flow generator 90, a heat exchanger 92, an air inlet 80 of the roasting unit 26, a pre-portioned dose of coffee in the roasting chamber 60, an air outlet 82 of the roasting unit 60, a filtration unit 94, and a flow path outlet 100. The flow path 96 and flow generator 90 are configured to provide a flow rate sufficient to agitate / move the coffee beans relative to one another within the roasting chamber 60.

[0114] In alternative embodiments not shown, the air delivery system may be alternatively positioned, for example, a flow generator may be positioned downstream of the roasting chamber and operate by suction. Other suitable configurations of the air delivery system components are to be understood as being included in this disclosure. In other examples, the roasting chamber roasts the coffee beans by other means, including a hot plate without an air delivery system.

[0115] [Delivery system] 4 and 8, the delivery system 30 is configured to transfer roasted coffee beans through the roasting unit's chamber outlet 70 to the outlet receptacle 38. In the roasting unit 26 in the previously described extraction configuration (FIG. 12), the flow path 96 of the air transfer system 28 is modified to bypass the air outlet 82 to the roasting chamber outlet 70 so as to carry the roasted coffee beans from the roasting chamber 60 through the roasting chamber outlet 70 to the outlet receptacle 38. With the modified flow path, the air does not require heating by the heat exchanger 92. A conduit (not shown) may interconnect the roasting chamber outlet 70 and the outlet receptacle 38.

[0116] In alternative embodiments not shown, other delivery systems may be implemented, such as a hatch at the base of the roasting chamber located above the outlet vessel, and other systems that may not require air extraction from the air delivery system.

[0117] [Control electrical circuit] Referring to Figure 14, the electrical circuitry 22 at least partially implements (e.g. in combination with hardware) an input unit / user interface 110 for receiving input from a user that confirms that the machine 4 is to carry out a roasting process and other inputs (as described below), a processor 112 for receiving input from the input unit 110 and providing control outputs to the processing unit 20, and a feedback system 114 for providing feedback to the processing unit 20 during the roasting process that can be used to control the roasting process.

[0118] As previously mentioned, the electrical circuitry 22 may be distributed throughout the system 2 (e.g., distributed across one or more of the machines 4, the server system 8, and the peripheral devices 10). Accordingly, one or more of the input units 110, the processors 112, and the feedback systems 114 may also be distributed in this manner.

[0119] The input unit 110 is implemented as a user interface and may include one or more of buttons such as joystick buttons or push buttons, a joystick, LEDs, a graphic or character LCD, a graphical screen with touch-sensitive buttons and / or screen edge buttons, other similar devices, and a sensor for determining whether a consumable has been supplied to the machine by a user.

[0120] The feedback system 114 may implement one or more of the following or other feedback control-based operations:

[0121] One or more flow or fan speed sensors determine the flow rate / volume of air through the flow path 96, which can be used to ensure that the air flow rate into the roasting chamber 60 is at a target rate and adjust the power to the flow generator 90 accordingly.

[0122] One or more temperature sensors determine the temperature of one or more of the roasting chamber 60, the air in the flow path 96, and the heat exchanger 92, which can be used to ensure that the temperature of the air into the roasting chamber 60 is at a target temperature and adjust the power to the heat exchanger 92 and / or the flow generator 90 accordingly.

[0123] One or more position sensors determine the position (eg, open, half-open, closed) of one or more of the air outlet 82, roasting chamber inlet 68, and roasting chamber outlet 70.

[0124] One or more level sensors determine the level or presence of coffee beans in one or more of the reservoir 36, outlet vessel 38, and roasting chamber 60.

[0125] [How to roast coffee beans] A method of roasting coffee beans includes the following steps:

[0126] Step 1: Extracting a pre-portioned dose of coffee beans from the reservoir 36 using the dosing system 24. The electrical circuitry 22 controls the dosing system 24 to extract the pre-portioned dose of coffee beans as described above.

[0127] Step 2: Transferring pre-portioned doses from the dosing system 24 to the roasting unit 26. The electrical circuit 22 controls the roasting unit 26 to be placed in the dose-dispensing configuration as described above.

[0128] Step 3: Roasting the pre-portioned doses using the roasting unit 26. The electrical circuitry 22 controls the roasting unit 26 to be placed in the roasting configuration as described above and controls the air supply system 28 to add heated air to the flow path 96 as described above.

[0129] Step 4: Transferring the roasted pre-portioned doses from the roasting unit 26 to the outlet receptacle 38. The electrical circuit 22 controls the roasting unit 26 to be placed in the extraction configuration as described above, and controls the air supply system 28 to add air to the modified flow path to assist in the evacuation as described above.

[0130] Prior to step 1, reservoir 36 may be filled with multiple batches of loose green coffee beans. This step may involve emptying one or more containers, such as packs, into reservoir 36. The container(s) may be provided with a code that is read by code reader 120 (FIG. 4) of electrical circuit 22, which provides parameters to processor 112 for use in the roasting process. The parameters may be one or more of the temperature of the roasting process (e.g., temperature of the air or roasting chamber or heat exchanger), the duration of the roasting process (e.g., time that heated air is added or time in the roasting chamber), the air flow rate (e.g., power applied to flow generator 92), and the stage of the process at which one or more of the parameters are applied, if the roasting process includes multiple consecutive stages. Alternatively, default or user-selected parameters entered via user interface 110 may be used.

[0131] [How to roast subsequent doses of coffee beans] Since the machine 4 is capable of performing the roasting process (including deriving pre-portioned doses from loose coffee beans (or other processes), roasting the pre-portioned doses, and dispensing the roasted pre-portioned doses to an outlet) under the control of the electrical circuitry 22 in a fully automated manner, the above-described method may be performed using the electrical circuitry 22 configured to control the processing unit 20 to automatically (e.g., without user intervention) perform a series of subsequent roasting steps such that a plurality of subsequent pre-portioned doses are roasted in turn.

[0132] The fully automated roasting process opens up a wide range of control options for the machine 4 that can be directed by a user via the user interface 110.

[0133] Example 1: - Inputting the time to automatically execute the roasting process The user interface 110 is configured to provide instructions for the times to perform one or more roasting steps. For example, a user may input via the user interface 110 times when coffee demand is expected to be high, including morning or midday.

[0134] Example 2: Entering the frequency for automatically executing the roasting process The user interface 110 is configured to provide instructions on how often the roasting process should be performed. For example, a user may input a predetermined number via the user interface 110, including 1-10 or 1-5 per hour, or other time period, including 12 hours or one day.

[0135] The first and second embodiments may be combined to have a first frequency of roasting steps over a first predetermined period of time and a second frequency over a different second predetermined period of time, etc.

[0136] Example 3: Entering the amount of coffee beans to roast The user interface 110 is configured to provide quantities as instructions. For example, the user may input an amount in grams or a number of pre-portioned doses to roast via the user interface 110. The instructions may also be to roast the entire amount of coffee beans in the reservoir 36 in successive roasting steps until the reservoir 36 is depleted.

[0137] One or more checks / notifications may be provided as part of the roasting process(es) (including Examples 1-3), examples of which include:

[0138] Example 1 - Determining if enough beans are present in the reservoir The electrical circuit 22 is configured to determine whether there are enough coffee beans in the reservoir 36 for a predetermined number of doses, which may be one or more doses, to be brewed by the dosing unit 34. The amount of coffee beans in the reservoir 36 may be determined by a level sensor, including an optical sensor or other suitable sensor.

[0139] If there are insufficient coffee beans in the reservoir for the extraction of said predetermined number of doses, the electrical circuit may not perform a roasting step, or may perform a roasting step for as many doses as there are in the reservoir.

[0140] The electrical circuitry 22 may alternatively or additionally provide a notification to the user interface 110 to inform the user that an insufficient dose is present in the reservoir to carry out the command.

[0141] Example 2 - Presence of a reservoir The electrical circuitry 22 is configured to determine whether the reservoir 36 is present. The presence of the reservoir 36 may be determined by a proximity sensor, including an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, or other suitable sensor.

[0142] If the reservoir 36 is determined to be present, the roasting process may be performed. If the reservoir 36 is not determined to be present, the roasting process may not be performed.

[0143] Alternatively or additionally, electrical circuitry 22 may provide notification to user interface 110 that reservoir 36 is absent.

[0144] Example 3 - Notification of completed roasting process The electrical circuitry 22 is configured to provide notification of the completed roasting process to the user interface 110, for example, when the dispensing system 30 has completed dispensing a pre-portioned dose into the outlet receptacle 38, or after roasting is complete within the roasting chamber 60, or at another suitable stage of the roasting process.

[0145] Example 4 - Presence of outlet container The electrical circuit 22 is configured to determine whether the outlet receptacle 38 is present. The presence of the outlet receptacle 38 may be determined by a proximity sensor, including an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, or other suitable sensor.

[0146] If it is determined that the outlet receptacle 38 is present, the roasting process may be performed, including step 4 (transferring the roasted pre-portioned doses from the roasting unit 26 to the outlet receptacle 38). If it is not determined that the outlet receptacle 38 is present, the roasting process may not be performed. Alternatively, if it is not determined that the outlet receptacle 38 is present, the roasting process may be performed, but step 4 may not be performed, such that the roasted pre-portioned doses remain in the roasting unit 26. Then, if it is determined that the outlet receptacle 38 is present, step 4 may be performed.

[0147] The electrical circuitry 22 may alternatively or additionally provide a notification to the user interface 110 that the outlet receptacle 38 is not present.

[0148] Example 5 - Outlet vessel filling conditions The electrical circuit 22 is configured to determine the fill condition of the outlet reservoir 38. The fill condition in the outlet reservoir 38 may be determined by a level sensor, including an optical sensor, a weight sensor, or other suitable sensor.

[0149] In a first variant, the first filling condition may be that no roasted coffee beans or less than a predetermined amount (e.g., one or more doses) are present in the outlet container 38.

[0150] If the first filling condition is met, the electrical circuit 22 automatically executes the roasting process, thereby ensuring that a minimum amount of coffee beans is always present in the outlet container 38 to avoid shortages. If the first filling condition is not met, the roasting process does not have to be executed.

[0151] In a second variant, the second filling condition may be the presence of more than a predetermined amount of roasted coffee beans in the outlet container 38.

[0152] If the fill condition is met, the electrical circuit 22 may not execute the roasting process, thereby ensuring that the outlet vessel 38 cannot be overfilled.

[0153] The filling conditions can be set by the user interface 110 .

[0154] The above method may be carried out as part of a method for preparing a beverage, in which a grinding unit grinds roasted coffee beans and a processing unit processes the ground coffee beans to extract a beverage therefrom.

[0155] As used herein, any expression used in the style "at least one of A, B, or C," as well as the expression "at least one of A, B, and C," uses the disjunctive "or" and the disjunctive "and," so that these expressions include any or all combinations of A, B, C and several permutations, i.e., A only, B only, C only, A and B in any order, A and C in any order, B and C in any order, A, B, C in any order. There may be more or fewer than three features used in such expressions.

[0156] In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those recited in the claim. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "a" or "an" are defined as one or more. Also, the use of introductory phrases such as "at least one" and "one or more" in a claim should not be construed as meaning that the introduction of another claim element with the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits a particular claim containing such introduced claim element to inventions containing only one such element, even if the same claim also contains the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an." The same applies to the use of definite articles. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements they describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate a chronological or other priority of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0157] Unless expressly stated as incompatible or unless the physical or other properties of the embodiments, examples, or claims preclude such combination, the features of the foregoing embodiments, examples, and appended claims may be combined together in any suitable configuration, particularly those that result in beneficial effects. This is not limited to any particular benefit alone, but may instead result from an "after-the-fact" benefit. This means that the combination of features is not limited to the described form, particularly the dependency format (e.g., numbering) of the example(s), embodiment(s), or claim(s). Furthermore, this also applies to phrases such as "in one embodiment," "according to one embodiment," and the like, which are merely literal styles and should not be construed as limiting the following features to a separate embodiment relative to all other instances of the same or similar language. This means that a reference to "an," "one," or "some" embodiment(s) may refer to one or more and / or all of the disclosed embodiments, or combination(s) thereof. Likewise, references to "the" embodiment may not be limited to the immediately preceding embodiment.

[0158] As used herein, any machine-executable instructions or computer-readable medium can perform the disclosed methods and thus can be used synonymously or interchangeably with the term method.

[0159] The foregoing description of one or more implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from experience with various implementations of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0160] 2 systems 4 machines 20 processing units 24-dose delivery system 34 dose supply units 40 positioning units 48 Reservoir Outlet 42 subdivision units 44 rotating parts 46 Notch 52 base wall 50 dose supply outlet 36 reservoir 26 roasting units 60 roasting chambers 62 side wall 64 Upper Wall 66 Bottom Wall 68 Roasting chamber entrance 72 entrance opening 70 Roasting chamber outlet 74 exit opening 76 Hatch 80 air inlet 88 Entrance Opening 82 air outlet 84, 86 exit opening 28 Air Transmission System 90 flow generator 92 heat exchanger 94 filtration units 96 channels 98 flow channel inlet 100 flow channel inlet 30 delivery systems 38 outlet container 22 Electrical Circuits 110 input units 112 processing units 114 Feedback System 32 main unit 6 coffee beans 8-server system 10 Peripheral Devices

Claims

1. A coffee bean roasting machine, a roasting unit having a roasting chamber for roasting a dose of coffee beans; a dosing system comprising a dosing unit and a coffee bean reservoir for containing coffee beans for multiple doses; Equipped with the dosing unit is configured to extract pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from the plurality of doses of coffee beans in the reservoir and to transfer the pre-portioned doses to the roasting unit; said roasting unit comprising a roasting chamber inlet configured to cooperate with a dosing outlet of said dosing unit and a separate roasting chamber outlet for the outlet of roasted coffee beans; the roasting chamber inlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the roasting chamber inlet prevents air and / or coffee beans from an air delivery system from being delivered through the roasting chamber inlet, and in the open position the roasting chamber inlet allows coffee beans to be delivered from a dosing outlet of the dosing system through the roasting chamber inlet to the roasting chamber; the roasting chamber outlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the chamber outlet prevents air from an air delivery system and / or coffee beans from being transmitted through the roasting chamber outlet, and in the open position the roasting chamber outlet allows the transmission of coffee beans through the roasting chamber outlet; the roasting unit includes an air inlet configured to transfer air from an air delivery system to the roasting chamber, and a separate air outlet for outlet of air from the air delivery system and discharge of material from the roasting chamber; the air outlet is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the air inlet / outlet prevents air from the air delivery system from exiting the roasting chamber, and in the open position, the air inlet / outlet allows air from the air delivery system to exit the roasting chamber; The roasting unit has the following configuration: a roasting configuration in which the roasting chamber inlet and the roasting chamber outlet are disposed in a closed position and the air outlet is disposed in an open position; a dosing arrangement in which the roasting chamber inlet is arranged in an open position, the roasting chamber outlet is arranged in a closed position, and the air outlet is arranged in a closed position; a brewing configuration in which the roasting chamber outlet is positioned in an open position and the air inlet is positioned in an open position; [0043] Coffee bean roasting machine.

2. 2. The coffee bean roasting machine of claim 1, wherein the internal volume of the roasting chamber of the roasting unit is 0.25 to 0.75 liters, and the pre-portioned doses extracted by the dosing unit are 100 to 200 g of green coffee beans.

3. 3. The coffee bean roasting machine according to claim 1, wherein the dosing system comprises a positioning system for guiding the coffee beans in the reservoir to a portioning unit, the portioning unit being for portioning the pre-portioned dose of coffee beans from the positioned coffee beans.

4. 4. The coffee bean roasting machine of claim 3, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to transfer the received dose to a dosing outlet of the dosing system.

5. 5. The coffee bean roasting machine according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the dosing system comprises an actuator unit configured to actuate the dispensing unit.

6. 6. The coffee bean roasting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coffee bean reservoir and / or the dosing unit are removably attached to the coffee bean roasting machine.

7. 7. The coffee bean roasting machine of claim 1, wherein the coffee bean roasting machine is configured such that the roasting unit does not need to be removed from the machine as part of the roasting process.

8. 8. The coffee bean roasting machine according to claim 1, wherein the roasting chamber inlet is located above the roasting chamber outlet.

9. 9. The coffee bean roasting machine of claim 1, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet define an air flow path of the air delivery system, the flow path being configured to extend through a pre-portioned dose of coffee beans in the roasting chamber, and the air outlet being located above the air inlet.

10. 10. A coffee bean roasting machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air outlet and the roasting chamber inlet are moved between associated open and closed positions by actuation of a common member.

11. 11. The coffee bean roasting machine of claim 10, wherein the dosing system is configured to transfer the pre-portioned doses to the roasting chamber when the roasting unit is in the dosing configuration.

12. an air delivery system for delivering air for the roasting process along a flow path, said air delivery system comprising: a flow generator; a heat exchanger for heating the air; a filtration unit for filtering substances from the air; Equipped with The flow path includes an air inlet and an air outlet of the roasting chamber. The coffee bean roasting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. 13. The coffee bean roasting machine according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a delivery system configured to transfer roasted coffee beans through the roasting chamber outlet to an outlet receptacle.

14. A method for roasting coffee beans using the coffee bean roasting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, extracting pre-portioned doses of coffee beans from a reservoir configured to contain multiple doses of coffee beans using an automatic dosing system; transferring said pre-portioned doses to a roasting unit using said automatic dosing system; roasting said pre-portioned doses using said roasting unit; transferring the roasted pre-portioned doses from the roasting unit to an outlet; A method comprising:

15. A coffee roasting system comprising the roasting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, a processing unit having a roasting chamber for roasting pre-portioned doses of coffee beans; an electrical circuit for controlling the processing unit to perform a roasting process in which the pre-portioned dose of coffee beans is roasted; Further provided with the electrical circuit is configured to control the processing unit to automatically perform a series of roasting steps such that a plurality of pre-portioned doses are roasted sequentially; Coffee roasting system.

16. 16. A method of roasting coffee beans using the coffee roasting system of claim 15, comprising: automatically controlling a processing system to automatically perform a series of roasting steps in which the pre-portioned doses of coffee beans are roasted, such that a plurality of pre-portioned doses of coffee beans are roasted sequentially. A method comprising:

17. 17. A computer readable medium containing program code for performing the method of claim 16.

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