Method and device for adjusting grinding degree of grinder

Abstract

A particularly telemetric grinding adjustment device (1) having at least one grinder (2) for grinding coffee beans (7) and a grinding adjustment device (5) for the at least one grinder (2). The grinding adjustment device (1) further includes at least one remote control unit (10) operatively coupled to the grinding adjustment device (5) for adjusting the grinding of the at least one grinder (2).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the grinding size of a grinder for coffee beans according to the preamble of claim 1. The present invention also relates to a device for adjusting the grinding size of a grinder.

[0002] Grinders for coffee beans are generally disc grinders or cone grinders. Both grinder types consist of two grinding discs, one of which is fixed and the other is driven. To adjust the grinding degree, in such grinders, for example, the distance between the two grinding tools is adjusted manually or via an electrical adjustment device.

[0003] The present invention therefore has the object of improving the grinding fineness adjustment device for a grinder of a coffee mill.

[0004] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method for adjusting the grinding degree of a grinder having the characteristic features of claim 1 and by an apparatus for adjusting the grinding degree of a grinder having the characteristic features of claim 3.

[0005] The method according to the invention for adjusting the grinding quality of at least one grinder for grinding coffee beans is advantageous in that the grinding quality adjustment of the at least one grinder is performed via a transmission path by a remote control unit which is arranged at a distance from the at least one grinder. Advantageously, a grinding quality adjustment by means of a remote telemetric access by the remote control unit is also possible in order to ascertain the latest measured values ​​of the grinding quality adjuster.

[0006] The method can be carried out using a grinding fineness adjusting apparatus including a grinder and a grinding fineness adjuster, the grinding fineness adjusting apparatus further having a remote control unit.

[0007] A particular advantage is that by adjusting the grinders using a remote control unit, it is possible to centrally adjust individual or several grinders to the desired (e.g. identical) grinding degree and thus to an equivalent product preparation in order to achieve defined quality standards for several coffee machines (e.g. in so-called chain customers).

[0008] The at least one grinder may be a coffee mill of a coffee machine or a grinder of a stand-alone coffee machine.

[0009] The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a grinding fineness adjusting device according to the invention together with a front view in cross section of a basic design of a grinder for grinding coffee beans; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a grinding size adjustment device according to the invention with a number of coffee machines;

[0011] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a grinding degree adjusting device 1 according to the invention together with a front view in cross section of a basic scheme of a grinder 2 for grinding coffee beans 7. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a grinding degree adjusting device 1 according to the invention with several coffee machines K1, K2, K3, Kn.

[0012] The grinding fineness adjusting device 1 in this embodiment comprises at least one grinder 2 of a coffee mill or coffee machine K1, K2, K3, Kn and a remote control unit 10. The grinding fineness adjusting device 1 may comprise several coffee mills and several coffee machines each with at least one grinder 2. This is shown in FIG.

[0013] The grinder 2 in this embodiment has a first grinding disc 3, a second grinding disc 4 and a drive unit 6. In this embodiment, the second grinding disc 4 is driven by the drive unit 6 and the first grinding disc 3 is stationary. However, both grinding discs 3, 4 or only the first grinding disc 3 can also be driven.

[0014] The grinder 2 further has at least one grinding fineness regulator 5. By means of the grinding fineness regulator 5, the grinding fineness of the grinder is adjusted. For this purpose, the grinding fineness regulator 5 acts on the first grinding disc 3 and can vary the adjustment of the distance between the first grinding disc 3 and the second grinding disc 4. In another configuration, the application of a force on the position-adjusted grinding discs 3, 4 can also be varied for the grinding fineness adjustment. Other configurations are possible, which will not be considered further here. It is also possible that the grinding fineness regulator 5 acts on the rotatable second grinding disc 4 or on both grinding discs 3, 4.

[0015] The grinding degree regulator 5 may be driven electrically, for example by a step motor or a servo motor, which is controlled by the control unit 8, which also controls the electric drive of the drive unit 6.

[0016] The remote control unit 10 communicates in this embodiment with the control unit 8 and with the grinding fineness regulator 5 which is connected thereto. The grinding fineness regulator 5 may also have its own control unit (not shown).

[0017] The remote control unit 10 is connected to the control unit 8 via a transmission path 11. The transmission path 11 may be wired or wireless, for example, radio, infrared, ultrasonic, Internet, WLAN, LAN, etc. It is also conceivable that the remote control unit 10 is a smartphone.

[0018] The grinders 2 may furthermore have a sensor device 9, which determines and transmits the current adjustment value of the fineness of grinding regulator 5 to the control unit 8, which itself can also transmit this value to a remote control unit 10. This allows remote or telemetric measurement of the current adjustment value of each of the fineness of grinding regulators 5 of the grinders 2 belonging to the coffee machines K1, K2, K3, Kn. The values ​​determined in this way can be used for different further purposes, for example for statistics, overviews, closed-loop control, etc.

[0019] In this way, telemetric access is obtained to the remote control unit 10. The term "telemetric" access is understood in this document as meaning that data for adjusting the grinding fineness regulator 5 is transmitted by the remote control unit 10 to the control unit 8 of the grinder 2 via the transmission path 11. Additionally, data, for example measured values ​​of the adjustment of the grinding fineness regulator 5, can also be transmitted to the remote control unit 10 via the transmission path.

[0020] 2 shows a grinding adjustment device 1 with three coffee machines K1, K2, K3. The reference sign Kn is intended to mean that further coffee machines Kn may also be assigned to the grinding adjustment device 1.

[0021] The coffee machine K1 has one grinder 2, whereas the coffee machine K2 has three grinders 2-1, 2-2, 2-3. The coffee machine K3 has two grinders 2-1, 2-2. Naturally, more grinders 2 than shown may be associated with each coffee machine K1, K2, K3. Each coffee machine K1, K2, K3 has a control unit 8 in this embodiment.

[0022] This allows the centralized adjustment of individual or multiple grinders 2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 to a desired (e.g. identical) grinding degree and thus the centralized adjustment of identical product adjustments to achieve defined quality standards of multiple coffee machines K1, K2, K3, Kn (e.g. in a so-called chain customer) by driving and controlling the grinders 2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 via telemetric access using the remote control unit 10.

[0023] The grinding size adjusting device 1 can also comprise a so-called stand-alone coffee mill with one grinder 2. In this case, the associated control unit 8 can be an integral part of the grinder 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 1 Grinding adjustment device 2,2-1,2-2,2-3 Grinder 3,4 Grinding disc 5 Grinding degree adjuster 6 Drive unit 7. Coffee Beans 8. Control Unit 9 Sensor device 10 Remote Control Unit 11 Transmission Path K1,K2,K3,Kn Coffee Machines

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the grinding degree of a plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) for grinding coffee beans (7), comprising the steps of: adjusting the grinding degree of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) via a transmission path (11) using a remote control unit (10) that is positioned away from the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3); a remote control unit (10) for performing the grinding degree adjustment of a plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) using remote access by telemetry, each of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) having a control unit (8) and a sensor device (9) for determining and transmitting to the control unit (8) a current adjustment value of a grinding degree regulator (5), the control unit (8) itself likewise transmitting the adjustment value to the remote control unit (10), which in turn transmits data to the control unit (8) of each of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) via the transmission path (11) in order to set the grinding degree regulator (5).

2. A grinding degree adjusting device (1) having a plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) for grinding coffee beans (7) and a grinding degree adjuster (5) for each of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3), the grinding degree adjusting device (1) further includes a remote control unit (10) communicatively connected to a control unit (8) of the grinding degree adjuster (5) via a transmission path (11) for adjusting the grinding degree of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3), and the plurality of grinders (7) are controlled by the remote control unit (10) for controlling the grinding degree of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3). each of the grinding degree adjusting devices (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) also has a sensor device (9) for determining and transmitting a latest adjustment value of the grinding degree adjuster (5) to the control unit (8), the control unit (8) itself being configured to also transmit the adjustment value to the remote control unit (10), and the remote control unit (10) being configured to transmit data to the control units (8) of each of the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) via the transmission path (11) in order to set the grinding degree adjuster (5).

3. The grinding degree adjusting device (1) as described in claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) are grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) of a coffee mill of a coffee machine (K1, K2, K3, Kn).

4. The grinding degree adjusting device (1) as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the plurality of grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) are grinders (2, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) of a stand-alone coffee mill.

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