Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet

Abstract

The apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100) comprises a cup-shaped filter (21) for containing a dose of loose coffee powder, a portafilter (1), a coffee powder containment ring (10) removably attached to the portafilter (1), and a tamper (101) comprising a pressing piston (103) that slides through the ring (10) for manually pressing the dose of loose coffee powder in the filter (21), the pressing piston (103) and the ring (10) cooperatively featuring visual indication means for the height (H) of the compacted coffee powder tablet (100) and / or any deviation from a reference height.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS FOR PREPARING A COMPACTED COFFEE POWDER TABLET

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet.

[0004] One of the important stages in obtaining a quality espresso is the process of tamping the coffee powder in a portafilter.

[0005] In manual and semi-automatic coffee machines, which use a removable portafilter with a handle, after the grinding phase or the filling of the filter with a specific dose of loose coffee, a tool called a tamper is used to apply force to the loose coffee powder to obtain a compacted coffee tablet.

[0006] In this way, once the portafilter is attached to a brewing group, the water encounters adequate resistance as it passes through, the brewing pressure increases, and the flow is slowed according to the optimal parameters for espresso.

[0007] All other parameters being equal, the uniformity of the tamping and the correct height of the tablet ensure the quality of the extraction of the organoleptic components of the roasted coffee; otherwise, the water could find preferential paths, reducing the extraction of soluble parts.

[0008] The user must take great care during this manual tamping phase, which should be performed as orthogonally as possible to the tamper’s resting surface.

[0009] Naturally, the result depends on the user's skill, who often has to proceed by trial and error before achieving the desired outcome.

[0010] There are also stand-alone tampers that, through manual or motorized mechanisms, facilitate this tamping operation. In these solutions, even though the direction of the tamper's movement is well defined, the position of the portafilter may not be sufficiently precise, resulting in uneven thickness of the coffee tablet. This kind of assistance is not available for more economical applications, where the tamping is manually performed by the user with a tamper that is manually inserted into the filter housed in the portafilter. Manual tamping can result in a coffee tablet with incorrect and / or uneven height, negatively impacting the quality of the extraction.

[0011] Proper tamping should produce a tablet with a specific and uniform height. If the tablet height is incorrect, there will not be an optimal distance between the surface of the tablet and the showerhead of the brewing group.

[0012] A tablet with reduced height causes the coffee grounds to be disturbed and an excessive flow rate during extraction, leading to under-extraction of the coffee.

[0013] An excessively tall tablet may prevent the portafilter from being locked into the brewing group due to interference between the tablet and the showerhead.

[0014] An overly tall tablet may also result in too slow a flow rate during extraction, causing overextraction of the coffee.

[0015] Additionally, for those less experienced in manual tamping, it can be difficult to determine the correct tablet height that ensures proper extraction, or how much the height of the tablet needs to be adjusted for the next grind to achieve the correct tablet height.

[0016] WO2022 / 084435 describes an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0017] The technical task of the present invention is, therefore, to create an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet that eliminates the technical drawbacks encountered in the known art.

[0018] Within this technical task, one objective of the invention is to create an apparatus for preparing a compacted loose coffee tablet of specific shape and size, suitable for ensuring a correct brewing process.

[0019] Another objective of the invention is to create an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet that assists the user in achieving a tablet of specific shape and size, suitable for ensuring a correct brewing process. The technical task, as well as these and other objectives, according to the present invention, are achieved by creating an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet, comprising a cup-shaped filter for containing a dose of loose coffee powder, a portafilter, a containment ring for the coffee powder that is removably attached to the portafilter, and a tamper comprising a pressing piston that slides through the ring for manually pressing the dose of loose coffee powder in the filter, characterized by the fact that the pressing piston and the ring cooperatively feature visual indication means for showing the height of the compacted coffee powder tablet and / or any deviation from a reference height.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the portafilter is equipped with a manual handle and a housing for the filter, featuring an opening for inserting the filter, where the filter has a circular opening for introducing the dose of loose coffee powder, and the ring is removably attached to the housing of the portafilter, projecting outward from the filter’s opening, and the ring has an internal annular guiding surface with an axis of rotational symmetry passing through the center of the filter’s circular opening, and the pressing piston slides along the internal annular guiding surface of the ring, and it features a front surface shaped to match the circular opening of the filter and a lateral surface shaped to match the internal annular guiding surface of the ring.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressing piston is larger in size than the ring along the axis of rotational symmetry, projecting from the ring on the handle side by a variable height depending on the height of the compacted coffee powder tablet.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual indication means indicate the position achieved by the pressing piston relative to the ring when the piston has compacted the dose of loose coffee powder.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual indication means include a graduated scale marked on the lateral surface of the pressing piston. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this graduated scale includes notches positioned at varying heights along the axis of rotational symmetry.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each notch is associated with a different alphanumeric symbol, which provides an immediate indication of any deviation of the tablet from the correct reference height.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual indication means include a reference position provided by the ring.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this reference position is provided by the distal end of the ring from the filter housing.

[0027] The present invention also discloses a method for manually adjusting the filling level of a filter in a portafilter for a coffee machine, characterized by the use of the apparatus for preparing a coffee powder tablet to obtain an indication of any deviation of the tablet height from a reference height, and to add or remove coffee powder from the filter until this deviation is eliminated.

[0028] The present invention also discloses a method for adjusting the filling level of a filter in a portafilter for a coffee machine, characterized by the use of the apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet to obtain an indication of any deviation of the tablet height from a reference height, communicate this indication to a control unit of a grinder that performed the grinding of the coffee powder in the filter, and use this indication to automatically adjust, via the control unit, the subsequent grinding to eliminate the deviation.

[0029] Other features of the present invention are also defined in the subsequent claims.

[0030] It should be noted that with the apparatus of the present invention, it is not only possible to intuitively monitor and, if necessary, easily correct the height of the coffee powder tablet, but also to achieve a tablet of correct shape with uniform height. This is because the large axial extension of the pressing piston, and consequently the large axial extension of the coupling surface with the ring, provide extremely precise guidance for the piston’s movement along a direction coaxial to the filter axis in the portafilter.

[0031] Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the invention, illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the portafilter and ring assembly;

[0033] Figure 2 shows an axonometric view of the portafilter and ring assembly positioned in a support cradle;

[0034] Figure 3 shows an axonometric view of the ring;

[0035] Figure 4A shows a section view of the portafilter and ring assembly positioned in the support cradle;

[0036] Figure 4B shows the support cradle;

[0037] Figures 5A and 5B show axonometric views of the tamper;

[0038] Figure 6 shows a side elevation view and vertical section of the tamper in its operational position;

[0039] Figure 7 shows a side elevation view of the tamper in different operational positions, each corresponding to a different height of the compacted coffee powder tablet.

[0040] With reference to the cited figures, an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet

[0041] 100 is shown.

[0042] For simplicity of presentation and readability, the entire coffee grinder, of the known type, is not depicted in the figures.

[0043] The apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet comprises a portafilter 1 equipped with a cup-shaped filter 21 having a circular opening 24 for introducing loose coffee powder, a containment ring 10 for the coffee powder, removably attached to the portafilter 1, and a tamper

[0044] 101 for manually pressing the dose of loose coffee powder present in the filter 21. The portafilter 1 is equipped with a manual handle 30 and a cup-shaped housing 20 for the filter 21.

[0045] The cup-shaped housing 20 has an opening 23 for inserting the filter 21.

[0046] The coffee powder containment ring 10 is removably attached to the housing 20 of the portafilter 1, protruding outward from the filter insertion opening 23.

[0047] The ring 10 features an internal annular guiding surface 13 with a rotational symmetry axis L passing through the center C of the circular opening 24 of the filter 21.

[0048] The tamper 101 includes a handle 102 and a pressing piston 103 that slides along the internal annular guiding surface 13 of the ring 10.

[0049] The pressing piston 103 has a front surface 104 shaped to match the circular opening 24 of the filter 21 and a lateral surface 105 shaped to match the internal annular guiding surface 13 of the ring 10. The lateral surface 105 of the pressing piston 103 and the internal annular guiding surface 13 of the ring 10 are particularly cylindrical in shape.

[0050] The pressing piston 103 has a dimension P that is preferably larger than the dimension A of the ring in the direction of the rotational symmetry axis L, so that it protrudes from the ring 10 on the handle 102 side by a height that varies depending on the height H of the compacted coffee powder tablet 100.

[0051] The dimension P could also be smaller than dimension A, but in this case, the dimensions must still ensure adequate guidance.

[0052] Advantageously, the pressing piston 103 and the ring 10 cooperatively feature visual indication means to indicate the height H of the compacted coffee powder tablet 100, that is, the tablet's size in the direction of the rotational symmetry axis L, and / or any deviation from a reference height. The visual indication means specifically show the relative position between the pressing piston 103 and the ring 10. In the illustrated case, the visual indication means include a graduated scale 106 marked on the lateral surface 105 of the pressing piston 103.

[0053] The visual indication means also include, in the illustrated case, a reference position provided by the ring 10.

[0054] The graduated scale 106 specifically includes notches 107 positioned at various heights along the rotational symmetry axis L, while the reference position is provided by the end 108 of the ring 10, distal from the filter 21 housing 20.

[0055] Each notch 107 is associated with a different alphanumeric symbol that immediately indicates the height H of the tablet 100 and / or any deviation, either too high or too low, from the correct reference height.

[0056] For example, a central notch 107 is associated with the symbol "0," which identifies the correct height of the tablet 100. On one side of the central notch 107, the side facing the handle 102, there are progressively increasing negative numbers indicating that the height of the tablet 100 is increasingly lower than the correct reference height; on the other side of the central notch 107, facing the front surface 104 of the tamper 101, there are progressively increasing positive numbers indicating that the height of the tablet 100 is increasingly higher than the correct reference height. In practice, after the grinder has loaded the dose of loose coffee powder into the filter 21, the user holds the tamper 101 and inserts the pressing piston 103 into the ring 10 attached to the housing 20 of the portafilter 1.

[0057] The pressing piston 103 initially levels the loose coffee powder, and its insertion into the ring 10 stops when the loose coffee powder, fully levelled and compacted, forms a tablet 100 with height H.

[0058] At this point, the user checks which notch 107 is aligned (or closest) to the reference 108, and the symbol associated with this notch 107 provides an immediate indication of whether and how much the height H of the tablet 100 in the filter 21 deviates from the defined reference height for proper coffee infusion.

[0059] Once this information is known, if a deviation is indicated, the user can either add or remove coffee powder from the filter 21 and repeat the tamping process until the deviation is eliminated.

[0060] The user can also use the obtained information to adjust the subsequent grinding cycles of the grinder.

[0061] Through a physical user interface installed on the grinder or on the coffee machine where the grinder may be integrated, the user can communicate to the grinder’s control unit the indication provided by the visual indication means from the current grinding cycle, and the grinder’s control unit, through an appropriate calculation algorithm, can then automatically adjust the subsequent grinding cycles using the received indication.

[0062] The adjustment could consist, for example, of a variation in grinding time.

[0063] The user interface on the grinder or coffee machine could be a display, a keyboard, a knob, or other types of interfaces.

[0064] In a more advanced solution (not shown), the tamper 101 could have telecommunication means to communicate the indication provided by the visual indication means to the grinder's control unit. For example, the information could be transmitted via a wireless communication network, such as Bluetooth or similar.

[0065] In this case, the tamper 101 would need a transducer capable of converting the indication into a signal to be transmitted to the grinder's control unit via the wireless communication network.

[0066] Regarding the grinder, of a known type, it has a cradle 50 for holding the portafilter 1 during the loading of the ground coffee.

[0067] The cradle 50 features a support shelf 51 above the portafilter 1, with an opening 52 for the ground coffee to fall through into the filter 21.

[0068] The support shelf 51 has a front discontinuity at the axis where the portafilter 1 is inserted. The ring 10 connects the opening 52 in the support shelf 51 to the upper opening 23 of the filter housing 20.

[0069] The ring 10 has lower quick-release and attachment means for the upper opening 23 of the filter housing 20, and upper removable engagement means with the support shelf 51. The upper removable engagement means of the ring 10 with the support shelf 51 include a perimeter flange 12 configured to rest along a perimeter surface 53 of the opening 52 in the support shelf 51.

[0070] The lower quick-release and attachment means of the ring 10 include elastic seats 15 for engaging with the tabs 22 of the filter housing 20. The cradle 50 features, above the support shelf 51, an anti-tilt shelf 54 for the ring 10, configured and positioned to interact with the perimeter flange 12.

[0071] Beneath the cradle 50, there is an actuator 60 for a coffee grinder activation switch, designed to interact with the ring 10.

[0072] The apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet, as conceived, is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; furthermore, all details can be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

[0073] In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may vary depending on requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100), comprising a cup-shaped filter (21) for containing a dose of loose coffee powder, a portafilter (1), a coffee powder containment ring (10) removably attached to the portafilter (1), and a tamper (101) comprising a pressing piston (103) that slides through the ring (10) for manually pressing the dose of loose coffee powder in the filter (21), characterized in that said pressing piston (103) and said ring (10) cooperatively feature visual indication means for the height (H) of the compacted coffee powder tablet (100) and / or any deviation from a reference height.

2. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said ring (10) has an internal annular guiding surface (13) that defines a passage for the coffee powder to be conveyed into the filter (21).

3. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that said portafilter (1) is equipped with a manual handle (30) and a housing (20) for the filter (21) with an opening (23) for inserting the filter (21), said filter (21) comprises a circular opening (24) for introducing the dose of loose coffee powder, said ring (10) is removably attached to the housing (20) of the portafilter (1) protruding outward from the filter (21) insertion opening (23), said internal annular guiding surface (13) has a rotational symmetry axis (L) passing through the center (C) of the circular opening (24) of the filter (21), and said pressing piston (103) slides along the internal annular guiding surface (13) of the ring (10) and comprises a front surface (104) shaped to match the circular opening (24) of the filter (21) and a lateral surface (105) shaped to match the internal annular guiding surface (13) of the ring (10).

4. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100) according to the previous claim, characterized in that said pressing piston (103) has a dimension (P) greater than the dimension (A) of said ring (10) in the direction of said rotational symmetry axis (L), so that itprotrudes from the ring (10) on the handle (102) side by a height that varies depending on the height (H) of the compacted coffee powder tablet (100).

5. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said visual indication means indicate the position of the pressing piston (103) relative to the ring (10) when the pressing piston (103) has compacted the dose of loose coffee powder.

6. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the previous claim, characterized in that said visual indication means include a graduated scale (106) marked on the lateral surface (105) of said pressing piston (103).

7. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the previous claim, characterized in that said graduated scale (106) includes notches (107) positioned at varying heights in the direction of said rotational symmetry axis (L).

8. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the previous claim, characterized in that each notch (107) is associated with a different alphanumeric symbol, which immediately indicates any deviation of the tablet height (H), either too high or too low, from a reference height.

9. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the visual indication means include a reference position provided by said ring (10).

10. Apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to the previous claim, characterized in that the reference position is provided by the end (108) of the ring (10) distal from the filter (21) housing (20).

11. Method for manually adjusting the filling level of a filter (21) in a portafilter (1) for a coffee machine, characterized by the use of an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet (100) according to any of the previous claims to obtain an indication of any deviation of thetablet height (H) from a reference height, and to add or remove coffee powder from the filter (21) until the deviation is eliminated.

12. Method for adjusting the filling level of a filter (21) in a portafilter (1) for a coffee machine, characterized by the use of an apparatus for preparing a compacted coffee powder tablet according to any of claims 1 to 10 to obtain an indication of any deviation of the tablet height (H) from a reference height, communicate this indication to a control unit of a grinder that has performed the grinding of the coffee powder present in the filter (21), and automatically adjust, through said control unit, the subsequent grinding to eliminate the deviation.

13. Method for adjustment according to the previous claim, characterized in that communication with the control unit is carried out via a physical user interface installed on said grinder.

14. Method for adjustment according to any of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that said tamper (101) has telecommunication means to communicate with said control unit.

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