Grinder unit for grinding material to be ground, in particular for grinding coffee beans

Abstract

A grinder unit (100), for example for a coffee machine, comprises a grinder (106), a grinder chamber (108), an inlet opening (102), an outlet opening (104) and a cover plate. The inlet opening (102) is designed to feed a material to be ground to the grinder. The outlet opening (104) is designed to discharge ground material from the grinder chamber (108). The cover plate (110) is designed to cover at least part of the outlet opening (104) and to predefine an effective cross section (105) of the outlet opening (104). The cover plate (110) is designed to selectively assume a first position or a second position with respect to the outlet opening (104). A first size of the effective cross section (105) of the outlet opening (104) in the first position of the cover plate (110) differs from a second size of the effective cross section (105) of the outlet opening (104) in the second position of the cover plate (110).

Description

[0001] Grinding unit for grinding material, in particular for grinding...

[0002] coffee beans

[0003] Technical field

[0004] This description relates to a grinding unit and a coffee machine with a grinding unit. The grinding unit is specifically designed for grinding coffee beans in a coffee bean grinder.

[0005] Technical background

[0006] Grinding units are used in mills. Mills are used to grind material and provide it in a ground state for further processing. A grinding unit contains a grinding mechanism. The unground material is fed into the grinding mechanism and ground. The ground material is then discharged from the grinding mechanism. For this purpose, the grinding mechanism is connected to an outlet so that the ground material can be collected and discharged in a controlled manner.

[0007] After the grinding process, the crushed material is collected in a container for further processing.

[0008] Description

[0009] The objective can be considered to be to bundle and compact as effectively as possible a stream of ground material discharged from a grinding unit, while simultaneously minimizing the amount of residue in the grinding chamber of the grinding unit. This objective is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Further embodiments are described in the dependent claims and in the following description.

[0010] The problem is solved in particular by the fact that the grinding unit described here has a movable baffle that can be moved from a first position to a second position (and vice versa), thereby both bundling and compacting the flow of the dispensed grinding material and enabling a high degree of ejection of grinding material remaining in the grinding chamber.

[0011] A grinding unit is specified according to one aspect. The grinding unit comprises a grinding mechanism, a grinding chamber, an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and an orifice. The inlet opening is designed to feed material to be ground into the grinding mechanism. The outlet opening is designed to discharge ground material from the grinding chamber. The orifice is designed to cover at least part of the outlet opening and define an effective cross-section of the outlet opening. The orifice is designed to selectively assume either a first position or a second position with respect to the outlet opening. The first size of the effective cross-section of the outlet opening differs in the first position of the orifice from the second size of the effective cross-section of the outlet opening in the second position of the orifice.

[0012] The grinding unit described here is specifically designed for coffee beans. It can be part of a separate grinder or integrated into a coffee machine. The baffle serves to concentrate the ground coffee flowing from the grinding chamber. In other words, the flow of ground coffee is concentrated or focused at the outlet by reducing the cross-section of the emerging material. This has the advantage that the ground coffee is collected more efficiently in a container (such as a coffee machine filter) and is less bulky because the baffle compacts the ground coffee at the outlet.

[0013] The first position of the aperture can be described as closed, while the second position can be described as open. Even though the first position is described as closed, this does not mean that the aperture completely seals the outlet opening in this position. Rather, the term "closed" should be understood to mean that in the closed position of the aperture, the effective cross-section of the outlet opening is at its minimum.

[0014] Accordingly, the open state of the aperture refers to the fact that, in this open state, the effective cross-section of the outlet opening is at its maximum. In this open state, the aperture can completely expose the outlet opening or still partially cover it.

[0015] The orifice is movable between the open and closed positions (and vice versa). It can also assume an intermediate position, i.e., a position between the open and closed positions. The orifice can also be held in a fixed position to adjust the effective cross-section of the outlet opening to a desired value. While the grinder is operating and dispensing ground material, the orifice is in the first position. In this first position, the effective cross-section of the outlet opening is smaller than in the second position.

[0016] For example, the baffle can be moved to the first position before the grinding process begins. During the grinding process, the baffle remains in the first position. After the grinding process is complete, the baffle is moved from the first position to the second position.

[0017] In the first position, the baffle compacts the stream of ground material discharged from the grinder. In the second position, the baffle opens the discharge opening more or even completely. This allows any remaining ground material to be ejected from the grinder chamber, thus clearing it as much as possible.

[0018] To remove the ground material from the grinding chamber, a device called a spinner (for example, a rotating disc flange with a side-mounted discharge slide) is used. This device is moved within the grinding chamber, loosening any ground material adhering to the chamber's inner walls and moving it towards and out of the discharge opening.

[0019] When the baffle is in the second position, which opens a larger portion of the discharge opening than in the first position, the discharge of residual material from the grinding chamber is simplified, and the amount of residue remaining in the grinding chamber is minimized. Residue, in this context, refers to the portion of ground material from a grinding process that remains in the grinding chamber despite the spinner being in operation. The fundamental aim is to keep the amount of residue in the grinding chamber as low as possible.The reasons for this are manifold: by minimizing the amount of residue, undesirable components are also avoided in subsequent grinding processes, for example, when different coffee bean varieties are ground in successive grinding processes; furthermore, it prevents stale grounds from having an undesirable influence on the aroma of the grounds in subsequent grinding processes; furthermore, it prevents the amount of ground coffee dispensed in a grinding process from being subject to strong fluctuations, because in addition to the coffee to be ground, some of the residue from the grinding chamber is also dispensed.

[0020] By making the baffle movable between the first and second positions in the grinding unit described here, it is achieved, on the one hand, that the flow of the ground material is compacted when dispensed from the outlet opening (because the baffle is in the first position) and, on the other hand, that when the ground material is ejected from the grinding chamber following the grinding process, the amount of residue in the grinding chamber is minimized (because the baffle is in the second position).

[0021] According to one embodiment, the aperture is movable with respect to the outlet opening in order to move from the first position to the second position.

[0022] The baffle is, of course, designed to move from the second position to the first, depending on the current function and / or operating mode of the grinding unit. The baffle can also be fixed in an intermediate position between the first and second positions. The effective cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet opening can be adjusted by changing the baffle's position relative to the outlet opening. For example, the grinding unit can be designed so that the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet opening is adjusted depending on the material being ground.

[0023] The grinder unit can, for example, include a control unit. This control unit receives an input, such as the identifier of a coffee bean variety, and adjusts the size of the effective cross-section of the outlet opening based on this input by moving the aperture to a corresponding position. For this purpose, the control unit can be configured to generate and output a command for an actuator, which then moves the aperture accordingly.

[0024] According to another embodiment, the grinding unit further comprises an actuator. The actuator is functionally coupled to the aperture to move the aperture from the first position to the second position.

[0025] The actuator is mechanically coupled to the aperture, for example, via a linkage or a gearbox. The actuator might be an electromechanical actuator, such as an electric motor, which converts electrical energy into motion and thus moves the aperture. However, other drive technologies can also be used as actuators, such as pneumatic or hydraulic actuators.

[0026] According to another embodiment, the aperture is designed to perform a translational movement along the grinding unit when the aperture is moved from the first position to the second position.

[0027] The outlet opening of the grinding unit is, for example, an opening in the housing of the grinding unit. The baffle rests against a wall of the housing of the grinding unit, for example, the outer wall of the housing. However, it is also conceivable that the baffle rests against the inner wall of the housing in the grinding chamber.

[0028] The baffle is movable along the wall to cover a specific portion of the outlet opening's cross-section and expose the remaining portion. The portion of the outlet opening's cross-section exposed by the baffle is called the effective cross-section of the outlet opening because the ground material can exit the milling chamber through the exposed (unobstructed) portion of the outlet opening's cross-section.

[0029] The actuator is mechanically coupled to the orifice to move the orifice parallel to the plane of the outlet opening in the wall of the grinder unit housing. For example, the actuator exerts a tensile or compressive force on the orifice to move it translationally with respect to the outlet opening.

[0030] According to another embodiment, the aperture is connected to the grinding unit via at least one guide rail.

[0031] The aperture can be held in or on the guide rail, for example. The guide rail determines the direction of movement of the aperture along the housing.

[0032] For example, the translational movement of the aperture is a linear movement along the grinding unit and the outlet opening.

[0033] According to another embodiment, the orifice is designed to perform a rotational movement along the grinding unit when the orifice is moved from the first position to the second position. During both the translational and rotational movements of the orifice, the orifice is typically moved along the outlet opening. For example, the orifice rests on or is adjacent to the outlet opening and is then moved either translationally or rotationally parallel to the opening cross-section (in the case of a circular outlet opening, this would be the radial direction).

[0034] According to another embodiment, the aperture is connected to the grinding unit in such a way that the aperture can perform a rotary movement about an axis of rotation, the rotary movement about the axis of rotation being relative to the outlet opening.

[0035] For example, the aperture is connected to the housing of the grinding unit via a pin or a shaft. The pin or shaft defines the axis of rotation around which the aperture performs a rotational movement.

[0036] In this version, too, the actuator is designed to move the aperture.

[0037] The actuator can be directly connected to the aperture. However, it is also conceivable that the actuator is connected to the pin or shaft, and thus moves the aperture indirectly.

[0038] According to another embodiment, the aperture is designed to perform a pivoting movement about a pivot axis when the aperture is moved from the first position to the second position.

[0039] While the rotary motion moves the aperture along the outlet opening, the pivoting motion moves the aperture away from the outlet opening to increase its effective cross-section and towards it to decrease it. This means that the pivoting axis in this variant extends in a different direction than the axis of rotation in the rotary motion variant.

[0040] According to another embodiment, a first distance between the aperture and the outlet opening with the aperture in the first position differs from a second distance between the aperture and the outlet opening with the aperture in the second position.

[0041] This means that in the variant with the pivoting movement of the aperture, the effective cross-section of the outlet opening is varied by pivoting the aperture away from the outlet opening or pivoting it towards the outlet opening.

[0042] In the variant with the pivoting orifice, the orifice can be designed as a passive system. This means that the pressure of the ground material exiting the grinding chamber moves the orifice away from the outlet opening. The distance the orifice is pushed away from the outlet opening during the grinding process can be influenced by the choice of material and the design of the orifice. A heavier orifice results in a smaller effective cross-section of the outlet opening during grinding compared to a lighter or heavier orifice.

[0043] As already described in the variant with the translational or rotational movement of the aperture, in this variant with the pivoting movement the actuator can also be connected to the aperture in order to move the aperture to a desired position.

[0044] In this variant, and also in the other two variants, a limiter can be arranged to limit the pivoting movement of the aperture from the closed state to the open state and thus define a maximum size of the effective cross-section of the outlet opening.

[0045] It is conceivable that the grinding unit has two limiters. A first limiter restricts the movement of the aperture when it is moved to the first position, and a second limiter restricts the movement of the aperture when it is moved to the second position. Between the two limiters, i.e., between the first and second positions, the aperture can assume any desired intermediate state.

[0046] Another aspect is that the grinding unit includes a vibrating unit. The vibrating unit can be used in combination with the movable baffle or independently.

[0047] The vibrating unit is attached to or mechanically coupled to the grinding unit to apply vibrations or impulse movements to the grinding unit, thereby loosening and discharging residual ground material adhering to it. The use of such a vibrating unit also helps to reduce the amount of residual ground material in the grinding unit.

[0048] The vibration unit can, for example, be an actuator that applies mechanical impulses to the grinding unit or a component thereof (an outlet trough, the housing of the grinding unit, the grinding chamber, etc.), causing the corresponding component to oscillate or vibrate, so that grinding material adhering to the grinding unit or a component thereof is loosened.

[0049] According to another aspect, a system is specified. The system comprises a coffee machine and a grinder unit as described herein. The grinder unit can be integrated into the coffee machine or it can be located in a separate grinder, which is provided separately from the coffee machine and forms a system unit with the coffee machine.

[0050] Brief description of the characters

[0051] Some details are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The illustrations are schematic and not to scale. Identical reference symbols refer to identical or similar elements. They show:

[0052] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a coffee machine;

[0053] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a grinding unit;

[0054] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a grinding unit;

[0055] Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of a grinding unit;

[0056] Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of a grinding unit;

[0057] Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a coffee machine.

[0058] Detailed description

[0059] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a coffee machine 1. The coffee machine 1 forms a system together with a grinder unit. Although the grinder unit is shown as part of the coffee machine in Fig. 1, it should be understood that the grinder unit can also be provided separately from the coffee machine in a mill. The description in the figures refers to a grinder unit of a coffee machine as an example. However, it should be understood that the principles described herein can also be applied to grinder units for materials other than coffee beans.

[0060] In the exemplary illustration in Fig. 1, the coffee machine 1 includes a container 10, a grinding unit 101, and an outlet chute 200. The container 10 holds coffee beans. The unground coffee beans (or other material to be ground) are fed to the grinding unit 100, where they are ground. Following the grinding process, the ground coffee beans are then dispensed from the grinding unit 100 and placed via the outlet chute 200 into a collection container, such as a sieve (not shown).

[0061] Although these are not shown in the exemplary illustration of Fig. 1, the coffee machine 1 contains further components that are necessary for the preparation of a coffee drink, for example a water tank, a pump, a heating unit or a brewing head, etc.

[0062] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a grinding unit 100. The grinding unit 100 has an inlet opening 102, an outlet opening 104, a grinding mechanism 106 and a motor 101.

[0063] Coffee beans are fed to the grinder 106 through the inlet opening 102. The grinder 106 can be designed, for example, as a conical or disc grinder, but is not limited to this. The motor 101 drives the grinder 106, grinding the coffee beans fed in through the inlet opening 102. As part of the grinding process, the ground coffee beans are discharged from the grinder 106 into the grinding chamber 108 and through the outlet opening 104. An aperture 110 is located at the outlet opening 104. The aperture 110 covers part of the outlet opening 104, while another part remains open. The ground coffee beans are discharged through this open portion of the outlet opening 104.

[0064] As described above, the aperture 110 helps to reduce the effective cross-section of the outlet opening, thereby compacting the output stream of ground material.

[0065] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a grinding unit 100 with a movable aperture 110. The grinding unit 100 from Fig. 3 corresponds in principle to the grinding unit 100 shown in Fig. 2 and is shown in Fig. 3 with a view of the aperture 110 and the outlet opening 104.

[0066] The aperture 110 is attached to the grinding unit 100 by means of two guide rails 112. The guide rails 112 allow movement of the aperture 110 relative to the outlet opening 104 along the direction of movement 114. In the example of Fig. 3, the aperture 110 performs a translational and linear movement. The aperture 110 is moved by the actuator 130.

[0067] Actuator 130, for example, is an electric motor. Actuator 130 is mechanically coupled to aperture 110 to move aperture 110 along the direction of movement 114. In one example, the function of actuator 130 can also be performed by motor 101 of the grinding unit.

[0068] For example, the motor 101 can be designed to rotate in opposite directions. The motor 101 can be connected to both the grinding mechanism 106 and the baffle 110 via a gear arrangement with a unidirectional freewheel. Depending on the direction of rotation of the motor, either the grinding mechanism 106 or the baffle 110 is moved. In this variant, the motor 101 can only move the baffle 110 in one direction, so that another mechanism, such as a spring mechanism or other return mechanism, can be coupled to the baffle to return it to its initial position after movement by the motor 101, from where it can then be moved again by the motor 101.

[0069] In Fig. 3, the effective cross-section 105 of the outlet opening 104 is shown as a hatched area. The effective cross-section 105 is that part of the area of ​​the outlet opening 104 which is not covered by the aperture 110.

[0070] The function of aperture 110, as described in relation to Fig. 3, also applies to the examples in Figures 4 and 5, with the exception that only the direction of movement of aperture 110 differs in Figures 4 and 5. For the components shown in Figures 4 and 5, but not described below, please refer to the corresponding descriptions in relation to Figures 2 and 3.

[0071] Fig. 4 shows a grinding unit 100 in which the aperture 110 performs a rotational movement along the direction of movement 118. In this movement, the aperture 110 performs a rotational movement about the axis of rotation 116.

[0072] The aperture 110 is shown in different states. Solid lines indicate the closed position, while dashed lines indicate the open position. In the open position of the aperture 110, the effective cross-sectional area 105 of the outlet opening 104 is larger than the effective cross-sectional area 105 in the closed position of the aperture 110.

[0073] The aperture can also be any intermediate state between closed and closed.

[0074] Assume the position and the open position and hold it during the grinding process to set a predetermined value for the size of the effective cross-section 105 of the outlet opening 104.

[0075] Fig. 5 shows a grinding unit 100 with an orifice 110 that performs a pivoting movement 122 about the pivoting axis 120. During the pivoting movement 122, the distance of the orifice 110 from the outlet opening 104 varies, so that the size of the effective cross-section 105 of the outlet opening changes.

[0076] The pivoting movement 122 can be brought about either by an actuator 130 as shown in Figures 3 and 4 or by the pressure of the ground material exiting the grinding chamber.

[0077] Fig. 6 shows a coffee machine 1 with an outlet chute 200 and a vibrating unit 300 arranged thereon. The vibrating unit 300 on the outlet chute 200 can be used in conjunction with the movable aperture 110 as shown in Figures 2-5 or independently of the movable aperture 110.

[0078] The vibrating unit 300 is designed to apply mechanical vibrations or shocks to the outlet trough 200. This loosens ground coffee powder that adheres to the inside of the outlet trough 200. As a result, a large portion of the grinding residue is removed from the outlet trough 200.

[0079] The vibration unit 300 can implement any principle that generates a mechanical vibration or shock. For example, the vibration unit 300 implements an electric motor with a mass eccentrically mounted on the motor's axis of rotation, generating a mechanical vibration when the mass rotates. It should be noted that "comprising" or "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

[0080] Reference symbol list

[0081] 1 coffee machine

[0082] 10 containers

[0083] 100 grinding units

[0084] 101 Engine

[0085] 102 Entrance

[0086] 104 Outlet opening

[0087] 105 effective cross-section of the outlet opening

[0088] 106 grinder

[0089] 108 Mill chamber

[0090] 110 aperture

[0091] 112 Guide rail

[0092] 114 Direction of translational movement

[0093] 116 Rotary axis

[0094] 118 Direction of rotational movement

[0095] 120 swivel axis

[0096] 122 Swivel movement

[0097] 130 actuator

[0098] 200 outlet channel

[0099] 300 vibration units

Claims

Patent claims 1. Grinding unit (100) comprising: a grinding mechanism (106); a grinding chamber (108); an inlet opening (102) configured to supply material to be ground to the grinding mechanism (106); an outlet opening (104) configured to discharge ground material from the grinding chamber (108); and an orifice (110); wherein the orifice (110) is configured to cover at least a portion of the outlet opening (104) and to define an effective cross-section (105) of the outlet opening (104); wherein the orifice (110) is configured to selectively assume a first position or a second position with respect to the outlet opening (104); wherein a first size of the effective cross-section (105) of the outlet opening (104) in the first position of the aperture (110) differs from a second size of the effective cross-section (105) of the outlet opening (104) in the second position of the aperture (110).

2. Grinding unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein the aperture (110) is designed to be movable with respect to the outlet opening in order to move from the first position to the second position.

3. Grinding unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an actuator (130); wherein the actuator (130) is functionally coupled to the aperture (110) to move the aperture (110) from the first position to the second position.

4. Grinding unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture (110) is designed to perform a translational movement along the grinding unit (100) when the aperture (110) is moved from the first position to the second position.

5. Grinding unit (100) according to claim 4, wherein the aperture (110) is connected to the grinding unit (100) via at least one guide rail (112); wherein the translational movement of the aperture (110) is a linear movement (114) along the grinding unit (100) and the outlet opening (104).

6. Grinding unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aperture (110) is configured to perform a rotary movement along the grinding unit (100) when the aperture (110) is moved from the first position to the second position.

7. Grinding unit (100) according to claim 6, wherein the aperture (110) is connected to the grinding unit (100) in such a way that the aperture (110) can perform a rotary movement about an axis of rotation (116); wherein the rotary movement about the axis of rotation (116) is relative to the outlet opening (104).

8. Grinding unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aperture (110) is configured to perform a pivoting movement (122) about a pivoting axis (120) when the aperture (110) is moved from the first position to the second position.

9. Grinding unit (100) according to claim 8, wherein a first distance between the orifice (110) and the outlet opening (104) with the orifice (110) in the first position is distinguished from a second distance between the aperture (110) and the outlet opening (104) with the aperture (110) in the second position.

10. Grinding unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a vibrating unit (300); wherein the vibrating unit (200) is configured to apply mechanical impulses to the grinding unit (100) or a component thereof and to cause the grinding unit (100) or the component to oscillate or vibrate and thereby to loosen grinding material adhering to the grinding unit (100) or the component.

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