A coffee machine

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a tamping and brewing mechanism of a coffee machine, the tamping and brewing mechanism including: a tamping and brewing piston movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly; the carriage assembly including a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, the portafilter carriage being adapted to removably engage a portafilter, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position; and at least one motor operatively associated with the carriage assembly to drive movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage between the first position and the second position.

Description

A COFFEE MACHINECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2025901298, filed on 15 April 2025. The entire disclosure of Australian Patent Application No. 2025901298 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.FIELD

[0002] The present invention generally relates to coffee machines and components thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a tamping and brewing mechanism for a coffee machine and methods of operating the same.BACKGROUND

[0003] A coffee machine generally has a grinder for grinding coffee beans into coffee grounds, whereby the coffee grounds are conveyed to portafilter basket. The coffee grounds are tamped into a coffee puck by a tamping device, prior to injection of steam and / or water which filters through the puck and is extracted into a vessel positioned beneath the portafilter basket.

[0004] Consistency of coffee puck preparation is important for consistent extraction. This requires an even distribution of grounds, consistent or even distribution of tamping pressure for each puck, and dosage amount of coffee grounds, among other variables.

[0005] An uneven distribution of coffee grounds leads to a compacted puck of coffee grounds having uneven coffee ground spacing, density, and / or thickness, potentially leading to a phenomenon referred to as “channeling”, where the steam and / or water preferentially travels along some paths through the puck, leading to uneven coffee extraction and unfavorable aromas in the extracted coffee beverage.SUMMARY

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of existing arrangements, or at least provide a useful alternative to existing arrangements.

[0007] There is disclosed herein a tamping and brewing mechanism of a coffee machine, the tamping and brewing mechanism including:a tamping and brewing piston movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly;the carriage assembly including a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, the portafilter carriage being adapted to removably engage a portafilter, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position; andat least one motor operatively associated with the carriage assembly to drive movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage between the first position and the second position.

[0008] In the first position, the portafilter carriage may be located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston, and in the second position, the portafilter carriage is located at a distance from the area below the tamping and brewing piston.

[0009] In the second position, the portafilter carriage may be located below a grinder assembly of the coffee machine.

[0010] The first position may be an insertion or home position or a tamping and brewing position, and the second position may be a grinding position.

[0011] The at least one motor may be adapted to drive one or more gears operatively associated with the carriage assembly to cause movement of the portafilter carriage between the first and second positions.

[0012] The at least one motor may be adapted to drive one or more linkages operatively associated with the carriage assembly to cause movement of the portafilter carriage between the first and second positions.

[0013] The tamping and brewing mechanism may further include a motor assembly operatively associated with the tamping and brewing piston, wherein the motor assembly is operable to drive movement of the tamping and brewing piston between the raised position and the lowered position.

[0014] The lowered position of the tamping and brewing piston may include a first lowered or tamping position and a second lowered or brewing position.

[0015] In the first lowered or tamping position, a tamp member of the tamping and brewing piston may engage coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter, and in the second lowered or brewing position, the tamp member may be spaced from the coffee grounds by a gap to provide a head space for distribution of fluid across the coffee grounds.

[0016] The tamping and brewing mechanism may further include a sealing system associated with the tamping and brewing piston, wherein the sealing system is adapted to interact with the portafilter basket when the tamping and brewing piston is in the lowered or tamping position.

[0017] The sealing system may include an inner tamp member and an outer tamp member, wherein the inner tamp member is adapted to move between a home position and a tamping or brewing position, and wherein the outer tamp member being adapted to seal against a rim of the portafilter basket.

[0018] The sealing system may further include one or more latching mechanisms adapted to hold the outer tamp member in place whilst the inner tamp member moves between the home position and the tamping or brewing position.

[0019] The sealing system may include a sealing assembly operatively associated with one or more resiliently deformable members, and one or more spring-loaded pins adapted to engage a slot in the portafilter carriage to compress the sealing assembly against the rim of the portafilter basket.

[0020] The tamping and brewing piston may include a fluid path for delivery of fluid therethrough during a pre-infusion or brewing operation.

[0021] The tamping and brewing mechanism may further include one or more sensors to detect the position of the portafilter carriage and / or an absence or presence of coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter.

[0022] The portafilter carriage may be adapted to move along a linear path in a forward and reverse direction of travel.

[0023] The tamping and brewing piston may include a central axis and the carriage assembly may include a longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis being generally orthogonal to the central axis.

[0024] The portafilter carriage may be movable along the longitudinal axis and relative to the main carriage between the first and second positions.

[0025] The motor assembly may include a motor with a worm gear and a lead screw operatively associated with the motor, wherein the motor is operable to drive movement of the lead screw to cause movement of the tamping and brewing piston between the raised position and the lowered position.

[0026] There is further disclosed herein a coffee machine including a tamping and brewing mechanism, the coffee machine including a grinder assembly, the tamping and brewing mechanism including:a tamping and brewing piston movable between raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly;the carriage assembly including a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, the portafilter carriage being adapted to removably engage a portafilter, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position; andat least one motor operatively associated with the carriage assembly to drive movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage between the first position and the second position.

[0027] In the first position, the portafilter carriage may be located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston, and in the second position, the portafilter carriage may be located in an area below the grinding assembly.

[0028] There is further disclosed herein a method of operating a tamping and brewing mechanism of a coffee machine, the coffee machine including a grinder assembly, and the tamping and brewing mechanism including a tamping and brewing piston movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly having a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position,wherein the method includes the steps of:inserting or placing a portafilter on to the portafilter carriage when the portafilter carriage is in the first position and the tamping and brewing piston is in the raised position;driving, by at least one motor, movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage from the first position to the second position;initiating a grinding operation and subsequently driving movement of the portafilter carriage from the second position back to the first position following completion of the grinding operation; andinitiating a tamping operation, in which the tamping and brewing piston is moved from the raised position and to the lowered position.

[0029] The lowered position of the tamping and brewing piston may include a first lowered or tamping position and a second lowered or brewing position, wherein the method includes the steps of:moving the tamping and brewing piston to the first lowered or tamping position, wherein a tamp member of the tamping and brewing piston engages coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter; andmoving the tamping and brewing piston to the second lowered or brewing position, wherein the tamp member is spaced from the coffee grounds by a gap to provide a head space for distribution of fluid across the coffee grounds.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference signs designate like parts and in which:

[0031] Figures 1 to 10 are schematic side views of a tamping and brewing mechanism according to one embodiment, with various stages of a grinding, tamping, and brewing operation shown;

[0032] Figures 11 to 13 are schematic side views of a tamping and brewing mechanism according to another embodiment, with various stages of a grinding, tamping, and brewing operation shown;

[0033] Figures 14 to 16 are schematic side views of a tamping and brewing mechanism according to another embodiment, with various stages of a grinding, tamping, and brewing operation shown; and

[0034] Figures 17 to 25 are schematic views showing various sealing systems associated with a tamping and brewing mechanism.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In Figures 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted an embodiment of a tamping and brewing mechanism 100 of a coffee machine (not shown). The tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be housed entirely or substantially within the coffee machine and operatively associated with one or more of the various components thereof.

[0036] The coffee machine may include, amongst other components, a grinder assembly 15 and / or a fluid outlet (not shown). The grinder assembly 15 may include a grinder 18 having a central axis 20, with the grinder 18 being adapted to grind coffee beans (delivered from a hopper 20 of the coffee machine, for example) into coffee grounds, whereby the coffee grounds may be dispensed from the grinder assembly 15 to an area below the grinder assembly 15. The grinder assembly 15 may include a grind chute 30 having an outlet 35 offset or spaced from the central axis 20 to guide the travel of the coffee grounds to the area below the grinder assembly 15.

[0037] The coffee machine may also be provided with a portafilter 25 having a portafilter basket 28 within which the coffee grounds may be contained, with the portafilter basket 28 being locatable in the area below the grinder assembly 15. It will be understood that the portafilter 25 may be removable from the coffee machine. The fluid outlet may be adapted to deliver hot water under pressure from a boiler or heating unit (not shown) or cold water from a waterreservoir (not shown) of the coffee machine to one or more components of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100, as will be described in further detail below.

[0038] In one form, the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 includes a tamping and brewing piston 110 having a central axis 115, with the tamping and brewing piston 110 being operatively associated with a carriage assembly 120 having a longitudinal axis 125. The longitudinal axis 125 may be generally orthogonal or transverse to the central axis 115. In the depicted embodiment, the central axis 115 is vertically-oriented and the longitudinal axis 125 is horizontally-oriented so as to correspond to the respective vertical and horizontal orientation of the coffee machine. In this specification, the carriage assembly 120 may be described as forming part of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 of the coffee machine. It will, however, be appreciated that the carriage assembly 120 may alternatively be described as forming part of the coffee machine itself. For example, one or more components of the carriage assembly 120 may be mounted to a housing of the coffee machine (or other components thereof) so as to be secured thereto.

[0039] In the depicted embodiment, the carriage assembly 120 includes a main carriage or rail 130 and a portafilter carriage or cradle 135. The portafilter carriage 135 may be adapted to removably engage or hold the portafilter 25 (more particularly, the portafilter basket 28). The portafilter carriage 135 may be mounted or coupled to the main carriage 130 and may be adapted to move along the main carriage 130 between a first position and a second position. In one example, the portafilter carriage 135 is adapted to move along the longitudinal axis 125 between a first position A (for example, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, and 10) and a second position B (for example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4). The first position A may also be referred to as an insertion position, a home position, or a tamping and brewing position (depending on the stage of the coffee machine operation / cycle) as will be described in further detail below. The second position B may also be referred to as a grinding position.

[0040] Movement of the portafilter carriage 135 between the first and second positions A and B may be facilitated by, for example, one or more motors (not shown) operatively associated with the carriage assembly 120. In one example, the one or more motors may be adapted to mechanically drive one more gears and / or one or more linkages associated with the carriage assembly 120 to cause movement of the portafilter carriage 135 between the first and second positions A and B. Operation of the one or more motors may be controlled by a processor of thecoffee machine in response to a user input and / or one or more sensors operatively associated with one or more components of the coffee machine.

[0041] The tamping and brewing piston 110 may be spaced from the grinder assembly 15 and the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may include a motor assembly 140 operatively associated with the tamping and brewing piston 110. The motor assembly 140 may include, for example, a motor with a worm gear and a lead screw operatively associated with the motor. The motor may be operable to drive movement of the lead screw, which may in turn cause the tamping and brewing piston 110 to move along the central axis 115 between a raised or home position (for example, as shown in Figures 2 to 5 and 10) and a lowered position, which may include a first lowered or tamping position (for example, as shown in Figures 6 and 7), and a second lowered or brewing position (for example, as shown in Figures 8 and 9). The raised or home position, first lowered or tamping position, and second lowered or brewing position may be relative to the carriage assembly 120 (and more particularly, relative to the portafilter carriage 135). It will be appreciated that the configuration of the motor assembly 140 is not necessarily limited to the configuration as shown in the drawings or described above, and may vary depending on the design requirements of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100.

[0042] Operation of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 will now be described.

[0043] In Figure 2, the portafilter carriage 135 is shown to be in the first position A and for the purposes of describing Figure 2, the first position A will be referred to as an insertion or home position. In this insertion or home position, the portafilter 25 (in particular, the portafilter basket 28) may be placed on to or inserted into the portafilter carriage 135 by a user. In the example shown, the portafilter carriage 135 is located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston 110 in this insertion or home position and may be aligned with the central axis 115. Once the portafilter 25 / portafilter basket 28 has been placed on to or inserted into portafilter carriage 135, the portafilter basket 28 may also be located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston 110 and aligned with the central axis 115. In this insertion or home position, the tamping and brewing piston 110 is shown to be in the raised or home position.

[0044] In Figure 3, the portafilter carriage 135 is shown to have moved (along the main carriage 130 in a direction Al) from the first position A to the second position B and for the purposes of describing Figure 3, the second position B will be referred to as a grinding position. Movement of the portafilter carriage 135 from the first position A to the second position B may be initiated,for example, in response to a user input on the coffee machine to in turn enable the operation of the one or more motors operatively associated with the carriage assembly 120. Movement of the portafilter carriage 135 from the first position A to the second position B may additionally or alternatively be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the position or presence of the portafilter carriage 135 and / or the portafilter 25 / portafilter basket 28. In this grinding position, the portafilter carriage 135 (along with the portafilter basket 28 located thereon) is located in the area below the grinder assembly 15. In this position, the portafilter basket 28 may be located directly below the outlet 35 of the grind chute 30. In the example shown, the portafilter carriage 135 is located at a distance from the area below the tamping and brewing piston 110 in this grinding position. Accordingly, it will be understood that in one example, the portafilter carriage 135 may move between the insertion or home position and the grinding position along the longitudinal axis 125 by a distance D relative to the area below the tamping and brewing piston 110.

[0045] In Figure 4, the portafilter carriage 135 is again shown in the grinding position, and the grinder 18 of the grinder assembly 15 is operated to grind coffee beans (delivered from the hopper 20). The resulting coffee grounds 150 is dispensed, via the chute 30, into the portafilter basket 28. A grinding operation of the grinder assembly 15 may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the position or presence of the portafilter carriage 135 and / or the portafilter basket 28.

[0046] In Figure 5, the portafilter carriage 135 is shown to have moved (along the main carriage 130 in a direction Bl, which is opposite to direction Al) from the second position B to the first position A and for the purposes of describing Figure 5, the first position A will be referred to as a tamping and brewing position. Movement of the portafilter carriage 135 from the second position B to the first position A may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the completion of the grinding operation as discussed above in relation to Figure 4 and / or in response to one or more sensors detecting an amount, level, or weight of coffee grounds in the portafilter basket 28. In this tamping and brewing position, the portafilter carriage 135 (along with the portafilter basket 28 located thereon and the coffee grounds located in the portafilter basket 28) is again located in the area below the tamping and brewing piston 110. In this tamping and brewing position, the tamping and brewing piston 110 is shown to still be in the raised or home position.

[0047] In Figure 6, the portafilter carriage 135 is again shown in the tamping and brewing position, and the motor assembly 140 is operated to move the tamping and brewing piston 110 (along the central axis 115 in a direction A2) from the raised or home position to a lowered position. In the example shown, the lowered position is a first lowered or tamping position. During this movement or tamping operation, a tamp member 160 of the tamping and brewing piston 110 (see Figures 7 and 8) may engage the coffee grounds in the portafilter basket 28 and impart a tamping force or pressure thereto. This action compresses the coffee grounds into a coffee puck 170, which remains in the portafilter basket 28 for a brewing operation. Movement of the tamping and brewing piston 110 from the raised or home position to the first lowered or tamping position may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the position of the portafilter carriage 135 and / or the portafilter basket 28.

[0048] In some embodiments, the tamping and brewing piston 110 may include one or more protrusions (such as protrusion 162) adapted to locate the portafilter 25 (in particular, the portafilter basket 28) and align the portafilter basket 28 with the tamp member 160. The one or more protrusions of the tamping and brewing piston 110 may be received in one or more corresponding apertures of the portafilter 25 (for example, holes located on lugs of the portafilter 25). This arrangement may at least aid the user with the correct placement of the portafilter 25 on to or into the portafilter carriage 135, avoid overstressing the motor, and minimise wear on the various components.

[0049] Figures 7 to 9 show examples of various locations / positions of the tamping and brewing piston 110 (and in particular, the tamp member 160) relative to the coffee puck 170 between the tamping operation and the brewing operation.

[0050] Figure 7 mirrors Figure 6 in showing the coffee puck 170 in the portafilter basket following the tamping operation, and prior to the brewing operation. In this position, the tamp member 160 is engaged with the coffee puck 170 across an upper surface thereof.

[0051] In Figure 8, the tamping and brewing piston 110 (and in particular, the tamp member 160) is shown to have moved (in a direction A3, which is opposite to direction A2) from the first lowered or tamping position to a second lowered or brewing position. In this second lowered or brewing position, the tamping and brewing piston 110 (and in particular, the tamp member 160) has moved away from the coffee puck 170 by a distance or gap G. The gap G may represent the distance between the upper surface of the coffee puck 170 and a lower surface or tamp face ofthe tamp member 160. This gap G may provide an air gap, and may also be referred to as a head space to allow for an even distribution of hot water across the coffee puck 170 (e.g. during a preinfusion stage prior to the brewing operation). Movement of the tamping and brewing piston 110 from the first lowered or tamping position to a second lowered or brewing position may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the completion of the tamping operation as discussed above in relation to Figures 6 and 7 and / or in response to one or more sensors detecting a level or density of the coffee puck 170 in the portafilter basket 28.

[0052] In Figure 9, a pre-infusion stage is shown, in which water is delivered to the tamping and brewing piston 110 (via the fluid outlet of the coffee machine 10). The water may travel through the tamping and brewing piston 110 (via a fluid line or path 175) in a direction A4 towards the coffee puck 170. In the depicted embodiment, the tamp member 160 is provided with a shower screen or filter 178 to allow water to flow through the tamping and brewing piston 110 to the coffee puck 170. Following completion of the pre-infusion stage, the brewing operation may commence, in which hot water under pressure may be delivered through the coffee puck 170 to result in extracted coffee (which is then delivered to a vessel located below the portafilter basket 28).

[0053] In Figure 10, the tamping and brewing piston 110 is shown to have moved (in the direction A3) from the second lowered or brewing position to the raised or home position following the conclusion of the brewing operation. In this position, the portafilter 25 may be removed from the portafilter carriage 135 to allow the user to dispose of the used coffee puck and prepare for the next cycle. Movement of the tamping and brewing piston 110 from the second lowered or brewing position to the raised or home position may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the completion of the brewing operation as discussed above in relation to Figure 9. In some embodiments, the tamping and brewing piston 110 may move into a third position following the conclusion of the brewing operation. In this third position, the tamp member 160 of the tamping and brewing piston 110 may be arranged to hover or be located just above an upper surface of the portafilter basket 28 such that when the user removes (pulls out) the portafilter 25 from the portafilter carriage 135, the portafilter basket 28 may gently slide across the shower screen 178. In this arrangement, the used coffee puck that may have been stuck to the shower screen 178 would be displaced and fall back into the portafilter basket 28 for disposal when the portafilter 25 is removed.

[0054] In some embodiments, following the conclusion of the brewing operation, the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be configured to operate in one of a plurality of operational modes.

[0055] In one example of an operational mode, the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be configured to alert the user to remove the portafilter 25 from the portafilter carriage 135 for cleaning. The tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may optionally be configured to prevent the portafilter carriage 135 from moving from the tamping and brewing position to the grinding position (e.g. for the next cycle) until the portafilter 25 has been removed. This arrangement may at least help to ensure that the used coffee puck is removed from the portafilter basket 28 before a subsequent grinding operation is initiated.

[0056] In another example of an operational mode, the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be configured to allow the portafilter carriage 135 to move from the tamping and brewing position to the grinding position, but prevent the grinding operation from being initiated if a used coffee puck is present in the portafilter basket 28. The tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be configured to alert the user to remove the portafilter 25 from the portafilter carriage 135 for cleaning before a subsequent grinding operation may be initiated.

[0057] With the operational modes described above, the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may include one or more sensors to detect the removal of the portafilter 25 from the portafilter carriage and / or the absence or presence of a used coffee puck in the portafilter basket 28. In one example, the one or more sensors may include a microswitch that is operatively associated with the portafilter carriage 135, whereby the microswitch is adapted to detect when the portafilter 25 has been removed from or placed on to the portafilter carriage 135. In another example, the one or more sensors may include an infrared (IR) sensor positioned to detect the absence or presence of a used coffee puck in the portafilter basket 28. The output of the one or more sensors may be used by a processor of the coffee machine to control the operation of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 in accordance with the operational modes described above.

[0058] It will be appreciated that the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 may be configured to automatically move the portafilter carriage 135 between the first position A (e.g. the home or tamping and brewing position) and the second position B (e.g. the grinding position). The movement of the portafilter carriage 135 may be constrained such that the portafilter 25 located thereon does not travel beyond an outer boundary of the coffee machine. A maximum traveldistance of the portafilter carriage 135 may be defined and controlled by one or more travel limiting mechanisms. In one example, the travel limiting mechanism may include an abutment stop that physically limits the extent of travel of the portafilter carriage 135. Additionally or alternatively, the travel limiting mechanism may include a lead screw having a defined length or thread extent that corresponds to the maximum travel distance. In some examples, the travel limiting mechanism may include an encoder operatively associated with the carriage assembly 120, whereby the encoder may be adapted to convert sensed rotation (e.g. of the motor drive shaft) into a linear travel distance, thereby enabling precise control of the position of the portafilter carriage 135 and preventing travel beyond the defined maximum distance.

[0059] It will be understood that the portafilter carriage 135 may be configured to move linearly between defined start and end positions (e.g. the first position A and the second position B) along the main carriage 130. The portafilter carriage 135 may move along a linear path in a forward and reverse direction of travel, rather than along a circular loop. This linear path of movement may facilitate a compact arrangement of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 within the coffee machine and may allow for predictable positioning of the portafilter carriage 135 as it moves between the first position A and the second position B.

[0060] In Figures 11 to 13 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted a further embodiment of a tamping and brewing mechanism 200 which operates in generally similar manner as the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 described above, with like reference numerals being used to indicate like features. In the interest of clarity, not all like features will be accorded a like reference numeral in the drawings, the description of the like features of this embodiment will not be repeated, and it will be understood that any one or more of the like features or functions of the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 described above are applicable to the tamping and brewing mechanism 200, and vice versa.

[0061] In this embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 200, movement of the portafilter carriage 235 between the first and second positions A and B is facilitated by a mechanical linkage 280 driven by one or more motors (not shown). It will be understood that in this embodiment, the mechanical linkage 280 may be provided in place of the main carriage 130 described above in relation to the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100. In this embodiment, the mechanical linkage 280 includes a linkage arm 282 coupled to the portafilter carriage 235, with the linkage arm 282 being pivotable about a pivot point 283 tomove the portafilter carriage 235 between the first (i.e. insertion or home or tamping and brewing) position A and second (i.e. grinding) position B. Additionally, in this embodiment, the tamping and brewing piston 210 is in a fixed / stationary position relative to the portafilter carriage 235. The tamping and brewing piston 210 may also include a sealing member 285 that interacts with the portafilter 25 in use.

[0062] In Figure 11, the portafilter 25 (and in particular the portafilter basket 28) may be placed on to or inserted (in a direction Cl) into the portafilter carriage 235, which results in the portafilter carriage 235 being in a first (i.e. insertion or home) position A. In this position, the portafilter carriage 235 is located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston 210.

[0063] In Figure 12, the portafilter carriage 235 is shown to have moved (along a path C2) from the first (i.e. insertion or home) position A to a second (i.e. grinding position) B. Movement of the portafilter carriage 235 from the first position A to the second position B may be initiated, for example, in response to a user input on the coffee machine 10 to in turn enable the operation of the one or more motors operatively associated with the mechanical linkage 280. In this grinding position, the portafilter carriage 235 (along with the portafilter basket 28 located thereon) is located in the area below the grinder assembly 15. In this position, the portafilter basket 28 may be located directly below the outlet 35 of the grind chute 30. A grinding operation of the grinder assembly 15 may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the position of the portafilter carriage 235 and / or the portafilter basket 28.

[0064] In Figure 13, the portafilter carriage 235 is shown to have moved (along a path C3, which is opposite to the path C2) from the second (i.e. grinding) position B to the first (i.e. tamping and brewing position) A. Movement of the portafilter carriage 235 from the second position B to the first position A may be initiated, for example, in response to one or more sensors detecting the completion of the grinding operation as discussed above in relation to Figure 12. In this tamping and brewing position, the portafilter carriage 235 (along with the portafilter basket 28 located thereon) is again located in the area below the tamping and brewing piston 210. The mechanical linkage 280 may allow the portafilter basket 28 to move into engagement with the tamping and brewing piston 210, in which the tamp member 260 of the tamping and brewing piston 210 may engage the coffee grounds in the portafilter basket 28 and impart a tamping force or pressure thereto. During this action, the sealing member 285 may engage a rim of the portafilter basket 28 to create a seal therebetween. This action may also compress the coffee grounds into a coffeepuck 170, which remains in the portafilter basket 28 for a brewing operation, in which hot water under pressure may be delivered through the coffee puck 170 (via the fluid line or path 275 of the tamping and brewing piston 210) to result in extracted coffee (which is then delivered to a vessel located below the portafilter basket 28).

[0065] In Figures 14 to 16 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted a further embodiment of a tamping and brewing mechanism 300 which operates in generally similar manner as the tamping and brewing mechanisms 100 and 200 described above, with like reference numerals being used to indicate like features. In the interest of clarity, not all like features will be accorded a like reference numeral in the drawings, the description of the like features of this embodiment will not be repeated, and it will be understood that any one or more of the like features or functions of the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanisms 100 and 200 described above are applicable to the tamping and brewing mechanism 300, and vice versa.

[0066] In this embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 300, movement of the portafilter carriage 335 between the first and second positions A and B is facilitated by a portafilter carriage track 390 (or a pair of portafilter carriage tracks). It will be understood that in this embodiment, the portafilter carriage track 390 may be provided in place of the main carriage 130 described above in relation to the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 100 or the mechanical linkage 280 described above in relation to the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 200. In this embodiment, the portafilter carriage track 390 includes a slot or channel 392 and the portafilter carriage 335 may include a pin or boss 395 that is received in the slot or channel 392. Accordingly, the portafilter carriage 335 may be mounted to the portafilter carriage track 390 and moved along the slot or channel 392 between the first and second positions A and B. Movement of the portafilter carriage 335 may be driven by one or more motors (not shown). Similar to the embodiment of the tamping and brewing mechanism 200 described above, the tamping and brewing piston 310 in this embodiment is in afixed / stationary position relative to the portafilter carriage 335.

[0067] In Figures 17 to 25 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted various embodiments of sealing systems that may be associated with any one of the tamping and brewing pistons 110, 210, 310 described above. The sealing systems include one or more components that are adapted to interact with the portafilter 25 (and specifically the portafilter 28)when the tamping and brewing piston 110, 210, 310 is moved from the raised or home position to the first lowered or tamping position.

[0068] Figures 17 to 19 show a first embodiment of a sealing system 700 which includes an inner tamp / extract! on member 705 and an outer tamp / extraction member 710, The inner tamp / extraction member 705 and the outer tamp / extraction member 710 may both be aligned with the central axis 115. The inner tamp / extraction member 705 may provide the tamp member 160, 260, 360 of the respective tamping and brewing pistons 110, 210, 310 described above. In the example shown, the inner tamp / extraction member 705 is operatively associated with a drive shaft 715, and the outer tamp / extraction member 710 is operatively associated with a resiliently deformable member 720. In this example, the resiliently deformable member 720 is a spring, although it will be appreciated that the resiliently deformable member 720 may be in any other suitable form depending on the design requirements of the sealing system 700.

[0069] The sealing system 700 may operate as a two-stage sealing system, whereby the drive shaft 715 is controlled to drive movement of the inner tamp / extraction member 705 between a home position and a tamping or brewing position. In the example shown, the inner tamp / extraction member 705 is moved in a downwardly direction towards the portafilter basket 28 to contact the coffee grounds therein, and the outer tamp / extraction member 710 is pushed down by the resiliently deformable member 720 until it contacts the rim of the portafilter basket 28. A primary gasket 725 may be disposed at a lower portion of the outer tamp / extraction member 710 to seal against the rim of the portafilter basket 28. Additionally, the sealing system 700 may include one or more latching mechanisms 730 adapted to hold the outer tamp / extraction member 710 in place whilst the inner tamp / extraction member 705 moves between the home position and the tamping or brewing position (e.g. as it moves in the downwardly direction to tamp the coffee grounds). Following the tamping operation, the inner tamp / extraction member 705 may move in an upwardly direction away from the portafilter basket 28, whereby the inner tamp / extraction member 705 contacts a secondary gasket 735 located at an upper portion of the outer tamp / extraction member 710. The brewing or coffee extraction operation may then commence. Following the brewing or coffee extraction operation, the latching mechanism 730 may be disengaged and the inner tamp / extraction member 705 and the outer tamp / extraction member 710 may both be returned to the home position.

[0070] Figures 20 to 22 show a second embodiment of a sealing system 800 which includes a tamping assembly 805 and a sealing assembly 810, both aligned be aligned with the central axis 115. The tamping assembly 805 may provide or include the tamp member 160, 260, 360 of the respective tamping and brewing pistons 110, 210, 310 described above and is operatively associated with a drive shaft 815, and the sealing assembly 810 is operatively associated with one or more resiliently deformable members 820. In this embodiment, each resiliently deformable member 820 is a spring mounted to a guide shaft 822, although it will be appreciated that the resiliently deformable member 820 may be in any other suitable form depending on the design requirements of the sealing system 800.

[0071] In this embodiment of the sealing system 800, the tamping assembly 805 and the sealing assembly 810 move together in a downwardly direction towards the portafilter basket 28. As the tamping assembly 805 moves down, one or more spring-loaded pins 830 may be pushed in an outwardly direction away from the central axis 115. The spring-loaded pin 830 may then engage a slot 832 located in the portafilter carriage or cradle 135. The slot 830 is preferably tapered so as to compress the sealing assembly 810 against the rim of the portafilter basket 28. In particular, a sealing member 840 that is located at a lower portion of the sealing assembly 810 may seal against the rim of the portafilter basket 28. It will be appreciated that the sealing member 840 may seal against the rim of the portafilter basket 28 and also plug a gap between an exterior of the tamp member 160, 260, 360 and an interior of the portafilter basket 28.

[0072] Figures 23 to 25 show a third embodiment of a sealing system 900 in which the respective tamping and brewing pistons 110, 210, 310 described above include a sealing member 940 that seals against the portafilter basket 28 as the portafilter 25 is twisted or rotated into location. The sealing member 940 may overhang into the path of the tamping member 160, 260, 360 and as the respective tamping and brewing piston 110, 210, 310 moves between the home position and the tamping and brewing position, the sealing member 940 radially contacts the tamping member 160, 260, 360 to create a watertight seal.

[0073] Various forms of the tamping and brewing mechanisms and embodiments thereof described above may have one or more of the following advantages. The various arrangements for moving the portafilter, by way of the portafilter carriage, may at least allow for the tamping and brewing operations to be performed semi-automatically, whereby the user simply has to place or insert the portafilter into the portafilter carriage prior to initiating the tamping andbrewing cycle. The portafilter carriage (along with the portafilter) may then automatically move between different locations or positions relative to the grinder assembly and the tamping and brewing piston, which may at least allow for the grinding and tamping and brewing operations to be performed in dedicated locations and / or in response to certain conditions. The sealing systems described above may also allow for a head space to be created during the brewing process, which may at least allow for an even distribution of hot water across the coffee puck for even coffee extraction.

[0074] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and / or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0075] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A tamping and brewing mechanism of a coffee machine, the tamping and brewing mechanism including:a tamping and brewing piston movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly;the carriage assembly including a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, the portafilter carriage being adapted to removably engage a portafilter, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position; andat least one motor operatively associated with the carriage assembly to drive movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage between the first position and the second position.

2. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein in the first position, the portafilter carriage is located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston, and in the second position, the portafilter carriage is located at a distance from the area below the tamping and brewing piston.

3. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the second position, the portafilter carriage is located below a grinder assembly of the coffee machine.

4. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first position is an insertion or home position or a tamping and brewing position, and the second position is a grinding position.

5. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one motor is adapted to drive one or more gears operatively associated with the carriage assembly to cause movement of the portafilter carriage between the first and second positions.

6. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one motor is adapted to drive one or more linkages operatively associated with the carriage assembly to cause movement of the portafilter carriage between the first and second positions.

7. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a motor assembly operatively associated with the tamping and brewing piston, wherein the motor assembly is operable to drive movement of the tamping and brewing piston between the raised position and the lowered position.

8. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the lowered position of the tamping and brewing piston includes a first lowered or tamping position and a second lowered or brewing position.

9. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein in the first lowered or tamping position, a tamp member of the tamping and brewing piston engages coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter, and in the second lowered or brewing position, the tamp member is spaced from the coffee grounds by a gap to provide a head space for distribution of fluid across the coffee grounds.

10. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a sealing system associated with the tamping and brewing piston, wherein the sealing system is adapted to interact with the portafilter basket when the tamping and brewing piston is in the lowered or tamping position.

11. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the sealing system includes an inner tamp member and an outer tamp member, wherein the inner tamp member is adapted to move between a home position and a tamping or brewing position, and wherein the outer tamp member being adapted to seal against a rim of the portafilter basket.

12. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the sealing system further includes one or more latching mechanisms adapted to hold the outer tamp member in place whilst the inner tamp member moves between the home position and the tamping or brewing position.

13. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the sealing system includes a sealing assembly operatively associated with one or more resiliently deformable members, and one or more spring-loaded pins adapted to engage a slot in the portafilter carriage to compress the sealing assembly against the rim of the portafilter basket.

14. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tamping and brewing piston includes a fluid path for delivery of fluid therethrough during a pre-infusion or brewing operation.

15. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, further including one or more sensors to detect the position of the portafilter carriage and / or an absence or presence of coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter.

16. The tamping and brewing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the portafilter carriage is adapted to move along a linear path in a forward and reverse direction of travel.

17. A coffee machine including a tamping and brewing mechanism, the coffee machine including a grinder assembly, the tamping and brewing mechanism including:a tamping and brewing piston movable between raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly;the carriage assembly including a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, the portafilter carriage being adapted to removably engage a portafilter, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position; andat least one motor operatively associated with the carriage assembly to drive movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage between the first position and the second position.

18. The coffee machine according to claim 17, wherein in the first position, the portafilter carriage is located in an area below the tamping and brewing piston, and in the second position, the portafilter carriage is located in an area below the grinding assembly.

19. A method of operating a tamping and brewing mechanism of a coffee machine, the coffee machine including a grinder assembly, and the tamping and brewing mechanism including a tamping and brewing piston movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a carriage assembly having a main carriage and a portafilter carriage, wherein the portafilter carriage is movable along the main carriage between a first position and a second position, wherein the method includes the steps of:inserting or placing a portafilter on to the portafilter carriage when the portafilter carriage is in the first position and the tamping and brewing piston is in the raised position;driving, by at least one motor, movement of the portafilter carriage along the main carriage from the first position to the second position;initiating a grinding operation and subsequently driving movement of the portafilter carriage from the second position back to the first position following completion of the grinding operation; andinitiating a tamping operation, in which the tamping and brewing piston is moved from the raised position and to the lowered position.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the lowered position of the tamping and brewing piston includes a first lowered or tamping position and a second lowered or brewing position, wherein the method includes the steps ofmoving the tamping and brewing piston to the first lowered or tamping position, wherein a tamp member of the tamping and brewing piston engages coffee grounds in a portafilter basket of the portafilter; andmoving the tamping and brewing piston to the second lowered or brewing position, wherein the tamp member is spaced from the coffee grounds by a gap to provide a head space for distribution of fluid across the coffee grounds.

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