195 results about "Espresso coffee" patented technology

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, preferably an espresso coffee beverage is disclosed. Between the bottom of the cartridge and the particulate substance as well as between the particulate substance and the cover of the cartridge, in each case a fluid director member is provided, having a plurality of small openings. The one close to the cover serves as a water distribution member for distributing the water, fed into the cartridge through a central opening pierced therein, evenly over the particulate substance, and the one close to the bottom serves as a beverage collection member to lead the beverage to a central opening pierced into the bottom of the cartridge. Both director members are provided with a recess directed towards the interior of the cartridge, allowing the penetration of a piercing member without damage to the director members.

The invention concerns a unit (1) for automatically preparing espresso coffee from prepackaged coffee pods containing one or two coffee pods and comprising a mechanism for individually detecting the presence of each pod in its location. It comprises a drawer (5) movable between a position for extracting, a position for loading and a position for discharging pods and an injection unit (6) closing the support of the preparation unit (1) in its front part above the drawer (5) in its extracting position and entirely mobile to be brought closer to the drawer through the cams (29) of the camshaft (7) driven by a single motor (8), being automatically returned away from the injection unit (6) through a return force. The invention is of interest to professional coffee machine manufacturers.

A cartridge, particularly for espresso coffee machines, for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure is provided. The cartridge comprises a main body with a cup portion and a lid portion. The cup portion comprises a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to the base, while the lid portion is fixedly attached to the rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of the cartridge. The internal volume of the cartridge houses the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining the particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough. The lid portion comprises a normally closed lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances when it is opened. The cartridge further comprises a tappet arranged inside the internal volume so as to pierce the base when a pressure is applied to the base towards the internal volume, thus opening a normally closed cup port.

A method for extracting an espresso coffee beverage by means of an espresso coffee machine, comprising:a) providing an extraction chamber, which comprises a dose of roasted and ground espresso coffee and a normally-closed septum which is arranged downstream of the coffee dose;b) injecting hot water into the chamber, outward dispensing of the beverage being prevented through the normally-closed septum;c) when the water pressure reaches a preset value, the partition is opened in order to force the beverage to pass through a small orifice before it is dispensed into the cup, the size of the orifice being such as to keep the dose of coffee contained in the extraction chamber at a substantially uniform pressure along the direction of the flow of water, so that the espresso coffee beverage extracted through the orifice comprises crema.

A capsule for extracting a beverage from a substance in powder form, preferably ground coffee, by means of pressurized water, comprising a box-like body which contains the substance in powder form and has a base provided with an output port for the outflow of the extracted beverage, the output port being closed by an elastic crema forming septum which can open under the pressure of the water, the capsule further comprising a safety lid which is mounted on the box-like body at the base so as to increase the axial size of the box-like body, the lid comprising a shoulder which is engaged on the septum and is adapted to retain the septum within the capsule.

An espresso-coffee making apparatus comprising a brew water tank at least one heating device for the purpose of heating the brew water, and a pump operatively engaged to the brew water tank with both its inlet and outlet. The pump outlet is attached to a housing such that the pump's discharge moves past the heating device for effective mixing at the heat source. The housing may also include turbulators for further enhanced mixing. Thus, maximum temperature homogeneity within the brew water tank is achieved. The apparatus may further comprise a biasing device operatively engaged to a piston-type pump via a linkage mechanism. Wherein the biasing device is energized by the operator, by means of a lever and the pressurized water produced used to brew espresso. Further, the pressure of the water produced by the pump is modified by the linkage mechanism such that the brew pressure as a function of displaced liquid is controlled. Thus more optimal brewing pressure profiles can be achieved.

An infusion device for infusion capsules, particularly for espresso coffee machines, comprising a filter basket holder cylinder and a piston which can move with respect to each other from a configuration for loading and unloading at least one capsule for infusions into or from the filter basket holder cylinder to a dispensing configuration and vice versa, the device comprising first elements for movement of at least one of the filter basket holder cylinder and the piston for their first relative movement from the loading and unloading configuration to an intermediate configuration that is comprised between the loading and unloading configuration and the dispensing configuration and vice versa, and second elements for moving at least one of the filter basket holder cylinder and the piston for a second relative movement thereof from the intermediate configuration to the dispensing configuration and vice versa.

The invention relates to a coffee machine with a frothing device, especially relates to an automatic espresso coffee machine. The frothing device is provided with an internal milk channel leading to a frothing chamber, a bypass air inlet for operable air supply for the frothing device, a movable milk suction line leading to a milk storing container, and a cleaning device which cleans the frothing device and the milk suction line by using flush water from a continuous type heater of the coffee machine. The flush water from the continuous type heater can be supplied to the bypass air inlet of the frothing device through a valve structure under control. Before the flush water is loaded at the bypass air inlet, the milk suction end of the milk suction line can be directly or indirectly communicated with a remaining water tank of the coffee machine. The invention also relates to a method for cleaning the movable milk suction line connected to the frothing device, especially to the frothing device of the coffee machine.

A rigid filter for capsules suitable for extracting beverages, comprising a flat body having a plurality of through filtering holes, which are sized so as to block the passage of solid particles and allow passage of brewed water or beverage, wherein the holes have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the middle plane of the flat body, so that the filter can be inserted into a capsule without taking care of the orientation of such holes with respect to the powdered substance within the capsule.

In an espresso coffee maker having an espresso brew unit (1) and a coffee outflow duct (18) in fluid-conductive connection with the espresso brew unit via a crema valve (15) and having an end sided coffee outflow (19), no brewed residual coffee should remain in the coffee outflow duct nor leak out, for instance as leakage, through the coffee outflow. In order to avoid this, a return-flow suction unit (21), which is preferably independent except for a drive means, is in fluid-conductive connection with the coffee outflow duct (18) between crema valve (15) and coffee outflow (19), which is automatically activated when a brewing process is finished.

In the area of beverage distributors, document FR 1 564 088 is known that discloses an automatic dispenser device suitable for preparing beverages of various kind. The beverages may be hot or cold ones obtained from liquid or concentrated products, solid and powderly products contained in hermetically closed capsules of troncoconical shape, in turn contained, stacked one on the top of the other, in certain tubular containes. The dispenser is provided with a number of groups of containers each of which contains a certain number of capsules of a certain product so that the dispenser may be activated by a user for delivering a desired beverage. The dispenser is such that the content of any capsule falls into a mixing chamber where it mixes with hot or cold liquid poured therein and is certainly not adapted to brew an aspresso coffee. As to the structure and function of the distributor, each group of containers is positioned on a rotating drum provided with a passage for a capsule and mechanical means provide to transfer a capsule in the direction of the mixing chamber, to cut the head of a capsule and to make the capsule turn over in order its content to fall into said chamber. This dispenser works sealed capsules loaded into open containers.

A delivery head for espresso coffee machines comprises a top supporting element pivoted to a bottom supporting element in turn made rigid with the machine body, said bottom supporting element comprising an infusion recess provided for receiving a coffee holding capsule, said delivery head further comprising an operating lever operating at least one of the support elements to define at least an open position for loading and unloading the coffee capsule, and a coffee delivery closed position, said head including perforating means for progressively perforating the capsule and capsule ejecting means.

The present invention provides a multi-function coffee maker, comprising at least two brewing accessories including an espresso coffee brewing accessory and a drip coffee brewing accessory, which are interchangeable and each can be loaded within said brewing room of said cover assembly to form an individual brewing chamber. Said multi-function coffee maker further comprises a control circuit including a detection circuit for the brewing accessory. By a water distributor assembly and said control circuit, water flow of suitable pressure is provided into said brewing chamber and the brewing accessory in use is detected automatically so as to initiate a corresponding work mode according to desire.

A coffee percolator (1) whereby ''American'' and ''espresso'' coffee are selectively produced from the same capsule (2) of ground coffee by adjusting the degree of compaction of the ground coffee in the capsule (2) as a function of the type of coffee selected.

An insert for filter holders of coffee machines, particularly espresso coffee machines, comprising an adapter provided with means for fixing to a filter holder and a disposable tray for containing a dose of ground coffee; the tray comprising a base which has a discharge port and a side wall which, together with the base, defines the tray; the tray further comprising a protrusion on the side wall which protrudes substantially radially toward the outside of the tray.

A rigid filter for capsules suitable for extracting beverages, comprising a flat body having a plurality of through filtering holes, which are sized so as to block the passage of solid particles and allow passage of brewed water or beverage, wherein the holes have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the middle plane of the flat body, so that the filter can be inserted into a capsule without taking care of the orientation of such holes with respect to the powdered substance within the capsule.

The present invention provides a multi-function coffee maker, comprising at least two brewing accessories including an espresso coffee brewing accessory and a drip coffee brewing accessory, which are interchangeable and each can be loaded within said brewing room of said cover assembly to form an individual brewing chamber. Said multi-function coffee maker further comprises a control circuit including a detection circuit for the brewing accessory. By a water distributor assembly and said control circuit, water flow of suitable pressure is provided into said brewing chamber and the brewing accessory in use is detected automatically so as to initiate a corresponding work mode according to desire.

The invention provides a portable espresso coffee machine with adjustable pressure, which comprises a water holding cavity used for holding hot water and a coffee dissolving cavity used for extracting espresso coffee. The water holding cavity is provided with a piston which moves by tightly closing the inner wall of the water holding cavity, so that high pressure is formed by compressing a space for holding water in the water holding cavity, accordingly, the hot water in the water holding cavity is pressed in the coffee dissolving cavity, and simultaneously, high pressure is formed in the coffee dissolving cavity for extracting coffee. A coffee liquid outlet is opened on the coffee dissolving cavity, a pressure adjusting device comprising a rubber valve, an elastic accessory for supporting the rubber valve to plug up the coffee liquid outlet and an elastic control assembly for adjusting the elastic accessory to stretch and retract toward the liquid outlet is arranged to adjust pressure used for extracting coffee to acquire espresso coffee in the coffee dissolving cavity, and thereby different tastes of espresso coffee are prepared.

An adapter for machines for preparing beverages, particularly espresso coffee, comprising a supporting element which can be associated with water dispensing means and a cartridge holder associated with the supporting element, the cartridge holder comprising a plurality of receptacles for respective cartridges for infusions or the like and being movable, with respect to the supporting element, from a position for dispensing the infusion to a position for loading and / or unloading the cartridges, the supporting element being further provided with a front opening for moving the cartridge holder from the position for dispensing the infusion to the position for loading and / or unloading the cartridges and vice versa, at least one guide being provided for the translational motion of the cartridge holder with respect to the supporting element between two intermediate positions which are comprised between the loading and / or unloading position and the infusion dispensing position.

Based on an outflow distributor for espresso coffee makers comprising one common coffee inlet (2) and at least two partial outflow openings (19, 20) connected to it in a flow conducting manner, and flow dampening means disposed upstream of the partial outflow openings, brewed coffee is to be equally distributed over two cups while avoiding considerably differently-sized air bubbles. To this end, two partial outflow ducts (3, 4) branched off from the common coffee inlet (2) include an open end section (5, 6) each, which is directed in a baffle chamber (11, 12) each against a baffle wall (9, 10). One of the baffle chambers (11, 12) each is formed in one outflow body (7, 8) each which includes, in spaced relationship below said baffle wall (9, 10), one of the partial outflow openings (19, 20).

An espresso coffee making machine, comprising a bearing structure formed by a monolithic cradle (2), made of plastic material and equipped with fastening means and / or compartments for housing a water heating boiler, a compression and pumping group, possibly other internal components, and with a basin for collecting liquids, and by a metal frame (4) that is coupled to the monolithic cradle (2) and is arranged to support one or more coffee delivery groups, the electric and hydraulic control members of the machine and a plurality of external covering panels (28, 32, 34, 35, 36, 30) of plastics and / or metal.

An apparatus for the production of espresso coffee and the like is disclosed. The apparatus includes a lower vessel having an inlet opening, a substantially funnel-shaped intermediate vessel placed axially at the inlet opening to the lower vessel, and an electric heater in the lower vessel for heating water contained therein. The intermediate vessel comprises at least a perforated plate that defines a chamber for containing coffee in a finely ground or powder form. An upper vessel is mounted axially to the lower vessel in a desirable fashion and in communication with the lower vessel through the intermediate vessel. The intermediate vessel is reversibly connected to the lower vessel in a relatively tight fashion relative to the outside. The lower vessel is hydraulically connected to a water reservoir through a pump. The water reservoir is positioned alongside the lower vessel and on the same support. Water is fed into the lower vessel in close proximity to the heater. Further provided are valves for controlling the pressure of the heated water and / or coffee produced, whereby dispensing coffee in the upper vessel occurs only when the water and / or coffee pressure reaches a predetermined value.

An apparatus for refilling the filter-holders of a machine for the preparation of espresso coffee with selected doses of ground coffee to order, comprising at least one machine for the preparation of espresso coffee the machine being provided with a plurality of dispensing units for the preparation of respective coffee beverages, each dispensing unit comprising a respective detachable filter-holder and a plurality of keys for selecting the beverage to be dispensed by the relative dispensing unit and at least one coffee bean grinder and metering device provided with a hopper for supplying the beans with adjustable grinding adapted to provide a desired grain size for the ground coffee. The grinder and metering device is provided with a hopper for supplying the ground coffee and with supporting means for maintaining the filter-holder of the coffee machine with respect to the supply outlet when it is being refilled with the dose of ground coffee. An identification unit is provided on the espresso coffee machine generating information for recognising the filter-holder of a selected relative dispensing unit and information related to the type of dose with which the filter-holder is to be refilled. A detection unit is provided on the coffee bean metering and grinding device for detecting the information generated by the identification unit, the detection unit causing the corresponding dose to be supplied to the filter-holder when the latter is positioned and held by the supporting means. A wireless communicating device on the espresso coffee machine is provided for transmitting the information generated by the identification unit to the detection unit on the coffee bean metering and grinding device.

The present invention relates to a device for heating and / or frothing a beverage (19), including: a first duct (21) connectable to an upstream steam source and having a first valve (31) configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct; a second duct (22) connectable to the upstream steam source and having a second valve (32) configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct; mixing means (14), which are connected to a common point of the first and second ducts (21, 22), are located downstream of the first duct (21) and the first valve (31) and downstream of the second duct (22) and the second valve (32) and are arranged to introduce and mix at least steam into the beverage. The device further comprises a Venturi assembly (22a) configured to operate by Venturi effect in order to mix air with steam in one the two ducts when the other of the two ducts is closed. Thanks to the device of the invention, heated beverages can be obtained in considerably quick times. The invention also relates to a method for heating and / or frothing beverages, as well as to an espresso coffee machine including the device.

A coffee maker has a water reservoir, a water heater, a coffee holder for holding coffee grounds and a pump for pumping water from the reservoir through the heater to deliver pressurized water to the coffee holder. The coffee holder has a sieve holder and two exchangeable sieves including a first, drip-coffee, sieve and a second, espresso-coffee, sieve. The coffee maker can be used for preparing alternatively drip-coffee or espresso-coffee.

A weighing device (11) is incorporated into an espresso coffee machine (10). The weighing device (11) is located in a drip tray (12) of the espresso coffee machine (10) under a group (13) thereof. The weighing device (11) has a display (not shown) for indicating the weight of a shot as it is being delivered and the elapsed time from the start of delivery. A start extraction button (not shown) on a pressure adjusting handle (24) mounted on the group (13) is connected to the weighing device (11). In use, movement of the pressure adjusting handle (24) initiates delivery of a shot from the group (13), which movement also activates the weighing device (11) in one mode of operation. Thus, a barista can use the weighing device to calibrate the "perfect shot" using the weight and time measurements displayed thereon.

Clark's Pre-Tamp is a device incorporating a disk with tines to stir espresso ground coffee in an espresso portafilter basket to create a more even distribution of the grounds after dosing and prior to tamping in order to improve the taste of the resulting extraction of espresso coffee. Further improvement of taste is achieved when the disk with tines is moved both horizontally and vertically simultaneously. Yet further improvement is realized when a helix or worm gear is used, allowing the horizontal motion to continue, without stopping or reversing, as the disk with tines is moved vertically down into the ground coffee in the basket and then back up and out of the basket. Clark's Pre-Tamp can be manually or electrically operated, and it can be used alone, or attached to or incorporated into other devices used in the preparation of espresso coffee.