Method for dispensing ground coffee

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12458173-B2
Application number	US-202118002295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2021
Priority date	Jun 22, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for dispensing ground coffee for preparing a coffee beverage. The method comprises the steps of: providing a machine ( 110 ), which comprises one or more receptacles ( 13, 14 ) for storing one or different types of roasted coffee beans, one or more dosing devices ( 60, 70 ) for dispensing coffee beans, which are stored in the one or more receptacles ( 13, 14 ), and a grinder ( 30 ) for receiving coffee beans, which are dispensed by the one or more dosing devices ( 60, 70 ), the grinder ( 30 ) being configured to move into different grinding positions for different grinding degrees, respectively; setting up the grinder ( 30 ) so that the grinder ( 30 ) is in a specific grinding position; dispensing, with the one or more dosing devices ( 60, 70 ), a specific amount of coffee beans to the grinder ( 30 ) subsequent to the step of setting up the grinder ( 30 ); and grinding, with the grinder ( 30 ), said specific amount of coffee beans and, thus, dispensing the so ground coffee beans until the grinder ( 30 ) is free from coffee beans.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for dispensing ground coffee for preparing a coffee beverage, the method comprising:
providing a machine, which comprises one or more receptacles for storing one or different types of roasted coffee beans, one or more dosing devices each including two counter-rotating cylinders arranged to rotate towards an inner center for dispensing the coffee beans from the one or more receptacles to a location between the two counter-rotating cylinders, wherein the two counter-rotating cylinders are at least in part made of a compressible or soft material having a hardness less than a hardness of the coffee beans, wherein the compressible or soft material provides a tight outlet that prevents air from entering the one or more receptacles, wherein each of the one or more dosing devices is configured to act as a pump or as a reverse pump in dispensing the coffee beans, and a grinder for receiving the coffee beans, which are dispensed by the one or more dosing devices, the grinder being configured to move into different grinding positions for different grinding degrees, respectively, setting up the grinder so that the grinder is in a specific grinding position, dispensing, with the one or more dosing devices, a specific amount of the coffee beans to the grinder subsequent to the setting up of the grinder, and grinding, with the grinder, said specific amount of the coffee beans and, thus, dispensing the ground coffee beans until the grinder is free from coffee beans.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising moving the grinder in one of the different grinding positions subsequent to the grinding.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the grinder comprises two grinding elements, which are separated by a distance and relatively movable to one another in order to grind the coffee beans between the two grinding elements.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising varying said distance in order to move the grinding elements and thus the grinder between the different grinding positions.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the grinder of the machine comprises only one grinder.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detaching the grinder from the driving unit.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the grinder is of a conical burr type.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the grinder grinds the coffee beans with a constant and/or variable velocity.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing a presence of the coffee beans received by the grinder and operating the grinder for grinding at least during the sensing of the presence of the coffee beans.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
sensing a force and/or torque, which is applied for operating the grinder for grinding, and stopping the grinding if the sensed force and/or torque falls below a defined threshold value.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
inputting a specific control input, moving the grinder into one of the different grinding positions based on said specific control input, and dispensing, with the one or more of the dosing devices, the specific amount of the coffee beans based on said specific control input.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the specific control input is a recipe for the coffee beverage to be prepared.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , the machine further comprising a user interface for inputting the specific control input.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forcing the coffee beans, which are received by grinder, towards the grinders into a gap delimited by the two grinding elements in order to grind these coffee beans.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the forcing of the coffee beans is carried out using a retaining element.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the retaining element is arranged such that the coffee beans are forced towards the grinder by gravitational force on the retaining element.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more receptacles is connected to a respective one of the one or more dosing devices.

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more receptacles is a tight container.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising measuring, with a measuring unit, the amount of the coffee beans, which have been dispensed by the one or more dosing devices, and sending signals, with the measuring unit, indicative of the measured amount of the coffee beans dispensed.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the measuring unit measures a volume and/or weight and/or number of the coffee beans, dispensed by the one or more dosing devices.

21 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring, with a weighing unit, a weight of the ground coffee, which is ground and dispensed by the grinder, and sending signals, with the weighing unit, indicative of the measured weight of received ground coffee.

22 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more receptacles comprise at least two receptacles, and wherein the method further comprises inputting a control input to a control unit configured to control the one or more dosing devices to dispense to the grinder a specific blend, comprising a specific ratio of coffee beans of one of the at least two receptacles to coffee beans of another of the at least two receptacles, based on the control input.

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Ait Bouziad Youcef

Classifications

• A47J42/44 Primary

  Automatic starting or stopping devices (bag clamps with means for actuating switches A47J42/40); Warning devices · CPC title

• A47J42/10

  Grinding cones · CPC title

• A47J42/08

  Adjusting mechanisms · CPC title

• A47J31/42

  Beverage-making apparatus with incorporated grinding or roasting means for coffee {(coffee mills A47J42/00; coffee roasters in general A23N12/08)} · CPC title

• A23F5/08

  Methods of grinding coffee (coffee mills A47J42/00) · CPC title