Brewing assembly and beverages production machine comprising said assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289093-B2
Application number	US-201213981400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2012
Priority date	Feb 25, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A brewing assembly includes a brewing chamber, a support structure carrying first and second portions of the brewing chamber, and a boiler for heating water. The support structure has a first part which is fastened to the first portion of the brewing chamber, and a second part which is fastened to the second portion of the brewing chamber. The first and second parts of the support structure can be mutually coupled and uncoupled. The first and second portions of the brewing chamber are mutually mobile to adopt an open position, and a closed position when the first and second parts of the support structure are coupled. The boiler is rigidly connected to one of the parts of the support structure and to one of the portions of the brewing chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A brewing assembly for production of a beverage, the brewing assembly comprising:
a brewing chamber;
a support structure carrying a first portion and a second portion of the brewing chamber;
a boiler for heating water;
wherein in the brewing assembly: said support structure is subdivided into a first part which is fastened to said first portion of the brewing chamber, and a second part which is fastened to said second portion of the brewing chamber; wherein the first part of the support structure comprises two opposed sides between which the first portion of the brewing chamber is arranged; wherein the second part of the support structure comprises two opposed sides; the first part and the second part of the support structure can be mutually coupled and uncoupled; said first portion of the brewing chamber and said second portion of the brewing chamber are mutually mobile to adopt an open position, and a closed position when the first part and the second part of the support structure are coupled; and said boiler is rigidly connected to the second part of the support structure and to the second portion of the brewing chamber, and is arranged between the two opposed sides of the second part of said structure, and
wherein said boiler surrounds a duct for supplying the beverage from the brewing chamber.

2. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first part of the support structure and the second part of the support structure can be coupled together via reciprocal coupling members.

3. The brewing assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said reciprocal coupling members comprise a system of mutual engagement and disengagement, as a result of which the first part of the support structure and the second part of the support structure are connected by the mere reciprocal movement of one part relative to the other.

4. The brewing assembly according to claim 2 , wherein when the first part of the support structure and the second part of the support structure are coupled, they form a closed frame within which at least some of the stresses generated by the pressurized water fed into said brewing chamber are unloaded.

5. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of the brewing chamber is connected to a drive for coupling to an actuator for opening and closing which moves said first portion of the brewing chamber relative to the support structure.

6. The brewing assembly according to claim 5 , wherein: said first part of the support structure defines a loading position of the brewing chamber, in which the first portion of the brewing chamber is arranged beneath a loading hopper for the product to be loaded in the brewing chamber; and wherein said first part of the support structure comprises guides for sliding the first portion of the brewing chamber in order to guide the approaching movement of the first portion of the brewing chamber towards the second portion of the brewing chamber fastened to the second part of the support structure.

7. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of the brewing chamber is mobile, relative to the first part of the support structure by a movement of rotation and translation, from a loading position of the product from which the beverage is to be extracted into a closed position in which the first portion of the brewing chamber and the second portion of the brewing chamber define a closed brewing volume.

8. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of the brewing chamber comprises a substantially cylindrical, hollow body and a wall for closing said substantially cylindrical body; and wherein said second portion of the brewing chamber comprises a piston for closing said substantially cylindrical body; said piston and said closing wall being mutually opposed when the brewing chamber is closed.

9. The brewing assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said closing wall comprises through-holes for feeding pressurized water into the brewing chamber and said piston comprises holes to allow the beverage extracted from said product loaded in the brewing chamber to pass through.

10. The brewing assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said closing wall comprises through-holes to allow the beverage extracted from said product loaded in the brewing chamber to pass through, and said piston comprises holes for feeding pressurized water into the brewing chamber.

11. The brewing assembly according to claim 9 , wherein a duct for supplying the beverage from the brewing chamber is in fluid connection with said piston.

12. The brewing assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said piston is removable from the second part of the support structure.

13. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of the brewing chamber and said second portion of the brewing chamber respectively comprise a first connector and a second connector which are mutually mobile in order to hydraulically connect the boiler to the brewing chamber.

14. The brewing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of the brewing chamber and said second portion of the brewing chamber respectively comprise a first connector and a second connector which are mutually mobile in order to hydraulically connect the brewing chamber to a duct for supplying the beverage from said brewing chamber.

15. The brewing assembly according to claim 13 , wherein said first connector and said second connector are formed in one piece with the first portion of the brewing chamber and with the second part of the support structure, the mutual connection of said two connectors being formed by the closing movement of the brewing chamber.

16. A brewing assembly for production of a beverage, the brewing assembly comprising:
a brewing chamber;
a support structure carrying a first portion and a second portion of the brewing chamber;
a boiler for heating water;
wherein in the brewing assembly: said support structure is subdivided into a first part which is fastened to said first portion of the brewing chamber, and a second part which is fastened to said second portion of the brewing chamber; wherein the first part of the support structure comprises two opposed sides between which the first portion of the brewing chamber is arranged; wherein the second part of the support structure comprises two opposed sides; the first part and the second part of the support structure can be mutually coupled and uncoupled; said first portion of the brewing chamber and said second portion of the brewing chamber are mutually mobile to adopt an open position, and a closed position when the first part and the second part of the support structure are coupled; and said boiler is rigidly connected to the second part of the support structure and to the second portion of the brewing chamber, and is arranged between the two opposed sides of the second part of said structure, and
wherein said boiler surrounds a duct for feeding hot water from the boiler to the brewing chamber.

17. A brewing assembly for production of a beverage, the brewing assembly comprising:
a brewing chamber;
a support structure carrying a first portion and a second portion of the brewing chamber;
a boiler for heating water;
wherein in the brewing assembly: said support structure is subdivided into a first part which is fastened to said first portion of the brewing chamber, and a second part which is fastened to said second portion of the brewing chamber; wherein the first part of the support structure comprises two opposed sides between which

Assignees

• Castelli Cristiano
• Tonelli Stefano
• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Castelli Cristiano
• Tonelli Stefano

Classifications

• A47J31/4403

  Constructional details · CPC title

• A47J31/3633

  Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position · CPC title

• A47J31/3614 Primary

  Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position · CPC title

• A47J31/3619

  Means to remove coffee after brewing · CPC title

• A47J31/36 Primary

  with mechanical pressure-producing means · CPC title