Distributing head for a beverage maker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9370274-B2
Application number	US-201114232682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2011
Priority date	Jul 21, 2011
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a distributing head, which is used to distribute a hot liquid over an infusion material in a beverage maker. The distributing head has a housing ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ), which has an interior ( 7 ) and an inlet ( 13 ) for the liquid that opens into the interior ( 7 ) and a plurality of outlet openings ( 35 ), which lead outward from the interior ( 7 ). The housing ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) has at least one first portion ( 1, 2 ), which is made of a first material, and at least one second portion ( 3, 4 ), which is made of a second material that repels liquid better than the first material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A distributing head for distributing a hot liquid over an infusion material in a beverage maker, having
a housing with a perforated plate and a substantially encircling side wall which extends from the perforated plate along a main axis, with an interior space arranged on an inner side of the housing, and with an inlet which is intended for the liquid and leads into the interior space, wherein the interior space forms a distribution chamber which is intended for distributing the liquid and is delimited by the perforated plate and the side wall, the perforated plate and the side wall having inner faces which face toward the distribution chamber, and wherein the perforated plate comprises a multiplicity of exit openings which lead from the interior space to the outside,
wherein the housing has at least one first portion which is made from a first material and at least one second portion which is made from a second material which, in comparison with the first material, is more liquid-repellent, and
wherein the second portion is a lining which is located on the inner side at least in the region of the exit openings in such a manner that it forms the inner faces of the perforated plate and the side wall in full.

2. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second portion is located in the entire region of the interior space.

3. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second material is silicone.

4. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second material is designed to be softer than the first material.

5. The distributing head as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second material has a Shore A hardness of less than 80 and the first material preferably has a Shore A hardness of more than 80.

6. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second portion is moulded onto the first portion.

7. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exit openings have a radial inner face which is formed from the second material.

8. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing additionally has an inlet duct which leads into the distribution chamber and which is located in an inclined manner in relation to a direction which is perpendicular to the main axis.

9. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the perforated plate has a planar first surface, which faces toward the distribution chamber and which is formed by the first portion, and a planar second surface, which faces toward the distribution chamber and which is formed by the second portion, and wherein the first and the second surfaces extend in two directions which are inclined in relation to one another.

10. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , having at least one closure element which is releasably attached on the housing in order to close said housing toward the outside.

11. The distributing head as claimed in claim 1 , which has flow elements which are located in the region of the exit openings and project into the interior space in order to distribute the hot liquid.

12. The distributing head as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the flow elements are formed exclusively by the second portion.

13. A beverage maker having
a filter for holding an infusion material; and
a distributing head, which is located above the filter and is intended for distributing a hot liquid over the infusion material, and which has a housing with a perforated plate and a substantially encircling side wall which extends from the perforated plate along a main axis, with an interior space arranged on an inner side of the housing, and with an inlet which is intended for the liquid and leads into the interior space, wherein the interior space forms a distribution chamber which is intended for distributing the liquid and is delimited by the perforated plate and the side wall, the perforated plate and the side wall in each case having inner faces which face toward the distribution chamber, and wherein the perforated plate comprises a multiplicity of exit openings which lead from the interior space to the outside, wherein the housing has at least one first portion which is made from a first material and at least one second portion which is made from a second material which, in comparison with the first material, is more liquid-repellent, and wherein the second portion is a lining which is located on the inner side at least in the region of the exit openings in such a manner that it forms the inner faces of the perforated plate and the side wall in full in each case.

14. A distributing head for distributing a hot liquid over an infusion material in a beverage maker, having
a housing with an interior space arranged on an inner side of the housing, with an inlet which is intended for the liquid and leads into the interior space multiplicity of exit openings which lead from the interior space to the outside,
wherein the housing has at least one first portion which is made from a first material and at least one second portion which is made from a second material which, in comparison with the first material, is more liquid-repellent,
wherein the second portion is a lining which is located on the inner side at least in the region of the exit openings, and
wherein the distributing head has flow elements which are located in the region of the exit openings and project into the interior space in order to distribute the hot liquid, the flow elements being formed exclusively by the second portion.

15. A beverage maker having
a filter for holding an infusion material; and
a distributing head, which is located above the filter and is intended for distributing a hot liquid over the infusion material, and which has a housing with an interior space arranged on an inner side of the housing, with an inlet which is intended for the liquid and leads into the interior space and with a multiplicity of exit openings which lead from the interior space to the outside, wherein the housing has at least one first portion which is made from a first material and at least one second portion which is made from a second material which, in comparison with the first material, is more liquid-repellent, wherein the second portion is a lining which is located on the inner side at least in the region of the exit openings, and wherein the distributing head has flow elements which are located in the region of the exit openings and project into the interior space in order to distribute the hot liquid, the flow elements being formed exclusively by the second portion.

Assignees

• Bodum Jorgen
• Pi Design Ag

Inventors

• Bodum Jorgen

Classifications

• A47J31/0631 Primary

  with means for better or quicker spreading the infusion liquid over the filter (spreader plates for drip coffee makers A47J31/4478) · CPC title

• A47J31/46 Primary

  Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices · CPC title