System, package, apparatus and method for dosing coffee beans

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706877-B2
Application number	US-201414223778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2008
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A system for dosing coffee beans, comprising a coffee bean package provided with walls enclosing an inner space for coffee beans, a coffee bean outlet for delivering coffee beans, and a coupling part for coupling and uncoupling the coffee bean package with an apparatus that is provided with a coffee bean grinder, and an at least partly movably arranged coffee bean receiving device for supplying coffee beans from the coffee bean package to the grinder, which coffee bean receiving device is provided with a dosing space for being capable of containing a predetermined dose of coffee beans, wherein the coffee bean package prior to use in itself is closed off such that exposure of the coffee beans to ambient air is prevented, and the coffee bean receiving device is arranged to be guided through the coffee bean outlet into the inner space of the coffee bean package for letting coffee beans from the coffee bean package into the dosing space, and to guide the dosing space through the coffee bean outlet out of the inner space of the coffee bean package for supplying the dose of coffee beans from the dosing space to the grinder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coffee bean package comprising:
at least one circumferential wall, a top wall, a bottom, and an outlet, near the bottom, with the walls and bottom enclosing an inner space,
a coupling part for coupling, and uncoupling, the coffee bean package with an apparatus provided with a grinder, and
reclosable closing means preventing coffee beans in the coffee bean package being exposed to ambient air,
wherein the bottom is provided with at least one tapering wall part so that in a condition coupled with an upstanding apparatus, coffee beans flow automatically towards the coffee bean outlet under the influence of gravity, and the closing means are provided with a second coupling part for coupling and uncoupling with the apparatus;
wherein the coffee bean package comprises a partly movably arranged coffee bean receiving device for supplying coffee beans out of the coffee bean package, the coffee bean receiving device being provided with a dosing space for holding a predetermined dose of coffee beans.

2. The coffee bean package according to claim 1 , wherein the closing means are provided with a sloping top so that coffee beans on the top side slide down along the closing means.

3. The coffee bean package according to claim 1 , wherein the inner space of the coffee bean package is partly filled with coffee beans so that in connected condition of the coffee bean package an upper part of the inner space is free of coffee beans.

4. An apparatus comprising:
a coffee bean grinder,
a partly movably arranged coffee bean receiving device for supplying coffee beans from a coffee bean package to the grinder, which coffee bean receiving device is provided with a dosing space for holding a predetermined dose of coffee beans, and
a coupling part for coupling and uncoupling with a corresponding guide part of the coffee bean package so that the coffee bean receiving device can be coupled with a coffee bean outlet of the coffee bean package and uncoupled,
wherein the coffee bean receiving device is arranged to be guided in coupled condition through the coffee bean outlet of the coffee bean package into the inner space of the coffee bean package for letting coffee beans from the coffee bean package into the dosing space, and to be guided back out of the inner space for supplying the dose of coffee beans from the dosing space to the grinder and wherein the coffee bean receiving device is provided with a coupling part for coupling and uncoupling closing means of the package.

5. A method for dosing coffee beans, the method comprising:
coupling a coffee bean package having a coffee bean outlet and coffee beans with an apparatus provided with a coffee bean grinder, the coffee bean package having reclosable closing means;
guiding a coffee bean receiving device defining a dosing space at least partly through the coffee bean outlet into the inner space of the coffee bean package so that a dose of coffee beans flows into the dosing space defined by the coffee bean receiving device, wherein the coffee bean receiving device is provided with a coupling part for coupling and uncoupling the reclosable closing means of the package, and wherein the coffee bean receiving device filled with the dose of coffee beans moves back through the coffee bean outlet out of the inner space of the coffee bean package, and feeds the respective dose of coffee beans outside the coffee bean package to the grinder,
after at least one dose of coffee beans has been supplied to the grinder, closing the outlet of the coffee bean package and uncoupling the coffee bean package;
wherein coupling the coffee bean package to the apparatus includes coupling the closing means to the dosing device by way of the coupling part.

Assignees

• Douwe Egberts Bv

Inventors

• Tanja Age Willem
• Os Ivo Van
• Van Camp Philippe Jacques
• De Graaff Gerbrand Kristiaan

Classifications

• A47J42/50 Primary

  Supplying devices, e.g. funnels; Supply containers · CPC title

• A23F5/08

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

• A47J31/42 Primary

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

• B65D88/54

  characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying · CPC title

• B65D2303/00

  Orienting or positioning means for containers · CPC title