WO2017093015A1 - Device and method for producing a brewed beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing a brewed beverage, in particular coffee, comprising a filter vessel (2) and a water supply line (4) which is arranged above the filter vessel (2) and which has at least one central opening (5) and at least one lateral opening (6) that is offset to a central region of the filter vessel (2). At least one switchable valve (11) is provided by means of which the water supply line (4) can be controlled via the at least one central opening (5) or the at least one lateral opening (6), and the water supply line (4) can be controlled via the at least one switchable valve (11) depending on the filling quantity of the filter vessel (2) and the set strength of the brewed beverage. The invention further relates to a method for producing a brewed beverage.

Description

 Apparatus and method for making a brewed beverage

The present invention relates to a device for producing a brewing beverage, in particular coffee, comprising a filter vessel and a water supply line arranged above the filter vessel, which has at least one central opening and at least one lateral opening arranged offset to a central region of the filter vessel. Res valve is provided, by means of which the water supply via the at least one central opening or the at least one lateral opening is controllable, and a method for producing a brewing beverage.

No. 4,920,869 discloses a coffee machine which has a water feed line above a filter vessel. The water supply line comprises a central opening, which can be closed by a valve, and a plurality of annularly arranged lateral openings. As a result, coffee flour, which is located in a filter within the filter vessel, are completely flowed through. At the beginning of a brewing process, the central opening is closed, and a bimetallic element is opened only after a certain period of time, the central opening for the water flow. This rigid control does not allow individual adjustment of the brewing strength, and it is not possible to control the water supply depending on the brewing amount. In DE 201 14 328 U1 a device for producing a Brühgetränkes is disclosed in which above a filter vessel, a water distributor is provided which has a flow opening in the center above the filter vessel, wherein further flow openings are arranged on a circumferential line, which is approximately the peripheral contour of a Projection surface of the filter vessel interior corresponds. By means of closure or supply devices, it is possible for the central throughflow opening or the outer throughflow openings or both to be flowed through with brewing water. As a result, a brewing strength of the brewing beverage can be adjusted, since the contact time of the brewing water with ground coffee in the outer region is lower than in the central region, which is durchsträmt with water through the central passage opening. In this device, however, is problematic that in a brewing a small number of cups, for example, one or two cups, only little ground coffee is used. The area available for hot water wetting is low, and more water needs to pass through the central opening be initiated, as in a brew for a large number of cups, for example, at 1 0 cups. Due to the conical shape of the filter vessel, the filling amount inevitably has an influence on the strength of the brewed coffee. Furthermore, the control of the flow through the central or external opening is done manually and is not automatically adjusted to all determining parameters.

DE 20 2014 1 04 028 U1 discloses a beverage machine with a brewing chamber and an inlet for dispensing liquid into the brewing chamber. The inlet has a liquid distributor for the selective fluid connection of the

Liquid inlet with a first outlet opening or second outlet openings, which is switchable via an actuator. This allows the user to change the strength or taste of the brewed beverage by switching the liquid distributor. A flexible control of the water supply in terms of the amount of water is not provided.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for producing a brewing beverage, which can set a strength of the brewing beverage regardless of the filling amount of the filter vessel. The wetting of the coffee powder should automatically after

Brewing to brew variable parameters such as brewing quantity and brew strength.

To achieve this object, a device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 1 0 is provided.

In the device according to the invention, a water supply line has at least one central opening and at least one offset to a central region of the filter vessel side opening, wherein at least one switchable valve is provided, by means of which the water supply via the at least one central opening or the at least one lateral opening is controllable, and depending on the filling amount of the filter vessel and the set strength of the brewing beverage, the water supply via the at least one switchable valve is controllable. As a result, the filling amount of the filter vessel, in particular with ground coffee, can be taken into account in order to control the water supply in order to be able to optimally control the contact time of the brewing water with the extraction material, in particular the ground coffee. If only a small number of cups are brewed, the Water supply even with the provision of a mild coffee rather over the at least one central opening, while with a strong coffee and a large brewing amount, for example for 10 cups, also a supply of water via the side openings, even if a strong coffee is to be produced , This individual adaptation improves the brewing result, since the filling amount of the filter vessel during the brewing process and the water supply is taken into account.

Preferably, a control is provided, at which the filling amount of the filter tergefäßes, the volume of the brewing beverage and the coffee strength is adjustable. The filling quantity of the filter vessel can be done manually via a selector switch or automatically via a balance or another sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the user can adjust the volume of the brewing beverage so that the controller receives information as to what filling amount is present in the filter vessel. The controller also preferably adjusts the strength of the brewing beverage, optionally with one, two or more brewing strengths, such as normal, mild, strong. Even a finer gradation is possible. Preferably, a device for automatically filling the filter vessel is provided with the right amount of coffee powder according to pre-set amount of beverage and coffee strength. Alternatively, the filter can be automatically filled with the appropriate amount of coffee powder even after manual adjustment of the brewing quantity and brewing strength. This can be done by a mill or an alternative metering device. Then the user can also adjust the amount of beverage and then take the control of the openings for the water supply.

Depending on the settings, the water supply to the filter vessel can be controlled automatically via the program via the program. It is possible that at the beginning of the brewing process, water is first introduced only via the central opening and only later the at least one lateral opening is used for brewing. During the brewing process, the water supply can thus be varied.

Furthermore, it is possible that the amount of water supplied is controllable via the controller. Then the user can fill the water tank as desired, and then only use the amount of water for the brewing process that is required for the production. ment of the optimal brewing beverage is needed. The remaining amount of water can remain in the tank.

The switchable valve is preferably connected via a first line to the at least one central opening and via a second line to the at least one lateral opening. This can be done via the separate inlet a corresponding control of the water supply.

The term "central opening" is intended to denote the opening or openings which are arranged above a central region of the filter vessel, which is located above a tip of the downwardly usually tapered filter vessel. In the central region, the coffee grounds have the greatest height seen in the vertical direction, wherein the central region may have, for example, a width or a diameter of 0.5 to 2 cm. The at least one lateral opening is no longer located above the central area, but over a region of the side walls of the filter vessel at which the vertical height of the ground coffee is lower than in the central area. This lateral opening or the lateral openings can be arranged on a circular path or an oval, as shown in DE 201 14 328. It is also possible to provide a plurality of lateral openings having a different radial distance to a central opening. Also such lateral openings can be controlled individually to control the water supply. In a further embodiment of the invention, a sensor may be provided by means of which the filling in the filter vessel can be detected. By means of the sensor and the set brewing strength, the water can thus be drawn automatically in order to obtain the optimum brewing result. Conversely, the filled amount of water can be detected by a sensor to give the user feedback when the optimum amount of ground coffee was poured into the filter vessel. Corresponding signals can be optical or acoustic.

Preferably, illuminants for visualizing the water supply are provided on the water line in the region of the at least one central opening and the at least one lateral opening. Such bulbs can be formed for example by small LEDs that signal the user where water is currently being introduced into the filter vessel. In the method according to the invention, first of all the filling amount in the filter vessel is detected or provided and the set strength of the brewing beverage is detected, whereby optionally sensors or manual switches can be provided for detection. Subsequently, a water supply line is controlled with at least one central opening and at least one lateral opening via at least one switchable valve, wherein the control of the water supply takes place depending on the filling of the filter vessel and the set strength of the brewing beverage. Thereby, an optimum brewing result can be obtained, regardless of the amount of ground coffee, which is filled in the filter vessel. The water supply can be controlled automatically via a program, the program depending on the

Filling the filter vessel and the set strength of the brewed beverage takes place. The supply of the filling amount of the powder can be done automatically by a mill by the right amount of powder is ground, so that no additional detection of the amount must be done via a balance.

Alternatively, the user can also set the desired amount of beverage and the running wetting program is based on this setting, not on a detection of the level of coffee powder. The invention will be explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention for

 Preparation of a brewing beverage.

A device 1 for producing a brewed beverage comprises a filter vessel 2, in which a filter paper insert with ground coffee 3 is arranged. It is also possible, instead of the filter paper insert to use other filters for the production of the brewing beverage. The filter vessel 2 is tapered downwards and has an upwardly open, essentially circular receptacle in the upper area. The tip 7 to be seen in the schematic drawing can be formed as an oblong edge on which a discharge opening for the brewing beverage is provided in a middle region. Above the filter vessel 2, a water supply line 4 is provided, which has at least one central opening 5, wherein in the drawing two openings 5 are shown. Both openings 5 are located substantially above the tip 7 of the filter vessel, ie in a central central area. Adjacent to the at least one central opening 5 are lateral openings 6, which may be arranged on an annular or oval path and are positioned above side walls 8 of the filter vessel 2. When the filter vessel 2 is filled with ground coffee which forms an upper horizontal surface, the vertical height of the ground coffee below the side openings 6 is less than the vertical height of the ground coffee in the area of the central opening 5. Thus, the contact time of the hot water be changed with the ground coffee, depending on whether the hot water flows through a central opening 5 or a side opening 6. In order to control the water supply to the at least one central opening and the side openings 6, a switchable valve 1 1 is provided, wherein the valve 1 1 via a first line 9 with the central openings 5 and a second line 1 0 with the lateral Openings 6 is connected. Depending on the position of the valve, only the first line 9, only the second line 1 0, or both lines 9 and 1 0 supplied with hot water. The switchable valve 1 1 is supplied by a line 12 which is connected to a heater 13. The heater 1 3 is in turn connected via a line 14 to a pump 15 which is fed via a line 1 6 of a water tank 1 7. If the water tank 1 7 is in sufficient height, can be dispensed with the pump 1 5, so that water can get directly to the heater, as shown by the line shown in dashed lines 1 8.

The switchable valve 1 1 is connected via a control line 1 9 with a controller 20 which is coupled to at least one switch 21 for adjusting the amount of brewing and / or the coffee strength. Preferably, both the amount of brewing and the brewing strength can be adjusted via two different switches, which are connected to the controller 20. For a brewing process, the user sets which amount of brewing beverage he would like to produce, and then to fill the filter paper insert or the filter in the filter vessel 2 respectively with ground coffee or other extraction material. Depending on the set brewing quantity and the set brewing strength, the controller 20 can now control the switchable valve 11 so that the water is supplied via the at least one central opening 5 and / or the at least one lateral opening 6, the use of the lateral openings 6 causes the brewed beverage tends to be weaker, while the priority use of the central opening 5 produces a larger brewing strength. However, this is also dependent on the amount of brew, as a Filling degree of the conical filter paper insert with a small brewing amount, such as one or two cups, designed differently than a larger brewing amount of 9 or 1 0 cups. As a result, the controller 20 can take into account not only the brewing strength but also the filling quantity in the filter vessel 2 during the brewing process. The controller 20 may have one or more automatically running programs so that the user no longer intervenes in the brewing process. The supply of hot water through the openings 5 and 6 can be visualized by lighting means, such as small LEDs, are provided in the region of the water supply line 4, which shine as soon as hot water flows through the respective openings.

In addition, it is possible that the reference amount of hot water is automatically controlled by the controller 20. A fully filled water tank 1 7 can thus be emptied only as far as it is necessary for optimal brewing.

Alternatively or additionally, a sensor may also be provided in order to detect the charged amount of extraction material in the filter vessel 2. As a result, the controller 20 can receive the information as to which amount of brewing is to be generated even without a selector switch.

For the design of the control programs, a different mode can be driven. In a brewing for many cups, for example, a pre-brewing can take place in that initially only the at least one central opening 5 is supplied with hot water. In a medium brewing phase, wetting of the entire filter vessel can then take place by introducing water via the lateral openings 6 and the central opening, while in a final phase only wetting through the lateral openings 6 takes place. Other control programs are of course possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 device

 2 filter vessel

 3 ground coffee

 4 water supply

 5 opening

 6 opening

 7 tip

 8 side wall

 9 line

 10 line

 1 1 valve

 12 line

 13 heating device

 14 line

 15 pump

 1 6 line

 17 water tank

 18 line

 19 control line

 20 control

 21 switches

Claims

claims 1 . Device (1) for producing a brewed beverage, in particular coffee, with a filter vessel (2) and a water supply line (4) arranged above the filter vessel (2), the at least one central opening (5) and at least one offset to a central region of the filter vessel (2) arranged lateral opening (6), wherein at least one switchable valve (1 1) is provided, by means of which the water supply (4) via the at least one central opening (5) and / or the at least one lateral opening (6) is controllable, characterized in that, depending on the filling of the filter vessel (2) and the set strength of the brewing beverage, the water supply (4) via the at least one switchable valve (1 1) is controllable. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a controller (20) is provided, at which the filling of the filter vessel (2) or the volume of Brühgetränk is adjustable. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a controller (20) is provided, on which the strength of the brewing beverage is adjustable. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device for automatically filling the filter vessel with the right amount of coffee powder is provided according to preset amount of beverage and / or coffee strength. 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the Control (20) depending on the settings, the water supply (4) in the filter vessel (2) via a program automatically controls. 6. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that via the controller (20), the supplied amount of water is controllable. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switchable valve (1 1) via a first line (9) with the at least one central opening (5) and via a second line (10) with the at least one lateral opening (6) is connected. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sensor is provided, by means of which the filling in the filter vessel (2) can be detected. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at the water supply line (4) in the region of the at least one central opening (5) and the at least one lateral opening (6) illuminants are provided for visualization of the water supply. 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of lateral openings (6) are arranged at different radial distances from the central region, which are controlled differently. 1 1. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the lateral openings (6) are arranged at different radial distances spirally around the central region to simulate the wetting in the hand filtration. 12. A process for the preparation of a brewed beverage, in particular coffee, comprising the following steps:  - detecting or providing a filling in a filter vessel (2);  - Detecting a set strength of the brewed drink, and  - Controlling a water supply line (4) with at least one central opening (5) and at least one offset to a central region of the filter vessel (2) arranged lateral opening (6) via at least one switchable valve (1 1), wherein controlling the water supply ( 4) depending on the filling of the filter vessel (2) and the set strength of the brewing beverage takes place. 13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that during the brewing process, the water supply to the water supply line (4) is automatically changed by a program.