WO2019142131A1

WO2019142131A1 - Cold coffee dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2019142131A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/050395
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Celli
Original assignee: CEM INDUSTRIES Srl
Current assignee: CEM INDUSTRIES Srl
Priority date: 2018-01-17
Filing date: 2019-01-17
Publication date: 2019-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-17
Also published as: IT201800001172A1

Abstract

A cold coffee dispensing machine (1), comprising: at least one bearing frame (2) which can be positioned resting on a stable work surface; at least a first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48) supported by the bearing frame (2) and adapted to supply at least one coffee-based beverage (4); refrigerating means (11) supported by the bearing frame (2) and arranged along the first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48); at least a second feeding line (16, 18), supported by the bearing frame (2) and adapted to supply at least one flow of air (17) under pressure; at least one mixer (19) of fluids supported by the bearing frame (2), connected in a fluid- operated manner at inlet to the first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48), downstream of the refrigerating means (11), and connected in a fluid- operated manner at outlet to at least one dispensing line (27) of the beverage (4).

Description

COLD COFFEE DISPENSING MACHINE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cold coffee dispensing machine.

Background Art

Several coffee dispensing machines are well known that stand out both in shape and size and are widely used both in the home and in the catering sector for the automatic or semi-automatic production of coffee-based beverages.

The machines of this type generally use pre-packaged capsules or pods which, through infusion or mixing in hot water, allow the production of a coffee-based beverage.

Advantageously, the known machines allow the preparation of the coffee-based beverage in an automatic and quick manner.

In fact, to prepare the coffee-based beverage, it is enough to place the capsule or pod in a special container formed in the machine.

In this way, the preparation time of the beverage is substantially limited to the time needed for the replacement of the pod or capsule.

In addition, known machines can produce a wide variety of coffee-based beverages depending on the type of capsules or pods used.

In fact, the characteristics of the coffee-based beverage, such as e.g. taste and/or intensity, depend on the variety of coffee and on the aromas contained in the capsule or pod used.

In addition, other characteristics of the beverage, such as the“body”, can be varied through the way the beverage itself is delivered in order to obtain a more or less dense beverage.

Known machines do however have a certain number of drawbacks.

Specifically, known machines are not able to produce cold coffee-based beverages, for example the type of beverages called“cold brew coffee”.

In fact, known machines generally use hot water to produce the desired beverage in order to facilitate infusion and/or mixing with the coffee contained in the capsules or in the pods.

The beverage produced in this way must be cooled down afterwards to obtain a cold coffee-based beverage, thus requiring additional waiting times at the end of the beverage dispensing and also a substantial loss in taste.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to devise a coffee dispensing machine that allows dispensing a cold coffee-based beverage and immediately ready for consumption.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a coffee dispensing machine that allows varying the density of the coffee-based beverage dispensed in order to vary the“body” thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to devise a coffee dispensing machine that allows overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low-cost solution.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the description of two preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a cold coffee dispensing machine, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example, in the attached tables of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of one element of the machine of Figure 1 according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the element of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one element of the machine of Figure 4 according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these illustrations, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a cold coffee dispensing machine.

The machine 1 comprises:

at least one bearing frame 2 which can be positioned resting on a stable work surface;

at least a first feeding line 3, 14, 47, 48 supported by the bearing frame 2 and adapted to supply at least one coffee-based beverage 4;

refrigerating means 11 supported by the bearing frame 2 and arranged along the first feeding line 3, 14, 47, 48 to refrigerate the beverage 4;

at least a second air feeding line 16, 18 supported by the bearing frame 2 and adapted to supply at least one flow of air 17 under pressure;

at least one mixer 19 for fluids which is supported by the bearing frame 2, connected in a fluid-operated manner at inlet to the first feeding line 3, 14,

47, 48, downstream of the refrigerating means 11, and connected in a fluid- operated manner at outlet to at least one dispensing line 27 of the beverage

4.

Advantageously, the machine 1 comprises at least a first pumping assembly 15 arranged along the first feeding line 3, 14, 47, 48 and adapted to pump the beverage 4 into the mixer 19.

Appropriately, the refrigerating means 11 comprise at least one refrigerating chamber 13 to contain the beverage 4 and at least one refrigerating coil 12 wrapped around the refrigerating chamber and adapted to cool the content thereof before it is pumped into the mixer 19.

Advantageously, the second feeding line 16, 18 comprises pumping means 16 of the flow of air 17 under pressure and at least one air conduit 18, where the air conduit 18 is connected to the entry 22 in a fluid- operated manner.

In addition, the dispensing line 27 comprises at least one nozzle 28 adapted to dispense the beverage 4.

The mixer 19 comprises at least one body 20 provided with at least one inlet 21 connected to the first feeding line 3, 14, 47, 48, with at least one entry 22 connected to the conduit 18 and with at least one outlet 23 connected to the dispensing line 27.

The mixer 19 comprises at least one mixing element 26 mounted inside the body 20 and interposed between the inlet 21, the entry 22 and the outlet 23 for mixing the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17 so as to obtain a foam 34. Preferably, the body 20 comprises at least a first mixing chamber 24 and at least a second mixing chamber 25 communicating with each other, having a substantially circular cross-section and arranged in succession to each other.

The first mixing chamber 24 is connected to the inlet 21 and to the entry 22 and the second mixing chamber 25 is connected to the outlet 23.

Appropriately, the mixer 19 comprises two mixing elements 26 each hinged idle in the middle of a corresponding mixing chamber 24, 25.

Preferably, the mixing elements 26 are blade rotors of the known type, with a substantially circular shape and a diameter substantially comparable to the diameter of the mixing chambers 24, 25.

This way, to reach the outlet 23, the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17 are obliged to pass through at least one of the mixing elements 26 arranged inside the mixing chambers 24, 25.

Appropriately, the machine 1 comprises first valve means 31 arranged at the inlet 21, second valve means 32 arranged at the entry 22 and third valve means 33 arranged at the outlet 23 and operable to allow the passage of foam 34 towards the dispensing line 27.

Preferably, the valve means 31, 32, 33 comprise one-way valves of known type, i.e. which are adapted to allow the passage of the fluid along a single direction of flow, and to prevent it along the opposite direction.

More particularly, these one-way valves are of the normally closed type, i.e. they are adapted to open the relevant passage only when a predefined pressure difference is reached at the ends thereof.

In particular, the first valve means 31 and the second valve means 32 are adapted to allow the passage of the relevant fluid only towards the inside of the mixer 19, while the third valve means 33 are adapted to allow the passage of the relevant fluid only towards the outside of the mixer 19.

Appropriately, the machine 1 comprises at least one supporting top 29 mounted on the bearing frame 2, arranged below the nozzle 28 and adapted to hold at least one external receptacle 37, in this case a glass, as shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 4. A first embodiment of the machine 1 is shown in Figure 1.

Advantageously, in this embodiment, the machine 1 comprises at least one tank 5 supported by the bearing frame 2, connected in a fluid- operated manner to the first feeding line 3, 14 and adapted to contain at least one liquid 6 and at least one coffee-based preparation 7 arranged in infusion into the liquid 6 to obtain the coffee-based beverage 4.

Preferably, by the term preparation 7 is meant a coffee-based preparation, for example in beans or powder form, enclosed in a pod to be infused in the liquid 6 and to be removed at the end of the preparation of the beverage 4.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the preparation 7 is of the soluble type and is adapted to dissolve in the liquid 6 for the preparation of the beverage 4.

Appropriately, in this embodiment, the first feeding line 3, 14 comprises at least a first segment 3 which connects the tank 5 to the refrigerating chamber 13 and at least a second segment 14 which connects the refrigerating chamber 13 to the mixer 19 and along which the first pumping assembly 15 is positioned.

Preferably, the tank 5 is provided with at least a first containment chamber 8 which is adapted to contain the liquid 6, in this specific case water, inside which there is at least one housing 9 communicating with the first containment chamber 8 and adapted to contain the preparation 7, for example contained in a pod or a capsule, and at least a second containment chamber 10 communicating with the housing 9.

Appropriately, the second containment chamber 10 is made below the housing

9.

This way, the passage of the liquid 6 from the first containment chamber 8 to the second containment chamber 10 occurs by gravity, passing through the housing 9 in order to form the beverage 4 inside the second containment chamber 10.

Conveniently, the second containment chamber 10 is located on top of the refrigerating chamber 13 to which it is connected in a fluid- operated manner by means of the first segment 3. A second embodiment of the machine 1 is shown in Figure 4.

Preferably, in this embodiment, the machine 1 comprises at least one compartment 35 connected in a fluid- operated manner to the first feeding line 47, 48 and adapted to contain at least one prepared dose of the concentrated coffee-based beverage 4.

Preferably, by the term prepared dose is meant a deformable container 45, such as e.g. a bag, inside which the beverage 4 is stored.

Appropriately, the deformable container 45 comprises at least one valve element 46 for the access to its contents.

In particular, in this embodiment, the first feeding line 47, 48 comprises at least one spiral stretch 47 that wraps around the refrigerating chamber 13 and at least one suction stretch 48 that can be connected to the valve element 46 of the deformable container 45 so as to suck the beverage 4.

Advantageously, the wrappings of the spiral stretch 47 rotate around the refrigerating chamber by alternating with the wrappings of the refrigerating coil 12.

With particular reference to Figure 4, the compartment 35 is mounted on the bearing frame 2.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out in which the compartment 35 is outside the bearing frame 2, e.g. in which the compartment 35 is a rigid box-shaped container inside which the container can be placed, e.g. of the type of a bag in box, which can be connected to the suction stretch 48. Furthermore, the machine 1 comprises at least one delivery line 36, 41 which is adapted to dispense at least one flow of water 38 and connected at outlet to the mixer 19.

In particular, the refrigerating means 11 are arranged along the delivery line 36, 41 upstream of the mixer 19.

In fact, the body 20 of the mixer 19 comprises at least one access 43 to the second mixing chamber 25 and is associated at inlet with the refrigerating means 11 by means of the delivery line 36, 41.

In addition, the machine 1 comprises at least fourth valve means 44 arranged at the access 43 and operable to open/close the access itself in such a way as to allow/prevent the passage of the flow of water 38.

Similarly to what described for the valve means 31, 32, 33, also the fourth valve means 44 are of the one-way valve type so as to allow the flow of water 38 to flow only from the outside to the inside of the mixer 19.

Advantageously, the machine 1 comprises an external tray 30 supported by the bearing frame 2, which is connected to the delivery line 36, 41 in a fluid- operated manner, the external tray being adapted to supply the water 38 necessary for the production of the beverage 4.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out in which the delivery line 36, 41 is associated with different sources of water, such as e.g. the home water system.

Conveniently, the machine 1 comprises at least a second pumping assembly 42 arranged along the delivery line 36, 41 and adapted to pump the flow of water 38 inside the mixer 19.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 3, the delivery line 36, 41 comprises a first stretch 36 that connects the tray 30 to the refrigerating chamber 13 and a second stretch 41 that connects the refrigerating chamber 13 to the mixer 19 and along which the second pumping assembly 42 is arranged.

In this way, the water 38 is cooled down inside the refrigerating chamber 13 and the concentrated beverage 4 is cooled down inside the spiral stretch 47.

Alternative embodiments of the machine 1 cannot however be ruled out, for example in which the machine 1 also comprises the tank 5 connected to the first feeding line 47, 48 in a fluid- operated manner together with the deformable container 45.

In this way, the user of the machine 1 can choose whether preparing the beverage 4 through the use of the prepared dose of the beverage 4 to be mixed with water 38 or through the use of the liquid 6 filtered through the preparation

7.

The operation of the machine 1 in the execution of the procedure according to the invention is as follows. In particular, the procedure for the dispensing of iced coffee comprises the steps of:

supplying at least one coffee-based beverage 4;

supplying at least one flow of air 17 under pressure;

refrigerating the beverage 4;

mixing the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17 so as to form foam 34;

dispensing the foam 34.

Preferably, the procedure comprises at least one pre-dispensing step of the beverage 4 performed before the mixing step.

In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the beverage 4 is supplied by inserting the preparation 7 inside the housing 9.

Subsequently, the liquid 6 is placed inside the first containment chamber 8.

In this way, the liquid 6 passes through the housing 9 where it extracts the active ingredients, such as e.g. caffeine, from the preparation 7 in order to obtain the beverage 4 that pours into the second containment chamber 10.

Advantageously, the beverage 4 passes immediately inside the first feeding line 3, 14 and reaches the refrigerating means 11 where refrigeration is performed. Usefully, when the machine 1 is activated, the first pumping assembly 15 extracts the beverage 4 from the refrigerating chamber 13 and pushes it through the inlet 21 into the first mixing chamber 24 of the mixer 19.

Subsequently, the machine 1 performs the pre-dispensing step, i.e. it makes the beverage 4 flow through the first and the second mixing chamber 24, 25 until it is pushed through the outlet 23.

In this way, the beverage 4 passes through the nozzle 28 and is poured into the external receptacle 37.

In particular, the pre-dispensing operation is carried out by activating the first pumping assembly 15 which pushes the beverage 4 through the mixer 19 by opening the first valve means 31, then making it come outwards through the opening of the third valve means 33.

At the end of the pre-dispensing operation of the beverage 4, the machine 1 mixes the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17 inside the mixer 19 in order to form the foam 34.

In particular, the flow of air 17 is mixed with a residue of the beverage 4 left inside the mixer 19 after the pre-dispensing step.

In this way, the pressure exerted by the flow of air 17 entering the mixer 19 sets in rotation the mixing elements 26 which stir the residual beverage 4 together with the flow of air itself and form the foam 34.

Appropriately, to perform mixing, the pumping means 16 are activated so as to push the flow of air 17 into the mixer 19 by opening the second valve means 32. Advantageously, after mixing the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17, the machine 1 dispenses the foam 34 through the nozzle 28 in order to deposit a layer of foam on the beverage 4 previously dispensed through the pre-dispensing step. Appropriately, the pressure exerted by the pumping means 16 causes the second and the third valve means 32, 33 to open in sequence, which, as mentioned above, open when they reach a predefined pressure value, corresponding to the calibration value, at their ends.

The procedure according to the invention, in the second embodiment, performed by means of the machine 1 shown in Figure 3, is similar to the procedure carried out for the embodiment described above, except for the fact that the beverage 4 is of the concentrated type and the procedure comprises at least the steps of: supplying at least one flow of water 38;

cooling the flow of water 38;

pre-mixing the beverage 4 with the flow of water 38 performed after the refrigerating step.

In addition, the step of supplying at least one flow of water 38 and the step of pre-mixing the concentrated beverage 4 are performed before the pre-dispensing step.

Appropriately, the prepared dose of the beverage 4 is placed inside the compartment 35 and is connected to the first feeding line 47, 48 so as to carry out the supply of the beverage 4.

The water 38, on the other hand, is poured into the tray 30 in order to carry out the supply of the flow of water 38. Usefully, when the machine 1 is activated, the first pumping assembly 15 and the second pumping assembly 42 extract the concentrated beverage 4 from the deformable container 45 and the water 38 from the refrigerating chamber 13 respectively and pump them into the mixer 19.

Furthermore, the concentrated beverage 4 passes through the spiral stretch 47 where it is cooled down by the refrigerating coil 12.

In particular, the concentrated beverage 4 is pushed through the inlet 21 into the first mixing chamber 24 and the flow of water 38 is pushed through the access 43 into the second mixing chamber 25.

In this way, the concentrated beverage 4 and the flow of water 38 set the mixing elements 26 in rotation and mix to each other inside the mixer 19 in order to perform the mixing step.

In a second step, similarly to what has been described for the first embodiment, the beverage 4 comes out of the outlet 23 of the mixer 19 and passes through the nozzle 28 so as to pour into the external receptacle 37.

In particular, the pre-dispensing operation is performed by activating the first pumping assembly 15 and the second pumping assembly 42 so as to respectively push the beverage 4 and the flow of water 38 inside the mixer 19 by opening the corresponding first valve means 31 and fourth valve means 44.

At the end of the pre-dispensing operation of the beverage 4, similarly to what has been described for the first embodiment, the machine 1 performs the mixing of the beverage 4 and the flow of air 17 in order to form the foam 34 that is subsequently dispensed.

In particular, the dispensing of the foam 34 is carried out by activating the pumping means 16 in order to push the flow of air 17 inside the mixer 19 by opening the second valve means 32.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In particular, the fact is underlined that the use of the refrigerating means allows the machine dispensing a cold coffee-based beverage which is immediately ready for consumption. In addition, the refrigerating means keep the coffee-based beverage at low temperatures and allow it being stored for longer periods of time than at medium and high temperatures, for example over twenty degrees Celsius.

In addition, the use of the mixer to mix the beverage with the flow of air allows to vary the density of the beverage itself and to cover it with a layer of foam at the end of the dispensing thereof.

Claims

1) Cold coffee dispensing machine (1), characterized by the fact that it comprises: at least one bearing frame (2) which can be positioned resting on a stable work surface;

at least a first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48) supported by said bearing frame (2) and adapted to supply at least one coffee-based beverage (4);

refrigerating means (11) supported by said bearing frame (2) and arranged along said first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48);

at least a second feeding line (16, 18), supported by said bearing frame (2) and adapted to supply at least one flow of air (17) under pressure;

at least one mixer (19) of fluids supported by said bearing frame (2), connected in a fluid-operated manner at inlet to said first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48), downstream of said refrigerating means (11), and connected in a fluid- operated manner at outlet to at least one dispensing line (27) of said beverage (4).

2) Machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said mixer (19) comprises at least one body (20) provided with at least one inlet (21) connected to said first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48), at least one entry (22) connected to said second feeding line (16, 18) and at least one outlet (23) connected to said dispensing line (27) and by the fact that it comprises at least one mixing element (26) mounted inside said body (20) and interposed between said inlet (21), said entry (22) and said outlet (23) for mixing said beverage (4) and said flow of air (17).

3) Machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said second feeding line (16, 18) comprises pumping means (16) of said flow of air (17) and at least one conduit (18) interposed between said pumping means (16) and said entry (22).

4) Machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a first pumping assembly (15) of said beverage (4) arranged along said first feeding line (3, 14, 47, 48).

5) Machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises first valve means (31) arranged at said inlet (21) and which can be activated to allow/prevent the passage of the beverage (4), second valve means (32) arranged at said entry (22) and which can be activated to allow/prevent the passage of air and third valve means (33) arranged at said outlet (23) and which can be activated to allow/prevent the passage of the beverage (4) possibly mixed with air.

6) Machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one tank (5) supported by said bearing frame (2), connected in a fluid-operated manner to said first feeding line (3, 14) and adapted to contain at least one liquid (6) and at least one coffee-based preparation (7) arranged in infusion into said liquid (6) to obtain said coffee-based beverage (4).

7) Machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises:

at least one compartment (35) connected in a fluid- operated manner to said first feeding line (47, 48) and adapted to contain at least one prepared dose of said concentrated coffee-based beverage (4);

at least one delivery line (36, 41) adapted to dispense at least one flow of water (38) and along which said refrigerating means (11) are arranged, said mixer (19) being connected at inlet to said delivery line (36, 41).

8) Machine (1) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a second pumping assembly (42) of said flow of water (38) arranged along said delivery line (36, 41).

9) Machine (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact that said body (20) comprises at least one access (43) associated with said delivery line (36, 41) downstream of said refrigerating means (11) and characterized by the fact that it comprises at least fourth valve means (44) arranged at said access (43) and which can be activated to allow/prevent the passage of said flow of water (38) through said access (43).

10) Cold coffee dispensing procedure characterized by the fact that it comprises at least the steps of: supplying at least one coffee-based beverage (4);

supplying at least one flow of air (17) under pressure;

refrigerating said beverage (4);

pre-dispensing said beverage (4);

mixing said beverage (4) and said flow of air (17) so as to form foam (34); dispensing said foam (34).

11) Procedure according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that said beverage (4) is of the concentrated type and by the fact that it comprises at least the steps of:

supplying at least one flow of water (38);

cooling said flow of water (38);

pre-mixing said beverage (4) with said flow of water (38) performed after said refrigeration step.

12) Procedure according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that said step of supplying at least one flow of water (38), said step of cooling said flow of water (38) and said step of pre- mixing said beverage (4) are performed before said pre dispensing step.

13) Procedure according to one or more of claims from 11 to 12, characterized by the fact that it is performed by a machine (1) according to claims 1 to 9.

14) Procedure according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that:

said pre-dispensing step is performed by activating said first pumping assembly (15), said pumping means (16) being deactivated;

said dispensing step is performed by activating said pumping means (16), said first pumping assembly (15) being deactivated.

15) Procedure according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that:

said pre-dispensing step is performed by activating said first pumping assembly (15) and said second pumping assembly (42), said pumping means (16) being deactivated;

said dispensing step is performed by activating said pumping means (16), said first pumping assembly (15) and said second pumping assembly (42) being deactivated.