초록 ▼

An apparatus for making coffee includes a housing which bounds a catch chamber provided with a discharge through which any liquid present in the catch chamber is discharged into a receptacle, so that a rotary body which is mounted in the catch chamber for rotation about an axis rotates in air. The r

An apparatus for making coffee includes a housing which bounds a catch chamber provided with a discharge through which any liquid present in the catch chamber is discharged into a receptacle, so that a rotary body which is mounted in the catch chamber for rotation about an axis rotates in air. The rotary body includes an internal space which is subdivided by a partition into two compartments which communicate with one another at their outer ends. Liquid is discharged from one of the compartments into the catch chamber through a port situated at the inner end of such compartment, while hot liquid is introduced into the inner end of the other compartment and flows therethrough and the quantity of ground coffee contained therein to extract flavor from the latter. The rate of discharge is determined solely by the rate of replenishment, since the two compartments behave as connected vessels or a water trap. The ground coffee may be confined in an outer envelope of filter material, to form a unitary cartridge therewith which can be introduced as a unit into the other compartment through the lower end thereof, after a movable end wall of the rotary body has been moved out of the way.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A coffee-making apparatus, comprising a housing bounding a catch chamber; a rotary body mounted with clearance in said catch chamber for rotation in air about an axis, bounding a centrally located recess and at least one enclosed internal space extending outwardly from said recess, and includ

1. A coffee-making apparatus, comprising a housing bounding a catch chamber; a rotary body mounted with clearance in said catch chamber for rotation in air about an axis, bounding a centrally located recess and at least one enclosed internal space extending outwardly from said recess, and including substantially radially extending partitioning wall means subdividing said internal space into at least two compartments each of which has an inner and an outer end portion as considered in the radial direction, the inner end portion of at least one of which opens into said recess, and which are in communication with one another at said outer end portions thereof, and outlet port means arranged at the inner end portion of the other of said compartments and establishing communication between the latter and said catch chamber; means for introducing ground coffee into said one compartment; means for rotating said body in air about said axis to subject the contents of said rotary body to the influence of centrifugal forces; means for delivering hot liquid into said recess at least during the operation of said rotating means for the liquid to flow under the influence of said centrifugal forces into and through said one compartment and the quantity of coffee present in the latter with attendant formation of a coffee beverage, and for the coffee beverage to gradually fill said other compartment from the outer end portion to said outlet port means, also under the influence of said centrifugal forces, and to be discharged through said outlet port means only after reaching the same; a receptacle for the coffee beverage discharged from said outlet port means; and means for continuously discharging said coffee beverage from said catch chamber to prevent accumulation of such beverage in said catch chamber. 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary body has a substantially cylindrical configuration centered on a central axis normal to said axis of rotation and including an outer jacket; and wherein said partitioning wall means is a tubular portion centered on said central axis which outwardly bounds said one compartment and is surrounded by said other compartment that is outwardly delimited by said jacket. 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said outer jacket includes a circumferential wall and an end wall, said end wall being separate from said circumferential wall and movably retained thereon. 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said jacket further includes hinge means which connects said end wall to said circumferential wall of said jacket for pivoting relative thereto. 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said introducing means includes a cartridge including an outer envelope of a material pervious to liquids but impervious to coffee grounds, and a body of coffee grounds confined in said outer envelope, said cartridge being introducible into said one compartment as a unit through said outer end portion when said end wall is moved out of the way. 6. A coffee-making apparatus, comprising: a housing bounding a catch chamber; a rotary body mounted with clearance in said catch chamber for rotation in air about an axis, said body including a centrally located recess and at least one enclosed internal space extending outwardly from said recess, said body also including substantially radially extending partitioning wall means subdividing said internal space into at least two compartments each of which has an inner and an outer end portion as considered in the radial direction, the inner end portion of at least one of said compartments opening into said recess, said compartments being in communication with one another at said outer end portions thereof, and outlet port means arranged at the inner end portion of the other of said compartments and establishing communication between the latter and said catch chamber; means for introducing ground coffee into said one compartment; means for rotating said body in air about said axis to subject the contents of said rotary body to the influence of centrifugal forces; means for loading an initial quantity of hot liquid into said recess at least during the operation of said rotating means for the liquid to flow under the influence of said centrifugal forces into and through said one compartment and the quantity of coffee present in the latter with attendant formation of a coffee beverage, and for the coffee beverage to gradually fill and be retained in said other compartment from the outer end portion to said outlet port means, also under the influence of said centrifugal forces; means for delivering an additional quantity of hot liquid at a predetermined rate into said recess and said compartments during the operation of said rotating means and after loading of the initial quantity, for discharge of the coffee beverage through said outlet port means at said predetermined rate, said rate being substantially independent of the influence of said centrifugal forces; a receptacle for the coffee beverage discharged from said outlet port means; and means for continuously discharging said coffee beverage from said catch chamber to prevent accumulation of such beverage in said catch chamber. 7. A coffee-making apparatus, comprising: a housing bounding a catch chamber; a rotary body mounted with clearance in said catch chamber for rotation in air about an axis, bounding a centrally located recess, and having wall means bounding an enclosed internal space which extends radially outwardly from said recess, and which communicates with said catch chamber; means for introducing ground coffee into said internal space; means for rotating said body in air about said axis to subject the contents of said rotary body to the influence of centrifugal forces; means for delivering hot liquid into said recess at least during the operation of said rotating means for the liquid to flow under the influence of said centrifugal forces into and through said internal space and the quantity of coffee present in the latter with attendant formation of a coffee beverage; trap means for generating a backpressure in said internal space to maintain the ground coffee therein submerged in the liquid during the operation of said rotating means; means for discharging the coffee beverage formed in the internal space to said catch chamber; and means for collecting the discharged coffee beverage from said catch chamber to prevent accumulation of such beverage in said catch chamber.