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A brewer unit for a hot beverage dispensing machine includes an upper cylinder (30) for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end, a coaxial lower cylinder (40) having an open upper end, a filter unit (43) mounted over the upper end of said lower cylinder

A brewer unit for a hot beverage dispensing machine includes an upper cylinder (30) for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end, a coaxial lower cylinder (40) having an open upper end, a filter unit (43) mounted over the upper end of said lower cylinder (40) preventing passage of the brewing material therethrough, and a reciprocal piston (41) fitted in the lower cylinder (40) for creating a vacuum therein to suck freshly made beverage through the filter unit (43). A drive shaft (14) makes the piston (41) reciprocate and also drives a first cam mechanism for lifting the upper cylinder (30) from the filter unit (43) and a second cam mechanism for moving a scraper unit (5) over the filter unit (43) to discharge spent brewing material therefrom.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A brewer unit for a hot beverage dispensing machine, said brewer unit comprising: an upper cylinder (30) for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end;a coaxial lower cylinder (40) having an open upper end;a filter unit (43) mounted over the upper end

1. A brewer unit for a hot beverage dispensing machine, said brewer unit comprising: an upper cylinder (30) for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end;a coaxial lower cylinder (40) having an open upper end;a filter unit (43) mounted over the upper end of said lower cylinder (40) preventing passage of the brewing material therethrough and directly fitting the open lower end of the upper cylinder (30);a reciprocal piston (41) fitted in the lower cylinder (40);a rotary drive shaft (14) connected to the piston (41) by a crank (15) and a piston rod (42) to reciprocate the piston (41);a first mechanism for lifting the upper cylinder (30) from the filter unit (43);a scraper unit (5); anda second mechanism for moving the scraper unit (5) across the filter unit (43) to remove spent brewing material therefrom, said two mechanisms being driven from the drive shaft (14);wherein: the brewer unit further comprises a first toothed gear (12) fixed to the drive shaft (14);said first mechanism comprises a first cam mechanism having a first cam surface member (121) and a first cam follower member (223) cooperating with the first cam surface member (121), one of said members (121223) being provided on a side of the first gear (12) and the other on a pivotal lever (22), said pivotal lever (22) being operatively connected to the upper cylinder (30) for lifting and lowering it;the brewer unit further comprises a second toothed gear (13) that is smaller than the first toothed gear (12) and meshes therewith so as to be rotated thereby, the second toothed gear (13) having half as many teeth as the first one;said second mechanism comprises a second cam mechanism having a second cam surface member (131) and a second cam follower member (213) cooperating with the second cam surface member (131), one of the members (131, 213) in the second cam mechanism being provided on a side of the second gear (13) and the other on a pivotal arm (21), said pivotal arm (21) being operatively connectable to the scraper unit (5) for moving the scraper unit (5) across the filter unit (43) to remove spent brewing material therefrom when the upper cylinder (30) is lifted;a first revolution of the second toothed gear (13) produces a longitudinal reciprocal relative motion of the pivotal arm (21) without gripping the scraper unit (5); anda second revolution of the second toothed gear (13) produces an angular reciprocal motion of the pivotal arm (21) to grip and move the scraper unit (5) over the filter unit (43). 2. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a stationary main frame (10) carrying the two toothed gears (12, 13) and the lower cylinder (40); anda reciprocal guide plate (20) movably carried by the main frame (10) and carrying the upper cylinder (30). 3. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivotal lever (22) of the first mechanism comprises: a first end (222) pivotally attached to the main frame (10); anda second end (221) movably attached to the guide plate (20) for producing a reciprocal movement of the guide plate (20) with the upper cylinder (30) upon rotation of the larger first toothed gear (12). 4. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the first cam surface member is a groove (121) provided in a side surface of the larger toothed gear (12); andthe first cam follower member comprises a first stub shaft (223) provided between the two ends of the pivotal lever (22). 5. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein an antifriction bearing (224) is mounted on the first stub shaft (223). 6. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the pivotal arm (21) of the second mechanism has a first end (211) pivotally attached to the guide plate (20) and a second end (212). 7. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the scraper unit (5) has two axial ends, one of the two axial ends having a projecting stud (512); andthe free end (212) of the pivotal arm (21) is forked for engaging the projecting stud (512) between the fork prongs during the second revolution of the smaller toothed gear (13). 8. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the scraper unit (5) starts scraping when it starts moving. 9. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the scraper unit (5) comprises a scraper (50) that is pivotally mounted in a scraper bracket (51) carrying the projecting stud (512), the scraper (50) having a longitudinal axis and a generally L-shaped cross-section, and wherein an arm (502) interconnecting the scraper (50) and the guide plate (20) makes the scraper (50) rotate about one eighth of a revolution around its longitudinal axis upon lifting of the upper cylinder (30). 10. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the second cam surface member comprises a second stub shaft (131) located on a side of the second toothed gear (13); andthe second cam follower member is an extended internal opening (213) in the pivotal arm (21). 11. A brewer unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein an antifriction bearing (132) is mounted on the second stub shaft (131).