A brewing unit for making espresso (ES) and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, wherein the brewing chamber of a brewing assembly is supplied with water by a constant-frequency pump, and communicates with a first ES coffee outlet conduit, controlled by a calibrated valve, and a second FB coffee outlet conduit v
A brewing unit for making espresso (ES) and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, wherein the brewing chamber of a brewing assembly is supplied with water by a constant-frequency pump, and communicates with a first ES coffee outlet conduit, controlled by a calibrated valve, and a second FB coffee outlet conduit via a three-way COV (contact-operated) switch valve, which is formed in a compression piston for closing the brewing chamber, and is designed to be set to a normal open position, in which the first and second outlet conduit and a delivery manifold communicate with one another, and to switch, in use and in opposition to a spring, to a closed position, in which the second outlet conduit is closed, and the first outlet conduit communicates with the delivery manifold.
대표청구항▼
1. A brewing unit for making espresso (ES) coffee and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, the brewing unit comprising: a brewing assembly; anda pump configured to feed water to the brewing assembly, wherein the pump is a constant-flow pump;wherein the brewing assembly includes: a variable-volume brewing chamber
1. A brewing unit for making espresso (ES) coffee and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, the brewing unit comprising: a brewing assembly; anda pump configured to feed water to the brewing assembly, wherein the pump is a constant-flow pump;wherein the brewing assembly includes: a variable-volume brewing chamber having an axis, the variable-volume brewing chamber designed to receive a measure of ground coffee;an inlet conduit for a given water supply from the pump;a compression piston movable along the axis to adjust the volume of the variable-volume brewing chamber, the compression piston being movable in response to instructions from an electronic control program and including a main body and a head movable within the variable-volume brewing chamber, the main body having a distribution chamber, a first through hole, a second through hole, and an annular flange positioned between the distribution chamber and the second through hole;a first outlet conduit extending from the first through hole;a second outlet conduit extending from the second through hole; anda delivery manifold extending through the head into the distribution chamber of the main body of the compression piston and selectively fluidly coupling the variable-volume brewing chamber to the first and second outlet conduits through the distribution chamber; andwherein the brewing assembly further includes: a nonreturn valve positioned within the first through hole of the main body adjacent to an intermediate conduit and which is opened by a fluid opening pressure ranging between 5 and 9 bars, the intermediate conduit being in fluid communication with the delivery manifold and connecting the distribution chamber to the first through hole; anda switch valve configured to keep the delivery manifold in fluid communication with the intermediate conduit, and which is switchable, in opposition to an elastic member positioned between the main body and the head, between: a normal open position, in which the elastic member is in an undeformed configuration, the switch valve is not engaged with the annular flange, and the delivery manifold communicates with the second outlet conduit, wherein if the fluid pressure within the brewing assembly is less than the fluid opening pressure, the nonreturn valve in the first through hole remains closed and FB coffee flows past the switch valve into the second through hole and the second outlet conduit to dispense FB coffee through the second outlet conduit; anda closed position, in which the elastic member is compressed relative to the undeformed configuration and the switch valve is engaged with the annular flange to prevent fluid communication between the delivery manifold and the second outlet conduit, and the delivery manifold only communicates with the first outlet conduit through the distribution chamber and the intermediate conduit if the fluid pressure within the brewing assembly is greater than the fluid opening pressure such that the nonreturn valve in the first through hole opens and ES coffee flows through the intermediate conduit past the nonreturn valve into the first through hole and the first outlet conduit to dispense EB coffee through the first outlet conduit. 2. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch valve includes a three-way contact-operated valve (COV) formed in the compression piston. 3. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the brewing assembly includes a hollow body housing the brewing chamber;the head of the compression piston engages the hollow body in sliding and fluidtight manner to define the variable-volume brewing chamber in the hollow body; andthe volume of the variable-volume brewing chamber varies as a function of a position assumed, in use, by the head of the compression piston along the axis and with respect to the hollow body. 4. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the elastic member extends at least partially around a tubular extension of the compression piston extending from the head into the main body, the delivery manifold extending through the tubular extension. 5. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the elastic member is designed to withstand, undeformed, compression forces generated, in use and by friction, by compression movement of the compression piston along the hollow body. 6. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head is coaxial with the main body and the axis, is connected in sliding manner to the main body with the interposition of the elastic member, and is movable, with respect to the main body and along the axis, from a normal extracted position corresponding to the normal open position to a withdrawn position corresponding to the closed position, in opposition to the elastic member and by contact pressure exerted on the head contacting the measure of ground coffee. 7. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the head includes a rod substantially parallel to the axis and extending slidably through the main body to guide the head as the head moves with respect to the main body between the extracted and withdrawn positions. 8. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a stop and a lift device coupled to ends of the rod, outside the main body, to prevent the head from being moved, with respect to the main body and by the elastic member, beyond the extracted position. 9. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the brewing assembly includes a hollow body housing the variable-volume brewing chamber and having a free edge facing the compression piston; and the head is fitted with the stop and lift device located outside the main body and positioned facing the free edge to cooperate with the free edge to move the head into the withdrawn position in response to a given movement of the compression piston along the axis and with respect to the hollow body. 10. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch valve includes a slide valve having a slide face formed on the main body, and a moving assembly on the head. 11. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the delivery manifold is formed along the moving assembly. 12. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the slide face is defined by a portion of a third hole formed in the main body and substantially parallel to the axis; and the moving assembly is defined by an extension carried by the head, and which is substantially parallel to the axis and engages the third hole in sliding and fluidtight manner to define the distribution chamber inside the third hole. 13. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the extension and the third hole are coaxial with the axis. 14. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the third hole communicates with the first and second outlet conduits at the distribution chamber. 15. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the distribution chamber is an annular chamber coaxial with the extension; and wherein the first and second outlet conduits extend radially and axially, respectively, with respect to the hole. 16. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the delivery manifold is formed axially along the extension; and a diametrical hole is formed in the extension to connect the delivery manifold to the distribution chamber. 17. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the free end of the extension has a tip, which engages the annular flange in fluidtight manner when the switch valve is in the closed position; the extension having, behind the tip, a small-section end portion, which, together with the slide face, defines the distribution chamber. 18. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the brewing assembly includes a calibrated spring positioned between a fitting inside the first through hole and the nonreturn valve;the calibrated spring is configured to hold the nonreturn valve closed unless the fluid pressure acting on the nonreturn valve exceeds the fluid opening pressure; andthe intermediate conduit is positioned between the distribution chamber and the first through hole. 19. A brewing assembly for making espresso (ES) coffee and fresh-brew (FB) coffee, the brewing assembly comprising: a variable-volume brewing chamber having an axis, the variable-volume brewing chamber configured to receive a measure of ground coffee;an inlet conduit for a given water supply from a constant-flow pump;a compression piston movable along the axis to adjust the volume of the variable-volume brewing chamber in response to instructions from an electronic control program, the compression piston including: a main body having a distribution chamber, a first through hole, a second through hole, and an annular flange positioned between the distribution chamber and the second through hole;a head movable within the variable-volume brewing chamber;a delivery manifold extending through the head into the distribution chamber of the main body of the compression piston and selectively fluidly coupling the variable-volume brewing chamber to the first through hole and the second through hole through the distribution chamber;a first outlet conduit extending from the first through hole;a second outlet conduit extending from the second through hole;a nonreturn valve positioned within the first through hole of the main body adjacent to an intermediate conduit and which is opened by a fluid opening pressure ranging between 5 and 9 bars, the intermediate conduit being in fluid communication with the delivery manifold and connecting the distribution chamber to the first through hole; anda switch valve positioned within the main body and configured to keep the delivery manifold in fluid communication with the intermediate conduit, and which is switchable, in opposition to an elastic member positioned between the main body and the head, between: a normal open position, in which the elastic member is in an undeformed configuration, the switch valve is not engaged with the annular flange, and the delivery manifold communicates with the second outlet conduit, wherein if the fluid pressure within the brewing assembly is less than the fluid opening pressure, the nonreturn valve in the first through hole remains closed and FB coffee flows past the switch valve into the second through hole and the second outlet conduit to dispense FB coffee through the second outlet conduit; anda closed position, in which the elastic member is compressed relative to the undeformed configuration and the switch valve is engaged with the annular flange to prevent fluid communication between the delivery manifold and the second outlet conduit, and the delivery manifold only communicates with the first outlet conduit through the distribution chamber and the intermediate conduit if the fluid pressure within the brewing assembly is greater than the fluid opening pressure such that the nonreturn valve in the first through hole opens and ES coffee flows through the intermediate conduit past the nonreturn valve into the first through hole and the first outlet conduit to dispense ES coffee through the first outlet conduit. 20. The brewing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein: in the normal open position, the head of the compression piston is positioned to partially define the variable-volume chamber at a volume that is greater than a volume of the measure of ground coffee; andin the closed position, the compression piston is advanced to bring the head into contact with measure of ground coffee and compress the elastic member.
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Bambi Piero (Florence ITX), Espresso coffee machine for the differentiated application of the water pressure and for preinfusion in the dispensing g.
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