U.S. patent application number 09/955798 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-21 for assembly for use in a coffee machine for preparing coffee, container and pouch of said assembly.
Invention is credited to Dijs, Daniel Albertus Jozef.
Application Number | 20020022070 09/955798 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26642665 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020022070 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dijs, Daniel Albertus
Jozef |
February 21, 2002 |
Assembly for use in a coffee machine for preparing coffee,
container and pouch of said assembly
Abstract
The assembly for use in a coffee machine comprises a container
having a bowl-shaped inner space bounded by a bottom having at
least one outlet opening and at least one vertical sidewall. The
assembly further comprises a pill-shaped pouch manufactured from
filtering paper and filled with ground coffee, accommodated in the
inner space of the container. The pouch extends over the bottom to
a position adjacent the vertical sidewall. In the bottom, a number
of channel-shaped grooves are provided, extending in radial
direction of the container to the outlet opening. The grooves
extend from a position located at a distance from the sidewall in
the direction of the outlet opening. This prevents bypass.
Inventors: |
Dijs, Daniel Albertus Jozef;
(Utrecht, NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gerald T. Shekleton, Esq.
Welsh & Katz, Ltd.
22nd Floor
120 South Riverside Plaza
Chicago
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
26642665 |
Appl. No.: |
09/955798 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09955798 |
Sep 19, 2001 |
|
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09479630 |
Jan 7, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
426/77 ;
426/594 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 31/0678
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/77 ;
426/594 |
International
Class: |
B65B 029/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 30, 1997 |
NL |
1007171 |
Claims
1. An assembly for use in a coffee machine for preparing coffee,
comprising a container having a bowl-shaped inner space bounded by
a bottom having at least one outlet opening and at least one
vertical sidewall and, included in the inner space of the
container, a pill-shaped pouch manufactured from filtering paper
and filled with ground coffee, which pouch rests on the bottom and
extends over the bottom to a position adjacent the vertical
sidewall, while provided in the bottom are a number of
channel-shaped grooves extending in radial direction of the
bowl-shaped inner space to the outlet opening and, in use, hot
water is fed under pressure to a top side of the container by means
of the coffee machine, causing the hot water to be pressed from a
top side of the pouch through the pouch for extracting the ground
coffee included in the pouch, the coffee extract formed flowing
from a bottom side of the pouch and from the container via the
outlet, characterized in that each of said grooves extends from a
position located at a distance from the sidewall in a direction
away from the sidewall.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the
channel-shaped grooves extend in radial direction of the
bowl-shaped inner space to the outlet opening, each of said grooves
extending from the position located at a distance from the sidewall
in the direction of the outlet opening.
3. An assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the
smallest distance between each of said grooves on one side and the
vertical sidewall on the other is greater than 10% of a maximum
diameter of the inner space of the container.
4. An assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the
smallest distance between each of said grooves on one side and the
vertical sidewall on the other is at least substantially equal to
20% of the maximum diameter of the inner space of the
container.
5. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the
bottom is provided with a number of vertical projections arranged
at regular distances relative to each other, said grooves being
formed by the interspaces formed between the vertical
projections.
6. An assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the
vertical projections are substantially cylindrical.
7. An assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the
projections are arranged in rows and columns relative to each
other.
8. An assembly according to any one of preceding claims 5-7,
characterized in that at the bottom side of the projections, the
interspaces formed between the projections cover 75-94% of the
total area of the bottom that is provided with projections.
9. An assembly according to any one of preceding claims 5-8,
characterized in that the projections have their top sides provided
with round tips.
10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the bottom consists of an outer horizontally
directed annular bottom part bounding the sidewall and an inner
saucer-shaped bottom part bounding an inner edge of the annular
bottom part, the saucer-shaped bottom part adjacent the annular
bottom part sloping downwards in a direction away from the
sidewall.
11. An assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the
grooves extend in the saucer-shaped bottom part.
12. An assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that each
of the grooves extends from a position located at a distance from
the inner edge of the annular bottom part in the direction of the
outlet opening.
13. An assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the
smallest direction between each of said grooves on one side and the
inner edge of the annular bottom part on the other is greater than
10% of a maximum diameter of the annular bottom part.
14. An assembly according to any one of preceding claims 2-4,
characterized in that the grooves have a rectangular cross
section.
15. An assembly according to claims 10-13, characterized in that in
the center of the saucer-shaped bottom part, a recess is provided,
the outlet opening being located in a bottom of the recess.
16. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that a bottom of the pouch has a shape
substantially corresponding to the shape of the bottom of the
container.
17. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the pouch comprises a disk-shaped top sheet
and a disk-shaped bottom sheet which are interconnected adjacent
their longitudinal edges, the interconnected parts of the top and
bottom sheets forming an annular sealing seam.
18. An assembly according to claims 10 and 17, characterized in
that dimensions of the bottom disk-shaped sheet from a center of
the sheet to the annular sealing seam correspond to dimensions of
the saucer-shaped bottom part.
19. An assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that the
annular sealing seam has dimensions substantially corresponding to
the dimensions of the annular bottom part.
20. An assembly according to any one of preceding claims 17-19,
characterized in that the diameter of the inner space of the
container is approximately equal to 74 mm and that the diameter of
the pouch is approximately equal to 74 mm.
21. An assembly according to any one of preceding claims 17-20,
characterized in that the diameter of the inner space of the
container is approximately equal to 74 mm and that the diameter of
a coffee bed formed in the pouch is approximately equal to 61
mm.
22. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the inner space of the container is
cylindrical, an axial axis of the inner space being at least
substantially vertically directed.
23. A pouch suitable for use in the assembly according to claim 20
or 21.
24. A container suitable for use in the assembly according to any
one of preceding claims 1-22.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an assembly for use in a coffee
machine for preparing coffee, comprising a container having a
bowl-shaped inner space bounded by a bottom having at least one
outlet opening and at least one vertical sidewall and, included in
the inner space of the container, a pill-shaped pouch manufactured
from filtering paper and filled with ground coffee, which pouch
rests on the bottom and extends over the bottom to a position
adjacent the vertical sidewall, while provided in the bottom are a
number of channel-shaped grooves extending in radial direction of
the bowl-shaped inner space to the outlet opening and, in use, hot
water is fed under pressure to a top side of the container by means
of the coffee machine, causing the hot water to be pressed from a
top side of the pouch through the pouch for extracting the ground
coffee included in the pouch, the coffee extract formed flowing
from a bottom side of the pouch and from the container via the
outlet.
[0002] Such assembly is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,155. The
inner space of the container thereof is of rectangular design. From
each corner point of the inner space, a groove extends to the
outlet opening provided in the center of the bottom. The pouch is
likewise of rectangular design and has dimensions corresponding to
the dimensions of the inner space of the container. Accordingly, a
circumferential edge of the pouch is located adjacent the vertical
sidewall of the container.
[0003] A problem of the known assembly is that in use, a portion of
the hot water that is poured onto the pouch flows along the side
edge of the pouch to the end of a groove located at a corner point
of the container. This hot water then flows via the groove directly
to the outlet opening. This involves a so-called bypass effect. As
a consequence, not the complete amount of hot water that is fed at
the top side of the container flows via the pouch to the outlet
opening. Consequently, the coffee extract, which is for instance
received in a container disposed under the outlet opening, is
diluted with hot water. This will give the coffee extract an
undesired strength. It is not possible to make allowance for the
bypass effect during the preparation of coffee, because it is not
known beforehand what amount of water will flow around the pouch
and, via the grooves, to the outlet opening.
[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a solution to the
problem posed, and accordingly, the invention is characterized in
that each of said grooves extends from a position located at a
distance from the sidewall in a direction away from the
sidewall.
[0005] As the grooves do not extend to the sidewall, this has the
surprising result that the bypass effect is substantially
decreased. In accordance with a first further elaboration of the
invention, it applies that the channel-shaped grooves extend in
radial direction of the bowl-shaped inner space to the outlet
opening, each of said grooves extending from the position located
at a distance from the sidewall in the direction of the outlet
opening. In particular, in this variant, the bypass effect proves
to be negligibly small when it applies that the smallest distance
between each of said grooves on one side and the vertical sidewall
on the other is greater than 10% of a maximum diameter of the inner
space of the container.
[0006] Preferably, it applies that the smallest distance between
each of said grooves on one side and the vertical sidewall on the
other is at least substantially equal to 20% of the maximum
diameter of the inner space of the container.
[0007] The pouch extends to a position adjacent the vertical
sidewall of the container. This means that it is essential to the
invention that the dimensions of the pouch and the container be
adjusted to each other. When the pouch is for instance of smaller
design, the undesired bypass effect will occur in spite of the fact
that said grooves extend from a position located at a distance from
the sidewall in the direction of the outlet opening. Hence, the
invention is incorporated in the specific properties of the
container and the specific dimensions of the pouch which correspond
therewith.
[0008] In particular, a bottom of the pouch has a shape
substantially corresponding to the shape of the bottom of the
container. In that case, the extraction will be optimal and the
bypass effect minimal.
[0009] Preferably, the pouch comprises a disk-shaped top sheet and
a disk-shaped bottom sheet which are interconnected adjacent their
longitudinal edges, the interconnected parts of the top and bottom
sheets forming an annular sealing seam.
[0010] The width of each of the grooves may vary from, for
instance, 1 to 4 mm. In particular, the width approximately equals
2 mm. If the width of the grooves is chosen too great, this has as
a consequence that a relatively large portion of the filtering area
will be clear. This entails the risk of too little pressure being
built up in the container and the flow of liquid through the filter
becoming too great. This has a negative effect on the coffee-making
efficiency.
[0011] When the assembly is used for preparing one or two cups of
coffee, it applies that the diameter of the inner space of the
container is preferably approximately equal to 74 mm and that the
diameter of the pouch is also approximately equal to 74 mm.
Likewise, it applies that the diameter of a coffee bed formed in
the pouch is in that case approximately equal to 61 mm. If the
dimensions of the pouch are chosen to be different, i.e. greater or
smaller, there is again the risk of bypass. Moreover, it has been
found that in that case the coffee-making efficiency is not
optimal, either. In accordance with a second further elaboration of
the invention, it applies that the bottom is provided with a number
of vertical projections which are arranged at regular distances
relative to each other, said projections being formed by the
interspaces formed between the vertical projections.
[0012] It is observed that U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,797 also discloses a
container in which a pouch can be included for preparing coffee.
The container comprises a bottom having vertical ribs. This
arrangement implies that between the ribs recesses are present
whose lowest point is formed by the bottom of the container.
However, these recesses are so wide that no bottom having grooves
is involved here. Indeed, the surface area covered by the recesses
is greater than the surface area covered by the ribs. In accordance
with the invention, however, it applies that the area of the
grooves is smaller than the area of those parts of the bottom where
no grooves are provided. Hence, in the above US patent, no grooves
according to the present invention are involved.
[0013] The invention will now be specified with reference to the
accompanying drawings. In these drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a
container according to the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on the line II-II of FIG.
1;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged part of FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross section of a pouch taken on the line IV-IV
of FIG. 5, associated with the container according to FIGS.
1-3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pouch according to FIG.
4;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a cross section of an assembly according to the
invention, consisting of the container of FIGS. 1-3 and the pouch
of FIGS. 4 and 5;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a
container according to the invention;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a cross section of the container according to FIG.
7;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the container according to
FIG. 7; and
[0023] FIG. 10 shows a projection of the container according to
FIG. 7.
[0024] An assembly 1 according to the invention for use in a coffee
machine for preparing coffee comprises a container 2 (see FIGS. 1-3
and FIG. 6) and a pouch 4 (see FIGS. 5-6) included in an inner
space 6 of the container 2. The inner space 6 is of bowl-shaped
design and is bounded by a bottom 8 and at least one vertical
sidewall 10. Because in this example, the inner space 6 and the
pouch 4 are of cylindrical design, this implies that the container
2 in fact only comprises a single vertical cylindrical sidewall 10
which is round and closed in itself.
[0025] Located in the bottom 8 is at least one and in this example
only one outflow opening 12. Further provided in the bottom are a
number of channel-shaped grooves 14 extending in radial direction
of the inner space 6 to the outlet opening 12. The grooves each
have a bottom 16 sloping down in the direction of the outlet
opening 12. In this example, each bottom 16 of a groove 14 makes an
angle .alpha. relative to the vertical which is equal to
approximately 85.degree.. It further applies that the grooves in
this example each have a rectangular cross section. However, this
is not necessarily the case. Other shapes are possible as well.
[0026] Each of the grooves 14 extends from a position 18 located at
a distance from the sidewall 10 in the direction of the outlet
opening 12. The total area occupied by the grooves is smaller than
the total area of the bottom 8 that is not occupied by the grooves
14. In this example, the container is provided with 12 grooves,
adjacent grooves enclosing an angle .beta. of about 30.degree..
[0027] The pouch 4 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is pill-shaped and
manufactured from filtering paper and filled with ground coffee.
The pouch comprises a disk-shaped top sheet 20 manufactured from
filtering paper and a disk-shaped bottom sheet 22 likewise
manufactured from filtering paper. The disk-shaped bottom sheet and
the disk-shaped top sheet are interconnected adjacent the
longitudinal edges 24, the interconnected parts of the top and
bottom sheets forming an annular sealing seam 26.
[0028] When the pouch 4 is inserted into the container 2 (see FIG.
6), it extends over the bottom 8 of the container 2 to a position
adjacent the vertical sidewall 10 of the container 2 (see also FIG.
6). In this example, it applies that the smallest distance d
between each of said grooves 14 on one side and the vertical
sidewall 10 on the other is greater than 10% of the maximum
diameter D of the inner space of the container 2. In this example,
it even applies that the smallest distance d between each of said
grooves 14 on one side and the vertical sidewall 10 on the other is
at least substantially equal to 20% of the maximum diameter D of
the inner space of the container 2.
[0029] The bottom 8 comprises an outer horizontal annular bottom
part 28 bounding the sidewall 10. The bottom 8 further comprises an
inner saucer-shaped bottom part 30 bounding an inner edge 32 of the
annular bottom part 28. Adjacent the annular bottom part 28, the
saucer-shaped bottom part 30 slopes downwards in a direction away
from the sidewall. In this example, the grooves extend exclusively
in the saucer-shaped bottom part. More in particular, it applies in
this example that each of said grooves extends from a position 18
located at a distance from the inner edge 32 of the annular bottom
part 28 in the direction of the outlet opening 12. The container is
preferably dimensioned such that the smallest distance d' between
each of said channels 14 on one side and the inner edge 32 of the
annular bottom part 28 on the other is greater than 10% of the
maximum diameter D' of the saucer-shaped bottom part 30.
[0030] Provided in the center of the saucer-shaped bottom part 30
is a recess 34, with the outlet opening 12 being located in a
bottom 36 of the recess 34. The pouch preferably has a bottom which
in this example is formed by the bottom sheet 22 whose shape
substantially corresponds to the shape of the bottom 8 of the
container.
[0031] In use, the pouch 4 is inserted into the container 2, as
shown in FIG. 6. The assembly 1 is then inserted into a coffee
machine known per se. The coffee machine comprises a cover 38
closing off the assembly 1 as soon as it has been placed in the
machine. The cover 38 comprises an opening 40 through which, via a
hose 42, hot water can be fed to the inner space 6 of the
container. Adjacent its circumferential edge, the cover further
comprises a sealing ring 44 closed in itself.
[0032] The sealing seam 26 of the pouch 4 is located between the
sealing ring 44 and the annular bottom part 28. When, in use, hot
water is subsequently fed to the inner space 4 of the assembly via
the hose 42, a pressure is created in the inner space 6. Due to
this pressure, the sealing ring 44 moves outwards in radial
direction to sealingly abut against the vertical sidewall 10. Next,
the hot water will penetrate into the pouch 4 via the top sheet 20.
In the pouch 4, the coffee extract is then formed. This coffee
extract will subsequently leave the pouch again via the bottom
sheet 22. In particular in places where the grooves 14 are present,
the coffee extract can flow from the pouch. In positions between
the grooves 14, little or no extract will in principle flow from
the pouch. The effect thus achieved is that the hot water does not
flow through the pouch too fast. This again results in that the
coffee-making efficiency will be optimal.
[0033] The coffee extract ending up in the grooves 14 will
subsequently flow to the recess 34 and leave the container 2 via
the outlet opening 12. Under the container 2, a cup can for
instance be placed which is filled with the coffee extract. As the
channel-shaped grooves 14 slope downwards in the direction of the
recess 34, a proper flow through the pouch is promoted. It is also
guaranteed that no bypass occurs. This means that the hot water fed
to the container does not flow to the outlet opening 12 without
moving through the coffee bed included in the pouch. This is
guaranteed in that in accordance with the invention, said grooves
extend from a position 18 located at a distance from the sidewall
in the direction of the outlet opening. Where no grooves are
present, the bottom of the pouch 4 directly rests on the bottom of
the container 8. Hence, at these positions, the hot water can
hardly flow from the pouch, if at all. This implies that at first,
no water can from to the outlet opening 12 from a top side of the
pouch through the sealing seam of the pouch. If this actually
happened, pure water, i.e. no coffee extract, would flow to the
outlet opening 12, causing a bypass effect. The coffee extract
received in a cup would then be diluted with hot water.
[0034] Because according to the present embodiment, it applies that
the smallest distance d between each of the grooves on one side and
the vertical sidewall on the other is greater than 10% of the
maximum diameter D of the inner space of the container, it is
guaranteed that the bypass effect will at least substantially not
occur.
[0035] If the hot water flowed through the coffee bed at a position
located adjacent the sealing seam 26, the effect occurring would be
that the coffee-making efficiency is not optimal. After all, at
this position, the height of the coffee bed is relatively low, so
that the flow-through will be relatively fast. Moreover, the flow
of liquid chooses the path of least resistance, so that a
disproportionately large part of the hot water will flow through
this portion of the coffee bed. As in accordance with the
invention, it further applies that the smallest distance d' between
each of the grooves on one side and the inner edge of the annular
bottom part on the other is greater than 10% of the maximum
diameter D' of the annular bottom part 28, it is provided that this
effect does not occur and the coffee-making efficiency is in fact
optimal. As it is, the channel-shaped grooves 14 do not extend to
positions where the coffee bed of the pouch 4 is relatively thin.
As the bottom of the pouch has a shape substantially corresponding
to the shape of the bottom of the container, said dimensions of the
grooves 14 can be optimally utilized. Because it applies in
particular that the dimensions of the bottom disk-shaped sheet 22
from a center of the sheet to the annular sealing seam correspond
to the dimensions of the saucer-shaped bottom part 30, it applies
that said optimum extraction efficiency is achieved. It also
applies that the annular sealing seam has dimensions substantially
corresponding to the dimensions of the annular bottom part. This
also implies that a pouch inserted into the container is optimally
and unequivocally positioned in the container. The pouch as it were
automatically searches the position in which it is supposed to be
located.
[0036] In this example, the assembly is intended for preparing one
cup of coffee. For that reason, the diameter of the inner space of
the container is approximately equal to 74 mm. To effect that the
bypass effect does not occur, it applies that the diameter of the
pouch is also approximately equal to 74 mm. Of course, the other
above-discussed conditions should be met as well in order to
minimize the bypass effect. It further applies that the diameter of
a coffee bed formed in the pouch is approximately equal to 61 mm.
This diameter corresponds to the diameter of the annular bottom
part 28. This diameter, too, is particularly suitable for preparing
one cup of coffee. Since the two diameters are chosen to be equal,
it moreover applies that when the above conditions are also met,
the bypass effect is minimized, while the coffee-making efficiency
is maximized.
[0037] The invention is by no means limited to the embodiment of
the container outlined hereinabove. FIGS. 7-9 show an alternative
embodiment of the container. Parts corresponding to those of the
container which is discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-6 are
provided with identical reference numerals.
[0038] The container entirely corresponds to the container
discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-6, the difference being that
the grooves 14 are shaped differently. In this example, however, it
applies that the bottom is provided with a number of vertical
projections arranged at regular distances relative to each other.
The grooves 14 are formed by the interspaces formed between the
vertical projections 46. In this example, the vertical projections
46 are substantially of cylindrical design. As is clearly visible
in FIG. 7, the projections are arranged in rows and columns
relative to each other. As a result, the channel-shaped grooves
formed between the projections are in parallel and perpendicular
arrangement relative to each other.
[0039] It further applies that at the bottom side 50 of the
projections, the interspaces 49 formed between the projections
cover 75-94% of the total surface area of the bottom that is
provided with projections. Hence, this involves a total area of the
saucer-shaped bottom part 30, less the portion of the saucer-shaped
bottom part which, adjacent the annular bottom part 28, slopes
downwards in a direction away from the sidewall.
[0040] It further applies that in this example, the projections
have their top sides provided with a round tip. The operation of
the container according to FIGS. 7-10 is completely analogous with
that of the container according to FIGS. 1-6. In the container of
FIGS. 7-9, the pouch of FIG. 4 can be placed. Also, the cover 38
can be used for closing off the container, the sealing ring 44
again being located within the vertical sidewall 10 of the
container of FIGS. 7-10.
[0041] In accordance with another variant of the invention, the
container may be provided with a larger number of projections 46
than shown in FIGS. 7-10. In that case, however, the projections
may have a much smaller cross section.
[0042] In the embodiment outlined with reference to FIGS. 7-10, it
applies that the center-to-center distance of the projections is
3-5 mm, in particular about 4.2 mm. The radius R adjacent the
bottom side of the projections may vary from, for instance, 0.5 to
2 mm and is in this example about 1 mm. Such variants are each
understood to fall within the framework of the invention.
[0043] As discussed hereinabove, the invention relates to a
container on one side and a pouch on the other, optimally adjusted
to each other. Hence, the invention is embodied both in the
container and in the pouch. As the container has a diameter of 74
mm, the pouch will have to have an at least substantially equal
diameter. Accordingly, such pouch is understood to fall within the
framework of the invention.
* * * * *