US-12616331-B2 - Motorized brewing unit

US12616331B2US 12616331 B2US12616331 B2US 12616331B2US-12616331-B2

Abstract

A motorized brewing unit for preparing beverages from a powdered product has a dispensing assembly having a first assembly part provided with a receptacle adapted to receive the powdered product, and a second assembly part, relative to which the first assembly part is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are coupled to each other to define a brewing chamber therebetween. The motorized brewing unit has an electric motor that controls movement of the first assembly part between the open position and the closed position and a readout device that provides a digital image of the powdered product. The readout device has an optical sensor. The receptacle faces the optical sensor when the first assembly part is in a detection position, intermediate between the open position and the closed position.

Inventors

Gabriele MOLINARO
Denis Rotta

Assignees

LUIGI LAVAZZA S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210616
Priority Date: 20200617

Claims (20)

1 . A motorized brewing unit for preparing beverages from a powdered product containing at least one ingredient, comprising a support structure; a dispensing assembly supported by the support structure and including: a first assembly part movable relative to the support structure and comprising a receptacle adapted to receive said powdered product, and a second assembly part, relative to which the first assembly part is movable between an open position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are spaced apart from each other to allow said powdered product to be inserted into the receptacle, and a closed position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are coupled to each other to define a brewing chamber therebetween; an electric motor adapted to control movement of the first assembly part relative to the second assembly part between the open position and the closed position; and a readout device adapted to provide a digital image of said powdered product, said readout device comprising an optical sensor housed in a seat formed on the support structure and spaced apart from the second assembly part, the receptacle facing the optical sensor when the first assembly part is in a detection position, intermediate between the open position and the closed position.
2 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 1 , wherein said optical sensor is capable of detecting said powdered product in a static or dynamic manner.
3 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to adjust brewing parameters based on said digital image of the powdered product.
4 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 3 , wherein said electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to determine a dose size of the powdered product from said digital image and adjust said brewing parameters as a function of said dose size.
5 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 1 , wherein the first assembly part further comprises a plunger hydraulically operated and slidable within the receptacle, said plunger carrying a brewing head adapted to inject water into the brewing chamber, and wherein a gasket sealingly slidable on a radially inner surface of the receptacle is arranged on the brewing head.
6 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 5 , further comprising a spring interposed between the plunger and a hydraulic cylinder fixed to the receptacle, said spring being adapted to bias the plunger towards a retracted position.
7 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 6 , further comprising a driving mechanism interposed between the electric motor and the first assembly part, wherein in said closed position the driving mechanism is in a dead center position.
8 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 7 , wherein the driving mechanism is configured to rotate the first assembly part about a horizontal axis, during a first stretch of movement between the closed position and the open position, and move the first assembly part along a direction of translational motion orthogonal to said horizontal axis, during a second stretch of movement between the closed position and the open position.
9 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 8 , wherein, in the closed position of the first assembly part, the plunger is slidable along a direction parallel to said direction of translational motion of the first assembly part.
10 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 1 , further comprising a blade member, positioned in a rotating manner facing the second assembly part.
11 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 10 , wherein the blade member is connected to a driving mechanism through an auxiliary transmission.
12 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 11 , wherein the blade member is capable of pivoting between a first terminal angular position, hereinafter lowered position, and a second terminal angular position, hereinafter raised position, wherein in the lowered position the blade member is under the second assembly part, and in the raised position the blade member is alongside the second assembly part.
13 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 11 , wherein the blade member is configured to rotate from the lowered position to the raised position, or vice versa, during the first stretch of movement of the first assembly part and stand still during the second stretch of movement of the first assembly part.
14 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 10 , wherein the blade member is configured to remove said powdered product from the receptacle, in a condition wherein, following a brewing step, the first assembly part is moved away from the second assembly part and said powdered product is carried to an end edge of the receptacle.
15 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 10 , wherein the blade member is configured to scrape or sweep an inlet filter of the first assembly part and/or an outlet filter of the second assembly part, in a condition wherein, following a brewing step, the first assembly part is moved away from the second assembly part and said inlet filter is carried to an end edge of the receptacle.
16 . The motorized brewing unit of claim 1 , further comprising a stationary scraping member to intercept the receptacle during movement of the first assembly part between the open position and the closed position.
17 . A method for preparing a beverage from a powdered product containing at least one ingredient, with a motorized brewing unit comprising a dispensing assembly that includes a first assembly part comprising a receptacle adapted to receive said powdered product, and a second assembly part, relative to which the first assembly part is movable between an open position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are spaced apart from each other to allow said powdered product to be inserted into the receptacle, and a closed position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are coupled to each other to define a brewing chamber therebetween, an electric motor adapted to control movement of the first assembly part relative to the second assembly part between the open position and the closed position, the motorized brewing unit further comprising a readout device adapted to provide a digital image of said powdered product, said readout device comprising an optical sensor, the receptacle facing the optical sensor when the first assembly part is in a detection position, intermediate between the open position and the closed position, wherein the first assembly part further comprises a plunger hydraulically operated and slidable within the receptacle, said plunger carrying a brewing head adapted to inject water into the brewing chamber, and wherein a gasket sealingly slidable on a radially inner surface of the receptacle is arranged on the brewing head, said method comprising the following steps: a) with the first assembly part in the closed position, supplying cold water to a hydraulic cylinder to move the plunger forward and carry said powdered product against the second assembly part, b1) through the plunger and the brewing head, supplying optionally a first quantity of heated water into the brewing chamber to wet the powdered product, b2) waiting optionally a predetermined time interval, c) through the plunger and the brewing head, supplying a second quantity of heated water, greater than said first quantity, into the brewing chamber to prepare the beverage, and d) supplying optionally further cold water to the hydraulic cylinder to move the plunger further forward and compact a used powdered product against the second assembly part.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein an electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to selectively enable or disable at least one of steps b1, b2 and d based on a digital image of the powdered product.
19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising: translationally moving the first assembly part away from the second assembly part, and supplying further cold water to the hydraulic cylinder to move the plunger further forward and take the used powdered product outside of the receptacle.
20 . A method for preparing a beverage from a powdered product containing at least one ingredient, with a motorized brewing unit comprising: a dispensing assembly that includes: a first assembly part comprising a receptacle adapted to receive said powdered product, and a second assembly part, relative to which the first assembly part is movable between an open position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are spaced apart from each other to allow said powdered product to be inserted into the receptacle, and a closed position in which the first assembly part and the second assembly part are coupled to each other to define a brewing chamber therebetween; an electric motor adapted to control movement of the first assembly part relative to the second assembly part between the open position and the closed position; and a readout device adapted to provide a digital image of said powdered product, said readout device comprising an optical sensor, the receptacle facing the optical sensor when the first assembly part is in a detection position, intermediate between the open position and the closed position, wherein the first assembly part further comprises a plunger hydraulically operated and slidable within the receptacle, said plunger carrying a brewing head adapted to inject water into the brewing chamber, and wherein a gasket sealingly slidable on a radially inner surface of the receptacle is arranged on the brewing head, said method comprising the following steps: through the plunger and the brewing head, supplying a quantity of heated water into the brewing chamber to prepare the beverage in an infusion step, wherein the brewing head exerts a pressure on the powdered product inserted in the receptacle throughout the brewing step.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/IB2021/055298, having an International Filing Date of Jun. 16, 2021, claiming priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102020000014425, filed Jun. 17, 2020 each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a motorized brewing unit for a machine for preparing beverages through the use of a powdered product containing one or more ingredients, in particular coffee. In the following description, reference will be made for simplicity to the use of a compacted tablet, but it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to a brewing unit capable of operating with tablets but rather is applicable more generally also to brewing units using capsules or, alternatively, pods, or even a powdered product. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Machines for the preparation of beverages are known comprising a motorized brewing unit, wherein the brewing unit comprises two parts adapted to define a brewing chamber and an electric motor designed to control, by means of a driving mechanism, the relative movement of the two parts between an open position, wherein the two parts are spaced apart to allow the insertion of a capsule, and a closed position, wherein the two parts are coupled to each other to enclose the brewing chamber. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an improved motorized brewing unit. This and other objects are fully achieved according to the present invention by a brewing unit and a process for preparing a beverage as described and claimed herein. Advantageous embodiments of the brewing unit according to the present invention and advantageous modes of carrying out the method according to the present invention are also described. In summary, the invention relates to a motorized brewing unit for the preparation of beverages from a powdered product containing at least one ingredient, comprising a dispensing assembly which includes a first assembly part having a receptacle adapted to receive the powdered product, anda second assembly part, relative to which the first assembly part is movable between an open position, wherein the first assembly part and the second assembly part are spaced away from each other to allow the insertion of the powdered product, and a closed position, wherein the first assembly part and the second assembly part are coupled to each other to define a brewing chamber therebetween, an electric motor adapted to control the movement of the first assembly part with respect to the second assembly part between the open position and the closed position, wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises readout means adapted to make available a digital image of the powdered product, the readout means comprising an optical sensor which the receptacle faces in a detection position, intermediate between the open position and the closed position. Thus, in the aforesaid unit the optical sensor does not face the brewing chamber that is formed when the dispensing assembly is closed, and therefore it is not necessary to provide for particular measures to prevent any residue generated by the brewing process from disturbing a correct functioning of the optical sensor. This results in obvious advantages from the point of view of the design of the brewing unit and, more particularly, of the brewing chamber. Preferably, the brewing unit further comprises an electronic control unit configured to adjust brewing parameters based on said digital image of the powdered product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Further features and advantages of this invention will be clarified by the detailed description that follows, given purely by way of non-limiting example in reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brewing unit according to the present invention; FIGS. 2 to 5 are cross-sectional views illustrating different operating positions of a dispensing assembly of the brewing unit in FIG. 1; FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views illustrating a first assembly part of the dispensing assembly; FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the first assembly part; FIGS. 9a, 9b and 10 are cross-sectional views taken at different locations along a longitudinal axis of the first assembly part; FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are perspective views showing a driving gear, with which a cam member and a position sensor are associated for detecting the position of the first assembly part; FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an electric motor for moving the first assembly part; FIGS. 15 to 18 are side elevation views of the brewing unit, showing different cam member operating positions, respectively corresponding to the operating positions of the dispensing assembly shown in FIGS. 2 to 5; FIGS. 19 to 22 are perspective views of the interior of the brewing unit, sho