Device for separating two spaces from one another
AssigneesKoninklijke Philips N.V., Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
InventorsCesare Lenzi, Marco Marchi, Andrea Pecci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for separating a first space and a second space from one another is disclosed. The device comprises a partition wall, arranged such that the first space and the second space are located on opposite sides of said partition wall. The partition wall is provided with a through aperture, which connects the first space and the second space and allows a bulk material to move from the first space into the second space. A shutter is provided, slidingly movable with respect to the partition wall, for selectively opening and closing the through aperture. The shutter has a port, which can be selectively brought in an alignment position and in an out-of-alignment position with respect to the through aperture.
Claims17
An edible product dispensing machine comprising:
- a device for separating a first space and a second space from one another, comprising:
- a partition wall, the first space and the second space being arranged on opposite sides of the partition wall;
- a through aperture in the partition wall connecting the first space and the second space and allowing a food bulk material to move from the first space into the second space;
- a shutter, slidingly movable with respect to the partition wall and having a port that is slidable to an alignment position, with respect to the through aperture, wherein the through aperture is open and is slidable to an out-of-alignment position, with respect to the through aperture, wherein the through aperture is closed;
- and
- a container, wherein the container is forms the first space,
- a brewing unit;
- and
- a grinder, the grinder being arranged underneath the through aperture, and the through aperture delivers a bulk material from the first space towards the grinder,
- wherein the port has a resiliently yielding edge portion that is biased by an elastic biasing force towards a rest position, and
- wherein the resiliently yielding edge portion is slidable with respect to the shutter, away from the rest position against the elastic biasing force when the shutter slides to a closing position while an obstruction is encountered during closing.
A device for separating a first space and a second space from one another, the device comprising:
- a partition wall, the first space and the second space being arranged on opposite sides of the partition wall;
- a through aperture in the partition wall connecting the first space and the second space and allowing a food bulk material to move from the first space into the second space;
- a shutter, slidingly movable with respect to the partition wall and having a port that is slidable to an alignment position with respect to the through aperture, wherein the through aperture is open and is slidable to an out-of-alignment position with respect to the through aperture, wherein the through aperture is closed;
- wherein the port is defined by an edge portion of a resiliently yielding slider that is biased by an elastic biasing force towards a rest position,
- wherein the slider is slidable away from the rest position against the elastic biasing force when the shutter slides to a closing position while an obstruction is encountered during closing,
- wherein the shutter comprises a seat in which the slider is slidingly housed, the device further comprising a resilient member in the seat, the resilient member biasing the slider towards the rest position corresponding to a minimum cross section of the port, wherein the resilient member is formed by an elastic projection integrally formed by the same material forming the shutter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.