# US 10,869,571 B2 · Apparatus to prepare beverages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,571 B2 - Document ID: US10869571B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/908,675 - Filed: 2014-07-25 - Published: 2016-06-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-31 - Assignees: RHEAVENDORS SERVICES S.p.A - Applicants: RHEAVENDORS SERVICES S.p.A - Inventors: Carlo Doglioni Majer; Ezio Ceriani; Luca Doglioni Majer; Aldo Doglioni Majer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869571B2 ## CPC - A47J 31/3676: {Cartridges being employed} - A23F 5/262: {the extraction liquid flowing through a stationary bed of solid substances, e.g. in percolation columns} - A47J 31/3614: {Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position} - A47J 31/3619: {Means to remove coffee after brewing} - A47J 31/404: {Powder dosing devices} - A47J 31/42: Beverage-making apparatus with incorporated grinding or roasting means for coffee {(coffee mills A47J42/00; coffee roasters in general A23N12/08)} - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF ## Abstract An apparatus to prepare beverages comprises a brewing chamber 3 movable by driving means 5, 6 along a vertical path, a first piston 7 and a second piston 9 movable within the brewing chamber 3, a hopper 25 to feed coffee powder to the brewing chamber and a discharge device 21 to discharge a spent coffee cake; the hopper 25 is pivotally mounted in the apparatus to obtain a desired distribution of coffee powder in the chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A brewing apparatus (1) for preparation of a beverage by brewing an ingredient (32), that comprises: a support frame (2), a brewing chamber (3) having a wall (3a) to receive said ingredient (32), the brewing chamber (3) having a substantially vertical axis (A-A); a first piston (7) and a second piston (9), said second piston (9) including a head (8) and a rod (9b), wherein said brewing chamber (3), said first piston (7) and said second piston (9) are movable with respect to said support frame (2); a liquid inlet provided in one of said first piston (7) or said second piston (9), and a liquid outlet provided in either the first piston (7) or second piston (9) that is not provided with the liquid inlet, said second piston (9) being co-axially movable with said chamber (3) and within said chamber (3); and a discharge device (21) for discharging the ingredient (32) after brewing, wherein said discharge device (21) is pivotally movable around a pin (22) with respect to said brewing chamber (3) in a plane perpendicular to said axis (A-A), wherein said discharge device (21) for discharging the ingredient (32) after brewing is provided with: a central part (21b) that is mounted pivotally on said pin (22), said pin (22) being connected to said brewing chamber (3); a working portion (21a, 30, 31) to remove the ingredient (32) from the head (8) of the second piston (9); and a projecting portion (21c) that extends from said central part (21b) and that is housed in a guide (23), said guide (23) extending along said apparatus (1), parallel to the said axis (A-A) of the brewing chamber (3) and being fixed to the support frame (2), wherein a portion (23b) of said guide (23) has a double curved shape and is configured to provide a double rotation of the working portion (21b) around said pin (22), wherein said chamber (3) and said second piston (9) are movable along a path according to said axis (A-A) from a bottom position (Hmin) to a top position (Hmax), said path including a discharge position (Hdis) between the bottom position (Hmin) and the top position (Hmax) to discharge the ingredient (32) from said chamber (3) after brewing the ingredient, said positions (Hmin, Hmax and Hdis) having a height between an upper rim (3b) of said chamber (3) and a lower base (2a) of the support frame (2), wherein said chamber (3) and said rod (9b), when in said discharging position (Hdis), are both spaced from said bottom position (Hmin), wherein a length (L4) is the difference between the height at the discharge position (Hdis) and the height at the bottom position (Hmin), and wherein the length (L4) is greater than the height of the bottom position (Hmin). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1 wherein said rod (9b) of said second piston (9) is extending through said wall (3a) of the chamber (3) whereby a free end (9a) of the rod is located outside said brewing chamber (3) and is movable with said piston (9) and said chamber (3). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein said free end (9a) of said rod (9b) is not connected to a guide, a retainer, or springs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein said second piston (9) and/or said rod (9b) are provided with seals to control their movement with respect to the wall (3a) of said brewing chamber (3). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said length (L4) between said bottom position (Hmin) of said chamber (3) and said discharge position (Hdis) is at least 15% of a length (L1) between said bottom position (Hmin) and said top position (Hmax). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said chamber (3) is movable along said axis (A-A) by a rotary screw (5) positioned parallel to said axis (A-A) of movement of said chamber (3), said rotary screw (5) being driven by a motor (6). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first piston (7) is movable co-axially to said chamber (3) and to said second piston (9) by a length (L3). ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 6, wherein said brewing chamber (3) is mounted on said rotary screw (5) and is reciprocated along said axis (A-A) by rotation of a spindle, and wherein said rotary screw (5) is the only element of said brewing apparatus (1) that is operated by said motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first piston (7) has said liquid outlet and a valve (16-20) located on said liquid outlet to selectively connect said liquid outlet to a beverage dispensing spout (14b) or to said beverage dispensing spout (14b) and to the ambient air, wherein said liquid outlet includes a dispensing spout (14) and a venting duct (14c, 17) connected together, and wherein said valve is located on said venting duct. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 9, wherein said first piston (7) comprises seals (13, 20) to control the movement of said first piston (7) with respect to said brewing chamber (3) and said apparatus (1). ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 6, further comprising a hopper (25) to feed ground material to said brewing chamber (3), wherein said hopper (25) has a lower edge (28) and is mounted on said brewing apparatus (1) at a mounting position (27) that is located above the said first piston (7), and wherein said hopper (25) is pivotally movable between a resting position and a feeding position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 11, wherein the lower edge (28) of said hopper (25), when said hopper (25) is in the resting position, is positioned on the path to be followed by said brewing chamber (3) or by said discharge device (21) for the ingredient; wherein said lower edge (28) has a cam surface (29) which is angled and shaped so as to move said hopper (25) away from the said first piston (7) when said lower edge (28) is contacted by a cam surface (30) of said brewing chamber (3) or of said discharge device (21) for the ingredient (32). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A beverage dispensing machine that comprises a brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A brewing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ingredient (32) is discharged from said brewing chamber (3) in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis (A-A) based on said chamber (3) and said rod (9b) being in said discharge position (Hdis).