# US 11,439,270 B2 · Coffee machine with proportional pre-infusion system

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- Number: US 11,439,270 B2
- Document ID: US11439270B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/680,003
- Filed: 2019-11-11
- Published: 2020-06-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-29
- Applicants: Simonelli Group S.P.A.
- Inventors: Claudio Cingolani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439270B2

## CPC

- A47J 31/461: {Valves, e.g. drain valves}
- A23F 5/26: Extraction of water soluble constituents {(A23F5/246 takes precedence)}
- A23F 5/262: {the extraction liquid flowing through a stationary bed of solid substances, e.g. in percolation columns}
- A47J 31/002: {following a specific operational sequence, e.g. for improving the taste of the extraction product}
- A47J 31/36: with mechanical pressure-producing means
- A47J 31/3671: {Loose coffee being employed}
- A47J 31/446: {Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus}
- A47J 31/468: {Pumping means}
- A47J 31/52: Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus}
- A47J 31/545: {Control or safety devices}
- A23F 5/243: {Liquid, semi-liquid or non-dried semi-solid coffee extract preparations; Coffee gels; Liquid coffee in solid capsules (A23F5/246 takes precedence)}
- A47J 31/469: {Details of hydraulic circuits}
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF

## Abstract

A coffee machine includes: a filter holder suitable for containing at least one coffee dose; a dispensing unit with dispensing nozzles suitable for sending a flow of hot water on the coffee dose; a water system provided with a pump to supply pressurized water towards the dispensing nozzles; a heater to heat the water to be supplied to the dispensing nozzles; a dispensing valve to enable/disable the supply of hot water towards the dispensing nozzles; a pre-infusion valve installed upstream the dispensing valve; and a control unit comprising actuation means to actuate the pre-infusion valve. The pre-infusion valve is a two-way electrovalve of programmable proportional type.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Coffee machine comprising:
a filter holder suitable for containing at least one coffee dose;
a dispensing unit suitable for receiving the filter holder; said dispensing unit being provided with dispensing nozzles suitable for sending a flow of hot water on the coffee dose contained in the filter holder;
a water system provided with a pump to supply pressurized water to said dispensing nozzles of the dispensing unit;
a heater disposed in said water system to heat the water to be supplied to the dispensing nozzles;
a dispensing valve disposed in said water system between the heater and the dispensing nozzles to enable/disable the supply of hot water to said dispensing nozzles;
a pre-infusion valve disposed in said water system upstream said dispensing valve; and
a control unit comprising actuation means to actuate said pre-infusion valve;
wherein said pre-infusion valve is a two-way electrovalve of programmable proportional type, comprising a shutter suitable for gradually opening and closing the communication between the two ways of the valve proportionally to a command signal sent by said actuation means;
wherein the actuation means and the pre-infusion valve are configured in such a way to have:
a dispensing time (Te) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve is opened to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is closed;
an opening time (T1) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve starts opening to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is completely open;
a maximum flow time (T2) in which the pre-infusion valve is completely open; and
a closing time (T3) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve starts closing to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is completely closed;
wherein the closing time (T1) is higher than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te), the maximum flow time (T2) is lower than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te), and the closing time (T2) is higher than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the opening time (T1) is approximately ⅖ of the dispensing time (Te), the maximum flow time (T2) is approximately ⅕ of the dispensing time (Te) and the closing time (T3) is approximately ⅖ of the dispensing time (Te).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the actuation means and the pre-infusion valve are configured in such a way that the pre-infusion valve (9) makes only one dispensing operation during a pre-infusion cycle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the actuation means and the pre-infusion valve are configured in such a way that, during a pre-infusion cycle, the pre-infusion valve makes at least two dispensing operations that are separated by an idle time interval in which the valve is completely closed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the pre-infusion valve is a proportional electrovalve with voltage or frequency control and the actuation means are a generator of variable voltage or alternate current and the control signal is a signal of variable voltage or alternate current with variable frequency, suitable for supplying the pre-infusion valve with a variable voltage or alternate current with variable frequency proportionally to the opening of the pre-infusion valve to be obtained.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of any one of claims 1, wherein the pre-infusion valve is an electrovalve provided with a stepping motor that actuates the shutter; the actuation means are a driver of the stepping motor and the control signal is a current or voltage signal that controls the rotation of the stepping motor proportionally to the opening of the pre-infusion valve to be obtained.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the pre-infusion valve is installed downstream or upstream said heater.

### Claim 8

Coffee extraction method with a coffee machine comprising the following steps:
pre-infusion of a coffee dose contained in a filter holder by supplying a flow of pressurized hot water on the coffee dose;
extraction of the beverage by supplying a flow of pressurized hot water;
wherein
said pre-infusion step is performed by means of a pre-infusion valve comprising a two-way electrovalve ofprogrammable proportional type, comprising a shutter suitable for gradually opening and closing the communication between the two ways of the valve, proportionally to a command signal sent by actuation means;
said method comprises:
a dispensing time (Te) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve is opened to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is closed;
an opening time (T1) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve starts opening to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is completely open;
a maximum flow time (T2) in which the pre-infusion valve is completely open; and
a closing time (T3) from the moment when the pre-infusion valve starts closing to the moment when the pre-infusion valve is completely closed;
wherein the opening time (T1) is higher than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te), the maximum flow time (T2) is lower than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te), and the closing time (T2) is higher than ⅓ of the dispensing time (Te).