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US 12,648,668 B2Granted
Machine to prepare coffee beverages and corresponding regulation method
AssigneeDe' Longhi Appliances S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
InventorsSimone Rosetta, Claudia Ciman, Antonio Panciera
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine for preparing coffee beverages comprises an infusion unit comprising an infusion chamber suitable to contain a quantity of coffee powder to be subjected to infusion, a grinding unit to grind coffee beans and obtain coffee powder, a water tank connected to the grinding unit, means for feeding and heating the water, and a dispensing unit fluidically connected to the infusion unit and configured to dispense the beverage prepared into a receptacle. The invention also concerns a method to regulate a machine for preparing coffee beverages.
Claims19
Method to regulate a coffee beverage machine comprising:
- making available in a memory unit or database a plurality of sets of operative parameters, each of the sets of operative parameters associated with a type of coffee beans having a determinate profile of characteristics, and each of the sets of operative parameters suitable to obtain a coffee beverage with determinate qualities, wherein each set of operative parameters comprises one or more setting parameters for at least one of a grinding unit, heating means, water feed means configured to feed water from a water tank to an infusion unit, and the infusion unit of the coffee beverage machine and at least one expected extraction parameter, correlated to the set of operative parameters;
- acquiring by an interface the information on a selected type of coffee beans to be used to brew the beverage;
- carrying out a first approximate optimization of the coffee beverage machine, correlated to the selected type of coffee beans, wherein carrying out the first approximate optimization comprises:
- selecting, from the plurality of sets of operative parameters made available, a set of operative parameters associated with the selected type of coffee beans, wherein the selected set of operative parameters comprises the at least one setting parameter and the at least one expect extraction parameter, and
- commanding the functioning of the coffee beverage machine by means of a control unit on the basis of the selected set of operative parameters by setting the-at at least one of the grinding unit, the heating means, the water feed means, and the infusion unit on the basis of the at least one setting parameter associated with the selected set of operative parameters;
- and
- carrying out a second and finer optimization of the coffee beverage machine by comparing an actual extraction parameter of the coffee beverage machine, measured during preparation of a first beverage carried out with the at least one setting parameter associated to the selected set of operative parameters, by the means of at least one sensor selected from a flow meter, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor, with the expected extraction parameter associated with the selected set of operative parameters, and
- automatically, by the control unit, modifying, within a respective range of values predefined for the given type of coffee beans, the at least one setting parameter selected from granulometry/grinding level of the coffee beans, quantity of coffee powder for a beverage, duration, quantity or temperature of the water for a pre-infusion, a temperature of the infusion water, infusion time, and a speed/flow rate or pressure of the water for the infusion, so that the actual extraction paramet responds to the at least one expected extraction parameter.
5 more elements
Method to regulate a coffee beverage machine comprising:
- making available in a memory unit or database a plurality of sets of operative parameters, each of the sets of operative parameters associated with a type of coffee beans having a determinate profile of characteristics, and each of the sets of operative parameters suitable to obtain a coffee beverage with determinate qualities, wherein each set of operative parameters comprises one or more setting parameters for at least one of a grinding unit, heating means, water feed means configured to feed water from a water tank to an infusion unit, and the infusion unit of the coffee beverage machine and an expected extraction parameter, correlated to the set of operative parameters, the type of coffee beans comprises a variety of the coffee beans and a roasting level of the coffee beans;
- acquiring by an interface the information on a selected type of coffee beans to be used to brew the beverage;
- carrying out a first approximate optimization of the coffee beverage machine, correlated to the selected type of coffee beans, wherein carrying out the first approximate optimization comprises:
- selecting, from the plurality of sets of operative parameters made available, a set of operative parameters associated with the selected type of coffee beans, wherein the selected set of operative parameters comprises a first setting parameter and a first expected extraction parameter;
- and
- commanding the functioning of the coffee beverage machine by means of a control unit on the basis of the selected set of operative parameters by setting the at least one of the grinding unit, the heating means, the water feed means, and the infusion unit on the basis of the first setting parameter associated with the selected set of operative parameters;
- and
- carrying out a second and finer optimization of the coffee beverage machine by comparing an actual extraction parameter of the coffee beverage machine, measured during preparation of a first beverage carried out with the first setting parameter set, by the means of at least one sensor selected from a flow meter a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, with the first expected extraction parameter,
- automatically, by the control unit, modifying, within a respective range of values predefined for the given type of coffee beans, at least one setting parameter selected from granulometry/grinding level of the coffee beans, quantity of coffee powder for a beverage, duration, quantity or temperature of the water for a pre-infusion, a temperature of the infusion water, infusion time, and a speed/flow rate or pressure of the water for the infusion, so that the actual extraction parameter corresponds to the first expected extraction parameter.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.