Hydraulic Circuit for Instant Beverage Machines, Relief and Safety Valve for Said Circuit and Method for the Preparation of Instant Beverages
AssigneeSaeco IPR Limited
InventorsStefano Tonelli, Massimo Lelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hydraulic circuit for instant beverage machines comprising a tank, a water extraction pipe contained in said tank, a flow-meter connected to said extraction pipe, a pump, a first vibration-damping valve, a boiler, a second relief and safety valve, a water/steam faucet, a third beverage flow valve, a recovery tank.
Claims17
1-16. (canceled)
Hydraulic circuit for instant beverage machines comprising a tank, a water extraction pipe contained in said tank, a flow-meter connected to said extraction pipe, a pump, a first vibration-damping valve, a boiler, a second relief and safety valve, a water/steam faucet, a third beverage flow valve, a recovery tank, said relief and safety valve comprising a water/steam inlet, a first water/steam outlet directed to said faucet, a second outlet of the pressurized water directed to said beverage delivery valve and a third outlet for discharging water into the recovery tank, said third outlet being controlled by a solenoid valve equipped with a control coil, wherein said solenoid valve is equipped with a first maximum pressure limiting device.
Relief and safety valve usable for hydraulic circuits for instant beverage machines comprising a water/steam inlet, a first water/steam outlet directed to said faucet, a second outlet of the pressurized water directed to said beverage delivery valve and a third outlet for discharging water into the recovery tank wherein said third outlet is operated by a solenoid equipped with a maximum pressure limiting device which remains closed during normal operation and opens up if the pressure exceeds a specific threshold, or if a specific command is sent to the control coil of said solenoid valve.
Method for the preparation of instant beverages wherein it comprises the following steps:
- a) pressurize the water contained in the hydraulic circuit with a pump
- b) when the pressure of the hydraulic circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold, discharge the water into a recovery tank via the relief valve
- c) after a set time interval, stop the pump and close the hydraulic circuit
- d) heat up the water with the boiler to a preset temperature value via the control circuit and at least one temperature sensor,
- e) move the beverage delivery unit to the operating position by engaging it to the delivery connector—pin, terminal connecting part of the hydraulic circuit,
- f) when a pressure limit is reached, make the water flow inside said delivery unit via said relief valve
- g) release the beverage through the beverage flow valve
- h) after releasing the beverage, reduce the pressure of the hydraulic circuit when the delivery unit is still engaged in the delivery connector—pin via a special command from the control circuit which energizes the control coil of the relief valve, which will open up,
- i) make the pressurized liquid in the delivery unit flow out through the hole with the spring calibrated at 0.2 bars from the drain towards said recovery tank
- j) reposition the delivery unit to its initial position,
- k) repeat operation in step b) to empty possible beverage residues from the circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.