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US 2014/0004249 A1Published application
Hydraulic circuit for instant beverage machines, relief and safety valve for said circuit and method for the preparation of instant beverages
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsStefano Tonelli, Massimo Lelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic circuit for instant beverage machines includes a tank, a water extraction pipe contained in the tank, a flow-meter connected to the 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, and a recovery tank.
Claims10
A 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 first 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.
2 more elements
A method for the preparation of instant beverages which comprises the acts of:
- a) pressurizing the water contained in the hydraulic circuit with a pump;
- b) when the pressure of the hydraulic circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold, discharging the water into a recovery tank via the relief valve;
- c) after a set time interval, stopping the pump and closing the hydraulic circuit;
- d) heating up the water with the boiler to a preset temperature value via the control circuit and at least one temperature sensor;
- e) moving 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, making the water flow inside said delivery unit via said relief valve;
- g) releasing the beverage through the beverage flow valve;
- h) after releasing the beverage, reducing 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) making 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) repositioning the delivery unit to its initial position;
- and
- k) repeating the operation in act b) to empty possible beverage residues from the circuit.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.