# US 2018/0020867 A1 · Coffee Machine And Method For Preparing A Cup Of Coffee > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0020867 A1 - Document ID: US20180020867A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/547,954 - Filed: 2016-01-26 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-05 - Assignees: De'Longhi Appliances S.R.L. - Applicants: De'Longhi Appliances S.R.L. - Inventors: Giuseppe De'Longhi; Paolo Evangelisti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020867A1 ## CPC - A47J 31/3619: {Means to remove coffee after brewing} - A23F 5/26: Extraction of water soluble constituents {(A23F5/246 takes precedence)} - A47J 31/057: with water container separated from beverage container, the hot water passing the filter only once {i.e. classical type of drip coffee makers} - A47J 31/0647: {with means to adjust the brewing chamber volume to accommodate different quantities of brewing material} - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF ## Abstract The coffee machine (1) comprises a controller, a boiler for heating a flow of infusion water, a movable infusion unit (3) that comprises an open infusion chamber (4) connected to a dispensing line (6) for dispensing the coffee infusion and an ejection piston (9) slidably supported in the infusion chamber (4), a supply line (5) for supplying said flow of infusion water to the infusion unit (3), a closing piston (8) that is engageable for closure of the infusion chamber (4), the controller being programmed to subject the infusion unit (3), prior to execution of the infusion process, to a first course of translational movement for closure of the infusion chamber (4) by the closing piston (8), and to subject the infusion chamber (4) and the ejection piston (9) or only the ejection piston (9), following execution of the infusion process, to a second course of translational movement in the same direction as the first course of translational movement, for compression of the load of spent coffee grounds (33) against the closing piston (8) and drainage of the liquid contained therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coffee machine (1) characterized in that it comprises a controller, a boiler for heating a flow of infusion water, a movable infusion unit (3) that comprises an open infusion chamber (4) connected to a dispensing line (6) for dispensing the coffee infusion and an ejection piston (9) slidably supported in the infusion chamber (4), a supply line (5) for supplying said flow of infusion water to the infusion unit (3), a closing piston (8) that is engageable for closure of the infusion chamber (4), said controller being programmed to subject said infusion unit (3), prior to execution of the infusion process, to a first course of transactional movement for closure of the infusion chamber (4) by the closing piston (8), and to subject said infusion chamber (4) and said ejection piston (9) or only said ejection piston (9), following execution of the infusion process, to a second course of translational movement in the same direction as the first course of translational movement, for compression of the load of spent coffee grounds (33) against the closing piston (8) and the drainage of the liquid contained therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coffee machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said infusion unit (3) is supported in a releasable manner by a carriage (15) having a linkage (16) for activating the ejection piston (9) interacting with a cam control means (17, 18) that is supported by a containment body (2) of the infusion unit (3). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The coffee machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said containment body (2) has a window for extraction of the infusion unit (3). ### Claim 4 A method for preparing a cup of coffee characterized in that it comprises the following steps: supplying a closing piston (8); supplying a movable infusion unit (3) beneath the closing piston (8), said infusion unit (3) comprising an infusion chamber (4) having an open access mouth (4c) facing said closing piston (8) and having an ejection piston (9) slidably supported in the infusion chamber (4). introducing a load of loose coffee grounds (32) into the open infusion chamber (4). subjecting said infusion unit (3) to a first course of translational movement towards said closing piston (8), said first course being of such an extent that the closing piston (8) closes the infusion chamber (4) as it penetrates therein; in the position of the infusion unit (3) thus achieved, sending a flow of water at a temperature ranging between 85° C. and 100° C. and a pressure level ranging between the atmospheric pressure and 2×105 Pa, into the closed infusion chamber (4) for execution of the infusion process; at the end of the infusion process, subjecting said infusion chamber (4) and said ejection piston (9), or only said ejection piston (9) to a second course of translational movement in the same direction as the first course of translational movement, said second course of translational movement being of such an extent that the closing piston (8) compresses the load of spent coffee grounds (33) for drainage of the liquid contained therein, as it penetrates further into the infusion chamber (4); at the end of the drainage process, opening infusion chamber (4) and extracting the dried load of spent coffee grounds (33). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method for preparing a cup of coffee according to claim 4, characterized in that said first course of translational movement is of such an extent that during the infusion process, the closing piston (8) does not compress the load of loose coffee grounds. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method for preparing a cup of coffee according to claim 4, characterized in that said first course of translational movement is of a present fixed length. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method for preparing a cup of coffee according to claim 4, characterized in that the infusion process is carried out within a preset fixed volume of the infusion chamber (4). ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method for preparing a cup of coffee according to claim 4, characterized in that the hot infusion water and the drained liquid are channeled through the closing piston (8).