Machine for Preparing Coffee Beverages
AssigneeDe' Longhi Appliances S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
InventorsPaolo Evangelisti, Nicola Piovan, Davide Bonotto, Alberto Acciari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic machine for preparing coffee beverages includes a brewing unit provided with a brewing chamber connected to a feed circuit for the water by means of an entry aperture and to an exit circuit for the beverage by means of an exit aperture. The machine also includes a valve unit, connected to the exit circuit and configured to supply a first high-pressure exit path and a second low-pressure exit path for the beverage. The invention also concerns a method to prepare a coffee beverage.
Claims16
An automatic machine for preparing coffee beverages, comprising a brewing unit provided with a brewing chamber connected to a feed circuit for the water by means of an entry aperture and to an exit circuit for the beverage by means of an exit aperture, comprising a valve unit, provided with an entry connected to said exit circuit and with an exit connected to a delivery duct, configured to supply a first high-pressure exit path comprising counter pressure means and a second low-pressure exit path comprising bypass means selectively drivable in order to bypass the action of said counter pressure means and make the beverage pass in said second exit path.
A method to prepare a coffee beverage by brewing a dose of coffee powder in a brewing chamber, wherein said method comprises:
- receiving an indication of a type of coffee beverage chosen between a beverage to be prepared at high pressure having organoleptic characteristics similar to an “Espresso” coffee, and a beverage to be prepared at low pressure having organoleptic characteristics similar to a “Drip” coffee;
- feeding water to said brewing chamber through an entry aperture and making the beverage exit from said brewing chamber through an exit aperture connected to an exit circuit;
- and
- making the coffee beverage transit through a valve unit downstream of the exit duct,
- wherein, if the preparation of a beverage at high pressure is required, said method provides to deliver the beverage along a high-pressure exit path of said valve unit making it transit through counter pressure means and,
- if the preparation of a beverage at low pressure is required, said method provides to drive bypass means of said valve unit in order to bypass the action of said counter pressure means and deliver the coffee beverage along a low-pressure exit path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.