Apparatus and process for extracting espresso coffee
AssigneeSelsys Corporation
InventorHoward W. Selby, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved process and apparatus for the extraction of espresso coffee from ground coffee beans in which the pressure of extraction is precisely regulated by a pressure valve and is not dependent on coffee grind size, degree of compaction of the coffee grind, or operator skill. A feature of the invention is in an assembly of the brewing chamber and regulator valve for convenient removal and attachment to an espresso machine as a unit without otherwise modifying the machine. The assembly is configurable with the regulator valve within a common housing which also defines the brewing chamber, or with a regulator valve separate from the brewing chamber assembly but attached to an outlet of the brewing chamber.
Claims17
Apparatus for extracting espresso coffee from ground coffee beans comprising:
- a source of pressurized liquid;
- a normally closed pressure regulating valve having an inlet for receiving said liquid and an outlet for discharging said liquid, said valve remaining closed to liquid flow therethrough until a predetermined pressure is reached between said inlet and said outlet, said valve thereafter opening to allow flow of said liquid from said inlet to said outlet, and said valve thereafter maintaining a constant pressure between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- means for receiving a container having said ground coffee beans and a filter for establishing a closed path for flow of said liquid from said source through said beans and said filter into said valve inlet when said valve is open.
Apparatus for cooperatively interfacing with the source of pressurized fluid for an espresso coffee machine comprising:
- means having a chamber for receiving ground coffee beans and including an inlet for receiving pressurized fluid from the espresso machine source and an outlet for allowing fluid flow from said chamber, and
- normally closed regulator valve means having an input coupled to said chamber outlet and an output, said regulator valve means responding to fluidic pressure at said valve input by blocking fluid passage between said valve input and said valve output until a predetermined pressure is reached and thereafter allowing fluid flow between said valve input and said valve output with a flow magnitude for maintaining constant pressure of the fluid at said valve input.
Apparatus for regulating the flow of fluid through the chamber of an espresso coffee machine, said chamber including a chamber inlet, a chamber outlet, and an arrangement for retaining ground coffee beans therein with a filter for allowing pressurized fluid to pass to the chamber outlet while blocking passage of the ground coffee beans comprising:
- fluid input means coupled to the chamber outlet, and
- normally closed pressure responsive means responsive to the pressure of the fluid at said input means for blocking fluid passage therethrough until the fluid pressure at said input means reached a predetermined magnitude and for responding to fluid pressure at said input means greater than said predetermined magnitude by allowing fluid flow therethrough of a magnitude for thereafter maintaining the fluid pressure at said input means substantially constant.
Apparatus for extracting espresso coffee from ground coffee beans comprising
- means having a chamber for receiving the ground coffee beans and having an inlet and an outlet for accommodating fluid flow through said chamber,
- means for introducing pressurized fluid in said chamber through said inlet thereof, and
- normally closed regulator valve means coupled to said chamber outlet for allowing fluid flow from said chamber outlet only after the pressure of said pressurized fluid equals a predetermined pressure and for thereafter controlling the amount of flow of said fluid through said regulator valve means so as to maintain a substantially constant pressure on said fluid between said chamber inlet and outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.