A unit of a coffee apparatus, in particular a coffee machine for brewing a coffee drink, includes a coffee bean container for storing the coffee beans, a portioner for portioning the coffee beans for an individual portion, and a grinder for grinding the portioned coffee beans. The coffee bean container and the portioner are formed in a common container module. The unit has a module receptacle, by which the container module can be connected during use and removed after use, and the container module has settings for a portion amount and a degree of grinding, which can be selected by the user. The portion amount setting influences the portioner and the degree of grinding setting influences the grinder. A simple, cost-effective and easy-to-use information exchange module between coffee container and coffee apparatus is thereby created.

A unit of a coffee apparatus, in particular a coffee machine for brewing a coffee drink, includes a coffee bean container for storing the coffee beans, a portioner for portioning the coffee beans for an individual portion, and a grinder for grinding the portioned coffee beans. The coffee bean container and the portioner are formed in a common container module. The unit has a module receptacle, by which the container module can be connected during use and removed after use, and the container module has settings for a portion amount and a degree of grinding, which can be selected by the user. The portion amount setting influences the portioner and the degree of grinding setting influences the grinder. A simple, cost-effective and easy-to-use information exchange module between coffee container and coffee apparatus is thereby created.

An apparatus including a grinder lid section; a grinder section configured to be attached to and detached from the grinder lid section, so that when the grinder section is attached to the grinder lid section the grinder lid section rotates with respect to the grinder section; a funnel section configured to be attached to and detached from the grinder section, so that when the funnel section is attached to the grinder section the funnel section does not rotate with respect to the grinder section; and a storage section configured to be attached and detached from the funnel section, so that when the storage section is attached to the funnel section the storage section does not rotate with respect to the funnel section. Each of the grinder lid section and the grinder section has a plurality of pointed teeth which face towards each other.

An apparatus including a grinder lid section; a grinder section configured to be attached to and detached from the grinder lid section, so that when the grinder section is attached to the grinder lid section the grinder lid section rotates with respect to the grinder section; a funnel section configured to be attached to and detached from the grinder section, so that when the funnel section is attached to the grinder section the funnel section does not rotate with respect to the grinder section; and a storage section configured to be attached and detached from the funnel section, so that when the storage section is attached to the funnel section the storage section does not rotate with respect to the funnel section. Each of the grinder lid section and the grinder section has a plurality of pointed teeth which face towards each other.

A method of recognizing a type of coffee from reference types of coffee, wherein each of the reference types of coffee is associated with a respective reference signal and wherein each type of coffee is associated to a characteristic combination of volatile organic compounds released from the type of coffee, may include: sensing, by one or more sensors, presence and concentration of one or more volatile organic compounds in a mixture of volatile organic compounds released from the type of coffee; generating a signal representative of the type of coffee according to the sensed one or more volatile organic compounds and the respective concentrations of the sensed one or more volatile organic compounds; comparing the generated signal with the reference signal associated with each of the reference types of coffee; and generating a recognition signal in response to the comparing of the generated signal with the reference signals.

A method of recognizing a type of coffee from reference types of coffee, wherein each of the reference types of coffee is associated with a respective reference signal and wherein each type of coffee is associated to a characteristic combination of volatile organic compounds released from the type of coffee, may include: sensing, by one or more sensors, presence and concentration of one or more volatile organic compounds in a mixture of volatile organic compounds released from the type of coffee; generating a signal representative of the type of coffee according to the sensed one or more volatile organic compounds and the respective concentrations of the sensed one or more volatile organic compounds; comparing the generated signal with the reference signal associated with each of the reference types of coffee; and generating a recognition signal in response to the comparing of the generated signal with the reference signals.

A device for storing and dispensing coffee beans, comprising a hopper defining a chamber adapted to contain the beans and provided, on the bottom, with an admission opening; a support base to support the hopper; a rotary dosing device rotatably mounted in a seat to rotate from and to a rest position, and provided with at least one cavity open on the outer surface of the rotary dosing device; and vacuum generating means to create and maintain the vacuum within the chamber. The dosing device has at least one annular groove engaged by a V-ring seal comprising a sealing lip, which, in said rest position, is compressed against an annular surface of the seat to seal the chamber and it is oriented relative to said seat, so as to be further compressed against said annular surface when subjected to a vacuum created in the chamber when air is sucked out therefrom.

A device for storing and dispensing coffee beans, comprising a hopper defining a chamber adapted to contain the beans and provided, on the bottom, with an admission opening; a support base to support the hopper; a rotary dosing device rotatably mounted in a seat to rotate from and to a rest position, and provided with at least one cavity open on the outer surface of the rotary dosing device; and vacuum generating means to create and maintain the vacuum within the chamber. The dosing device has at least one annular groove engaged by a V-ring seal comprising a sealing lip, which, in said rest position, is compressed against an annular surface of the seat to seal the chamber and it is oriented relative to said seat, so as to be further compressed against said annular surface when subjected to a vacuum created in the chamber when air is sucked out therefrom.

A grinder-doser may include: grinding members configured to receive and grind coffee beans and configured to deliver ground coffee into a dispensing conduit; a compacting member including a dispensing opening aligned with the dispensing conduit; a slide guide; and a sliding block configured to slide along the slide guide for selectively superimposing a first or second opening to the dispensing opening, allowing the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening via the first or second opening. The first opening may be reversibly closed by a closure element. The closure element may include a flexible sheet. The closure element may be configured to allow the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening as a thrust limit value exerted by the ground coffee on the closure element is exceeded. Thrust exerted by the ground coffee may cause the closure element to bend.

A grinder-doser may include: grinding members configured to receive and grind coffee beans and configured to deliver ground coffee into a dispensing conduit; a compacting member including a dispensing opening aligned with the dispensing conduit; a slide guide; and a sliding block configured to slide along the slide guide for selectively superimposing a first or second opening to the dispensing opening, allowing the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening via the first or second opening. The first opening may be reversibly closed by a closure element. The closure element may include a flexible sheet. The closure element may be configured to allow the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening as a thrust limit value exerted by the ground coffee on the closure element is exceeded. Thrust exerted by the ground coffee may cause the closure element to bend.