FULLY AUTOMATIC COFFEE MACHINE

Abstract

A fully automatic coffee machine (1) including a detachable water tank (5) that is retained by a magnetic holding force on a base device (2) of the fully automatic coffee machine (1).

Claims

1. A fully automatic coffee machine (1), comprising: a base device (2); a water tank (5) which is detachable from the base device (2) and has a water outlet (8), the water outlet (8) is connectable to a connection opening (9) formed on the base device (2) for water extraction during use; the water tank (5) is held magnetically on the base device (2); the water tank (5) has a water container (35) and a lid (6) which is connected thereto and a magnetically acting coupling element (17) configured for magnetic holding (16) of the water tank (5) on the base device (2) is arranged on the lid (6).

2. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water tank (5) is magnetically held on the base device (2) at a location (10) spaced from the connection opening (9), and the magnetically acting coupling element (17) comprises a permanent magnet (18).

3. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic holding (16) of the water tank on the base device is achieved by two permanent magnets (18, 21), with one of the permanent magnets forming the magnetically acting coupling element (17).

4. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a counter-coupling element (20) arranged on the base device, and at least one of the coupling element (17) or the counter-coupling element (20) is arranged to be movable.

5. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water tank (5) is magnetically held on the base device (2) at a location (10) spaced from the connection opening (9), and a magnetically acting counter-coupling element (20) configured for magnetic holding (16) is arranged on the base device (2) under a cover (39) made of plastic.

6. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water outlet (8) is connectable by push fit to the connection opening (9).

7. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetically acting coupling element (17) for magnetic holding (16) is arranged on the water tank (5) closer to a filling opening (19) than to the water outlet (8).

8. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnetically acting counter-coupling element (20) configured for magnetic holding (16) is arranged on the base device (2).

9. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connection opening (9) is arranged below the counter-coupling element (20).

10. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection opening (9) is formed on a support (24) for the water tank (5).

11. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water tank (5) has a smaller horizontal dimension (26, 34), at least in a direction (25) in which it is magnetically held, than a vertical dimension (27).

12. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water tank (5) in a usage position lies against a side face (30) of the base device which is free from guides.

13. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid (6) is connected to the water container (35) via a hinge.

14. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetically acting coupling element (17) comprises at least one of a permanent magnet (18) or a material drawn into a magnetic field.

15. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the permanent magnets (18) is ball-shaped and another one of the permanent magnets (21) is bar-shaped.

16. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one of the coupling element (17) or the counter-coupling element (20) that is arranged to be movable is rotatable about an axis which runs transversely and perpendicularly to a magnetic dipole moment.

17. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein a magnetic holding force for the magnetic holding is oriented transversely to a push-fit direction (13) of the push-fit connection (12).

18. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the magnetically acting counter-coupling element (20) comprises at least one of a permanent magnet (21) or a material drawn into the magnetic field.

19. The fully automatic coffee machine (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the horizontal dimension (26, 34) amounts to a maximum of 50% of the vertical dimension (27).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention is now described in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment, but is not restricted to this exemplary embodiment. Further exemplary embodiments arise from combinations of the features of individual or multiple claims, and/or with individual or multiple features of the exemplary embodiment.

[0034] The drawings show:

[0035] FIG. 1 a fully automatic coffee machine according to the invention in three-dimensional oblique view,

[0036] FIG. 2 the water tank from FIG. 1 with lid removed,

[0037] FIG. 3 an extract from FIG. 2,

[0038] FIG. 4 a vertical section through the water tank from FIG. 2,

[0039] FIG. 5 a detail of FIG. 4,

[0040] FIG. 6 the fully automatic coffee machine from FIG. 1 in a horizontal, sectional view,

[0041] FIG. 7 a horizontal, sectional illustration through the water tank with adjoining housing of the base device relating to the view in FIG. 6,

[0042] FIG. 8 a view of the back side of the removed water tank from FIG. 1,

[0043] FIG. 9 a view of the back side of the water tank from FIG. 8 with open lid,

[0044] FIG. 10 a view of a side of the water tank from FIG. 9,

[0045] FIG. 11 a view from above onto the water tank from FIG. 9, and

[0046] FIG. 12 a three-dimensional, oblique view of the fully automatic coffee machine from FIG. 1 with detached water tank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional, oblique view of a fully automatic coffee machine 1 according to the invention.

[0048] The fully automatic coffee machine 1 has a base device 2 on which an output unit 3 is formed for the output of hot drinks, and further means (not shown) in the interior for the production of hot drinks. The base device 2 also has a cup support 4 on which cups or beakers can be placed below the output unit 3 in the known fashion, in order to extract the desired drink.

[0049] A water tank 5 is arranged on the base device 2 and provides a water store for preparation of drinks.

[0050] The water tank 5 has a lid 6 which can be removed for filling the water container 35. The water container 35 and the lid 6 substantially form the detachable water tank 5.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows the detached water tank 5 without lid 6.

[0052] On its underside 7, the water container 35 has a water outlet 8 via which the stored water can be output to the base device 2.

[0053] FIG. 9 shows the base device in FIG. 1 with detached water tank 5. In FIG. 9, the connection opening 9 can be seen which can be coupled to the water outlet 8 of the water tank 5 in order to conduct water into the base device 2.

[0054] For usage, the water tank 5 is placed on the connection opening 9 and held magnetically, in a manner to be described in more detail below, at a location 10 which is spaced from the connection opening 9 and corresponds to an upper region 11 of the water tank 5. The water outlet 8 is connected to the connection opening 9 by a push-fit movement oriented vertically along a push-fit connection 12. The magnetic holding force at the location 10 acts transversely to this push-fit direction 12. This gives a contact region 1 at the outer face 14 on a back side of the water tank 5.

[0055] The magnetic holding force is created by a holder 16, which is shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 and described in more detail below. It could be said that the holding force is oriented transversely to the push-fit direction 12.

[0056] FIG. 3 here shows an enlargement from FIG. 2, FIG. 5 an enlargement of the top right-hand corner of FIG. 4, while FIG. 7 shows part of the two-dimensional sectional depiction relating to the three-dimensional sectional depiction in FIG. 6.

[0057] On the side of the water tank 5, a coupling element 17 with a permanent magnet 18 is formed.

[0058] In FIGS. 9 to 11, it is evident that the coupling element 17 is formed on the lid 6. When the lid 6 is closed, the coupling element 17 is in the upper region 11 of the water container 35 and hence arranged closer to a filling opening 19 (see FIG. 2) than to the above-mentioned water outlet 8. The filling opening 19 can be closed by the lid 6.

[0059] The base device 2 has a corresponding counter-coupling element 20 with a permanent magnet 21. The permanent magnet 21 is oriented such that in interaction with the permanent magnet 18, the magnetic holding force is created which acts along a direction 25. Instead of the permanent magnet 21, a ferromagnetic body may also be formed which is drawn into the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 18 and hence attracted by the permanent magnet 18. Alternatively, the permanent magnet 18 may also be replaced by such a body.

[0060] Whereas the permanent magnet 18 may be molded or bonded into the lid 6, the permanent magnet 21, which may be configured as a ball, has a degree of play so that it is movably arranged in an encapsulation 40. The dipole of the permanent magnet 21 may thus easily orientate itself to the dipole of the permanent magnet 18, even if the permanent magnet 18 has been mounted in reverse. The permanent magnet 18 is here formed as a bar magnet.

[0061] In a further exemplary embodiment, the permanent magnet 18 is formed as a ball and arranged with a degree of play. The permanent magnet 21 may here be configured as a movable ball or be arranged immovably.

[0062] The encapsulation 40 has a cover 39 which is arranged on a connecting line between the coupling element 17 and the counter-coupling element 21. An opening 41 serves for screw fixing to the housing 23.

[0063] It is clear from the Figures that two identical holders 16 are formed with a mutual horizontal spacing.

[0064] The coupling element 17 is integrated in the wall 22 of the water tank 5. The counter-coupling element 20 is integrated in a housing 23 of the base device 2.

[0065] The connection opening 9 is integrated in a support 24 which receives the weight of the filled water tank 5.

[0066] The water tank 5 has a horizontal dimension 26, in the direction 25 of the magnetic holding force, which is smaller than a vertical dimension 27 of the water tank 5.

[0067] This gives an elongate bottom face 28 of the water tank 5 which is smaller than a largest side face 29 of the water tank 5.

[0068] The side face 29 is more than twice as large as the bottom face 28. For the present water tank 5, it could be said that all side faces, i.e. also the lateral side faces 38, are each significantly larger than the bottom face 28. This gives a water tank 5 of tower-like form.

[0069] The side faces 29, 31, 38 of the water tank are free from mechanical guide means with which a form-fit connection could be created. The same applies to the side face 30 of the base device 2.

[0070] It can be said that the rear side face 29 of the water tank 5 in FIG. 8 is designed substantially the same as the front side face 31 of the water tank 5 from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. The water tank 5 is thus externally symmetrical.

[0071] The side faces 29, 31, 38 of the water tank 35 are configured so as to be transparent, in order to show a fill level. They have a structure which only vaguely shows an interior of the water container 35. Thus in particular, a filter 33 could be concealed in the interior of the water container 35 (see FIG. 4).

[0072] In FIGS. 9 to 11, it is also evident that the lid 6 is attached captively to the water container 35. For this, the lid 6 is pivotably connected to the water container 35 via a folding arm 36. At each end, the folding arm 36 forms a respective hinge so the lid 6 can be completely pivoted away to facilitate filling and create space for a fold-out handle 37.

[0073] With the fully automatic coffee machine 1, it is proposed that a detachable water tank 5 is held by a magnetic holding force on a base device 2 of the fully automatic coffee machine 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0074] 1 Fully automatic coffee machine [0075] 2 Base device [0076] 3 Output unit [0077] 4 Cup support [0078] 5 Water tank [0079] 6 Lid [0080] 7 Underside of water tank [0081] 8 Water outlet [0082] 9 Connection opening [0083] 10 Location [0084] 11 Upper region of water tank [0085] 12 Push-fit connection [0086] 13 Push-fit direction [0087] 14 Contact region [0088] 15 Outer face [0089] 16 Holder [0090] 17 Coupling element [0091] 18 Permanent magnet [0092] 19 Filling opening [0093] 20 Counter-coupling element [0094] 21 Permanent magnet [0095] 22 Wall of water container [0096] 23 Housing of base device [0097] 24 Support for water container [0098] 25 Direction [0099] 26 Horizontal dimension [0100] 27 Vertical dimension [0101] 28 Bottom face of water container [0102] 29 (Rear) side face of water container [0103] 30 Side face of water container [0104] 31 (Front) Side face of water container [0105] 32 Structure [0106] 33 Filter [0107] 34 Horizontal dimension [0108] 35 Water container [0109] 36 Folding arm [0110] 37 Handle [0111] 38 (Lateral) side face of water container [0112] 39 Cover of 21