Brewing module, a capsule recognition module and a drinks preparation machine

Abstract

A capsule-detecting module for a brewing module for preparing a brewed drink from a single-serve capsule, including: an optical sensor, especially a camera, for detecting optical properties of the capsule located in a capsule detection position; a capsule detection window made of a transparent material and arranged between the capsule detection position and the camera; and a module cover that closes an access opening and is designed to be opened and/or removed without using any tools, the side of the capsule detection window facing the capsule detection position being accessible through the access opening when the module cover is open or removed.

Claims

1. A capsule recognition module for a brewing module for preparing a brewed drink from a portion capsule, comprising a capsule insert opening through which a capsule can be inserted into a capsule recognition position, and further comprising: an optical sensor for detecting optical characteristics of the capsule when the capsule is located at the capsule recognition position, a capsule recognition window of a transparent material between the capsule recognition position and the optical sensor, a module cover that closes an access opening and is configured to be reversibly opened and/or removed, wherein, when the module cover is opened or removed, a side of the capsule recognition window facing the capsule recognition position is accessible through the access opening, wherein the access opening is separate from the capsule insert opening, and wherein the capsule recognition window is arranged at a non-right angle to an axis between the capsule recognition position and the optical sensor.

2. The capsule recognition module according to claim 1, comprising at least one light source for illuminating the capsule at the capsule recognition position, wherein the light source is arranged on the side of the capsule recognition window that is towards the optical sensor.

3. The capsule recognition module according to claim 2, comprising a diffuser for light that is produced by the light source.

4. The capsule recognition module according to claim 1, wherein an angle between a perpendicular to the capsule recognition window on the one hand and the axis at a location of a passage of the axis through the capsule recognition window on the other hand is between 100 and 45.

5. The capsule recognition module according to claim 1, wherein the capsule recognition window is inclined towards a side of the module cover.

6. The capsule recognition module according to claim 1, comprising a fan for producing an airflow at the side of the capsule recognition window that is towards the capsule recognition position.

7. The capsule recognition module according to claim 1, wherein the module cover is fastened on a module housing at a pivot axis and can be opened by way of a pivoting movement.

8. A drinks preparation machine, in particular coffee machine, comprising a water feed, a pump and a water heater as well as the capsule recognition module according to claim 1.

9. The drinks preparation machine according to claim 8, wherein the access opening is closable by the module cover when the capsule insert opening is accessible.

10. The drinks preparation machine according to claim 8, comprising an operating element for closing the capsule insert opening, wherein the module cover is covered by the operating element when this closes the capsule insert opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiment examples of the invention are hereinafter described by way of the figures. In the figures, the same reference numerals describe the same or analogous elements. There are shown in:

(2) FIG. 1 a view of a brewing module with a capsule recognition module;

(3) FIG. 2 a sectioned representation of the brewing module with the capsule recognition module of FIG. 1, installed into a coffee machine;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 in each case, a view of the capsule recognition module according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with a closed and an open module cover;

(5) FIGS. 5 and 6 in each case, a sectioned representation of the capsule recognition module;

(6) FIG. 7 an exploded representation of a camera unit of the capsule recognition module;

(7) FIG. 8 the camera unit in the assembled condition;

(8) FIG. 9 a second baffle of the capsule recognition module;

(9) FIG. 10 a reflector of the capsule recognition module;

(10) FIG. 11 a diffuser of the capsule recognition module;

(11) FIG. 12 a schematic diagram of the drinks preparation machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) The brewing module 1 according to FIG. 1 includes an outer brewing module housing 2. In the represented embodiment example, this is composed of an upper housing part 2.1 (capsule recognition housing) and of a lower housing part 2.2 (brewing chamber unit housing). A capsule insert opening 11, through which a portion capsule 10 can be inserted into the brewing module, is formed at the upper side.

(13) FIG. 2 in a longitudinal section shows a part of a coffee machine with the brewing module. The brewing module 1 is installed into an outer machine housing 25 with a pivotable operating lever 26 which in the closed condition covers the capsule insert opening 11. The housing also forms a run-out hood 29 at a front side.

(14) Two brewing module parts, which are movable relative to one another, specifically a discharge device 3 and an injector 4, are guided in the brewing module housing 2.

(15) The injector 4 includes perforation elements for piercing a capsule, which is able to be introduced into the brewing module via an insert opening 11 and which is at least partly filled with extraction material, for example ground coffee. The injector 4 is designed to introduce a fluidfor example hot waterthrough the perforation elements or past these, into the pierced capsule, wherein the water can be fed via a water feed 12 which for example can include flexible tubing.

(16) With the embodiment example described here, the discharge device 3 also includes perforation elements, specifically extraction-side piercing spikes. These can be designed, for example, as is described in WO 2015/039258 or in WO 2010/118544 or have another design, and the application of principles other than piercing tips, for example with grating-like structures are also possible.

(17) As is known per se for preparing a brewed drink, a capsule is placed between the discharge device 3 and the injector 4, and these are moved towards one another such that a brewing chamber encompassing the capsule is formed between these. The hot water is fed under pressure through the injector to the capsule, and the extraction product flows through the discharge device 3 via a drinks outlet 13 into a drinks vessel that is placed therebelow, for example.

(18) The relative movement of the brewing module partsthe discharge device and the injectorin the embodiment example described here is achieved by way of the discharge device 3 being assembled in a manner in which it is fixed to the housing, whereas the injector 4 is movable along the horizontal axis. The drive of the injector is effected via a toggle lever driven in a motorised manner via a pinion shaft 24 and a toothed drive disc 20, the toggle lever being connected to/including a first toggle lever arm 21 and a second toggle lever arm 22.

(19) The brewing module, above the brewing chamber unit with the discharge device 3 and the injector 4, includes a capsule recognition unit 5 with a camera. A capsule, which is inserted through the capsule insert opening 11, firstly gets to a capsule recognition position, in the capsule recognition module, whereunder certain circumstances depending on the operating conditionoptical characteristics of the capsule are read out. The capsule is subsequently transferred downwards into the brewing position. A mechanism which is suitable for this is described in PCT/EP2015/076812, which is expressly referred to here. Other mechanisms, also with a further transport which is to be effected manually or the possibility of the capsule recognition position corresponding to the brewing position are not ruled out.

(20) FIG. 3 shows the capsule recognition module including the upper housing part 2.1, and FIG. 4 shows a corresponding view with an open module cover 18. FIG. 5 shows a view of the capsule recognition module which is represented in a sectioned manner, with upper housing part, and FIG. 6 shows a corresponding sectioned representation with a capsule 10. FIG. 7 shows an exploded representation of the camera unit, FIG. 8 shows the camera unit in the assembled condition, and FIGS. 9-11 show further elements of the capsule recognition module.

(21) For service purposes, the camera is accessible through a silicone covering 16 which is at the rear and which forms a part of the upper housing part 2.1. This covering forms a sealing lip 17, through which a ribbon cable can be sealingly led; and a data exchange with a central machine control and evaluation electronics takes place via such a ribbon cable, as also the supply of electricity to the camera and light sources.

(22) The camera includes a camera sensor 51, for example with a CCD sensor array or CMOS sensor array, which is arranged on a circuit board 57. Several LEDs 62 as light sources are also arranged on the circuit board 57 at the bottom, wherein these produce light given a capsule recognition procedure, the light via a diffuser 53 (FIG. 11, cf. also FIG. 6) with a structured and thus diffusely acting face surface 53.1 and via a capsule recognition window 52 being cast onto the capsule. A part of the capsule recognition module housing is optionally designed as a reflector 68 with a specifically structured and reflecting surface on its inner side, said surface contributing to the uniform distribution of light from the LEDs 62 on the capsule surface. An opening 71 for the fan is also formed on the reflector 68.

(23) A suitable, optically readable feature, for example a bar code, a 2D matrix code (for example QR code or Aztec code), a pictogram (icon), a code according to one or more of the European patent applications 14 197 487.3, 14 197 488.1 and/or 14 197 489.9 and/or also a certain colouring, are present on the capsule.

(24) The side of the capsule, which is illuminated by the light sources, is detected by the camera and is evaluated in the camera or by way of a separate module (not represented), which, for example, is likewise present in the coffee machine.

(25) The light, which is reflected from the illuminated capsule for this purpose, gets through the capsule recognition window 52, and a diffuser window 54 in the diffuser 53 to the camera which includes an aperture 58, at least one lens 59 as well as the camera sensor 51.

(26) Here, the lens 59 is held by a lens holder 64 and is fixed (FIG. 12) by a lens fixations 60 (FIG. 12). The inner lens holder 64 is screwed into an outer lens holder 61, wherein the outer lens holder 61 is assembled on the circuit board 57. The inner lens holder 64 is rotatably arranged in the inside of the lens holder for focussing purposes, wherein a rotation effects a relative displacement on account of the screw connection between the outer and the inner lens holder. The inner lens holder 64 also forms an aperture 58 as well as a first baffle (lens hood, scatter light aperture) 64.1, which prevents light which is scattered back at the diffuser, for example, from getting into the camera optics. A second baffle 67 with an analogous purpose is stuck onto the diffuser 33.

(27) The mechanical details of the camera optics and the design of the diffuser, however, can also be selected differently without further ado.

(28) After the brewing procedure, water vapour also gets into the region above the brewing position and into the environment of the capsule recognition position. The capsule recognition module, apart from the camera unit, therefore also includes the mentioned capsule recognition window 52, which separates the camera and possibly other optical or electronic components from the region, into which water vapour can get.

(29) With regard to the capsule recognition position, a fan 70 is located in front of the capsule recognition window 52 and during the capsule recognition procedure and/or before this produces an airflow in front of the capsule recognition window, by way of it sucking air from outside the coffee machine and blowing it through an opening 71 in the housinghere in the reflector 68to in front of the capsule recognition window 52.

(30) A feature of the capsule recognition window is that the capsule recognition window 52 is arranged at a non-right angle to the axis 65 (FIG. 6) between the capsule recognition position and the camera sensor 51. By way of this, reflections of the light sources are efficiently prevented from being able to superimpose on the image of the capsule on the camera sensor and from being able to adulterate the evaluation. The angle of the capsule recognition window plane to the perpendicular to the axis 65 between the capsule recognition position and the camera sensor (defined as the axis going in each case through the middle of the camera sensor surface or the capsule which is located at the capsule recognition position, see FIG. 6; the axis 65 can coincide with the optical axis of the camera) is, for example, at least 10, in particular at least 15, and for example maximally 55 or 45, in the represented example approx. 30

(31) A pivotable module cover 18 is arranged at the upper side. Given an opened operating lever 26, the module cover 18 can be opened to the top by way of a pivoting movement and thus permits the access to the capsule recognition window. The orientation of the capsule recognition window is herein selected such that the capsule recognition window is inclined towards the side of the module cover 18, i.e. the normal N to the capsule recognition window points away from the axis 65 and has a component in the direction of the module cover. The capsule recognition window 52 becomes easily accessible at the brewing chamber side on account of this, and can be rapidly and efficiently cleaned in the case of fogging or contamination.

(32) A machine according to the invention, for preparing a brewed drink from a portion capsule, here specifically a coffee machine, with a brewing module, is represented schematically in FIG. 12. Apart from the brewing module, it includes a water tank 91, a pump 92 for feeding brewing water to the injector 4 and a water heating device 93 (for example continuous heater). The capsule recognition module 5 with the camera 50 in particular is located above the brewing chamber. After the capsule recognition process, an inserted capsule can be transported further, downwards by way of the effect of gravity, as has been described above. This however is not a necessity.

(33) Moreover, a capsule container 95, into which the capsules 1 drop or are transported during the brewing process is arranged below the brewing module. The reference numeral 98 indicates a coffee cup.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(34) 1 brewing module 2 housing 3 discharge device 4 injector 5 capsule recognition module 10 capsule 10 second capsule 11 insert opening 12 water feed 13 drinks outlet 16 silicone covering 17 sealing lip 18 module cover 20 drive disc 21 first toggle lever arm 22 second toggle lever arm 24 pinion shaft 25 outer machine housing 26 operating lever 28 lateral guide 29 run-out hood 50 camera 51 camera sensor 52 capsule recognition window 53 diffuser 54 diffuser opening 57 circuit board 58 aperture 59 lens 60 lens fixation 61 outer lens holder 62 LED 64 inner lens holder 64.1 first baffle 65 axis 67 second baffle 68 reflector 70 fan 71 opening 91 water tank 92 pump 93 water heater device 95 capsule container 98 coffee cup