COMBINED ESPRESSO COFFEE MACHINE

Abstract

Described herein is an espresso coffee machine having a water feeding hydraulic circuit, at least one boiler for heating water, located downstream of the water feeding hydraulic circuit, a coffee dispenser unit, located downstream of the boiler and provided with at least one coffee panel configured for mixing hot water with coffee, and a first pumping hydraulic circuit, provided with at least one pump for the water and interposed between the water feeding hydraulic circuit and the boiler. Between the water feeding hydraulic circuit and the boiler is interposed a second pumping hydraulic circuit, connected in parallel with the first pumping hydraulic circuit and provided with a lever pumping unit. The lever pumping unit works at room temperature, being physically separated both from the boiler, and from the coffee dispenser unit.

Claims

1. An espresso coffee machine comprising: a water feeding hydraulic circuit; at least one boiler for heating the water, located downstream of said water feeding hydraulic circuit; a coffee dispenser unit, located downstream of said boiler and provided with at least one coffee panel configured for mixing hot water with coffee; and a first pumping hydraulic circuit, provided with at least one pump for water, interposed between said water feeding hydraulic circuit and said boiler, the espresso coffee machine being characterized in that a second pumping hydraulic circuit is interposed between the water feeding hydraulic circuit and the boiler, said second pumping hydraulic circuit being connected in parallel with the first pumping hydraulic circuit and being provided with a lever pumping unit, wherein said lever pumping unit works at room temperature, being physically separated from both the boiler and from the coffee dispenser unit.

2. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the lever pumping unit is provided with at least one pumping piston manually operated by a lever, wherein said pumping piston is configured for pumping water coming from the water feeding hydraulic circuit.

3. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 2, wherein the lever actuates the pumping piston through the interposition of one or more springs with adjustable load, so as to obtain different curves and profiles of water pressure according to the needs.

4. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the boiler is provided with a proportional-integral-derivative adjustment device of the water temperature.

5. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein a first three-way valve is interposed between the water feeding hydraulic circuit and both pumping hydraulic circuits, said first three-way valve being configured for delivering the water coming from the water feeding hydraulic circuit to the first pumping hydraulic circuit, to the second pumping hydraulic circuit or both pumping hydraulic circuits according to the needs.

6. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 5, wherein a second three-way valve is interposed between both pumping hydraulic circuits and the boiler, said second three-way valve being configured for delivering the pressurized water coming from the first pumping hydraulic circuit, from the second pumping hydraulic circuit or from both pumping hydraulic circuits towards said boiler, through the interposition of a loading circuit of the pressurized water.

7. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a rotative pump.

8. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a vibration pump.

9. The espresso coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a geared pump.

Description

[0018] The features and advantages of a combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following exemplifying and not limiting description, referred to the schematic accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of a lever coffee machine;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of a traditional coffee machine;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention, shown in a resting configuration;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention, shown in a configuration of dispensing by means of a pump;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention, shown in a configuration of dispensing by means of a lever; and

[0024] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the operating circuits of the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention, shown in a configuration of combined or hybrid dispensing.

[0025] With reference in particular to figures from 3 to 6, the operating circuits of a combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention are shown schematically. The espresso coffee machine comprises a water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 and at least one boiler 14 for heating water, located downstream of said water feeding hydraulic circuit 12.

[0026] The espresso coffee machine then comprises a coffee dispenser unit 16, located downstream of the boiler 14 and provided with at least one coffee panel 18 configured for mixing hot water with coffee. Between the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 and the boiler 14 is interposed a first pumping hydraulic circuit 20, provided with at least one pump 22 for water. The pump can be of various types, for example rotative, vibration, geared, etc.

[0027] Between the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 and the boiler 14 is also interposed a second pumping hydraulic circuit 24, connected in parallel with the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20 and provided with a lever pumping unit 26. The lever pumping unit 26 is provided with at least one pumping piston 28 manually operated by means of a lever 30. The pumping piston 28 can be of various dimensions and, unlike lever machines according to the prior art, solely has a function of pumping the water coming from the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12.

[0028] The lever 30 actuates the pumping piston 28 through the interposition of one or more springs 32 with adjustable load, so as to maintain the same water pressure as a lever machine according to the prior art, or to obtain different curves and profiles of water pressure according to the needs. As shown in the figures from 3 to 6, the lever pumping unit 26 works at room temperature, being physically separated both from the boiler 14, and from the coffee dispenser unit 16. The risk of damaging the internal components of the lever pumping unit 26 is thus eliminated, as is the risk of burns from contact with said lever pumping unit 26.

[0029] The boiler 14 is preferably provided with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) adjustment device for regulating water temperature. In this way, regulation of the water temperature is extremely precise, because said temperature is directly set by the temperature controlled boiler 14 instead of by the coffee dispenser unit 16.

[0030] Between the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 and both pumping hydraulic circuits 20 and 24 is interposed a first three-way valve 34. The first three-way valve 34 is configured for delivering the water coming from the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 to the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20, to the second pumping hydraulic circuit 24 or to both pumping hydraulic circuits 20 and 24 according to the needs.

[0031] Similarly, between both pumping hydraulic circuits 20 and 24 and the temperature controlled boiler 14 is interposed a second three-way valve 36. The second three-way valve 36 is configured for delivering the pressurised water coming from the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20, from the second pumping hydraulic circuit 24 or from both pumping hydraulic circuits 20 and 24 to the temperature controlled boiler 14, through the interposition of a loading circuit 38 of the pressurised water.

[0032] The pump 22, drawing water directly from the water supply through the water feeding hydraulic circuit 12 and the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20, can exclude the lever pumping unit 26 by means of the first three-way valve 34. In this configuration, the pump 22 works autonomously to set the pressure of the water to be delivered to the temperature controlled boiler 14 and hence to the coffee dispenser unit 16.

[0033] Through the first three-way valve 34 the water can also be delivered in part to the pump 22 and in part to the lever pumping unit 26. In this configuration, the pump 22 can work in parallel with the lever pumping unit 26, precisely programming the volume of coffee that can be dispensed through the coffee dispenser unit 16.

[0034] In detail, with reference to FIG. 4, the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention can function using solely the pump 22. In this configuration the first three-way valve 34 excludes the second pumping hydraulic circuit 24 and the related lever pumping unit 26. Coffee is dispensed by the coffee dispenser unit 16, passing through the temperature controlled boiler 14, in a simple and precise manner as takes place in traditional coffee machines. In this configuration the path of the water in the various circuits 12, 20 and 38 is indicated highlighting said circuits in bold lines in FIG. 4.

[0035] With reference to FIG. 5, the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention can also function using solely the lever pumping unit 26. In this configuration the first three-way valve 34 excludes the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20 and the related pump 22. Coffee is still dispensed by the coffee dispenser unit 16, passing through the temperature controlled boiler 14, with a pressure established manually by the pumping piston 28 as takes place in lever coffee machines. In this configuration the path of the water in the various circuits 12, 24 and 38 is indicated highlighting said circuits in bold lines in FIG. 5.

[0036] With reference, lastly, to FIG. 6, the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention can also function using both the pump 22 and the lever pumping unit 26. In this configuration, the first three-way valve 34 opens communication both with the first pumping hydraulic circuit 20 and the related pump 22, and with the second pumping hydraulic circuit 24 and the related lever pumping unit 26. By so doing, it is possible to obtain a water pressure curve characterised by the lever pumping unit 26, with the integration of the pump 22 to complete the step of dispensing the coffee into the cup. In this configuration the path of the water in all circuits 12, 20, 24 and 38 is indicated highlighting said circuits in bold lines in FIG. 6. In this configuration, moreover, it is possible to dispense a high number of beverages with respect to the classic single/double-shot coffee that can be dispensed by a lever coffee machine.

[0037] It has thus been seen that the combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention achieves the purposes pointed out above. The combined espresso coffee machine according to the present invention always uses the same coffee dispenser unit 16 both in the lever operation configuration and in the pump operation configuration, as well as in the combined lever/pump utilisation configuration. The passage of the pressurised water always takes place through the same temperature controlled boiler 14. The end user is thus always free to decide autonomously which type of operating configuration to use.

[0038] The combined espresso coffee machine of the present invention thus conceived is susceptible in every case to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept; furthermore, all details can be replaced by equivalent technical elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as their shapes and dimensions, can be of any type according to the technical requirements.

[0039] The scope of protection of the invention is therefore defined by the appended claims.