Abstract
A holder for a food or drink component in a food or drink preparation machine includes a housing, a support constructed for reception of a food or drink component, a locking and guiding mechanism and a front panel for actuating the locking and guiding mechanism. The support is movable in a guide out of the housing with respect to a front side of the holder from a moved-in end position to a moved-out end position, and can be shifted by the locking and guiding mechanism to a fixing position, a securing position or an unlocking position. The locking and guiding mechanism in the fixing position retains the support in the moved-in end position relative to the housing, in the securing position blocks uncontrolled movement out of the housing of the support in a securing position, and in the unlocking position allows movement of the support out of the housing section.
Claims
1. A holder constructed for holding a food or drink component and intended for or received in a food or drink preparation machine, the holder comprising: a housing; a support constructed for holding the food or drink component and movably mounted in the housing and movable under guidance out of the housing with respect to a front side of the holder from a moved-in end position to a moved-out end position and transferrable by a locking and guiding mechanism into a fixing position, a securing position or an unlocking position; the locking and guiding mechanism constructed to fix, in the fixing position, the support in the moved-in end position relative to the housing, to block, in the securing position, an uncontrolled movement out of the housing of the support in a securing position and to allow, in the unlocking position, movement of the support out of the housing section; and a front panel arranged to be movably mounted at the front side of the holder, for actuating the locking and guiding mechanism, the locking and guiding mechanism being constructed to shift the support from the fixing position to the securing position by a first external force applied to the front panel and from the securing position to the unlocking position by a second external force subsequently applied to the front panel, the front panel in the fixing position projecting less from the support than in the securing position and the unlocking position.
2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed for guided straight-line and/or rotational movement of the support from the fixing position to the securing position in reaction to the first external force applied to the front panel, wherein the rotational movement is defined by rotation of the support through a first predetermined angle of preferably 1 to 20.
3. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed for guided straight-line and/or rotational movement of the support from the securing position to the unlocking position in reaction to the second external force applied to the front panel, the rotational movement being defined by rotation of the support through a second predetermined angle of preferably at least 3.
4. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed to automatically restore the support to the securing position if directly after reaching the unlocking position no third external force is applied to the front panel for drawing out the support.
5. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed for guided straight-line and/or rotational movement of the support from the securing position to the fixing position in reaction to a fourth external force applied to the front panel in a direction of movement of the support into the housing, together with movement of the front panel relative to the support.
6. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism comprises a first guide device for guidance of the support relative to the housing along a predetermined first guide path with a first guide path section associated with the fixing position and the securing position and a second guide path section associated with the unlocking position, the second path sections preferably forming an obtuse angle at their transition.
7. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed for blocking movement of the front panel relative the support in the unlocking position.
8. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism is constructed for transforming a straight line or rotational movement of the front panel relative to the support into a guided straight-line and/or rotational movement of the support.
9. The holder according to claim 8, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism comprises a force deflector rotatably secured to the support and rotated by the movement, in particular rotational movement, of the front panel.
10. The holder according to claim 9, wherein the locking and guiding mechanism comprises a second guide device for guidance of a section of the force deflector along a predetermined second guide path associated with the unlocking position and for fixing the projecting position of the front panel by the force deflector.
11. The holder according to claim 10, further comprising: a spring force device for providing a spring force for holding the support in the securing position and/or for providing a force for fixing the support in the moved-in end position.
12. The holder according to claim 1 designed for external loading of the support in the extended end position of at least 1000 Newtons.
13. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the holder is of electrically-free and electronically-free construction.
14. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a fluid feed device for providing a fluid or can be coupled therewith and the holder is arranged and constructed for holding the fluid provided by the fluid feed device and for conducting the fluid to a food or drink component held in the support only in the fixing position.
15. A food or drink preparation machine with a holder according to claim 1, wherein the food or drink preparation machine is intended for an aircraft galley.
16. The food or drink preparation machine according to claim 15, with a surface section on a front side of the food or drink preparation machine and in which the front panel of the holder is integrated, the front panel in the securing position projecting from the surface section and in the fixing position not projecting from the surface section.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0028] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a holder according to the invention in the fixing position;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a holder according to the invention in the securing position;
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a holder according to the invention in the unlocking position;
[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates movements of components of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, of the holder according to the invention in the transition to the fixing position;
[0033] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food or drink preparation machine in accordance with the invention with a holder according to the invention in the fixing position;
[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food or drink preparation machine in accordance with the invention with a holder according to the invention in the securing position;
[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food or drink preparation machine in accordance with the invention with a holder according to the invention in the unlocking position, with an incompletely moved out support; and
[0036] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a food or drink preparation machine in accordance with the invention with a holder according to the invention in the unlocking position, with a completely moved out support.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] The holder 1 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 comprises a housing 2, a support 3, a front panel 4 and a locking and guiding mechanism with elements 12 to 33. A side wall section 2a of the housing 2 is illustrated in transparent form in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 for better illustration of the form and arrangement of the support 3 and the locking and guiding mechanism of the illustrated embodiment, these being at least partly in the housing 2.
[0038] The support 3 is, by way of example, of multi-part construction consisting of a support base body 3A and a support front body 3B that are rigidly connected together. The support base body 3A has at least one recess (not shown) for reception of at least one food or drink component, which recess is designed for holding receptacles such as, for example, a container with a food or drink component received therein. The support front body 3B is mounted on the end of the support base body 3A towards the front side of the holder 1. In FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the front side of the holder 1 is disposed in each instance in the side section on the left. A rotary bearing 11 is provided at the support front body 3B.
[0039] The front panel 4 is attached by the rotary bearing 11 to the support base body 3A of the support 3 to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range.
[0040] For better illustration, only the locking and guiding mechanism on the right-hand side of the support is illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. For stable and secure guidance of the support 3 the locking and guiding mechanism is provided at the right-hand side and at the lefthand side (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3) of the support 3. The locking and guiding mechanism in the illustrated embodiment comprisesfor each of the right-hand and lefthand sides respectivelya lever arm 12, a contact roller 14, a force deflector 16 formed as a rocker, a first guide device 18 with a guide roller 20, a second guide device 21, a rotary support 23, a rotary bearing 24, a spring-force device 33, and a withdrawable guide rail 25. However, in departure from the illustration the locking and guiding mechanism can also be provided at one side, for example only on the right-hand or lefthand side, and/or centrally.
[0041] One end of the lever arm 12 is so attached to the front panel 4 that a rotational movement of the front panel 4 is converted into a rotational movement or pivot movement of the lever arm 12. A rotatably mounted contact roller 14 is attached to the other end of the lever arm 12 remote from the front panel 4. The contact roller 14 is so arranged and dimensioned that at least in the fixing position and in the unlocking position it is in permanent mechanical contact with the force deflector 16.
[0042] The force deflector 16 is formed as a rocker and is rotatably attached to the support front body 3B by a rotary joint 17. A lever arm 16A that faces the front panel 4, of the force deflector 16 is so constructed and arranged that it is in the afore-mentioned mechanical contact with the contact roller 14. The lever arm 16B remote from the front panel 4 is provided with a guide pin 27, the position or movement of which is guided by the second guide device 21.
[0043] The rotary support 23 of the locking and guiding mechanism is rotatably attached to the inner side of the side wall section 2A of the housing 2 by the rotary bearing 24. The rotary support 23 is mechanically coupled to the support base body 3A by way of the withdrawable guide rail 25. Through the arrangement as described above and mechanical coupling of the rotary support 23, the rotary bearing 24, the withdrawable guide rail 25 and the support base body 3A, the support 3 is movable rotationally or in a straight line relative to the housing 2 and can be moved out of and moved into the housing 2.
[0044] The locking and guiding mechanism is provided with the first guide device 18 and the guide roller 20 for guidance of the straight-line and rotational movement of the support 3 relative to the housing 2.
[0045] The guide roller 20 is attached to the support base body 3A to be rotatable about an axis of rotation and is movable along a first guide path 19 predetermined by the first guide device 18. The first guide device 18 is, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, formed as a material recess or as a through-hole in the form of a wide, angled slot in the side wall section 2a. The first guide path 19 predetermined by the first guide device 18, is composed of a first guide path section 19A associated with the fixing position and the securing position and a second guide path section 19B associated with the unlocking position. The second guide path section 19B extends rectilinearly and is not curved. The guide path sections 19A and 19B include, at their transition, an obtuse angle of preferably more than 100. The straight-line and/or rotational movement of the support in the unlocking position, thus movement of the support out of or into the housing, is predetermined by the guide roller 20 guided along the second guide path section 19B. As illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the second guide path section 19B extends not horizontally, but with a constant negative gradient from the transition to the unlocking position up to the moved-out end position. The moved-out end position of the support 3 is defined by an end that faces the front side of the holder, of the second guide path section 19B.
[0046] The second guide device 21 of the locking and guiding mechanism of the holder 1 is constructed for guiding the guide pin 27 secured to the lever arm 16B of the force deflector 16 and that represents a section of the force deflector, along a predetermined second guide path 22 associated with the unlocking position. The second guide device 21 is, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, formed as a material recess or as a slot-like through-hole in the side wall section 2a. The second guide path 22 of the second guide device 21 is formed in such a way that rotation of the force deflector 16 relative to the support 3 during the unlocking position is blocked. As a result, the front panel 4 is fixed in its position projecting from the support 3 by way of the contact roller 14 and the lever arm 12 in the unlocking position. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the second guide path section 19B of the first guide device 18 and the second guide path 22 of the second guide device 21 that are both associated with the unlocking position, are arranged as corresponding slot-like through-holes in the side wall section 2A to be offset parallel to one another.
[0047] A slot-like widening 26 oriented at right angles to the second guide path 22 is provided in the side wall section 2A at the end remote from the front panel 4, of the second guide path of the second guide device 21. The widening 26 is formed so as to enable rotational movement of the force deflector 16 about the axis 17 of rotation thereof.
[0048] The fixing position of the support 3 and of the locking and guiding mechanism of the holder 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The support 3 has a horizontal disposition in the moved-in end position. The guide roller 20 is pressed against the end of the first guide path section 19A of the first guide path 19 of the first guide device 18. The front panel 4 lies as closely as possible to the support front body 3B. The contact roller 14 is in mechanical contact with the outer end section of the lever arm 16A of the force deflector 16 and blocks movement of the force deflector 16. The spring force device 33 provides a force that, when the force deflector 16 is not blocked, would lead to a rotation of the force deflector in anticlockwise sense. Due to the provided force, the lever arm 16a is pressed more strongly against the contact roller 14, whereby fixing of the support 3 in the moved-in end position is reinforced. This makes it possible for the holder to also remain securely in the fixing position if a fluid at high pressure, for example from a fluid feed device 50 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, is applied to the support 3 or to a food or drink component received therein. The guide pin 27 is located in the widening 26 so as to allow rotation of the force deflector 16 and thus also movement of the front panel 4 relative to the support 3 by an external force applied to the front panel 4.
[0049] The securing position of the support and of the locking and guiding mechanism of the holder 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 2 that arises when a user applies to the front panel 4 of the holder 1 in the fixing position illustrated in FIG. 1 a first external force F1 initially oriented in the direction of movement out of the support and leads to rotation of the front panel 4 into a state projecting from the support 3 as illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the directional plot of the force F1 corresponds with the rotation of the front panel 4. In order to make possible this rotation of the front panel 4 the lever arm 16A is provided with a trough-like surface 16C along which the contact roller 4 is guided during rotation of the front panel 4 into the position projecting from the support 3. The rotational movement of the front panel 4 in clockwise sense is accompanied by rotational movement of the force deflector 16 about the axis of rotation of the rotatory bearing 17 in anticlockwise sense and rotational movement of the support 3, to which the force deflector 16 is movably attached, in anticlockwise sense. This rotational movement of the support 3 through approximately 5 (see angle W1 in FIG. 2), by which the support 3 is lowered and inclined by comparison with the horizontal position, is guided by the guide roller 20 guided in the first guide path section 19A of the first guide device 18. The extent of movement is also determined by the spring force provided by the spring force device 33. The guide pin 27 is transferred by the movement of the force deflector 16 to the start of the second guide path 22 of the second guide device 21.
[0050] The unlocking position of the support and of the locking and guiding mechanism of the holder 1 according to the invention in the moved-out end position is illustrated in FIG. 3 that state arises when a second external force F2 that urges the support downwardly, is appliedsubsequently to the first external force F1by the user to the front panel 4 of the holder 1 in the securing position illustrated in FIG. 2. The force F2 is thus oriented downwardly and transversely to the direction of movement out of the support. The second external force F2 has to be of sufficient magnitude to overcome an opposing force provided by the spring force device 33 in the securing position and that prevents further rotation of the support beyond the already effected rotation of approximately 5 (=angle W1), and to transfer the guide roller 20 from the first guide path section 19A to the second guide path section 19B of the first guide device 18 at the transition together include an obtuse angle. Through application of the second external force F2, the support 3 by comparison with the securing position is rotated, additionally to the rotation through approximately 5 (=angle W1) at the time of transition from the fixing position to the securing position, through approximately a further 5 (=angle W2) in the same direction of rotation. In order that the unlocking position is maintained, a third external force F3 has to be applied by the user to the front panel 4 directly after application of the second external force F2. The third external force F3 is oriented in the direction of movement out of the support 3. Without application of the external force F3, the support 3 is restored by the force of the spring force device 33 back to the securing position. In the unlocking position, the support 3 is guided along the second guide path section 19B of the first guide device 18 by the guide roller 20 attached to the support 3, during movement out or movement in. By comparison with the horizontal position of the support 3 in the fixing position, the support 3 in the unlocking position is inclined or lowered by the sum of the angles W1 and W2, thus by approximately 10.
[0051] The holder 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is intended for use in a galley of aircraft and is constructed for external loading of the support in the moved-out end position of at least 1,000 Newtons. In addition, the holder 1 is of electrically-free and electronically-free design.
[0052] Movements of components of the embodiment of the holder according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 at the time of transition from the securing position to the fixing position are depicted by arrows in FIG. 4. An arrow with the reference Px denotes in FIG. 4 a movement of the component x on transition from the securing position to the fixing position. In order to transfer the locking and guiding mechanism and the support from the unlocking position to the fixing position via the securing position a fourth external force F4 oriented in the direction of movement in of the support has to be applied by a user to the front panel 4. However, the components of the holder 1 are depicted in the state illustrated in FIG. 1, thus in the already achieved fixing position, for reasons of simplified illustration.
[0053] FIGS. 5-8 show an embodiment of a food or drink preparation machine in accordance with the invention with the embodiment presented in the foregoing, of the holder according to the invention in perspective illustration respectively in the fixing position, the securing position, the unlocking position with incompletely moved-out support and the unlocking position with completely moved-out support. The illustrated food or drink preparation machine 100 is constructed as a cocoa preparation machine (and/or, for example, as a coffee machine and/or espresso machine) provided with the holder 1 presented in the foregoing. The support 3 of the holder 1 has two recesses 60 that are each constructed for reception of a container (not shown) filled with cocoa milk powder (alternatively: coffee grinds). Arranged in the food or drink preparation machine 100 is a fluid feed device (not shown) coupled with the support 3 or the holder 1 for the feed of hot water under high pressure only when the support 3 is in the fixing position illustrated in FIG. 5. The supplied hot water is forced through a membrane or opening of the container and subsequently into the cocoa milk powder (alternatively: coffee grinds) (alternatively: contains) a food/drink component. The thereby-produced cocoa milk (alternatively: coffee liquid) is subsequently transferred from the container to one or more cups below the support 3.
[0054] A surface section 101 in which the front panel 4 of the receiving 1 is integrated is on the front side of the food or drink preparation machine 100. In the fixing position illustrated in FIG. 5 the front panel 4 does not project beyond the surface section 101, but is flush with the surface section 101. In the securing position illustrated in FIG. 6 the front panel 4 projects at an inclination from the surface section 101 and does not bear tightly against the support 3. This also applies to the fixing position of the support 3 shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. It is additionally illustrated, by way of example, in FIG. 8 that the above-mentioned components of the locking and guiding mechanism are respectively provided on the right hand side and the lefthand side of the support.
