COFFEE GRINDER SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a coffee grinder system comprising a coffee grinder, which contains a housing and a grinding mechanism arranged in the housing, and comprising a drive device for driving the grinding mechanism. The coffee grinder system is distinguished in that the coffee grinder is or can be movably and/or self-centeringly coupled to the drive device.

Claims

1. A coffee grinder system comprising: a coffee grinder (1) including a housing (2) and a grinding mechanism arranged in the housing (2), and a drive device (3) for driving the grinding mechanism, wherein the coffee grinder (1) is or can be movably and self-centeringly coupled to the drive device (3).

2. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a coupling device (4), wherein the housing (2) is or can be movably coupled to the drive device (3) by the coupling device (4).

3. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive device (3) has an electric drive motor.

4. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coffee grinder (1) has a drive element (14) for introducing a torque into the coffee grinder.

5. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drive element (14) is mounted rotatably about a drive axis of rotation (24).

6. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drive device (3) has an output element (10), which is or can be torque-transmittingly connected to the drive element (14).

7. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the output element (10) is mounted rotatably about an output axis of rotation (25) and/or is driven in rotation about an output axis of rotation (25).

8. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive device (3) has an output element (10), which is torque-transmittingly connected to the drive element (14) and the output element (10) is mounted rotatably about an output axis of rotation (25) and/or is driven in rotation about an output axis of rotation (25), wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to f: a. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is movable in a plane perpendicular to the drive axis of rotation (24), b. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is movable in a plane perpendicular to the output axis of rotation (25), c. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is linearly movable in a direction perpendicular to the drive axis of rotation (24), d. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is linearly movable in a direction perpendicular to the output axis of rotation (25), e. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is immovable in the direction of the drive axis of rotation (24), f. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is immovable in the direction of the output axis of rotation (25).

9. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive device (3) has an output element (10), which is torque-transmittingly connected to the drive element (14) and the output element (10) is mounted rotatably about an output axis of rotation (25) and/or is driven in rotation about an output axis of rotation (25), wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to d: a. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is pivotable about a pivot axis which is not parallel to and not coaxial with the drive axis of rotation (24), b. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is pivotable about a pivot axis which is not parallel to and not coaxial with the output axis of rotation (25), c. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is pivotable about a pivot axis which is perpendicular to the drive axis of rotation (24), d. the coffee grinder (1) coupled to the drive device (3) is pivotable about a pivot axis perpendicular to the output axis of rotation (25).

10. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive device (3) has an output element (10), which is torque-transmittingly connected to the drive element (14) and the output element (10) is mounted rotatably about an output axis of rotation (25) and/or is driven in rotation about an output axis of rotation (25), wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to d: a. the coffee grinder (1) is or can be coupled to the drive device (3) self-centeringly with respect to a direction which differs from the direction of the drive axis of rotation (24), b. the coffee grinder (1) is or can be coupled to the drive device (3) self-centeringly with respect to a direction which differs from the direction of the output axis of rotation (25), c. the coffee grinder (1) is or can be coupled to the drive device (3) self-centeringly with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of the drive axis of rotation (24), d. the coffee grinder (1) is or can be coupled to the drive device (3) self-centeringly with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of the output axis of rotation (25).

11. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the output element (10) is mounted rotatably about an output axis of rotation (25) and/or is driven in rotation about an output axis of rotation (25), wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to d: a. the torque-transmitting connection can be established without tools and/or the torque-transmitting connection can be redetached without tools, b. the torque-transmitting connection is in the form of a compensating coupling or comprises a compensating coupling, c. the torque-transmitting connection permits a movement of the drive element (14) relative to the output element (10), in particular a tilting movement and/or a radial movement, during a driving operation, d. the drive element (14) and the output element (10) are designed and arranged such that the torque-transmitting connection is automatically established when the housing (2) is fastened to the drive device (3) by means of the coupling device (4).

12. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 6, wherein a. the drive element (14) has a driver bar (16) arranged transversely to a drive shaft and wherein the output element (10) comprises a fork having tines (13) aligned in particular in the axial direction, and/or wherein b. the drive element (14) has a driver bar (16) which is arranged transversely to a drive shaft and extends through a through-bore in the drive shaft and wherein the output element (10) comprises a fork having tines (13) aligned in particular in the axial direction, and/or wherein c. the drive element (14) has a driver bar (16) arranged transversely to a drive shaft and wherein the output element (10) comprises a fork having tines (13) aligned in particular in the axial direction, the driver bar (16) being fastened and/or fixed to or in the drive element.

13. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to f: a. the coupling device (4) supports a torque introduced into the grinding mechanism by the drive element (14), b. the coupling device (4) permits a pivoting movement and/or a linear movement of the housing (2) during a driving operation, c. the coupling device (4) has two coupling elements, one of which is part of the drive device and the other of which is arranged on the housing (2), d. the coupling element arranged on the housing (2) is arranged in such a way that it can act as torque support when the coffee grinder (1) is driven by a hand crank (20) instead of by the drive device (3), e. the coupling element arranged on the housing (2) is positioned relative to the housing (2) such that it rests against the thumb, in particular the tip of the thumb, of the user's hand that wholly or partially grasps the preferably circular-cylindrical housing (2), f. the coupling element arranged on the housing (2) is fastened to the housing (2) by means of at least one clip.

14. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a. the coupling device (4) has a plug-in peg (6), which is arranged on the housing (2) and can be plugged into a plug-in peg receptacle (8) of the drive device (3) along a plug-in direction (7), or wherein b. the drive device (3) has a plug-in peg (6), which can be plugged into a plug-in peg receptacle (8) arranged on the housing (2) along a plug-in direction (7).

15. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 14, wherein a. the housing (2) when coupled to the drive device (3) is pivotable relative to the drive device (3) about the center axis of the plug-in peg (6) extending in the plug-in direction (7), and/or wherein b. the housing (2) when coupled to the drive device (3) is displaceable relative to the drive device (3) along the center axis of the plug-in peg (6) extending in the plug-in direction (7).

16. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coffee grinder system has a hand crank (20) and wherein the coffee grinder (1) is designed to be selectively coupled either to the drive device (3) or to the hand crank (20).

17. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the coffee grinder system has at least one of the following features a to c: a. the coffee grinder (1) can be detachably coupled to the hand crank (20) without tools, b. the hand crank (20) is designed to be inserted into a through-bore in a drive shaft (15) of the coffee grinder (1), c. the housing (2) is designed to be held in a user's hand during a grinding operation, the user being able to actuate the hand crank (20) with their other hand.

18. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (2) is tubular or the housing (2) has a circular outer contour and/or a circular inner contour in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to its direction of longitudinal extent.

19. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (2) has a filling opening (18) for coffee beans that are to be ground.

20. The coffee grinder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (2) surrounds a receiving space for coffee beans that are to be ground.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS

[0040] In the drawing, the subject matter of the disclosure is illustrated schematically and by way of example and will be described on the basis of the figures, with elements that are the same or have the same effect even in different exemplary embodiments are usually provided with the same reference signs. In the drawing:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows the drive device of the exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the coffee grinder of the exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows the coffee grinder of the exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure to which a hand crank is coupled, and

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure. The coffee grinder system comprises a coffee grinder 1, which contains a housing 2 and a grinding mechanism (not illustrated) arranged in the housing 2. The coffee grinder system moreover comprises a drive device 3 for driving the grinding mechanism. The coffee grinder 1 is movably and self-centeringly coupled to the drive device 3.

[0047] The housing 2 is movably coupled to a stand 5 of the drive device 3 by means of a coupling device 4. The coupling device 4 has two coupling elements, one of which is in the form for example of a plug-in peg 6, while the other one of the coupling elements is in the form of a plug-in peg receptacle 8. The coupling device 4 has a plug-in peg 6, which is arranged on the housing 2 and is plugged in a plug-in peg receptacle 8 of the drive device 3 along a plug-in direction 7. The coffee grinder system permits the housing 2 to be very particularly easily coupled to the drive device 3 by inserting the plug-in peg 6 into the plug-in peg receptacle 8. In the coupled state illustrated, the coffee grinder 1 is pivotable relative to the drive device 3 about the center axis of the plug-in peg 6 extending in the plug-in direction 7 and is held relative to the drive device 3 displaceably along the center axis of the plug-in peg 6 extending in the plug-in direction 7.

[0048] The drive device 3 has an electric drive unit 9 with an electric drive motor (not illustrated). The electric drive unit 9 is fixedly connected to the stand 5. The electric drive unit 9 may have at least one transmission connected downstream of the electric drive motor in terms of drive. Moreover, the electric drive unit 9 has an output element 10. The output element 10 contains an output shaft 11 and a fork 12, which is connected to the output shaft 11 for conjoint rotation and has tines 13 aligned in the direction of the output axis of rotation 25 of the output element 10.

[0049] The coffee grinder 1 has a drive element 14 which contains a drive shaft 15. The drive shaft 15 of the drive element 14 is connected to a grinding rotor (not illustrated) of the grinding mechanism (not illustrated) for conjoint rotation. The drive element 14 has a driver bar 16, which is arranged transversely to the drive shaft 15 and perpendicularly in relation to the drive axis of rotation 24 of the drive shaft 15. The driver bar 16 extends through a through-bore in the drive shaft 15 and is fixed relative to the drive shaft by means of an axially arranged clamping screw 17, which is screwed into an axial threaded bore in the end face of the drive shaft 15. The clamping screw 17 is arranged spatially between the tines 13.

[0050] The function of the driver bar 16 is to interact with the output element 10, in order to transmit a torque. To this end, the tines 13 rest directly against the driver bar 16 in order to transmit a torque from the output element 10 to the drive element 14.

[0051] The drive element 14 of the coffee grinder 1 and the output element 10 of the drive device 3 are designed and arranged such that the torque-transmitting connection between them is automatically established when the housing 2 is movably fastened to the drive device 3 by means of the coupling device 4.

[0052] The housing 2 is substantially tubular, with a filling opening 18 for the coffee beans that are to be ground being formed at the upper end. The housing 2 is coupled to a collecting container 19, which can be detached without tools and is intended for the coffee powder, at the lower end.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the drive device 3 of the exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure with the coffee grinder 1 removed, whereas FIG. 3 shows the removed coffee grinder 1.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows the coffee grinder 1 of the exemplary embodiment, to which a hand crank 20 is coupled. To couple the hand crank 20, firstly the clamping screw 17 is detached, in order to be able to pull the driver bar 16 out of the through-bore in the drive shaft 15. Then, a coupling end of the hand crank 20 is plugged into the through-bore in the drive shaft 15 and fixed by means of the clamping screw 17. In the state illustrated, the coffee grinder 1 can be manually operated by means of the hand crank 20 instead of by the drive device 3 by the user holding the housing 2 in one hand and actuating the hand crank 20 with their other hand.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a coffee grinder system according to the disclosure. The coffee grinder system differs from the coffee grinder system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the coupling device 4 has a rigid holding ring 22, in which an elastomer ring 21, which may for example be a rubber ring, is fastened. The elastomer ring 21 surrounds the housing 2 of the coffee grinder 1. The holding ring 22 is fastened to the stand 5 by means of a bayonet connection 23. The bayonet connection 23 is preferably designed such that the coffee grinder 1 can be detached from the stand 5 without tools and fixed to the stator 5 without tools.

[0056] By virtue of the particular design of the coupling device 4 and in particular the elasticity of the elastomer ring 21 of the coupling device 4, the coffee grinder 1 is movably and/or self-centeringly coupled to the drive device. The coupling device 4 may be designed such that it is not possible for the coffee grinder 1 coupled to the drive device 3 to move in the direction of the drive axis of rotation 25 and/or in the direction of the output axis of rotation 24. For example, to this end, stops (not illustrated), which are supported against the holding ring 22 and thus prevent such a movement, may be present on the housing 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0057] 1 Coffee grinder [0058] 2 Housing [0059] 3 Drive device [0060] 4 Coupling device [0061] 5 Stand [0062] 6 Plug-in peg [0063] 7 Plug-in direction [0064] 8 Plug-in peg receptacle [0065] 9 Drive unit [0066] 10 Output element [0067] 11 Output shaft [0068] 12 Fork [0069] 13 Tines [0070] 14 Drive element [0071] 15 Drive shaft [0072] 16 Driver bar [0073] 17 Clamping screw [0074] 18 Filling opening [0075] 19 Collecting container [0076] 20 Hand crank [0077] 21 Elastomer ring [0078] 22 Holding ring [0079] 23 Bayonet connection [0080] 24 Drive axis of rotation [0081] 25 Output axis of rotation