Method and device for operating a coffee machine and/or tea machine with fully softened water

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for preventing the blocking of the brew group, the filter holder or the coffee filter (8) in coffee machines when using fully softened water for the preparation of coffee. According to the invention, it is proposed to avoid the blocking of the machine by metering calcium and magnesium ions to the fully softened water. According to the invention this is achieved in that a device with a bag or reservoir (4) containing the calcium and magnesium ion containing solution, is positioned in a cartridge (3), which is arranged in the water tank of the coffee machine. The bag is in contact with the fully softened water via a capillary (5), which is closed with a check valve (6).

Claims

1. A solution container, which is adapted to be arranged in a water tank of a domestic appliance or in a water tank of a supply line to the water container, comprising: a cover; an aqueous solution, which is arranged in the cover and comprises the alkaline earth ions; a metering device, which is adapted to be in fluid communication with the aqueous solution in the cover and the water in the water tank and to dispense the aqueous solution into the water tank.

2. The solution container according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline earth metal ions are calcium ions and/or magnesium ions.

3. The solution container according to claim 1, wherein the metering device is a capillary.

4. The solution container according to claim 1, wherein the cover is adapted to change the volume covered by the cover.

5. The solution container according to claim 1, wherein the cover has an elastic material and its volume may change due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the solution container.

6. The solution container according to claim 1, wherein the cover may change its shape and volume due to the pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the solution container.

7. The solution container according to claim 1, further comprising a valve arranged in fluid communication with the aqueous solution in the cover and adapted to dispense the aqueous solution in the water in the water tank and to prevent the entry of water from the water container in the cover.

8. A method for supplying water to a coffee machine and/or a tea machine, comprising the following steps: supplying fully softened water from a softener in direction of the coffee machine and/or the tea machine; brewing of the water supplied in the coffee machine and/or the tea machine; and supplying alkaline earth ions to the fully softened water before the step of brewing the supplied water.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in the step of supplying alkaline earth ions, the alkaline earth ions are dosed to the fully softened water in a way that the supplied water has a hardness in a range of about 4 d to about 8 d, preferably from about 2 d to about 14 d.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of supplying alkaline earth ions comprises at least one of the following steps: supplying an aqueous solution with alkaline earth ions; supplying the alkaline earth ions by means of a solid; supplying the alkaline earth ions by means of at least one salt.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of supplying alkaline earth ions, comprises at least one of the following steps: supplying the alkaline earth ions by means of a metering device; passing water into a container containing limestone; passing water into a container containing dolomite.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the alkaline earth ions are supplied by means of a capillary.

13. The method of claim 8, The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of supplying alkaline-earth ions comprises at least one of the following steps: supplying the alkaline earth ions to the fully softened water in a cartridge; supplying the alkaline earth ions to the fully softened water in a container; supplying the alkaline earth ions to the fully softened water within the coffee machine and/or tea machine; and supplying the alkaline earth ions to the fully softened water in a supply line of the coffee machine and/or tea machine.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of arranging in a selected one of a coffee machine, a tea machine, a supply line to the coffee machine, or a supply line to the tea machine, a solution container that includes: a cover; an aqueous solution, which is arranged in the cover and comprises the alkaline earth ions; and a metering device, which is adapted to be in fluid communication with the aqueous solution in the cover and the water in the water tank and to dispense the aqueous solution into the water tank,

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of generating a negative pressure in at least one component of the coffee machine and/or tea machine, wherein the negative pressure causes a removal of the aqueous solution from the inside of the cover of the solution container.

16. A coffee machine and/or a tea machine comprising a solution container which is adapted to be arranged in a water tank of a domestic appliance or in a water tank of a supply line to the water container, in which the solution container includes: a cover; an aqueous solution, which is arranged in the cover and comprises the alkaline earth ions; and a metering device, which is adapted to be in fluid communication with the aqueous solution in the cover and the water in the water tank and to dispense the aqueous solution into the water tank.

17. The coffee machine and/or a tea machine of claim 16 in which alkaline earth ions are supplied to water, which is supplied to a brewing device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 is a a table with attempts to dose water hardness in fully softened water to prevent blocking of the coffee machine (malfunction indication during coffee making process).

[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a coffee machine with the solution container of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Unless otherwise specifically indicated in the disclosure that follows, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of a, an, and the includes plural reference, the meaning of in includes in and on.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, Table 1 shows the behavior of a coffee machine using various water qualities. The table contains (a) information on running times of the pump pushing water through the coffee, (b) the resulting coffee volume per reference and (c) information as to whether the machine is blocking or displaying a malfunction. When using tap water at a total hardness between 20 d and 40 d no disturbance during coffee preparation occurs. 200 ml of coffee are prepared within 30 seconds. If this tap water is fully softened, a blocking of the machine occurs during coffee preparation and the machine indicates a fault.

[0041] It has been demonstrated that such a fault no longer occurs with the inventive method and device when the fully softened water are supplemented by calcium and/or magnesium ions.

[0042] When fully softened tap water is used for coffee preparation with an initial hardness of 20 d, the blocking of the coffee machine can be avoided by adding to the water 4 d total hardness in the form of magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. The extraction time or the pump running time decreases in comparison to the use of non-softened water by a few seconds, but the resulting coffee volume corresponds approximately to the coffee volume, which when using non-softened water, is achieved. The machine indicated no malfunction. If fully softened water with an initial hardness of 30 d and 40 d is used, more hardness has to be added to the water to avoid machine blocking. The results show that by using the method the blocking the coffee machine can be avoided, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] For coffee machines with fixed water connection or coffee machines with a water tank a metering pump for hardness entry into fully softened water ca be used, which doses an aqueous solution of defined water hardness in the water. Another option is to place in a cartridge limestone or dolomite as a solid, to direct a partial stream of fully softened water over the solid so that calcium ions and magnesium ions are dissolved and a defined water hardness in the total water is achieved.

[0044] Alternatively, in the water tank 1 of a coffee machine 2, which contains fully softened water, or in front of a coffee machine, a device with a cartridge 3, a bag 4, which comprises an aqueous solution of defined water hardness, can be installed. From the bag a defined volume of aqueous solution is removed via a capillary 5, which is closed by means of a check valve 6. The removal takes place at negative pressure when receiving water through the pump 7 of the machine, which supplies water to the brewing group 10 or the coffee capsule with. Calcium and/or magnesium ions or water hardness is metered to the fully softened water during this process. That water supplemented with water hardness is pumped to the brewing group 10, the cartridge or the coffee filter 8, by a pump 7 and the coffee 9 is extracted.

[0045] The capillary can be made of plastic, for example PEEK. According to another embodiment the capillary may include metal, such as stainless steel. The length of the capillary can be between about 5 mm to about 40 mm. The inner diameter of the capillary can be between about 0.1 mm to about 1.5 mm. The capillary is preferably perpendicular to the flow direction of the water, into which the calcium and magnesium ions are metered.

[0046] The bag is retro-fittable and can be positioned in any existing coffee machine and/or tea machine. In one embodiment, the solution container may be connected to an adapter in the tank of the coffee and/or tea machine.

[0047] The envelope may be a balloon or a thin pouch made of, for example polyurethane.

[0048] An embodiment of the cartridge provides a foldable bag which for example, is made of polyethylene and includes the water-hardness containing aqueous solution in its interior. The foldable bag folds with decreasing fluid volume. It is connected by a capillary with the water flow. If the pump pulls water, a check valve opens and by a capillary water hardness in the form of calcium ions and/or magnesium ions is dosed ions into the fully softened water.

[0049] The invention relates in summary to a method and a device for prevention of blockage of the brewing group, the filter holder or the coffee filter 8 in coffee machines when using fully softened water for the preparation of coffee. According to the invention, is it suggested to avoid the blocking of the machine by adding calcium and magnesium to the fully softened water. According to the invention this is achieved in that a device with a bag or reservoir 4, which contains the calcium and magnesium ion-containing solution is placed in a cartridge 3, which is mounted in the water tank of the coffee machine. The bag is in contact, e.g. by a fluid connection with the fully softened water by a capillary 5, which is closed with a check valve 6.

[0050] The above described embodiments, while including the preferred embodiment and the best mode of the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing, are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.