WO2017025194A1

WO2017025194A1 - Auxiliary brewing device for espresso coffee machines

Info

Publication number: WO2017025194A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/001373
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Ceccarini
Original assignee: Andrea Ceccarini
Priority date: 2015-08-13
Filing date: 2016-08-10
Publication date: 2017-02-16
Also published as: ITUB20153105A1

Abstract

An auxiliary brewing device for an espresso coffee machine including a filter holder member (5) which has a collecting vessel (6) and a filter (7); the auxiliary device has a funnel-shaped body (1) constituted by a bottom portion joined to a side wall and provided with a delivery stem (4); the funnel-shaped body is inserted in the filter holder member and arranged between the collecting vessel and the filter; the funnel-shaped member collects the brewed coffee produced by the filter and conveys it into a cup, arranged below the filter holder member, by means of the delivery stem.

Description

AUXILIARY BREWING DEVICE FOR ESPRESSO COFFEE MACHINES

The present invention relates to an auxiliary brewing device for espresso coffee machines.

As is known, an espresso coffee machine normally includes a filter holder member constituted by a cup that has the function of containing the coffee powder during brewing.

The filter holder is normally provided with a handle that allows the operator to apply the filter in the brewing position, by virtue of a bayonet coupling, and to extract the filter holder at the end of brewing in order to allow the discharge of the spent coffee powder.

The filter holders are generally made of brass and coated with a chromium plating.

Due to the temperature variations and to the acidity of the coffee, brass tends to oxidize and corrode.

The acidity of the coffee also tends to corrode all the chromium plating, constituted by trivalent chromium and nickel, which coats the brass and degrades, ending up in the coffee that is drunk by the consumer.

In addition to the danger for the health of the consumer, who drinks an espresso coffee with heavy metals including the lead that is present in brass alloys, the resulting espresso is affected negatively in terms of aroma and taste and consistency of the froth, which is approximately half what it should be.

WO2008/058633 discloses a filter assembly, called an "insert", to be used in a standard filter holder of an espresso coffee machine by means of an adapter; the adapter is made of plastics and merely adapts the special filter assembly to a standard filter holder. The coffee produced by the filter assembly exits the filter assembly through a center outlet without touching the adapter.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary brewing device to be used in a traditional brass filter holder that allows to overcome the drawbacks cited above. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary brewing device that allows to obtain a coffee that completely lacks oxides and metals that are dangerous for health.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary brewing device that allows to improve the extraction of espresso coffee, producing up to 50% more froth.

Another object is to provide an auxiliary device that allows to improve the quality of the beverage in terms of taste and aroma.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which, by virtue of its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

This aim, these objects and others that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an auxiliary brewing device for an espresso coffee machine comprising a filter holder member comprising a collecting vessel and a filter; said device being characterized in that it comprises a funnel-shaped body constituted by a bottom portion joined to a side wall and provided with a delivery stem; said funnel-shaped body being insertable in said filter holder member, arranged between said collecting vessel and said filter; said funnel-shaped member collecting a brewed coffee produced by said filter and conveying said brewed coffee, by means of said delivery stem, into a container arranged below said filter holder member.

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the auxiliary brewing device and of a filter holder assembly of the conventional type made of brass, without the delivery spout;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device in the operating position inside the filter holder assembly of the preceding figure;

Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the device in association with a filter holder assembly with a steel spout;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device in association with the filter holder assembly with the steel spout of the preceding figure;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the device in the working position inside the filter holder assembly of the preceding figure;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the device and of a filter holder assembly without a bottom;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the device in the working position inside the filter holder assembly of the preceding figure;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view of the device in the working position inside the filter holder assembly of the preceding figure;

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the device with integrated filter and a filter holder assembly.

With reference to the cited figures, the device according to the invention, globally designated by the reference numeral 1 , has a funnel-shaped body made monolithically of a material for food use, typically stainless steel.

The funnel-shaped body is constituted by a bottom portion 2 that is joined to a side wall 3 and is provided with a delivery stem 4.

The funnel-shaped body is configured to be inserted within a filter holder 5 and is arranged between the collecting vessel 6 of the filter holder and the filter 7, so as to collect the brewed coffee and convey it, by means of the delivery stem 4, outside the filter holder 5, into an underlying cup, not shown in the figures.

Figures 1-2 show the use of the device in a filter holder 5 of a very common type, constituted by a brass body, which constitutes the collecting vessel 6.

This type of filter holder, with a screw coupling, can be provided with a delivery spout, also made of brass, with one or more outlets, which is adapted to convey the brewed coffee into one, two or three cups.

In the case shown in Figures 1 and 2, the delivery stem 4 of the device conveys the brewed coffee into an underlying cup, without the interposition of the brass spout, so as to eliminate any form of contamination with dangerous metals.

Advantageously, the conventional brass delivery spout, with one, two or more outlets, can be replaced by a steel spout, with a screw coupling and provided with one or more outlets according to the requirements.

Figures 3-5 show the use of the device 1 in association with a filter holder 51 that is constituted by a brass body, which constitutes the collecting vessel 61 , and is provided with a delivery spout 81 made of stainless steel.

The delivery spout 81 is fixed by means of screws to a block 9 that is formed in the brass body of the filter holder at the delivery outlet of the collecting vessel 61.

When the device 1 is used in the filter holder 51 , the delivery stem 4 of the device conveys the brewed coffee into the delivery spout 81 , which is made of steel and distributes the coffee into the underlying cup or cups by means of the lateral outlets.

Figures 6-8 show the use of the device 1 in association with a filter holder 52 constituted by a brass body, which lacks a bottom and therefore does not have a collecting vessel.

In this type of filter holder, the brewed coffee drips directly from the bottom of the filter 7 into the underlying cup, without being diverted or conveyed by any member of the body of the filter holder and therefore without making contact with it.

When the device 1 is used in the filter holder 52, the delivery stem 4 of the device conveys the brewed coffee into the underlying cup.

Advantageously, the device 1 can be locked in the working position by means of an elastic ring 10 that is fitted in an annular slot 1 1 formed in the internal wall 12 of the body of the filter holder.

A similar locking system can be used advantageously also to lock the device 1 in a filter holder 5, 51 , provided with a collecting vessel, as described above.

Figure 9 is a view of a device, designated generally by the reference numeral 101 , according to a further aspect of the invention, and including a funnel-shaped body that is provided monolithically and is made of a material for food use, typically stainless steel.

The funnel-shaped body is constituted by a bottom portion that is joined to a side wall 103 and is provided with a delivery stem 104. The funnel-shaped body includes an inner filter member 71 that is arranged above the bottom of the body.

The funnel-shaped body with integrated filter is configured to be inserted within a filter holder 5 or 51 or 52, and is arranged in the collecting vessel 6 of the filter holder.

The brewed coffee is conveyed, by means of the delivery stem 104 of the device

101 , outside the filter holder 5, into an underlying cup, which is not shown in the figures.

The funnel-shaped body is preferably made of stainless steel, with a thickness generally comprised between 0.4 mm and 1.5 mm.

This thickness range is preferred for most existing filter holders and in view of the operating temperature of the dispensing assembly and of the head of the assembly.

If the operator wishes to increase the temperature of the dispensing assembly, and therefore of the filter holder, by acting on the temperature of the water of the boiler, in traditional machines, or by acting electronically as in new-generation espresso machines, it is convenient to use an auxiliary device with a funnel-shaped body with a thickness of more than 1.5 mm.

The thickness of the funnel-shaped body is important for the purpose of optimum froth production.

An excessively low thickness burns part of the froth, which adheres to the excessively hot surface of the funnel-shaped body that is in contact with the filter holder.

An excessive thickness of the funnel-shaped body induces a reduced production of froth, because the froth might break up when, in exiting from the stainless steel filter at high temperature, it makes contact with a colder surface.

As described above, the preferred material for the construction of the funnel- shaped body is stainless steel, but other materials can be used which ensure a similar behavior as regards to hygiene, cleanability, environmental friendliness, non-toxicity, neutrality both for the human body and for the environment, antioxidant and wear resistant over time, total absence of chemical-physical interactions with the material in contact, i.e., coffee, invariability of the surface and cleanability characteristics throughout the useful life of the product. The auxiliary brewing device according to the present invention allows to prevent all the heavy metals, that are present in current filter holders, from getting into the produced coffee beverage.

The present auxiliary brewing device can be used in all types of espresso machines: semiautomatic and superautomatic espresso machines, automatic ones, traditional electronic ones, machines using pods or capsules, for professional or home use.

Advantageously, the auxiliary device is provided in the shape of a funnel and can be inserted between the body of the filter holder and the filter of a filter holder assembly.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the auxiliary device can be provided with an interchangeable filter arranged in the funnel-shaped body.

The auxiliary device according to the present invention allows to significantly improve the coffee beverage both from the sanitary standpoint and from the organoleptic standpoint, avoiding contact of the water and coffee powder with the walls of ordinary filter holders for espresso machines made of brass coated by chromium, in which the acidity of the mixture of water and coffee powder, as well as the temperature variations, destroy the chromium film of the filter holder and corrode the brass, the alloys of which contain lead.

In a professional espresso machine, the water exits from the dispensing assembly with a pressure of 9 atm, at a temperature comprised between 88 and 92°C, and enters the steel filter that contains the coffee powder, from there descends into the funnel-shaped body of the auxiliary device and, by means of the delivery stem, into the coffee cup, without ever making contact with the body of the brass filter holder.

The auxiliary device according to the present invention allows to obtain an espresso coffee with a larger quantity of froth, up to 50% more than coffee obtained with the same apparatus but without the present device.

The present auxiliary device also allows to obtain a coffee that is organoleptically superior by virtue of the absence of dangerous metals and oxides and of the absence of the bad odor caused by carbon-based residues of oxides or heavy metals, which cause perceptions of burnt when a traditional filter holder is used.

The larger amount of froth produced by using the present auxiliary device is due to the fact that the coffee, after brewing, does not come into contact with hotter bottom surfaces, such as brass, but only with the stainless steel funnel-shaped body.

Furthermore, by using the auxiliary device in a single-cup filter holder there is no need for an additional spout, further reducing the surfaces with which the coffee makes contact after brewing, improving the production of froth.

By using the present auxiliary device, the traditional filter holder has a substantially infinite useful life, since it is not necessary to replace the entire filter holder due to corrosion of the internal walls.

The present auxiliary device can be used advantageously in any filter holder that is blind, i.e., without a bottom, improving the extraction of the espresso on the cup, which is no longer subjected to irregular flows that stain the cup with many droplets of espresso. These irregularities are due to a poor outflow of the coffee powder from the filter that is caused by an incorrect pressing technique by an improper angle created during a pressing step, by an incorrect leveling and/or uneven dosage of the coffee powder on the filter.

Advantageously, the funnel-shaped body of the present device is provided in various shapes so that it adheres perfectly to the internal chamber of the filter holder, with a different angle and taper, according to the filter holder model of the manufacturer.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing an auxiliary device that can be used in a traditional filter holder made of brass in order to improve significantly the quality of the espresso coffee from the organoleptic and sanitary standpoint.

The device according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; all the details may furthermore be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to the requirements and the state of the art. This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. UB2015A003105 (corresponding to 102015000044641) filed on August 13, 2015, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

9 CLAIMS

1. An auxiliary brewing device for an espresso coffee machine comprising a filter holder member comprising a collecting vessel and a filter; said device being characterized in that it comprises a funnel-shaped body constituted by a bottom portion joined to a side wall and provided with a delivery stem; said funnel-shaped body being insertable in said filter holder member, arranged between said collecting vessel and said filter; said funnel-shaped member collecting a brewed coffee produced by said filter and conveying said brewed coffee, by means of said delivery stem, into a container arranged below said filter holder member.

2. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a means for locking said funnel-shaped body in said filter holder member.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that said locking means comprises an elastic ring fitted into an annular slot formed in an inner wall of said filter holder member.

4. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the funnel-shaped body comprises a filtering member arranged above said bottom portion; said funnel-shaped body being insertable in said filter holder member and arranged in said collecting vessel.

5. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said funnel-shaped body is made of stainless steel.

6. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said funnel-shaped body is made of stainless steel and has a thickness comprised between approximately 0.4 mm and 1.5 mm.

7. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said funnel-shaped body is made of a material that is non-toxic, cleanable, antioxidant, resistant to wear over time and free from chemical-physical interactions with brewed coffee.