Patent ID: 7320274
Filing Date: 2008-01-22
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
1. A delivery head for an espresso coffee machine for preparing a coffee infusion from a disposable coffee capsule having a capsule top surface and a capsule bottom surface, said delivery head comprising a top supporting element pivoted to a bottom supporting element, said top supporting element supporting a top perforating element having a quadrangular pyramidal cross-section, said bottom supporting element being made rigid with a body of said machine, said bottom supporting element comprising a coffee capsule infusion recess for housing said coffee capsule, said recess having a recess bottom, said delivery head further comprising an operating lever which can be manually raised and lowered to define a coffee capsule loading and a coffee capsule ejecting position, respectively, said top supporting element comprising a top cover and said bottom supporting element comprising a bottom cover, wherein said operating lever is a single arm operating lever pivoted at an operating lever single pivot pin only to said top supporting element, wherein said delivery head further comprises locking means to firmly hold said coffee capsule in a coffee infusion delivery position, said locking means comprising a locking lever pivoted to said top supporting element at a locking lever pivot pin and having a hook portion operating on a locking peg rigid with said bottom supporting element, wherein said delivery head comprises coffee infusion delivery means including a coffee infusion delivery nozzle coupled at a bottom thereof to said bottom supporting element, at an outlet hole formed through said bottom of said coffee capsule infusion recess, wherein from said bottom of said coffee capsule infusion recess projects a bottom perforating element having a circular tapering cross section, said bottom perforating element cooperating with said top perforating element to progressively perforate at first said top surface and then said bottom surface of said coffee capsule, said bottom surface of said coffee capsule being perforated as said coffee capsule is pressed against said bottom perforating element by an overheated water pressure flow, generated upon lowering said operating lever, after that said top perforating element has perforated said top surface of said coffee capsule, and wherein said delivery head also comprises coffee capsule ejecting means for automatically ejecting said coffee capsule as said operating lever is raised.