Abstract:
A coffee machine includes a hot water generator, an infusion chamber for receiving an infusible product, an infusion dispensing outlet ( 6 ) and a foam producing device ( 40 ), which is interposed between the infusion chamber and the dispensing outlet and is provided with at least two outlet orifices ( 43, 44 ) arranged with respect to each other in such a way that two infusion jets, which are formed at exit, collide with each other, thereby producing a foam. The two outlet orifices ( 43, 44 ) are oriented to each other at an angle of 90 degrees in such a way that the first outlet orifice ( 43 ) is oriented in a vertical direction whereas the second outlet orifice ( 44 ) is oriented in a horizontal direction and placed in such a way that the collision of the two infusion jets takes place under the first orifice.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a coffeemaker comprising a hot water generator, an infusion chamber that is designed to hold a product to be infused and that is fed by said generator, at least one outlet for distribution of the infusion, and a foam-making device that is inserted between said infusion chamber and said distribution outlet and that comprises at least two outlet openings, in a suitable section, arranged relative to one another so as to create at the outlet respectively at least two infusion jets that collide with one another when the foam is being formed. 
     A product support that is to be infused and that has a circular bottom delimiting the lower part of an infusion chamber, when it is placed in a coffeemaker, is known from the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,880. The bottom of this support has calibrated openings that form suitable channels for creating infusion jets. The support openings are arranged in pairs so as to face one another. The infusion that passes through a pair of these openings forms two liquid jets that are directed against one another and that collide by forming with one another an angle that is close to 180 degrees. It is indicated that the collision of the jets under this angle is particularly favorable for making foam. 
     However, the thus produced foam-making device has various drawbacks, primarily linked to the fact that the latter is closely linked to the product support to be infused. 
     The product support to be infused is actually to perform functions that are differentiated from the foam-making device, such as, for example, to play the filter role if the product to be infused comes in the form of a loose grind, or to ensure a simple support function while making possible a passage of the infusion through the latter if the product to be infused comes in the form of one dose of grind packed in a filter paper packet, generally called a dosette. The product support to be infused also has as its function to define the volume and the geometric shape of the infusion chamber to adapt to the amount of infusion to prepare or to the type of dosette to hold; actually, there currently exist so-called “coffee” machines that can not only prepare coffee from the dosette or coffee grind, but also other infusion types, such as, for example, tea, a chocolate drink, hot milk, or a mixture of these products. It is therefore necessary to design product supports to be infused that have different characteristics to adapt in particular to the nature and to the volume of these products. Consequently, the unit design of the support and the foam-making device as described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,880 proves unsuitable. In addition, there may exist a need for using a product support to be infused that has given characteristics with or without a foam-making device according to the type of drink that it is desired to prepare. 
     The applicant has therefore concluded that there was a need to separate the functions of the product support to be infused and the functions of the foam-making, it being understood that the foam-making device is to be placed beyond the infusion chamber to treat the liquid infusion that is prepared in the chamber. However, an arrangement of the foam-making device downstream from the infusion chamber requires taking into consideration the available space for this device and in particular for arranging the openings opposite one another while taking into account the infusion feed of these openings. This therefore brings about an additional production constraint, primarily if the foam-making device is to be integrated in a standard-size filter holder or a filter holder that is designed to hold a particularly large amount of product to be infused. 
     In contrast, it is also necessary to take into consideration the flow of the infusion behind the foam-making device, from which the pressure of the infusion is considerably reduced, approximately equal to the atmospheric pressure for a low-pressure machine, and the flow is obtained essentially by gravity. Actually, an accumulation of the infusion or an insufficient flow can bring about a premature fouling of the pipes, primarily in the case of milk-containing drinks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention therefore has as its object to produce a foam-making device of the infusion jet collision type, which is compact while obtaining a satisfactory flow of the infusion. 
     For this purpose, this invention has as its object a coffeemaker of the above-mentioned type, characterized in that the at least two outlet openings are oriented relative to one another along an angle of approximately 90 degrees, whereby at least a first outlet opening is oriented vertically and at least a second outlet opening is oriented horizontally and arranged, relative to said first outlet opening, so that the collision of the infusion jets is located under said first opening. 
     Thus, the openings form a more closed angle and, consequently, the inlets of the latter are drawn close to one another. The outlets that create the jets can also be drawn close together because there is no risk that the jet of one of the outlets will hinder or block the jet of the other outlet or even that the infusion jet that is created by an opening partially penetrates the other opening. Furthermore, contrary to what could be expected, the fact that the jets intercept one another essentially at a right angle has a significant, favorable effect on the formation of foam. 
     In addition, the relative arrangement of the openings causes the foamy infusion to preserve, after the collision point, a component of movement directed toward the distribution outlet, although it comes in atomized form after this point. Its flow by gravity toward the distribution outlet is thus promoted. 
     In preferred embodiments of the invention, it is also possible to resort to one and/or the other of the following arrangements:
         The machine also comprises a removable filter holder that comprises a cup for holding the product to be infused, and an outlet opening of the infusion, whereby the foam-making device is arranged inside the filter holder, between the cup and the outlet opening of the filter holder;   The filter holder comprises a flow pipe that communicates with the outlet opening and that has a free end that forms the distribution outlet of the infusion, whereby the foam-making device is arranged inside the pipe of the filter holder;   The foam-making device comprises a body in which the two outlet openings are made;   At least one sealing joint is arranged between the body and the inside wall of the flow pipe;   The outlet openings of the foam-making device are fed by infusion by a common collecting chamber; and   The outlet openings of the foam-making device empty into a jet collision chamber that communicates with the distribution outlet.       

     Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, provided by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic cutaway view of a coffeemaker machine that is equipped with a filter holder that comprises a dosette of the product to be infused and a foam-making device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the filter holder shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial view of the filter holder shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the various figures, identical references were maintained to designate identical or similar elements. 
     In  FIG. 1 , a coffeemaker  1  that comprises a hot water generator  2 , an infusion chamber  3  that is delimited in the embodiment that is shown by a sprayer  4  and a filter holder  5  and a distribution outlet  6  of the infusion is diagrammatically shown. 
     The hot water generator  2  can be of any known type in the coffeemakers, but it is preferably an electrically heated boiler that comprises a suitable device for delivering hot water under low pressure, i.e., pressure on the order of two bars. The generator  2  is connected to the sprayer  4  by a hot-water feed pipe  8 . 
     The infusion chamber  3  is delimited in its upper part by the sprayer  4 , and laterally, as well as in its lower part, by the filter holder  5 . The filter holder  5  rests in a housing  9  that is formed in a first part  10  of the box of the coffeemaker  1 , while the sprayer  4  is integral with a second part of the box that is not shown, movable relative to the first part  10 , and preferably articulated relative to the latter, so as to provide access to the infusion chamber  3 . 
     The sprayer  4  comprises a perforated metal disk  14  that is topped with a cover  15  into which empties the hot water feed pipe  8 , and an annular sealing joint  16  that is suitable for ensuring the sealing between the sprayer  4  and the filter holder  5 . 
     The filter holder  5  is formed by a cup  20  that has a bottom  21 , an annular lateral wall  24  that extends from the bottom  21  up to an upper periphery  25  against which rests the cover  15  of the sprayer  4 , and a gripping handle  26 . The annular wall  24  has a radially exterior shoulder  27  close to the upper periphery  25 . 
     The bottom  21  of the cup  20  has an opening  22  that empties into a flow pipe  23  that extends vertically. The flow pipe  23  has a free end  23   a  that forms the outlet opening of the infusion of the filter holder  5 . The presence of ribs  28  that extend upward from the bottom  21  and are arranged radially relative to the opening  22  in a peripheral zone of this opening will be noted. 
     The cup  20  of the filter holder  5  holds a dosette  32  of the product to be infused. The dosette  32  is a flexible pocket made of filter paper that contains the product to be infused. In this case, this is a dosette that is intended for the preparation of coffee with milk, also called “creamy.” For this purpose, it contains the coffee grind and the powder milk in large amounts since a “creamy” coffee represents a relatively high drink volume per person, very clearly greater than that of an “espresso”-type coffee. The dosette  32  has a flat bottom  33  from which a slightly conical body  34  extends up to a circular plane upper face  35  made of filter paper. The upper face  35  of the dosette  32  forms an annular peripheral collar  36  relative to the body  34 . The collar  36  is pressed against the flange  27  of the cup  20  by the sealing joint  16  of the sprayer  4  in the embodiment that is diagrammatically shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The dosette  32  is supported in part by the annular wall  24  of the cup  20 , which has a conicity that is essentially identical to that of the body  34  of the dosette, as well as by the ribs  28  of the cup that rest against the bottom  33  of the dosette by creating a hollow locally on the latter, and optionally by the bottom  21  of the cup against which the bottom  33  of the dosette can come into contact if the latter has just been deformed under the effect of the passage of the infusion. Thus, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the infusion chamber  3  is delimited in its lower part by the tip of the ribs  28  of the cup  20  and the bottom  21  itself. The bottom  21  of the cup  20  also has as its function to collect the infusion and to direct the latter toward the opening  22 . However, it is perfectly conceivable that the filter holder  5  has a product support to be infused, separate from the bottom  21  of the cup  20  and made, for example, by a perforated plate that extends between the annular wall  24  of the cup and at a distance from the bottom  21  of the latter. In this case, this is the perforated plate and the upper part of the cup extending from the plate, which constitute a cup for holding the product to be infused, whereby the bottom  21  of the cup  20  then has only the function of collecting the infusion. 
     It will be noted that the filter holder  5  is removably mounted in the housing  9  of the first part  10  of the box. Once the sprayer  4  is released from the housing  9 , the handle  26  of the filter holder  5  makes it possible to release the latter from the housing  9 , against which it rests by the radial flange  27 , by carrying out a movement upward. This removable mounting of the filter holder  5  in the coffeemaker  1  proves to be very practical and is requested by numerous users. Actually, it makes it possible to manage the filter holder to install a dosette more easily, and primarily it makes it possible to throw out the used dosette without having to touch it, for example by bringing the filter holder  5  back over a trash can. In addition, the removable assembly of the filter holder makes it possible to place inside the same coffeemaker filter holders that have identical outside dimensions but with a different inside structure to prepare different infusions using dosettes of different geometry or optionally product to be infused that is packaged in bulk. 
     In the embodiment that is shown in  FIG. 1 , the free end  23   a  of the flow pipe  23  forms the distribution outlet  6  of the infusion, such that in this example, the outlet opening of the filter holder  5  and the distribution outlet  6  are combined. It is conceivable, of course, that the infusion that flows through the outlet opening of the filter holder  5  is collected by another part of the coffeemaker to be directed toward a distant distribution outlet by means of pipes. However, the fact that the distribution outlet  6  is formed by the end  23   a  of the flow pipe  23  makes it possible to limit to the filter holder  5  the parts of the machine that are optionally fouled by the infusion. However, because of this removable assembly in the first part  10  of the box, the filter holder  5  is particularly easy to clean. 
     A foam-making device  40  is arranged inside the pipe  23  of the removable filter holder  5 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the foam-making device  40  comprises a body  41  that is made of plastic material and that comprises a first opening  43  and a second opening  44 , both made in the form of cylindrical through holes. The infusion that passes through the dosette  32  is collected by the bottom  21  of the cup  20  and is then directed toward the opening  22  of the cup  20 . Then, the infusion exits through the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ). These outlet openings ( 43 ,  44 ) have a suitable section based on the flow rate and the pressure of the infusion, such that the infusion exits from the latter in the form of fine liquid jets. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) are arranged relative to one another such that the infusion jets that are created collide with one another by forming the foam. More particularly, the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) are located in the same plane, but oriented relative to one another along an angle of 90 degrees, such that the jets that are created perpendicularly intercept one another. 
     The first opening  43  is oriented vertically; the infusion jet that exits from the first opening  43  is therefore directed downward, i.e., overall in the direction of the free end  23   a  of the pipe  23  and the distribution outlet  6 . The second opening  44  is oriented horizontally, but is located under the first opening  43 , such that the collision of the infusion jets takes place under the first opening  43 . This arrangement of the openings ( 43 ,  44 ) causes the foamy infusion to preserve, after the collision point, a component of movement directed toward the distribution outlet  6 , although it comes in atomized form after this point. Its flow by gravity toward the distribution outlet  6  is thus promoted. 
     In addition, by this arrangement of the openings ( 43 ,  44 ), the vertical infusion jet that exits from the opening  43  under the effect of the pressure and the gravitation has a slightly higher speed than that of the horizontal infusion jet, which exits from the opening  44  only under the effect of the pressure; this difference in speeds between the two infusion jets, respectively vertical and horizontal, has as its advantage to promote in particular the formation of foam. It also holds true that this arrangement of the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) is favorable for the elimination of the traces of infusion that can still exist after the preparation of a drink, elimination that is achieved, for example, by sending a vapor jet into the infusion chamber. Of course, the vertical and horizontal orientations should be considered when the foam-making device and the machine are in a configuration of use and when a limited inclination relative to these directions is possible while keeping the advantages mentioned above. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the body  41  has a well  46  that empties toward the opening  22  of the bottom  21  of the cup  20 , which has a section that is very clearly superior to the section of the second opening  44 . With the portion of the pipe  23  that extends up to the opening  22  and the ribs  28 , the well  46  delimits a released space in which the infusion is collected to feed the first opening  43  and the second opening  44 . The thus formed collecting chamber  47  makes it possible to feed each of the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) under identical pressure, because there is no pressure drop between the inlet of the first opening  43  and the inlet of the second opening  44 . This promotes obtaining a collision of the nominal jets, even if the dosette  32  is more or less correctly placed in the filter holder  5 . 
     The two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) empty into a collision chamber  48 ,  FIG. 3 , delimited by the body  41 , the pipe  23  and the tip of a wing  49  that extends along the inside wall of the pipe  23 . An opening  50  that is made between the tip of the wing  49  and the body  41  makes possible the communication of the collision chamber  48  with the distribution outlet  6 . It will be noted that the opening  50  of the collision chamber  48  has a section that is very clearly superior to the section of the openings ( 43 ,  44 ) because the chamber  48  is not to be filled with infusion. Actually, so that the collision of the jets produces the formation of fine bubbles in the infusion, it is preferable that air be present in the collision chamber  48 . 
     It has proven of value that the fact of providing a relatively closed collision chamber  48  as well as the collision of jets along an angle of about 90 degrees promotes in particular the creation of fine foam. 
     A free space  51  ( FIG. 3 ) that is located under the body  41  and above an element  54  presented in detail below and delimited laterally by the pipe  23  and the wing  49  constitutes a reserve of air for the collision chamber  48 . The infusion that is sprayed into the collision chamber  48  passes through the free space  51  essentially by flowing by gravity along vertical walls of this space. 
     As  FIG. 3  shows it, the element  54  is arranged inside the free end  23   a  of the pipe  23  and forms with the latter the distribution outlet  6 . The outlet element  54  also has the shape of a plug that comprises vertical channels  55  that come in the form of elongated cylindrical through holes. The entire section of all the channels  55  is larger than the entire section of the outlet openings ( 43 ,  44 ) of the foam-making device  40 , so that the infusion that exits from these channels  55  is not in the form of powerful jets that could create splashing at the distribution outlet  6 . However, their entire section is not to be too large, so that they are filled by the infusion when the latter passes through them. Thus, and because of the elongation of the channels  55 , a uniform flow of the foamy infusion at the distribution outlet  6  is obtained. 
     The wing  49  connects the body  41  of the foam-making device  40  to the outlet element  54 , such that the unit of these three elements ( 41 ,  49 ,  55 ) forms only a single piece that is designated by the reference  60  in  FIG. 2 . 
     The piece  60  that thus forms the body  41  of the foam-making device  40  and the outlet element  54  is mounted in a removable manner inside the pipe  23  and extends over essentially the entire height of the latter, whereby the body  41  is located in the upper portion of the pipe  23 . 
     The outlet element  54  has an end  54   a  that projects relative to the free end  23   a  of the pipe  23 . Thus, by exerting pressure with the finger on the end  54   a , the piece  60  is pushed back toward the opening  22  of the bottom of the cup  20  and can then be easily removed from the filter holder. The removable assembly of the piece  60  is advantageous for cleaning the latter, and more practically the two openings ( 43 ,  44 ) of the foam-making device  40 . It will be noted that the fact of making the body  41  of the foam-making device in a single piece with the wing  49  and the outlet element  54  makes it possible to obtain a piece  60  that has large enough dimensions to be easily handled, although the foam-making device  40  is small in size. The piece  60  is preferably injection-molded of plastic material. 
     A first O-ring seal  63 ,  FIG. 3 , is arranged in a peripheral groove of the body  41  and comes into contact with the inside wall of the pipe  23 , so as to ensure the sealing between these two elements. Actually, a leakage of infusion between the pipe  23  and the body  41  would reduce the flow passing through the outlet openings ( 43 ,  44 ) and would hamper the formation of foam. 
     Analogously, a sealing joint  65  surrounds the outlet element  54  and comes into contact with the inside wall of the pipe  23  so as to ensure the sealing between these two elements and to prevent the appearance of traces of infusion at the free end  23   a  of the pipe. 
     The embodiment that is described above is in no way limiting, and it is possible in particular to provide more than two outlet openings for the foam-making device, it being understood that at least two of these openings should be oriented approximately at 90 degrees. It is also possible to arrange the foam-making device in a filter holder that has a different structure, for example with a perforated support that is suitable for supporting a dosette or for holding loose grind. An assembly that is essentially different from the filter holder in the coffeemaker can also be designed.