Patent Publication Number: US-2015059585-A1

Title: Coffee machine

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a coffee machine, more particularly, a coffee machine which can always provide a user with a fixed amount of coffee conveniently and efficiently by a pressing operation of a button. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Generally, a coffee machine is referred to a device that can easily and quickly extract coffee through a series of processes. And as coffee becomes widely popular, its supply shows a gradual rising trend. 
     To go along with such a trend, ceaseless research and development to improve functionality of coffee machines are being conducted. 
     A conventional coffee machine is disclosed in Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2010-0063069. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , this coffee machine comprises: a water tank  1 ; an electric pump  2  for pumping water stored in the water tank  1 ; a heater  3  for heating the water being pumped by the electric pump  2 ; a capsule holder  4  in which the water heated in the heater  3  is used to melt coffee powder loaded in a coffee capsule  4 A and extract coffee; a flow sensor  5  installed between the electric pump  2  and the heater  3 ; a temperature sensor  6  installed in the rear of the heater  3  and for detecting water temperature; and a control circuit  7  for controlling each configuration. 
     In particular, the flow sensor  5  is installed to detect the amount of the water flow supplied from the water tank  1  in order to control the extraction volume of coffee. 
     However, although this coffee machine supplies a fixed amount of water using the flow sensor  5  and the control circuit  7 , changes in the state of water and others occur while water passes through the heater  3  and the capsule holder  4 , which eventually always brings a bit of change to the amount of coffee extract in a coffee cup C. 
     Thus, it creates a problem which is unable to provide users with a uniform taste and flavor of coffee at all times. 
     Meanwhile, when the flow sensor  5  is installed in the rear of the heater  3 , the changes in the amount of coffee extract according to the state of the coffee capsule  4 A cannot be measured and the life of the flow sensor  5  can be shortened by the high temperature of heated water and its pressure. In addition, when the flow sensor  5  is installed in the rear of the capsule holder  4 , the flow sensor  5  can likely be damaged or malfunction because of the surrounding environment including a minute amount of coffee power produced during the extraction of coffee. 
     And this coffee machine is disadvantageous due to its incapability of providing users with various kinds of coffee according to their preferences. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention is devised to solve such problems and the object of the present invention is to provide a coffee machine which can accurately extract a fixed amount of coffee at all times and serve various types of coffee in accordance with the preference of a user. 
     Technical Solution 
     In order to solve the problems hereinbefore, a coffee machine according to the present invention comprises: a tank; a pump connected to the tank; a cold water line connected to the pump; a heating container connected to the cold water line and for heating the cold water supplied through the cold water line; a hot water line connected to the heating container; a capsule holder connected to the hot water line and equipped with a coffee extraction hole; a cup support member installed below the coffee extraction hole; a load cell attached to the cup support member; a control module which controls the amount of coffee extracted through the coffee extraction hole according to an electric signal outputted from the load cell; a hot water branch line branched from the hot water line, and its distal end is placed above the cup support member; and a hot water control valve installed in the branched region of the hot water line and for controlling the direction of flow of hot water. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     A coffee machine according to the present invention controls the volume of the extraction by detecting the exact weight of the coffee extracted through a load cell into a cup, and thus is capable of extracting a fixed amount of coffee at all times. 
     Accordingly, it can always provide a coffee machine user with a uniform taste and flavor of coffee. 
     Also, according to a pressing operation of a button, the coffee machine can provide a user with various kinds of coffee. 
     And because the load cell is attached to a cup support member which is externally exposed, it allows relatively easy maintenance. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional coffee machine. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first exemplary embodiment of a coffee machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second exemplary embodiment of a coffee machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an operation process according to a pressing operation of a first button. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an operation process according to a pressing operation of a second button. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     Hereunder is given a more detailed description of a coffee machine according to the present invention using appended drawings. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first exemplary embodiment of a coffee machine according to the present invention. A coffee machine according to the present invention comprises: a tank  10 , a pump  20  connected to the tank  10 ; a cold water line L 1  connected to the pump  20 ; a heating container  30  connected to the cold water line L 1 ; a hot water line L 2  connected to the heating container  30 ; a capsule holder  40  connected to the hot water line L 2 ; a cup support member  50  installed below the capsule holder  40 ; a load cell  60  attached to the cup support member  50 ; and a control module  70  electrically connected to the load cell  60 . 
     The tank  10  stores cold water inside and can be replaced with a pipeline through which cold water is supplied from the outside. In particular, when a pipeline substitutes for the tank  10 , it is recommended to have a means for filtering on the pipeline in order to efficiently purify cold water. 
     The pump  20  pumps the cold water stored in the tank  10  to high-pressure transfer it to the cold water line L 1 , and a variety of well-known pumps can be selectively used for the pump  20 . 
     Meanwhile, a control valve(not shown) for controlling the discharge of water can be installed between the pump  20  and the tank  10 . 
     The cold water line L 1  which is to provide the heating container  30  with the cold water discharged from the tank  10  is pipe-shaped and closely disposed between the pump  20  and the heating container  30 . 
     The heating container  30  is for heating the cold water supplied through the cold water line L 1  and equipped with a heater  32  therein. The shape of the heating container  30  and the type of the heater  32  can be properly altered within the range of which cold water can be smoothly heated. 
     The hot water line L 2  which is to provide the capsule holder  40  with the hot water heated in the heating container  30  is pipe-shaped and disposed between the heating container  30  and the capsule holder  40 . 
     The capsule holder  40  holds a capsule coffee  44  filled with coffee power inside and the bottom of it is attached to a coffee extraction hole  42  for extracting coffee into a coffee cup C, wherein coffee is produced while the hot water supplied through the hot water line L 2  is provided to the coffee capsule  44 . The coffee extraction hole  42  can be either formed integrally to the capsule holder  40  or coupled together with the capsule holder  40  as a separate configuration. 
     And the capsule holder  40  is equipped with a connection means(not shown) which is connected to the coffee capsule  44  in order to provide the coffee capsule  44  with hot water and extract coffee produced from the coffee capsule  44 . 
     Meanwhile, various kinds of capsules can be selected and applied to the coffee capsule  44 . 
     The cup support member  50  is a place on which the coffee cup C is set and separately installed below the coffee extraction hole  42  of the capsule holder  40 . 
     The load cell  60  which is for accurately extracting a fixed amount of coffee at all times by sensing the weight of coffee extract in the coffee cup C to control the volume of extraction, outputs an electric signal to the control module  70  according to the weight of coffee discharged through the coffee extraction hole  42  of the capsule holder  40 . 
     This load cell  60  is installed in the center of the lower part of the cup support member  50 , which can significantly enhance the reliability of the coffee extraction volume and its external installation allows easy maintenance. 
     In addition, the load cell  60  is recommended to be integrally coupled together with or integrally formed to the lower face of the cup support member  50  in order to prevent the flow or separation. 
     Meanwhile, the load cell  60  is a general term of a force transducer that creates an electrical output proportional to the force being provided, and the principle of the load cell  60  is to obtain an electric signal proportional to the force provided according to the change in the strain gage resistance value of an elastic body, which is produced when force is provided to a metal elastic body adhered to a strain gage. This load cell  60  is a known technology, so the description of specific structure and operating principle thereof will be omitted. 
     And the cup support member  50  can have either the structure of a cup base which supports the lower part of the coffee cup C or the structure of a cup holder which elastically supports the upper part of a disposable cup including a paper cup and in which case the load cell  60  is integrally coupled together with or integrally formed to the side of the cup holder. 
     The control module  70  is for controlling coffee extraction to be made according to the control signal input by a user. In particular, the control module  70  controls the amount of coffee extracted through the coffee extraction hole  42  of the capsule holder  40  according to the electric signal outputted from the load call  60 . 
     In this case, the electric signal outputted from the load cell  60  has various sizes of its output proportional to the weight of coffee, and thus the control module  70  is provided with a data table in which the electric signal outputted from the load cell  60  is converted into weight, the data logic which controls the operation order according to the electric signal, and so on. Also, because the weight of the coffee cup C placed on the cup support member  50  can vary according to its type, the difference between the electric signal according to the weight of the coffee cup C and the electric signal according to the weight of the coffee discharged is calculated in order to control the amount of the coffee extract. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second exemplary embodiment of a coffee machine according to the present invention. The coffee machine illustrated in  FIG. 3  comprises: a tank  10 ; a pump  20 ; a cold water line L 1 ; a heating container  30  equipped with a heater  32 ; a hot water line L 2 ; a coffee extraction hole  42 ; a capsule holder  40  for holding a coffee capsule  44  inside; a cup support member  50 ; a load cell  60 ; a control module  70 ; a hot water branch line L 3 ; a hot water control valve V 1 ; a cold water branch line L 4 ; and a cold water control valve V 2 . 
     Since the configuration stated hereinbefore has the same contents as the coffee machine equipped with a load cell described through the  FIG. 2 , detailed explanation will be omitted, other than the components installed for producing different types of coffee including the hot water branch line L 3 , the hot water control valve V 1 , a cold water branch line L 4 , the cold water control valve V 2 , and the control module  70 . 
     The hot water branch line L 3  is installed in order to produce a different type of coffee by mixing hot water to the coffee that is produced. For example, the espresso coffee that is produced is mixed with hot water through the hot water branch line L 3  in order to produce Americano coffee. This hot water branch line L 3  is branched from the hot water line L 2 , and its distal end is placed above the cup support member  50 . 
     And the hot water control valve V 1  is installed in the branched region of the hot water line L 2  to selectively control the direction of flow of hot water towards either the hot water line L 2  or the hot water branch line L 3 . A solenoid valve is recommended to be used for this hot water control valve V 1 . 
     The cold water branch line L 4  is installed in order to produce a different type of coffee by mixing cold water to the coffee that is produced. For example, the espresso coffee that is produced is mixed with cold water through the cold water branch line L 4  and ice can be added according to the personal preference in order to make an iced Americano coffee. The cold water branch line L 4  is branched from the cold water line L 1 , and its distal end is placed above the cup support member  50 . 
     And the cold water control valve V 2  is installed on the branched region of cold water line L 1  or the cold water branched line L 4  in order to selectively control the direction of flow of cold water towards the cold water branch line L 4 . When this cold water control valve V 2  is installed in the branched region of the cold water line L 1 , a solenoid valve is used. 
     The control module  70  controls the operation of the pump  20 , the heating container  30 , the load cell  60 , the hot water control valve V 1 , and the cold water control valve V 2 . 
     This control module  70  is equipped with a first and a second button  71 ,  72  for selectively producing various kinds of coffee, and a third and a fourth button  73 ,  74  for additionally providing hot water and cold water into the coffee cup C through the hot water branched line L 3  and the cold water branch line L 4  respectively. 
     A pressing operation of the first button  71  extracts coffee, and the time of the button being pressed controls the amount of coffee extract. Also, a pressing operation of the second button  72  extracts coffee, and according to the time of the button being pressed, either hot water through the hot water branched line L 3  or cold water through the cold water branch line L 4  is discharged. 
     And the third and the fourth button  73 ,  74  are user selection buttons for providing additional hot water or cold water to the coffee that is produced according to a user&#39;s preference. This is, a pressing operation of the third or the fourth button  73 ,  74  discharges hot water through the hot water branched line L 3  or cold water through the cold water branch line L 4 , and an additional pressing operation of the third or the fourth  73 ,  74  button stops discharging hot water through the hot water branch line L 3  or cold water through the cold water branch line L 4 . 
     The process of producing various kinds of coffee using the coffee machine described hereinbefore can be briefly illustrated through  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  as follows. 
     (1) The First Coffee (Espresso Coffee) 
     A short pressing operation of the first button  71  adjusts the weight of the coffee cup C placed on the cup support member  50  to zero point, and as the hot water control valve V 1  and the cold water control valve V 2  operate to open the cold water line L 1  and the hot water line L 2 , the pump  20  and the heating container  30  operate to change the cold water supplied through the cold water line L 1  into hot water in the hot water line L 2 , and then the hot water passes through the coffee capsule  44  being held inside of the capsule holder  40  to extract the first coffee(espresso coffee) through the coffee extraction hole  42 . 
     In this case, the hot water control valve V 1  and the cold water control valve V 2  block the flow path of the hot water branch line L 3  and the cold water branch line L 4 , while the control module  70  stops the operation of the pump  20  when an electric signal according to the amount of coffee is detected in the load cell  60 , which terminates coffee extracting operation. 
     (2) The Second Coffee (Doppio Coffee) 
     A long pressing operation of the first button  71  produces the second coffee(doppio coffee). The process of producing this second coffee(doppio coffee) is the same as the first coffee(espresso coffee), but the only difference is that the second coffee(doppio coffee) is set to double the quantity of the first coffee(espresso coffee). 
     (3) The Third Coffee (Americano Coffee) 
     A short pressing operation of the second button  72  produces the third coffee(Americano coffee), and this third coffee(Americano coffee) is produced by providing additional hot water through the hot water branch line L 3  after completing the process of producing the first coffee(espresso coffee). 
     In this case, the control module  70  controls the hot water control valve V 1  when an electric signal according to the amount of hot water is detected in the load cell  60 , which terminates discharging operation of the hot water through the hot water branch line L 3 . 
     In addition, for the variety of flavor and taste of coffee, the process order for coffee and water can be altered. 
     (4) The Fourth Coffee (Iced Americano Coffee) 
     A long pressing operation of the second button  72  produces the fourth coffee(iced Americano coffee). When producing this fourth coffee(iced Americano coffee), an iced cup filled with ice is used, and cold water is provided through the cold water branch line L 4  prior to extracting the first coffee(espresso coffee). 
     In this case, the control module  70  controls the cold water control valve V 2  when an electric signal according to the amount of coffee is detected in the load cell  60 , which terminates discharging operation of the cold water through the cold water branch line L 4 . 
     In addition, for the variety of flavor and taste of coffee, the process order for coffee and water can be altered. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS 
     
         
           10 : tank 
           20 : pump 
           30 : heating container 
           40 : capsule holder 
           42 : coffee extraction hole 
           50 : cup support member 
           60 : load cell 
           70 : control module 
           71 : first button 
           72 : second button 
           73 : third button 
           74 : fourth button 
         L 1 : cold water line 
         L 2 : hot water line 
         L 3 : hot water branch line 
         L 4 : cold water branch line 
         V 1 : hot water control valve 
         V 2 : cold water control valve