Patent Application
20070298953
Certain embodiments will be detailed without implying any limitation with reference to the figures which follow:
The expressions “holding and warming device” or “cup warmer” are used without distinction in the description without being limited to cups in the strict sense, and other objects can be warmed by the device (such as mugs, containers of liquid or foam, spoons, etc.).
The phrase “heat-control means” is used to indicate any device or combination of devices for transmitting and controlling the transfer of heat from the heating body to the cup holder in such a way that the temperature of the cup holder reaches the level required for the desired application, e.g. avoiding the risk of burns when touching the cup holder and/or the cups themselves or in such a way to give the cup warmer and/or the cups themselves a temperature suitable for keeping the liquid at an ideal temperature for consumption.
The expression “damping means” is intended to denote any device or combination of devices capable of significantly reducing vibrations such as hydraulic or mechanical vibrations from the pump.
The heat-control means and the damping means may be directly connected or preferably be formed by one and the same means, so as to simplify the structure and keep costs down.
In a first possible embodiment, the heat-control means and the damping means are a single dual-function heat-control and damping means.
In this embodiment, the heat-control and damping means may be interposed in contact, on the one hand, with the heating body and in contact, on the other hand, with the cup-holding part. The heat-control and damping means is then formed from a material that is both heat-conducting and vibration-damping.
The heat-control and damping means is preferably an elastic or viscoelastic material. A preferred choice is an elastomeric or silicone material.
For example the heat-control and damping means may be at least one block or pad interposed between the heating body and the cup holder. The means possesses a total surface area of transfer of between 0.5 and 3 cm2, preferably between 1 and 2 cm2, and a thickness of between 0.1 and 2 cm. Naturally, the dimensions of the transfer surface area and thickness may be calculated or obtained by experimentation by a person skilled in the art without any great difficulty, to suit the materials and in particular the coefficients of heat transfer and of damping, of the contact surfaces and of the ranges of temperature of operation of the heating body and of the desired range of temperatures of the cup holder.
The cup-holding part may be made of plastic or metal. It will preferably be a metallic material such as aluminium or an aluminium alloy in order to transfer the temperature evenly across the whole of the surface of the support and thus ensure a constant temperature regardless of where the object is stood.
In one alternative, the heat-control and/or damping means is an integral part of the cup holder, since it is possible for the cup holder itself to be made of one or more damping materials such as a material having elastic or viscoelastic properties. In this version the holder can be made of, for example, a multilayer comprising at least one heat-conducting layer to support the cups such as a metallic or hard plastic layer, and at least one underlayer of elastomer or silicone material. The underlayer may then be in direct contact with the heating body.
In another possible embodiment, the heat-control and/or damping means may be formed by a multitude of discrete contacts such as spikes or ribs with the heating body; at least some of the them being formed of an elastic or viscoelastic material. This will reduce the area of contact between the heating body so as to reduce the transfer of heat but also in order to damp the vibrations coming from the heating body.
In another embodiment, the heat-control means may be separate from the damping means, in the sense that they are independent means arranged either in series (e.g. in a multilayer structure) or in parallel (e.g. side by side between the heating body and the cup holder).
For example, the heat-control means may be a heat insulator but not necessarily a damper. An example would be fibre, fabric, felt, cardboard treated to make it fire-resistant, or other heat-insulating materials. The damping means taken in isolation or in combination with the heat-control means may also be a hydraulic damper or a simple spring.
The invention also relates to a method for warming a so-called “cup-warming” device in a machine for preparing drinks, characterized in that it involves, among other things, transmitting by conduction a part only of the surface heat of the heating body to the cup holder of said device; which heating body also being used to heat the water in the machine. For this purpose the method involves interposing between the surface of the cup holder and the heating body at least one thermal control means.
The method involves interposing a thermal control means capable of maintaining the surface of the cup holder at a temperature of around 45 to 65° C., from a temperature of operation of the heating body which may be above 80° C.
Also, in combination with the above or independently thereof, the method involves damping all or some of the vibrations transmissible from the heating body to the cup holder. For this purpose the method involves interposing at least one vibration damping means between the surface of the cup holder and the heating body.
The method involves having the heat-control and damping means as either the same means or separate means. For this, at least one vibration damping means. As
The brewing module may be designed to receive and brew, dissolve or dilute any ingredient contained in a package such as a closed capsule containing ground coffee or a plastic and/or aluminium sachet or sachet-filter or a simple filter. The module may also be designed to receive the ingredient directly without packaging and then to produce the drink. The module ends in an outlet 6 from where the drink is dispensed.
The cup holder 4 may occupy a single plane or a single holding surface or occupy several levels or several surfaces as shown in
The water tank may be detachable. A direct connection to the water supply system may also be adopted.
The “cup-warming” device comprises a heating body 7 located inside the machine and possessing an external heating surface. The heating body may be a thermoblock, for example, for heating the water for preparing the drink inside the machine. The thermoblock typically comprises an internal water circuit (such as an internal coil made of copper or other alloy or other metals) which is mounted in a matrix heated by electrically insulated electrical resistors. The thermal inertia matrix may be aluminium or other alloy or a plastic. The matrix produces a large amount of surface heat which is therefore used as a heat source in the cup-warming device of the invention.
The water is introduced from the tank 3 into the heating body by means of a pump 8, preferably a piston pump. Notice that the invention is not necessarily limited to the use of a piston pump but extends to other possible pump types. The water is heated in the heating body 7 to a temperature appropriate for preparing the drink in the brewing module.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, the heating body 7 is placed in connection with the cup holder 4 via a heat-control and damping means 9 formed by a block or pad 90. This pad may be made of for example an elastic or viscoelastic material to attenuate vibrations transmitted by the heating body to the cup holder. Vibrations are transferred particularly by the fluid and/or pipes leading from the pump or by other possible modes of transmission such as by solid route between the heating body and other components of the machine. The block is also thick enough to control the temperature transmitted to the holding plate by the heating body. The heating body typically regularly reaches a maximum surface temperature of around 100° C. or 150° C. when preparing steam, whereas the desired temperature for the cup holder 4 may be around 45-65° C. The material and the dimensions are chosen to produce, under normal conditions of use of the machine, a loss of heat sufficient to raise and effectively control the temperature of the cup holder at about 45-65° C. For example, a silicone block with an insulating thickness of dimensions: diameter approximately 1.2 cm and thickness approximately 4 mm has given satisfactory results.
As to the cup holder 4, this may be made of a metallic material or a hard heat-resistant plastic. It is preferable to select a material that is a reasonably good heat conductor such as aluminium or an aluminium alloy for an even distribution of the temperature throughout the cup surface.
An additional, non-damping layer may be added to control or help to control or fine-tune the control of the heat transmitted to the holder layer 40 in contact with the cups.
Other embodiments are of course possible without departing from the scope of the invention may be interposed between the cup holder and heating body to dampen vibrations therebetween.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06115512.3 | Jun 2006 | EP | regional |
