US2019223656 (A1)
Beverage preparation machine with a controlled pump.
[0001] A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises a source of liquid (2,3) and a dispensing outlet (4) connected via a pump (10) that includes a chamber (11) and a displaceable wall (12) delimiting the chamber (11). The pump (10) further has: an electric actuator (13) driving the displaceable wall (12) for causing an inflow of liquid from the source into the chamber (11) and for causing an outflow of liquid from the chamber (11) to the dispensing outlet (4); and a powering unit (14) that comprises an electric power source (142) and that is configured for supplying power to the actuator (13). The powering unit (14) further comprises: a sensor (143) for measuring an electrical parameter representative of a consumption of power by the actuator (13); and a control unit (144) that is connected to the sensor (143) and to the electrical power source (142) and that is configured to control the power supplied to the actuator (13) by the electric power source (142) as a function of: the measured parameter; and a desired liquid input into the chamber (11) and/or liquid output from the chamber (11), such as a desired flow and/or pressure of the liquid input and/or of the liquid output.
- Publication
- US2019223656 (A1)
- Publication date
- 2019-07-25
- Priority date
- 2016-06-30
- Inventors
- THULIEZ JEAN-LUC [CH]; OBLIGER NICOLAS [FR]; CROZIER ETIENNE [CH]; GUYON BERTRAND [FR]; MAGATTI MARCO [CH]
- Applicants
- NESTEC SA [CH]; NESTLE SA [CH]
- Classification
- Classification: - internationale A47J31/34; A47J31/46; A47J31/52 - coopérative A47J31/34 (RU, US); A47J31/3623 (US); A47J31/3633 (EP, RU); A47J31/46 (EP, RU); A47J31/468 (RU, US); A47J31/525 (EP, RU, US); A47J31/5251 (EP, RU, US); A47J31/5253 (EP, RU, US); A47J31/5255 (EP, RU, US);
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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns beverage preparation machines with a controlled pump.
[0002] For the purpose of the present description, a “beverage” is meant to include any liquid food, such as tea, coffee, hot or cold chocolate, milk, soup, baby food, etc... A “capsule” is meant to include any pre-portioned beverage ingredient within an enclosing packaging of any material, in particular an airtight packaging, e.g.
[0003] plastic, aluminium, recyclable and/or biodegradable packagings, and of any shape and structure, including soft pods or rigid cartridges containing the ingredient. BACKGROUND ART
[0004] Beverage preparation machines have been known for a number of years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,472 discloses a water circulation system between a water reservoir and a hot water or vapour distribution chamber of an espresso machine. Suitable pumps for beverage machines are for instance disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,868, 5,392,694, 5,992,298, 6,554,588, WO 2004/014205, WO 2005/053489, WO 2006/005425, WO 2006/032599, WO 2009/150030 and WO 2010/108700. EP 2 247 857, EP 2 643 588 and EP 2 904 266 disclose a pump with a pump chamber that is associated with a heater for heating liquid in the pump chamber. WO 2004/014205 and WO 2005/053489 teach the use of a pressurized gas source for pressurizing and driving liquid in a beverage machine. WO 2006/005425 discloses the use of a peristaltic pump for driving a liquid in a beverage machine. U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,868 discloses a beverage preparation machine with a pump of the rotary type. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,694 discloses an espresso machine with a pump that has a piston actuated by an eccentric drive via a connecting rod engaged. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A preferred object of the present invention concerns a beverage machine with a simple pump configuration adapted to provide a reliable pump performance control.
[0006] Therefore, the invention relates to a beverage preparation machine comprising a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet connected via a pump.
[0007] The pump has a chamber and a displaceable wall delimiting the chamber. The displaceable wall being for instance joined to the adjacent (typically static) chamber wall(s) by a seal, e.g. an O-ring. The pump further has an electric actuator driving the displaceable wall between a first position and a second position for causing an inflow of liquid from the source into the chamber and for causing an outflow of liquid from the chamber to the dispensing outlet optionally via a thermal conditioner such as a heater and/or cooler.
Claims
- 1. A beverage preparation machine comprising a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet connected via a pump comprising: a chamber;a displaceable wall defining the chamber;an electric actuator driving the displaceable wall between a first position and a second position for causing an inflow of liquid from the source into the chamber and for causing an outflow of liquid from the chamber to the dispensing outlet; anda powering unit that comprises an electric power source and that is configured for supplying power to the actuator,the powering unit further comprises:a sensor; anda control unit connected to the sensor and to the electrical power source, the control unit being configured to control the power supplied to the actuator by the electric power source as a function of:the at least one measured parameter; anda desired liquid input into the chamber and/or a desired liquid output from the chamber.
- 2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the chamber has a pump inlet in fluidic connection with the source of liquid and a pump outlet in fluidic connection with the dispensing outlet, the pump inlet having an anti-return valve for preventing an outflow of liquid from the chamber via the inlet, the pump outlet having an anti-return valve for preventing an inflow of liquid into the chamber via the outlet.
- 3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises an upstream cavity with a pump inlet and a downstream cavity with a pump outlet, the first and second cavity being connected via an anti-return valve in the displaceable wall located between downstream cavity and the upstream cavity, the anti-return valve permitting a flow of liquid from the upstream cavity to the downstream cavity and preventing an opposition flow.
- 4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a motor connected to the displaceable wall by a transmission.
- 5. The machine of claim 4, wherein the transmission comprises a gear arrangement.
- 6. The machine of claim 4, wherein the transmission comprises at least one chain or belt.
- 7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the electric power source to supply a desired voltage to the electric actuator.