This invention relates to an ecological coffee machine capable of producing the known beverage quickly and in rapid succession without the use of plastic capsules.

Coffee machines and, in particular, those that use capsules for domestic use, have now conquered the market and there are different types; there are manual ones for which the loading and unloading of the capsule takes place through the use of a specific filter holder arm that must be loaded and unloaded entirely by hand, of the semi-automatic type in which the capsule is inserted manually and, then, loaded and discharged with the movement of an actuating lever of the ejection mechanism and, again, automatic machines that unload the capsule autonomously in a special drawer to be emptied when full.

These machines, however, have various drawbacks such as, for example, the interlocking of the capsules and, from a hygienic point of view, the fact that the used capsule remains in the machine until the next coffee.

But the most significant drawback is the use of plastic or aluminium capsules to contain the coffee which, also in consideration of the high temperatures of the water, can release substances harmful to the body into the drink.

Moreover, it is necessary to use high-pressure pumps in order to be able to pierce the capsule, which may involve the need for a 20-bar pump which, indeed, is today the most widespread standard on the market.

Alternatively, there are espresso coffee machines, such as those used in bars, in which ground coffee is used which must be inserted in the appropriate quantity in a special container to be mounted in the specific housing from which the drink comes out after the passage of hot water.

This type of machine also has several drawbacks including having to put in the right amount of coffee, press it appropriately once it is placed in the appropriate container which must then be disassembled and washed together with the filter.

The applicant, with this invention, proposes a more efficient, ecological coffee machine capable of producing the known beverage quickly and without the use of plastic capsules or other containers.

These and other purposes, according to this invention, are achieved by making a machine as set forth in claim 1.

Further characteristics of the machine are the subject of the dependent claims.

The characteristics and advantages of the machine, according to this invention, will become more evident from the following, exemplary and non-limiting description, referring to the attached schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 2 shows a front view of the machine according to an alternative solution of this invention;

Figure 3 shows the front view of the machine without the external casing according to A of Figure 7;

Figure 4 shows the side view of the machine without the external casing according to B of Figure 7; Figure 5 shows the rear view of the machine without the external casing according to C of Figure 7;

Figure 6a shows the side view of the machine being loaded without the external casing according to D of Figure 7;

Figure 6b shows the side view of the machine being unloaded without the outer casing according to D of Figure 7;

Figure 7 shows a top view of the machine without the outer casing according to this invention;

Figure 8 shows an enlarged section of the piston placed inside the cylinder of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 9 shows a front view of the filter and gasket mounted on the piston of Figure 8;

Figure 10 shows a side view of the dosing block of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 11 shows a top view of the dosing block of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 12 shows a second side view of the dosing block of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 13 shows a sectional view of the dosing block of the machine according to E-E of Figure 11;

Figure 14 shows a front view of the movable front part of the boiler of the machine according to this invention;

Figure 15 shows a side view of the front part of the boiler of the machine according to this invention; Figure 16 shows a front view of the boiler of the machine according to this invention.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the machine, according to this invention, comprises a container body 1 in which all the mechanical, hydraulic and electronic components of the machine are included.

The body is shaped in such a way as to present a shelf 2 on which a container rests, for example a cup, which collects the coffee formed in the machine.

The machine comprises a container 3 for ground coffee which can be mounted in the upper part or, alternatively, in the lateral part thereof.

In an alternative embodiment, the coffee can be inserted as beans in said container 3 and a coffee grinder 4 able to transform the coffee beans into ground coffee can be combined with it.

On the bottom of said container 3 there is a dosing block 5 equipped with an upper hole 6 or, alternatively, a side hole 6' which allows the entry of ground coffee into a special housing 7.

The dosing block 5 is equipped with a second side hole 6” which slides a hollow cylinder 9 preferably made of metal (for example, stainless steel or titanium).

In an alternative solution, the machine subject of this invention lacks the container and the coffee grinder so the user will have to put ground coffee with a spoon directly into the appropriate housing 7 made inside the dosing block 5. Inside the hollow cylinder 9, there is a piston 10 equipped with a spring 11 fixed to one end of the cylinder, for example by means of a screw 12 equipped with a nut 13. Inside the cylinder 9 there is also a second hollow cylinder 40 from which a pipe 30 emerges joined to the coffee spout 13. At the end of the cylinder 40 there is a metal filter 14 fixed by screw 15 to said piston 10 so as to allow the displacement of said filter 14.

Said filter 14 closes this end of the cylinder 9 and is suitably equipped with a gasket 16 with a rounded lip which guarantees self-lubrication (as shown in Figure 9).

The dosing block 5 is able to move laterally on a pair of cylindrical bars 17, 17' equipped with a spring 18, 18', which allows the return to the loading position after using the machine and the coffee unloading phase. A second spring 19, 19' is also provided which passes through a suitable hole 20, 20' passing through said dosing block 5 fixed at one end to the boiler 21 equipped with holes 38 and, at the opposite end, to a fixing plate 22, suitably shaped, so as to contain the pump block 23 in the lower part.

To this fixing plate 22, the end of the cylinder 9 is also fixed by welding, opposite the one containing the metal filter 14.

Said pump block 23 is provided with a pair of L-shaped supports 39, 39' joined to said fixing plate 22, by means of screw, capable of holding the pump 24 in position which pushes the water contained in the tank 25 inside the circuit and, then, through a duct 26, to the boiler 21 equipped with a solenoid valve 27 with a safety thermostat capable of regulating the water temperature as desired and reducing the excessive pressure by draining the water into the tank 25 and eventually disarming the system in case of reaching too high a temperature. In the upper part of the cylinder 9 there is an elongated opening from which said pipe 30 comes out, joined to the internal cylinder 40 and connected to the spout 13 for dispensing coffee into the appropriate container on the shelf 2. Said boiler 21 has a front part 37 that can be moved forward and backward on the cylindrical bars 17, 17' thanks to the intervention of a piston equipped with a suitable gasket placed inside the boiler to which it is joined. Said front part 37 has holes 38' corresponding to the holes 38 present on the boiler 21 which allow the passage of water.

To produce the drink, the dosing block 5 must be in a first loading position, adjacent to the boiler 21 (Figure 6a). The ground coffee is released from the coffee grinder in the programmed quantity by pressing the appropriate button (in the manual version, the coffee is placed with the help of a teaspoon). When the delivery key is pressed, the dosing block 5 moves forward; at the same time the water moves from the tank 25 towards the solenoid valve 27, thanks to the operation of the pump 24 and, therefore, to the boiler 21 which heats it by sending it under pressure. Once the desired pressure has been reached, preferably 15-20 bar, the piston placed inside the boiler 21 moves the front part 37 joined to it forward until it encounters said filter 14 and strongly compresses the ground coffee placed inside the housing 7 in the dosing block 5 (Figure 6b). At this point, the ground coffee compresses until it becomes a compressed block of cylindrical shape inside the cylinder 9 so as to cause the displacement of a few centimetres of the filter 14 towards the inside of the cylinder 9. The water flows out, then, through the appropriate holes 38 made in the boiler 21 and through the holes 38' made in said movable front part 37 of the boiler itself and strikes the compressed block of coffee, transforming it into the drink inside the space created in the cylinder 9 between the said movable front part 37 and filter 14 pushing back the cylinder 40 and the filter 14 to which it is joined to then pass into the special pipe 30 and come out from the spout 13. Once the drink has been produced, the front part 37 of the boiler 21 returns to the loading position adjacent to the boiler 21 so that the coffee block used, thanks also to the intervention of a lever 31 equipped with a counterweight 32 and joined to the dosing block 5 by means of fixing pin, facilitates the fall of said block of coffee downwards into a suitable collection container. To produce a second coffee, it is therefore necessary to press the appropriate discharge lever 31 which allows the displacement of the dosing block 5 in the direction of the boiler 21 making it slide on the cylindrical bars 17, 17' due to the action exerted by the springs 18, 18'.

In an alternative solution, the dosing block 5 and the front part 37 are moved manually by exerting a certain pressure on them and then return to the position of contact with the boiler 21 by pressing on the appropriate lever 31 which acts as a block of it but which, rising, once the height of the boiler is exceeded, it determines the release and displacement of said dosing block 5 and of the front part 37 into the loading position thanks to the intervention of the springs 18, 18', 19, 19'.

The machine is obviously powered by electricity and is equipped with special switches for turning on/off and dispensing coffee and draining. In this way, the production of the drink is very fast and this also makes it quick to make a cappuccino with the simple addition of milk. It is also noted that the machine can easily be washed in a few seconds only with the water contained in the tank, by making it run in the circuit and then come out of the special pipe.

The preferred embodiment has been described in the foregoing, but it must be expressly understood that further modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of this invention.