Delivery head for espresso coffee machines

Abstract

A delivery head for espresso coffee machines comprises a top supporting element pivoted to a bottom supporting element in turn made rigid with the machine body, said bottom supporting element comprising an infusion recess provided for receiving a coffee holding capsule, said delivery head further comprising an operating lever operating at least one of the support elements to define at least an open position for loading and unloading the coffee capsule, and a coffee delivery closed position, said head including perforating means for progressively perforating the capsule and capsule ejecting means.

1 . A delivery head for espresso coffee machines, characterized in that said delivery head comprises a top supporting element pivoted to a bottom supporting element, said bottom supporting element being made rigid with a body of said machine; said bottom supporting element comprising an infusion recess, designed for receiving a coffee holding capsule; said delivery head further comprises an operating lever which operates at least one of said support elements to define at least an open capsule loading and unloading position, and a coffee delivery closed position, said head further including perforating means for progressively perforating said capsule and capsule ejecting means. 
     
     
         2 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said top supporting element comprises a top cover and said bottom supporting element comprises a bottom cover. 
     
     
         3 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said driving lever is pivoted to said top supporting element for driving said top supporting element. 
     
     
         4 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said closed delivery position is stably held so as to resist against a delivery pressure, by locking means. 
     
     
         5 . A delivery head, according to  claim 4 , characterized in that said locking means comprise a locking lever pivoted to said top supporting element at a locking lever pivot pin, and having a hook portion operating on a locking peg rigid with said bottom supporting element. 
     
     
         6 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said delivery means comprises a delivery nozzle coupled at a bottom thereof to said bottom supporting element, at an outlet hole formed through a bottom of said capsule recess. 
     
     
         7 . A delivery head, according to  claim 6 , characterized in that in said capsule recess is arranged a bottom perforating element, having a circular tapering cross section, adapted to perforate the bottom of said capsule as said capsule is pressed against said bottom perforating element by an overheated water pressure, which operation is performed after closing said head after having perforated a top surface of said capsule. 
     
     
         8 . A delivery head, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that a quadrangular cross-sectional pyramidal top perforating element coupled to a top perforating support in turn coupled to said top supporting element is moreover provided. 
     
     
         9 . A delivery head, according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said top perforating supporting element comprises at lest a delivery duct, adjoining said top perforating element, for delivering pressurized water coming from pressurized water generating elements of said coffee machine. 
     
     
         10 . A delivery head, according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said top perforating element affects the top surface of said capsule for perforating said top surface as said head is closed, to allow pressurized water coming from a delivery duct to pass to the inside of said capsule. 
     
     
         11 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said capsule comprises an outer film to be perforated by said top and bottom perforating element, and comprising, in the inside thereof, a ground coffee holding filtering rigid construction. 
     
     
         12 . A delivery head, according to  claim 11 , characterized in that said capsule rigid filtering construction comprises, at a top thereof, a plurality of channels for allowing hot water to be distributed on the top, said water entering a hole formed by said top perforating element. 
     
     
         13 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said capsule ejecting means comprise a capsule ejecting fork element pivoted to a pivot pin applied to said bottom supporting element and including an annular portion encompassing the top of said capsule. 
     
     
         14 . A delivery head, according to  claim 13 , characterized in that said fork element is adapted to be raised by raising said top supporting element, said fork element comprising a plurality of tooth elements formed therein and cooperating with respective slanted surfaces of said top supporting element, said slanted surfaces operating as linear cams. 
     
     
         15 . A delivery head, according to  claim 14 , characterized in that said ejecting fork element, as said top supporting element is at first opened, is held in a rest position thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that upon unloading said capsule, said top supporting element starts to disengage from said fork element and returning, by gravity, to its rest position. 
     
     
         17 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said delivery head comprises a plurality of linear cams disengaging said fork element from said top supporting element during an opening operation. 
     
     
         18 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said delivery head comprises an ejecting device designed for automatically ejecting said capsule for introducing said capsule in an ejected capsule vessel upon ending the coffee beverage delivery operation and upon raising said top supporting element. 
     
     
         19 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said capsule comprises a perimetrical bearing edge portion. 
     
     
         20 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said delivery head, in an open position thereof, is ready for receiving a capsule which is partially engaged in the capsule recess, thereby causing said capsule to abut near the bottom perforating element without causing said bottom perforating element to perforate, at least at the start, the bottom surface of said capsule. 
     
     
         21 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said delivery head is closed by operating said lever and providing a downward directed pressure to cause said top supporting element to be closed on said bottom supporting element. 
     
     
         22 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, as said top supporting element is closed on said bottom supporting element, said top perforating element perforates the top surface of said capsule. 
     
     
         23 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, after having closed said delivery head, overheated pressurized water, introduced into said capsule, causes a perforation of the bottom surface of said capsule by said bottom perforating element. 
     
     
         24 . A delivery head, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, upon ending a delivery operation, said top supporting element is raised by operating said lever, thereby also raising said fork element, due to the provision of said tooth element formed on said fork element and cooperating with slanted surfaces of said top supporting element. 
     
     
         25 . A delivery head, according to  claim 24 , characterized in that said fork element rises said capsule by said annular portion thereof which engages at a bottom the perimetrical bearing portion of said capsule. 
     
     
         26 . A delivery head, according to  claim 24 , characterized in that, upon achieving a set inclination, said capsule slides on said fork element and, after having passed said annular portion, falls inside said fork element and, through a passage, is collected in a collecting vessel formed in said upright. 
     
     
         27 . A delivery head, according to  claim 26 , characterized in that, after having exceeded a set inclination of said fork element, said tooth elements of said fork element are disengaged from said slanted surfaces of said top supporting element, thereby said fork element can return to its starting position, in abutment on said bottom supporting element, said annular portion thereof being arranged at said top edge portion of said capsule recess.