Coffee maker

Abstract

The application relates to a coffee maker for automatically preparing a coffee beverage, and optionally other beverages, comprising a housing, in which the technical means required for the preparation of the coffee beverage, like grinder, brewing device, boiler, for example, are accommodated, and an outlet unit, by way of which the desired beverage, optionally together with flavoring or other additives, is dispensed. In the outlet unit, an outlet arrangement is provided, in which a plurality of tubular outlets made of an elastomeric material, in particular silicone rubber or rubber, are arranged side-by-side, in which lines for the beverages and/or beverage additives terminate, and which are removably mounted in the outlet unit for simple cleaning. On the front side of the housing, a display and operating unit can be arranged, by way of which the desired coffee beverage can be inputted, and by way of which information about the respective coffee beverage and/or the operational state of the machine are outputted. On the upper side of the housing, storage containers can be arranged, in which basic ingredients, in particular coffee beans, for the preparation of the coffee beverage, and other beverages as the case may be, are kept ready. The display and operating unit is designed to be movable in height between a normal position and an overlying service position for enabling access to the interior of the machine.

1 . A coffee machine for the automatic preparation of a coffee beverage and/or other further beverages, comprising a housing, in which the technical means necessary for preparing the coffee beverage, such as for example grinding mechanism, brewing device, boiler, are accommodated, and an outlet unit, via which the desired beverage is dispensed, wherein, in the outlet unit, there is provided an outlet arrangement in which a multiplicity of tubular outlets composed of an elastomer material are arranged adjacent to one another, into which outlets lines for the beverages and/or beverage additives discharge, and which outlets are mounted removably in the outlet unit for the purposes of easy cleaning, wherein the outlets are part of an outlet plate which is at least partially composed of an elastomer material and which extends transversely with respect to the outlet direction. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet plate is, as an independent part, composed entirely of the elastomer material and is held in the outlet unit by means of a holding frame which can be mounted and latched in from below. 
     
     
         4 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet plate is constructed as a composite part from an elastomer seal part and from a dimensionally stable frame part connected to said seal part, and is, by way of the frame part, insertable with latching-in action into the outlet unit. 
     
     
         5 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a readout and operator control unit, which is arranged on the front side of the housing and by means of which the desired coffee beverage can be input and on which information regarding the respective coffee beverage and/or operating state of the machine is output, and storage containers, which are arranged on the top side of the housing and in which raw materials, for the preparation of the coffee beverage and/or other further beverages, are held ready, wherein the readout and operator control unit is, in order to allow access to the interior of the machine, designed to be movable in terms of height between a normal position and a service position situated above said normal position, and wherein the outlet unit is arranged below the readout and operator control unit. 
     
     
         6 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the storage containers are mounted removably on the top side of the housing, that the storage containers are lockable in the mounted state, and that, behind the readout and operator control unit, there is arranged an actuation mechanism by means of which the storage containers can be locked in the mounted state and unlocked and which is accessible for the actuation when the readout and operator control unit is situated in the service position. 
     
     
         7 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the storage containers each have a dispensing opening which can be opened and closed by means of a slide, and that the actuation mechanism opens the respective slide simultaneously with the locking of the mounted storage containers and closes the respective slide with the unlocking. 
     
     
         8 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the actuation mechanism has a pivotable actuation lever which is pivotable between a locking position, in which the storage containers are locked, and an unlocking position, in which the storage containers are unlocked. 
     
     
         9 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outlet unit is designed to be movable in terms of height, and that means are provided which effect a uniform movement of the outlet unit in terms of height. 
     
     
         10 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the outlet unit is connected to the free end of a spring strip which can be rolled up, which spring strip is unrolled from a rolled-up rest state when the outlet unit is moved downward, and rolls up again when the outlet unit is moved upward. 
     
     
         11 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outlet plate is, as an independent part, composed entirely of the elastomer material and is held in the outlet unit by means of a holding frame which can be mounted and latched in from below. 
     
     
         14 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outlet plate is constructed as a composite part from an elastomer seal part and from a dimensionally stable frame part connected to said seal part, and is, by way of the frame part, insertable with latching-in action into the outlet unit. 
     
     
         15 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the readout and operator control unit comprises a touch-sensitive display for the input and readout of information, and that an electronic analog readout in the manner of a pointer instrument, which indicates the brewing pressure, is arranged outside the display. 
     
     
         16 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein, to the left and right of the outlet unit, a hot-water outlet and a steam lance are arranged so as to project out downward, and that the hot-water outlet and the steam lance are, on the readout and operator control unit, each assigned a corresponding hot-water button and steam button for activation purposes. 
     
     
         17 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the storage containers are each equipped with a closable cover, and that at least one of the storage containers has, in the cover, an introduction slot for the insertion of a cleaning tablet. 
     
     
         18 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the storage containers each have a standing bracket which can be folded out and which allows the removed storage container to stand in a stable manner. 
     
     
         19 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the housing has removable side and/or rear walls which are held magnetically on the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the desired beverage is dispensed together with flavoring or other additives via the outlet unit. 
     
     
         21 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outlet plate is constructed as a composite part from an elastomer seal part and from a dimensionally stable frame part connected to said seal part, and is, by way of the frame part, insertable with latching-in action into the outlet unit. 
     
     
         22 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of tubular outlets are composed of silicone rubber or rubber. 
     
     
         23 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the raw materials comprise coffee beans for the preparation of the coffee beverage. 
     
     
         24 . The coffee machine as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the electronic analog readout is arranged below the display.