Espresso Machine with Grinder Dosing Control
An espresso machine has a built-in coffee grinder. An electrical switch toggles between a one cup dose and a two cup dose, The switch works in conjunction with a dose strength adjustment. Alteration of the dose strength adjustment alters the dose strength for both the one cup of two cup dose settings. The internal coffee grinder dispenses into a portafilter that is held in a hand free support cradle. In some embodiments, the upper burr head of the grinder is retained by a bracket. The combination of upper burr head and bracket allows the upper burr head to removed and replaced without having to re-set the grind size.
1 - 6 . (canceled)
7 . In an espresso machine with a built in coffee grinder, the improvement comprising:
a user operated variable coffee dose adjustment and a dose switch;
the user operated variable coffee dose adjustment sending a first signal to a microprocessor;
the dose switch sending a second signal to the microprocessor that is indicative of a user requirement for either one or two doses;
the microprocessor using the first and second signals to determine a duration of operation of the grinder.
8 . The espresso machine of claim 7 , wherein:
the dose switch is associated with an indicator that indicates wether a single cup dose or a different dose has been selected.
9 . The espresso machine of claim 7 , wherein:
the microprocessor will apply the first signal and deliver a comparable dose per cup when the dose switch is changed from one to two doses.
10 . The espresso machine of claim 7 , wherein:
the grinder is adapted to deliver a user selectable variable grind size.
11 . The espresso machine of claim 7 , wherein:
the grinder is a conical burr grinder.
12 . The espresso machine of claim 7 , wherein:
the grinder is a burr grinder and an upper burr head is retained by a bracket that allows the upper burr head to be removed and replaced in a repeatable way relative to a lower burr head.
13 . In an espresso machine with a built in coffee grinder, the improvement comprising:
a removable hopper comprising a bean reservoir and a coupling portion;
the coupling portion adapted to fit within a cooperating receiving opening formed on the espresso machine;
the receiving opening including at least one recess for receiving a reciprocating slider that extends from a side wall of the coupling portion;
an underside of the coupling portion having one or more discharge openings that can be blocked by a shutter;
operation of a user control closing the shutter and simultaneously causing the slider to retract allowing the hopper to be withdrawn.
14 . The espresso machine of claim 13 , wherein:
retraction of the slider also deactivates an electrical switch associated with the receiving opening;
the switch locking out a power supply to a motor that drives the grinder, thus rendering the grinder inoperative until such time as the hopper is installed.
15 . The espresso machine of claim 13 , wherein:
there are two opposing sleeves for receiving the slider and a second slider;
the switch being a microswitch mounted adjacent to at least one of the sleeves.
16 . The espresso machine of claim 13 , wherein:
the shutter is a rotating shutter.
17 . The espresso machine of claim 13 , wherein:
the slider retracts into the coupling portion.
18 . The espresso machine of claim 8 , wherein:
the different dose is a double dose.
19 . The espresso machine according to claim 7 , wherein:
the dose switch is a toggle
20 . The espresso machine according to claim 8 , wherein:
the dose switch is a toggle