Granted Patent B2

US 12,721,469 · App. 17/422,904 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Scott Guglielmino (Scarperia, IT); Aric Forbing (Scarperia, IT)

Assignee: LA MARZOCCO S.R.L.

A47J31/60B08B3/12

Abstract

Claims (25)

1 . A method of cleaning a part of a coffee machine, the coffee machine comprising a dispensing group connected to receive hot water from a boiler through a valve, the dispensing group comprising components including at least a diffuser screw and a shower screen, the diffuser screw being configured to receive the hot water through a brewing pipe from the valve and to diffuse the hot water over the shower screen, the method comprising:

releasably attaching a body to a lower face of the dispensing group of the coffee machine, the body comprising two separate outwardly directed projections which are configured to releasably attach to the dispensing group, the body comprising a liquid reservoir defined within the body and a piezoelectric transducer defined within the body below the liquid reservoir, the body being attached in an interchangeable manner with a portafilter used in brewing espresso coffee, the liquid reservoir defining a cylindrical volume having a first depth in a reservoir depth direction, the piezoelectric transducer having a greater extent in the reservoir depth direction than the liquid reservoir;

loading said reservoir with a liquid;

generating an electronic signal;

sending the electronic signal to the piezoelectric transducer so that the piezoelectric transducer receives the signal and responds by changing shape and creating a mechanical action in the liquid reservoir above the piezoelectric transducer for cleaning the components of the dispensing group;

supplying power to the electronic piezoelectric transducer whereby the mechanical action in the liquid reservoir also cleans the valve.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said attaching said body to the dispensing group of the coffee machine comprises screwing the body to the dispensing group or sliding the body into slides of the dispensing group.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said attaching said body to the dispensing group of the coffee machine comprises hanging the body using a handle.

4 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 1 , wherein the first depth is substantially uniform in a reservoir depth direction.

5 . An ultrasonic cleaner device for an espresso coffee machine comprising:

a body configured to be at least partially and releasably attached to a lower face of a dispensing group of the espresso coffee machine in an interchangeable manner with a portafilter used in brewing of espresso coffee, wherein the dispensing group comprises components including at least a diffuser screw and a shower screen, the diffuser screw being configured to receive the hot water through a brewing pipe from the valve and to diffuse the hot water over the shower screen, wherein the body comprises two separate outwardly directed projections which are configured to connect to the dispensing group;

a liquid reservoir defined within the body and configured to contain a liquid, the liquid reservoir defining a cylindrical volume having a first depth in a reservoir depth direction;

a piezoelectric transducer defined within the body below the liquid reservoir and configured to receive an electronic signal and to respond to the electronic signal by changing shape and thereby causing the liquid above the piezoelectric transducer to clean the components of the dispensing group, the piezoelectric transducer having a greater extent in the reservoir depth direction than the liquid reservoir;

a generator configured to supply sufficient power to the electronic piezoelectric transducer whereby the mechanical action in the liquid reservoir also cleans the valve.

6 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the body comprises a handle, and wherein the outwardly directed projections are arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

7 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 6 , wherein said two separate outwardly directed projections are in the form of ears which are arranged diametrically opposed from each other and are shaped with a decreasing thickness.

8 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the two separate outwardly directed projections are configured to cooperate with a circular guide or with a linear guide at the lower face of the dispensing group.

9 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , further comprising the generator configured to generate the electronic signal.

10 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 9 , wherein the body incorporates the liquid reservoir, the piezoelectric transducer, and the generator.

11 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 9 , wherein the body incorporates the liquid reservoir and the piezoelectric transducer and wherein the generator is remote from said body.

12 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the body further comprises a handle and a battery housed, at least partially, in the handle.

13 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the body is configured to be attached to the lower face of the dispensing group of the espresso coffee machine in lieu of the portafilter.

14 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the body comprises a modified portafilter.

15 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the body has a same shape and an outer dimension as the portafilter used in brewing.

16 . The ultrasonic cleaner device of claim 5 , wherein the first depth is substantially uniform in a reservoir depth direction.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (208)