Espresso coffee machine

1. An espresso coffee machine comprising a supply unit ( 101 ) supplying hot water; and filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) for containing a pre-packaged measure ( 3 ) of coffee powder; said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) being sealingly engaged with each other along a path of engaging movement, said path of engaging movement lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), surfaces of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) coming into contact only when said filter holder means engages said supply unit; and an ejection member ( 401 ) arranged in a vicinity of a periphery of said supply unit ( 101 ) and projecting perpendicularly with respect to the middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), said ejection member ( 401 ) being provided at its free end with means ( 421 ) co-operating with an outwardly lying edge ( 103 ) of said pre-packaged capsule ( 3 ) projecting outwards from said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), so as to cause ejection thereof upon separation of the filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) from said supply unit ( 101 ).

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said ejection member comprises an arm ( 401 ) which is resiliently stressed ( 431 ), connected at one end to the wall ( 1 ) of said machine in the vicinity of said supply unit ( 101 ) and provided at the opposite end with means ( 421 ) for engaging with the peripheral edge ( 103 ) of said pre-packaged capsule ( 3 ).

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 102 ) is perpendicular to the base plane of the body of the machine.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said filter-holder means comprise a closing flap ( 2 ) hinged at one end with the body ( 1 , 301 ) of said machine, the opposite end being provided with releasable engaging means ( 302 , 402 ) intended to engage with suitable engaging means ( 501 , 511 ) provided on the wall of the body of said machine.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said filter-holder means comprises a filter holder ( 102 ) comprising a substantially cylindrical cavity ( 122 ) and an external side wall ( 112 ) tapered towards the outwardly lying edge of said cavity ( 122 ).

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said releasable engaging means of said closing flap comprises a latch ( 302 ) provided at one end with an engaging tooth ( 312 ) and pivoting centrally with respect to a pin ( 512 ) integral with said closing flap ( 2 ) and at the opposite end with respect to a pin ( 412 ) integral with an actuating lever ( 402 ).

7. The machine of claim 6 , wherein said latch ( 302 ) is provided with resilient stressing means ( 602 ) connected to said closing flap ( 2 ).

8. The machine of claim 3 , wherein the zone situated underneath said supply unit ( 101 ) is provided with a through-gap for discharging a used capsule ( 37 ), communicating with a receiving container ( 10 ) arranged extractably in said machine.

9. An espresso coffee machine comprising a unit ( 101 ) supplying hot water, and filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) able to contain a pre-packaged measure ( 3 ) of coffee powder, said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) being sealingly engaged with each other and the path of engaging movement lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to a middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), surfaces of said unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) coming into contact only when said filter holder means engages said supply unit, in which said filter-holder means comprise a closing flap ( 2 ) hinged at one end with the body ( 1 , 301 ) of said machine, an opposite end being provided with releasable engaging means ( 302 , 402 ) intended to engage with suitable engaging means ( 501 , 511 ) provided on a wall of the body of said machine, wherein said machine comprises an ejection member ( 401 ) arranged in a vicinity of a periphery of said supply unit ( 101 ) and projecting perpendicularly with respect to the middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), said ejection member ( 401 ) being provided at its free end with means ( 421 ) able to co-operate with the outwardly lying edge ( 103 ) of said pre-packaged capsule ( 3 ) projecting outwards from said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ), so as to cause ejection thereof upon separation of the said filter-holder means ( 2 , 102 ) from said supply unit ( 101 ).

10. The machine according to claim 9 , in which said ejection member comprises an arm ( 401 ) which is resiliently stressed ( 431 ), connected at one end to the wall ( 1 ) of said machine in the vicinity of said supply unit ( 101 ) and provided at the opposite end with means ( 421 ) for engaging with the peripheral edge ( 103 ) of said pre-packaged capsule ( 3 ).

11. The machine according to claim 9 , in which the middle plane of engagement of said supply unit ( 101 ) and said filter-holder means ( 102 ) is perpendicular to the base plane of the body of the machine.

12. The machine according to claim 9 , in which said filter-holder means comprise a filter holder ( 102 ) comprising a substantially cylindrical cavity ( 122 ) and an external side wall ( 112 ) tapered towards the outwardly lying edge of said cavity ( 122 ).

13. The machine according to claim 9 , in which said releasable engaging means of said closing flap comprise a latch ( 302 ) provided at one end with an engaging tooth ( 312 ) and pivoting centrally with respect to a pin ( 512 ) integral with said closing flap ( 2 ) and at the opposite end with respect to a pin ( 412 ) integral with an actuating lever ( 402 ).

14. The machine according to claim 9 , in which said latch ( 302 ) is provided with resilient stressing means ( 602 ) connected to said closing flap ( 2 ).

15. The machine according to claim 9 , in which the zone situated underneath said supply unit ( 101 ) is provided with a through-gap for discharging a used capsule ( 3 ), communicating with a receiving container ( 10 ) arranged extractably in said machine.

16. An espresso coffee machine comprising:

a wall;

a unit for supplying hot water, said unit being directly connected to said wall;

a first engaging means being directly connected to said wall;

a support being directly connected to said wall;

a flap being directly hinged at its first end on said support and being rotatable towards and away from said wall;

a filter holder for holding a pre-packaged capsule, said filter holder being directly connected to said flap;

an ejection member for ejecting the pre-packaged capsule, said ejection member being directly connected to said wall;

a second engaging means for releasably engaging with said first engaging means, said second engaging means being disposed at a second end of said flap;

wherein

a pre-packaged capsule inserted into said filter holder is sealingly engaged with said unit for supplying hot water when said second engaging means is engaged with said first engaging means; and

said ejection member, projecting into a path of rotation of the pre-packaged capsule, engages with the pre-packaged capsule, and ejects the pre-packaged capsule from said filter holder during rotation of said flap away from said wall.

17. The espresso coffee machine of claim 16 , wherein said ejection member comprises an arm which is resiliently stressed having a hook, said hook being adapted to hook onto a flange of the pre-packaged capsule.

18. The espresso coffee machine of claim 17 , wherein said first engaging means comprises a projecting bracket and a bar; said second engaging means comprises a latch, having a tooth, said latch being resiliently stressed, and said tooth engages with said bar when said flap is fully rotated toward said wall.

19. The espresso coffee machine of claim 18 , wherein said filter holder comprises a substantially cylindrical cavity having an outwardly lying edge and an external side wall, said external side wall is tapered towards said outwardly lying edge; and said hook glides along said external side wall when said flap rotates towards and away from said wall.

20. The espresso coffee machine of claim 19 comprising further a through-gap for discharging the pre-packaged capsule, said through-gap formed between said wall and said flap and said through-gap communicating with a receiving container arranged extractably in the machine, said through-gap being adapted to receive and pass through the pre-packaged capsule ejected from said filter holder.