Technical Field

The present invention relates to a coffee machine, more particularly to a coffee machine for grinding the coffee beans and cooking of Turkish coffee with the grinded coffee beans.

Background of the Invention

Nowadays, several automatic coffee machines are known to prepare coffees. In order to prepare Turkish Coffee, the mixture containing fresh grinded coffee beans and some water and/or milk in a pot should be heated slowly. In preparing Turkish coffee, the mixture in a pot is obtained with the addition of fresh ground coffee, sugar and water or milk with desired quantities, and the obtained mixture is stirred before the cooking process. In the state of the art, to achieve a traditional flavor and a froth appearance, said the coffee beans should be grinded and the mixture should be heated slowly and removed from the heater when the froth of the mixture reaches the desired level and/or height. Although there are several coffee machines with automatic stopping the heater depended on the proximity sensor which is evaluated of the froth of the mixture, the desired flavor and the appearance of the Turkish Coffee does not obtain.

The European patent document no. EP1763311B2 discloses a Turkish Coffee machine. Said coffee machine comprises a water tank, a water level sensor for detecting the water level, one or more boiling pot wherein the boiling process is performed, one or more pumps which convey the water to pots from the water tank, one or more proximity sensors detecting the existence of the pots, one or more infrared sensors which are set to detect the initial level of the mixture that is added to the boiling pot and one or more heaters which cut off energy transmission to the boiling pot immediately after the infrared sensor decides to end the boiling process.

As can be seen in the above-mentioned patent document, the ground coffee beans is added by the user, only the adding water and the heating process is provided automatically, and the energy of the heater is cut of depended on the level information achieved by the infrared sensors. Therefore, there is a coffee machine needs to achieve the desired flavor and appearance in a single cooking body by grinding the coffee beans, adding the water automatically and heating the mixture predetermined time and to a self presetted height of cooking.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize a coffee machine, wherein the preprogrammed amount of ground coffee and the preprogrammed amount of water are supplied to the boiling pot automatically after being selected a self- created and/or configured coffee program or item from a touch panel.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a coffee machine, wherein the mixture provided with adding of water and grinded coffee to boiling pot is heated and the said heating process is controlled with the level information of the mixture in the boiling pot.

Another objective of the invention is to realize a coffee machine, wherein the infrared sensor is detected the initial mixture level in the boiling pot and the control unit is informed to activate the heater and the moisture air blower.

Another objective of the invention is to realize a coffee machine, wherein the level information of the mixture in the boiling pot is detected with a infrared sensor attached to sensor holder and the boiling process is stopped according to preprogrammed ending level of mixture in the boiling pot. Detailed Description of the Invention

“A Coffee Machine with A Coffee Grinder” realized to fulfil the objective of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the inventive coffee machine.

Figure 2 is a detailed view of the heaters in the inventive coffee machine. Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the sensor holder in the inventive coffee machine.

The components illustrated in the figures are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. Coffee machine

2. Body

3. Coffee pot

4. Heater

5. Cooking base

6. Hopper

7. Grinder

8. Grinded coffee output

9. Liquid output

10. Infrared sensor

11. Holder

12. Light

13. Blower

14. Control panel

15. Controller The inventive coffee machine (1) capable of making Turkish coffee comprises:

-at least one body (2) wherein the coffee grinding and cooking process is carried out,

-one or more coffee pots (3) wherein the boiling and/or cooking process is performed,

-one or more heaters (4) which ensure heating of the coffee pots (3) during the boiling process,

- one or more cooking bases (5),

-one or more coffee hoppers (6) which contain coffee beans,

-one or more coffee grinders (7) which grind the coffee beans in the coffee hoppers (6),

-one or more grinded coffee outputs (8) which ensure the filling of the coffee pots (3) with grinded beans,

-one or more liquid outputs (9) which ensure the supplying water to the coffee pots (3),

-one or more infrared sensors (10) which detect the liquid level/height differences in the coffee pot (3) being heated,

-one or more holders (11) wherein the infrared sensors (10) are located,

-one or more lights (12) positioned in the holder (11),

-one or more air moisture blower (13) positioned in the holder (11) and which ensures allows cooking moisture to be blown,

-at least one control panel (14) wherein the coffee program and/or item creation and/or selection is provided and

-at least one controller (15) which has one or more programmable coffee items and/or programs, uses the selected coffee item or program information being provided by the control panel (14), ensures the filling the coffee pot (3) with grinded coffees provided from the grinded coffee outputs (8), ensures the supplying of water from the liquid output (9) to the coffee pot (3), takes the initial liquid level information of the coffee pot (3) from the infrared sensor (10), activates the heater (4) for boiling process, continues to taking the liquid level information of the coffee pots (3) from the infrared sensor (10) in heating process and detects the ending level liquid information predetermined on the selected coffee item or program, ends the heating process if the ending level is achieved or continues the boiling process until the ending level is achieved.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the coffee pot (3) is capable to removable and/or attachable above the cooking bases (5). The coffee pot (3) can be any type of pots. In the inventive coffee machine (1), body (2) comprises more than one coffee hoppers (6) and grinders (7) and each of said grinders (7) is connected with each hopper (6). Also said grinders (7) are connected with the grinded coffee outputs (8) to provide the falling of the grinded coffees to coffee pots (3). In another preferred embodiment of the invention, milk can be putted manual to the coffee pot (3) alone or with water and coffee, before and/or after the cooking process.

In the inventive coffee machine (1), at least one heater (4) is located below the at least one cooking base (5). The heaters (4) are type of an induction and/or a resistance type. The heaters (4) ensure the coffee pot (3) to be heated during the predefined boiling process.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the grinded coffee outputs (8) and liquid outputs (9) are separated from each other. Liquid outputs (9) are connected with a general water supply of the location. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one liquid output (9) is connected with a water tank to ensure water to the coffee pots (3). Said water tank is detachable to the body (2).

In the inventive coffee machine (1), the infrared sensor (10) is an infrared sensor and determines the boiling by detecting the initial and ending liquid level in the coffee pot (3). The infrared sensor (10) detects the initial liquid level in the coffee pot (3) and initiates the controller (15) to activate the heater (4). The infrared sensor (10) also initiates the controller (15) to activate moisture air blower (13) and change the lights (12) to the cooking color. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the infrared sensor (10) detects the existence of coffee pot (3) on the heater (4). The infrared sensor (10) aims to detecting the ending level of liquid in the coffee pot (3) to deactivate or stop the heater (4).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lights (12) are LED and enlighten the inner body of the coffee pot (3). The colors of the light (12) indicate different cases about the boiling process. For instance, the activated red light (12) indicates the boiling process is continued; the activated green light (12) indicates the boiling process is finished and the coffee is ready for the user; the activated blue light (12) indicates the cooking base (5) is ready for the new cooking process. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the colors are assigned to indicate the each steps of the cooking process. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the colors of the lights (12) can be changed by the user choices.

In the inventive coffee machine (1), the control panel (14) is a touch display and initiates first the filling of the coffee pots (3) with predetermined amount of grinded coffee and water. Control panel (14) is allowed users to choose preprogrammed coffee items and/or programs. Control panel (14) triggers the controller (15) to initiates the heater (4) for start the cooking process after the selection of coffee program and/or item.

In the inventive coffee machine (1), the controller (15) is in communication with the control panel (14) and takes the selection information of users. The controller (15) holds the preprogrammed coffee programs and/or items of which coffee and water amount are predetermined. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the controller (15) is backed up and restored the preprogrammed coffee items, cooking history and data history. The controller (15) triggers the coffee grinder (7) to grinding the beans with predetermined amount in according to coffee programs and/or items. The controller (15) also ensures the filling of boiling pot (3) with predetermined amount of water. The controller (15) starts the boiling process after the coffee pot (3) is placed on one of the heaters (4). The controller (15) activates the heater (4) to start the boiling process in the coffee pot (3) containing the grinded coffee and water, and measure the desired and/or configured froth level/height and/or mixture level/height of the heating liquid with the infrared sensors (10). The controller (15) activates the light (12) and the air moisture blower (13) with the start of the heating process. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the activated red light (12) indicates the boiling process is continued. Also, the air moisture blower (13) blows toward the boiling cup (13) during the boiling process. When the infrared sensor (10) detects the ending level is reached in the coffee pot (3), the controller (15) stops the cooking process and, turns off the light (12) at the same time and deactivates the air moisture blower (13) after the coffee pot (3) is removed.

In the inventive coffee machine (1) the controller (15) has more than one programmable coffee items/program. Firstly, the coffee pot (3) is placed below the grinded coffee output (8) and liquid output (9) and then control panel (14) takes the confirmation of the user’s selection and shares the confirmation information with the controller (15). The controller (15) decides the amount of coffee and/or water according to user selection of coffee program and/or item, and the predetermined amount of grinded coffee the falls to the coffee pot (3). The controller (15) also supplies the predetermined amount of water from the liquid output (9) to the coffee pot (3). The coffee pot (3) containing coffee and water is placed on the cooking base (5) and the infrared sensors (10) detect the presence of the coffee pot (3) is placed. The level sensor (10) detects the initial liquid level in the coffee pot (3) and shares said information with the controller (15), then the controller (15) activates the heater (4), the light (12) and the air moisture blower (13) together. The infrared sensor (10) reaches the ending level of liquid saved on the controller (15) and detects the preprogrammed ending level is provided or not. When the infrared sensor (10) detects the ending level in the coffee pot (3) is reached, the boiling process is stopped by the controller (15) and, the light (12) turns another color and after the coffee pot (3) is removed the air moisture blower (13) stops. In the preferred embodiment, the inventive Turkish coffee machine (1) is for professional usage.

It is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive coffee machine (1); the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.