Description A COFFEE MACHINE

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee machine comprising cooking pots used in preparing Turkish coffee.

[0002] In the coffee machines, particularly Turkish coffee machines, the pot wherein the mixture is prepared, is placed in a cooking chamber, and the spout at the upper side of the pot is made to contact the ceiling of the cooking chamber. A good leak-proofing has to be provided between the upper spout of the pot and the ceiling of the cooking chamber in order to prevent overflowing. The spout arranged at the upper portion of the pot makes leak-proofing difficult, liquids such as Turkish coffee that swell while boiling may overflow from the pouring spout upon rising to the upper side of the cooking chamber.

[0003] In state of the art patent application no. WO2006/000962, in a coffee machine, the upper edge of the cooking pot (K) and the pouring spouts (D) press on a sealing gasket (S) situated at the ceiling of the cooking room (Figures 3, 4). In order to provide leak- proofing, the cooking pot (K) orifice together with the pouring spouts (D) should remain within the area encircled peripherally by the gasket (S) (Figure 3). Since the pouring spouts (D) are quite near to the side of the gasket (S), when pressure is applied, the sharp edges of the pouring spouts (D) damage by cutting into the gasket (S) and leak-proofing is impaired. When the pouring spouts (D) have to be shaped by extending out from the cooking pot (K), the pouring spouts (D) go out of the gasket (S) area and contact the ceiling of the cooking room instead of the gasket (S) whereby leak-proofing is impaired. When pouring process from the cooking pot (K) is completed, the cooking pot (K) is brought to the vertical position and the liquid drops left at the tip of the pouring spout (D) run along the side of the pouring spout (D) and may reach the body of the cooking pot (K). The liquid drops reaching the body of the cooking pot (K) trickle along the lateral surlace of the body and reach the table or countertop whereon the cooking pot (K) is placed.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a coffee machine comprising a cooking pot whereby the overflowing of liquids from the pouring spout during the cooking process is prevented.

[0005] The coffee machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the claims.

[0006] In the coffee machine of the present invention, the cooking pot is placed in a cooking

chamber and the pouring spout at the upper edge of the pot contacts a gasket at the ceiling of the cooking chamber during cooking. At the pouring spout an arc shaped suriace is incorporated that extends out from the inner suriace of the pot and a chamfer is formed at the continuation of the arc shaped suriace that projects out from the area occupied by the gasket.

[0007] During cooking, when the cooking pot is lifted, the joint of the arc shaped suriace and the chamfer arranged at the pouring spout is embedded into the gasket and since this joint does not form a sharp edge, the gasket is not cut. Consequently, a good leak- proofing is provided without damaging the gasket. By means of the downward sloping chamfer formed at the continuation of the arc shaped suriace, when the pot is lifted up, the pouring spout does not collide with the ceiling of the cooking chamber and damaging thereof is prevented.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, a groove is formed at the lower portion of the chamfer situated at the end of the pouring spout for the drops to remain suspended after the pouring process with the effect of suriace tension, preventing running down.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, channels are formed on the periphery of the pot at the vicinity of the base, encircling the outer suriace for catching the downwards dripping drops, enabling the drops to cling with the effect of suriace tension.

[0010] The coffee machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0011] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a coffee machine.

[0012] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of a cooking pot in the prior art.

[0013] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of the pouring spout of a cooking pot and a sealing gasket in the prior art.

[0014] Figure 4 - is the cross sectional view of a cooking pot in the prior art placed in the cooking chamber.

[0015] Figure 5 - is the cross sectional view of a cooking pot placed inside the cooking chamber in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 6 - is the perspective view of the cooking pot in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 7 - is the detailed view of the cooking pot placed in the cooking chamber in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

[0019] 1. Coffee machine

[0020] 2. Pot

[0021] 3. Heater

[0022] 4. Cooking chamber

[0023] 5. Gasket

[0024] 6. Pouring spout

[0025] 7. Arc shaped surface

[0026] 8. Chamfer

[0027] 9. Groove

[0028] 10. Channel

[0029] The coffee machine (1) comprises a pot (2) wherein the cooking process is performed, a heater (3) for heating the pot (2), a cooking chamber (4) wherein the pot (2) is placed and a gasket (5) disposed on the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4), to which the upper edge of the pot (2) contacts during the cooking process, accelerating the cooking process by providing leak-proofing between the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4) and the pot (2) and preventing overflowing.

[0030] The heater (3) can move up and down and during the cooking process moves upwards to contact the base of the pot (2) from below for the determined cooking duration, and provides the upper edge of the pot (2) to exert pressure peripherally on the gasket (5) disposed on the cooking chamber (4) ceiling by lifting the pot (2) upwards. The lower surface of the gasket (5) is on the same level as the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4), not forming a protrusion on the ceiling and can be easily cleaned.

[0031] In the embodiment of the present invention, the pot (2) comprises one or more pouring spouts (6) that contact the gasket (5) disposed on the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4) without damaging thereof.

[0032] The pouring spout (6) comprises an arc shaped surface (7) that extends from the inner surface of the pot (2) outwards of the pot (2), pressing on the gasket (5) during the cooking process and a downwards sloping chamfer (8) arranged at the continuation of the arc shaped surface (7) that projects out of the area occupied by the gasket (5) during the cooking process, keeping a safety gap (a) between the cooking chamber (4) ceiling and itself during the cooking process (Figure 7).

[0033] The joint of the arc shaped surface (7) and the chamfer (8) forms an elevation and this joint is embedded into the gasket (5) when the pot (2) is lifted up, without damaging the gasket (5). Since the joint of the arc shaped surface (7) and the chamfer (8) does not form a sharp corner, the gasket (5) is not cut even though the joint is near

the gasket (5), and a good leak-proofing is provided.

[0034] When the pot (2) is lifted upwards by the heater (3) during cooking, while the joint of the arc shaped suriace (7) and the chamfer (8) is embedded in the gasket (5), since the portion of the chamfer (8) projecting out from the gasket (5) slopes downward, does not contact the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4) by slaying away with a safety distance (a). Consequently when the pot (2) is lifted up, the pouring spout (6) projecting out from the gasket (5) region is avoided to collide the ceiling, thus the pot (2) and the cooking chamber (4) ceiling are not damaged.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present invention, just after completing the pouring process, when the pot (2) is brought to the vertical position, the last few drops of liquid remaining at the end of the pouring spout (6) are prevented from running down from the lower edge of the pouring spout (6) at the horizontal position and reach the outer suriace of the pot (2).

[0036] In this embodiment, the pot (2) comprises a groove (9) formed at the lower side of the chamfer (8) providing the drops on the end of the pouring spout (6) to remain suspended with the effect of suriace tension, preventing from running down (Figure 7). The groove (9) prevents the drops flowing down from the pouring spout (6) towards the outer suriace of the pot (2) and the formed suriace tension increases the capacity of the drops to cling without release. The groove (9) has a dimension of approximately between 0, 5 x 0, 5 mm. and 2 x 2 mm.

[0037] In another embodiment of the present invention, the pot (2) comprises one or more channels (10) arranged on the outer suriace and at the vicinity of the base, for catching the downwards flowing drops, providing the drops to cling with the effect of the suriace tension (Figure 6). Thus, the drops those pass beyond the groove (9) reaching the outer suriace of the pot (2) are prevented from reaching the table or countertop whereon the pot (2) is placed. The channels (10) have a depth and width of approximately 1 - 2 mm.

[0038] In the pot (2) of the present invention utilized in coffee machines (1) suited for particularly preparing Turkish coffee, a good leak-proofing is provided between the upper suriace of the pot (2) and the ceiling of the cooking chamber (4) with the appropriate design of the pouring spout (6). When the pot (2) is lifted up by the heater (3) during the cooking process, the arc shaped suriace (7) of the pouring spout (6) presses on the gasket (5) without damaging, preventing the gasket (5) from being cut by sharp edges. By increasing the quality of pouring, the drops are prevented from running down from the lower portion of the pouring spout (6) to the outer suriace of the pot (2) and

reaching the table or countertop whereon the pot (2) is placed even if the drops reach the outer suriace of the pot (2).