阅读说明：本技术 可调节冲泡头联动装置 (Adjustable brewing head linkage device ) 是由 B·A·德芙林 K·P·斯塔泰特 M·S·阿布-塞梅 K·R·德博尔德 于 2019-12-24 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种可调节冲泡头联动装置包括冲泡头联动元件、手柄联动元件、以及位于冲泡头联动元件与手柄联动元件之间的调节元件,以便平滑地增大和减小冲泡头联动元件与手柄联动元件之间的距离,从而改变相应冲泡室的大小以容纳各种冲泡料包。冲泡头联动元件和/或手柄联动元件可以包括螺纹部分以接合调节元件。转动调节元件会引起偏转。螺纹部分可以具有相反的旋向或不同的螺距。次级冲泡头联动锁定元件提供摩擦力以将调节元件锁定就位。调节元件以小于0.178毫米(7/1000英寸)的增量增大和减小冲泡头联动元件与手柄联动元件之间的距离。本公开还涉及一种冲泡设备以及一种飞行器。(An adjustable brew head linkage includes a brew head linkage element, a handle linkage element, and an adjustment element between the brew head linkage element and the handle linkage element to smoothly increase and decrease a distance between the brew head linkage element and the handle linkage element to vary a size of a respective brew chamber to accommodate a variety of brew cartridges. The brew head linkage element and/or the handle linkage element may include a threaded portion to engage the adjustment element. Turning the adjustment member causes deflection. The threaded portions may have opposite handedness or different pitches. The secondary brew head cooperates with the locking element to provide a frictional force to lock the adjustment element in place. The adjustment member increases and decreases the distance between the brew head linkage member and the handle linkage member in increments of less than 0.178 millimeters (7/1000 inches). The disclosure also relates to a brewing apparatus and an aircraft.)

1. An adjustable linkage, comprising:

the brew head engages the linkage element;

a handle engaging linkage element; and

an adjustment element disposed between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element,

wherein:

the adjustment element is configured to engage the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element; and is

The adjustment element is configured to smoothly increase and decrease a distance between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element.

2. The adjustable linkage of claim 1, wherein:

the brew head engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the first threaded portion of the adjustment element; and is

The handle engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the second threaded portion of the adjustment element.

3. The adjustable linkage of claim 2, wherein the first and second threaded portions have opposite hand.

4. The adjustable linkage of claim 2, wherein the first and second threaded portions have different pitches.

5. The adjustable linkage of claim 2, further comprising a secondary brew head linkage locking element disposed on the brew head engaging linkage element, the secondary brew head linkage locking element configured to engage a threaded portion and apply a force to prevent rotation of the adjustment element.

6. The adjustable linkage of claim 1, wherein:

the adjustment element is rotatably secured to the handle engagement linkage element;

the adjustment element comprises a threaded portion; and is

The threaded portion of the adjustment member is configured to engage the threaded portion of the brew head engagement linkage member.

7. The adjustable linkage of claim 1, wherein the adjustment element is configured to increase and decrease the distance between the brew head engaging linkage element and the handle engaging linkage element in increments of less than 0.178 millimeters (7/1000 inches).

8. A brewing apparatus, comprising:

an adjustable linkage comprising:

the brew head engages the linkage element;

a handle engaging linkage element; and

an adjustment element disposed between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element,

wherein:

the adjustment element is configured to engage the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element; and is

The adjustment element is configured to smoothly increase and decrease a distance between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element.

9. The brewing device of claim 8, wherein:

the brew head engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the first threaded portion of the adjustment element; and is

The handle engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the second threaded portion of the adjustment element.

10. The brewing device of claim 9, wherein the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion have opposite handedness.

11. The brewing device of claim 9, wherein the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion have different pitches.

12. The brewing device of claim 9, further comprising a secondary brew head interlock locking element disposed on the brew head engagement interlock element, the secondary brew head interlock locking element configured to engage a threaded portion and apply a force to prevent rotation of the adjustment element.

13. The adjustable linkage of claim 1, wherein:

the adjustment element is rotatably secured to the handle engagement linkage element;

the adjustment element comprises a threaded portion; and is

The threaded portion of the adjustment member is configured to engage the threaded portion of the brew head engagement linkage member.

14. The brewing device of claim 8, wherein the adjustment element is configured to increase and decrease the distance between the brew head engaging linkage element and the handle engaging linkage element in increments of less than 0.178 millimeters (7/1000 inches).

15. An aircraft, comprising:

a brewing apparatus having an adjustable linkage, the brewing apparatus comprising:

the brew head engages the linkage element;

a handle engaging linkage element; and

an adjustment element disposed between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element,

wherein:

the adjustment element is configured to engage the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element; and is

The adjustment element is configured to smoothly increase and decrease a distance between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element.

16. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein:

the brew head engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the first threaded portion of the adjustment element; and is

The handle engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion configured to engage the second threaded portion of the adjustment element.

17. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the first and second threaded portions have opposite handedness.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 16 further comprising a secondary brew head linkage locking element disposed on the brew head engagement linkage element, the secondary brew head linkage locking element configured to engage a threaded portion and apply a force to prevent rotation of the adjustment element.

19. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein:

the adjustment element is rotatably secured to the handle engagement linkage element;

the adjustment element comprises a threaded portion; and is

The threaded portion of the adjustment member is configured to engage the threaded portion of the brew head engagement linkage member.

20. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the adjustment element is configured to increase and decrease the distance between the brew head engaging linkage element and the handle engaging linkage element in increments of less than 0.178 millimeters (7/1000 inches).

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an adjustable linkage. In addition, the present disclosure also relates to a brewing apparatus and an aircraft.

Background

Brewing machines used in aircraft and aerospace applications are designed to receive a brewing packet. The brewing packets generally vary in size and shape due to the respective size and shape of the components in the brewing machine that are inherent thereto. The difference in the brewing packet has an effect on how the brewing packet is positioned in the brewing chamber defined within the brewing chamber. An improperly seated brewing packet may change the pressure within the brewing chamber, resulting in a less than optimal brewing time and temperature required to make a particular brewing product (e.g., coffee, espresso, tea, etc.).

The brewing head linkage device is a connecting piece between a brewing handle operated by a user of the brewing machine and the movable brewing head. The linkage converts rotational movement of the brewing handle shaft into linear movement of the brewing head. The linear motion applies a force to seal the brew packet within the brew chamber. The features of the brew head linkage are defined by the components of the brew chamber and the corresponding brew packet.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein relate to a trimmable brew head linkage; such a brew head linkage may be used in a brewer used, for example, in the galley of an aircraft. The brew head linkage includes a brew head engagement linkage element, a handle engagement linkage element, and an adjustment element between the brew head engagement linkage element and the handle engagement linkage element. The adjustment element smoothly increases and decreases the distance between the brew head engaging linkage element and the handle engaging linkage element to change the size of the respective brew chamber to accommodate a variety of brew cartridges.

In another aspect, the brew head engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion to engage a first threaded portion of the adjustment element, and the handle engagement linkage element includes a threaded portion to engage a second threaded portion of the adjustment element. Turning the adjustment member causes a deflection on both threaded portions. In another aspect, the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion have opposite handedness. Alternatively, the first and second threaded portions have the same handedness but different pitches.

In another aspect, a secondary head linkage locking element provided on the brew head engaging linkage element engages the threaded portion to provide a frictional force to lock the adjustment element in place.

In another aspect, the handle engaging linkage element defines first and second pin through holes that are angularly offset such that the handle engaging element can be rotated ninety degrees, if necessary, to realign certain threads in the adjustment element.

In another aspect, the adjustment member increases and decreases the distance between the brew head engaging linkage member and the handle engaging linkage member in increments of less than 0.178 millimeters (7/1000 inches).

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the scope of the claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein and, together with the general description, serve to explain the principles.

Drawings

Many advantages of embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein can be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view and a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage;

FIG. 6 illustrates an environmental view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage.

Detailed Description

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein in detail, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts are not limited in their application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components or steps or method set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. In the following detailed description of embodiments of the present inventive concepts, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present inventive concepts. However, it will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art having had the benefit of the present disclosure that the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known features may not have been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the disclosure. The inventive concepts disclosed herein are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As used herein, letters following a reference number are intended to denote embodiments (e.g., 1a, 1b) of features or elements similar to, but not necessarily identical to, the aforementioned elements or features having the same reference number. Such shorthand notations are merely for convenience and should not be construed as limiting the inventive concepts disclosed herein in any way, unless expressly stated to the contrary.

Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" means an inclusive or and not an exclusive or. For example, either of the following conditions a or B may be satisfied: a is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), a is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both a and B are true (or present).

Furthermore, "a" or "an" is used to describe elements and components of embodiments of the inventive concept. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive concept, "a" and "an" are intended to include one or at least one, and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

Finally, as used herein, any reference to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The appearances of the phrase "in some embodiments" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, and embodiments of the disclosed inventive concept can include one or more of the features explicitly described or inherently present herein, or any combination of two or more such features, and any other features that may not necessarily be explicitly described or inherently present in the disclosure.

In general, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein relate to a trimmable brew head linkage for use with a brew cartridge in a brewer in a galley of an aircraft. The brew head linkage includes a head engaging linkage element, a handle engaging linkage element, and an adjustment element therebetween. The adjustment element smoothly increases and decreases the distance between the head engaging linkage element and the handle engaging linkage element to change the size of the respective brew chamber to accommodate a variety of brew cartridges.

Referring to FIG. 1, a front view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage is shown. Discrete adjustable linkage 100 includes a handle engaging linkage element 102 that defines one or more pin through holes 104. The handle engagement linkage element 102 includes a threaded portion 106 configured to engage a corresponding threaded portion defined by a brew head engagement linkage element 108. The pin connects the handle engagement linkage element 102 to the corresponding rotating handle element through one of the one or more pin through holes 104. In one embodiment, such a pin may be disengaged from the handle engaging linkage element 102 and rotated ninety degrees (90 °) (or some multiple thereof) to increase or decrease the distance between the handle engaging linkage element 102 and the brew head engaging portion 110 of the brew head engaging linkage element 108.

In another embodiment, the smoothly adjustable linkage 112 includes a handle engaging linkage element 114 that defines a pin through hole 116 (obscured) for rotatably attaching the handle engaging linkage element to the rotating handle element. An adjustment member 118 is disposed between the handle engagement linkage member 114 and the brew head engagement linkage member 120. The adjustment member 118 may be rotated to increase or decrease the distance between the handle engagement linkage member 114 and the brew head engagement portion 124 of the brew head engagement linkage member 120.

In at least one embodiment, the adjustment element 118 is rotatably attached to the handle engagement linkage element 114 and is engaged to the brew head engagement linkage element 120 via a threaded connection. In at least one embodiment, the locking element 122 defines threads configured to engage the threaded connection of the adjustment element 118. The locking element 122 may be tightened against the brew head engaging linkage element 120 to maintain the desired distance by preventing rotation of the adjustment element 118.

Referring to FIG. 2, a front view and a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage are shown. The separate embodiment 200 includes a separate adjustable linkage 100 having a handle engaging linkage element 102 defining one or more pin through holes 104 and a threaded portion 106 configured to engage a corresponding threaded portion defined by a brew head engaging linkage element 108. A pin (not shown) connects the handle engagement linkage element 102 to the respective rotary handle element 204 through one of the one or more pin through holes 104 and a respective rotary handle pin through hole 206 defined by a rotary handle flange 208 secured to a surface of the rotary handle element; such a pin may disengage the handle engagement linkage element 102 and rotate ninety degrees (90 °) (or some multiple thereof) to increase or decrease the distance between the handle engagement linkage element 102 and the brew head engagement portion 110 of the brew head engagement linkage element 108.

Alternatively or additionally, the continuous embodiment 202 includes a smoothly adjustable linkage 112 having a handle engaging linkage element 114 defining a pin through hole (obscured) for rotatably attaching the handle engaging linkage element 112 to a rotating handle element 204 by a pin passing through a rotating handle pin through hole 206 (obscured) defined by a rotating handle flange 208. The adjustment member 118 is disposed between the handle engagement linkage member 114 and the brew head engagement linkage member 120 to increase or decrease the distance between the handle engagement linkage member 114 and the brew head engagement portion 124 of the brew head engagement linkage member 120 without disengaging the handle engagement linkage member 114 from the rotating handle member 204.

In at least one embodiment, the brew chamber engagement portion 110, 124 may be fixed to or otherwise configured to receive an extension element 210 for engaging the respective linkage 100, 112 to the brew head assembly. Alternatively, the extension element 210 may be configured to engage a guide element in the brewer to help convert rotational motion of the rotary handle element 204 into linear motion of the brew head associated with the brew head engaging linkage element 110, 120.

Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage is shown. A continuously adjustable linkage includes a handle engaging linkage element 300 defining at least one pin through hole 302 for connection to a rotating handle element of a brewer. The adjustment member 304 is rotatably secured to the handle engagement linkage member 300. The adjustment member 304 includes a threaded portion 306 disposed on a proximal surface of the brew head. The threaded portion 306 engages a threaded portion of a head engaging linkage element 308. The head engaging linkage element 308 may include a locking element 310 that may be tightened against the head engaging linkage element 308 to create sufficient friction with the threaded portion 306 to prevent rotation of the adjustment element 304.

Referring to FIG. 4, a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage is shown. A continuously adjustable linkage includes a handle engaging linkage element 400 defining at least one pin through hole 402 for connection to a rotating handle element of a brewer and a threaded portion 404 for engaging a corresponding threaded portion 406 of an adjustment element 408. The adjustment member 408 includes a threaded projection 410 configured to engage a threaded portion of the brew head engagement linkage element 414. In at least one embodiment, the locking element 412 is configured to prevent rotation of the adjustment element by engaging the threaded protrusion 410 and applying a force to the brew head engagement linkage element 414.

In at least one embodiment, the threaded portion 404 of the handle engaging linkage element 400 and the threaded projection 410 of the adjustment element have opposite handedness. The opposite rotational orientation allows a single rotation of adjustment member 408 to be reflected in an extension or shortening of the distance between handle-engaging linkage element 400 and head-engaging linkage element 414 twice.

In at least one embodiment, the threaded portion 404 of the handle engaging linkage element 400 and the threaded projection 410 of the adjustment element have the same hand but different thread pitches. The different thread pitches allow a single rotation of the adjustment member 408 to produce a smaller displacement variation than would be possible using either threaded portion 404, 410 alone for greater accuracy and tighter tolerances.

Referring to FIG. 5, a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage is shown. A continuously adjustable linkage includes a handle engaging linkage member 500 defining at least one pin through hole 502 for connection to a rotating handle member of a brewer and a threaded portion 504 for engaging a corresponding threaded portion 506 of an adjustment member 508. The corresponding threaded portion 506 may extend through the entire length of the adjustment member 508 as a continuous thread feature or separate thread features having different handedness or pitch or having different handedness and pitch (one thread feature starting from the proximal end of the adjustment member 508 and another thread feature starting from the distal end of the adjustment member 508). In such embodiments, threaded portion 504 of handle engagement linkage element 500 is configured to engage the proximal end of the adjustment element. Threaded rod 510 is configured to engage the distal end of adjustment member 508 and the proximal end of brew head engagement linkage member 514. In at least one embodiment, locking element 512 is configured to prevent rotation of adjustment element by engaging threaded rod 510 and applying a force to adjustment element 508.

In at least one embodiment, threaded portion 504 of handle-engaging linkage element 500 and threaded rod 510 have opposite handedness to allow a single rotation of adjustment element 508 to be reflected as an extension or shortening of the distance between handle-engaging linkage element 500 and brew head-engaging linkage element 514 twice. Alternatively or additionally, threaded portion 504 of handle-engaging linkage element 500 and threaded rod 510 have different pitches for greater precision and tighter tolerances.

Referring to fig. 6, an environmental view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable brew head linkage 602 is shown. The brew head assembly 600 includes an adjustable brew head linkage 602 disposed between a rotary handle member 604 and a linearly displaceable brew head 606 that forms a portion of a brew chamber configured to receive various brew cartridges and inject hot water into the brew cartridges to produce a brewed beverage, such as coffee, espresso, tea, or the like.

The user operated handle 608 imparts a rotational motion to the rotating handle member 604. This rotational movement is converted to linear movement of the linearly displaceable brew head 606 by the adjustable brew head linkage 602. In at least one embodiment, the adjustable brew head linkage 602 includes a handle engagement linkage element 610 rotatably secured to the rotating handle element 604 and rotatably or via a threaded portion connected to an adjustment element 612, as more fully described herein. The adjustment element 612 is connected to a head engaging linkage element 614. The head engaging linkage element 614 can be raised or lowered by rotating the adjustment element 612 to accommodate various sizes of brew packets, thereby modifying the size of the respective brew chamber to closely conform to the brew packets. The adjustment member 612 may be operated at any time (even when the brewer is installed in a vehicle) without removing any connecting members between the adjustable brew head linkage 612 and the rotating handle member 604 or brew head 606. The set displacement of the brew head 606 may be fixed by a locking element 616.

In at least one embodiment, rotational movement of the rotating handle element 604 is converted to linear movement in the brew head 606 via one or more vertical channels 618 in the respective brew machine and a respective slide 620 connected to the brew head 606. Alternatively or additionally, the brew head 606 may define one or more guide holes configured to engage fixed vertical pins or rails to define a range of motion of the brew head 606.