Ground coffee distribution method, apparatus, and system

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and system to distribute or compact coffee grounds, such as to form a puck in a portafilter. The methods, apparatus, and system may be used to compact coffee grounds wherein a resulting puck of coffee grounds in the portafilter has an even level, a uniform and or continuous density distribution, results in no or reduced formation of channels, no or reduced squirting of extracted coffee, and results in consistent and repeatable results. The methods, apparatus, and system may be used to form multiple layers in a puck, for use in preparing layered espresso.

1 . An apparatus to compact coffee grounds, comprising:
 a portafilter vessel receiver to receive a portafilter vessel of a portafilter, the portafilter vessel to contain the coffee grounds; and   a tamper connected to a tamper arm to tamp coffee grounds contained in the portafilter vessel when the portafilter vessel is placed in the portafilter vessel receiver, the tamper arm to be actuated to cause the tamper to tamp the coffee grounds contained in the portafilter vessel when pressure is applied on the portafilter vessel receiver via the portafilter.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper arm is spring loaded to return the tamper to a position above the portafilter when the tamper arm is not actuated. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a vibratory surface to contact the portafilter vessel when the portafilter vessel is placed into the portafilter vessel receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a motor to drive the vibratory surface to cause the portafilter vessel to vibrate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein when the motor is activated, the motor drives the vibratory surface to oscillate or vibrate, the motor to be activated when the pressure is applied on the portafilter vessel receiver via the portafilter. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein when the motor is activated, the motor drives the vibratory surface to rotate, the motor to be activated when the pressure is applied on the portafilter vessel receiver via the portafilter. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the motor to drive the vibratory surface via a direct drive or via one or more gear mechanisms. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the portafilter vessel receiver includes a vibratory activation switch, which when pressure is applied to the vibratory activation switch, activates via a control circuit the motor that causes the vibratory surface to cause the portafilter vessel to vibrate. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the vibratory activation switch or the control circuit is sensitive to variable pressure applied to the vibratory activation switch to change a power level of the motor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a motor to drive a vacuum apparatus to draw air in from around a perimeter of the vibratory surface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the vacuum apparatus is a fan. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a collection chamber, and the air drawn by the vacuum apparatus is forced into or through the collection chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the collection chamber includes an exit for the air forced into the collection chamber to exit, and disposed at the exit is a filter to prevent or impede exit of ground coffee from the collection chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portafilter further comprises a portafilter arm connected to the portafilter vessel, and the apparatus further comprises at least one arm cradle to hold the portafilter arm. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portafilter further comprises a portafilter arm connected to the portafilter vessel and an interface disposed between the portafilter arm and the portafilter vessel, and wherein the apparatus includes a vibration surface to be in contact with the interface when the portafilter vessel is placed into the portafilter vessel receiver and on the vibratory surface. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus to compact coffee grounds, comprising:
 a removable portafilter including a portafilter vessel;   a portafilter vessel receiver to receive the portafilter vessel of the removable portafilter, the portafilter vessel to contain the coffee grounds;   and   a tamper connected to a tamper arm to tamp coffee grounds contained in the portafilter vessel when the portafilter vessel is placed in the portafilter vessel receiver, the tamper arm to be actuated to cause the tamper to tamp the coffee grounds when pressure is applied on the portafilter vessel receiver via the portafilter.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a vibratory surface to contact the portafilter vessel when the portafilter vessel is placed into the portafilter vessel receiver, and a motor to drive the vibratory surface to cause the portafilter vessel to vibrate. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the portafilter vessel receiver includes a vibratory activation switch, which when pressure is applied to the vibratory activation switch, activates via a control circuit the motor that causes the vibratory surface to rotate. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the removable portafilter further comprises a portafilter arm connected to the portafilter vessel and an interface disposed between the portafilter arm and the portafilter vessel, and wherein the vibration surface to be in contact with the interface when the portafilter vessel is placed on the vibratory surface. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a vibratory surface to contact the portafilter vessel when the portafilter vessel is placed into the portafilter vessel receiver, and a motor to drive a vacuum apparatus to draw air in from around a perimeter of the vibratory surface.