Abstract: A coffee densifier is disclosed having an elongated housing having a chamber configured to receive ground coffee. The mixing chamber has an inlet end opposite a discharge end. The discharge end has a discharge door. The densifier has a shaft driven by a motor, the shaft extending along a longitudinal length of the mixing chamber. The densifier has a plurality of paddle-less pins fixed to the mixing shaft and configured to agitate a bed of coffee within the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A coffee densifier is disclosed. The coffee densifier comprises an elongated chamber, a densifier motor, a shaft, a plurality of densifier members, a discharge door actuator, a densifier motor load sensor, and a controller. The plurality of densifier members are fixed to the shaft and configured to polish a plurality of coffee particles of the ground coffee within the elongated chamber when the plurality of densifier members are rotated by the shaft through the ground coffee within the mixing chamber. The controller configured to signal the discharge door actuator to move the discharge door to increase or decrease a density of the ground coffee exiting the chamber through the discharge opening when the densifier motor load is outside a predefined densifier motor load operating range.

Abstract: A method of controlling coffee density exiting from a coffee densifier is disclosed. The method includes the steps of feeding a ground coffee into a mixing chamber having a discharge door. A mixer motor load on a mixer motor driving mixing members agitating the ground coffee in the mixing chamber is measured. The discharge door is moved when the mixer motor load is outside a predefined mixer motor load operating range.

Abstract: A coffee densifier is disclosed. The coffee densifier comprises an elongated chamber, a densifier motor, a shaft, a plurality of densifier members, a discharge door actuator, a densifier motor load sensor, and a controller. The plurality of densifier members are fixed to the shaft and configured to polish a plurality of coffee particles of the ground coffee within the elongated chamber when the plurality of densifier members are rotated by the shaft through the ground coffee within the mixing chamber. The controller configured to signal the discharge door actuator to move the discharge door to increase or decrease a density of the ground coffee exiting the chamber through the discharge opening when the densifier motor load is outside a predefined densifier motor load operating range.

Abstract: A method for accurately acquiring multiple analog input signals that are converted using a plurality of A/D converters into corresponding digital single measured values. A first measurement averaging cycle having a predetermined total number of measuring intervals is predetermined by a higher-order control unit. First and second input signals are acquired by first and second A/D converters in a first and second number of measuring intervals, the second number being smaller than the first number. The first and second input signals are averaged to form first and second measured values, respectively. The first input signal is acquired by the second A/D converter in a third number of measuring intervals as at least one further single measured value.

Abstract: A coffee processor having a grinder and a densifier is disclosed. The densifier comprises an elongated housing having a mixing chamber configured to receive ground coffee. The mixing chamber has an inlet end opposite a discharge end. The discharge end has a discharge door. The densifier has a mixing shaft driven by a mixing motor, the mixing shaft extending along a longitudinal length of the mixing chamber. The densifier has a plurality of pins fixed to the mixing shaft and configured to agitate a bed of coffee within the mixing chamber. An automatic coffee density control system is also disclosed. A controller is configured to signal a discharge door actuator to move the discharge door a predefined distance to increase or decrease the mixer motor load when the mixer motor load sensor reports a mixer motor load value that is outside a predefined mixer motor load operating range or setpoint.

Abstract: A method for securely acquiring multiple analog input signals that are converted using a plurality of A/D converters into corresponding digital single measured values. A first measurement averaging cycle having a predetermined total number of measuring intervals is predetermined by a higher-order control unit. First and second input signals are acquired by first and second A/D converters in a first and second number of measuring intervals, the second number being smaller than the first number. The first and second input signals are averaged to form first and second measured values, respectively. The first input signal is acquired by the second A/D converter in a third number of measuring intervals as at least one further single measured value.

Abstract: A measuring transducer for process instrumentation that comprises a sensor for sensing a physical or chemical variable, wherein the sensor includes at least one electrical element embedded in a substrate comprising semiconducting material and is electrically separated therefrom by a blocked PN junction during normal operation. In order to monitor the condition of the sensor, the PN junction is connected in the conducting direction in a test mode, and the electrical property of the PN junction, i.e., the forward voltage, is determined and used to monitor the sensor condition. Additionally, a temperature sensor mounted on the sensor can be monitored by determining, based on the dependence of the forward voltage on the temperature, a comparative value for the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. If major differences occur, a conclusion can be reached that there is a failure of the sensor, and a corresponding error message can be output over a field bus.

Abstract: In accordance with one of its aspects, the pressure-sensitive carbonless copy system of this invention, wherein an acidic color precursor and a basic color developer are present, the color precursor and the color developer being co-reactive to form a color upon contact with one another in the presence of a carrier liquid and the color precursor being present in the system in solution in the carrier liquid, comprises an improvement wherein the color precursor is an organic acetate having the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl and C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 chloroalkyl and X and Y are separately selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen, C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkoxy and C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 chloroalkyl and the color developer is an alkaline color developer having a pK.sub.b of less than about 4.8.