System and method for cold storage and hot or cold delivery of a brewed beverage
First Claim
1. A method of cold storage and at least hot delivery of a brewed beverage, consisting essentially of:
- obtaining a container that contains a batch quantity of a brewed beverage, wherein said container containing said batch quantity of said brewed beverage is cooled or has been cooled to a cold storage temperature;
coupling said container with a dispensing line;
coupling said dispensing line with a tankless heat exchanger;
providing a serving quantity comprising a single portion of said brewed beverage from said container along said dispensing line coupled to said container;
beating said single portion of said brewed beverage with said tankless heat exchanger coupled with said dispensing line to a predefined serving temperature that is greater than said cold storage temperature,wherein said heating occurs on demand at a time of dispensing and at or near a point of dispensing while a remaining brewed batch of said brewed beverage in said container is maintained at said cold storage temperature; and
,dispensing said single portion of said brewed beverage from a dispenser tap coupled with said tankless heat exchanger.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A delivery system and method for a brewed beverage, such as coffee or tea, that stores a batch of brewed beverage in a cooled container, and heats a serving quantity on demand at the point of dispensing. A heater such as a tankless water heater may be connected to a dispensing line to generate hot servings on demand. Cold servings may also be provided. Quality control of the brewing process may be improved by brewing in a centralized, controlled environment and then shipping cooled containers to dispensing points such as coffee shops or cafés. Containers may be filled with a gas such as nitrogen to prevent oxidation, thereby preserving freshness during storage or shipping. At the dispensing site, containers may be refrigerated and attached to gas tanks to maintain the freshness as servings are dispensed.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of cold storage and at least hot delivery of a brewed beverage, consisting essentially of:
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obtaining a container that contains a batch quantity of a brewed beverage, wherein said container containing said batch quantity of said brewed beverage is cooled or has been cooled to a cold storage temperature; coupling said container with a dispensing line; coupling said dispensing line with a tankless heat exchanger; providing a serving quantity comprising a single portion of said brewed beverage from said container along said dispensing line coupled to said container;
beating said single portion of said brewed beverage with said tankless heat exchanger coupled with said dispensing line to a predefined serving temperature that is greater than said cold storage temperature,wherein said heating occurs on demand at a time of dispensing and at or near a point of dispensing while a remaining brewed batch of said brewed beverage in said container is maintained at said cold storage temperature; and
,dispensing said single portion of said brewed beverage from a dispenser tap coupled with said tankless heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18)
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8. A method of cold storage and at least hot delivery of a brewed beverage, consisting essentially of:
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obtaining a container that contains a batch quantity of a brewed beverage, wherein said container containing said batch quantity of said brewed beverage is cooled or has been cooled to a cold storage temperature, wherein said container as obtained further contains a gas added to said container prior to said obtaining, and wherein said gas comprises nitrogen that displaces oxygen from the container to reduce or eliminate oxidation; maintaining said brewed beverage in said container at said cold storage temperature; coupling said container to a dispensing line; coupling said dispensing line with a tankless heat exchanger; providing a serving quantity comprising a single portion of said brewed beverage from said container along said dispensing line coupled to said container; accepting an input associated with a desired serving temperature; and
,when said input indicates hot dispensing, heating said single portion of said brewed beverage via a tankless heat exchanger coupled with said dispensing line to a predefined serving temperature that is greater than said cold storage temperature, wherein said heating occurs on demand at a time of dispensing and at or near a point of dispensing while a remaining brewed batch of said brewed beverage in said container is maintained at said cold storage temperature; and
,dispensing said single portion of said brewed beverage from a dispenser tap coupled with said tankless heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for cold storage and at least hot delivery of a brewed beverage, consisting essentially of:
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a container configured to contain a batch quantity of a brewed beverage wherein said container containing said batch quantity of said brewed beverage is cooled or has been cooled to a cold storage temperature; a dispensing line coupled to said container and configured to provide a serving quantity comprising a single portion of said brewed beverage from said container along said dispensing line; a tankless heat exchanger coupled with said dispensing line; wherein said tankless heat exchanger is configured to heat said single portion of said brewed beverage with said tankless heat exchanger coupled with said dispensing line to a predefined serving temperature that is greater than said cold storage temperature, and wherein said heat said single portion of said brewed beverage occurs on demand at a time of dispensing and at or near a point of dispensing while a remaining brewed batch of said brewed beverage is maintained at said cold storage temperature; and
,a dispenser configured to dispense said single portion having said increase of said temperature from said dispensing line. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
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Specification