Brewing device with time-since-brew indicator

• US 20050188856A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Picozza, Augusto, Sumser, Dan, Guyett, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/279
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/52 Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus ; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5253 of temperature

Abstract

A freshness indicator for a coffee maker having a controller is adapted to initiate the brewing of a quantity of beverage upon receiving a brewing command signal. A timer is adapted to output the time since activation of the timer upon a timer start command signal, and a display is adapted to display the output of the timer. The controller is adapted to output the timer start command signal to the timer at a predetermined time before, during or after brewing.

Claims

1. A freshness indicator for a coffee maker, comprising:

a controller adapted to initiate the brewing of a quantity of beverage upon receiving a brewing command signal;

a timer adapted to output the time since activation of the timer upon a timer start command signal;

a display adapted to display the output of the timer; and

wherein the controller is adapted to output the timer start command signal to the timer at a predetermined time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller outputs the timer start command signal substantially upon receipt of the brewing command signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller outputs the timer start command signal substantially upon receipt of a brewing completion signal indicating that brewing is complete.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to shut off a warming plate when the timer reaches a predetermined value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display screen has graphical capability.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display is a display screen and has a resolution of at least 200 pixels per inch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the display screen is a liquid crystal display.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the output of the timer is displayed on the display screen as an analog time-since-brew display.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the time-since-brew display indicates the output of the timer by the addition of graphical time segments, each indicating the passage of a predetermined period of time.

10. A method of indicating freshness of a brewed beverage, comprising the steps of:

providing a device for brewing a beverage;

initiating a timer with reference to a brewing operation of said device; and

displaying the output of the timer to the user to provide a reference time associated with said brewing operation.

11. A freshness indicator for a coffee maker, comprising:

controller means for initiating the brewing of a quantity of beverage upon receiving a brewing command signal;

timer means for outputting the time since activation of the timer upon a timer start command signal;

display means for displaying the output of the timer; and

wherein the controller is adapted to output the timer start command signal to the timer at a predetermined time associated with said brewing.