Method and apparatus for beverage formation with reservoir access control

• US 20080095904A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Kevin, Tinkler, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/431
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/32 with hot water under air pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4407 Lids, covers or knobs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/56 having water-level controls; having temperature controls
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/58 Safety devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a beverage. Movement of a brew chamber may automatically enable the provision of beverage precursor liquid into a reservoir in a brewer, which is then used (heated or not) to form a beverage. For example, closing of the brew chamber may cause a lid for a water reservoir to be fully opened or otherwise permit movement of the lid to allow access to the reservoir, allowing a user to provide water into the reservoir. The reservoir lid may open with an abrupt action, causing attention to be drawn to the reservoir lid. In another arrangement, closure of the brew chamber may cause actuation of a baffle, pump, valve or other device to provide a suitable amount of water to a reservoir for beverage formation. In another arrangement, opening of the brew chamber may cause the reservoir lid to be automatically and simultaneously opened with the brew chamber.

Claims

1. A method for forming a beverage, comprising:

providing a beverage brewer that includes a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and a reservoir for holding beverage precursor liquid, the beverage brewer being constructed and arranged to introduce the precursor liquid into the beverage cartridge and form a beverage;

providing a beverage cartridge in association with the brew chamber;

initiating closure of the brew chamber of the brewer to at least partially enclose the beverage cartridge; and

in response to initiating closure of the brew chamber, automatically enabling provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir, provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir being disabled prior to closing the brew chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein closing the brew chamber causes a lid of the reservoir to move toward an open position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reservoir is a water heating reservoir of the brewer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to providing a beverage cartridge in association with the brew chamber, operating the beverage brewer to form a beverage and empty the reservoir.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of providing a beverage cartridge comprises opening a brew chamber lid to allow the beverage cartridge to be placed in the brew chamber;

the step of initiating closure of the brew chamber comprises closing the brew chamber lid; and

the step of enabling provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir comprises moving a reservoir lid to permit access to provide beverage precursor liquid into the reservoir.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of enabling provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir comprises:

unlocking the reservoir lid from a position that blocks an access opening to the reservoir in response to the brew chamber lid being closed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing precursor liquid into the reservoir; and

emptying the reservoir of precursor liquid to form a beverage using the precursor liquid.

8. A beverage formation device, comprising:

a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and having a lid that is movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber, the brew chamber adapted to substantially enclose a beverage cartridge with the lid in a closed position;

a reservoir for holding a beverage precursor liquid and having a lid that is movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir;

a heater for heating the precursor liquid that is provided to the brew chamber; and

a lid control mechanism that locks the reservoir lid in a position to block access to the access opening while the brew chamber lid is open and unlocks the lid to allow access to the access opening when the brew chamber lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the lid control mechanism includes a lid carrier to which the reservoir lid and the brew chamber lid are mounted.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the reservoir lid is movably mounted to the lid carrier, and the lid control mechanism includes a latch that locks the reservoir lid in a position relative to the lid carrier to block access to the access opening, and releases the reservoir lid when the brew chamber lid is moved to the closed position.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the brew chamber lid is fixed relative to the lid carrier.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the heater heats the precursor liquid while the precursor liquid is in the reservoir.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising an air pump that pressurizes air in the reservoir to cause the precursor liquid to flow to the brew chamber.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein after completing a beverage formation operation, the lid control mechanism prevents movement of the reservoir lid to permit access to the access opening until the brew chamber lid is opened and closed.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the heater is controlled so that precursor liquid in the reservoir can not begin until the reservoir lid is closed.

16. The device of claim 8, wherein the reservoir lid pneumatically seals the reservoir when in a closed position.

17. The device of claim 8, wherein with the reservoir lid positioned to open the access opening, beverage precursor liquid is pourable by a user into the reservoir through the access opening.

18. The device of claim 8, wherein closing the brew chamber lid causes the reservoir lid to move abruptly in an opening direction.

19. A method for forming a beverage, comprising:

providing a beverage brewer that includes a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and a reservoir for holding beverage precursor liquid, the beverage brewer being constructed and arranged to introduce the precursor liquid into the beverage cartridge and form a beverage;

simultaneously and automatically opening a reservoir lid in a brewer in response to a user action to open a brew chamber lid, opening of the brew chamber lid allowing placement of a beverage cartridge into the brew chamber, opening of the reservoir lid allowing provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir;

providing a brew cartridge in association with the brew chamber;

closing the brew chamber lid to at least partially enclose the cartridge in the brewer;

providing precursor liquid into the reservoir; and

closing the reservoir lid.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the simultaneous and automatic opening of the reservoir lid moves the reservoir lid to allow provision of precursor liquid in the reservoir.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the user action includes lifting a handle attached to the brew chamber lid.

22. A beverage formation device, comprising:

a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and having a lid that is movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber, the brew chamber adapted to substantially enclose a beverage cartridge with the lid in a closed position;

a reservoir for holding a beverage precursor liquid and having a lid that is movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir;

a heater for heating the precursor liquid that is provided to the brew chamber; and

a lid control mechanism that simultaneously and automatically opens the reservoir lid in response to a user action to move the brew chamber lid to the open position, opening of the brew chamber lid allowing placement of a beverage cartridge into the brew chamber, opening of the reservoir lid allowing provision of precursor liquid into the reservoir.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein moving the brew chamber lid to the open position causes the reservoir lid to move abruptly in an opening direction.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the user action includes lifting a handle attached to the brew chamber lid.