Method and apparatus for beverage formation with pneumatically sealed reservoir

• US 20080134902A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• 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: Zimmerman, Jennifer, Nutter, Francis, Fortini, Constance L., Shepard, James E., Dilmaghani, Darius, Brudevold, Finn
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/302R
• 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. An access opening for a reservoir of a brewer may be opened (e.g., to allow a user to provide liquid into the reservoir for forming a beverage), and thereafter, the access opening of the reservoir may be closed and the reservoir pneumatically sealed. The access opening may be closed and the reservoir pneumatically sealed by closing a lid of the reservoir, e.g., by a user pressing down on the lid. Pneumatic sealing of the reservoir may allow the water in the reservoir to be expelled from the reservoir for flow to the brew chamber by introducing air pressure into the reservoir, e.g., by an air pump. The reservoir may be vented during heating of the water, and during pressurization of the reservoir for delivery of the brew water.

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 brew cartridge into the brew chamber;

providing precursor liquid in the reservoir;

closing a reservoir lid to pneumatically seal the reservoir;

heating the precursor liquid in the reservoir; and

providing the precursor liquid in the reservoir to the brew cartridge to form a beverage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the precursor liquid comprises pneumatically pressurizing the reservoir to force water the precursor liquid from the reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the precursor liquid comprises operating an air pump that provides air into the reservoir to cause the precursor liquid to flow to the brew chamber.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reservoir is vented during heating of the precursor liquid.

5. The method of claim 1, heating of the precursor liquid in the reservoir can not begin until after the reservoir lid is closed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of closing the reservoir lid comprises a user moving the reservoir lid to a closed position by hand.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing precursor liquid into the reservoir comprises a user pouring the precursor liquid into the reservoir through an access opening.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing precursor liquid in the reservoir to the brew chamber comprises:

emptying the reservoir of precursor liquid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing precursor liquid in the reservoir to the brew chamber comprises:

pressurizing the reservoir to force the precursor liquid from the reservoir to the brew chamber, and wherein the reservoir is vented while the reservoir is pressurized and precursor liquid is forced to the brew chamber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a brew cartridge into the brew chamber comprises:

opening a brew chamber lid to open the brew chamber.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

closing the brew chamber lid after the brew cartridge is provided into the brew chamber; and

automatically opening the reservoir lid in response to closing of the brew chamber lid.

12. 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, the lid being adapted to pneumatically seal the reservoir access opening in a closed position; and

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

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

an air pump that pneumatically pressurizes the reservoir to force water the precursor liquid from the reservoir.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the air pump provides air into the reservoir to cause the precursor liquid to flow to the brew chamber.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the heater heats the precursor liquid while the liquid is in the reservoir, and the reservoir is vented during heating of the precursor liquid.

16. The device of claim 12, further comprising a controller that controls operation of the heater, and the controller controls the heater so that heating of the precursor liquid in the reservoir can not begin until after the reservoir lid is in the closed position.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the reservoir lid is movable to the closed position by a user moving the reservoir lid by hand.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the access opening and the reservoir lid are arranged so that the precursor liquid is pourable into the reservoir through the access opening with the reservoir lid in an open position.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the reservoir is pneumatically pressurized to deliver the precursor liquid in the reservoir to the brew chamber to form a beverage and to empty the reservoir of precursor liquid.

20. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

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

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the reservoir is vented by way of a vent path that is open during heating of the precursor liquid in the reservoir and that is open during delivery of the precursor liquid to the brew chamber, the vent path having an orifice that is arranged to allow steam or other pressurized vapor to exit the reservoir during heating, but enables pneumatic delivery of precursor liquid from the reservoir.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

an air pump that pneumatically pressurizes the reservoir to force water the precursor liquid from the reservoir.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the air pump provides air into the reservoir to cause the precursor liquid to flow to the brew chamber.

24. The device of claim 22, further comprising a controller that controls operation of the heater and the air pump.