HOT BEVERAGE MAKER

• US 20090004351A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott D. Maurer
• Original Assignee: Scott D. Maurer
• Inventors: Maurer, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,980,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/433
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0631 with means for better or quicker spreading the infusion liquid over the filter spreader plates for drip coffee makers A47J31/4478

Abstract

A process for making a hot beverage, such as coffee or tea, includes placing ground coffee or tea into a filter, inserting the filter into a filter basket to support the filter with respect to a reservoir that is to receive a brewed beverage; introducing water into the filter; and repeatedly deforming the filter to alter its shape as water passes through the filter and ground coffee or tea en route to the reservoir. A device for making a hot beverage includes a drive and a filter basket. The filter basket defines a filter basket chamber for receiving an associated filter. The filter basket includes a movable component operably connected to the drive and movable for deforming the associated filter. The movable component is operable between a first operating position where the filter chamber has a first dimension and a second operating position where the filter chamber has a second dimension that is smaller than the first dimension.

Claims

1. A process for making a beverage comprising:

placing ground coffee or tea into a filter;

inserting the filter into a filter basket to support the filter with respect to a reservoir that is to receive a brewed beverage;

introducing water into the filter; and

repeatedly deforming the filter to alter its shape as water passes through the filter and ground coffee or tea en route to the reservoir.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the repeatedly deforming further includes cyclically radially pressing against a side of the filter.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the deforming further includes pressing against the side of the filter at a first location and at a second location at the same time.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the deforming further includes compressing and releasing the filter in a cycle and repeating at greater than about 30 cycles per minute.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the deforming further includes repeating at less than about 360 cycles per minute.

6. A coffee maker comprising:

a drive;

a filter basket defining a filter basket chamber for receiving an associated coffee filter, the filter basket including a movable component operably connected to the drive and movable for deforming the associated coffee filter, the movable component being operable between a first operating position where the filter basket chamber has a first dimension and a second operating position where the filter basket chamber has a second dimension that is smaller than the first dimension.

7. The coffee maker of claim 6, wherein the filter basket includes a flexible side wall which is the movable component.

8. The coffee maker of claim 7, wherein the flexible side wall is pleated.

9. The coffee maker of claim 6, wherein the movable component is a paddle connected to the filter basket, and the filter basket includes a side wall that is curved about a central vertical axis and the paddle pivots towards the vertical axis.

10. The coffee maker of claim 6, wherein the filter basket chamber defines a central vertical axis and the first dimension and the second dimension are perpendicular to the central vertical axis.

11. The coffee maker of claim 6, wherein the movable component includes a first movable component and a second movable component, each movable component operably connected to the drive and movable towards an interior of the filter basket chamber.

12. The coffee maker of claim 11, wherein the first movable component is disposed generally opposite to the second movable component.

13. The coffee maker of claim 11, wherein the drive is connected to a cam and the first movable component and the second movable component are each operably connected to the cam.

14. The coffee maker of claim 13, wherein the cam is a dual-lobed cam.

15. The coffee maker of claim 6, wherein the drive includes an electromechanical solenoid, a linear motor or a linear actuator.

16. A beverage maker comprising:

a filter basket;

a filter deforming member connected to the filter basket and movable towards an interior of the filter basket; and

a drive operably connected to the filter deforming member.

17. The beverage maker of claim 16, wherein the filter basket is removable from the beverage maker and the drive operably connects to the filter deforming member upon insertion of the filter basket into the beverage maker.

18. The beverage maker of claim 16, further comprising a cam operably connected to the drive and a lever operably connected to the filter deforming member and contacting the cam, wherein rotational movement of the cam results in pivotal movement of the filter deforming member.

19. The beverage maker of claim 16, wherein the filter basket includes a recess extending outward from an internal surface of the filter basket and the filter deforming member is received in the recess such that the internal surface of the filter basket is substantially flush with an internal surface of the filter deforming member.

20. The beverage maker of claim 16, wherein the filter deforming member includes a curved inner surface that generally follows a radius of a side wall of a conventional cone coffee filter or a conventional basket coffee filter.

21. The beverage maker of claim 16, wherein the filter deforming member includes a first filter deforming member and a second filter deforming member disposed opposite the first filter deforming member.

22. The beverage maker of claim 16, wherein the drive includes a solenoid.