HOT BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS

• US 20090007792A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SolaBev LLC
• Original Assignee: Appliance Development Corporation
• Inventors: Glucksman, Dov Z., McGonagle, Gary P., Nickerson, Laura J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/282
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/057 with water container separated from beverage container, the hot water passing the filter only once i.e. classical type of drip coffee makers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4407 Lids, covers or knobs

Abstract

A hot beverage brewing apparatus. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system provides liquid under pressure within a range of acceptable brewing temperatures without any mechanical pump. Water is apportioned into sealable tank volumes, one of which is heated to boil the liquid and produce steam under pressure. The pressurized steam displaces the liquid from the tank volumes in proportion and at a temperature that is within the acceptable brewing range. The hot liquid under pressure is directed to a capsule receiving station to infuse a material in a capsule. The capsule dispenses the brewed beverage without contacting the brewing apparatus.

Claims

1. A system that delivers pressurized hot liquid at an acceptable temperature to a utilization device comprising:

A) first and second tanks that define first and second tank volumes in hydraulic communication above the liquid level in said tank volumes,

B) a sealable inlet through which liquid is admitted to said first and second tanks,

C) a liquid mixer that connects to the utilization device,

D) a port network interconnecting said first and second tanks and said liquid mixer,

E) a heater in said first tank to boil the liquid therein when said liquid inlet is sealed whereby steam is generated under pressure above the liquid level in said tank volumes thereby to discharge liquid from said first and second tanks through said liquid mixer at the acceptable temperature and under pressure.

2. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first tank defines a first tank volume and is substantially concentric with and spaced from said second tank thereby to define a second tank volume between said first and second tanks.

3. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 2 wherein said port network include ports to said first and second tank volumes and to said liquid mixer.

4. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 2 wherein said heater is electrically powered and includes:

i) a sensor responsive to the liquid temperature in said first tank volume, and

ii) a controller responsive to said sensor that adjusts the power to said heater thereby to control the rate at which said heater produces liquid vapor and the delivery rate of the liquid to the utilization device.

5. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein the ratio of the liquid in said first and second tank volumes corresponds to the ratio of the temperatures of the boiling liquid in said first tank volume and of the liquid in said second tank volume required to produce the pressurized hot liquid at an acceptable temperature.

6. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 5 wherein the ratio of the quantity of liquid in said first and second tank volumes is:

(T₁P)+(T₂(1−

P)=100T₃

where T₁ and T₂ are the temperatures of the liquid in said first and second tank volumes, respectively, where T₃ is acceptable temperature and where P is the percentage of the liquid to be contained in said first tank volume.

7. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 5 wherein said ports from said first and second tanks have cross sectional areas that are in the same ratio as the ratio of the stored volumes of liquid.

8. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said tank means additionally includes a vent from said tank volumes above the liquid level therein, said vent selectively controlling the pressure in said first and second tanks.

9. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 8 wherein said vent includes:

a) a passage extending from said tank volumes to the exterior of said first and second tanks, and

b) a valve operator that blocks said passage after the liquid in said first tank volume boils.

10. A pressurized hot liquid delivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein the utilization device comprises a beverage brewing apparatus that includes infusible material in a brewing chamber, wherein said brewing apparatus includes a lid that moves between open and close positions, said lid, in the open position, exposing said liquid inlet to allow liquid to be poured therethrough and wherein said lid includes a sealing member that seals said liquid inlet when said lid is in the closed position.

11. Apparatus for brewing a hot beverage by infusing a material with hot water under pressure at an acceptable brewing temperature, said apparatus including:

A) tank means for forming first and second tank volumes, said tank means including sealable inlet means for directing water at an input temperature into said tank means and means for providing hydraulic communication between said tank volumes above the water therein,

B) mixing means for mixing water,

C) port network means for enabling flow among said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means,

D) heater means for boiling the water in said first tank volume when said inlet means is sealed to produce steam under a pressure while the water in said second tank volume remains substantially at the input temperature, said pressure discharging water from each of said tank volumes through said port network means and into said mixing means whereby the water in said mixing means produces water at the acceptable brewing temperature, and

E) brewing chamber means for brewing the beverage with the pressurized hot water from said mixing means by directing the pressurized hot water through the material contained therein to be dispensed at an outlet thereof as the brewed beverage.

12. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said hydraulic communication means interconnects said first and second tank volumes above the water contained therein whereby the pressure on the water in said first and second tank volumes is equal.

13. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said tank means includes means for locating said first tank volume within said second tank volume.

14. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said port network means includes first and second passage means for establishing flow paths with said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means.

15. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said heater means is electrically powered and includes:

i) sensing means for indicating the temperature in said first tank volume, and

ii) control means for adjusting the power to said heater means thereby to control the rate at which said heater means produces liquid vapor and the delivery rate of the water into the infusible material.

16. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the ratio of the water in said first and second tank volumes corresponds to the ratio of the temperatures of the boiling water in said first tank volume and the water in the second water volume required to produce the pressurized hot water at the acceptable brewing temperature.

17. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the ratio of the quantity of water in said first and second tank volumes is:

(T₁P)+(T₂(1−

P)=100T₃

where T₁ and T₂ are the temperatures of the water in said first and second tank volumes, respectively, where T₃ is acceptable temperature and where P is the percentage of the water to be contained in said first tank volume.

18. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said port network means includes first and second passage means for establishing flow paths with said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means wherein the cross-sectional areas of said passage means are in the same ratio as the ratio of the stored volumes of water.

19. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said apparatus includes housing means for containing said tank means, said heater means, said mixing means and said brewing chamber means and lid means attached to said housing means for moving between open and closed positions, said lid means and said inlet means including complementary sealing means for sealing said inlet means when said lid means is in the closed position and said lid means, when open, exposing said inlet means to receive water and direct the water to said tank volumes.

20. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said tank means additionally includes means for venting said tank volumes and means for blocking said venting means after the water in said first tank volume begins to boil.

21. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein tank means includes vent means for selectively controlling the relative pressure in said tank means during brewing.

22. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said vent means includes:

a) passage means for venting said tank volumes, and

b) means for blocking said passage means after the water in said first tank volume boils.

23. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 including housing means for said brewing chamber means, said apparatus including means for distributing the pressurized hot water through the infusible material and said mixing means includes means for conveying the pressurized hot water to said distributing means from said mixing means.

24. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 23 including lid means attached to said housing means for moving to opened and closed positions, said lid means supporting said means for conveying the pressurized hot water from said mixing means to said distributing means

25. Hot beverage apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein the infusible material is contained in a sealed capsule and said means for conveying the pressurized hot water terminates in a water probe means for penetrating the capsule as said lid means closes thereby to distribute the pressurized hot water through the infusible material.

26. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein the capsule includes a collar and seal forming a sealed structure about an output spout that delivers brewed beverage from the capsule, said brewing chamber having means for receiving the capsule and means for causing the capsule seal to rupture thereby to expose the output spout as said lid means closes.

27. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said heater means is electrically powered and includes:

i) sensing means for indicating the temperature of the water in said first tank volume, and

ii) control means responsive to said sensing means for reducing the power to said heater means thereby to reduce the rate at which said heater means produces steam and the delivery rate of the water into the infusible material.

28. Apparatus for dispensing a hot beverage into a beverage receptacle after infusing a material in a capsule having a cover and a sealed outlet, said apparatus comprising:

A) housing means for defining a plurality of station means for performing different functions,

B) lid means hinged from said housing means for moving between opened and closed positions,

C) platform station means for supporting the beverage receptacle,

D) pressurized hot water dispensing station means for producing water at an appropriate brewing temperature, and

E) capsule receiving station means for holding the capsule during brewing, said capsule receiving station means including;

i) well means for circumscribing the capsule,

ii) first support means for engaging the sealed outlet after the capsule is inserted into said well means when said lid means is open and for rupturing the sealed outlet when said lid means closes,

iii) second support means for supporting the capsule in said well means when said lid means is closed, and

iv) infusing means attached to said lid means and connected to said dispensing station means for infusing the material contained the capsule whereby said apparatus dispenses the hot beverage into a receptacle on said platform station means.

29. Hot beverage dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein the capsule sealed outlet includes an axially extending spout, a support surrounding the spout and a seal attached to said support, said first support means including means for forming a central passage through which brewed beverage passes aligned with the spout in said capsule receiving station means.

30. Hot beverage dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein said lid means includes cover means for overlying said well means in a sealed relationship therewith when said lid means closes.

31. Hot beverage dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 30 wherein said infusing means attaches to said cover means.

32. Hot beverage dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein said infusing means includes water delivery probe means for penetrating the capsule when said lid means closes and tubing means for connecting said water delivery probe means to said pressurized hot water dispensing station means.

33. Hot beverage dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein said pressurized hot water dispensing station includes:

i) tank means for forming first and second tank volumes, said tank means including a sealable inlet means for directing water at an input temperature into said tank means,

ii) mixing means for mixing water,

iii) port network means for enabling flow among said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means,

iv) heater means for boiling the water in said first tank volume when said inlet means is sealed to produce steam under a pressure while the water in said second tank volume remains substantially at the input temperature, said pressure discharging water from each of said tank volumes through said port network means and into said mixing means whereby the water in said mixing means produces water at the acceptable brewing temperature, and

v) means for transporting the water from said mixing means to said infusing means.

34. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 including means for interconnecting said first and second tank volumes above water contained therein whereby the pressure on the water in said first and second tank volumes is substantially equal.

35. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein said tank means includes means for locating said first tank volume within said second tank volume.

36. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 35 wherein said outlet means includes first and second passage means for establishing flow paths with said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means.

37. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein the ratio of the water in said first and second tank volumes corresponds to the temperature ratio between the boiling water in said first tank volume and the water in the second water volume required to produce the pressurized hot water at the acceptable brewing temperature.

38. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 37 wherein the ratio of the quantity of water in said first and second tank volumes is:

(T₁P)+(T₂(1−

P)=100T₃

where T₁ and T₂ are the temperatures of the water in said first and second tank volumes, respectively, where T₃ is acceptable temperature and where P is the percentage of the water to be contained in said first tank volume.

39. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 37 wherein said outlet means includes first and second passage means for establishing flow paths with said first and second tank volumes and said mixing means wherein the cross-sectional passage sizes are in the same ratio as the ratio of the stored volumes of water.

40. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein said lid means and said inlet means include complementary sealing means for sealing said inlet means when said lid means is in the closed position and said lid means, when open, exposing said inlet means to receive water and direct the water to said tank volumes.

41. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein said tank means additionally includes means for venting said tank volumes and means for blocking said venting means after the water in said first tank volume begins to boil.

42. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein tank means includes vent means for selectively controlling the relative pressure in said tank means during brewing.

43. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said vent means includes:

a) means for venting said tank volumes, and

b) means for blocking said venting means after the water in said first tank volume boils.

44. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein said heater means is electrically powered and includes:

a) sensing means for indicating the water temperature of the water in said first tank volume, and

b) control means for adjusting the power to said heater means thereby to reduce the rate at which said heater means produces steam and the delivery rate of the water into the infusible material.

45. Hot beverage brewing apparatus as recited in claim 28 including second platform station means, second capsule receiving station means and second infusing means and valve means interconnecting said pressurized hot water dispensing station means with each of said infusing means for selectively directing pressurized hot water to one or both of said infusing means.