BEVERAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

• US 20100024658A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shepard, James E., Sullivan, Kevin P., Tinkler, Ian, Jacobs, William T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/302.R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/468 Pumping means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/469 Details of hydraulic circuits

Abstract

A beverage forming apparatus includes a storage tank, and a centrifugal pump having an inlet connected to the storage tank by a supply conduit. The centrifugal pump may include a priming vent located below a full level of the storage tank and permit air to vent as liquid primes the pump. A metering tank may have an inlet connected to the centrifugal pump by a pump conduit, and an outlet connected to a brew chamber that forms a beverage using liquid received from the metering tank. In one embodiment, a flow control valve, such as a check valve, may be provided in the pump conduit to allow flow from the pump to the metering tank, but resist flow in reverse. In another embodiment, a vent valve in the pump conduit may be arranged to vent at least a portion of the pump conduit, e.g., to ambient air pressure.

Claims

1. A beverage forming apparatus, comprising:

a storage tank to hold a supply of liquid, the liquid having a full level when the storage tank is full of liquid;

a centrifugal pump having a priming vent, an outlet, and an inlet connected to the storage tank by a supply conduit, the priming vent being located below the full level of the storage tank and permitting air in the centrifugal pump to vent as liquid from the storage tank fills the pump;

a metering tank having an inlet connected to the outlet of the centrifugal pump by a pump conduit, and an outlet; and

a brew chamber connected to the outlet of the metering tank by a metering tank conduit and for forming a beverage using liquid received from the metering tank.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a flow control valve in the pump conduit that allows flow from the pump to the metering tank and resists flow in the pump conduit from the metering tank to the pump; and

a vent valve in the pump conduit arranged to vent at least a portion of the pump conduit to a pressure different from a pressure in the pump conduit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flow control valve is a check valve.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vent valve is arranged to selectively vent the pump conduit to ambient air pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vent valve and the priming vent are connected to the storage tank by a common conduit.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vent valve connects to the pump conduit at a point above a top of the metering tank.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vent valve is arranged to prevent a siphon from forming in the pump conduit between the storage tank and the metering tank.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the priming vent is always open and connected to ambient air pressure.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an air pump that delivers pressurized air to the metering tank to force liquid from the metering tank to the brew chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heater that heats the liquid in the metering tank.

11. A beverage forming apparatus, comprising:

a storage tank to hold a supply of liquid, the liquid having a full level when the storage tank is full of liquid;

a centrifugal pump having a priming vent, an outlet, and an inlet connected to the storage tank by a supply conduit, the priming vent being located below the full level of the storage tank and permitting air in the pump to vent as liquid from the storage tank fills the pump;

a metering tank having an inlet connected to the outlet of the centrifugal pump by a pump conduit, and an outlet;

a flow control valve in the pump conduit that allows flow from the centrifugal pump to the metering tank and resists flow from the metering tank to the centrifugal pump; and

a brew chamber connected to the metering tank by a metering tank conduit and for forming a beverage using liquid received from the metering tank.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flow control valve is a check valve.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the vent valve is a solenoid-controlled valve.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the priming vent is permanently open to ambient air pressure.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a vent valve in the pump conduit arranged to vent at least a portion of the pump conduit downstream of the flow control valve to a pressure different from a pressure in the pump conduit.

16. A beverage forming apparatus, comprising:

a storage tank to hold a supply of liquid, the liquid having a full level when the storage tank is full of liquid;

a centrifugal pump having a priming vent, an outlet, and an inlet connected to the storage tank by a supply conduit, the priming vent being located below the full level of the storage tank and permitting air in the pump to vent as liquid from the storage tank fills the pump;

a metering tank having an inlet connected to the outlet of the centrifugal pump by a pump conduit, and an outlet;

a vent valve in the pump conduit arranged to vent at least a portion of the pump conduit to a pressure different from a pressure in the pump conduit; and

a brew chamber connected to the metering tank by a metering tank conduit and for forming a beverage using liquid received from the metering tank.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a flow control valve in the pump conduit that allows flow from the pump to the metering tank and resists flow in the pump conduit from the metering tank to the pump.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the vent valve is connected to the pump conduit at a point above a top of the metering tank between the flow control valve and the metering tank.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a controller that controls the operation of the centrifugal pump and the vent valve.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the priming vent is permanently open to ambient air pressure.