Beverage brewer with interlocking component parts for nontool assembly/disasembly

• US 5,217,288 A
• Filed: 02/28/1991
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boyd Assets Co. (Farmer Brothers Co.)
• Original Assignee: Boyd Coffee Company (Farmer Brothers Co.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US07/662,580
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 99/284, 99/295, 99/300, 99/302 R, 99/304, 99/306, 312/228, 312/257.1
• US Class Current: 312/257.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4403 Constructional details

Abstract

A beverage brewer is provided which can be assembled without tools from a plurality of component parts and subassemblies. The brewer includes a housing and an internal tank which engages the body of the housing by means of a tank support system. The tank support system attaches the tank to the housing body through relative rotating between the tank and the housing body. A detachable outflow spout on the tank, when attached to the tank, engages a portion of the housing body and prevents rotation of the tank, thereby interlocking the tank to the housing body. A removable access panel on the front of the brewer engages the outflow spout and prevents its detachment from the tank when the panel is in place on the body. The panel thereby locks the tank into the housing, as well as closes the housing. The access panel is locked into place using a key lock. Additional parts of the brewer, including the bottom panel and legs, can be detached without tools only when the panel is removed. All major internal components of the brewer are accessible for disassembly, service and replacement by removing the panel using the key lock.

Claims

1. A beverage brewer having component parts which interlock without tools to facilitate assembly and disassembly, the brewer comprising:

a tank for holding beverage preparation fluid,

a body including walls for partially enclosing an interior space in which operative parts of the brewer are enclosed, and including a tank support for supporting said tank within the interior space,

an interlock member engageable with said tank and said tank support for locking said tank to said body, said interlock member including an outflow conduit for said tank which when coupled to said tank extends outside said tank and engages portions of said body to secure said tank to said tank support, and

a removable access panel which engages said body to further enclose the interior space and which also engages said interlock member including the outflow conduit to prevent removal of the interlock member when said panel is installed on said body, thereby interlocking said tank to said body, said panel being removable to access the interior space for disassembly of the brewer and to disengage said interlock member permitting separation of said tank from said body.

2. A beverage brewer as in claim 1 in which said outflow conduit is detachable from the tank to permit removal of said tank from said tank support means on said body.

3. A beverage brewer as in claim 2 in which said tank is engageable with said tank support means by relative rotation between said tank and said body, said outflow conduit engaging portions of said body when attached to said tank to prevent relative rotation between said tank and said body, whereby disengagement of said tank from said body is prevented.

4. A beverage brewer as in claim 3 in which said removable access panel includes an outflow opening through which said outflow conduit extends when said panel is installed on said body, the portion of said panel surrounding said outflow opening engaging said outflow conduit to prevent detachment thereof from said tank when said panel is installed on said body, thereby preventing removal of said tank from said support means.

5. A beverage brewer as in claim 1 in which said body includes a top wall for further enclosing the interior space, said tank support being attached to said top wall for supporting said tank from said top wall.

6. A beverage brewer as in claim 1 including a detachable bottom wall for said body to further enclose the interior space, and securing means for said bottom wall for securing said bottom wall to said body, said securing means being accessible from the interior space and being inaccessible when said access panel is installed on said body, whereby said bottom wall is secured to said body when said panel is installed on said body.

7. A beverage brewer as in claim 6 including legs for the brewer, said securing means for said bottom wall additionally securing said legs to said body, whereby said bottom wall and said legs are secured to said body when said panel is installed on said body.

8. A beverage brewer as in claim 1 in which said removable access panel is engageable with said body by means of a key lock, whereby installation and removal of said access panel is accomplished by use of said key lock.

9. A beverage brewer having component parts which interlock without tools to facilitate assembly and disassembly, the brewer comprising:

a tank for holding beverage preparation fluid,

a body including walls partially enclosing an interior space in which operative parts of the brewer are enclosed, including a top wall having a tank support attached thereto for supporting said tank from said top wall within said interior space, said tank being engageable with said tank support by relative rotation between said tank and said body,

an interlock member engageable with said tank and said tank support for locking said tank to said body, said interlock member engaging a portion of said top wall to prevent relative rotation between said tank and said top wall to lock said tank to said body, and

a removable access panel which engages said body to further enclose the interior space and which prevents removal of said interlock member from engagement with said portion of said top wall when said panel is installed on said body, said panel being removable to access the interior space for disassembly of the brewer and to disengage said interlock member from said tank and said top wall to permit separation of said tank from said body.

10. A beverage brewer as in claim 9 in which said interlock means includes a detachable outflow conduit for said tank which when coupled to said tank extends outside said tank and engages portions of said top wall to secure said tank to said tank support means, and wherein said panel when installed on said body prevents disengagement of said outflow conduit from said tank to interlock said tank to said body.

11. A beverage brewer as in claim 9 including a detachable bottom wall for said body to further enclose the interior space, and securing means for said bottom wall for securing said bottom wall to said body, said securing means being accessible from the interior space and being inaccessible when said access panel is installed on said body, whereby said bottom wall is secured to said body when said panel is installed on said body.

12. A beverage brewer as in claim 11 including legs for the brewer, said securing means for said bottom wall additionally securing said legs to said body, whereby said bottom wall and said legs are secured to said body when said panel is installed on said body.

13. A beverage brewer as in claim 9 in which said removable access panel is engageable with said body by means of a key lock, whereby installation and removal of said access panel is accomplished by use of said key lock.