Brew basket

• US 5,287,797 A
• Filed: 02/03/1993
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: McKanna, Douglas E., Rushmore, Dean F., Grykiewicz, Shirdan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/012,679
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 99/295, 99/300, 99/304, 99/306, 99/307, 99/313, 99/314, 210/477, 210/478, 210/481, 210/482
• US Class Current: 99/295
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0642 specially adapted to cooperate with a cartridge, e.g. having grooves or protrusions to separate cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber A47J31/0668 takes precedence

Abstract

A brew basket is disclosed for use with conventional coffee makers of the type found in offices, hotels and restaurants. The brew basket is configured to receive ground coffee in the form of a compressed wafer and provides increased extraction of coffee solids from compressed coffee wafers and a significant reduction in extraction time. The basket has a relatively shallow profile and is dimensioned so that when the brew basket is mounted on the coffee maker, substantially the entire upper surface of the compressed wafer disposed in the brew basket is wetted by the hot water discharged from the spray head of the coffee maker. In addition the basket is dimensioned to maintain a water level in the brew basket sufficient to at least partially submerge the compressed wafer during extraction, to further increase extraction efficiency.

Claims

1. A brew basket for a compressed wafer of roast and ground coffee for use in a coffee making machine having a spray head from which hot extraction water is discharged into the brew basket, which comprises

a circular upstanding sidewall which terminates at an upper circumferential edge, the sidewall having a rim extending outwardly around said upper circumferential edge for engagement with support means on said coffee making machine,

a bottom wall integral with said sidewall having an opening extending therethrough, with the bottom wall sloping downwardly from the sidewall toward the opening,

a plurality of radially extending upstanding ribs integral with the upper side of said bottom wall surrounding said opening, said ribs having a substantially horizontal inner end portion adjacent said opening adapted to support a compressed coffee wafer, with said ribs being dimensioned to position the upper surface of the compressed coffee wafer supported on the ribs in close proximity to the upper circumferential edge of the brew basket, and

a plurality of upstanding arcuate tabs on the upper side of said bottom wall between the normal to adjacent radial ribs, said tabs being positioned intermediate the opening and the circumferential sidewall and spaced equidistant from said opening.

2. The brew basket defined in claim 1 in which said ribs are dimensioned to position the upper surface of the compressed wafer between about 1.8 cm to 2.2 cm from the upper edge of the brew basket sidewall.

3. The brew basket defined in claim 1 in which the upper surface of the inner end portion of said ribs is between about 2.3 cm to 3.5 cm from the upper edge of the brew basket sidewall.

4. The brew basket defined in claim 1 in which the brew basket has a narrow profile, with the circular sidewall having a height to diameter ratio of between about 0.15-0.25:

1.

5. The brew basket defined in claim 1 in which the arcuate tabs extend above the plane of the inner end portion of the ribs.

6. The brew basket defined in claim 1 in which the sidewall of the brew basket has a lateral flange extending outwardly around said upper circumferential edge, said flange having a polygonal outer edge having an even number of opposed parallel side edges, with pairs of opposed side edges differing in width.

7. The brew basket defined in claim 6 in which a removable handle is slidably mounted on the sidewall of the brew basket at one of the pairs of opposing side edges of the flange.