Coffee brewing apparatus

• US 5,337,653 A
• Filed: 07/23/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crane Merchandising Systems Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Gross-Given Manufacturing Company (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Sellers, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US07/918,173
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 99/289 R, 99/289 T:289 D, 99/289 P, 99/302 P, 99/287, 99/302 R, 99/283, 99/286, 99/279, 99/300
• US Class Current: 99/289.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/408 with means for moving a filter in the form of a tape

Abstract

An apparatus for brewing a coffee beverage from coffee grounds and hot water includes a housing and a base member within the housing. The base member incorporates a generally horizontal porous surface. A brewing cylinder is located within the housing and is located above and generally axially aligned with the porous surface of the base member. The brewing cylinder is movable from a first position in which the bottom of the brewing cylinder is sealingly engaged with the base member and surrounds at least a portion of the porous surface and a second position in which the brewing cylinder is separated from the base member. A mixing channel has a first end communicating with the interior of the brewing cylinder. The channel receives a predetermined portion of coffee grounds and hot water for initially mixing together the coffee grounds and the hot water and for inserting the mixture into the brewing cylinder generally tangentially to the inner surface of the brewing chamber so that the coffee grounds and hot water move around the inner surface of the brewing chamber while moving downwardly for stirring the coffee grounds and water to brew the coffee beverage in an accelerated manner.

Claims

1. An apparatus for brewing a coffee beverage from coffee grounds and hot water comprising:

a housing;

a base member within the housing, the base member including a generally horizontal porous surface;

a brewing cylinder within the housing, the brewing cylinder having an inner surface, an outer surface, a generally open top and a generally open bottom, the brewing cylinder being located above and generally axially aligned with the porous surface of the base member, the brewing cylinder being movable from a first position in which the bottom of the brewing cylinder is sealing engaged with the base member and surrounds at least a portion of the porous surface and a second position in which the brewing cylinder is separated from the base member;

a mixing channel having a first end communicating with the interior of the brewing cylinder, the mixing channel for receiving a predetermined portion of coffee grounds and a predetermined quantity of hot water for initially mixing together the coffee grounds and the hot water and for inserting the mixed coffee grounds and hot water into the brewing cylinder generally horizontally and generally tangentially to the inner surface of the brewing chamber so the coffee grounds and the hot water move around the inner surface of the brewing chamber while moving downwardly for stirring the coffee grounds and water to brew the coffee beverage; and

a piston sized to tightly engage the inner surface of the brewing cylinder, the piston being movable from a first position generally axially aligned with and above the brewing cylinder and a second position within the brewing cylinder whereby movement of the piston from the first position toward the second position results in the piston engaging the inner surface of the brewing cylinder and pressurizing the interior of the brewing cylinder to force the coffee beverage through the porous surface of the base member for separation of the coffee beverage from the coffee grounds.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the channel is generally downwardly sloping toward the first end.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the first end of the channel communicates with the brewing cylinder proximate the top of the brewing cylinder.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the channel is secured to the outer surface of the brewing cylinder.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the channel and the brewing cylinder are an integral unit.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising filter means located on the porous surface of the base member for filtering the coffee beverage.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the filter means comprises a generally continuous web of filter material.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the filter material comprises paper.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

wiper assembly means for removing the coffee grounds and filter from the base member once the coffee has been brewed.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said wiper assembly means comprises an arm which is rotatably attached at a first end, to a cam located within the housing, the arm being movable in a range of positions, a second end of the arm including a wiper blade for removing the coffee ground from the porous surface of the base member.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the wiper blade is pivotable with respect to the arm and is held in position by a pivot rod.