System and method for brewing and dispensing a hot beverage

• US 5,644,972 A
• Filed: 08/03/1994
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Metal Ware Co., Starbucks Coffee Company Limited (Starbucks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Metal-Tech Limited, Starbucks Coffee EMEA BV (Starbucks Corporation)
• Inventors: Dahmen, William A., Lojacono, Christopher Paul, Malec, Zbigniew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US08/285,044
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 99/290, 99/279, 99/280, 99/281, 99/282, 99/283, 99/289, 99/285, 99/288, 99/289 R, 99/291, 99/293, 99/295, 99/298, 99/299, 99/310, 426/433
• US Class Current: 99/280
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/007 for brewing on a large scale, e.g. for restaurants, or for use with more than one brewing container
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/467 for the infusion

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system for brewing and dispensing high quality beverages at remote locations comprising a high volume urn, a high volume transfer system, an insulated mobile canister, a dispensing system having a compressor, tank and hose assembly, and a dispensing tap. Coffee, or other brewed beverage, is brewed in the high volume urn. Once a complete batch of coffee has been brewed, the entire batch is transferred via gravity to a clean and empty mobile canister. Once full, the mobile canister can be moved to a remote dispensing location or stored for future use. When the mobile canister is moved to the dispensing location it is connected to the dispensing system which uses an air compressor to pressurize the beverage within mobile canister. The dispensing system also connects the canister to the dispensing tap, via a short, removable dispensing hose. The dispensing hose is wrapped with an electrical heater to maintain the beverage at the optimum serving temperature at the dispensing tap while keeping it below the temperature at which degradation occurs. When the dispensing tap is opened, the beverage is dispensed.

Claims

1. A system for brewing and dispensing hot beverages comprising:

an urn having at least one liner for brewing a hot beverage at a brewing temperature;

at least one mobile storage canister for storing and transporting the hot beverage from one location to another location at a lower temperature than the brewing temperature;

a dispensing tap for dispensing the beverage;

a first transfer tube attachable between the urn and the canister for transferring the hot beverage from the urn to the canister;

a second transfer tube attachable between the canister and the dispensing tap for transferring the hot beverage from the canister to the dispensing tap; and

a means for moving the hot beverage from the canister, through the second transfer tube, and to the dispensing tap.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a valve means for controlling the flow of the hot beverage in the first transfer tube.

3. The system of claim 1, herein said means for moving the hot beverage includes a means for pressurizing the beverage in the canister.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for pressurizing includes a compressor, a supply line connected to the compressor and connectable to the canister, and control circuitry to control the compressor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry includes means for sensing the beverage level in the canister and controlling the compressor in response thereto.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing temperature is lower than the brewing temperature.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the canister is insulated.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for removably connecting the second transfer tube to the canister.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the removable connecting means includes a quick coupling.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the quick coupling includes an outlet block connected to the first transfer tube and a lid block connected to the canister, the outlet block being removably connectable to the lid block, the outlet block including a liquid outlet orifice.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the outlet block further includes an air inlet orifice and electrical contacts arranged and configured for contact with the lid block.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the liquid outlet orifice is positioned below the level of the air inlet orifice and the electrical contacts, the lid block being configured to receive the liquid from the liquid outlet orifice below its interface with the air inlet orifice and the electrical contacts.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for removably connecting the second transfer tube to the canister.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the removable coupling means includes a quick coupling.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the quick coupling includes an inlet block connected to the second transfer tube and a lid block connected to the canister, the inlet block being removably connectable to the lid block, the inlet block including a liquid inlet orifice.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the inlet block further includes an air outlet orifice and electrical contacts arranged and configured for contact with the lid block.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the liquid inlet orifice is positioned below the level of the air outlet orifice and the electrical contacts, the lid block being configured to engage the inlet orifice below its interface with the air outlet orifice and the electrical contacts.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the second transfer tube is heated.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second transfer tube is heated by foil-backed heat tape wrapped around the second tube.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry for controlling the brewing and transferring of the beverage.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for sensing the level of beverage in the canister.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control circuitry prevents the transfer of the beverage into the canister in response to a predetermined level of beverage in the canister.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the canister includes a plurality of casters.

24. A system for brewing and dispensing a hot beverage comprising:

an urn having a plurality of beverage liners;

a plurality of insulated canisters for receiving the brewed beverage therein;

a plurality of first removable transfer tubes each respectively being capable of connection to one of the liners and one of the canisters;

a transfer valve in continuity with each respective first transfer tube for controlling beverage flow in the respective first transfer tube;

a dispensing tap;

a plurality of second removable transfer tubes each respectively being capable of connection to one of the dispensing taps and one of the canisters;

a means for pressurizing the beverage in each canister whereby the pressure causes the beverage to flow through the respective second transfer tube to the respective tap for dispensing; and

control circuitry for controlling the brewing, transferring and dispensing of the beverage.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the control circuitry compares the level of the beverage in the container to a predetermined level to control the transfer of beverage.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the control circuitry compares the level of the beverage in the canister to a predetermined level to control the means for pressurizing.