Single cup brewer having special brew chamber

• US 5,913,963 A
• Filed: 06/01/1998
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keurig Canada, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Innovations AMK Inc.
• Inventors: King, Alan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/087,798
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 99/287, 99/289 R, 99/297, 99/302 P, 99/285
• US Class Current: 99/302.00P
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/18 Apparatus in which ground coffee or tea-leaves are immersed in the hot liquid in the beverage container

Abstract

A beverage brewing machine for producing a single serving has a lower brewer and an upper brew chamber housing. The lower brewer has a brewing cylinder defining therein a lower brewing chamber which has a reciprocal piston therein. The top of the brewing cylinder includes a liquid pervious support surface on which a beverage substance may rest. The upper brew chamber housing is received over the brewing cylinder above the liquid pervious support surface and defines an upper brewing chamber therein. The upper brew chamber housing includes an inlet which communicates with the upper brewing chamber. The upper brewing chamber receives liquid to be brewed from an external source one serving at a time.

Claims

1. A beverage brewing machine comprising:

a brewing cylinder defining a lower brewing chamber, the brewing cylinder having an open upper end and a lower end;

a piston received within the lower brewing chamber, the piston moveable between the upper and lower ends of the brewing cylinder;

a liquid pervious support surface received over the open upper end of the brewing cylinder receiving thereon a beverage substance to be brewed;

an upper brew chamber received over the liquid pervious support surface defining an upper brew chamber having a single serving liquid volume; and

a spout having an open upper end of a first diameter defining an inlet for receiving a liquid to be brewed and an open lower end of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the lower end connected to the upper brew chamber.

2. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a link connected to a bottom end of the piston moving the piston within the brewing chamber.

3. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a link connected to a bottom end of the piston; and

a crank arm connected to the link, the crank arm rotationally driven to move the piston within the brewing chamber.

4. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a cylinder having an upper end and an open lower end attached to the open upper end of the brewing cylinder;

an annular wall extending radially inward from the cylinder at the upper end defining an inlet opening, the single serving brew chamber defined within the cylinder between the annular wall and the open lower end;

a cylindrical neck section extending upward from the annular wall adjacent the inlet opening; and

a spout extending upward and radially outward from the cylindrical neck section and defining the inlet.

5. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of level indicators located on the brew chamber housing to measure a volume of liquid held within the upper brew chamber.

6. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 wherein the brew chamber housing is fabricated from a transparent material.

7. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a housing supporting the brewing cylinder, the housing including means to selectively cycle the piston between the upper and lower ends of the brewing cylinder according to a predetermined brewing cycle.

8. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a housing supporting the brewing cylinder;

electronic means to selectively cycle the piston between the upper and lower ends of the brewing cylinder according to a predetermined brewing cycle; and

a button on the housing to activate the electronic means.

9. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 wherein the brewing cylinder is a circular cylinder.

10. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 wherein the upper brew chamber and liquid pervious support surface are adapted for use with a single serving tea bag.

11. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 wherein the upper brew chamber and liquid pervious support surface are adapted for use with a single serving coffee filter package.

12. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a porous cap attached to the open upper end of the brewing cylinder and defining the liquid pervious support surface.

13. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of beverage discharge slots formed in the brewing cylinder permitting liquid to discharge from the lower brewing chamber when the piston is moved to a completely lowered position.

14. The beverage brewing machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

means to secure the upper brew chamber housing to the brewing cylinder during a brewing cycle.

15. A brew chamber housing for a beverage brewing machine, the brew chamber housing comprising:

a cylinder having an upper end and an open lower end attachable to a beverage brewer;

an annular wall extending radially inward from the cylinder at the upper end defining an inlet opening;

a single serving brew chamber defined within the cylinder between the annular wall and the open lower end;

a cylindrical neck section extending upward from the annular wall adjacent the inlet opening; and

a spout extending upward and radially outward from the cylindrical neck section receiving a liquid.

16. The brew chamber housing according to claim 15 further comprising:

a plurality of level indicators located on the spout to measure a volume of liquid held within the brew chamber housing.

17. The brew chamber housing according to claim 15, wherein the brew chamber housing is fabricated from a transparent material.

18. The brew chamber housing according to claim 15 wherein the spout is a frusto-conical shaped spout having an open upper end of a first diameter and an open lower end of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the lower end connected to the cylindrical neck section.

19. The brew chamber housing according to claim 15 wherein the cylinder, annular wall, and cylindrical neck section are circular.

20. A beverage brewing machine comprising:

a brewing cylinder defining a lower brewing chamber, the brewing cylinder having an open upper end and a lower end;

a piston received within the lower brewing chamber, the piston moveable between the upper and lower ends of the brewing cylinder;

a liquid pervious support surface received over the open upper end of the brewing cylinder receiving thereon a beverage substance to be brewed;

an upper brew chamber received over the liquid pervious support surface defining an upper brew chamber having a single serving liquid volume, the upper brew chamber having an inlet for receiving a liquid to be brewed;

a cylinder having an upper end and an open lower end attached to the open upper end of the brewing cylinder;

an annular wall extending radially inward from the cylinder at the upper end defining an inlet opening, the single serving brew chamber defined within the cylinder between the annular wall and the open lower end;

a cylindrical neck section extending upward from the annular wall adjacent the inlet opening; and

a spout extending upward and radially outward from the cylindrical neck section and defining the inlet.