Beverage server

• US 6,089,409 A
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
• Inventors: Knepler, John T., Hart, Burton L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUINALTY, KEATS ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/057,463
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 222/54, 222/146.5, 222/638, 222/639, 222/640, 222/641, 222/644, 222/146.2, 222/154, 222/155, 99/280, 99/282, 99/283, 99/299, 99/300, 99/304, 99/305, 99/306, 99/307, 99/281
• US Class Current: 222/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/505 with heat-supply regulation

Abstract

Beverage servers for retaining beverages at a desired heated temperature. Prior art beverage servers have attempted to maintain the temperature of a brewed beverage retained therein in a variety of ways. One form of beverage server utilizes a heat resistant and heat conductive material for a beverage reservoir and places an exposed flame using a product such as gelled fuel thereunder to provide heat. One problem with this type of beverage server is that an exposed flame is presented to the customers and that the flame does not necessarily maintain a consistent or desired beverage temperature.

Claims

1. A beverage server coupled with a power source for providing power to electrical components of said beverage server, said beverage server and power source comprising:

a housing;

a reservoir retained within said housing;

a heating element retained in said server for providing heat energy to said beverage retained in said reservoir;

a server power contact positioned on said housing and coupled to said heating element; and

a power station contact retained on said power source and positioned for conductive coupling with said server power contact to transfer power from said power source to said heating element of said server.

2. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising guide structures on at least one of said power station contacts and said server power contact to promote engagement of said contacts when said server is positioned in proximity to said power source.

3. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 2, said guide structure, further comprising protruding side guides proximate to said power station contact, said server power contact being sized and dimensioned to fit between said side guides, said side guides being positioned at said power source to prevent contact by any structure other than said server power contact.

4. A server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 2, at least one of said power station contact and said server power contact having a spring biased assembly to promote extension of a moveable contact component toward the opposing contact structure, said spring loaded contact component promoting positive conductive engagement of the contacts when said server is positioned at said power source.

5. A beverage server coupled with a power source, as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electrical transformer coupled with said power source to provide low voltage power at said power station contact, said power station contact having low voltage power to provide a presentation of power.

6. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising a circuit having a timer, said server being selectively coupled to said power source, said timer being reset upon at least one of said engagement and disengagement of said server with said power source, an indicator coupled to said timer which is activated upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time after resetting said timer and coupling of said server to said power source so as to indicate the expiration of beverage retained within the server.

7. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

insulation positioned between an upper surface of said reservoir and a corresponding surface of said housing having a greater heat retaining characteristic than corresponding insulation positioned between side walls of said reservoir and said housing.

8. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, said heating element positioned on an outside surface of said reservoir for heating the beverage retained therein, said heating element being positioned on a bottom surface of said reservoir for conducting heat into and upwardly through said beverage retained therein.

9. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned on a side wall of said reservoir adjacent said heating element, said temperature sensor being spaced from said heating element to prevent sensing of said heating element and promoting sensing of a beverage retained in said reservoir.

10. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising a faucet attached to and extending through said housing communicating with said reservoir for dispensing a beverage from said reservoir.

11. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 10, further comprising said faucet being formed of a material having a low heat conducting characteristic to prevent loss of heat through said faucet communicating with said beverage.

12. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a fill opening in an upper portion of said reservoir for dispensing beverage into said reservoir; and

a fill tube associated with said opening, said fill tube extending downwardly through said reservoir toward a bottom portion of said reservoir, said fill tube promoting mixing of flavors and preventing stratification of beverage temperature in said reservoir.

13. A beverage server coupled with a power source as recited in claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to an outside surface of said housing for carrying said server, insulation being positioned between an attachment portion of said handle and said reservoir for preventing conduction of heat from said reservoir to said handle.

23. A server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 2, at least one of said power station contact and said server power contact having a spring biased assembly to promote extension of a moveable contact component toward the opposing contact structure, said spring loaded contact component promoting positive conductive engagement of the contacts when said server is positioned at said power source.

14. A beverage server in combination with a power source for providing power to electrical components of said beverage server, said beverage server and power source comprising a housing;

a reservoir retained within said housing;

a faucet attached to said housing and communicating with said reservoir for dispensing a beverage from said reservoir;

a heating element retained in said server positioned on an outside surface of said reservoir for heating the beverage retained therein;

a server power contact positioned on said housing and coupled to said heating element;

insulation positioned between said reservoir and said housing;

a circuit having a timer, said server being selectively coupled to said power source, said timer being reset upon at least one of said engagement and disengagement of said server with said power source, an indicator coupled to said timer and which is activated upon expiration of a predetermined period of time after resetting the timer and coupling of said server to said power source so as to indicate the expiration of beverage retained within the server;

a server power contact positioned on said housing and coupled to said heating element; and

a power station contact retained on said power station and positioned for conductive coupling with said server power station transfer power from said power source to said heating element of said server.

15. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, wherein said heating element being positioned on a bottom surface of said reservoir for conducting heat into and upwardly through said beverage retained therein.

16. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, said insulation being positioned between an upper surface of said reservoir and a corresponding surface of said housing having a greater heat retaining characteristic than a corresponding insulation being positioned between side walls of said reservoir and said housing.

17. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, further comprising said faucet being formed of a material having a low heat conducting characteristic to prevent loss of heat through said faucet communicating with said beverage.

18. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, further comprising a fill opening in an upper portion of said reservoir for dispensing beverage into said reservoir;

and a fill tube associated with said opening, said fill tube extending downwardly through said reservoir toward a bottom portion of said reservoir, said fill tube promoting mixing of flavors and preventing stratification of beverage temperature in said reservoir.

19. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned on a wall of said reservoir adjacent said heating element, said temperature sensor being spaced from said heating element to prevent sensing of said heating element and promoting sensing of a beverage retained in said reservoir.

20. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 14, further comprising guide structures on at least one of said power station contacts and said server power contact to promote engagement of said contacts when said server is positioned in proximity to said power source.

21. A beverage server in combination with a power source, as recited in claim 20, further comprising an electrical transformer coupled with said power source to provide low voltage power at said power station contact, said power station contact having low voltage power to provide a presentation of power.

22. A beverage server in combination with a power source as recited in claim 20, said guide structure, further comprising protruding side guides proximate to said power station contact, said server power contact being sized and dimensioned to fit between said side guides, said side guides being positioned at said power source to prevent contact by any structure other than said server power contact.