System for monitoring and controlling the operation of a single serve beverage brewer

• US 6,672,200 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stokes, Peter L., Taylor, Jon, Winkler, Karl T., Honan, David G., Duffy, Brendan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOFTIS, JOHNNA RONEE
• Application Number:
  US10/125,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 992/82, 992/83, 993/02.R, 993/05, 992/95, 993/07, 992/80, 222/394, 222/405, 222/146.5, 222/438, 222/636, 137/206, 137/209
• US Class Current: 99/283
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/32 with hot water under air pressure

Abstract

An automated beverage brewing system includes a liquid storage tank and a metering chamber. The metering chamber is at least partially submerged beneath a standing level of liquid in the storage tank. The chamber includes a sealable liquid inlet port communicating with the interior of the storage tank beneath the standing level of liquid. The chamber also includes a liquid outlet port and an aperture that receives compressed air, wherein the compressed air forces liquid from the liquid output port of the chamber for use in preparing a brewed beverage. A pump provides the compressed air and a controller monitors a pressure signal value indicative of the air pressure in the metering chamber. The controller commands the pump on to commence flow of liquid from the metering chamber. The controller then commands the pump off several seconds after detecting a drop in air pressure within the chamber. A baffle is affixed to the distal end of a shaft, which is moved between a first and second position. In the second position the baffle seals a section of the storage tank to form the metering chamber. The system may also include a second brew pump that allows a user to customize the quantity of liquid delivered from the brewing system for a stronger brewed beverage.

Claims

1. A brewing system for brewing a beverage from an extract contained in a sealed disposable cartridge, said system comprising:

housing means defining a brewing chamber for receiving the cartridge;

means associated with said housing means for piercing the cartridge to provide a first inlet and a first outlet communicating with the interior of the cartridge;

a storage tank comprising a supply of liquid and having a reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom and being in communication with the cartridge via a second outlet;

means for sealing a portion of said storage tank from the remainder of said storage tank to form a metering chamber, that includes said reduced diameter cup shaped bottom;

means for delivering compressed air to said metering chamber to transfer a volume of liquid from said metering chamber via said second outlet for delivery to and through the cartridge via said first inlet and said first outlet, and for sensing the pressure of said compressed air and providing a sensed pressure signal value indicative thereof; and

a controller that (i) commands said means for delivering to provide compressed air to said metering chamber, (ii) monitors said sensed pressure signal value and (iii) commands said means for delivering to terminate delivery of compressed air to said metering chamber after detecting that said sensed pressure signal value has dropped below a threshold value, and unseals said metering chamber.

2. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein said means for delivering comprises:

a first brew pump for generating said compressed air;

a flow line that receives and provides said compressed air to said metering chamber; and

a pressure sensor disposed to sense the pressure of said compressed air within said flow line and provide said sensed pressure signal value.

3. The brewing system of claim 2 wherein said controller commands off said means for delivering to terminate delivery of said compressed air a predetermined time after detecting that said sensed pressure signal value has dropped below a threshold value.

4. The brewing system of claim 3, wherein said means for sealing comprises:

a slideable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end that includes a sealing assembly on said distal end, wherein said sealing assembly moves between a first position and a second position, wherein in said second position said sealing assembly engages a seat of said cup shaped bottom to form said metering chamber; and

means for moving said slideable shaft between said first and second positions.

5. The brewing system of claim 2, wherein said means for delivering includes a second air pump that delivers a second flow of compressed air downstream of said second outlet ump in response to a brew interrupt signal received by said controller.

6. The brewing system of claim 4, wherein said means for moving said slideable shaft between said first and second positions comprises:

an air bladder pump that receives an air bladder pump command signal from said controller and provides compressed air;

an air bladder that receives said compressed air from said air bladder pump, and in an inflated state drives said shaft to said second position, and in an uninflated state drives said shaft to said first position; and

a valve that is operably connected to said air bladder and can be opened and closed in response to a valve command signal from said controller, wherein in the open position said

valve vents said air bladder to ambient and in the closed position prevents said air bladder from venting to ambient.

7. The brewing system of claim 4, wherein said means for moving said slideable shaft between said first and second positions comprises:

an air bladder pump that receives an air bladder pump command signal from said controller and provides compressed air to (i) said means for moving said slideable shaft and to (ii) said means for delivering compressed air; and

an air bladder that receives said compressed air from said air bladder pump, and in an inflated state drives said shaft to said second position, and in an uninflated state drives said shaft to said first position.

8. A system for repeatedly delivering a volume of heated liquid, said system comprising:

a storage tank comprising a supply of liquid and having a reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom and a sidewall with a seat;

a heater for heating the supply of liquid;

a slideable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end that includes a sealing assembly on said distal end, wherein said shaft assembly is connected to a baffle that moves between a first position and a second position, wherein in said second position said baffle engages said seat to form a metering chamber in a portion of said storage tank; and

means for moving said slideable shaft between said first and second positions;

a discharge conduit communicating with the interior of said metering chamber; and

a first pump that pneumatically pressurizes the interior of said metering chamber to an elevated pressure level to exhaust said heated liquid from said metering chamber via said discharge conduit.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a sensor that senses pressure in said metering chamber and provides a sensed pressure signal value indicative thereof; and

a controller that monitors said sensed pressure signal value and turns said first pump off a predetermined time period after detecting a reduction in said sensed pressure signal value below a threshold value indicating said volume of heated liquid has been delivered through said discharge conduit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said controller comprises a central processing unit.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a holder that holds and pierces a disposable cartridge containing a beverage extract to establish a cartridge inlet and a cartridge outlet that together define a flow path through the beverage extract to provide a brewed beverage through said cartridge outlet, wherein said cartridge inlet receives said heated fluid.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of said supply of liquid in said storage tank and provides a sensed temperature signal value indicative thereof, wherein said controller monitors said sensed temperature signal value and prevents said first pump from being turned on if said temperature signal is below a minimum brewing temperature value.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said controller monitors said temperature signal value and commands said heater on if said sensed temperature signal value drops below a lower heating threshold value and commands said heater off if said sensed temperature signal value is greater than an upper heating threshold value.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for moving said slideable shaft comprises an air bladder that receives compressed air from said first pump to move said slideable shaft between said first and second positions.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for moving said slideable shaft comprises an air bladder that receives compressed air from a second pump to move said slideable shaft between said first and second positions.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for moving said slideable shaft comprises:

a second pump that receives a second pump command signal from said controller and provides compressed air;

an air bladder that receives said compressed air from said second pump, and in an inflated state drives said shaft to said second position, and in an uninflated state drives said shaft to said first position; and

a valve that is operably connected to said air bladder and can be opened and closed in response to a valve command signal from said controller, wherein in the open position said valve vents said air bladder to ambient and in the closed position prevents said air bladder from venting to ambient.

17. The brewing system of claim 16, further comprising a third air pump that delivers a third flow of compressed air to said flow line upstream of said first pump in response to a brew interrupt signal received by said controller.

18. An automated beverage brewing system that receives a cartridge containing a beverage extract and establishes a liquid flow path through the cartridge to provide a brewed beverage, said system comprising:

a holder that holds and pierces the cartridge to provide a cartridge inlet and a cartridge outlet that together establish a flow path through the beverage extract to provide the brewed beverage;

a storage tank comprising a supply of liquid and having a reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom and being in communication with the cartridge via a chamber outlet port;

means for sealing a portion of said storage tank to form a metering chamber in cooperation with said reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom;

a first pump that provides compressed air along a flow line to said metering chamber to force liquid from said metering chamber and through said chamber outlet port;

a sensor that senses air pressure in said flow line and provides a sensed pressure signal indicative thereof; and

a controller that commands said first pump on, monitors said sensed pressure signal and turns said first pump off after detecting that said sensed pressure signal value has dropped below a threshold value indicating the predetermined volume of liquid has been delivered through said chamber outlet port.

19. The brewing system of claim 18, wherein said controller also commands said pump off if said sensed pressure signal value exceeds an upper pressure threshold value.

20. The brewing system of claim 19, further comprising:

a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the liquid in said storage tank and provides a sensed temperature signal value indicative thereof, wherein said controller monitors said sensed temperature signal value and will not command said pump on if said sensed temperature signal value is below a temperature threshold value.

21. The brewing system of claim 18, further comprising a second air pump that delivers a second flow of compressed air downstream of said metering chamber outlet port and upstream of said cartridge inlet in response to a brew interrupt signal received by said controller.