Hot beverage machine

• US 7,021,197 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrical & Electronics, Limited
• Original Assignee: Electrical & Electronics, Limited
• Inventors: Lui, Kwan Fai, Chen, Yuen Chin Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/622,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 992/91, 993/00, 993/05, 993/06, 993/07, 992/84, 992/90
• US Class Current: 99/291
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2201/00 Devices having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/465 for the heated water
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/469 Details of hydraulic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/52 Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus ; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/5253 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/545 Control or safety devices

Abstract

A multifunctional beverage machine designed for automatically making various kinds of hot drinks, such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate or soups, and incorporates an advanced microprocessor control system such that multifunctional appliance operation can be easily be achieved via a one-touch button. The multifunctional beverage machine may include a removable water tank can hold a sufficient capacity of water so that the machine can make many cups of various drinks without refill. In addition, the multifunctional beverage machine has two or more independent brewing chambers installed in the machine allowing it to make different kinds or different combination of drinks in one operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making heated beverages comprising;

a heating element having a liquid storage portion configured to heat a volume of liquid to a desired temperature and to store the heated volume of liquid for a desired period of time;

a pump;

a flow selector;

a liquid reservoir;

at least one brewing chamber unit having an inlet and an outlet;

a liquid pathway, in fluid communication with said pump, extending from the liquid reservoir through the heating element to the flow selector, and into at least one brewing inlet; and

a microprocessor electrically connected to the pump, and heating element for controlling the operation of the pump and the heating element.

2. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the flow selector is controlled by the microprocessor such that liquid is directed from the heating element to at least one brewing chamber.

3. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein at least one of the brewing chamber units has a filter basket.

4. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein at least one of the brewing chamber units comprises a filter basket and a suction tube, said suction tube unit defines the brewing chamber outlet.

5. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is electrically connected to a temperature sensor on the heating element.

6. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein there are at least two brewing chambers and the outlets of the brewing chambers are fluidly connected to a single beverage container.

7. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor controls a volume, a pressure and a temperature of a liquid in the liquid pathway.

8. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, further including a shower plate for dispensing water into the brewing chamber.

9. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the flow selector selectively interrupts the liquid pathway.

10. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir is a removable tank.

11. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the heating element has a liquid contact interface that is substantially stainless steel.

12. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein there are at least two brewing chambers.

13. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 12, wherein there is a tea brewing chamber and a coffee brewing chamber.

14. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 10, wherein the removable tank has a valve mechanism comprising:

a valve having a valve seal fixed to a valve pin;

a valve guide;

a valve seating surface;

a spring attached to the valve to provide retentive force between the valve seal and the valve seating surface.

15. The apparatus for making heated beverages of claim 1, wherein the pump has a magnetic coupling between a drive motor and an impeller.

16. An apparatus for making heated beverages comprising:

a heating element;

a pump;

a flow selector;

a liquid reservoir;

at least one brewing chamber unit having an inlet and an outlet, wherein at least one of the brewing chamber units comprises a filter basket and a suction tube, said suction tube unit defines the brewing chamber outlet

wherein the suction tube unit further comprises;

a hollow tube defining the brewing chamber outlet on a first end and a spillway on a second end;

an outer cover spaced from and fixed in position surrounding the hollow tube, said outer cover having an opening spaced above the hollow tube first end;

a liquid pathway, in fluid communication with said pump, extending from the liquid reservoir through the heating element to the flow selector, and into at least one brewing inlet; and

a microprocessor electrically connected to the pump, and heating element for controlling the operation of the pump and the heating element.