Brewer system with brew status indicator and method

• US 7,234,389 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Food Equipment Technologies Company
• Original Assignee: Food Equipment Technologies Company
• Inventors: Lassota, Zbigniew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander; Reginald L.
• Application Number:
  US10/353,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 992/80, 992/81, 992/82, 992/83, 992/79
• US Class Current: 99/282
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/002 following a specific operational sequence, e.g. for improving the taste of the extraction product
• 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 31/06 Filters or strainers for coffee or tea makers ; Holders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4467 by means of linear guides, e.g. drawer-type engagement
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/465 for the heated water
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/467 for the infusion
• 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 31/56 having water-level controls; having temperature controls
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/60 Cleaning devices

Abstract

A twin brewer system (30) with a pair of brewers (30A, 30B) each with a controller (158) for controlling the application of electrical power to a hot water heater, disables the application of electrical power to the heater (154) of one brewer (30A, 30B) in response to actuation of a start brew switch of the one brewer (30A, 30B) while electrical power is being applied to the heater (154) of the other brewer (30A, 30B). The controllers also respond to a hot water quantity sensor (164, 168) and a responsive delay circuit for disabling dispensing of hot water in response to actuation of the brew start switch (50) until a sufficient quantity of hot water is in a hot water dispenser tank (152) needed for the brew cycle. Indication lamps indicate when the brew cycle is being delayed and when brewing is not being performed. Actuation of a single emergency stop switch (138) stops hot water dispensing of both brewers (30A, 30B).

Claims

1. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, the improvement being a brew cycle status light controller, comprising:

means for causing the light to operate in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

means for causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle; and

means for causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of a brew cycle;

said causing means including a microprocessor controller and a controller interface circuit for interfacing at least one sensor of the sensing means with the microprocessor controller for conveying information to the microprocessor controller indicative of whether the brewer is ready to properly perform a brew cycle, said controller responding to the actuation of the start switch to control the modes of operation in accordance with ready indicative information being provided by the at least one sensor; and

in which

the brewing system includes another brewer with another start switch and another brew cycle status light and the controller is responsive to one of the one and the other brewers performing a brew cycle to cause the brew cycle status switch of the other one of the brewers to enter into the second mode in response to actuation of the start switch of the one and the other brewers.

2. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, the improvement being a brew cycle status light controller, comprising:

means for causing the light to operate in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

means for sensing when the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle;

means responsive to the sensing means for automatically causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle;

means for causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of the brew cycle; and

means to disable the performance of a brew cycle in response to actuation of the start switch when the brew cycle status light is in the second mode.

3. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, the improvement being a brew cycle status light controller, comprising:

means for causing the light to operate in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

means for causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle;

means for causing the brew cycle status light to operate in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of a brew cycle; and

in which

there is a another brewer with another start brew switch and another brew cycle status light; and

including

means responsive to brewing status of one of the brewers to control the mode of the brew cycle status light of the other brewer in response actuation of the start switch of the other brewer.

4. The brewing system of claim 3 in which the controlling means includes a controller responsive to (a) water in a hot water tank being above a preselected level, (b) water in the hot water tank being above a preselected temperature, (c) the other brewer not performing a brew cycle, and (d) the other brewer not being in a standby mode in which the other status light is in the second operating mode, to enable the one brewer to start a brew cycle and cause the one brew cycle status light to operate in the third mode.

5. The brewing system of claim 3 in which the controlling means in response to actuation of one of the start switches of one of the brewers when the other brewer is in a standby mode in which it is not yet ready to perform a brew cycle or is performing a brew cycle to cause the status light of the one brewer to operate in the second mode.

6. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, a method of controlling the brew cycle status light controller, comprising the steps of:

operating the light in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

operating the brew cycle status light in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle;

operating the brew cycle status light in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of a brew cycle; and

in which

the controller keeps the brew cycle status light in the second mode until the sensor indicates that the brewer is ready to properly perform a brew cycle and then switches the brew cycle status light to the third mode and simultaneously initiates a brew cycle.

7. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, a method of controlling the brew cycle status light controller, comprising the steps of:

operating the light in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

operating the brew cycle status light in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle; and

operating the brew cycle status light in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of a brew cycle; and

in which

the brewing system includes another brewer with another start switch and another brew cycle status light and the controller responds to one of the one and the other brewers performing a brew cycle to cause the brew cycle status light of the other one of the brewers to enter into the second mode in response to actuation of the start switch of the one and the other brewers.

8. In a brewing system having a brewer with a brew cycle start switch to start a brew cycle and a brew cycle status light associated with the start switch, a method of controlling, the brew cycle status light controller, comprising the steps of:

operating the light in a first mode of operation if the brew cycle start switch has not been activated to start a brew cycle;

operating the brew cycle status light in a second mode different from said first mode in response to actuation of the brew cycle start switch before the brewing system is ready and enabled to properly perform a brew cycle; and

operating the brew cycle status light in a third mode different from both said first and second modes during performance of a brew cycle; and

in which

there is another brewer with another start brew switch and another brew cycle status switch and including the step of responding to brewing status of one of the brewers to control the mode of the brew cycle status light of the other brewer in response actuation of the start switch of the other brewer.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the controlling means includes a controller responsive to (a) water in a hot water tank being above a preselected level (b) water in the hot water tank being above a preselected temperature, (c) the other brewer not performing, a brew cycle, and (d) the other brewer not being in a standby mode in which the other status light is in the second operating mode, to enable the one brewer to start a brew cycle and cause the one brew cycle status light to operate in the third mode.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the controlling means in response to actuation of one of the start switches of one of the brewers when the other brewer is in a standby mode or is performing a brew cycle to cause the status light of the one brewer to operate in the second mode.