System for dispensing metered volumes of heated water to the brew chamber of a single serve beverage brewer
First Claim
1. A beverage forming system, comprising:
- a storage tank adapted to hold liquid used in forming at least one beverage;
a dispensing tank in fluid communication with the storage tank and adapted to hold a metered volume of liquid;
a brew chamber adapted to receive the metered volume of liquid for formation of at least one beverage;
a liquid supply system adapted to provide liquid from the storage tank to the dispensing tank and to provide the metered volume of liquid from the dispensing tank to the brew chamber;
a sensor to detect an arrival of liquid at a top of the dispensing tank, wherein the sensor detects the presence of liquid in a vent tube that communicates with the dispensing tank; and
a controller adapted to control the liquid supply system based, at least in part, on information from the sensor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for dispensing a metered volume of heated water to the brew chamber of a single serve beverage dispenser. The system includes: a storage tank for containing a supply of unheated water, a dispensing tank, and a delivery line communicating with the brew chamber and with the dispensing tank at an intermediate level demarcating the interior of the dispensing tank into upper and lower compartments wherein the volume of the upper compartment is equal to the metered volume. The system also includes a vent valve communicating via a vent line with the upper compartment, and a supply line connecting the storage tank to the lower compartment. An air pump is arranged to deliver pressurized air to the upper compartment. A water pump in the supply line is arranged to deliver water from the storage tank to the lower compartment. A heater for heating water is received in the dispensing tank. Sensing means for generating control signals indicative of the level and temperature of water in the dispensing tank; and a controller enabled by control signals generated by the sensing means and operative in response to a brew signal for operating the air and water pumps in conjunction with the opening and closure of the vent valve to fill the upper compartment with heated water displaced the lower compartment and to discharge the thus displaced heated water from the upper compartment to the brew chamber.
159 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A beverage forming system, comprising:
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a storage tank adapted to hold liquid used in forming at least one beverage; a dispensing tank in fluid communication with the storage tank and adapted to hold a metered volume of liquid; a brew chamber adapted to receive the metered volume of liquid for formation of at least one beverage; a liquid supply system adapted to provide liquid from the storage tank to the dispensing tank and to provide the metered volume of liquid from the dispensing tank to the brew chamber; a sensor to detect an arrival of liquid at a top of the dispensing tank, wherein the sensor detects the presence of liquid in a vent tube that communicates with the dispensing tank; and a controller adapted to control the liquid supply system based, at least in part, on information from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification