Drain for beverage forming machine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A beverage forming system comprising:
- a housing;
a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid;
a reservoir that is configured to provide the beverage precursor liquid to the tank;
a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid;
a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage;
a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system deposits beverage precursor liquid that is removed from the tank in the reservoir; and
a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for draining a component of a beverage forming system such as a coffee brewer. A tank used for holding and/or heating a beverage precursor liquid may be automatically drained. A beverage forming machine including a drain system may be self-contained in that the liquid drained from the tank is held by another tank that is part of the beverage forming machine. The tank into which the drained liquid is deposited may be removable from the beverage forming machine.
150 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A beverage forming system comprising:
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a housing; a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid; a reservoir that is configured to provide the beverage precursor liquid to the tank; a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid; a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage; a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system deposits beverage precursor liquid that is removed from the tank in the reservoir; and a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for draining the contents of a tank used in a beverage forming machine, comprising:
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providing a beverage forming machine including a tank, a reservoir arranged to supply beverage precursor liquid to the tank, and a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank; providing a volume of a beverage precursor liquid to the tank; substantially emptying the tank of the beverage precursor liquid by removing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank and depositing the beverage precursor liquid in the reservoir; and removing the reservoir from the machine after the beverage precursor liquid has been deposited into the reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A beverage forming system comprising:
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a housing; a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid; a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid; a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage; a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank using pressurized gas; and a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A beverage forming system comprising:
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a housing; a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid; a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the rank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid; a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage; a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system includes a pump that pumps the beverage precursor liquid from the tank; and a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A beverage forming apparatus comprising:
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a housing; a beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part using a beverage precursor liquid; a tank attached to the housing and configured to supply the beverage precursor liquid to the beverage forming station; a reservoir supported by the housing; and a drain system configured to substantially empty the beverage precursor liquid from the tank into the reservoir, wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank, and the drain system includes an air pump that pumps air into the tank. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for draining the contents of a tank used in a beverage forming machine, comprising:
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providing a beverage forming machine including a tank, a reservoir arranged to supply beverage precursor liquid to the tank, and a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank; providing a volume of a beverage precursor liquid to the tank; and substantially emptying the tank of the beverage precursor liquid by removing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank and depositing the beverage precursor liquid in the reservoir, wherein substantially emptying the tank comprises forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank, and forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank comprises providing a pressurized gas in the tank. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification