Beverage making apparatus

Abstract

A brewing apparatus for infusing compacted ground coffee in a grounds cup at a brewing station with heated water under pressure. At a brewing station, a piston head with an active seal that is spaced from the grounds cup wall during motion, extends into the grounds cup. When the piston head begins to compact the ground coffee it activates the seal to form a sealed upper end of a brewing chamber. Hot water is admitted to the brewing chamber to produce the coffee. When the brewing cycle is completed, the piston head displaces further to force additional coffee from the grounds. Then the piston head retracts to allow the infusion chamber assembly to be removed for cleaning.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 129,041 filed May 14, 2005 for a coffee making apparatus.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention generally relates to apparatus for brewing beverages by directing a liquid, such as hot water, across a compacted infusible material, such as ground coffee beans, in a sealed infusion chamber. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] A large number of commercial devices are available for brewing beverages, particularly coffee, by infusing material with a liquid. Prior art coffee makers have incorporated a variety of percolating, drip, steeping and other brewing approaches. A large number of these coffee makers were also designed to brew coffee in batches, for example, 4-cup to 12-cup batches. Such devices, however, were characterized by difficulties in maintaining coffee flavor over time, in controlling waste as o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025] Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide brewing apparatus for the consumers that has many of the advantages of more expensive commercial systems and that is economical, convenient to use and easy to maintain.

[0026] Another object of this invention is to provide brewing apparatus that eliminates manual latching mechanisms.

[0029] Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a coffee brewing system in which a grounds cup can be withdrawn for filling or cleaning without the need for releasing manual latches or breaking seals.

[0032] In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a beverage brewing apparatus includes a supply for liquid under pressure to be directed to an infusible material. The apparatus includes an infusion chamber with a side wall, an open top and a perforated bottom. A piston includes a a piston rod and a piston head that form a brewing chamber in the infusion chamber. The piston rod moves the piston head past the open top, The piston head has an active peripheral seal comprising a first disk fixed to the piston rod for forming a rigid support, a second disk, a seal captured by each of the first and second disks for suspending the second disk from the first disk, and a spring intermediate the first and second disks. The spring separates the first and second disks when the piston head is spaced from the infusible material whereby the seal contracts from the infusion chamber side wall. The second disk overcomes the spring bias during compaction of the infusible material whereupon the seal expands into a sealing engagement with the side wall and the piston head and the infusion chamber form the brewing chamber.

Problems solved by technology

Such devices, however, were characterized by difficulties in maintaining coffee flavor over time, in controlling waste as occurred by making excessive coffee that was then discarded, and in cleaning and maintenance of the coffee makers.

However, such machines are expensive and not economically attractive to most consumers even though they may make the best coffee.

Such systems are characterized by locating the brewing chamber at an inaccessible location so it becomes impossible or, at best, very difficult, to clean the brewing chamber.

If regular cleaning is not undertaken, oils and organic acids present in coffee attack the seal materials used to define the brewing chamber.

If the seal slides over the walls, this material produces a rough surface that can damage the seals with use.

Some commercially available consumer-oriented coffee makers limit the consumer to proprietary prepackaged coffee filter pods.

This can limit consumer choices.

Also some consumer-oriented coffee makers are limited to making espresso.

These factors and expense limit their market to consumers.

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