Beverage brewing apparatus and method of brewing a beverage

Abstract

A beverage brewing apparatus (100) and a method of brewing a beverage. The beverage brewing apparatus (100) may include a compartment (105) for containing a beverage ingredient container, a water supply (210), a nozzle (260), and a pump (206) to pump the water from the water supply (210) to the nozzle (260). The nozzle (260) may introduce the water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage. A heating unit (220) may heat the water as the water flows from the water supply (210) to the nozzle (260). An air flow enclosure may define an air flow passageway (311) within which at least a portion of the heating unit (220) is disposed. An air flow generator (320) may generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway (311) to heat the air with the portion of the heating unit (220). The heated air may be forced through an outlet of the air flow passageway (311) and directed towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Brewing coffee and other beverages in the comfort of home (or an office) can take many different forms. There is the conventional style of brewing where a user positions a filter in a basket of the machine and then deposits ground coffee onto the filter. The machine then drips hot water onto the ground coffee on the filter, with the coffee beverage passing through the filter and into a pot or cup positioned below. There are machines which receive capsules containing a beverage ingredient, with the machines puncturing the capsules to introduce water therein for mixing with the beverage ingredient to brew the beverage. Finally, there are machines which accept sachet-style packages which contain a beverage ingredient, with the machines introducing water into the interior of the beverage ingredient container for mixing with the beverage ingredient to brew the beverage. The sachet-style packages include an adhesive at their base that forms a deliberate weakness in the pack perimeter seal that weakens when heat is applied. The heat required to open the base of the sachet may be provided by the heated water that is introduced into the sachet to form the beverage. However, the heated water alone may be insufficient to obtain a clean opening. Thus, a need exists for a beverage brewing apparatus and / or apparatus that improves the opening of beverage ingredient containers during brewing. BRIEF SUMMARY

[0002] The invention may be directed to a beverage brewing apparatus and a method of brewing a beverage. The beverage brewing apparatus may include a compartment for containing a beverage ingredient container, a water supply, a nozzle, and a pump to pump the water from the water supply to the nozzle. The nozzle may introduce the water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage. A heating unit may heat the water as the water flows from the water supply to the nozzle. An air flow enclosure may define an air flow passageway within which at least a portion of the heating unit is disposed. An air flow generator may generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway to heat the air with the portion of the heating unit. The heated air may be forced through an outlet of the air flow passageway and directed towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container.

[0003] In one aspect, the invention may be a beverage brewing apparatus comprising: a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container; a liquid flow subsystem comprising: a water tank configured to contain water; a heating unit comprising: a heating block defining a channel having a liquid inlet through which the water is configured to flow from the water tank into the channel and a liquid outlet; and a heating element operably coupled to the heating block; a nozzle configured to receive heated water from the liquid outlet of the heating unit and introduce the heated water into the beverage ingredient container in the compartment; an air flow subsystem comprising: an air flow generator; an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway having an air flow outlet, wherein at least a portion of the heating unit is located within the air flow passageway so that air flowing through the air flow passageway is heated by the heating unit; and wherein heated air exiting the air flow outlet is configured to be directed towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

[0004] In another aspect, the invention may be a beverage brewing apparatus comprising: a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container; a water supply; a nozzle configured to introduce water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage; a pump configured to pump the water from the water supply to the nozzle; a heating unit configured to heat the water as the water flows from the water supply to the nozzle; an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway, at least a portion of the heating unit being located within the air flow passageway; and an air flow generator configured to generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway, the air flowing through the air flow passageway being heated by the heating unit to form heated air; wherein the heated air is configured to exit the air flow passageway through an air flow outlet that directs the heated air towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

[0005] In still another aspect, the invention may be a method of brewing a beverage, the method comprising: positioning a beverage ingredient container in a compartment of a beverage brewing machine; flowing water through a channel of a heating unit to form heated water; introducing the heated water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage; flowing air through an air flow passageway within which a portion of the heating unit is located, the air being heated to form heated air as the air flows past the portion of the heating unit; discharging the heated air through an outlet of the air flow passageway and towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container to heat the exterior of the beverage ingredient container; and dispensing the beverage through an opening in a bottom end of the beverage ingredient container and into a cup positioned below the beverage ingredient container.

[0006] In yet another aspect, the invention may be A beverage brewing apparatus comprising: a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container; a water supply; a nozzle configured to introduce water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage; a pump configured to pump the water from the water supply to the nozzle; a heating unit configured to heat the water as the water flows from the water supply to the nozzle; an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway, the heating unit configured to generate heat that emanates into the air flow enclosure; and an air flow generator configured to generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway, the air flowing through the air flow passageway being heated by the heat generated by the heating unit to form heated air; wherein the heated air is configured to exit the air flow passageway through an air flow outlet that directs the heated air towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

[0007] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. lisa top front perspective view of a beverage brewing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a bottom front perspective view of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of a compartment of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 with a beverage ingredient container being prepared to be positioned therein;

[0012] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the beverage ingredient container taken along line III-III of FIG. 3;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a front view of the compartment of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 with a beverage ingredient container positioned therein;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating a liquid flow subsystem and an air flow subsystem thereof;

[0015] FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of an air flow enclosure and related components of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a heating unit and a portion of the air flow enclosure of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the heating unit and the portion of the air flow enclosure of FIG. 7;

[0018] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 7;

[0019] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 7, with the heating unit omitted;

[0020] FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 with panels removed to illustrate a portion of an interior thereof which includes a first enclosure portion of the air flow enclosure;

[0021] FIG. 1 IB is the perspective view of FIG. 11A with parts exploded;

[0022] FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 with panels removed to illustrate a portion of an interior thereof which includes a second enclosure portion of the air flow enclosure;

[0023] FIG. 12B is the perspective view of FIG. 12A with parts exploded; and

[0024] FIGS. 13A-13F are views of different portions of the beverage brewing apparatus of FIG. 1 to illustrate a direction of air flow through the air flow passageway of the air flow enclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0026] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” 4 “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a beverage brewing apparatus (or machine) 100 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The beverage brewing apparatus 100 may comprise a housing 101 and a water tank 102 that may be coupled together. The water tank 102 may be detachable from the housing 101 to be filled with water by a user. The water tank 102 may define a cavity within which water is configured to be held. The water tank 102 may comprise a removable lid that can be removed to refill the water tank 102 with water and then replaced to prevent debris or the like from contaminating the water in the water tank 102. The housing 101 may define an internal cavity (see, for example FIGS. 11A-12B) within which additional components necessary for proper functioning and operation of the beverage brewing machine 100 may be located. The beverage brewing apparatus 100 may include a compartment 105 that is configured to contain a beverage ingredient container that is used to form a beverage during a brewing cycle. The compartment 105 may have a front portion that is closed by a door 106 that is movable between a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and an open position (FIGS. 3 and 4). The compartment 105 may further include an open bottom end 107 so that a beverage may be dispensed from a bottom end of a beverage ingredient container held in the compartment during a brewing cycle.

[0028] The housing 101 may have a bottom end 103, a top end 104, a front end 108, and a rear end 109. The water tank 102 may be coupled to the rear end 109 of the housing 101. The front end 108 of the housing 101 may include a recess 110 within which a user-provided cup may be positioned during a brewing cycle. The beverage brewing apparatus 100 may further include a cup support member 111 that is detachably coupled to the housing 101 within the recess 110. The cup support member 111 may comprise a cup platform 112 and a drip tray 113. The cup platform 112 may be detachably coupled to the drip tray 113. The cup platform 112 may form a surface upon which a user-provided cup is configured to be positioned during a brewing cycle (i.e., a vend). The cup platform 112 may have openings through which excess liquid may flow into the drip tray 113. The recess 110 and the cup support member 111 may be positioned directly beneath the compartment 105 so that a beverage formed by flowing water into the beverage ingredient container will flow out of the beverage ingredient container and into a user-provided cup supported on the cup support member 111.

[0029] The beverage brewing apparatus 100 may further comprise a user interface 114. The user interface 114 may comprise a plurality of user-actuatable buttons 115 that allow a user to control the operation of the beverage brewing apparatus 100. For example, the buttons 115 may include a power button, a mode button, a volume or size selection button, a temperature adjustment button, or the like. The buttons may be press-style buttons, slide switches, touch sensor buttons, or the like.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3, 3A, and 4, the details of a beverage ingredient container 10 that may be used with the beverage brewing apparatus 100 and the process of positioning the beverage ingredient container 10 into the compartment 105 will be described. The beverage ingredient container 10 is a package or container or the like comprising an internal cavity 16 containing a beverage ingredient. In the exemplified embodiment, the beverage ingredient container 10 may be in the form of a sachet. Thus, the beverage ingredient container 10 may comprise a body portion 11 which may comprise a front sheet 21 and a back or rear sheet 22 that are bonded together. The front and back sheets 21, 22 may be formed from a liquid- and air-impermeable sheet material. Furthermore, the front and back sheets 21, 22 may be formed from a flexible material, such that the front and back sheets 21, 22 may be folded, bent, or otherwise manipulated. The sheet or flexible film material may be a laminate comprising two or more of the following layers: a thermoplastic sealant layer for bonding the sheet to other members of the package; a substantially gas-impermeable barrier layer, which may be a metal film such as aluminum film or a gas-barrier polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol (PvOH); adhesion layers to improve adhesion between other layers of the laminate; structural layers, for example to provide puncture resistance; and / or a printing substrate layer. The structural layers could be made of polyolefins, polyester, nylons, or other polymers as is well known in the art. In one embodiment, the sheet material is a laminate comprising a layer of polypropylene and a layer of polyvinyl alcohol (PvOH). The sheet materials may comprise a transparent region to provide visibility of the contents of the beverage ingredient container 10.

[0031] The front and back sheets 21, 22 of the body 11 may be permanently bonded together around their side edges 14 and along at least a portion of their top edges 15 to form the beverage ingredient container 10. The front and back sheets 21, 22 may also be bonded together along a bottom edge 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10. The body 11 may include a bottom portion 13 which includes the bottom edge 12 and a percentage of the body 11 extending towards the top edge. For example, the bottom portion 13 may include the bottom edge 12 and up to about 10% of the length of the body 11 (with the length being measured between the bottom edge 12 and the top edge 15). In some embodiments, the bond, or at least a portion of the bond, between the front and back sheets 21, 22 along the bottom edge 12 may be releasable under the effect of heat or pressure inside the beverage ingredient container 10. For example, the bonding of the bottom edge 12 may be by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive so that upon introduction of a liquid into the interior of the beverage ingredient container 10, the bond between the front and back sheets along the bottom edge 12 or a portion thereof may be released so that the beverage may be released from the cavity of the beverage ingredient container 10 into the cup positioned below. Additionally, as described herein, applying heat onto the exterior of the bottom portion 13 of the body 11 may further assist with a clean opening of the bottom edge 12 of the body 11. The permanent bond along the sides 14 and the top 15 may be formed by adhesive, thermal welding, or other techniques. The inner surfaces of the front and back sheets may define a cavity 16 of the beverage ingredient container 10 within which the beverage ingredient 23 is located.

[0032] The beverage ingredient container 10 may also comprise a nozzle 17 which is coupled to the body 11 along the top edge 15. The nozzle 17 may comprise a tubular bore 18 extending therethrough. The nozzle 17 may be positioned within or in fluid communication with the cavity 16 of the beverage ingredient container 10. Thus, any liquids introduced into an inlet of the tubular bore 18 will flow through the tubular bore 18 and into the cavity 16. The nozzle 17 may comprise a flange 19 to assist in locating the beverage ingredient container 10 correctly within the beverage brewing apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the beverage ingredient container 10 may be supported within the beverage brewing apparatus 100 by a support member 30 of the beverage brewing apparatus 100 engaging the flange 19 of the nozzle 17, with the beverage ingredient container 10 hanging freely downwardly from the support member 30.

[0033] The beverage ingredient container 10 may comprise a filter 20 located within the cavity 16. The filter 20 may be bonded to the inside walls or inner surfaces of each of the front and back sheets of the body 11. The filter 20 may extend across the cavity 16 and form a support surface upon which a beverage ingredient 23 is disposed. That is, the beverage ingredient container 10 may contain an amount of a beverage ingredient 23 therein, and the beverage ingredient 23 rests atop of the filter 30, which may be elevated above a floor of the cavity 16. The filter 30 may be configured with the W shape as shown in FIG. 3A, or it may take on other shapes within the cavity 16 prior to the introduction of a liquid into the cavity 16. The filter 30 may be a plastic or other non-porous material sheet having perforations therein that are sufficiently small to prevent the beverage ingredient 23 from passing therethrough while permitting a liquid to pass therethrough. Alternatively, the filter material may be a porous material such as a filter paper material or the like which prevents the beverage ingredient 23 from passing therethrough while permitting a liquid to pass therethrough.

[0034] The beverage ingredient 23 may be an infusible beverage ingredient such as, for example without limitation, ground coffee or leaf tea. The beverage ingredient 23 may be a dissolvable beverage ingredient, such as cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, or the like. The beverage ingredient 23 may alternatively be a sports drink powder or other type of ingredient commonly used with machines of the type described herein.

[0035] As noted above, the compartment 105 may comprise the support member 30 which may comprise a slot 31 within which the flange 19 of the nozzle 17 may be positioned and a shoulder 32 upon which a lower surface of the flange 19 may rest so that the beverage ingredient container 10 is adequately supported and held within the compartment 105. Of course, other techniques for supporting and / or holding and / or containing the beverage ingredient container 10 within the compartment 105 may be used in other embodiments. The beverage ingredient container 10 may hang freely from the support member 30 in some embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an air flow outlet of an air flow passageway may form an opening 40 into the compartment 105. The opening 40 formed by the air flow outlet of the air flow passageway (which will be described in greater detail below) may be aligned with the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10. Heated air may be configured to flow through the air flow outlet and the opening 40 and into the compartment 105 to heat the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10 and assist with the opening of the bottom end 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10 during a brewing cycle.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 5, a schematic flow diagram of the beverage brewing apparatus 100 is illustrated and will be described. The beverage brewing apparatus 100 may comprise a liquid flow subsystem 200 that facilitates the flow of liquid into the beverage ingredient container 10 to form a beverage and an air flow subsystem 300 that facilitates the flow of air towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 to heat the beverage ingredient container 10 and assist in a clean opening during beverage brewing. Each of these subsystems will be described with reference to FIG. 5, and then additional details will follow with illustrations of the various components that collectively form the liquid and air flow subsystems 200, 300.

[0037] The liquid subsystem 200 may comprise a liquid supply 210, a heating unit 220, a first nozzle 260, a second nozzle 270, and a valve 280 that controls whether the liquid flows from the heating unit 220 to the first nozzle 260 or to the second nozzle 270. In other embodiments, the liquid subsystem 200 may include only the first nozzle 260 and the second nozzle 270 may be omitted. In such embodiments, the valve 280 may also be omitted. The liquid supply 210 may comprise the water tank 102 in some embodiments. Alternatively, the liquid supply 210 may be a mains water supply such that the beverage brewing apparatus 100 may be coupled to a mains water system in a home or business. The liquid subsystem 200 may further comprise one or more conduits 201 that fluidly couple the liquid supply 210 to the heating unit 220, one or more conduits 202 that fluidly couple the heating unit 220 to the valve 280, one or more conduits 203 that fluidly couple the valve 280 to the first nozzle 260, and one or more conduits 204 that fluidly couple the valve 280 to the second nozzle 270. Each of the conduits 201, 202, 203, 204 may be a tube that defines a liquid flow passageway within which the liquid may flow from the liquid supply 210 to the first and / or second nozzles 260, 270.

[0038] The first and second nozzles 260, 270 may be any structure that defines a channel for the flow of liquid therein and which includes an outlet whereby the liquid may be dispensed from the nozzle 260, 270. In some embodiments, one or both of the first and second nozzles 260, 270 may have a tapered interior channel to increase the flow of the liquid as it is dispensed therefrom. In other embodiments, one or both of the first and second nozzles 260, 270 may comprise an interior channel with a constant cross-sectional area. The first and second nozzles 260, 270 may be cylindrical or round (or any other shape, including various polygonal shapes) tubular structures that define the end of the conduits 203, 204 from which the liquid is dispensed either into the beverage ingredient container 10 or directly into the user-provided cup 50.

[0039] The liquid subsystem 200 may comprise a flow meter 205 located along the one or more conduits 201 to monitor a flow rate of the liquid through the one or more conduits 201. The liquid subsystem 200 may comprise a pump 206 located along the one or more conduits 201 to pump the liquid from the liquid supply 210 to the heating unit 220 and on to one of the first and second nozzles 260, 270. The liquid subsystem 200 may comprise a non-return valve 207 located along the one or more conduits 201 to prevent the liquid from returning to the one or more conduits 201 after it has reached the heating unit 220. The liquid subsystem 200 may include an air pump 208 coupled to the heating unit 220 to pump air therefrom. The liquid subsystem 200 may comprise a relief valve 209 located along the one or more conduits 203 between the valve 280 and the first nozzle 260.

[0040] The valve 280 may be a 3 / 2 way solenoid valve in some embodiments, although other types of valves may be used. Thus, the valve 280 may be a 3-way, 2-position valve so that the liquid can flow into the valve 280 from the heating unit 220, and then flow to either the first nozzle 260 or to the second nozzle 270 depending on the position of the valve 280. In FIG. 5, the valve 280 is in position 3 so that the liquid will flow to the one or more conduits 204 to the second nozzle 270. In other embodiments, the valve 280 may be in position 2 so that the liquid will flow to the one or more conduits 203 to the third nozzle 260.

[0041] The first nozzle 260 may be configured to introduce the liquid into the beverage ingredient container 10 that is contained within the compartment 105 of the beverage brewing apparatus 100. Thus, in FIG. 5 the first nozzle 260 is illustrated aligned with the nozzle 17 of the beverage ingredient container 10 so that the liquid may be introduced into the beverage ingredient container 10 to form the beverage. The second nozzle 270 may be configured to introduce the liquid directly into a user-provided cup 50 without first introducing the liquid into the beverage ingredient container 10. For example, there may be a situation where jetted liquid may be introduced directly onto the user-provided cup 50 to generate foam, dilute the beverage, or for other purposes. Thus, the nozzle 270 allows the liquid to be introduced into the user-provided cup 50 directly without first passing through the beverage ingredient in the beverage ingredient container 10.

[0042] The heating unit 220 may comprise a heating block 225 that defines a channel 221 and a heating element 224. The heating block 225 may be a thermoblock. The heating unit 220 may flash heat the liquid / water as it flows through the channel 221. The channel 221 may be formed within the heating block 225. The heating block 225 may be formed from a thermally conductive material, such as for example without limitation aluminum, copper, or brass. The heating element 224 may be embedded within the heating block 225. Alternatively, the heating element 224 may be coupled to an exterior of the heating block 225. In either case, the heat generated by the heating element 224 will heat the heating block 225 due to it being formed from a thermally conductive material. The heating block 225 will then transfer heat to the liquid as the liquid flows through the channel 221. The channel 221 may have an inlet 222 that is operably coupled to the conduit 201 and an outlet 223 that is operably coupled to the conduit 202. The channel 221 may have a non-linear path. More specifically, the channel 221 may have a sinusoidal path. Such a path shape may ensure that the liquid remains in the channel 221 for a sufficient length of time for the liquid to be heated to a desired temperature.

[0043] During a beverage vend, the pump 206 may be activated to pump the water from the water supply 210 (i.e., the water tank 102) to the heating unit 220. The water may flow through the channel 221 of the heating block 225 where the water may be heated to a desired temperature due to the heating element 224 heating the heating block 225. The water may then flow through the valve 280 to either: (1) the first nozzle 260 whereby the heated water is introduced into the beverage ingredient container 10 to form a beverage which is dispensed from an opening in the bottom end 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10; or (2) the second nozzle 270 whereby the heated water is introduced / injected directly into a user-provided cup 50.

[0044] The heating unit 220 may further comprise a heat sink assembly 230. The heat sink assembly 230 may be coupled to the heating block 225. For example, the heat sink assembly 230 may be coupled to the heating block 225 by welding, a thermally conductive adhesive, fasteners such as bolts, screws, or the like, or other techniques. Alternatively, the heating block 225 may be formed as an integral structure that comprises the heat sink assembly 230. The heat sink assembly 230 may comprise a base portion 231 that is coupled to the heating block 225 (or formed integrally therewith) and a plurality of fins 232 that protrude from the base portion 231 in a spaced apart manner. Thus, adjacently positioned fins 232 may be spaced apart by a gap. The heating unit 220, or portions thereof such as the heat sink assembly 230, may form part of the air flow subsystem, as described further below.

[0045] The air flow subsystem 300 may be configured to heat air and flow that heated air to the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 that is held in the compartment 105. The heated air that flows from the air outlet of the air flow subsystem 300 does not flow into the interior of the beverage ingredient container 10. The heated air that flows from the air outlet of the air flow subsystem 300 is configured to flow into the compartment 105 to contact and heat the bottom portion 13 of the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 that is held therein. The air flow subsystem 300 may comprise an air flow enclosure 310 that defines an air flow passageway 311. The air flow enclosure 310 may be formed by one or more structures or housings that define an interior space (i.e., the air flow passageway 311) within which the air is configured to flow from a location outside of the air flow enclosure 310 to the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10. The various structures or housings that form the air flow enclosure 310 may be formed from one or more different materials, the details of which will be provided below. The air flow passageway 311 may extend from an inlet 312 to an outlet 313, whereby the outlet 313 directs the air to the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10.

[0046] The air flow subsystem 300 may comprise an air flow generator 320 that is configured to generate an air stream that flows in a direction from the inlet 312 of the air flow passageway 311 to, and through, the outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311. The air flow generator 320 may be a fan, although other types of devices known to generate an air flow may be used. Furthermore, the air in the air flow passageway 311 may be heated by placing additional components, or portions thereof, within the air flow passageway 311. Thus, the air in the air flow passageway 311 may be heated passively. In the exemplified embodiment, at least a portion of the heating unit 220 is located within the air flow passageway 311. More specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the heat sink assembly 230 of the heating unit 220 is located within the air flow passageway 311.

[0047] Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment the beverage brewing apparatus 100 comprises an electronics assembly 250 that is at least partially located within the air flow passageway 311. The electronics assembly 250 may comprise a printed circuit board having electronic components thereon. The electronic components of the electronics assembly 250 may generate heat when activated. This heat generated by the electronics assembly 250 may heat the air that flows through the air flow passageway 311.

[0048] The electronics assembly 250 may be located upstream of the portion of the heating unit 220 (i.e., the heat sink assembly 230) that is located within the air flow passageway 311. In an embodiment, the electronics assembly 250 may be upstream of the air flow generator 320 and the heat sink assembly 230 may be downstream of the air flow generator 320. Thus, the air flow generator 320 may be located in between the electronics assembly 250 and the heat sink assembly 230 of the heating unit 220. In another embodiment, the air flow generator 320 may be located upstream of the heat sink assembly 230 and the heating unit 220, which may in turn be located upstream of the beverage-ingredient container 10. Thus, the exact relative location of the heating unit 220 and the air-flow generator 320 may be swapped without affecting operation (i.e., the heating unit 220 may be upstream of the air-flow generator 320 or downstream of the air flow generator 320 in different embodiments).

[0049] The air that is drawn into the air flow passageway 311 by operation of the air flow generator 320 may first be heated by the electronics assembly 250, and may then be further heated by the heat sink assembly 230. Thus, the air may enter the air flow passageway 311 at the inlet 312 at a first temperature, the temperature of the air may increase to a second temperature immediately downstream of the electronics assembly 250, and the temperature of the air may increase to a third temperature immediately downstream of the heat sink assembly 230. The third temperature may be greater than the second temperature, and the second temperature may be greater than the first temperature. The air at the third temperature may exit at the outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311, which may comprise the opening 40 described above. Thus, the air at the third temperature may be directed onto the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 along the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10 to heat the beverage ingredient container 10 and assist with a clean opening of the bottom end 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10 during a vend cycle. In an alternative embodiment, the electronics assembly 250 may not be located within the air flow passageway 311 and only the portion of the heating unit 220 (i.e., the heat sink assembly 230) may be used to heat the air in the air flow passageway 311.

[0050] In some embodiments, upon a user activating the beverage brewing apparatus 100 to perform a brewing cycle (or a beverage vend), the air flow generator 320 will be activated to flow hot air onto the bottom portion 13 of the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 for a predetermined time period (i.e., 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc.) before the water is pumped 206 from the liquid source 210 to the nozzle 260. In other embodiments, the air flow generator 320 and the pump 206 may be activated at the same time. In some embodiments, the heated air may be made to flow to the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 prior to the water being introduced into the beverage ingredient container 10. In other embodiments, the air may flow to the exterior of the beverage ingredient container as the water is being introduced into the beverage ingredient container 10. Various timing sequences for the flow of the air and the pumping of the water may be used to optimize the clean opening of the bottom end 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the air flow enclosure 310 is illustrated along with a portion of the housing 101 that defines the compartment 105 that is configured to contain or support or hold the beverage ingredient container 10 during operation of the beverage brewing apparatus 100. The air flow enclosure 310 may comprise a first enclosure portion 330 that defines a first portion of the air flow passageway 311, a second enclosure portion 340 that defines a second portion of the air flow passageway 311, and a third enclosure portion 350 that defines a third portion of the air flow passageway 311. The electronics assembly 250 may be located within or positioned alongside of the first enclosure portion 330, the portion of the heating unit 220 (i.e., the heat sink assembly 230) may be located within or positioned alongside of the second enclosure portion 340, and the air flow generator 320 maybe positioned within or located alongside the third enclosure portion 350. The third enclosure portion 350 may be located between the first and second enclosure portions 330, 340. The first enclosure portion 330 may be upstream of the second and third enclosure portions 340 in the direction of the air flow. Thus, the first enclosure portion 330 may comprise the inlet 312 into the air flow passageway 311 and the second enclosure portion 340 may include the air outlet 313 that faces the compartment 105.

[0052] The first enclosure portion 330 may comprise a first enclosure housing 331 defining a cavity having an open end 332. The cavity may form a first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311. In the exemplified embodiment, the electronics assembly 250 may close the open end 332 of the cavity of the first enclosure housing 331. The electronics assembly 250 may comprise a printed circuit board 251 that closes the open end 332 of the cavity of the first enclosure housing 331. Thus, the electronics assembly 250 may be at least partially located within the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 by virtue of its closing the open end 332 of the cavity of the first enclosure housing 331. Specifically, because the electronics assembly 250 forms a boundary of the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311, the electronics assembly 250 is considered to be at least partially located within the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311. In alternative embodiments, the electronics assembly 250 may be fully located within the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 such that the first enclosure portion 330 may form a fully enclosed housing, rather than having the electronics assembly 250 form a closure of the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311. The first enclosure portion 330 may comprise openings 333 that form the air inlet 312 into the air flow passageway 311.

[0053] The second enclosure portion 340 may comprise a second enclosure housing 341 defining a cavity that forms a second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311. The portion of the heating unit 220 may be at least partially located within the cavity of the second enclosure housing 341. Specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the heat sink assembly 230 may be located within the cavity of the second enclosure housing 341. The second enclosure housing 341 may be formed from a hard plastic material, although other materials may be used. Further details about the second enclosure housing 341 will be provided below.

[0054] The third enclosure portion 350 may be formed by the first and second enclosure housings 331,341. Alternatively, the third enclosure portion 350 may comprise a third enclosure housing. The third enclosure portion 350 may define a cavity that forms a third portion 317 of the air flow passageway 311 that is located between the first and second portions 315, 316 of the air flow passageway 311. The air flow generator 320 may be located within the third enclosure portion 350, as described herein.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 7-10, the second enclosure portion 340, the heating unit 220, and the relationship between the two when assembled will be described. In FIG. 7 the second enclosure portion 340 is illustrated as transparent or see-through to allow for visibility to its interior, although the second enclosure portion 340 may be opaque. As noted, the heating unit 220 includes the heating block 225 and the heat sink assembly 230 which may be coupled together or formed integrally. The heating block 225 and the heat sink assembly 230 may both be formed from a thermally conductive material as described above (e.g., aluminum, copper, brass, etc.). The heat sink assembly 230 comprises the base portion 231 and the plurality of fins 232 that protrude from the base portion 231 in a spaced apart manner. In the exemplified embodiment, there are eight of the fins 232. However, greater or fewer than eight fins 232 may be used in other embodiments.

[0056] The second enclosure portion 340 comprises the second enclosure housing 341. The second enclosure housing 341 may comprise an interior cavity 342 having an open end 343. The heat sink assembly 330 may nest within the interior cavity 342 of the second enclosure housing 341. The second enclosure housing 341 may comprise a plurality of ribs 344 located within the interior cavity 342. When the heat sink assembly 330 is at least partially located within the interior cavity 342 of the second enclosure housing 341, the ribs 344 may nest in the spaces between the fins 332 of the heat sink assembly 330. Thus, as seen in FIG. 9, as air flows through the cavity 342 (which forms a portion of the air flow passageway 311), the air will be passively heated by the heat sink assembly.

[0057] The second enclosure portion 340 of the air flow enclosure 310 may include an inlet enclosure member 345 and an outlet enclosure member 346. The inlet and outlet enclosure members 345, 346 may be formed from an elastomeric material, such as silicone, in some embodiments. Alternatively, the inlet and outlet enclosure members 345, 346 may be formed from a hard plastic material or other material as desired. The inlet enclosure member 345 may be coupled to a first end of the second enclosure housing 341 and the outlet enclosure member 346 may be coupled to a second end of the second enclosure housing 341. That is, the inlet enclosure member 345 may be located adjacent to the air flow generator 320 upstream of the heat sink assembly 230 and the outlet enclosure member 346 may be located adjacent to the air flow generator 320 downstream of the heat sink assembly 230. In an embodiment, a portion of the air flow generator 320 may be located within the inlet of the inlet enclosure member 345 located furthest from the heating unit 220. The outlet enclosure member 346 may comprise the air flow outlet 313 that defines the opening 40 into the compartment 105.

[0058] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate the beverage brewing apparatus 100 with panels on the right side of the housing 101 removed to expose the first enclosure portion 330 of the air flow enclosure 310. In FIG. 11B, the first enclosure housing 331 of the first enclosure portion 330 is exploded and the electronics assembly 250 is visible. Specifically, the printed circuit board 251 and the electronic components 252 thereon and coupled thereto are visible. The electronic components 252 may include resisters, processors, memory units, capacitors, transistors, sensors, batteries, switches, etc. When PCBA electronics are operated, heat results. Specifically, high-power electronic components consume electricity in order to function, and this electricity generates heat. When the first enclosure housing 331 is assembled as shown in FIG. 11 A, at least a portion of the electronics assembly 250 is located within or forms a boundary of the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 so that air located within the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 may be heated by heat generated by and emanating from the electronics assembly 250. This is because, as described above, the electronic components 252 of the electronics assembly 250 may give off heat when they are activated.

[0059] The air flow generator (or air generating device or fan device) 320 is also visible in FIG. 11B. When the air flow generator 320 is activated, the air flow generator 320 generates an air flow through the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 moving in a direction from a bottom end of the housing 101 towards the air flow generator 320. The air may pass into the interior of the housing 101 through one or more apertures 119 in the bottom end 103 of the housing 101. The air may then flow into the air flow passageway 311 through the openings 333 in the first enclosure housing 331 that form the air flow inlet 312. The air may continue to flow within the air flow passageway 311 towards, and past, the air flow generator 320. While the one or more apertures 119 may form a deliberate air inlet location, there may be other potential locations where air may pass from the exterior environment into the interior of the housing 101 because the housing 101 may not be hermetically sealed in all embodiments.

[0060] In another embodiment, the first enclosure housing 331 may be omitted. In such an embodiment, the air flow generator 320 may be located near the electronics assembly 250, similar to the positioning shown in the exemplified embodiment. Thus, the air that is made to flow into the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311 where the portion of the heating unit 220 is located will initially be pulled from a location adjacent to the electronics assembly 250. As such, even though the air may not initially be located within an enclosure that includes the electronics assembly 250, the mere fact that the air passes by the electronics assembly 250 on its way to the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311, even if not within an enclosure, will result in the air being heated by the heat emitted from the electronics assembly 250. The first enclosure housing 331 may be formed from a hard plastic material, although other materials including elastomeric materials such as silicone may be used in other embodiments.

[0061] Referring now to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the beverage brewing apparatus 100 is illustrated with panels on the left side of the housing 101 removed to expose the second enclosure portion 340 of the air flow enclosure 310. In FIG. 12B, the second enclosure housing 341, the inlet enclosure member 345, and the outlet enclosure member 346 are exploded so that the heating unit 220 is visible. The opening of the inlet enclosure member 345 is adjacent to the air flow generator 320 so that the air that was pulled into and through the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 adjacent to the electronics assembly 250 enters into the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311.

[0062] Referring collectively to FIGS. 11A-12B, the beverage brewing apparatus 100 comprises a sagittal plane Pl that divides the beverage brewing apparatus 100 into a left side portion LSP and a right side portion RSP. In this embodiment, the electronics assembly 250 and the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 is located along the right side portion RSP of the beverage brewing apparatus 100 on a first side of the sagittal plane Pl. Furthermore, the heating unit 220 and the second portion 216 of the air flow passageway 311 of the located along the left side portion LSP of the beverage brewing apparatus 100 on a second side of the sagittal plane Pl. The air flow generator 320 and the third portion 317 of the air flow passageway 311 may be intersected by the sagittal plane Pl. Thus, the air flows not just vertically, but also circumferentially along the air flow passageway 311 from the air inlet 312 to the air outlet 313. This may give the air more time to be heated by the various components that generate / emit heat as described herein.

[0063] Referring sequentially to FIGS. 13A-13F, the movement of the air through the air flow passageway 311 will be described with different views of different portions of the beverage brewing apparatus 100. As noted, activation of the air flow generator 320 creates a flow of air through the air flow passageway 311 from the inlet 311 to the outlet 312. First, as shown in FIG. 13 A, the air enters the internal cavity of the housing 101 of the beverage brewing apparatus 100 through the apertures 119 in the bottom end 103 of the housing 101. Next, as shown in FIG. 13B, the air flows through the openings 333 in the first enclosure portion 331 to flow into the air flow passageway 311, and more specifically into the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 that is alongside the electronics assembly 250. The electronics assembly 250 may bound or be located within the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 as described previously. In FIG. 13B, in addition to the openings 333, there is an additional opening 335 in the bottom of the first enclosure portion 331. The air may be forced to flow as noted due to the operation of the air flow generator 320. As noted, the air may be heated when flowing through the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 because the electronics assembly 250 (or the electronic components 252 thereof) located within or bounding the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 may emit heat. As also noted, in an alternative embodiment the first enclosure portion 331 may be omitted. In such embodiments, the air drawn through the air flow generator 320 may still be taken from a location adjacent to the electronics assembly 250 such that the air is above ambient temperature prior to passing through to the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311 where the air is further heated by the heating unit 220 as described herein.

[0064] Next, referring to FIG. 13C, the air flows through the third portion 317 of the air flow passageway 311 where the air flow generator 320 is located. The third portion 317 of the air flow passageway 311, and hence also the air flow generator 320, is located between the first portion 315 of the air flow passageway 311 where the electronics assembly 250 is located and the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311 where the portion of the heating unit 220 is located.

[0065] FIG. 13D illustrates the air in the air flow passageway 311 flowing past the air flow generator 320 and into the second portion 316 of the air flow passageway 311. The air flowing past the air flow generator 320 flows into the interior of the inlet enclosure member 345 and then into the interior of the second enclosure housing 341 where the heat sink assembly 230 is located. As the air flows into and through the interior of the second enclosure housing 341, the air is heated by the heat being emitted from the heat sink assembly 230. Thus, the air is heated passively as it flows through the air flow passageway 311. The interior of the air flow passageway 311 forms a sort of heat exchanger where the air is heated due to the heat being emitted from the various components and parts located within or in alignment with the air flow passageway 311 (i.e., the electronics assembly 250 and the heat sink assembly 230).

[0066] FIG. 13E illustrate the air passing through the interior of the second enclosure housing 341 and into the interior of the outlet enclosure member 346. Again, the air is heated within the interior of the second enclosure housing 341 and then continues to flow through the interior of the outlet enclosure member 345 towards the outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311.

[0067] FIG. 13F illustrates the air flow through the outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311. As noted, the outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311 comprises an opening 40 that faces and is aligned with the compartment 105 within which the beverage ingredient container 10 is located during a brewing cycle or vend. The outlet 313 of the air flow passageway 311 may be elongated in a direction perpendicular to the length of the compartment 105 and also of the beverage ingredient container 10 positioned therein. As such, the air exiting the air flow passageway 311 may evenly heat the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10. Again, the heated air is directed towards the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 along the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10. There is no pathway for the heated air to pass into the interior of the beverage ingredient container 10. Application of heat onto the bottom portion 13 of the exterior of the beverage ingredient container 10 may assist with cleanly opening the bottom end 12 of the beverage ingredient container 10. In particular, a combination of pressure from the liquid introduced into the interior of the beverage ingredient container 10 and the heated air applied onto the exterior of the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10 may facilitate the opening of the beverage ingredient container 10 along the bottom end 12 thereof. The systems described herein use components already present in the apparatus (i.e., the electronics assembly 250 and the heating unit 220) to heat the air that is made to flow onto the exterior of the bottom portion 13 of the beverage ingredient container 10. Thus, additional heating components are not required, thereby resulting in a cost savings.

[0068] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

[0069] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A beverage brewing apparatus comprising:a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container;a liquid flow subsystem comprising:a water tank configured to contain water;a heating unit comprising:a heating block defining a channel having a liquid inlet through which the water is configured to flow from the water tank into the channel and a liquid outlet; anda heating element operably coupled to the heating block;a nozzle configured to receive heated water from the liquid outlet of the heating unit and introduce the heated water into the beverage ingredient container in the compartment;an air flow subsystem comprising:an air flow generator;an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway having an air flow outlet, wherein at least a portion of the heating unit is located within the air flow passageway so that air flowing through the air flow passageway is heated by the heating unit; andwherein heated air exiting the air flow outlet is configured to be directed towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

2. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the heating unit further comprises a heat sink assembly coupled to the heating block, and wherein at least a portion of the heat sink assembly is located within the air flow passageway of the air flow enclosure to heat the air flowing through the air flow passageway.

3. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the heat sink assembly comprises a base portion and a plurality of fins that protrude from the base portion in a spacedapart manner, wherein the base portion of the heat sink assembly is directly coupled to the heating block so that heat generated by the heating element of the heating unit is transmitted to the heat sink, and wherein the plurality of fins of the heat sink assembly are at least partially located within the air flow passageway to heat the air flowing through the air flow passageway.

4. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising an electronics assembly configured to control operation of the beverage brewing apparatus.

5. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising:the air flow enclosure of the air flow subsystem comprising:a first enclosure portion that defines a first portion of the air flow passageway, wherein the electronics assembly is at least partially located within the first portion of the air flow passageway; anda second enclosure portion that defines a second portion of the air flow passageway, wherein the portion of the heating unit is located within the second portion of the air flow passageway.

6. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the first portion of the air flow passageway is located upstream of the second portion of the air flow passageway so that ambient air is configured to enter the first enclosure portion of the air flow enclosure through an enclosure inlet, flow from the first enclosure portion and into the second enclosure portion of the air flow enclosure, and exit the second enclosure portion of the air flow enclosure via the air flow outlet.

7. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the air flow enclosure of the air flow subsystem further comprises a third enclosure portion located between the first and second enclosure portions, and wherein the air flow generator is located within the third enclosure portion.

8. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the heating block of the heating unit is formed from a thermally conductive material.

9. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising: the liquid flow subsystem comprising a pump configured to draw the water from the water tank, through the heating unit, and into the nozzle for introduction into the beverage ingredient container.

10. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the heating element is embedded within the heating block, and wherein the heating block is formed from a thermally conductive material so that the heating element heats the heating block when activated.

11. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the air flow outlet comprises an opening into the compartment that is aligned with a bottom portion of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

12. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 further comprising: a housing comprising an interior cavity, wherein the heating unit, the nozzle, and the air flow subsystem are located within the interior cavity of the housing, and wherein the housing further defines the compartment.

13. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12 further comprising: a cup support member located beneath the compartment and configured to support a user-provided cup, and wherein the heated water introduced into the beverage ingredient container is configured to pass through an outlet in a bottom end of the beverage ingredient container into the user-provided cup positioned on the cup support member.

14. A beverage brewing apparatus comprising:a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container;a water supply;a nozzle configured to introduce water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage;a pump configured to pump the water from the water supply to the nozzle;a heating unit configured to heat the water as the water flows from the water supply to the nozzle;an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway, at least a portion of the heating unit being located within the air flow passageway; andan air flow generator configured to generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway, the air flowing through the air flow passageway being heated by the heating unit to form heated air;wherein the heated air is configured to exit the air flow passageway through an air flow outlet that directs the heated air towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

15. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising:an electronics assembly comprising electronic components that are configured to control operation of the beverage brewing apparatus, wherein one or more of the electronic components generate heat during the operation of the beverage brewing apparatus; andwherein the electronics assembly is at least partially located within the air flow passageway.

16. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the electronics assembly is located upstream of the heating unit in a direction of the flow of air through the air flow passageway so that the air that enters the air flow passageway passes by the electronics assembly prior to passing by the heating unit.

17. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the air flow generator is located within the air flow passageway between the electronics assembly and the heating unit.

18. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the air flowing through the air flow passageway is configured to be heated from a first temperature to a second temperature as the air flows past the electronics assembly and from the second temperature to a third temperature as the air flows past the heating unit, the third temperature being greater than the second temperature and the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.

19. The beverage brewing apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 18 further comprising: the heating unit comprising:a heating block comprising a channel, wherein the water is configured to flow through the channel of the heating block as the water flows form the water supply to the nozzle; anda heating element operably coupled to the heating block.

20. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising:the heating unit further comprising a heat sink assembly coupled to the heating block, and wherein at least a portion of the heat sink assembly is located within the air flow passageway of the air flow enclosure to heat the air flowing through the air flow passageway.

21. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the heat sink assembly comprises a base portion and a plurality of fins that protrude from the base portion in a spaced apart manner, wherein the base portion of the heat sink assembly is directly coupled to the heating block so that heat generated by the heating element of the heating unit is transmitted to the heat sink, and wherein the plurality of fins of the heat sink assembly are at least partially located within the air flow passageway to heat the air flowing through the air flow passageway.

22. A method of brewing a beverage, the method comprising:positioning a beverage ingredient container in a compartment of a beverage brewing machine;flowing water through a channel of a heating unit to form heated water;introducing the heated water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage;flowing air through an air flow passageway within which a portion of the heating unit is located, the air being heated to form heated air as the air flows past the portion of the heating unit;discharging the heated air through an outlet of the air flow passageway and towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container to heat the exterior of the beverage ingredient container; anddispensing the beverage through an opening in a bottom end of the beverage ingredient container and into a cup positioned below the beverage ingredient container.

23. The method according to claim 22 further comprising:an electronics assembly located within the air flow passageway downstream of the portion of the heating unit, wherein the air flowing through the air flow passageway passes by the electronics assembly prior to being heated by the portion of the heating unit.

24. The method according to claim 22 or claim 23 wherein the heating unit comprises a heating block that defines the channel and a heat sink assembly that is coupled to the heating block, wherein the portion of the heating unit that is located within the air flow passageway comprises the heat sink assembly.

25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24 further comprising an air flow generator located within the air flow passageway to generate a flow of the air through the air flow passageway.

26. A beverage brewing apparatus comprising:a compartment configured to contain a beverage ingredient container;a water supply;a nozzle configured to introduce water into the beverage ingredient container to form a beverage;a pump configured to pump the water from the water supply to the nozzle;a heating unit configured to heat the water as the water flows from the water supply to the nozzle;an air flow enclosure defining an air flow passageway, the heating unit configured to generate and emit heat into the air flow enclosure; andan air flow generator configured to generate a flow of air through the air flow passageway, the air flowing through the air flow passageway being heated by the heat generated by the heating unit to form heated air;wherein the heated air is configured to exit the air flow passageway through an air flow outlet that directs the heated air towards an exterior of the beverage ingredient container contained in the compartment.

27. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 26 further comprising:an electronics assembly configured to control operation of the beverage brewing apparatus, wherein the electronics assembly generates heat during the operation of the beverage brewing apparatus, the heat generated by the electronics assembly being emitted into the air flow passageway to heat the air flowing through the air flow passageway.

28. The beverage brewing apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the electronics assembly is located upstream of the heating unit in a direction of the flow of air through the air flow passageway.

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