Food grinding device

Abstract

The invention relates to a table type grinding and brewing machine for coffee, or a grinding machine for nut butter and similar food products. The grinding cutterhead and the container for pre-grinding food are connected together, so that the grinding cutterhead and the container can be replaced as a component. Therefore, different family members liking caffeine coffee and low-caffeine coffee, or different family members liking peanut butter, almond paste and cashew jam can grind their favorite food and replace the grinder to prevent cross contamination.

Description

Background Art

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 546,231, filed on October 29, 2023, entitled “Food Grinding Apparatus”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 532,666, filed on August 14, 2023, entitled “Food Grinding Apparatus”; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 433,327, filed on December 16, 2022, entitled “Food Grinding Apparatus”. The above priority documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to a food grinding device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In general, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing the method. A first cup of coffee is brewed in a consumer coffee brewing machine. The machine is a consumer countertop appliance having a motor for driving a grinder blade and an area for receiving ground food. A first grinder / container assembly has a grinder blade and a container for holding whole coffee beans to be ground. A connection between the countertop appliance and the grinder / container assembly is designed to transmit power from the motor to the grinder blade. The connection is designed to allow the grinder / container assembly to be detached from the countertop appliance and another grinder / container assembly to be replaced in the countertop appliance. The replacement can be performed without the use of tools. After the first cup of coffee is brewed, the first grinder / container assembly is removed from the countertop appliance without the use of tools. The second grinder / container assembly is connected to the countertop appliance without the use of tools.

[0004] In general, in a second aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a grinder disc, a grinder housing, and a grinder-appliance connection. The grinder housing is designed to mount the grinder disc in a countertop appliance. The grinder housing is designed to receive drive power from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder disc. The grinder housing is designed to hold a container of unground food as a container / grinder assembly. The grinder housing is designed to position the container so that it can be gravity-fed into the grinder disc. The grinder housing is designed to facilitate handling of the container and grinder disc as an assembly. The grinder housing is designed to hold the grinder disc in a manner and position that directs the flow of food from the container into the grinder disc and the delivery of the ground food to a receptacle. The grinder-appliance connection is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

[0005] In general, in a third aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a container for holding unground food. The container has a connector for connecting to a grinder housing. The grinder housing is designed to mount a grinder blade in a countertop appliance. The grinder housing is designed to receive a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade. The grinder housing is designed to hold the unground food container as a container / grinder assembly, with the container positioned to feed the grinder blade by gravity, and the container and grinder blade being operable as an assembly. The grinder housing is designed to hold the grinder blade in a manner and position that directs the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and directs the ground food to a receiver. The grinder-appliance connector of the grinder housing is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

[0006] In general, in a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for using the apparatus. An apparatus has a grinder disc and a filter basket. The grinder disc is configured to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers grounds from its base in a conical distribution pattern to an annular area. The filter basket below the grinder disc is designed to collect grounds from the grinder disc and direct water flow through the grounds, and also includes a water heating and distribution system and a computer controller. The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, and has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder brewer. The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space being configured to collect grounds that fall from the grinder disc, and the filter basket has a filter screen of a certain porosity to direct hot beverage flow through the filter screen while preventing grounds from flowing through. The raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

[0007] In general, in a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a container, a grinder housing, a container-grinder connection, and a grinder-appliance connection. A container for holding unground food has a connection for connecting to the grinder housing. The container is designed to hold up to approximately 3 liters of food. The grinder housing is designed to mount a grinder blade in a countertop appliance. The grinder housing is designed to receive driving force from a motor in the countertop appliance to drive the grinder blade. The grinder housing is designed to hold a container of unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container being positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blade, and the container and grinder blade being operable as a single assembly. The grinder housing is designed to hold the grinder blade in a specific manner and position to guide the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade. The grinder-appliance connection of the grinder housing is designed to allow a user to easily install and remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly. The container and / or the container-grinder connection are designed to prevent refilling of the container.

[0008] In general, in a sixth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a filter basket. The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water. The filter basket has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder. The filter basket is designed to receive food grounds from a grinder blade and direct water flow in a manner to brew a hot beverage. The bottom of the filter basket has a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote outward water flow. The filter basket has a screened opening at or near its periphery. The filter basket has a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 2.5 to 1.

[0009] In general, in a seventh aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of using the apparatus. An apparatus has a grinder blade, a filter basket, and a steam shield. The grinder blade is designed to grind food. The filter basket is designed to receive food grounds ground by the grinder blade and to direct water flow in a manner to brew a hot beverage. The steam shield is designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder blade to direct the grounds from the grinder blade to the filter basket. The steam shield is designed to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder blade from escaping steam during the brewing process. The steam shield has one or more dispensing openings on a lower surface for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

[0010] In general, in an eighth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for using the apparatus. A hot beverage brewing machine includes a water pump and a controller. The water pump is configured to distribute hot water to coffee grounds in a brewing chamber of a coffee brewer. The controller is configured to improve wetting or extraction of the grounds by pulsing the water pump during brewing.

[0011] In general, in an eighth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a rotating grinder and a filter basket. The filter basket is configured to receive coffee grounds ground by the grinder and to direct water flow for brewing coffee. A brew basket surrounding the filter basket is configured to catch brewed coffee flowing from the filter basket. The brew basket includes a drip valve driven by an appliance motor, the drip valve configured to allow or prevent coffee flow based on control by an appliance controller.

[0012] In general, in a ninth aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for using the apparatus. A consumer countertop appliance has a motor for driving a grinder blade and an area for receiving ground food. A controller for controlling the rotation of the motor and the grinder blade is programmed to drive the motor in a grinding direction during a grinding cycle to drive the grinder blade to grind the food. The controller is programmed to drive the motor in reverse for a short period of time at the end of the grinding cycle to drive the grinder blade to rotate in the opposite direction to clean residual ground food from the grinder blade and other rotating components.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following features. These features may be used individually or in combination. The grinder-appliance connection and the grinder-container connection may be designed to allow the grinder / container assembly to be easily separated from the appliance and replaced within the appliance, while retaining the container within the container / grinder assembly. The grinder-appliance connection may be designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly from the countertop appliance assembly without the use of tools. The grinder-container connection may be designed to allow a user to separate the container from the grinder housing without the use of tools. The grinder-container connection may be designed to hinder reuse of the container after separation. The path from the grinder to the ground food receiving area may be designed to provide a near-vertical drop. The path from the grinder to the receiving area may be designed to reduce adhesion of the ground food. The container and grinder burrs may be designed for use with unground whole coffee beans. The container and grinder burrs may be designed to grind unground coffee beans into a ground material for brewing. The appliance may include a water delivery system and a water heater for delivering water for brewing coffee. The drive motor's rotational axis may be different from the vertical rotational axis of the grinder blades. Gears and / or belts may be designed to transmit rotational power from the motor to the rotating grinder blades. Support ribs may be designed to position and hold the grinder blades relative to the filter basket. The support ribs may be angled to reduce adhesion of falling grounds. Vertical fixed walls in the path of the grinder blades may be designed to protect the rotating walls from grounds to reduce adhesion. The container and / or container-grinder connection may be designed to allow the grinder blades to be separated from the container, prevent refilling of the container, and allow for tool-free connection of a new container. The container-grinder connection and / or container may include features designed to deform on the container side of the container and / or container-grinder connection during separation of the grinder from the container, rendering the container-grinder connection non-reusable. The container-grinder connection may also include features that trigger the appliance's safety switch when the grinder and container are connected. Deformation of the container and / or its sides can be designed to prevent activation of a safety switch after deformation. Components of the container-grinder connector can be designed as snap-fits to retain features of the container-grinder connector in a disabled position that prevents reuse of the container-grinder connector. The container-grinder connector can be designed with an inclined ramp and features that move along the ramp during rotation of the connector components. The container-grinder connector can have features that are designed to deform during separation of the grinder from the container, rendering the first connector non-reusable. The container-grinder connector can have features that require a user to deform in order to remove the container from the grinder. The bottom of the filter basket can be watertight. The filter screen opening can be located on a vertical side of the filter basket. The bottom of the filter basket can be formed as a surface of revolution about the central axis of the filter basket, with the curve having a steeper slope at the center and a more gradual slope at the periphery. The filter basket has a diameter-to-depth ratio of at least approximately 3 to 1.The steam shield and the water distributor leading to the dispensing opening can be formed as a unitary component, designed to move together on a common mechanism. The steam shield and the water distributor leading to the dispensing opening can be formed as separately molded components that are connected together to form a unitary component. The water controller can be programmed to deliver relatively short pulses so that the spray hits different points on the grounds. The water controller can be programmed to deliver relatively long pulses to achieve both steeping and draining brewing. The water controller can be programmed to deliver pulses between on and off, or between low and high flow rates. The water controller can be programmed to deliver water and pulse patterns customized for brewing volume. The valve can be a shutoff valve or a position valve. The brew basket and filter basket can be designed to allow the user to remove them from the appliance for cleaning. The drip valve can be configured in a normally closed position so that the valve remains closed when the brew basket is removed from the appliance.

[0014] The advantages and features described above are merely representative embodiments and are intended to aid understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that they should not be construed as limiting the present invention as defined by the claims. Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figures 1A to 1J , 2A, 3C, 5A, 5F, 6A-6J, 7A, 9A, 9C, 9D, 10B, 10E, 12B, 12E, 13E, 13G, 13H, 13I and 14A-14D are perspective views.

[0016] Figures 2B to 2D , 5H, 6K, 8A, 8C, 8D, 8F, 10A, 10G, 10I, 10K, 12A, 12C, 13F, 14E and 14F are plan views.

[0017] Figure 2E 、 2F , 3A, 3B, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4D-4O, 5C, 5D, 5G, 7B, 7C, 8B, 8E, 9B, 10C, 10D, 10F, 10H, 10J, 10L, 11A-11E, 11G, 11H, 11J, 11K, 12F-12I, 13J, 14G and 14H are plan sectional views.

[0018] Figure 4C 、 5B , 5E, 7D, 11F, 11I, 12D, 13A-13D and 14I are partially cutaway perspective views. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] This manual is organized as follows: I. Overview II. Fixation of the removable / replaceable grinder and coffee bean container to the rest of the grinding and brewing unit II.A. Non-concentric grinding drive motor II.B. Alternative Arrangements III. Water, Grinding Drive System and Steam Shield III.A. Grinding Machines and Distribution of Grinding Material III.B. Heating of water III.C. Steam Shield and Brewing Group III.D. Filter Basket Assembly III.E. Dripping valve IV.Coffee Bean Container IV.A. Reusable Coffee Bean Container IV.B. Disposable Coffee Bean Container Using Mechanical Keying Features IV.C. Disposable containers using a break-away mechanism IV.D. Disposable Coffee Bean Containers Using Short-Range Radio Communication IV.E. Alternative Methods for Disposable Coffee Bean Containers IV.F. Single-Use Reusable Containers V. Other Embodiments I. Overview

[0020] refer to Figures 1A to 1J2A to 2F, a grinding and brewing appliance 100 for coffee and / or beverage / food preparation may include a grinder and coffee bean container that are replaceable as a single assembly 110, allowing each cup of coffee or serving of food to be prepared using specific beans (e.g., light roast, dark roast, decaffeinated, etc.) and grind size to meet individual needs. The container can be configured to hold multiple servings of coffee beans. Therefore, if consecutive brews require the same type of coffee beans, the container / grinder assembly 110 can remain in the appliance 100; alternatively, it can be removed and reattached when the same type of coffee beans is needed again. Carryover from previous grinding cycles can be minimized by either replacing the grinder so that residue is not transferred to the grinder or by simplifying the grounds drop path. Both techniques reduce the transfer of whole, partially ground, or previously ground coffee beans with the grinder or in the drop chute, thereby preventing cross-contamination between brewing cycles. This improves freshness and reduces cross-contamination, which is particularly important when switching from caffeinated coffee beans to decaffeinated coffee beans. The appliance 100 can provide a ground brew pressureless drip function, such that the coffee grounds are freshly ground from whole coffee beans. In other cases, the appliance 100 can provide low pressure brewing or high pressure (espresso) brewing, or can have a switch to allow either type of brewing. Instead of using a fixed amount of coffee for different sized cups, the appliance 100 can provide an amount of coffee grounds that is proportional to the amount of water and the desired drink size and strength. The strength can also be adjusted independently of the cup size, adjusting the ratio of grounds to water for any given cup size. In some cases, the drink size provided can range from 6 to 18 fluid ounces, with the amount of coffee grounds proportionally adjusted accordingly. The grinding assembly 300 is dishwasher safe. To provide single cup ground brewing functionality, the appliance 100 can be designed to allow the user to use a cup or mug of their choice, rather than a fixed height carafe, and to allow the use of insulated travel mugs that can be up to 7.5 inches tall. Reference Figure 2F , the appliance 100 can be designed to fit and allow for insertion / removal of the grinder / container assembly 110 within the standard 17-inch height between a kitchen countertop 190 and an overhanging cabinet 192 .

[0021] Figure 3B It is along Figure 3A A vertical cross-sectional view of the appliance 100 taken along the section line shown. Figure 5B ) can be located at the top and connected to the grinding assembly 300 (see Figure 4A and 4B). The grinder can be a ceramic grinder disc having a generally conical inner burr disc 310 and a round cylindrical outer burr disc 312. In some cases, flat burrs can be used, where both grinder discs are puck-shaped or disc-shaped. In some cases, steel or plastic burrs can be used. The inner burr disc 310 can be mounted on the inner grinder housing 404, which in turn can be driven by the grinder drive motor 520 via a gear train. The cylindrical round outer burr disc 312 can be mounted on the outer grinder housing 402. The coffee grounds can be dropped into the filter basket 700, a paper filter, or a filter of some other material in the filter basket 700. To allow the coffee to drop directly into the filter basket 700, the grinder drive motor 520 can be positioned offset from the axis of the grinder. After the coffee is ground, the steam shield 600 with the brew head 610 can be rotated into position and deliver hot water to the grounds in the filter basket 700 while protecting the grinder from rising steam. The filter basket 700 may have mesh sides or openings 720 to allow the brewed coffee to flow through to the outer basket 702 where it collects the coffee liquid, which is then delivered to the mug at an orifice (possibly through a control valve 800).

[0022] The grinder, grounds drop path, filter basket 700, and brew head 610 for the water dispensing mode can be designed together using a systems approach, with dimensions and other features that improve characteristics that affect coffee quality (amount of coffee grounds per unit of water, water temperature, water-grounds contact time, and flow path) while allowing the filter basket 700, grinder, and coffee bean container to be replaced cup by cup and fit the size of standard kitchen countertops 190, 192.

[0023] The connection between the grinding assembly 300 and the rest of the machine 100 ( Figures 4A to 4O ) and the connection piece 1000 between the coffee bean container 900 and the grinding assembly 300 ( Figures 10A to 12D) can be designed to facilitate removal and replacement of the grinder / container assembly 110 from the machine 100 without accidentally separating the coffee bean container 900 from the grinding assembly 300. This connection may allow the grinder / container assembly 110 to be removed and replaced from the machine 100 without the use of tools, or may require the use of a simple tool, such as a butter knife. For example, the connection between the grinding assembly 300 may be a simple vertical lift, while the container-grinder assembly connection may require twisting, pressing a release button, or tearing a tear strip. This allows the user to quickly switch between different types of coffee beans without the risk of cross-contamination. This also prevents the user from accidentally separating the coffee bean container 900 from the grinding assembly 300 too early, which could otherwise result in spillage and / or waste of coffee beans. To this end, in some cases, when the grinding assembly 300 is installed in the machine, the release button 1110 that allows the coffee bean container 900 to be separated from the grinding assembly 300 may be covered and inaccessible by features of the machine 100. The connection between the coffee bean container 900 and the grinding assembly 300 may allow the grinder / container assembly 110 to be removed and replaced without the use of tools, or may require the use of a simple tool, such as a butter knife, or a specialized tool sold with the machine.

[0024] The appliance 100 and grinding assembly 300 may be designed for use with other food products, such as hot chocolate and other hot beverages, nut butters, spices, and the like.

[0025] A microprocessor or other controller may control the timing of various operations, pump pressure, motor, display, etc. II. Removable / Replaceable Grinder and Coffee Bean Container Secured to the Rest of the Grinding and Brewing Apparatus II.A. Non-concentric grinding drive motor

[0026] refer to Figures 2E to 2F , the grinder and coffee bean container can be removed from the rest of the appliance 100 as an assembly 110.

[0027] refer to Figures 4A-4B The grinder can be detached from the rest of the grinding and brewing device 100, which can be achieved by a rotatable connector 450. A plurality of raised bumps 432 can be provided on the outside of the outer grinder housing 402. Figure 4A 、 4B4C, the receiving collar 420 of the machine-fixed mounting point may have a recess to accommodate the tab 432. The rotatable connector 450 may have one or more locking tabs 452 that engage with the raised tabs 432 of the outer grinder housing 402. As the grinder is lowered into position, the receiving collar 420 guides the tabs 432 of the outer grinder housing 402 toward the locking tabs of the rotatable connector 450. As the grinder is lowered, the tabs 432 engage with the locking tabs 452, causing the rotatable connector 450 to rotate. The rotatable connector 450 may be biased toward its original position and rotated back to that position after the tabs 432 pass under the locking tabs 452 of the rotatable connector 450. The locking tabs 452 are now engaged, preventing the tabs 432 from moving vertically upward. The position of the outer grinder housing 402 in all other directions (rotational and translational) is fixed by the position of the tabs 432 in the receiving collar 420. This can be done in the same groove of the receiving collar 420 that contains the locking block of the rotatable connector 450, or as Figure 4A As shown, this is done in separate grooves. The user can remove the grinder by rotating the rotatable connector 450, moving the locking block 452 to allow the tabs 432 to move vertically upward, and then lifting the grinder upward while holding the rotatable connector in this position. For example, the outer grinder housing 402 may be provided with eight tabs 432 that engage with eight grooves in the receiving collar 420, a number and strength sufficient to position the grinder and hold it in place, both rotationally and translationally, against the forces exerted by the grinder drive motor 520. Figure 4D When the grinding assembly is lowered into the receiving collar 420, the gear teeth on the inner grinder housing 404 can engage with the hubless drive ring 530 ( Figure 5E ) engages with the gear teeth of the inner grinder housing 404. The outer grinder housing 402 can be securely held in place by features of the receiving collar 420 and the locking block 452 of the rotatable connector 450. Then, while the outer grinder housing 402 remains in place, the hubless drive ring 530 can engage to drive the inner grinder housing 404. In a typical grinder drive arrangement, the grinder would engage with the grinder drive system at a small diameter (usually through the central axis). However, in this case, the engagement between the gear teeth of the hubless drive ring 530 and the gear teeth of the inner grinder housing 404 can occur at a larger diameter, greater than the outer diameter of the inner burr disc 310 and the outer diameter of the outer burr disc 312. In this case, the gear teeth of the outer grinder housing 402 are located on the outer surface / diameter, while the gear teeth of the hubless drive ring 530 are located on the inner surface / diameter. This configuration achieves a vertical drop path for the grounds. Vertical drop reduces cross-contamination between different types of coffee beans and reduces grounds buildup, while also being very easy to clean when necessary.

[0028] refer to Figures 3A-3D4C, to minimize cross-contamination of residual grounds between grinding cycles, the layout of the entire grinding brewing device 100 allows the grounds to drop directly from the grinder disc into the filter basket 700 without a chute or other collection point. To achieve this, the grinder drive motor 520 is located at a position offset from the axis of the grinder disc. A series of gears (including a hubless drive ring 530) transmits rotational force from the grinder drive motor 520 through the inner grinder housing 404 to the inner grinder disc. In some cases, the user can adjust the grind size using a rotatable step adjuster on the bottom of the grinder disc. In some cases, a different grind size adjustment method can be used. This adjustment method may require the user to remove the grinding assembly 300 from the device 100. In other cases, a feature / button may be provided on the device 100.

[0029] Figures 4F to 4O The time sequence of the grinding assembly being lowered into the receiving collar 420 and locked into place is shown. Figure 4F , a projection 432 of the outer grinder housing 402 is shown above the receiving collar 420 . Figure 4G and 4H The coffee bean container / grinder assembly 110 is shown lowered into the receiving collar 420 with the projection just reaching the locking block of the rotatable connector 450, shown as a triangle 452. The triangular locking block 452 is spring loaded and is offset to the right in these figures. There may be one such triangular locking block 452 in each groove of the receiving collar 420, or there may be fewer locking blocks (e.g., four out of eight), as long as the number of locking blocks is sufficient to reliably hold the grinder in place. Figure 4J and 4K As the coffee bean container / grinder assembly 110 continues to descend, the triangular locking block 452 moves to the left, overcoming the spring bias. Figure 4L The rotatable connector 450 (with its tab at the 6 o'clock position) is shown rotated slightly counterclockwise. Figure 4M and 4N The coffee bean container / grinder assembly 110 is shown fully lowered and seated in the receiving collar 420. The triangular locking block 452 has returned to its original position, now holding the raised tab 432 vertically. Figure 4O The rotatable connector 450 is shown having returned to its original rotational position. II.B. Alternative Arrangements

[0030] In some cases, the grinder drive motor 520 and any necessary gear train can be coaxially aligned with the grinder disc, located below. In some cases, the grinder drive can snap into engagement and disengagement with the grinder disc. The centrifugal force of the rotating grinder disc can cause the grinds to fly out of the side chutes. Ribs rotating with the grinder can move the grinds, throwing them out of the chute. The bottom of the chute can be shaped diagonally to reduce the tendency of the grinds to adhere to the bottom of the chute, which can cause cross-contamination and be more difficult to clean.

[0031] In some cases, the user can adjust the grind size by rotating an adjuster knob on the bottom of the grinder disc. In other cases, a rotatable lift knob can be provided that raises and lowers the outer fixed grinder disc relative to the inner rotating grinder disc to adjust the grind size.

[0032] In some cases, the outer impeller 312 and outer grinder housing 402 may be driven by the grinder drive motor 520 while the inner impeller 310 and inner grinder housing 404 remain stationary.

[0033] In some cases, the grinding drive motor 520 can be coaxial and located above the grinder disc. The coffee beans can be injected from a position slightly off-axis.

[0034] To capture the grounds ejected from the rotating grinder and direct them into the filter basket 700, various non-rotating vertical surfaces can be inserted. In some cases, this vertical capture surface can be placed at the grinder outlet. In some cases, this component can also be used to retain the outer cutter disc 312 within the outer grinder housing 402. This vertical surface can have texture or ribs to apply friction to control the path of the grounds, reducing their angular velocity and causing them to fall. In other cases, these fixed vertical surfaces can be positioned to overlie rotating surfaces, such as those on the inner diameter of the hubless drive ring 530, to protect falling grounds from these rotating surfaces. Due to friction and centrifugal forces, falling grounds tend to adhere to rotating vertical surfaces more than to fixed vertical surfaces. Static electricity can also cause adhesion. In some cases, separate features can be used to directly address static electricity, such as anti-static grounding. III. Water, Grinding Drive System and Steam Shield

[0035] Figure 5A and 5B Five major subsystems are shown: Water pump 510 and heater 512 Grinding drive transmission system from grinding drive motor 520 to hubless drive ring 530 Steam shield 600 and brewing head 610 and their motor and tracks for guiding movement Drip valve 800 and its motor, and A microprocessor to control all of the above components. III.A. Grinding Machines and Distribution of Grinding Material

[0036] refer to Figure 3B 、 3D , 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E, because the grinding drive motor 520 is positioned offset from the grinder's axis, the grounds discharged from the grinder disc can fall directly into the filter basket 700. The grinder imparts some angular and centrifugal motion to the grounds, so the drop path from the grinder may tend to be conical, with the diameter gradually increasing as the grounds fall slightly off-vertical. This may tend to distribute the coffee grounds in the filter basket 700 in a circular or open-center arrangement. This, in turn, allows for better water distribution, resulting in more complete wetting and better flavor extraction. Because this arrangement reduces contact between the grounds and any mechanical components, grounds adhesion, contamination, clogging, and mold growth may be reduced.

[0037] The grinding assembly may include two bearing surfaces to allow smooth and controlled rotational movement of the inner cutter disc 310 and inner grinder housing 404 relative to the outer cutter disc 312 and outer grinder housing 402. The first bearing surface may be a small-diameter plain bearing mounted on the outer grinder housing 402 above the cutter discs. This plain bearing may engage a central shaft that rotates with the inner cutter disc 310 and inner grinder housing 404. The second bearing surface is a large-diameter plain bearing that stabilizes the relative rotational movement between the inner grinder housing 404 and outer grinder housing 402. The inner diameter of this plain bearing may be larger than the diameter of both the inner cutter disc 310 and the outer cutter disc 312. The plain bearing may also be located in an axial position overlapping the inner and outer cutter discs 310, 312. In this case, the large-diameter plain bearing may be mounted on and rotate with the inner grinder housing 404, but may also be mounted on the stationary outer grinder housing 402. In some cases, the small diameter bearing or the large diameter bearing may be integrated directly into the inner grinder housing 404 or outer grinder housing 402 components, using low friction materials to manufacture these components.

[0038] In some cases, the grinds may be directed into a chute that directs the grinds to fall elsewhere.

[0039] Figure 5D and 5EThe figure is an exploded view, separating the components that rotate with the inner grinder disc from the fixed or non-rotating components, including the outer grinder disc. The top component is the coffee bean container 900, a hollow container for holding whole coffee beans. Then comes the next layer of non-rotating components, including the outer grinder disc 312, the outer grinder housing 402 (which includes a funnel feature for guiding the coffee beans into the grinder), a small diameter plain bearing that engages the rotating central shaft, several additional retaining and mounting components in the grinding assembly, two thin-section ball bearing assemblies 538 for stabilizing the rotational movement of the hubless drive ring 530 and the intermediate gear, and the mounting components that hold these components in place relative to the chassis of the appliance, including the receiving collar 420, the rotatable connector 450, and the ball bearing assembly housing. Figure 5D The lower portion of the diagram shows the rotating components, including the inner cutterhead 310, the inner grinder housing 404, several additional components of the grinding assembly (including a central shaft, springs, washers, retaining clips, and a grind size adjustment mechanism), a large diameter plain bearing, a hubless drive ring 530, intermediate gears, and a grinder drive motor 520. The grinder drive motor 520 transmits power to one or more intermediate gears, which in turn drive the hubless drive ring 530, which in turn drives the rotation of the inner grinder housing 404, which is rigidly connected to the inner cutterhead 310.

[0040] Another anti-sticking design element is that the cylindrical wall directly below the inner grinder housing 404 is stationary, rather than rotating. To stabilize the rotation of the rotating inner cutter disc 310, the hubless drive ring 530 may have a downwardly projecting sleeve 532. The hubless drive ring 530 is supported on the sleeve 532 by a ball bearing assembly 538 or other bearing, which holds the rotating components on their axis and in their position. The stationary chassis may have a stationary sleeve 534 nested inside the rotating sleeve 532 of the hubless drive ring 530, without contact. The sleeve 532 can move within the channel 536 via bearings 538. Because the stationary sleeve 534 is located on the inside, as the grinds are discharged from the grinder disc, they strike the stationary sleeve 534, which slows them down, allowing them to fall into the filter basket 700 and reduce sticking to the wall. Without the stationary sleeve 534, the abrasive material may adhere to the walls of the rotating sleeve 532 due to friction, centrifugal forces, and in some cases, electrostatic forces.

[0041] refer to Figures 5F-5HWhile the goal is to have the ground material fall more or less straight down, at high grinder speeds, centrifugal forces can cause the ground material to be ejected horizontally far enough to become lodged in certain rotating components, such as in the gap between the rotating and stationary housings, or in the spokes connecting the inner and outer sections of the inner grinder housing 404. The inner section of this housing may house the inner cutterhead 310, while the outer section may be designed to transfer rotational energy from the hubless drive ring 530. To reduce sticking (material buildup), the connecting spokes 560 of the inner grinder housing 404 may be shaped like angled fan blades. Ground material sticks significantly less to the angled spokes 560 of the inner grinder housing 404 than to the vertical spokes. The angled spokes 560 follow the path of the ground material, passing by it as it falls, while the vertical spokes intercept the ground material and push it outward, where it sticks to the rotating surface due to centrifugal force and friction. Alternatively, the angled fan blade spokes 560 could be part of the hubless drive ring 530 (so that it is no longer hubless), and the engagement between the inner grinder housing 404 and the hubless drive ring 530 could occur at a much smaller diameter, smaller than the inner and outer impellers 310, 312, perhaps as a central axis. While this is simpler in some respects, it may create more cross-contamination and may reduce cleanability. III.B. Heating of water

[0042] While grinding, the water heater 512 may heat the water to be injected. III.C. Steam Shield and Brewing Group

[0043] refer to Figures 6A to 6K Once hot water is introduced, the grinder can be isolated from the brewing chamber of the grinder brewing device 100. Reducing the penetration of steam and other water vapor into the grinder and drop path can reduce sticking and clogging, as well as other adverse effects on the coffee and grounds, such as mold growth and reduced freshness.

[0044] refer to Figure 6A 、 6B , 6F and 6G, a steam guard door 600 can be located between the filter basket 700 and the grinder. The steam guard 600 can be pivoted away from the brewing path during grinding to allow the grounds to fall from the grinder burrs into the filter basket 700.

[0045] After grinding is complete, the controller allows a short period of time for the grounds to fall from the grinder into the filter basket 700. The controller can reverse the grinder for a short period of time, approximately half a second, to shake any remaining grounds into the filter basket 700. This reverse operation reduces the amount of grounds remaining in the grinding assembly 300, as well as any loose grounds that may fall when the grinder is changed, and provides a method for cleaning grounds from the blade disc. This short reverse operation reduces mess, cross-contamination, and undesirable accumulation of grounds.

[0046] The controller may then send a control signal to the steam shield motor 620 to close the steam shield 600 .

[0047] refer to Figure 6C 、 6D 6E, the underside of the steam shield 600 may have a brew head 610 designed to distribute hot water onto the grounds. The hot water flows through a dispensing opening or channel 612 and falls onto the grounds, extracting the brewed coffee. The brewed coffee flows through the screen 720 of the filter basket 700. Placing the brew head 610 at the bottom of the steam shield 600 reduces part count and complexity and allows for multiple dispensing openings 612 to be distributed over an area, eliminating the need for water injection at a single point. The diameter of the point where water lands on the grounds can be located inside the circular / volcanic shape of the grounds as they fall from the grinder. Distributing the water injection over a single area allows for more even wetting of the grounds and more complete extraction of coffee from the grounds. During grinding, positioning the brew head 610 (on the bottom of the steam shield 600) off-axis allows the coffee grounds to fall directly from the grinder burrs into the filter basket 700, reducing cross-contamination between brews if the user switches between different coffee beans. The brew head 610 is moved to an off-axis position so that its water distribution pattern (via the plurality of dispensing openings) matches the size and shape of the distribution pattern of the falling grounds, in this case, an annular shape. The brew head 610 can then be moved to an on-axis position to dispense hot water. In some cases, the brew head 610 and steam shield 600 can be separate components. In this case, they can move together but can be thermally insulated or mechanically separated to reduce the thermal mass of the brew head 610 and the associated heat loss as hot water flows through it.

[0048] The water inlet channel may flow radially into the distribution manifold to the distribution opening, e.g. Figure 6D In the alternative, as Figure 6E As shown, the water inlet channel can be tangentially introduced into the distribution manifold 612 to reduce turbulence. By reducing turbulence, the pressure and flow through the distribution opening 612 can be equalized, which in turn can make the ground material more evenly wetted.

[0049] The steam shield 600 can be in the open position (open position) to allow the grounds to fall from the grinder blade into the filter basket 700. Figure 6G and 6I ) and closed position for dispensing hot water and brewing ( Figure 6F and 6H Coupling the steam shield 600 and brew head 610 together can reduce control timing and sequencing issues - ensuring that the steam shield 600 is closed when water is poured.

[0050] refer to Figure 6Jand 6K The moving end of the steam shield 600 can move within a track 622. The track 622 provides support for the steam shield 600, which is supported at both the motor and track ends, eliminating the need for cantilever forces at either end. The track 622 can have a small raised portion 624. Closing of the steam shield 600 can begin when grinding is complete. Throughout most of its arc of motion 626, the steam shield 600 can be positioned a millimeter or two below the gasket that closes the grinding chamber. The raised portion 624 can be aligned a few millimeters from the end of the arc of motion into the closed position, reducing the distance the steam shield 600 travels to achieve a complete seal and maximum friction load. When the steam shield 600 reaches its closed, initial position, it contacts a position sensor switch 618. The initial position sensor signals the controller to shut off the steam shield rotation motor 620 and allow water filling. To improve efficiency, the controller may signal the water pump 510 and heater 512 in advance to begin heating the water, however, the controller will limit the water pump 510 so that water does not flow from the brew head 610 until the steam shield 600 is in its initial position.

[0051] The home position sensor switch 618 can also help the grinding and brewing device 100 restore operational stability upon startup. For example, if power is lost mid-cycle, the home position switch can help the controller re-determine the current position of the steam guard 600. Upon power-up, the controller can check whether the home position switch is closed. If not, the controller can instruct the steam guard door 600 to close.

[0052] The controller can be programmed for different coffee types. For example, the process for making American drip coffee can be: first brew a cup of espresso or other very strong coffee in a short time, and then dilute the strong coffee by adding water. This additional water can be dispensed through the brew group 610 or through an additional water outlet that dispenses water directly into a coffee cup or other drinking container without flowing through the coffee grounds.

[0053] The water dispensing opening 612 can be slightly angled, and the water pump 510 can pulse the water supply pressure. This changes the radial distribution of the water flowing from the opening 612, further distributing the water over a larger area. The control system can be programmed to slightly oscillate the steam shield 600 during the brew cycle, further distributing the water for more even wetting of the grounds. The shape of the brew head 610 and / or steam shield 600 can be modified to a bean shape to accommodate this oscillating motion, maintaining a seal throughout the oscillation process. The pressure and flow of the water pump 510 can be strategically cycled between on, high pressure, low pressure, and off to allow the filter basket 700 to fill and drain for a more complete extraction. The controller can be programmed to control the water flow to optimize extraction. For example, it may be desirable to pre-fill the filter basket with approximately 40% water (or a fixed cubic volume), then pause to allow time for the water and grounds to settle before adding more water. Water can then be added in a five-second on, five-second off cycle. This allows time for the water to drain through repeated filling and draining cycles. This brewing method may be closer to a pour-over style of coffee than a typical drip coffee maker, but it may also have elements that are distinct from both.

[0054] The steam shield 600 may occupy a large horizontal footprint because (a) to cover the relatively large filter basket 700 (to allow for variations in cup size), the covering steam shield 600 may also be large to evenly distribute water; (b) to receive grounds that fall directly from the grinder without an intermediate channel or chute, the diameter of the opening between the grinding assembly and the filter basket 700 should be as large as the drop pattern from the grinder burrs; and (c) the horizontal footprint may be required to allow the steam shield 600 to move between its closed and open positions. The steam shield 600 may be large enough to cover the entire opening to protect the grinding area from rising steam. In some cases, the steam shield 600 may pivot inward toward the rear of the brewer, rather than toward the front or side of the brewer. The large footprint of the steam shield 600 explains why the brew group 610 needs to move with the steam shield 600, as a fixed brew group must be positioned significantly off-center from the filter basket 700, resulting in uneven wetting of the grounds.

[0055] In some cases, the steam shield 600 can be formed to open like a two-petal butterfly. In some cases, the steam shield 600 can have alternating cutouts similar to piano hinges to allow a separate water inlet pipe to be located within the steam shield 600 without increasing the overall height. In some cases, the steam shield 600 can be formed from two semicircles that pivot or translate open. III.D. Filter Basket Assembly

[0056] refer to Figures 7A to 7D, the filter basket 700 can be designed to improve water flow through the coffee grounds. The filter basket 700 can be designed to increase the surface area per unit volume of coffee. The filter basket 700 can be designed to improve the contact time between the water and the grounds. The filter basket 700 can be designed to promote a water flow path to efficiently utilize all the grounds. The filter basket 700 can be designed to prevent water from flowing through the path of least resistance, in which case the water can quickly flow through the filter 720 without maintaining sufficient contact time with the grounds to allow different sized cups (typically from 6 ounces (175-200 ml) to 18 ounces (500-550 ml)) to have an appropriate grounds-to-water ratio (for example, if the user desires a stronger cup of coffee, a larger grounds-to-water ratio). The filter basket 700 can be designed to reduce the stacking height so that the entire grind brewing apparatus 100 can accommodate tall mugs and fit into a standard cabinet height of 17 inches.

[0057] The filter basket 700 may have an inner diameter of ~4.25 inches and a height of ~1.75 inches. To reduce stack height, the diameter to height ratio of the filter basket 700 may be relatively large relative to other coffee makers that produce similar volumes of coffee. The diameter to height ratio may be about 1.5 to 1 or greater, 1.8 to 1 or greater, 2 to 1 or greater, about 2.4 to 1 or greater, about 3 to 1 or greater, about 3.5 to 1 or greater, about 4 to 1 or greater, about 4.5 or greater, or about 5 to 1 or greater (e.g., in Figure 7B and 7C The inner dimensions of the filter basket 700 are approximately 2.5 to 1. The conical ridge in the center of the filter basket 700 improves extraction of small amounts of coffee grounds by confining the coffee grounds to a relatively small volume, providing sufficient density to slow water flow and increase contact time, ensuring good extraction of flavor and dissolved solids. For all grind sizes, the central ridge encourages water to flow through the grounds to the screen on the side of the filter basket 700. The central ridge can be solid-walled and devoid of screen 720, which reduces the outflow of water that has not flowed through the grounds. In some cases, the central ridge may contain screen 720, but when installed in the brew basket 702, water cannot flow through it because the solid walls of the brew basket 702 fit tightly against the screen 720 in the filter basket 700, obstructing water flow. In this case, the central ridge contains screen 720 to help the user clean the filter basket 700 after the brewing process, allowing water to flow through the other side to rinse out the used coffee grounds. Because the grounds from the grinder burrs tend to fall in a circular shape, they tend to fall into the outer (and vertically lower) portion of the filter basket 700. The central conical ridge directs the water flow to the grounds at that location. Without the central conical ridge, which has little or no grounds in the center of the circular shape, water would pool in this central area instead of flowing through the grounds, resulting in suboptimal extraction and inconsistent cup size.

[0058] refer to Figure 7C and 7D In some cases, the filter basket 700 may have multiple features that provide wall space for the flow-through screen. The amount of flow-through space can be designed to maintain contact between the water and the grounds for the appropriate amount of time. The total volume can be designed to hold the appropriate amount of grounds for a large, full-bodied cup of coffee, and the user can then set the controls to deliver less coffee. In some cases, the filter basket 700 may be conical or frusto-conical, with a balance of solid walls and flow-through screen to provide the appropriate contact time between the water and the grounds. In some cases, the screen may be located on the generally vertical outer wall of the filter basket. In some cases, the screen may be located in the flat bottom of the filter basket, typically positioned at the periphery to allow water to flow through and minimize water retention in the filter basket. In some cases, the filter channel at the bottom of the filter basket 700 may be covered during the first part of the brewing time, forcing the water to flow through the side filters, and then opened after a period of time to allow all water to drain.

[0059] In some cases, the components can be designed to promote airflow and distribute aromas into the space where the grinding and brewing device 100 is operating. In some cases, a fan can be driven by one of the motors. The built-in fan of one of the motors can be oriented to provide this function. Odors and steam generated by the brewing process that are blocked by the steam shield 600 can be directed toward the user and dispersed by the fan.

[0060] refer to Figure 7A 、 7B 7C and subsequent figures, the filter basket 700 can be designed to optimize between several parameters. The filter or screen 720 should be positioned so that water must flow through the grounds, rather than through a portion of the filter without coffee grounds intervening. The flow should be relatively fast to reduce brewing time, but slow enough to allow for sufficient extraction through contact time with the grounds. The amount of grounds can vary, depending on the cup size and strength setting selected by the user. The geometry of the filter basket 700 and screen 720 pattern can be designed to achieve consistent and optimal brew quality across the entire range of possible grounds amounts. The vertical stacking height should be kept small so that the entire grind-infusing device 100 fits under a standard 17-inch cabinet height. A variety of variations are contemplated, ranging from a flat bottom to a downward-pointing cone, a flat bottom with a raised center volcano, a series of nested upper and lower conical frustums (with a filter on a flat bottom (or solid bottom), a filter on the side, multiple nested cones with a filter on each cone side, a filter limited to the lower portion of the side, or extending across most of the side). After modeling and testing, a shape with a raised, tapered solid bottom and side filtering panels was chosen to balance these concerns.

[0061] Disposable filters made of paper or other porous material with a raised center can also be used. In some cases, such paper filters are sold for use with Figure 7A 、 7B , 7C . In some cases, this disposable paper filter can be placed inside and on top of the filter basket 710, or can be placed directly in the outer basket 702, replacing the filter basket. In other cases, these filters can be used with a traditional flat-bottomed filter basket and sold with a solid object (e.g., a truncated cone) placed in the center of the traditional flat-bottomed basket. This disposable filter can have a convex bottom and a relatively large diameter-to-height ratio. The above aspect ratio can be used with this paper filter. By distributing the grounds in a circular shape, this filter increases the time the water is in contact with the grounds, which tends to improve extraction and, in turn, change the flavor blend. This disposable filter simplifies cleaning for the user, as they can simply remove the filter and dispose of the grounds along with the filter. III.E. Dripping valve

[0062] refer to Figures 8A to 8F The filter basket 700 is placed in the external brew basket 702, which can be slightly tapered to collect the brewed coffee and direct it to the flow / drip valve 800, which allows the coffee to flow into the cup. To allow the use of a user-selected cup (rather than a fixed-configuration carafe with a top specifically designed to open the flow valve 800), the external brew basket 702 can have a normally closed valve 800. During the brew cycle, the valve 800 can be opened by a motor to allow coffee to flow from the internal filter basket 700 into the user's cup. After brewing is complete (with some delay after the water pump 510 is turned off to allow the water to finish flowing), the valve 800 closes to allow the external brew basket 702, internal filter basket 700, and grounds to be carried to a trash can for removal without residual liquid coffee dripping. The valve 800 can be opened and closed by a motor and a cam. The valve 800 can be a simple slit / bite valve made of a temperature-stable, deformable plastic such as silicone. To open valve 800, a cam may push a spring-loaded actuator rod that presses against valve 800 or a valve mechanism from the side, deforming valve 800 itself, or moving lever 810 that causes valve 800 to open. Valve 800 may be any other type of valve, most likely normally closed, to limit dripping at rest or during grinding.

[0063] By providing the valve 800, the grind brewing apparatus 100 can provide a clear cut-off point indicating the end of the brew cycle (rather than requiring the user to simply watch when the coffee stops dripping into a typical carafe brewer). The valve 800 can also control the last bit of coffee to ensure that brewed coffee that may be over-extracted or under-extracted does not enter the cup.

[0064] In some cases, the motor 620 that powers the steam shield 600 can be the same motor that powers the drip valve actuation. In this case, the steam shield 600 can have additional positions to allow for different functions to be performed. In some cases, the steam shield 600 can be bean-shaped to allow it to move in an arcuate path while sealing under the grinder and over the circular brew chamber in multiple positions.

[0065] In some cases, a simple slit / bite valve 800 may be made of a temperature-stable, deformable plastic, such as silicone. The valve 800 may have bellows or accordion-style folds to allow greater freedom of movement during actuation. Additional ribs may help direct the flow of coffee into the valve 800. The bellows or accordion-style folds may encompass more or less than 180° of the valve 800. Rather than a simple slit / bite valve made of a deformable plastic, the valve 800 may be a spring-loaded mechanical valve. The mechanical valve 800 may be actuated by a translating rod 810 and / or a pivoting lever. The rod or lever 810, in turn, may be controlled by a motor and cam system. The mechanical valve 800 may be normally closed due to a spring that rotates the lever arm. IV.Coffee Bean Container

[0066] The coffee bean container 900 can be formed as a generally cylindrical aluminum can. The coffee bean container 900 can have a funnel-shaped bottom. The maximum capacity of the container 900 can be, for example, 4 ounces, 5 ounces, 16 ounces, 24 ounces, or 32 ounces of whole coffee beans, or a single serving (see Section IV.F below, starting at

[0098] ), or 8 ounces, 12 ounces, or 16 ounces of nuts. In some cases, it may be desirable to make the size of the container 900 consistent with the package size typically sold at retail. A smaller size may help maintain freshness, and a larger size may help reduce the frequency of refilling or replacing the container. Some containers may be transparent (so that the user can see the number of coffee beans remaining in the container 900). Other containers may be opaque. In some cases, the connector between the grinder and the reusable coffee bean container may be convenient enough that two users can share a grinder and move it between two reusable coffee bean containers. In other cases, the coffee bean container 900 and the grinder may be connected into a "box-style" assembly 110, as described above in conjunction with Figures 1A to 1F , 4A, 4B, and 4F-4O, can be conveniently removed and replaced cup by cup. In some cases, the grinder and reusable coffee bean container can be a single component with a removable lid that can be added with more coffee beans and replaced to keep the coffee beans fresh. IV.A. Reusable Coffee Bean Container

[0067] In some cases, the coffee bean container 900 and grinder may be designed so that the container 900 can be refilled. Figures 9A-9D In the embodiment of the invention, the bottom of the coffee bean container 900 can be designed to rotate between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the container 900 confines the coffee beans for transport and storage, and protects the beans from moisture and other intrusive substances. In the open position, a ramp 910 allows the coffee beans to flow through an opening 912 into the grinder. In some cases, opening the rotatable door may require engagement with an opening feature or mechanism on the grinder. This prevents accidental opening and spillage.

[0068] In some cases, the coffee bean container 900 and the grinder may be designed as a single component or assembly, wherein the coffee bean container 900 is integrated into the grinding assembly and is refillable. IV.B. Disposable Coffee Bean Container Using Mechanical Keying Features

[0069] refer to Figures 10A to 13J The connector 1000 between the coffee bean container 900 and the grinding assembly 300 may have mechanical features to limit the coffee bean container 900 to a single use for multiple servings, followed by disposal or recycling. In this case, a single use allows for multiple servings, but discourages or prevents refilling of the container for further use. The container 900 may have a container-side connector collar 1010. The container-side connector collar 1010 may be part of the container 900 or may be assembled to the container. Figure 10C is a cross-sectional view through a container-side connector collar 1010 having a snap feature 1012 . Figure 10C A latch 1012 is shown on the right, left, and center. Figure 10D is a cross-sectional view through the container side connector collar 1010, showing the latch 1012, Figure 10E is a perspective view showing a latch 1012. The latch 1012 and the mating groove 1014 in the container-side connector collar 1010 have angled surfaces that mate parallel to each other. These angled features are used to push the latch 1012 through the groove in the container-side connector collar 1010 to either lock the components in a disabled position, deform or damage the components, or otherwise cause deformation to ensure single use.

[0070] The coffee bean container 900 may be sold to consumers with the container-side connector collar 1010 already attached. Figure 1G 、 1H , 10A and 10B (to be consistent with the rest of the figures, Figures 10A to 10FTo attach the grinder to the container 900 (inverted relative to actual consumer use), the consumer can first invert the container 900 on a tabletop surface. The consumer can remove the protective cover that covers the coffee bean opening during transport and storage. The consumer can then remove the foil seal or can ring end covering the opening to preserve the freshness of the coffee beans. The foil seal, container-side connector collar 1010, and bottom surface of the container 900 can be designed to allow removal of the foil seal—for example, the engaging surfaces between the container 900 and the container-side connector collar 1010 can be arranged around the periphery of the container 900, rather than on the surface of the container opening, so that the foil seal is easily removed. The consumer can lower the grinding assembly 300 with the externally threaded grinding-side connector 1020 having a threaded feature facing the container-side connector collar 1010. The consumer can push the grinding assembly 300 downward to lock the coffee bean container 900 assembly and the grinder together.

[0071] refer to Figures 10A to 10F , during the connection process of the two halves of connector 1000, various components interact. Figures 10A to 10F The assembly is shown upright, with the container 900 at the top and the grinding assembly 300 at the bottom, although the actual connection will be made with the components inverted to prevent the coffee beans from spilling out of the container. In these views, the container 900 is being lowered onto the grinder. The container-side connector 1010 and the grind-side connector 1020 may have guides to guide the two components into proper alignment with each other. Figures 10B to 10F The latch 1012 of the container-side connector 1010 is shown in its neutral position before contacting a mating feature on the grind-side connector 1020. Figure 10G and 10H , as the grinding assembly 300 is lowered onto the container 900 , the ramp 1030 of the latch 1012 of the container-side connector 1010 just contacts and begins to engage with the ramp feature 1032 of the grinding-side connector 1020 .

[0072] exist Figure 10I and 10J As the container 900 descends further, the inclined surface 1032 of the grinding side connector 1020 moves the latch 1012 outward. Figure 10J In FIG, when the inclined surface 1030 slides on the inclined surface 1032 of the grinding side connector 1020, the latch 1012 bends outward. Figure 10K and 10L , the two sides 1010, 1020 of the connector 1000 are fully engaged, the latch 1012 passes the ramp 1032 of the grinding side connector 1020 and springs back to its neutral position, which locks the two halves of the connector together, thereby locking the container 900 and the grinder together.

[0073] exist Figures 10G to 10LIn the embodiment of the invention, when the container 900 and the grinding assembly 300 are brought together, the actuator 1050 translates vertically and is compressed against the spring. This displacement can be read by a sensor to ensure that the coffee bean container is in place before power is applied to the grinder, acting as a safety lock. This also prevents counterfeiting of the assembly or attempts to reuse or refill the coffee bean container.

[0074] Figure 10K and 10L The fully connected position is shown. In this position, the consumer can use the grinder to grind the coffee beans in the container 900 and feed it into the brewing machine for multiple brewings until the container 900 is empty. Figures 11A to 11K Removal of the container 900 from the grinder is shown, along with activation of the single-use function.

[0075] refer to Figure 10K 、 10L 11A, when the two halves of the connector are mated, the latch 1012 holds the coffee bean container 900 and the grinder relatively stationary by engaging at 1040. The post of the latch 1012 may not be able to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise because it is blocked by the release button 1112. Rotation of the latch 1012 in the other direction may be blocked by the grind side connector 1020. Figure 10L The snap-fit ​​joint 1040 shown, the two halves of the connector cannot be separated vertically. The externally visible release button 1110 is connected to the internal boss 1112, Figure 11A When the release button 1110 is in its neutral state, the boss 1112 snaps onto the outer collar of the container-side connector collar 1010, which blocks the passage of the post of the catch 1012 to provide a rotational lock. The release button 1110 is spring-loaded to this neutral position.

[0076] refer to Figure 11B When the coffee beans in the container 900 are exhausted, the consumer removes the container / grinder assembly 110 from the brewer. The consumer presses the release button 1110, which moves the boss 1112 radially inward, which opens the rotation channel for the post portion of the latch 1012. The consumer then twists the container-side connector collar 1010 relative to the grind-side connector 1020. Figure 11C In the embodiment, the collar 1010 and the fastener 1012 have been Figure 10K and 10L The locked position is rotated 10° and the release button 1110 has been released, so the locking boss 1112 has returned to its neutral position.

[0077] refer to Figure 11D (refer to Figure 11E and 11F), the grinding side connector 1020 may have a ramp surface 1120 with an increasing radius. As the consumer continues to rotate the container side connector collar 1010, the post of the catch 1012 moves on the ramp 1120. This motion pushes the catch 1012 outward (arrow 1122).

[0078] refer to Figure 11G When the container-side connector collar 1010 has been rotated approximately 30°, the latch 1012 is pushed 1122 past the constriction 1124 on the container-side connector collar 1010 and reaches the landing area 1126. Figures 11G to 11J , the features 1126 of the latch 1012 and the container-side connector collar 1010 hold the latch 1012 in the radially extended position 1128 .

[0079] from Figure 11G 、 11H and the outward snap-fit, radially extended position 1128 of 11I, the latch 1012 is designed to be unable to reengage the retaining features of the grind-side connector 1020. The walls of the landing area 1126 can be extended outward to prevent the latch 1012 from being manually pushed back into the constriction 1124 of the container-side connector collar 1010, so that the latch 1012 of the container-side connector 1010 cannot reengage the mating features of the grind-side connector 1020 (compare Figure 10K and 10L and Figure 11K Likewise, when the latch 1012 remains in the radially extended position 1128, it cannot engage the actuator 1050 to depress the actuator. Because the actuator 1050 is not depressed, the sensor does not detect the presence of a container above the grinder, and the controller will not allow power to be applied to the grinder 310.

[0080] The connector assembly 1000 may have one or more of the following advantages. The container-side connector collar 1010 can rotate freely on the neck of the container 900, which can make it easier for the consumer to engage the threads of the container-side connector 1010 with the threads of the grinder-side connector 1020. In contrast, the process of removing the container 900 from the grinder can be relatively difficult, requiring the consumer to simultaneously press the release button 1110 and rotate the container-side connector collar 1010. Because the coffee bean container 900 cannot be reconnected to the grinder once removed (and the coffee beans cannot be used or may spill), accidental removal should be prevented, and thus the disconnection action should require deliberate action (similar to a child-resistant cap on a medication container), for example, performing two actions simultaneously. Because the container-side connector collar 1010 can rotate freely on the neck of the container 900, accidental or unintentional rotation of the container 900 relative to the connector collar 1010 and / or the grinder 300 will not damage the container 900 or cause it to be accidentally disconnected from the grinder 300. This free rotation may also allow the user to align the container 900 to their preferred position after installation in the appliance 100, such as with the container branding and graphics facing forward.

[0081] Likewise, the container-side connector collar 1010 can be extended to cover most of the connector mechanism in the container 900 and grinder to prevent consumer confusion and tampering.

[0082] The disposable coffee bean container 900 can contain multiple servings of up to 32 ounces of whole coffee beans using a multi-layer, multi-material bag (typically non-recyclable).

[0083] In some cases, the user may want to separate the container-side connector collar 1010 from the container 900 so that they can be recycled independently if they are different materials. This can be accomplished by squeezing or deforming (permanently or temporarily) a feature of the container 900 or the container-side connector collar 1010. Another separation method may also be used. When the container-side connector collar 1010 is installed on the grinder 300, the grinding-side connector 1020 may have a feature that blocks this separation action. This requires the user to first separate the connector collar 1010 from the grinder 300, triggering the single-use feature. This prevents the user from separating the container 900 from the connector collar 1010 while the container-side connector collar 1010 is connected to the grinder 300, and then refilling the container 900 and reconnecting it to the connector collar 1010. IV.C. Disposable containers using a break-away mechanism

[0084] refer to Figures 12A to 12I , the single-use feature can be achieved through a connector that tears when disconnected. Figure 12A 、 12B, 12C, and 12D show a collar 1250 that can be connected to the neck of the coffee bean container 900. The container-side connector collar 1250 can have rectangular features 1252 that slide into mating features of the grind-side connector 1020 during connection. During disconnection, the circular features 1254 of the container-side connector collar 1250 move over the ramp features 1262 on the grind side to stretch the component 1256 of the container-side connector collar 1250 until it deforms and yields.

[0085] exist Figure 12F and 12G During connection, the container-side connector collar 1250 is rotated until the rectangular feature 1252 of the collar 1250 engages the vertical slot 1258 of the grind-side connector 1020 and the grinder is then engaged with the coffee bean container 900. Figure 12H , the rectangular feature 1252 of the container side connector collar 1250 engages with the vertical groove 1258 of the grind side connector 1020 to securely hold the coffee bean container 900 in its working position.

[0086] refer to Figure 12I When the coffee bean container 900 is empty, the consumer presses the release button 1260. This allows the rectangular feature 1252 of the container side connector collar 1250 to rotate (in Figure 12H and 12D 12). As the collar 1250 rotates, the circular feature 1254 moves on the ramp 1262. The ramp 1262 forces the circular feature 1254 and the rectangular feature 1252 apart. This increased distance causes the connecting rod 1256 within the container-side connector collar 1250 to fail, such that the collar 1250 is released from the grind-side connector 1020, and the permanent failure ensures that the collar 1250 and the coffee bean container 900 cannot be reused. The number of circular features 1254 and connecting rods 1256 can be the same as the number of rectangular features 1252, or it can be less. When the connecting rod 1256 breaks, the connector collar 1250 separates from the container 900, either as one piece or as multiple pieces. This allows the connector collar 1250 and the container 900 to be recycled separately. This separation also breaks the connection between the grinder and the container, allowing them to be separated. IV.D. Disposable coffee bean container using short-range radio communication

[0087] In some cases, the brewing machine may include a near-field communication (NFC) reader, an RFID reader, or similar short-range radio communication technology, and each coffee bean container may have a readable tag. This technology may be an RFID tag, ISO / IEC 13157, ISO / IEC 18000-3. The tag may be attached to the coffee bean container 900 with an adhesive backing or embedded in the connector mechanism.

[0088] The tag can record the coffee beans' origin, harvest date, roaster, roast type, roast date, and similar origin characteristics. The information stored in the tag can be used by the user for inventory tracking and reordering. A reader in the brewing machine can confirm that the coffee bean container 900 is genuine and has not exceeded its intended single-use period of multiple servings. The tag can record the capacity of the container 900, allowing for calculation of its useful life. A computer on the brewing machine can record the number of times a given container has been used or the total grinding time for a given container. This total grinding time can be used to calculate restocking requirements as the coffee beans are used by the consumer. This ensures that the coffee beans are delivered to the consumer in a timely manner to ensure freshness. The computer can inform the user of the number of coffee beans remaining in the container and issue a warning when the beans are running low.

[0089] The tag can record the type of coffee beans in the container 900. The tag can include information that serves as a key to lock or unlock the features of the brewing machine. For example, a given brewing machine can be programmed to support a given feature of a coffee bean container with one key value, but not support features with another key value. For example, in some cases, the brewing machine can be sold at a lower price, but it is programmed to work only with a coffee bean container sold at a higher price. In some cases, the brewing machine can be programmed to work only with a coffee bean container with a given key value. In some cases, the brewing machine can be programmed with brewing features customized for different members of the family, and these brewing features can be bound to coffee bean containers with specific keys associated with those family members. In some cases, a roaster can determine the ideal brewing characteristics (temperature, steeping time, ratio of coffee grounds to water, etc.) for a specific coffee bean and roast, and these brewing characteristics can be programmed into the tag of the container.

[0090] In some cases, the information described above for RFID or NFC tags may be stored in an optical code, such as a QR code.

[0091] In some cases, an RFID or NFC tag may be used on a reusable container. In some cases, the RFID or NFC tag may be present on the reusable grinding assembly 300 rather than on the disposable container. In these cases, the computer can track the usage of that particular grinder or container and know the number of coffee beans remaining in it. The computer can monitor the current of the grinding motor so that it can sense when the coffee bean container is empty due to a drop in current. This drop in current, along with the user's action of removing the grinder / container assembly 110 from the appliance 100, tells the computer that this particular grinder or reusable container is being connected to a new coffee bean container or is being refilled. The computer can then reset the counter and start tracking usage from the known point where the container is full.

[0092] In systems with or without RFID, the computer can also use this current drop if the bean container runs out of beans during the grinding process. By monitoring the current, the computer knows how much has been ground so far and how much more needs to be ground to achieve the selected size and strength. The computer can then offer the user the option of adding more beans, grinding them, and brewing a full-size cup of coffee, or using the remaining beans to brew a smaller cup at the same desired coffee-to-water ratio. IV.E. Alternatives to Disposable Coffee Bean Containers

[0093] refer to Figures 13A-13D In some cases, the container 900 can be designed as a single-use, disposable container. In some cases, the opening for the coffee beans can be sold with a seal that is broken when the container is connected to the grinder 300, preserving the freshness of the coffee beans during the connection and opening process. Disposable coffee bean containers can be designed around several concepts. In each case, it is desirable for the disposable container to be recyclable, which generally means it should be made from a single material.

[0094] refer to 13A to 13D In one design, the coffee bean container 900 is designed with a peelable outer seal / lid. When the outer seal / lid is peeled off, the inner seal or wall 1322 continues to protect the coffee beans. The grinder support structure has a post 1320. When the grinding assembly 300 is secured to the coffee bean container 900 (e.g., by twisting), the post 1320 opens the container's inner seal 1322, which allows the coffee beans to flow into the grinder. The tapered shape of the seal 1322 allows the coffee beans to flow around it and into the grinder 300. Once connected, the grinder / container assembly can be used to grind in the brewing apparatus 100. After the coffee bean container 900 is empty after multiple uses, the grinder 300 can be released from the container 900, for example, by unscrewing it.

[0095] refer to Figure 13D The inner seal 1310 can be designed to prevent the coffee bean container 900 from being reused. When the coffee bean container 900 is empty, the grinder and the coffee bean container can be separated from each other. The inner seal 1322 can be sized to be unable to pass through the opening on the coffee bean container 900 and be bound, but sufficient to block the opening to prevent the container 900 from being refilled.

[0096] refer to Figures 13E to 13J, the coffee bean container 900 can be formed as a thin aluminum container, for example, using deep drawing, stamping or other aluminum manufacturing processes. In some cases, other materials can be used. The container 900 can be sold sealed with a tearable seal / lid, usually also aluminum or aluminum foil. A plastic snap-on tearable connector ring 1330 can serve as a connector to the grinder. The grinder can be connected to the snap-on tearable connector ring 1330 by the snap 1332. The grinder can be used until the coffee bean container 900 is empty. To separate the grinder from the container 900 (and transfer it to the next container), the pull tab can initiate the tearing of the snap-on tearable connector ring, or release can be achieved by squeezing the container 900 to deform it so that it is no longer sealed to the connector ( Figure 13I and 13J As part of the human element design, the tear-off tab is designed to prevent premature use of the tear-off feature before the coffee beans are used up. In some cases, the tab may be recessed, making it impossible to grasp the tab before the coffee bean container 900 is secured to the grinder. Only when the grinder snaps into place is the tear-off tab forced outward, exposed, and graspable. The grinder can be completely detached for reuse with the next coffee bean container. The grinder can be attached to the container via a rotating ring. The container can be made of thin aluminum. During rotation, the rotating ring may dent or deform the thin aluminum container, releasing it from the snap feature and allowing removal, but also preventing it from being reused (or otherwise discouraging the user from wanting to reuse it). In some cases, deformation of the container 900 may occur during the initial engagement of the container 900 with the grinder, preventing it from being reused once the container 900 is subsequently removed from the grinder. Alternatively, the container 900 and grinder can be separated by squeezing the container 900 to release it from the snap. By squeezing the aluminum container, the user permanently deforms it, preventing reuse. To facilitate this squeezing, the container 900 can be oval rather than round, and the receiving feature of the grinder can also be oval to match. The oval shape ensures that the user will instinctively squeeze the container 900 in the direction that will release it from the snap. The oval shape also reduces the force required to release the snap connector. The container 900 itself is now separate and, since it is a single material, aluminum, it is easily recyclable. The connector ring is also a single material and is now recyclable. The consumer's ability to refill the container 900 with coffee beans may be limited because the coffee bean container 900 is no longer connected to the snap-on, tearable connector ring or has become deformed. The coffee bean container 900 cannot be removed from the grinder without tearing off the snap-on, tearable connector ring. Without the snap ring, it may be impractical to reconnect or reinstall the container 900 to the grinder or grinding brewing device 100.

[0097] When the container 900 is empty, the user twists the rotating ring 1010 or similar component to release the coffee bean container 900. IV.F. Single-use reusable container

[0098] refer to Figures 14A to 14I The single-use reusable coffee bean container 1400 can hold a portion of coffee beans to allow the user to make a sample single-serve coffee with any coffee beans the customer may choose. The single-use coffee bean container 1400 can have a shape similar to Figures 10A to 11K The threaded features of the container side connector collar 1010 discussed in are designed to engage and lock with the externally threaded ground side connector 1020. Figures 14D to 14I , and with Figures 11D to 11F In contrast, the single use reusable coffee bean container 1400 may have a feature that engages a safety interlock switch via actuator 1050 to allow the grinder to operate (similar to Figure 10L ), but does not have a one-time self-destruct feature. The capacity of container 1400 can correspond to a single cup serving, typically 0.5 ounces to 1.5 ounces of whole coffee beans, for example 0.5 ounces, 0.6 ounces, 0.7 ounces, 0.8 ounces, 0.9 ounces, 1.0 ounces, 1.2 ounces, 1.4 ounces, or 1.5 ounces of whole coffee beans. In some cases, a range of sizes may be sold as a kit, allowing the user to select a size that corresponds to the user's preferred cup size and coffee strength. In some cases, the same concept can be used to design a container that holds more coffee beans (enough for multiple servings). In some cases, this can be achieved by integrating the grinder and container into a single component. In some cases, this single-use reusable container can be configured as a simple lid on the grinder, with the safety switch also activated by actuator 1050. In this case, the grinder can be configured to hold a sufficient serving of coffee beans, allowing the user to pour the coffee beans directly into the grinder and then place the lid on top.

[0099] refer to Figure 14A , the consumer can put a portion of coffee beans into the container 900. Figure 14B , the grinding assembly can be lowered onto the single-use container and pushed to lock. Figure 14C , the single-use container and grinder can be lowered into the grinder brewing apparatus 100 and used to make a single serving of coffee. V. Other Embodiments

[0100] Because the grinder and container are interchangeable, the grinding apparatus 100 can be used to grind other food products. For example, the grinding apparatus 100 can be used to grind fresh nut butters, such as peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. In some cases, the grinding apparatus 100 can be used specifically for grinding spices. For grinding nut butters, the food container can hold whole nuts or partially ground nuts to aid in the grinding process. In some cases, coffee, nut, and spice grinders and containers can be interchanged within the same grinding apparatus 100. These grinders can operate on the same grinding apparatus 100, or separate apparatuses 100 with similar grinding drive train configurations can exist. In some cases, such as when grinding nuts, the food container can be designed to hold single-serving sizes of food. This allows for cleaning the grinder between uses, which may be necessary for grinding nut butters or other food products. This may also be the case for containers containing whole coffee beans.

[0101] For clarity of explanation, the above description focuses on a representative sample of all possible embodiments, which illustrates the principles of the invention and conveys the best mode contemplated. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. To avoid unnecessarily obscuring the principles related to the claimed invention, well-known features may not be described in detail. Throughout this application and its related document history, when the term "invention" is used, it refers to the entire collection of ideas and principles described; rather, the formal definition of the exclusive property right is set forth in the claims, which have exclusive control. This description does not attempt to exhaustively enumerate all possible variations. Other variations or modifications not described are possible. Where multiple alternative embodiments are described, in many cases, elements of different embodiments can be combined, or elements of the embodiments described herein can be combined with other modifications or variations not expressly described. The listing of items does not imply that any or all items are mutually exclusive or that any or all items encompass any category, unless expressly stated otherwise. In many cases, a feature or group of features can be used separately from the entire described apparatus or method. Many of these undescribed alternatives, variations, modifications, and equivalents are within the literal scope of the following claims, and others are equivalent. The claims may be practiced without some or all of the specific details described in the specification.In many cases, the method steps described in this specification can be performed in an order different from the order presented in this specification, or in parallel rather than sequentially.

Claims

1. A method comprising the following steps: A first cup of coffee is brewed in a coffee brewing machine designed for consumer use, the machine comprising: a countertop appliance having a motor designed to drive a grinder blade and an area for receiving the ground food product; a first grinder / container assembly having a grinder burr and a container designed to hold whole coffee beans to be ground; a connection between a countertop appliance and a grinder / container assembly, the connection being designed to transmit power from the motor to the grinder blades and being designed to allow the grinder / container assembly to be separated from the countertop appliance and replaced with another grinder / container assembly in the countertop appliance without the use of tools; After the first cup of coffee is brewed, the first grinder / container assembly is removed from the countertop appliance without the use of tools; Attach the second grinder / container assembly to the countertop appliance without the use of tools.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: Separating a container for holding unground food from the grinder / container assembly at a connection for connection to a grinder housing designed to mount the grinder blade in a countertop appliance; Attach a new unground food container to the grinder housing to form a new container / grinder assembly.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: grinding the first cup of coffee through the grinder burrs, a filter basket below the grinder burrs designed to collect the grounds from the grinder burrs and direct water to permeate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The grinder disc is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the grind material from its base in a conical distribution; The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space with a diameter set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder disc, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide water flow through while preventing the grounds from flowing through. The raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve the desired extraction level.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: a container designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food product is separated from the grinder / container assembly at a connection for connection to a grinder housing, the grinder housing being designed to mount the grinder blades in a countertop appliance, the container and / or the connection between the container and the grinder blades being designed to prevent refilling of the container; Attach a new unground food container to the grinder housing to form a new container / grinder assembly.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: brewing a first cup of coffee into a filter basket of the countertop appliance, the filter basket defining a circular brewing vessel, the filter basket being circular, the filter basket having a bottom having a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote outward flow of water, the filter basket bottom being flattened at a radially outer portion thereof to provide a sufficient grounds volume, and having an opening at or near a periphery of the filter basket, the filter basket having a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 2.5 to 1; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water; The filter basket has features that engage with mating features of the countertop appliance.

6. A device comprising: grinder blades; A grinder housing designed to mount the grinder burr in a consumer countertop appliance and for: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding a container of unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container being positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder burrs, and the container and the grinder burrs being operable as a single assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to a receiver; A grinder-appliance connection is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

7. The device according to claim 6: The grinder-utensil connection and the grinder-container connection are designed together to allow the grinder / container assembly to be easily separated from the utensil and replaced into the utensil, while retaining the container in the container / grinder assembly without separation.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: The grinder-appliance connection is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly without the use of tools.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: The grinder-container connection is designed to allow a user to separate the container from the grinder housing without the use of tools.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: The grinder-container connection is designed to hinder reuse of the container after separation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: The path from the grinder to the ground food receiving area is designed to fall nearly vertically and reduce the adhesion of the ground food.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: The container and grinder burrs are designed for use with unground whole coffee beans and for grinding the unground coffee beans into a grind for brewing; The appliance also includes a water delivery system for delivering water for brewing coffee and a water heater.

13. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: A container for holding unground food has a connection for connecting to the grinder housing.

14. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: Also included is a filter basket below the grinder disc, the filter basket being designed to collect grounds from the grinder disc and direct water to permeate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The grinder blade is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the grind material from its bottom in a conical distribution; The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder disc, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide water flow through the filter screen while preventing the grounds from flowing through. The raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

15. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to the grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food; The container and / or the connection between the container and the grinder blade assembly is designed to prevent refilling of the container.

16. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a circular filter basket having a bottom with a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote outward water flow, the bottom of the filter basket flattening at its radially outer portion to provide a volume for grounds, the filter basket having a screened opening at or near its periphery, and a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 2.5 to 1; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water; The filter basket has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder brewer.

17. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a filter basket designed to receive food grounds ground by the grinder blades and to direct the flow of hot water in a manner that allows for brewing hot beverages; a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the transfer of grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during hot beverage brewing; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

18. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a water pump designed to distribute hot water to the grounds in the device's brewing chamber; as well as A controller is designed to improve wetting or extraction of the ground food by pulsing the water pump during brewing.

19. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: A controller controls the rotation of the motor and the grinder blades, the controller being programmed to drive the motor to rotate in a grinding direction during a grinding cycle to drive the grinder blades to grind food, and to drive the grinder blades to rotate in the reverse direction for a short period of time at the end of the grinding cycle to clean residual ground food from the grinder blades and other rotating parts.

20. An apparatus comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing designed to mount a grinder blade in a consumer countertop appliance and for: receiving a driving force from the countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to a receiver; The grinder-appliance connection of the grinder housing is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

21. The device according to claim 20: The grinder-utensil connection and the grinder-container connection are designed together to allow the grinder / container assembly to be easily separated from the utensil and replaced into the utensil, while retaining the container in the container / grinder assembly without separation.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein: The grinder-appliance connection is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly without the use of tools.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein: The grinder-container connection is designed to allow a user to separate the container from the grinder housing without the use of tools.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: The grinder-container connection is designed to hinder reuse of the container after separation.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: The path from the grinder to the ground food receiving area is designed to be a nearly vertical drop and reduce sticking.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein: The container and grinder burrs are designed for use with unground whole coffee beans and for grinding the unground coffee beans into a grind for brewing; The appliance also includes a water delivery system for delivering water for brewing coffee and a water heater.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: grinder blades; A grinder housing is designed to mount the grinder burr in a countertop appliance.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: Also included is a filter basket below the grinder disc, the filter basket being designed to collect grounds from the grinder disc and direct water to permeate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The grinder blade is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the grind material from its bottom in a conical distribution; The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder disc, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide water flow through the filter screen while preventing the grounds from flowing through. The raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: a container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to the grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food; The container and / or the connection between the container and the grinder blade assembly is designed to prevent refilling of the container.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: a circular filter basket having a bottom with a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote outward water flow, the bottom of the filter basket flattening at its radially outer portion to provide a volume for grounds, the filter basket having a screened opening at or near its periphery, and a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 2.5 to 1; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water; The filter basket has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder brewer.

31. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: a filter basket designed to receive food grounds ground by the grinder blades and to direct the flow of hot water in a manner that allows for brewing hot beverages; a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the transfer of grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during brewing of hot beverages; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: a water pump designed to distribute hot water to the grounds in the device's brewing chamber; as well as A controller is designed to improve wetting or extraction of the ground food by pulsing the water pump during brewing.

33. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: A controller controls the rotation of the motor and the grinder blade, the controller being programmed to drive the motor to rotate in a grinding direction during a grinding cycle to drive the grinder blade to grind the food, and to drive the grinder blade to rotate in the reverse direction for a short time at the end of the grinding cycle to clean residual ground food from the grinder blade and other rotating parts.

34. An apparatus comprising: a grinder disc arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and to deliver the grind material from its base in a conical distribution to the annular area; a filter basket below the grinder disc designed to collect grounds from the grinder disc and direct water to percolate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, the filter basket has features that engage with mating features of a consumer hot beverage grinder and brewer, the filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder blade, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide hot beverage to flow through the filter screen while preventing grounds from flowing through, the raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: a motor having an axis of rotation different from the vertical axis of rotation of the grinder disc; Gears and / or belts designed to transfer rotational power from the motor to the rotating grinder disc.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: The support ribs are designed to position and hold the grinder blade relative to the filter basket, and the support ribs are inclined to reduce adhesion of falling grounds.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: A vertical fixed wall of the drop path extending from the grinder disc is designed to protect the rotating wall from the grinding material to reduce adhesion.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing designed to mount the grinder blade in a countertop appliance and for: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to a receiver; The grinder-appliance connection of the grinder housing is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food, the grinder housing being designed to mount a grinder blade in a countertop appliance and being used to: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade; a grinder-appliance connection for the grinder housing designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly; The container and / or the connection between the container and the grinder blade assembly is designed to prevent refilling of the container.

40. The apparatus according to claim 34: in, The bottom of the filter basket has a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote outward flow of water. The bottom of the filter basket tends to be flat at its radially outer portion to provide a volume for ground material. The filter basket has a filter screen opening at or near its periphery. The ratio of the diameter of the filter basket to its depth is at least about 2.5 to 1.

41. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: a filter basket designed to receive the food grounds from the grinder blades and to direct the flow of water in a manner that allows for brewing hot beverages, a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during the brewing process; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

42. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: a water pump designed to distribute hot water to coffee grounds in a brewing chamber of the coffee brewing appliance; as well as A controller is designed to improve wetting or extraction of the ground food by pulsing the water pump during brewing.

43. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: The brewing basket surrounding the filter basket is designed to catch the brewed coffee flowing out of the filter basket. The brewing basket has a drip valve driven by the appliance motor, and the drip valve is designed to allow or prevent the flow of coffee according to the control of the appliance controller.

44. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: a countertop appliance having a motor for driving the grinder blades and an area for receiving the ground food; A controller controls the rotation of the motor and the grinder blades, the controller being programmed to drive the motor to rotate in a grinding direction during a grinding cycle to drive the grinder blades to grind the food, and to drive the grinder blades to rotate in the opposite direction for a short period of time at the end of the grinding cycle to clean residual ground food from the grinder blades and other rotating components.

45. An apparatus comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food, the grinder housing being designed to mount a grinder blade in a consumer countertop appliance and being used to: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade; a grinder-appliance connection for the grinder housing designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly; The container and / or the container-grinder connection are designed to prevent refilling of the container.

46. ​​The apparatus of claim 45, wherein: The container and / or container-grinder connection is designed to allow the grinder blades to be separated from the container and prevent the container from being refilled, and to allow a new container to be connected without the use of tools.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein: The container-grinder connection and / or the container have features which are designed to deform the container and / or features on the container side of the container-grinder connection during separation of the grinder from the container, so that the container-grinder connection cannot be reused.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein: The container-grinder connection has a feature that triggers the safety switch of the device when the grinder and the container are connected. The deformation of the container and / or the container side is designed to prevent triggering of the safety switch after the deformation.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein: The components of the container-grinder connection are designed as snap-fits to retain features of the container-grinder connection in a disabled position that prevents reuse of the container-grinder connection.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein: The container-grinder connector is designed with an inclined ramp and features that move along the ramp during rotation of the connector components.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein: The container-grinder connection has a feature that is designed to deform during separation of the grinder from the container, such that the first connection cannot be reused.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein: The container-grinder connection has a feature that a user needs to deform in order to remove the container from the grinder.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein: a rotating grinder disc mounted on a vertical shaft, a filter basket below the grinder disc designed to collect grounds from said grinder disc and direct water to permeate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The grinder blade is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the grind material from its bottom in a conical distribution; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, and has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder and brewer. The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder blade, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide water flow through the filter screen while preventing grounds from flowing through. The raised center and the filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

54. An apparatus comprising: a filter basket made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, the filter basket having features that engage with mating features of a consumer hot beverage grinder and brewer, the filter basket being designed to receive food grinds ground by the grinder blades and to direct water flow in a manner to brew a hot beverage; The bottom of the filter basket has a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote water flow outward. The filter basket has a filter screen opening at or near its periphery. The ratio of the diameter to the depth of the filter basket is at least about 2.5 to 1.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein The bottom of the filter basket is watertight, and the filter screen opening is located on a vertical side of the filter basket.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: The bottom of the filter basket is formed as a rotational curved surface around the central axis of the filter basket. The curve of the curved surface has a larger slope at the center and tends to be gentle at the periphery.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: The filter basket has a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 3 to 1.

58. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: grinder blades; A grinder housing designed to mount the grinder burr in a countertop appliance and used for: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding a container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container being positioned for gravity feeding to a grinder disc, and the container and grinder disc being operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to a receiver; A grinder-appliance connection is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

59. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: a rotating grinder disc mounted on a vertical axis, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The grinder blade is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the ground material from its bottom to the annular area of ​​the filter basket in a conical distribution manner; The filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder disc, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide water flow through the filter screen while preventing grounds from flowing through. The raised center and filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

60. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food, the grinder housing being designed to mount a grinder blade in a countertop appliance and being used to: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive a grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade and deliver the grounds to the filter basket; a grinder-appliance connection for the grinder housing designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly; The container and / or the container-grinder connection are designed to prevent refilling of the container.

61. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during the brewing process; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

62. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising: a water pump designed to distribute hot water to coffee grounds in a brewing chamber of the coffee brewing appliance; as well as A controller is designed to improve wetting or extraction of the ground food by pulsing the water pump during brewing.

63. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein: A brewing basket surrounding the filter basket is designed to catch the brewed coffee flowing out of the filter basket. The brewing basket has a drip valve driven by a device motor, and the drip valve is designed to allow or prevent the flow of coffee according to the control of the device controller.

64. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising: a countertop appliance having a motor for driving the grinder blades and an area for receiving the ground food; A controller for controlling the rotation of the motor and the grinder blades, the controller being programmed to drive the motor to rotate in a grinding direction during a grinding cycle to drive the grinder blades to grind food, and to drive the grinder blades to rotate in the reverse direction for a short period of time at the end of the grinding cycle to clean residual ground food from the grinder blades and other rotating parts.

65. An apparatus comprising: a grinder blade designed for grinding food; a filter basket designed to receive the food grounds from the grinder blades and to direct the flow of water in a manner that allows for brewing hot beverages, a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during the brewing process; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

66. The device according to claim 65, wherein The steam shield and the water distributor leading to the dispensing opening are formed as an integral component and are designed to move together on a common mechanism.

67. The device according to claim 66, wherein The steam shield and the water distributor leading to the dispensing opening are formed as separately molded parts that are connected together to form a unitary component.

68. The apparatus of claim 65, further comprising: Grinder housings designed to mount a grinder disc in a countertop appliance and used for: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding a container of unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container being positioned for gravity feeding to a grinder disc, and the container and the grinder disc being operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to the receiver; A grinder-appliance connector is designed to allow a user to easily install or remove a container / grinder assembly into or from a countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance.

69. The apparatus according to claim 65: in, The grinder disc is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis and delivers the grind material in a conical distribution from its bottom; and further comprising: a filter basket beneath the grinder disc designed to collect the grounds from the grinder disc and direct water to percolate through the grounds, a water heating and distribution system, and a computer controller; The filter basket is made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, the filter basket has features that engage with mating features of a hot beverage grinder and brewer, the filter basket has a raised center and a surrounding annular space, the diameter of the annular space is set to collect grounds that fall from the grinder blade, and the filter basket has a filter screen with a certain porosity to guide hot beverage to flow through the filter screen while preventing grounds from flowing through, the raised center and the filter screen are designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level.

70. The apparatus of claim 65, further comprising: A container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to a grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food, the grinder housing being designed to mount a grinder blade in a countertop appliance and being used to: receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the flow of food from the container into the grinder blade; a grinder-appliance connection for the grinder housing designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly; The container and / or the container-grinder connection are designed to prevent refilling of the container.

71. The apparatus of claim 65, further comprising: a filter basket made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, the filter basket having features that engage with mating features of the hot beverage grinder, the filter basket being designed to receive food grinds ground by the grinder blades and to direct water flow in a manner for brewing hot beverages; The bottom of the filter basket has a raised center that slopes outward from the center to promote water flow outward. The filter basket has a filter screen opening at or near its periphery, and the ratio of the filter basket's diameter to its depth is at least about 2.5 to 1.

72. An apparatus comprising: a container for holding unground food, the container having a connection for connecting to the grinder housing, the container being designed to hold up to about 3 liters of food; a grinder blade configured to rotate about a vertical axis; The grinder housing is designed as follows: retaining the grinder burr in a consumer countertop appliance for rotation about a vertical axis; receiving a driving force from a countertop appliance motor to drive the grinder blade, which delivers the ground material to the annular area in a conical distribution from the bottom of the blade; holding the container for unground food as a container / grinder assembly, the container positioned for gravity feeding to the grinder blades, and the container and grinder blades operable as an assembly; holding the grinder blade in a manner and position to direct the food from the container into the grinder blade and to direct the ground food to the receiver; a grinder-to-appliance connection for the grinder housing designed to allow a user to easily install or remove the container / grinder assembly into or from the countertop appliance assembly and replace it with another container / grinder assembly in the appliance; The container and / or container-grinder connection is designed to prevent refilling of the container; A filter basket made of a material suitable for contact with food and exposure to hot water, the filter basket having features that engage with mating features of a consumer hot beverage grinder and brewer, the filter basket having a bottom having a raised center slanted outward from the center to promote outward water flow, and a surrounding annular space having a diameter configured to collect grounds that fall vertically and annularly from the grinder blades, the filter basket having a screened opening at or near its periphery, the filter basket having a diameter to depth ratio of at least about 2.5 to 1, and a screen having a porosity to direct hot beverage flow through the screen while preventing grounds from flowing through, the raised center and screen being designed to promote water flow through the grounds to achieve a desired extraction level; water heating and distribution systems; Computer controller; as well as a steam shield designed to be in an open position during operation of the grinder burrs to direct the grounds from the grinder burrs to the filter basket, and to be in a closed position after grinding and during brewing to protect the grinder burrs from escaping steam during the brewing process; The lower surface of the steam shield has one or more dispensing openings for dispensing water to the grounds in the filter basket for brewing.

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