Beverage maker for forming beverage

Abstract

A beverage maker may be configured to form a beverage using a brew chamber and may direct the beverage to a cooling unit. The cooling unit may include a cooling liquid, and the cooling liquid may be cooled using a thermoelectric cooler. A cooled beverage may be formed by directing the beverage through the cooling housing. The cooling liquid may be cooled using the thermoelectric cooler and may be directed to the cooling housing. The beverage may be cooled using the cooling liquid. The cooling unit may include a phase change material arranged in any suitable manner.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 63 / 584,791, filed September 22, 2023, pursuant to 35 U.S.C., 119(e), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The aspects disclosed herein relate to beverage making machines, such as, but not limited to, coffee brewing machines that use liquids to form coffee beverages. Background Technology

[0004] Beverage-making machines that use liquids such as water to make beverages are well known. For example, U.S. Patent 8,094,998 and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017 / 0307252 disclose systems in which unheated water is introduced into a heating tank, forcing the water in the heating tank to flow out of the tank and to a beverage-making station or dispensing location. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect, a beverage making machine is provided. The beverage making machine may include a brewing chamber configured to form a beverage, a thermoelectric cooler, and a cooling housing defining a cooling volume. The cooling housing may have a cooling liquid inlet and a cooling liquid outlet. The beverage making machine may also include a cooling liquid passage fluidly coupled to the cooling liquid inlet and the cooling liquid outlet. The cooling liquid passage may be in thermal communication with the thermoelectric cooler, such that the thermoelectric cooler is configured to cool the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling liquid passage. The beverage making machine may also include a beverage passage fluidly coupled to the brewing chamber and configured to receive a beverage from the brewing chamber. The beverage passage may extend through the cooling housing.

[0006] According to another aspect, a method for forming a beverage is provided. The method may include: forming the beverage, cooling a cooling liquid using a thermoelectric cooler, flowing the cooled liquid through a cooling housing, flowing the beverage through the cooling housing, and cooling the beverage using the cooled liquid due to heat transfer from the beverage to the cooled liquid.

[0007] It should be understood that the concepts described above, as well as the additional concepts discussed below, can be arranged in any suitable combination, as this disclosure is not limited to this aspect. Furthermore, other advantages and novel features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or similar component shown in the various figures may be represented by the same reference numerals. For clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 An isometric view of a beverage making machine according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 2A A side view of a beverage making machine according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 2B A side view of a beverage making machine according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an illustrative flow circuit in a beverage making machine according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 4 A cooling unit according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 5 A cooling unit according to another embodiment is shown; Figure 6 A cooling unit according to yet another embodiment is shown; Figure 7 A beverage making machine with flushing pipes is shown; and Figure 8 A thermoelectric cooler according to some embodiments is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0009] It should be understood that aspects of the invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate illustrative embodiments. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not necessarily intended to illustrate all embodiments of the invention, but are used to describe some illustrative embodiments. Therefore, aspects of the invention are not intended to be interpreted narrowly based on the illustrative embodiments. Furthermore, it should be understood that aspects of the invention can be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the invention.

[0010] Some beverages may involve heating as a step in the beverage's formation. For example, a precursor liquid such as water may be heated before being mixed with beverage ingredients such as coffee. In some embodiments, the beverage may be consumed while relatively hot. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to consume the beverage while relatively cold, such as in the form of "cold brew" and / or "ice." Therefore, the beverage may be cooled before consumption. Cooling a beverage may include introducing a cold material (e.g., ice) into the beverage, but this may dilute the beverage with the cold material. For example, ice may be added to a hot beverage to cool it, and heat may be transferred from the beverage to the ice, causing the ice to melt into water, which then mixes with and dilutes the beverage. A diluted beverage may have an undesirable taste and / or texture. The inventors have recognized the desire to form a cooled beverage while reducing or eliminating beverage dilution.

[0011] In order to produce a cooled beverage, heat can be transferred away from the beverage. In some embodiments, the machine may be configured to transfer heat from the beverage. The systems and methods disclosed herein can be used anywhere and for any suitable purpose, including at home, commercially, and / or industrially (e.g., large-scale beverage production). The machine can be used to make any suitable beverage, including coffee (e.g., iced coffee), tea (e.g., iced tea), hot chocolate, mineral and / or vitamin beverages, or any other suitable beverage.

[0012] The inventors have recognized that strategies for cooling a prepared beverage may include transferring heat from the beverage using a cooling unit prior to dispensing. The cooling unit can cool a liquid (e.g., a beverage) without diluting it. The beverage can flow through the cooling unit, and the cooling unit can be configured to absorb heat from the beverage flowing through it. The cooling liquid can be disposed within a cooling volume and can be in thermal communication with the beverage flowing through the cooling unit, such that heat is transferred from the beverage to the cooling unit. In some embodiments, the cooling liquid can be actively cooled using a thermoelectric cooler (also referred to herein as “TEC”). Active cooling of the cooling liquid can help increase the heat transferred from the beverage to the cooling unit without significantly increasing the volume of the cooling unit. In some embodiments, reducing the volume (e.g., size) of the cooling unit can be beneficial in order to reduce the space occupied by the beverage maker. For example, countertop space in a user's kitchen or office may be limited, so reducing the footprint of the beverage maker can help reduce the amount of countertop space occupied by the beverage maker.

[0013] It should be understood that the term "thermoelectric cooler assembly" (also known as "TEC assembly") as used herein can refer to a component assembly that includes a thermoelectric cooler. For example, a thermoelectric cooler assembly may include an assembly that comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooler, a radiator, a fan, and a manifold.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cooling unit may include a phase change material (PCM) configured to transfer heat from the beverage to the PCM. For example, in some embodiments, heat can be transferred from the beverage to the cooling liquid, and subsequently, heat can be transferred from the cooling liquid to the PCM. In embodiments where the cooling liquid is actively cooled (e.g., with TEC), heat can be transferred from the PCM to the cooling liquid when the heat of the PCM exceeds the heat of the cooling liquid (e.g., when the temperature of the PCM is higher than the temperature of the cooling liquid). A thermoelectric cooler can be used to cool the cooling fluid, such that heat is transferred from the cooling fluid to the thermoelectric cooler.

[0015] In some embodiments, the duration for which the beverage is cooled by the cooling unit can be selectively controlled. Increasing the cooling time results in a colder beverage, while decreasing the cooling time results in a relatively warmer beverage (although the beverage may still be cold). In other words, the longer the beverage is cooled by the cooling unit, the colder it is likely to be. For example, the temperature of the beverage may be directly proportional to the time the beverage is in contact with the cooling unit.

[0016] The inventors also recognized that forming a cooling unit with sufficient heat capacity and ensuring sufficient heat transfer from the beverage to the cooling unit allows for the continuous formation of multiple cooled beverages. If the cooling unit has insufficient heat capacity, its temperature may rise due to the heat transferred during the continuous formation of beverages, and the cooling unit may fail to adequately cool the beverages. Therefore, the systems and methods disclosed herein are capable of cooling multiple beverages consecutively.

[0017] The inventors have recognized that, in some embodiments, the cooler the cooling liquid, the faster the cooling unit cools the beverage. For example, if the average temperature of the cooling liquid is reduced, the cooling unit may cool the beverage more quickly. Therefore, if the flow rate of the beverage through the cooling unit (e.g., through the beverage channel) is constant, the cooler the average temperature of the cooling liquid, the cooler the dispensed beverage is likely to be. Thus, the temperature of the cooling liquid can be controlled according to the temperature / heat of the beverage to be dispensed. The inventors also recognize that, in some embodiments, the cooling liquid is preferably cooled without freezing. In some embodiments, freezing the cooling liquid may damage one or more parts of the cooling unit, including the cooling housing, the beverage channel, and any other suitable parts of the cooling unit. Furthermore, frozen cooling liquid may prevent flow through the cooling volume and / or the cooling liquid channel.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cooling unit can be activated to cool the cooling liquid and / or PCM in the cooling unit before the beverage is formed and cooled. The cooling unit can also be activated to cool the cooling liquid for a period of time before the cooling unit is intended for use.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cooling liquid may be cooled to temperatures less than or equal to about 20°C, 15°C, 14°C, 13°C, 12°C, 11°C, 10°C, 9°C, 8°C, 7°C, 6°C, 5°C, 4°C, 3°C, 2°C, 1°C, 0°C, and / or any other suitable temperature. The cooling liquid may also be cooled to temperatures greater than or equal to 0°C, 1°C, 2°C, 3°C, 4°C, 5°C, 6°C, 7°C, 8°C, 9°C, 10°C, 11°C, 12°C, 13°C, 14°C, 15°C, 20°C, and / or any other temperature. The aforementioned combinations are also considered, including temperatures between or equal to 0°C and 10°C, 0°C and 9°C, 0°C and 5°C, 2°C and 4°C, as well as temperatures above and below the aforementioned ranges, because this disclosure is not limited to the temperature to which the cooling liquid is cooled.

[0020] In some embodiments, the coolant may be cooled for a time less than or equal to about 12 hours, 8 hours, 7 hours, 6 hours, 5 hours, 4 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours, and / or any other suitable time before the cooling unit is expected to be used. The coolant may be cooled for a time greater than or equal to 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, and / or any other time before the cooling unit is expected to be used. Combinations of the foregoing are also considered, including times between 2 hours and 12 hours, as well as times higher and lower than the foregoing ranges, because this disclosure is not limited to the time the coolant is cooled before its expected use.

[0021] As described herein, one or more thermoelectric coolers (TECs) can be used to transfer heat associated with beverage making machines and / or cooling units. TECs (sometimes referred to as Peltier coolers, solid-state refrigerators / freezers, or thermoelectric heat pumps) are used to transfer heat using the Peltier effect. In some embodiments, a thermoelectric cooler may include two sides and may be configured to allow an electric current (e.g., direct current) to flow through the device, wherein the flow of the current transfers heat from one side to the other. Thus, when the device is started (e.g., current flows through the device), the side configured to dissipate heat becomes cold, and the side configured to absorb heat becomes hot, forming a “cold” side and a “hot” side. In some embodiments, the hot side may be coupled to a heat absorber, which includes any suitable heat transfer element, including but not limited to one or more radiators and / or fans. In some embodiments, the direction and amount of heat transferred from the cold side to the hot side can be selectively altered by controlling the direction and amount of current applied to the thermoelectric cooler. In some embodiments, the cold side may be coupled to a manifold through which a cooling liquid flows, and the TEC may be configured to cool this manifold. For example, a cooling liquid passage may be fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the manifold, and cooling liquid may enter the inlet of the manifold and exit from the outlet of the manifold. Therefore, the TEC can be configured to transfer heat from the manifold, and the manifold can be configured to transfer heat from the cooling liquid passage and / or the cooling liquid within the cooling liquid passage. The inventors have recognized that cooling a manifold with a TEC can provide advantages in terms of thermal and electrical efficiency, thereby improving performance and / or saving costs. In some embodiments, the beverage making machine avoids the use of vapor compression (e.g., refrigeration) cycles and compressors for cooling. However, in other embodiments, vapor compression cycles may be used.

[0022] Sensors can be used to sense one or more liquid-related parameters in relation to a beverage making machine. For example, sensors can sense temperature, pressure, volume, level, flow rate, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, and / or any other suitable liquid-related parameter. Therefore, any suitable sensor can be used herein. For example, a beverage making machine may include any suitable combination of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, volume sensors, level sensors, flow sensors, and / or any other suitable type of sensor. In some embodiments, conductive probes may be arranged to contact liquid in a liquid supply line, tank, valve, or any other suitable element, for example, to detect the presence or absence of liquid.

[0023] In some embodiments, the sensor component may include at least one conductive element that contacts the liquid to detect its presence or absence, and a temperature component that detects temperature, and may be arranged in different ways and / or detect other physical properties of the liquid. For example, the sensor may include sensor devices for detecting the liquid's pressure, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, and / or other properties. In some embodiments, the sensor may detect three or more characteristics of the liquid, such as temperature, conductivity, and presence / absence.

[0024] In some embodiments, a beverage making machine can be used to form a beverage by combining beverage precursor liquids with beverage ingredients. The beverage making machine allows users to prepare small quantities of beverages, such as single servings or small batches. Multiple users can use the same machine to quickly prepare individual servings of different beverages, such as different beverage types or flavors, without wasting any unused beverages.

[0025] In some embodiments, the beverage maker can be used with beverage pods (cartridges) to form beverages such as tea, coffee, espresso, cocoa, or other brewed beverages. The beverage pods may include beverage ingredients such as properly prepared coffee beans, tea leaves, etc. The beverage maker can use a beverage precursor liquid, such as water, to form the beverage, which can be combined with the beverage ingredients in the beverage pods under appropriate conditions to form the beverage.

[0026] In some embodiments, the beverage machine may be used with unpackaged beverage pods (cartons). Unpackaged beverage pods may retain their own shape, thus eliminating the need for separate packaging to prevent beverage ingredients from dispersing before being used to form a beverage. Such beverage pods may be, for example, in the form of compacted tablets or capsules (which may or may not be made of compacted material). Beverage ingredients may be contained without separate removable packaging. In some embodiments, the beverage ingredients in the unpackaged beverage pods have been compacted. In some embodiments, the unpackaged beverage pods may be bonded together using a food-grade adhesive or another beverage ingredient that promotes the formation of an adhesive structure in the beverage tablets. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the unpackaged beverage pods do not need to include adhesives or other beverage ingredients for bonding. Some unpackaged beverage pods may be formed by separate processing, such as by pressing, heating, or drying into the desired form.

[0027] In some embodiments, the unpackaged beverage pod may include a shell, such as a coating, disposed along the outer surface of the pod's periphery. In some embodiments, the shell may bind the beverage ingredients inside the pod. The beverage ingredients inside the pod may be loose, such as loosely ground coffee, or they may be compacted. The shell may be a food-grade binder, alginate, edible, soluble, insoluble, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the shell may act as a barrier to reduce the penetration of oxygen and / or moisture, thereby maintaining the freshness of the beverage ingredients. In some embodiments, the shell is configured to be insoluble in water, while in other embodiments, the shell may be configured to be soluble in water. The material of the unpackaged beverage pod, including the pod's shell (if present), may come into direct contact with certain parts of the beverage machine, such as the brewing chamber, before brewing the beverage, without the need for intercalation of packaging.

[0028] Unpackaged beverage pods may be configured to break into pieces during brewing or to remain intact during this process. In some embodiments, unpackaged beverage pods are configured to be insoluble in water, while in other embodiments, they may be configured to dissolve at least partially or completely. In some embodiments, unpackaged beverage pods may contain roasted coffee abrasives (e.g., those left after beverage formation), soluble coffee, soluble materials, binders, or other materials, and any combination thereof. Unpackaged beverage pods may be any suitable shape, such as cylinders, spheres, ellipsoids, elliptical prisms, teardrop shapes, frustums of cones, cones, or other shapes.

[0029] However, in other embodiments, the beverage pods may be individually packaged, portion-sized beverage ingredients, such as, but not limited to, K-CUP pods and other similar types of beverage pods. Individually packaged beverage ingredients can be removed from the beverage making machine and discarded after beverage preparation. In some embodiments, at least a portion or all of the packaging may be made of biodegradable, recyclable, and / or compostable (e.g., home compostable and / or industrial compostable) materials or any combination thereof.

[0030] Turning to the accompanying drawings, specific non-limiting embodiments will be described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described with respect to these embodiments can be used individually and / or in any desired combination, as this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein.

[0031] Figure 1A perspective view of a beverage making machine 100 (e.g., a beverage maker) incorporating various features of this disclosure is shown. While the beverage making machine 100 can be used to form any suitable beverage, such as tea, coffee, other brewed beverages, beverages formed from liquid or powder concentrates, soups made from dried materials, juices or other beverages, carbonated or non-carbonated beverages or other beverages, in this illustrative embodiment, the machine 100 is arranged to form a coffee beverage. In some embodiments, a beverage pod (box) 1 may be provided to the machine 100 for forming a beverage that is dispensed into a user's cup or other suitable container 2. The pod 1 can be placed manually or automatically in a brewing chamber 15, which may include a pod holder 3 and a cover 4. For example, the pod holder 3 may include a cup-shaped or other suitable shaped opening into which the pod 1 can be placed. With the pod 1 placed in the pod holder 3, a handle 5 can be moved (e.g., downwards) to move the cover 4 to a closed position (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 1 (As shown). In the closed position, the cover 4 can at least partially cover the pod 1, for example, so that the pod is at least partially closed in the brewing chamber 15. Water or other liquid can be supplied to the pod 1 (e.g., by injecting liquid into the interior of the pod) to form a beverage, which exits the pod 1 and is supplied to the cup 2 or other container via the beverage outlet. For example, from Figure 1 and Figure 3 As can be seen, liquid can be supplied from the storage section 7 to the brewing chamber 15 or other dispensing stations. In some embodiments, the storage section 7 can be manually filled by the user, for example, by the user introducing water into the storage section 7. In some embodiments, the storage section 7 can be removed from the beverage machine to facilitate the introduction of water into the storage section. For example, the beverage machine may include a storage section base 17, and the storage section 7 can be removed from the storage section base 17.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the storage unit 7 may obtain liquid from a tap water connection that allows the machine 100 to be connected to a piped water source.

[0033] Figure 1-2BThe machine 100 shown is merely one example of a beverage making machine that can incorporate the features of the invention described herein. Therefore, the features of the invention can be used with any suitably arranged machine 100, including drip coffee makers, espresso machines, carbonated beverage making machines, and other beverage dispensing systems. Such a system does not necessarily require the use of beverage pods; instead, the brewing chamber or other dispensing station can otherwise accept (e.g., in loose form) ground coffee or other beverage ingredients to make a beverage. Furthermore, the brewing chamber 15 does not necessarily need to include a pod holder 3 and a cover 4. For example, the brewing chamber may include a filter basket or other containment arranged to receive beverage ingredients and mix them with water or other liquids to form a beverage. In some embodiments, the brewing chamber does not need to be user-accessible; instead, beverage ingredients can be automatically supplied to and / or removed from the brewing chamber. Moreover, the machine 100 does not need to have a brewing chamber 15; instead, other types of dispensing stations are required, for example, dispensing hot and / or cold water or other liquids (whether non-carbonated or carbonated) at a beverage outlet such as a dispensing nozzle, without mixing with any beverage ingredients. Therefore, beverage making machines of various types and configurations with the features of this invention can be used.

[0034] Regardless of type and / or configuration, the beverage making machine 100 may include a cooling unit 200. In some embodiments, the cooling unit 200 may be disposed inside the beverage making machine housing 10, for example... Figure 2A The embodiments described herein. In another embodiment, the cooling unit 200 may be disposed outside the beverage making machine housing 10, for example... Figure 2B The embodiments depicted herein. In some embodiments, the cooling unit 200 may be positioned on a base 400, which may be connected to the beverage making machine housing 10, such as... Figure 2B As shown. Any system (e.g., a beverage making machine) and method described herein may include a cooling unit 200 disposed inside, partially inside, partially outside, or outside the beverage making machine housing 10, as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0035] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the liquid supply section and other components of an exemplary beverage making machine 100 for forming a beverage is shown. As described above, the liquid supply of the machine 100 may include a storage section 7, which may be configured to be manually filled by a user. A liquid level sensor 83 may be included to detect the liquid level in the storage section 7.

[0036] In some embodiments, the machine 100 may include a water supply connection 8 having a connector 81 for fluid connection to tap water and a water supply valve 82 for controlling flow to the storage unit 7. The water supply valve 82 may be controlled by a controller or control circuit 11 based on information from a level sensor 83; for example, the water supply valve 82 may be operated to establish a desired water level in the storage unit 7. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the machine 100 is not configured to connect to a piped water source. In some embodiments, the machine does not include the water supply connection 8, the connector 81, and / or the water supply valve 82.

[0037] Valve 9 can selectively connect the storage unit 7 to the brewing chamber 15 or other dispensing station to deliver liquid. Beverage parameters can be set by default by the controller 11, by user interaction with the user interface, and / or by reading machine-readable features on the pod 1 and setting them using the corresponding parameters.

[0038] Pump 12 can deliver liquid from valve 9 to heater 13 or other liquid conditioning devices, such as heating, carbonating, or otherwise conditioning water or other liquids to prepare a beverage. Using pump 12 allows machine 100 to change the flow rate and / or pressure of the liquid as needed, for example, using higher-pressure liquids to form espresso or other beverages, and using lower-pressure liquids to prepare drip coffee or other beverages. In some embodiments, pumping water or other liquids into heater 13 causes the heated liquid to flow to brewing chamber 15 for mixing (or not mixing) with beverage ingredients and for dispensing as a beverage.

[0039] In some embodiments, the heater includes any suitable type of heater, boiler (boiler), or heat exchanger. For example, in some embodiments, the heater may be a flow-through heater with a relatively small volume, such as a tube with an associated heating element for heating liquid in the tube. Examples of flow-through heaters include flat flow-through heaters, spiral flow-through heaters, U-shaped flow-through heaters, or any other type of heater. In some embodiments, the heater may be a heating element for heating a heater tank. The heater may be in thermal communication with the heater tank, such as in direct contact with water or other precursor liquids within the heater tank, or may be arranged in a non-contact manner, wherein the heater is disposed outside the tank or embedded within the tank wall. The heater may be electrically connected to a controller and / or user interface. Liquid may enter the heater tank and remain within the heater tank for a period of time, during which time the liquid is heated.

[0040] In some embodiments, the heater tank may include a sensor configured to sense the temperature of the liquid within the heater tank. In some embodiments, the liquid may leave the heater tank after a period of time and / or after the sensed liquid temperature exceeds a temperature threshold.

[0041] The beverage making machine 100 may include a dispensing valve movable between different configurations to guide fluid flow. In a first configuration, valve 300 may be configured to direct beverage from the brewing chamber 15 to the cooling unit 200. In a second configuration, valve 300 may be configured to dispense beverage from the brewing chamber 15 and exit the beverage making machine 100 through a dispensing outlet 301, thereby bypassing the cooling unit, for example, to form a non-cooled beverage, such as, but not limited to, a hot or room-temperature beverage. Valve 300 may be operatively coupled to a controller 11, and controller 11 may be configured to control valve 300 to maintain or change the configuration. In some embodiments, the beverage making machine 100 may include a user interface (not shown) configured to receive input from a user. In some embodiments, input from the user may cause valve 300 to move from a first configuration to a second configuration and / or from a second configuration to a first configuration. Thus, input from the user may determine whether to direct the beverage to the cooling unit 200 for cooling or to dispense it from the beverage making machine 100.

[0042] Cooling unit 200 can be as follows Figure 3 The beverage is fluidly connected to the brewing chamber 15 and the dispensing outlet 301 via valve 300. In some embodiments, a beverage inlet 406 disposed on the cooling unit housing 402 may be configured to receive a beverage (e.g., a brewed beverage) from the brewing chamber 15. According to some embodiments, the beverage may move (e.g., flow) through the cooling housing 402 in a beverage channel 404. The cooling housing 402 may contain a cooling liquid that may be configured to transfer (e.g., absorb) heat from the beverage flowing through or otherwise disposed in the beverage channel 404. Thus, as the beverage flows through the cooling housing 402, heat can be transferred away from the beverage, thereby cooling the beverage. The cooling channel 404 may be formed in any suitable geometry, including a cylinder, a cone, a trefoil, or any other suitable geometry. The beverage may exit the cooling housing 402 through the beverage outlet 408 and may move toward the dispensing outlet 301 for dispensing. In some embodiments, the cooling housing 402 may be formed as a tower (e.g., a cooling tower), which may be disposed inside or outside the beverage making machine housing. The cooling housing 402 and the corresponding cooling volume 410 can be formed in any suitable geometry, including cylinders, ellipses, rectangular prisms, and any other suitable shape or geometry, as this disclosure is not intended to limit it in this way. According to some embodiments, the cooling housing can be insulated using air, plastic insulation, or any other suitable material.

[0043] The beverage channel described herein can be formed of any suitable material, including aluminum, copper, plastic, rubber, or any combination thereof, or any other suitable material, as this disclosure is not limited to the material of the beverage channel. In some embodiments, the beverage channel may be formed of a non-corrosive material such as aluminum. In some embodiments, the beverage channel may be formed of a material with high thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the beverage channel may be formed of a food-safe material.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the beverage can move through the beverage channel 404 disposed within the cooling volume 410 of the cooling unit 200. The beverage channel 404 can be fluidly connected to the beverage inlet 406 and the beverage outlet 408 of the cooling unit 200. The cooled beverage can move through the beverage outlet 408 to the brewing chamber 15 and can be dispensed.

[0045] In some embodiments, the cooling liquid disposed in the cooling volume 410 may be cooled by the TEC component 412. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the beverage channel 404 may be substantially immersed in the cooling liquid (e.g., surrounded by the cooling liquid). For example, a large portion of the cooling volume 410 may be filled with cooling liquid such that a large portion or all of the beverage channel 404 is immersed in the cooling liquid.

[0046] In some embodiments, coolant may enter the cooling housing 402 through coolant inlet 416 and exit the cooling housing 402 through coolant outlet 418. In some embodiments, coolant may be guided to the TEC assembly for cooling using one or more pumps 414 via coolant passage 413.

[0047] In some embodiments, for example Figure 4-6 In the embodiment depicted, the coolant passage 413 may be located outside the cooling housing 402. Coolant may exit the cooling housing 402 through the coolant outlet 418 to enter the coolant passage 413. The coolant flowing through the coolant passage 413 may be cooled by the TEC assembly and then enter the cooling housing 402 through the coolant inlet 416.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown in the depicted embodiments, the TEC component 412 and / or one or more pumps 414 may be operatively coupled to the controller 11. According to some embodiments, the controller 11 may be configured to control one or both of the TEC component 412 and one or more pumps 414. Therefore, the controller 11 can activate and deactivate the TEC component 412.

[0049] In some embodiments, the cooling liquid may circulate within the cooling volume 410. Circulating the cooling liquid can help create a more uniform temperature distribution within the cooling volume 410. A uniform temperature / heat distribution within the cooling volume 410 can help cool the beverage within the beverage channel 404 more evenly. For example, circulating the cooling liquid can help prevent any part of the cooling volume from becoming overheated or undercooled due to cooling liquid stagnation. In some embodiments, the cooling liquid may circulate continuously. In other embodiments, the cooling liquid may circulate intermittently. In any case, the circulation of the cooling liquid through the cooling volume 410 and the cooling beverage channel 413 can be controlled via a pump 414, which, according to some embodiments, can be controlled using a controller 11. Circulating the cooling liquid can also create crossflow between the flow of the cooling liquid and the flow of the beverage within the cooling volume 410, which can help increase the cooling of the beverage.

[0050] According to some embodiments, the controller 11 can selectively control the amount of heat transferred from the fluid. For example, in some embodiments, the temperature of the beverage leaving the cooling unit 200 can be either chilled (e.g., 32℉ to 50℉) or room temperature (e.g., 60℉ to 80℉). It should be understood that the TEC can be controlled so that the temperature of the beverage can be within any suitable range, as the invention is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the beverage machine 100 may produce both chilled and room temperature beverages depending on the desired outcome. The desired outcome may depend on, for example, user preferences, user input, sensed beverage pod type, and associated brewing recipe, etc. In other embodiments, the beverage machine 100 may only be able to produce either chilled or room temperature beverages.

[0051] In some embodiments, a user may selectively determine how much cooling fluid is contained in the cooling volume 410. For example, a user may manually fill the cooling volume 410 with a desired amount of cooling fluid. In some embodiments, the cooling housing may include a user-accessible opening (not shown) configured to allow a user to add and / or remove cooling liquid from the cooling housing 402. In some embodiments, a user may add cooling liquid to the cooling housing through the user-accessible opening. The user-accessible opening may take any suitable form, including movable and / or removable caps, latches, covers, drains, valves, any combination thereof, and any other suitable user-accessible opening configured to allow the user to add and / or remove cooling liquid. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a user may selectively add, such as ice or any other suitable material configured to cool the cooling volume, via the user-accessible opening. In some embodiments, the user-accessible opening may be configured to allow a user to clean the cooling volume. In some embodiments, the cooling unit 200 may include more than one user-accessible opening, and this disclosure is not so limited. For example, the cooling unit may include a removable cover configured to allow a user to add cooling fluid to the cooling housing 402, and may also include a drain port configured to allow a user to remove cooling liquid from the cooling housing 402.

[0052] As discussed above, cooling unit 200 may include a cooling liquid passage 413 fluidly coupled to pump 414. Pump 414 may cause a cooling liquid, such as water or any other suitable type of fluid, to move through cooling liquid passage 413. Also as discussed above, cooling unit 200 may include a TEC assembly 412 configured such that heat is transferred from the cooling liquid disposed in and / or flowing through cooling liquid passage 413 to TEC assembly 412. Upon activation of TEC assembly, heat can be transferred from the cooling liquid in cooling liquid passage 413 to TEC assembly. As previously mentioned, activating TEC assembly may involve causing an electric current to flow through the TEC of TEC assembly. It should be understood that beverage passage 404 and cooling liquid passage 413 may be formed in any suitable arrangement, pattern, or layout. For example, the depicted beverage passage 404 may include one or more conduits, such as tubes, pipes, etc., within which the beverage travels, and the conduits(s) ... Figure 4-6In the depicted embodiments, the beverage channel 404 forms multiple coils within the cooling volume 410. However, the beverage channel 404 need not form coils, and this disclosure is not so limiting. In some embodiments, the cooling liquid channel 413 may include one or more conduits that deliver cooling liquid out of the cooling housing 402, to the TEC assembly 412, and then back to the cooling housing 402. In some embodiments, once inside the cooling housing 402, the cooling liquid can exit the conduits(s) of the cooling liquid channel 413 and move freely within the cooling volume 410 of the cooling housing 402. In other words, in some embodiments, the cooling liquid channel 413 may be substantially outside the cooling housing 402. In some embodiments, the cooling liquid channel may be mounted to one or more inner and / or outer walls of the cooling housing 402.

[0053] In some embodiments, the controller can control the TEC of the TEC component to alter the amount of heat transfer. For example, the controller 11 can cause an increased amount of current to flow through the TEC to increase the heat transferred from the cooling fluid to the TEC, and consequently increase the heat transferred from the beverage to the cooling fluid, which may result in a cooler beverage. In some embodiments, the current flowing through the TEC may be positively correlated with the wattage of the TEC. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the controller can control the flow rate of the beverage through the beverage channel 404 based on the desired level of heat transfer. For example, if more heat transfer is desired (e.g., a cooler beverage), the controller can decrease the flow rate, or if less heat transfer is desired (e.g., a warmer beverage), the controller can increase the flow rate. In some embodiments, the flow rate can be controlled by controlling the pump that moves the beverage through the beverage channel 404. In some embodiments, the pump 12 that moves the precursor liquid into the brewing chamber 15 (see...) Figure 3 It can also be used to move brewed beverages through beverage channel 404. However, in other embodiments, different dedicated pumps can be used to move the beverages through the beverage channel.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cooling liquid may be configured to flow through the cooling housing in a direction opposite to that of the beverage being guided through the cooling housing. According to some embodiments, this can increase the heat transferred from the beverage to the cooling liquid. The cooling unit 200 may include a pump 414 configured to move the cooling liquid through the cooling housing 402 in a flow direction opposite to that of the beverage channel 404 through the cooling housing 402. For example, in Figure 4-6In the depicted embodiment, the beverage flows generally downward through the cooling housing 402, entering through a beverage inlet 406 at the upper part of the cooling housing 402, flowing downward through a beverage passage 404, and exiting through a beverage outlet 408 at the lower part of the cooling housing 402. In contrast, the cooling liquid flows generally upward through the cooling housing 402, entering through a cooling liquid outlet 418 at the lower part of the cooling housing, flowing upward through the cooling volume 410, and exiting through a cooling liquid inlet 416 at the upper part of the cooling housing 402. Therefore, the beverage and the cooling liquid can flow through the cooling volume 410 in generally opposite directions. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the flow directions of the beverage and the cooling liquid can be interchanged, for example, such that the beverage flows generally upward through the cooling volume 410 while the cooling liquid flows generally downward through the cooling volume 410. It should be understood that other flow directions, such as left / right, can be implemented alternatively or additionally. In other embodiments, the beverage and the cooling liquid can flow in generally the same direction.

[0055] According to one aspect, in some embodiments, a phase change material (PCM) may be used in the beverage making machine described herein. A PCM is a substance that can be used to release or absorb heat energy during a phase change. In some embodiments, the PCM may be associated with a cooling unit. For example, the PCM may be disposed within a spatial volume (e.g., a housing) of the cooling unit and may be configured to absorb heat from any suitable material (e.g., a fluid) associated with the cooling unit. In another example, the PCM may be disposed within a capsule located within the housing of the cooling unit and may also be configured to absorb heat from any suitable material (e.g., a cooling liquid) associated with the cooling unit. Phase change materials include any substance that can be used to release or absorb heat energy, including but not limited to organic PCMs, inorganic PCMs, and eutectic PCMs. Examples of organic PCMs include, but are not limited to, hydrocarbons such as alkanes (e.g., paraffin), alcohols, fatty acids, and esters. Examples of inorganic PCMs include, but are not limited to, hydrates, nitrates, and metals. Eutectic PCMs include any suitable arrangement of organic and inorganic PCMs. In some embodiments, water may be used as a PCM. In some embodiments, paraffin may be used as a PCM.

[0056] In some embodiments, the cooling unit of the beverage making machine may utilize a PCM arranged in any suitable manner. The PCM can be used to absorb a relatively large amount of heat, thereby increasing the cooling unit's ability to cool the beverage.

[0057] In some embodiments, the phase change material has a transition temperature ranging from -20°C to 40°C and a latent heat of fusion ranging from 20 J / g to 340 J / g. While these transition temperature and latent heat ranges for phase change materials are disclosed, phase change materials can have any suitable transition temperature and latent heat of fusion, as this disclosure is not limited in this respect. In some embodiments, the phase change material can have a transition temperature greater than or equal to -20°C, -10°C, 0°C, 10°C, 11°C, 12°C, 13°C, 14°C, 15°C, 16°C, 17°C, 18°C, 19°C, 20°C, 21°C, 22°C, 23°C, 24°C, 25°C, 30°C, or 40°C. In some embodiments, the transition temperature of the phase change material may be lower than or equal to 40°C, 30°C, 25°C, 24°C, 23°C, 22°C, 21°C, 20°C, 19°C, 18°C, 17°C, 16°C, 15°C, 10°C, 0°C, -5°C, -10°C, or -20°C. In some embodiments, combinations of the above ranges are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the phase change material may have a transition temperature of -20°C to 40°C, -10°C to 35°C, 0°C to 30°C, 10°C to 25°C, 12°C to 23°C, 14°C to 21°C, or 17°C to 19°C.

[0058] In some embodiments, the phase change material may have a latent heat of fusion greater than or equal to 20 joules per gram, 50 joules per gram, 100 joules per gram, 150 joules per gram, 160 joules per gram, 170 joules per gram, 180 joules per gram, 190 joules per gram, 200 joules per gram, 210 joules per gram, 220 joules per gram, 230 joules per gram, 240 joules per gram, 250 joules per gram, 300 joules per gram, 400 joules per gram, or 500 joules per gram. In some embodiments, the phase change material may have a latent heat of fusion of less than or equal to 500 joules per gram, 400 joules per gram, 300 joules per gram, 250 joules per gram, 240 joules per gram, 230 joules per gram, 220 joules per gram, 210 joules per gram, 200 joules per gram, 190 joules per gram, 180 joules per gram, 170 joules per gram, 160 joules per gram, 150 joules per gram, 100 joules per gram, 50 joules per gram, or 20 joules per gram. In some embodiments, combinations of the above ranges are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the phase change material may have a transition temperature of 20 to 400 joules per gram, 50 to 300 joules per gram, 100 to 250 joules per gram, 150 to 240 joules per gram, 160 to 240 joules per gram, 170 to 230 joules per gram, or 180 to 220 joules per gram, including the endpoints.

[0059] In some embodiments, the PCM may be disposed on the external portion of the cooling unit 200 to help maintain the cooling liquid in the cooling unit at a cooler temperature. As an illustrative example, Figure 5The depicted embodiment illustrates a first arrangement of the PCM. This first arrangement includes a cooling unit 200 having a second housing 502 including a second volume 510. The second housing 502 may substantially surround the cooling housing 402. A PCM 504 may be disposed within the second housing 520 and may partially or completely fill the second volume 510. Therefore, the PCM may be configured to substantially surround the cooling housing 402 and the cooling volume 410. The PCM 504 may be configured such that heat is transferred from the cooling volume 410 (e.g., a cooling liquid disposed in the cooling volume) to the PCM 504. Therefore, the PCM 504 may be configured to cool the cooling volume 410. This, in turn, can increase the heat transferred from the beverage to the cooling volume 410, thereby further cooling the beverage. It should be understood that... Figure 5 The embodiments depicted represent only some embodiments conceived by the inventors, and further arrangements of the second housing 502 and PCM 504 are also contemplated. For example, the second housing 502 and PCM 504 may be arranged such that one, two, three, four, all, or any other suitable number of sides of the cooling housing 402 are substantially surrounded by PCM 504. In some embodiments, relative to Figure 5 In the view shown, PCM504 can be arranged to cover the top portion of the cooling housing 402. (As shown) Figure 5 As shown in the depicted embodiments, according to some embodiments, the cooling liquid passage 413 may extend through the second housing 502 and PCM 504. Also in Figure 5 As shown in the depicted embodiment, the beverage channel 404 may extend through the second housing 502 and PCM 504, allowing the beverage to travel through the second housing 502 and PCM 504 into the cooling volume 410.

[0060] In some embodiments, the PCM may change state when a sufficient amount of heat (e.g., from the beverage in the beverage channel) is transferred to it. For example, the PCM may change from a solid to a liquid when sufficient heat is transferred from the beverage to it. In another example, the phase change material may change from a liquid to a gas when heat is transferred from the beverage to it. However, the phase change material does not necessarily need to change state, as this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, heat may be transferred from the beverage to the phase change material without the phase change material changing state.

[0061] The second arrangement includes the cooling unit 200 of the PCM. Figure 6 As shown in [the image]. Figure 6In the depicted embodiments, a plurality of capsules 600 are disposed within a cooling volume 410 of a cooling housing 402. Each capsule 600 includes a shell 602 that may be at least partially filled with PCM 604. In some embodiments, the shell 602 may be completely filled with PCM. The capsules 600 may be arranged within the cooling volume 410 in any suitable manner, and this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the capsules 600 may be freely movable within the cooling volume 410. In some embodiments, the capsules 600 may be fixed in position within the cooling volume 410 (e.g., may be configured to remain stationary). In some embodiments, the capsules 600 may be tethered to one or more portions of the cooling housing 402 and / or the cooling volume 410 such that the tether allows a limited amount of movement of the capsule within the cooling volume 410, the amount of movement being limited by the length of the tether.

[0062] Capsule 600 can be configured to transfer (e.g., absorb) heat from a cooling liquid disposed in cooling volume 410 to PCM 604 of capsule 600, thereby cooling the cooling liquid. In some embodiments, the outer shell 602 of the capsule can be formed of materials such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), aluminum (Al), low-carbon steel (MS), styrene-methyl methacrylate copolymer, organic polymer materials, or any combination thereof, and any other suitable materials, and this disclosure is not limited in this manner. Furthermore, although capsule 600 is in Figure 6 The illustrated embodiments are depicted as elliptical, but the capsule can be formed in any suitable shape and geometry, and this disclosure is not so limiting. Furthermore, the capsule can be formed in any suitable size and / or dimension, and this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0063] In some embodiments, the cooling volume may include the PCM volume from the capsules, which is less than or equal to approximately 50% to 25% of the cooling volume, and / or any other suitable PCM volume from the capsules. The cooling liquid may also include the PCM volume from the capsules, which is greater than or equal to 25%, 50%, and / or any other percentage of the cooling volume. Combinations of the foregoing are also considered, including PCM volumes from the capsules between 25% and 50% of the cooling volume or equal to that percentage, and amounts higher and lower than the ranges listed above, as this disclosure is not limited to the PCM volume from the capsules in the cooling volume. The number and / or individual volume of the capsules 600 disposed in the cooling volume 410 in any of the embodiments described herein may be varied depending on the desired heat capacity and associated cooling capability of the cooling unit 200. For example, if a greater heat capacity of the cooling unit 200 is desired, more capsules 600 may be added to the cooling volume 410 and / or the individual volume of the PCM contained in the capsules may be increased.

[0064] The inventors also envisioned a cooling unit with PCM, which combines... Figure 5 The described embodiments and Figure 6 Aspects of the depicted embodiments. For example, cooling unit 200 may include both a second housing 502 having PCM 504 and a PCM capsule 600 within a cooling volume 410. Such embodiments can further increase the heat capacity of cooling unit 200 and thus help cool beverages.

[0065] According to one aspect, a beverage making machine may include the ability to clean a beverage passage. For example, the beverage making machine may be configured to direct water or any other suitable fluid through the beverage passage to clean it. In some embodiments, the beverage making machine may include a flushing line configured to receive liquid for cleaning the beverage passage. In some embodiments, the flushing line may receive liquid from the same liquid source as the beverage precursor liquid that forms the beverage, such as a water reservoir. However, in other embodiments, a dedicated fluid source may be provided for the flushing line. The flushing line may direct the cleaning fluid to a dispensing valve that may allow or cut off fluid communication of the cleaning fluid to the beverage passage. In some embodiments, the cleaning fluid may be a liquid, such as water, or a cleaning solution. In some embodiments, the cleaning fluid may be primarily gaseous, such as steam or air.

[0066] Figure 7 An illustrative example of a flushing line 70 is depicted, comprising a flushing line conduit 71 that delivers liquid from a reservoir 7 as a cleaning fluid. The flushing line 70 may include a solenoid valve 72 and a pump 74 to move liquid from the reservoir 7 through the conduit 71. A check valve 76 may be included to prevent backflow. Figure 7 In the illustrative embodiment, the flushing line directs cleaning fluid to the dispensing valve 300. The dispensing valve then directs the cleaning fluid to the beverage conduit 403, which delivers beverage from the brewing chamber 15 to the beverage channel 404 within the cooling unit 200.

[0067] The beverage conduit 403 may be in fluid communication with the beverage channel 404. In some embodiments, the beverage conduit 403 and the beverage channel 404 are a single, continuous conduit. However, in other embodiments, the beverage conduit 403 and the beverage channel 404 may be separate conduits connected together.

[0068] In some embodiments, the flushing line may be configured to bypass the brewing chamber to prevent the cleaning fluid from mixing with the contents of the brewing chamber. In some embodiments, for example Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the rinsing line 70 and the supply line 80 are separate and distinct, with the supply line 80 guiding liquid from the storage section 7 to the brewing chamber 15 to form a beverage. Therefore, the cleaning fluid via the rinsing line 70 can be directly delivered to the beverage conduit 403 and beverage channel 404 without first passing through the brewing chamber 15.

[0069] In some embodiments, for example Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the flushing line directs cleaning fluid to the same dispensing valve 300, which also controls the flow of beverage to the cooling unit. As discussed above, the dispensing valve 300 can direct beverage from the brewing chamber 15 to the cooling unit, or it can direct beverage to bypass the cooling unit and dispense it into the container 2. The dispensing valve 300 can also control the flow of cleaning fluid from the flushing line 70 into the beverage conduit 403 / beverage channel 404.

[0070] The controller 11 can be configured to control the dispensing valve 300 to maintain or change its configuration, thereby controlling the rinsing process. For example, the dispensing valve 300 can have a beverage channel rinsing configuration in which the valve 300 directs cleaning fluid from the rinsing line 70 to the beverage conduit 403 and beverage channel 404. The dispensing valve 300 can also have a rinsing bypass configuration in which the valve 300 directs cleaning fluid from the rinsing line 70 to bypass the beverage conduit 403 and beverage channel 404.

[0071] In some embodiments, the dispensing valve 300 may have a beverage outlet that directs fluid (e.g., a formed beverage) to a dispensing outlet 301, and a cooling unit outlet that directs fluid (e.g., a cleaning fluid) to a beverage conduit 403. The dispensing valve 300 may be controlled by the controller 11 to open and close the outlets according to a desired flow path.

[0072] In some embodiments, cleaning fluid from the flushing line 70 can be directed through the brewing chamber 15 to clean the brewing chamber.

[0073] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser may include a rinsing tray 700 into which cleaning fluid flows. The rinsing tray can be removed from the beverage dispenser for emptying. In some embodiments, a dispensing valve 300 directs rinsing fluid into the rinsing tray 700. Thus, the dispensing valve 300 may have a rinsing output configuration in which the valve 300 directs fluid (e.g., cleaning fluid) into the rinsing tray 700. The dispensing valve 300 may also have a beverage dispensing configuration in which the valve 300 directs fluid (e.g., the prepared beverage) to a dispensing outlet 301.

[0074] As discussed above, in some embodiments, the dispensing valve 300 may have a beverage outlet that directs fluid (e.g., a formed beverage) to a dispensing outlet 301, and a cooling unit outlet that directs fluid (e.g., a cleaning fluid) to a beverage conduit 403. The dispensing valve 300 may also have a rinsing outlet that directs fluid (e.g., a cleaning fluid) to a rinsing tray 700. The dispensing valve 300 may be controlled by the controller 11 to open and close the respective outlets according to a desired flow path.

[0075] In other embodiments, a separate and distinct flushing valve may be included from the dispensing valve 300 to direct cleaning fluid into the flushing tray.

[0076] In some embodiments, the beverage making machine 100 may include a user interface (not shown) configured to receive input from a user. In some embodiments, input from the user may cause valve 300 to move from a beverage channel flushing configuration to a flushing bypass configuration, and / or from a flushing bypass configuration to a beverage channel flushing configuration. Thus, input from the user may determine whether cleaning fluid is directed to the beverage channel 404 or bypassed and, for example, delivered to the flushing tray 700. However, in other embodiments, it should be understood that a dedicated valve separate from and distinct from the dispensing valve 300 may be used to control the flow of cleaning fluid from the flushing line to the beverage conduit 403 / beverage channel 404. The controller may be configured to control this dedicated valve in a manner similar to that discussed above with respect to the dispensing valve 300.

[0077] An illustrative embodiment of TEC component 412 is shown in Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, the TEC assembly 412 may include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 804 thermally coupled to a manifold 802 and a radiator 806. The radiator 806 may be thermally coupled to a fan 808, which may be configured to increase the cooling rate of the radiator 806. The radiator 806 may be thermally coupled to the hot side of the TEC 804, while the manifold 802 may be thermally coupled to the cold side of the TEC 804. The manifold 802 may include a manifold inlet 810 and a manifold outlet 811.

[0078] The manifold may include a manifold passage 809 connecting a manifold inlet 810 to a manifold outlet 811. In some embodiments, the manifold passage 809 may be meandering or otherwise tortuous to increase heat transfer as the coolant flows through the manifold. The coolant may be adapted to enter the manifold 802 via the manifold inlet 810, flow through the manifold passage 809, and exit the manifold 802 via the manifold outlet 811. As the coolant flows through the manifold passage 809, heat is removed from the coolant and transferred to the manifold 802 and the TEC 804, thereby cooling the coolant.

[0079] In some embodiments, the manifold passage 809 may form at least a portion of the aforementioned coolant passage 413. In some embodiments, the manifold passage 809 may form most or all of the coolant passage 413. In other words, coolant exiting the cooling housing 402 can flow directly into the manifold without an access tube or other conduit (or with a very short tube / conduit). Similarly, coolant exiting the manifold can flow directly into the cooling housing 402 without an access tube or other conduit (or with a very short tube / conduit).

[0080] It should be understood that TEC components can be formed in any suitable manner, as this disclosure is not limited to... Figure 8 The described embodiments.

[0081] The various methods disclosed above can be implemented by one or more controllers, which include at least one processor operatively coupled to various controllable parts of the beverage-making machine disclosed herein. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the disclosed methods can be executed at least partially, and in some cases entirely, on a computing device detached from and removed from the disclosed beverage-making machine. In either case, the disclosed methods can be embodied as computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transient computer-readable memory associated with at least one processor, such that when executed by at least one processor, the associated system (which may be the beverage-making machine in some embodiments) can perform any action related to the methods disclosed herein. Additionally, it should be understood that the disclosed sequence of steps is exemplary, and these steps can be performed simultaneously in different orders, and / or may include one or more additional intermediate steps not shown, as this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0082] The embodiments of the technology described herein can be implemented in any of a variety of ways. For example, embodiments can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code can execute on any suitable processor or set of processors, whether provided in a single computing device or distributed across multiple computing devices. Such a processor can be implemented as an integrated circuit having one or more processors, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art, such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessors, microcontrollers, or coprocessors. Alternatively, the processor can be implemented in custom circuitry, such as an ASIC, or as a semi-custom circuitry resulting from the construction of a programmable logic device. As another option, the processor can be part of a larger circuitry or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom, or custom. As a specific example, some commercial microprocessors have multiple cores, such that one or a subset of these cores can constitute the processor. However, the processor can be implemented using circuitry of any suitable format.

[0083] In addition, computing devices may have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used to present user interfaces, etc. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide user interfaces include displays for visual presentation and speakers or other sound-generating devices for auditory presentation. Examples of input devices that can be used for user interfaces include keyboards, single buttons, and pointing devices such as mice, touchpads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, computing devices can receive input information through voice recognition or in other audible formats.

[0084] The various methods or processes outlined herein can be implemented in any suitable hardware. Additionally, the various methods or processes outlined herein can be implemented in a combination of hardware and software executable on one or more processors employing any of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Examples of such methods have been described above. However, any suitable combination of hardware and software can be used to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein.

[0085] Furthermore, the various methods or processes outlined in this paper can be encoded as software that can be executed on one or more processors employing any of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Moreover, such software can be written using any of many suitable programming languages ​​and / or program or scripting tools, and can also be compiled into executable machine language code or intermediate code that executes on a framework or virtual machine.

[0086] In this regard, various inventive concepts can be embodied in at least one non-transient computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, flash memory, field-programmable gate arrays, or circuitry in other semiconductor devices), which is encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, implement the various embodiments of this disclosure. The non-transient computer-readable medium can be transportable, such that programs stored thereon can be loaded onto any computer resource to implement the various aspects of this disclosure as described above.

[0087] The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a general sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be used to program a computer or other processor to implement the various aspects of the embodiments described above. Additionally, it should be understood that, according to one aspect, one or more computer programs that perform the methods of this disclosure when executed do not need to reside on a single computer or processor, but can be distributed in a modular manner among different computers or processors to implement the various aspects of this disclosure.

[0088] Computer-executable instructions can take many forms, such as program modules, and are executed by one or more computers or other devices. Typically, program modules include routines, programs, objects, sections, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Generally, in various embodiments, the functionality of program modules can be combined or distributed as needed.

[0089] The embodiments described herein can be embodied as a method, an example of which has been provided. The actions performed as part of the method can be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, embodiments can be constructed in which actions are performed in an order different from the illustrated order, which may include performing some actions simultaneously, even if these actions are shown as sequential actions in the illustrated embodiments.

[0090] Furthermore, some actions are described as being performed by a “user.” It should be understood that a “user” is not necessarily a single individual; in some embodiments, actions attributable to a “user” may be performed by a group of individuals and / or individuals in combination with computer-aided tools or other entities.

[0091] While the invention has been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments or examples. Rather, the invention includes various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

1. A beverage making machine, comprising: A brewing chamber configured to form a beverage; Cooling unit, the cooling unit comprising: Thermoelectric cooler; A cooling housing defining a cooling volume, the cooling housing having a cooling liquid inlet and a cooling liquid outlet. A cooling liquid passage fluidly connected to the cooling liquid inlet and the cooling liquid outlet, the cooling liquid passage being in thermal communication with the thermoelectric cooler, such that the thermoelectric cooler is configured to cool the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling liquid passage; and A beverage channel, fluidly connected to and configured to receive beverage from the brewing chamber, wherein the beverage channel extends through the cooling housing.

2. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling liquid channel is located outside the cooling housing.

3. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a switch movable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the switch is configured to guide the beverage from the brewing chamber to the cooling unit, and wherein in the second configuration the switch is configured to dispense the beverage from the brewing chamber and exit the beverage making machine through a dispensing outlet.

4. The beverage making machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a user interface configured to receive input from a user, wherein the input from the user causes the switch to move from the first configuration to the second configuration and / or from the second configuration to the first configuration.

5. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The beverage in question is a pre-prepared beverage.

6. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling housing includes a user-accessible opening configured to allow a user to add coolant to the cooling housing.

7. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The beverage is formed at a temperature of 40 to 100 degrees Celsius.

8. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling unit cools the beverage to a temperature of 7 to 30 degrees Celsius.

9. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling capacity has a volume of 0.5 liters to 5 liters.

10. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a phase change material disposed outside the cooling housing.

11. The beverage making machine according to claim 10, characterized in that, The phase change material has a latent heat of 190 J / g to 400 kJ / kg.

12. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes one or more capsules containing phase change material, the capsules being disposed within the cooling volume of the cooling unit, wherein heat is transferred from the cooling volume to the one or more capsules.

13. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling unit further includes a cooling unit pump configured to move the cooling liquid through the cooling housing in a flow direction opposite to the flow direction of the beverage channel through the cooling housing.

14. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a flushing line configured to direct cleaning fluid to the beverage channel.

15. The beverage making machine according to claim 14, characterized in that, It also includes a storage section, wherein the flushing line is configured to direct liquid from the storage section to the beverage channel.

16. The beverage making machine according to claim 15, characterized in that, It also includes a supply line configured to guide liquid from the storage section to the brewing chamber to form a beverage, wherein the rinsing line is separate and distinct from the supply line.

17. The beverage making machine according to claim 14, characterized in that, It also includes a dispensing valve and a dispensing outlet configured to dispense beverage out of the brewing chamber, wherein the rinsing line is configured to direct cleaning fluid to the dispensing valve, and the dispensing valve has a rinsing configuration and a rinsing bypass configuration, the rinsing configuration being configured to direct the cleaning fluid to the beverage channel, and the rinsing bypass configuration being configured to direct the cleaning fluid to bypass the beverage channel and discharge through the dispensing outlet.

18. The beverage making machine according to claim 17, characterized in that, The dispensing valve has a first configuration and a second configuration, the first configuration being configured to guide the beverage from the brewing chamber to the cooling unit, and the second configuration being configured to guide the beverage to bypass the cooling unit and be discharged through the dispensing outlet.

19. The beverage making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a manifold, wherein at least a portion of the cooling liquid passage includes a passage through the manifold, and wherein the thermoelectric cooler is configured to cool the manifold.

20. A method for forming a beverage, the method comprising: Form a beverage; Use a thermoelectric cooler to cool the cooling liquid; The cooled liquid flows through the cooling housing; The beverage is allowed to flow through the cooling housing; as well as The beverage is cooled using the cooled liquid as heat is transferred from the beverage to the cooled liquid.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, It also includes dispensing chilled beverages.

22. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The beverage is cooled to a temperature of 7 to 30 degrees Celsius.

23. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Forming the beverage involves forming the beverage at a temperature of 40 to 100 degrees Celsius.

24. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The cooled liquid and the beverage flow through the cooling housing in opposite directions.

25. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Forming a beverage includes brewing the beverage.

26. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, It also includes allowing a cleaning fluid to flow through a beverage channel, wherein the cleaning fluid bypasses a brewing chamber in which the beverage is formed, and wherein the beverage channel passes through the cooling housing.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that, The cleaning fluid is supplied from a storage unit, which also supplies liquid to the brewing chamber via a supply line, wherein the cleaning fluid flows through a rinsing line, which is separate from and distinct from the supply line.

28. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Cooling the cooling liquid using the thermoelectric cooler includes cooling the manifold through which the cooling liquid flows using the thermoelectric cooler.

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