Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-01-09
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S283000, C099S288000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170387
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for the production of heated beverage and, in particular, although not necessarily solely, an apparatus for the production of coffee. Other brewable beverages could be made in the same apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Existing coffee makers utilize filters containing coffee grounds. Typically, heated water is passed through the apparatus to a point above the filter and allow to drip onto the coffee grounds and percolate through the coffee. The contact time between the heated water and the ground coffee is dependent on the rate at which the water can percolate. Such a rate is dependent on the conditions of both the ground coffee and the filter and may vary considerably through different operations or even during a single operation of the apparatus.
The variability of percolation times can be affected by the condition of the coffee and filter during percolation. At the outset of introduction of the heated water, both the coffee and filter are dry and become increasingly more saturated throughout the operation. This can affect the degree to which the heated water is able to extract the coffee essence from the grounds and lead to variability in the coffee produced at the start of the process compared with that in the middle or end of the process.
If such typical coffee makers are used to try and produce small amounts of coffee, it would be expected that the coffee filter would need to contain less coffee grounds, However, the reduction in quantity of coffee grounds also decreases the percolation time leading to variability in the judgment of the quantity of coffee required. Further, due to the reduction in contact time, the grounds are used less efficiently.
Another common feature of existing coffee apparatus is that the coffee produced is supplied to a container sitting on a heated element with the container not being sealed such that steam and aroma may escape. By allowing steam carried aromatic compounds to escape the container, the taste of the coffee may be affected.
The heated plate on which such containers typically sit is required to regularly reheat the coffee. By allowing steam to escape, such a heating element is required to do more work leading to less efficient power consumption to maintain a reasonable coffee temperature. Furthermore, by allowing steam to escape, there is a gradual boiling off of the water. The resultant coffee left in the container becomes increasingly stronger and more bitter as time passes. Furthermore, the increased use of the heating element to maintain the coffee temperature can lead to burning of the coffee significantly reducing the quality of the taste of the coffee from the container.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing a heated beverage which overcomes or reduces one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a useful choice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in an apparatus for production of a heated beverage including;
a first chamber fox receiving a liquid;
heating means within or in communication with said first chamber to heat said liquid;
a second chamber for receiving heated liquid from said first chamber or heating means and for the containment of a brewable essence;
a valve on the outlet of said second chamber;
beverage containing means for receiving brewed beverage from said outlet; and
control means to control said valve to ensure retention of heated liquid in said second chamber in contact with said brewable essence.
Accordingly, in a second aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in an apparatus for the production of heated beverage including:
means for the production of a brewed heated beverage;
beverage containing means for receiving said brewed beverage; and
sealing means to substantially seal said beverage containing means to reduce the escape of steam from said beverage containing means.
Accordingly, in a third aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a valve for use in apparatus for the production of a heat beverage including:
an inlet end;
an outlet end;
outlet sealing to close said outlet in a first position and open said outlet in a second position;
a movable bearing surface which moves upon bearing against a beverage container;
engaging members between said movable bearing surface and said outlet sealing means to move said sealing means to said second position when said beverage container is in place;
biased inlet sealing means to close said inlet when said outlet sealing means is in said second position; and
control means to open said inlet sealing means against said bias once desired operating conditions are met.
Further aspects of this invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates upon reading the following description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3356010 (1967-12-01), Eisendrath
patent: 4287817 (1981-09-01), Moskowitz et al.
patent: 4882983 (1989-11-01), Pastrick
patent: 4911067 (1990-03-01), Oppermann
patent: 4969392 (1990-11-01), Steele et al.
patent: 5515771 (1996-05-01), Smit
patent: 5623864 (1997-04-01), Moore et al.
Alexander Reginald L.
Gee (HK) Company Limited
Jacobson Price Holman & Stern PLLC
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