Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-04
2001-07-24
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S304000, C099S279000, C099S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263780
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to coffee brewers in general. More specifically to a set of rails to hold a brew cone tightly against a spray head retainer to preclude moisture saturated air and steam from escaping during operation and to wipe off any accumulated condensation when the brew cone is removed.
BACKGROUND ART
Previously, many types of coffee brewing apparatus have been developed for use in brewing coffee for commercial establishments. As part of the peripheral equipment required to brew coffee it is customary to place coffee grounds in a porous filter which is held in place by some type of retainer. The typical retainer is a brew cone in the shape of the filter having a small hole in the bottom to drain the coffee after it is brewed.
Prior art in the past has used a thermoplastic brew cone with a flat flange on the top which is held slideably in place with some type of mechanical appurtenance which is usually a part of the brewer itself.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor
Issue Date
5,875,703
Rolfes
Mar. 2, 1999
5,836,236
Rolfes et al.
Nov. 17, 1998
5,404,794
Patel et al.
Apr. 11, 1995
5,063,836
Patel
Nov. 12, 1991
Rolfes own U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,703 teaches an improvement on a coffee brewer and hot water dispenser which permits larger capacity by the use of a bypass hot water cycle adding a predetermined volume of water to the container and supplementing the control by expanding its capabilities using multiple sequencing of the brew cycle for increasing the volume of brewed coffee. The spray head holder is identical to that described in Rolfes patent No. 5,836,236 and no mention is made of any change in configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,236 issued to Rolfes et al., in which the first named inventor is the present inventor, discloses a coffee brewer and hot water dispenser which brews both coffee and also dispensed hot water from a separate system. The enclosure includes a spray head holder that has a channel shaped edge on each side that holds the brew cone in place by gravity and the configuration of the edges permit the flange of the cone to slip in and out easily with no tension at all on the interface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,794 of Patel et al. discloses a coffee making machine having a reservoir connected to an external water supply via a valve which divides the water into separate hot and cold water tanks. Heated water from a boiler is fed into an expansion chamber and then discharged into the ground coffee through a spray head at the end of an expansion chamber. The enclosure is made of a pair of laterally spaced rectangular arms forming a base with a column located at one end which basically houses most of the operating parts of the coffee-making machine. Nothing specific is taught about the mounting of the brew cone however the cone is illustrated in the drawings as being located just under the enclosure's outwardly extending top.
Patel in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,836 teaches a coffee making machine of the type adapted to be connected to city water supply. The device includes a reservoir having a level sensor controlling a water refill valve to the reservoir and a heating element which heats the water therein. A level sensor functions to permit automatic refill of the reservoir at the appropriate level for subsequent brewing of a full pot of coffee irrespective of the water pressure and the previous route of the water. A solid state circuit board controls the operational sequence and functions of the machine. The device includes a base with a warming plate on which a coffee pot may rest and columns upon which most of the operating components are mounted. There is little if any taught about the method of attaching the brew cone however in viewing the product protected by this patent the cone is retained in a conventional manner using lips on each side to hold the brew cone in place.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Coffee brewing for commercial applications is accomplished by heating water to a temperature just under the boiling point then introducing it through a spray head into a brew cone complete with a filter containing coffee grounds. The heated water is retained by the filter just long enough to accomplish the brewing process where the coffee is drained into a server or pot positioned directly beneath. The brew cone is usually held in place with channel shaped brackets which are configured to retain a flat lip on the upper surface of the cone.
The novelty of the invention serves two basic functions, first the invention seals the cone against the structural frame of the brewer thus eliminating moisture saturated air and steam from leaking between the gap formed by the prior art bracket configurations. Secondly to permit any condensate that has accumulated on the brewer frame to be wiped off when the cone is removed during the emptying process of the removing the filter along with the remaining grounds.
A primary object of the invention is then directed to eliminate the problem caused by this leakage of moisture saturated air and accompanying steam, by maintaining the brew cone in direct contact with the brewer structure under spring pressure. This constant pressure created by spring type rails that eliminate the gap that is normally left in the structure. Even the existence of a small gap may be sufficient to permit leakage into the surrounding atmosphere as the vapor pressure differential is usually sufficient to permit airflow transmission. The reason that sealing the gap has such importance is that the quality of the coffee brewed is notably improved as all of the steam and accompanying heat is captured inside the brewing cone which permits the maximum heat penetration through the coffee grounds since this loss is completely eliminated. It will also be noted that in the competitive field of coffee brewers, quality of taste is extremely significant and the invention does much to enhance this important characteristic.
Another aspect of the primary object is that while the rails hold the cone tightly they are configured to permit the cone to be inserted easily and in a straight line since there is one rail on each side and they are slightly bowed in the middle. This rail contour does not interfere with its positioning ability and is no harder for cone installation or removal. The combination of the resilient rails and the shape of the spray head holder make up most of the rail apparatus as a channel shape is formed in opposed edges of the spray head holder and the rails are positioned within and held tightly against the holder.
An important object of the invention addresses the second problem in that when the cone is removed for replacing the coffee grounds condensate is wiped off. It is normal for hot water and steam to condense on a cold underside of the mechanical structure, particularly if it is made of metal, and will obviously inadvertently fall onto the top of the server. Since the server is positioned directly beneath the cone it may drip on the servers outside surface or on top of the handle, also, if the server is removed or not in a completely closed position the water droplets may fall onto the platform supporting the server. In any event the water dripped onto the surface is unsightly, annoying and unsanitary requiring supplementary cleaning due to the accumulation of liquid, leaving watermarks, dirt stains etc. This object is realized by the combination of the spring tensioning rails and addition of a small integral bead of the parent material integrally formed on the flange completely around the periphery of the cone. This bead is just high enough and near enough to the internal annular distending conduit of the cone to direct the liquid harmlessly inside when the cone is drawn across the wet surface while being removed from the spring loaded bracket.
Another object of the invention is the simplicity of both the rails and the addition of the bead. The rails are actually
Alexander Reginald L.
Anderson Gordon K.
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