Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2001-10-09
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S279000, C099S306000, C099S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298770
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to automatic drip coffee makers and, although not so limited, to automatic drip coffee makers for household counter top use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical automatic drip coffee makers include a removable filter basket in which is deposited a paper or other filter that holds ground coffee. The filter basket is removable from the coffee maker housing to permit the filter to be easily deposited in or removed from the filter basket and to permit the coffee grounds to be easily placed in the filter.
The filter basket has commonly been supported by the coffee maker housing in one of two ways. In some designs, the filter basket has a flange around its circular outer margin which is supported on a horizontal, semicircular support rail on the housing, in which case the filter basket is removed from the housing by sliding it horizontally along the rail, typically by a handle extending from the filter basket. In other designs, the filter basket is pivotally mounted relative to the housing for movement about a vertical axis, whereby the filter basket can swing out from beneath a fixed top cover and can then be removed from the housing, if desired. The top cover typically includes a water spreader that receives heated water and distributes the water at least somewhat evenly over the coffee grounds in the filter basket.
It has been found that the use of a pivotal filter basket has several disadvantages. For example, the sections of the coffee maker housing supporting the pivotal filter basket are typically thin-walled in construction, which permits the filter basket to sag or droop when pivoted to an open position. In addition, removal and replacement of the pivotal filter basket for cleaning or removal of spent coffee grounds may be tedious and time consuming.
Some coffee makers have been constructed with a fixed filter basket or a fixed filter basket support, which overcomes the weak, sagging appearance commonly found in coffee makers having pivotal filter baskets. In such coffee makers, the filter basket is typically removed from the fixed support along a vertical axis. Because the filter basket is typical located beneath a top cover, the coffee makers were provided with a pivotal top cover. In addition, such coffee makers also typically include a valve mechanism that prevents heated water from being sprayed from the water spreader in the top cover when the top is open, which could lead to burns or other serious injury.
In coffee makers having such pivotal top covers, the top cover is pivoted about a horizontal axis. Such a construction requires the coffee maker to be located on a counter top with sufficient head room above the coffee maker to permit the top cover to be fully opened. This is a disadvantage in situations in which the space above the counter is limited, as is common in many homes, apartments, and condominiums.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A coffee maker in accordance with this invention comprises a housing defining a water reservoir and a filter basket support carried by the housing in fixed relation thereto. A filter basket is removably supported in the filter basket support, and a filter basket cover is carried by the housing and pivotally movable relative thereto about a vertical axis. The filter basket cover may be pivoted between a closed position covering the filter basket and an open position providing access to the filter basket for removal thereof from the filter basket support. A dust cover, which is substantially coplanar with the filter basket cover, covers the water reservoir fill port. The fill port dust cover is pivotal about a horizontal axis to enable one to pour water into the reservoir. It is relatively narrow so that, when pivoted to its open position, it adds little to the overall height of the coffee maker.
The filter basket cover has one or more hot water exit apertures that receive heated water from a hot water delivery tube connected to an automatic drip heater assembly in the housing which communicates with the water reservoir. The heated water passes through the exit apertures in the filter basket cover and onto coffee grounds in the filter basket, thereby producing brewed coffee.
Further in accordance with this invention, the coffee maker is provided with a valve assembly intermediate the hot water delivery tube and the filter basket. The valve assembly prevents heated water from being delivered through the hot water exit apertures in the filter basket cover when the filter basket cover is in the open position. The valve assembly comprises a valve body extending along a vertical axis and having an inlet connected to the hot water delivery tube, an axially-extending, water supply port communicating with the inlet, and a water return port opening to the water reservoir. A valve closure member is disposed within the valve body and is rotatable about a vertical axis. The valve closure member has an axially-extending water delivery port and defines a bypass passageway. The valve closure member is rotatable between a first position wherein the water delivery passageway is aligned with and overlies the water supply port and a second position wherein the water delivery port is not aligned with the water supply port and the bypass passageway overlies the water return port. As a result, heated water from the hot water delivery tube passing through the water supply port when the valve closure member is in the second position is transferred through the bypass passageway and back into the water reservoir through the water return port.
A coffee maker in accordance with this invention generally includes a carafe supporting platform forming part of the housing and may include an electronic controller including a timer capable of initiating a brewing cycle at a preset time. The platform has a front surface on which manually-operable control buttons for the electronic controller are mounted. A pivotal clock dust cover is mounted on the platform and movable to a closed position covering the surface. Preferably, the electronic controller includes a digital clock display, in which case the clock dust cover has a window that is aligned with the clock display when the dust cover is in its closed position.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompany drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 353909 (1886-12-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 1643309 (1927-09-01), McClure
patent: 5363745 (1994-11-01), Lin
patent: 5503060 (1996-04-01), Morecroft et al.
Blankenship Paul M.
Brady Martin
DeLong Derwood S.
Morecroft Michael J.
Romandy Mark K.
Alexander Reginald L.
Dybvig Roger S.
Hamilton Beach, Proctor-Silex, Inc.
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