Dispensing – Gravity or inertia operated movable outlet elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-06
2001-10-16
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Gravity or inertia operated movable outlet elements
C222S475100, C219S205000, C099S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302307
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a coffee system having a self-sealing coffee pot and a heating system.
A conventional coffee pot heating unit may include a pair of heating areas, such as warming plates, a heating coil associated with each heating area, and a brewing system associated with one or both of the heating areas. Each heating coil in such a conventional coffee pot heating unit is typically rated to generate 100 watts of electrical power. To generate such a power output when the heating unit is connected to a typical 120-volt AC power outlet, each heating coil is made to have an electrical resistance of about 140 ohms. Since a typical commercial coffee pot holds about 64 fluid ounces of coffee, such a conventional heating unit generates a power output of about 1.5 watts per fluid ounce of the coffee-holding capacity of the coffee pot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,269 to Stoner discloses a coffee maker that is designed to be used with a plastic coffee pot and a low temperature warming plate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a coffee pot heating unit having a base, a heating area associated with the base and having a size sufficient to accommodate a bottom portion of a coffee container, and a heating apparatus associated with the heating area to heat the heating area. The heating apparatus may include a heating element, and the heating apparatus may have an electrical resistance such that the heating apparatus generates no greater than about 80 watts of electrical power when the heating apparatus is connected to a 120-volt electrical power source. The heating apparatus generates a substantially fixed and constant electrical power output that does not change substantially while the heating apparatus is connected to the 120-volt power source.
The heating unit may also be provided with a switch that selectively interrupts current flow through the heating apparatus so as to allow the heating apparatus to be turned on and off. The heating apparatus has an electrical resistance of no less than about 180 ohms, or alternatively no less than about 290 ohms. The heating apparatus may have an electrical resistance such that the heating apparatus generates no greater than about 50 watts of electrical power when the heating apparatus is connected to a 120-volt electrical power source. The heating apparatus may generate no greater than about 1.25 watts of electrical power for each fluid ounce of the coffee-holding capacity of the coffee container when the heating apparatus is connected to a 120-volt electrical power source.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a coffee system having a coffee pot and a coffee pot heating unit for heating the coffee pot. The coffee pot heating unit may include a base, a heating area associated with the base and having a size sufficient to accommodate a bottom portion of the coffee container, and a heating apparatus that has an electrical resistance such that the heating apparatus generates no greater than about 80 watts of electrical power when the heating apparatus is connected to a 120-volt electrical power source. The coffee pot may be disposed on the heating area of the coffee pot heating unit and may include a coffee container composed of glass and a pouring spout associated with the coffee container.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.
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Hirsch Daniel J.
Wagner Nancy
Bui Thach H.
Derakshani Philippe
Marshall Gerstein & Borun
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