Electric resistance heating devices – Heating devices – Tank or container type liquid heater
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-01-09
Leung, Philip H. (Department: 3742)
Electric resistance heating devices
Heating devices
Tank or container type liquid heater
C099S279000, C222S146500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173117
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to beverage machines and more particularly to a heated beverage machine for use in making heated beverages, such as baby formula and cocoa, from heated water and a powdered drink mix that includes a housing having contained therein water dispensing assembly, a powdered drink mix dispensing assembly, and a control circuit; the water dispensing assembly including a water reservoir, a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, a water dispensing valve in connection between the water reservoir and a mixing nozzle, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the powdered drink mix dispensing assembly including powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger positioned within a dispensing pipe in connection between the mixing nozzle and the powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger position sensor, a shaker assembly positioned within the powdered drink mix reservoir, and a dispensing auger motor; the control circuit having inputs in electrical connection with a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, a dispensing auger position sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, and on/off switch, a start mix switch, and outputs in connection with a water dispensing valve, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a dispensing auger motor, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the control circuit operating the dispenser auger motor and the water dispensing valve such that the volume of powdered drink mix and water dispensed corresponds with the volume of the fluid volume select input button selected in response to activation of the start mix switch; the control circuit operating the resistance heating element to heat dispensed water exiting the water dispensing valve to the temperature corresponding to the position of the warm/hot select switch before the dispensed water reaches the mixing nozzle; the mixing nozzle being positioned outside of the housing and having a dispensing opening for dispensing a mixture of the dispensed water and powdered beverage mix.
BACKGROUND ART
Preparing baby formula from a powdered drink mix can be time consuming. It would be desirable, therefore to have a heated beverage machine that included reservoirs for storing a quantity of powdered drink mix and a volume of water, a water dispensing mechanism that included a heating element for dispensing a given volume of heated water into a mixing nozzle and a powdered drink mix dispensing assembly for simultaneously dispensing a volume of powdered drink mix into the mixing nozzle.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a heated beverage machine that includes a housing having contained therein a water dispensing assembly, a powdered drink mix dispensing assembly, and a control circuit; the water dispensing assembly including a water reservoir, a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, a water dispensing valve in connection between the water reservoir and a mixing nozzle, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the powdered drink mix dispensing assembly including powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger positioned within a dispensing pipe in connection between the mixing nozzle and the powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger position sensor, a shaker assembly positioned within the powdered drink mix reservoir, and a dispensing auger motor; the control circuit having inputs in electrical connection with a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, a dispensing auger position sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, and on/off switch, a start mix switch, and outputs in connection with a water dispensing valve, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a dispensing auger motor, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the control circuit operating the dispenser auger motor and the water dispensing valve such that the volume of powdered drink mix and water dispensed corresponds with the volume of the fluid volume select input button selected in response to activation of the start mix switch; the control circuit operating the resistance heating element to heat dispensed water exiting the water dispensing valve to the temperature corresponding to the position of the warm/hot select switch before the dispensed water reaches the mixing nozzle; the mixing nozzle being positioned outside of the housing and having a dispensing opening for dispensing a mixture of the dispensed water and powdered beverage mix.
Accordingly, a heated beverage machine is provided. The heated beverage machine includes a housing having contained therein a water dispensing assembly, a powdered drink mix dispensing assembly, and a control circuit; the water dispensing assembly including a water reservoir, a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, a water dispensing valve in connection between the water reservoir and a mixing nozzle, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the powdered drink mix dispensing assembly including powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger positioned within a dispensing pipe in connection between the mixing nozzle and the powdered drink mix reservoir, a dispensing auger position sensor, a shaker assembly positioned within the powdered drink mix reservoir, and a dispensing auger motor; the control circuit having inputs in electrical connection with a water reservoir level sensor, a water temperature sensor, a dispensing auger position sensor, three fluid volume select input buttons, a warm/hot select switch, and on/off switch, a start mix switch, and outputs in connection with a water dispensing valve, a resistance heating element, a water temperature display gauge, a water level display gauge, a dispensing auger motor, a warm temperature select indicator light, and a hot temperature select indicator light; the control circuit operating the dispenser auger motor and the water dispensing valve such that the volume of powdered drink mix and water dispensed corresponds with the volume of the fluid volume select input button selected in response to activation of the start mix switch; the control circuit operating the resistance heating element to heat dispensed water exiting the water dispensing valve to the temperature corresponding to the position of the warm/hot select switch before the dispensed water reaches the mixing nozzle; the mixing nozzle being positioned outside of the housing and having a dispensing opening for dispensing a mixture of the dispensed water and powdered beverage mix.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2819377 (1958-01-01), Brown
patent: 2894110 (1959-07-01), Brown
patent: 3075452 (1963-01-01), Brandl
patent: 4015749 (1977-04-01), Arzberger et al.
patent: 5142610 (1992-08-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5570816 (1996-11-01), La Barbera, Jr.
patent: 5671325 (1997-09-01), Roberson
patent: 5836236 (1998-11-01), Rolfes et al.
Breaux Joseph N.
Campbell Thor
Leung Philip H.
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