초록 ▼

A spray head for use with or in combination with a beverage making apparatus. The spray head receives liquid from a liquid dispensing path of the beverage making apparatus and distributes liquid over a beverage making substance retained in close proximity to the spray head. The spray head includes a

A spray head for use with or in combination with a beverage making apparatus. The spray head receives liquid from a liquid dispensing path of the beverage making apparatus and distributes liquid over a beverage making substance retained in close proximity to the spray head. The spray head includes a body portion (14) having a lip (15) extending generally from a periphery of the body portion. A plurality of holes (20) are formed extending through at least the lip portion. A connector (49) is provided for removably attaching the spray head to the beverage making apparatus. The spray head is removable from the beverage making apparatus for facilitating direct contact cleaning of the surfaces of at least the body of the spray head to remove particles and mineral deposits therefrom.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A spray head assembly for use with a beverage preparation apparatus to distribute water from the beverage preparation apparatus over a beverage making substance, the spray head assembly comprising: a top having a generally planar structure; a bottom including a peripher

The invention claimed is: 1. A spray head assembly for use with a beverage preparation apparatus to distribute water from the beverage preparation apparatus over a beverage making substance, the spray head assembly comprising: a top having a generally planar structure; a bottom including a peripheral lip; the top and bottom having generally radially extending perimeter edges; the top and bottom being positioned together and defining a generally hollow cavity therebetween; a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the bottom for dispensing water therefrom; a retainer designed to hold the top and bottom together during operation of the spray head when there is pressure in the spray head from normal water flow rate forcing the bottom away from the top and designed to permit selective release from the bottom and the top when the spray head is not being operated so as to enable separation of the bottom from the top, the retainer selectively engageable with at least a portion of the generally radially extending perimeter edges of the top and bottom for holding the top and bottom together and permitting selective tool less disengagement of the bottom from the top; and a connector on the spray head for attaching the spray head to a beverage preparation apparatus. 2. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: the retainer is an elastomeric member for preventing passage of water from between the top and bottom. 3. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: the connector including a neck extending away from a surface of the top for attaching the spray head to a beverage making apparatus. 4. The spray head assembly as in claim 3, further comprising: threads formed on an inside surface of the neck for engaging corresponding threads on a portion of a beverage making apparatus. 5. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: a curved portion of the lip generally between the bottom and the lip. 6. The spray head assembly as in claim 5, further comprising: the plurality of spaced apart holes extending through the curved portion of the lip for dispensing water therefrom at an angle. 7. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of holes extending though the body generally radially inwardly spaced from the peripheral lip. 8. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: the top being designed to restrict the flow of fluid into the spray head to a first flow rate and designed to restrict the flow of fluid into the spray head to a second flow rate. 9. The spray head assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: the top portion being designed to provide a first flow rate of fluid into the spray head and to provide a second flow rate of fluid into the spray head. 10. A spray head for use with a beverage making apparatus to receive liquid from a liquid dispensing path of the beverage making apparatus and distribute liquid over a beverage making substance retained in proximity to the spray head, the spray head comprising: a body portion having a top portion and a bottom portion defining a generally hollow cavity there between, the top portion and the bottom portion each having a radially outwardly extending perimeter edge; an elastomeric retainer attachable to at least a portion of the perimeter edges of the top portion and bottom portion for holding the top and bottom together during operation of the spray head when there is pressure in the spray head from normal water flow rate forcing the bottom portion away from the top portion and permitting selective disengagement of bottom portion from the top portion when the spray head is not being operated; a lip portion extending generally from a periphery of the bottom portion, generally radially spaced inwardly from the perimeter edge; a plurality of holes extending through at least a portion of the lip portion; a connector carried on the top portion of the spray head for removably attaching the spray head to a beverage making apparatus for receiving liquid from a liquid dispensing path of the beverage making apparatus; and whereby the spray head is removable from a beverage making apparatus and the top portion and the bottom portion are disassemblable for facilitating direct contact cleaning of the surfaces of at least the body. 11. The spray head as in claim 10, further comprising: the elastomeric retainer is a gasket member for preventing passage of water from between the top and bottom. 12. The spray head as in claim 10, further comprising: the connector including a neck extending away from a surface of the top portion for attaching the spray head to a beverage making apparatus. 13. The spray head as in claim 12, further comprising: threads formed on an inside surface of the neck for engaging corresponding threads on a portion of a beverage making apparatus. 14. The spray head as in claim 10, further comprising: a curved portion of the lip generally between the bottom portion and the lip. 15. The spray head as in claim 14, further comprising: the plurality of spaced apart holes extending through the curved portion of the lip for dispensing water therefrom at an angle. 16. The spray head as in claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of holes extending though the body generally radially inwardly spaced from the peripheral lip. 17. A spray head assembly for receiving water and distributing water, the spray head assembly comprising: a top having a radially outwardly extending perimeter edge; a bottom having a radially outwardly extending perimeter edge; at least one of the top and the bottom having a plurality of holes therein for distributing water from the spray head assembly; at least the other of the top and the bottom having a connector for attaching the spray head assembly; the top and the bottom being assembled and defining a generally hollow cavity there between, water entering the cavity and being distributed through the plurality of holes; and an elastomeric retainer for removably holding the top and the bottom together by engaging at least a portion of the perimeter edges of the top and bottom, the elastomeric retainer being designed to hold the top and bottom together during operation of the spray head when there is pressure in the spray head from normal water flow rate forcing the bottom away from the top and designed to permit selective release from the bottom and the top when the spray head is not being operated so as to enable separation of the top from the bottom. 18. The spray head assembly as in claim 17, further comprising: a curved lip between the top and bottom. 19. The spray head assembly as in claim 18, further comprising: the curve being outwardly convex; and the plurality of spaced apart holes extending through the lip at least partially in the curved portion of the lip for dispensing water therefrom at an angle. 20. The spray head assembly as in claim 17, further comprising: a plurality of holes extending though the bottom generally radially inwardly spaced from the peripheral lip. 21. The spray head assembly as in claim 17, further comprising: the connector including a neck extending away from a surface of the top for attaching the spray head to a beverage making apparatus. 22. A method of cleaning a spray head for use with a beverage making apparatus, the spray head receiving liquid from a liquid dispensing path of a beverage making apparatus and distributing liquid over a beverage making substance retained in proximity to the spray head, the method of cleaning the spray head comprising the steps of: providing a body portion having a top and a bottom, the top and bottom defining a generally hollow cavity therein; providing an elastomeric retainer for holding together the top and bottom; attaching the elastomeric retainer at least partially along a perimeter edge of the top and bottom; providing a connector attached to the spray head for removably attaching the spray head to a beverage making apparatus for receiving liquid from a liquid dispensing path; removing the spray head from a beverage making apparatus; removing the elastomeric retainer from the top and bottom; and cleaning by direct contact all of the surfaces of at least the top and bottom of the spray head. 23. A method of cleaning a spray head for use with a beverage making apparatus, the spray head receiving water from a water dispensing line of a beverage making apparatus and distributing water over a beverage making substance retained in proximity to the spray head, the method of cleaning the spray head comprising the steps of: providing a top portion and a bottom portion defining a generally hollow cavity therebetween; providing a retainer for toollessly removably holding the top portion and bottom portion together; removing the spray head from the apparatus; removing the retainer, without the use of tools, from the top portion and the bottom portion; separating the top portion and the bottom portion, without the use of tools; and cleaning by direct contact all of the surfaces of the top portion and the bottom portion. 24. A beverage preparation apparatus having a spray head assembly to receive water from the beverage making apparatus and distribute the water over a beverage making substance retained in the beverage making apparatus, beverage preparation apparatus comprising: a funnel removably retained on the apparatus for holding a beverage preparation substance; a water distribution line communicating with the spray head for delivering water to the spray head; a top portion of the spray head; a bottom portion of the spray head; the top portion and bottom portion being positioned together and defining a generally hollow cavity therebetween; and an elastomeric retainer removably attachable to the top portion and bottom portion for holding the top portion and bottom portion together and permitting selective tool less disengagement of the bottom portion from the top portion, the elastomeric retainer being designed to hold the top portion and bottom portion together during operation of the spray head when there is pressure in the spray head from normal water flow rate forcing the portion bottom portion from the top portion and designed to permit selective release from the bottom portion and top portion when the spray head is not being operated so as to enable separation of the top portion from the bottom portion. 25. The beverage preparation apparatus having a spray head assembly as in claim 24, further comprising: the funnel having a mouth through which water is received from the spray head and an outlet though which beverage is dispensed; the spray head having a radial dimension which is smaller than the mouth of the funnel and larger than the diameter of the outlet of the funnel. 26. A spray head assembly for receiving water and distributing water, the spray head assembly comprising: a top portion having a generally radially outwardly extending perimeter edge; a bottom portion having a generally radially outwardly extending perimeter edge; the bottom portion having a planar area and an arcuate portion generally surrounding and extending from the planar portion, a plurality of holes defined in the planar portion, and a plurality of holes defined at least partially in the arcuate portion, the holes distributing water from the spray head assembly; the top portion and the bottom portion being assembled and defining a cavity there between, water entering the cavity and being distributed through the plurality of holes; an elastomeric retainer having a generally symetric cross section sized and dimensioned for being removably attachable to the perimeter edges of both the top portion and the bottom portion for holding the top portion and the bottom portion together, the elastomeric retainer being designed to hold the top portion and bottom portion together during operation of the spray head when there is pressure in the spray head from normal water flow rate forcing the bottom portion away from the top portion and designed to release the bottom portion from the top portion when the spray head is not being operated so as to enable separation of the top portion from the bottom portion; and a hollow neck extending from the top portion generally inwardly into the cavity, water flowing though the neck and into the cavity, the neck restricting flow of water into the cavity.