IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
| 출원번호 |
US-0038195
(2011-03-01)
|
| 등록번호 |
US-8247010
(2012-08-21)
|
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Nguyen, Quan Hoang
- Collier, Christopher Dalton
- McLaughlin, James Michael
|
| 출원인 / 주소 |
- Concordia Coffee Company, Inc.
|
| 대리인 / 주소 |
Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness PLLC
|
| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
68 |
초록
▼
A brewing system (100) includes a brew group (130) having a cylindrical brewing chamber (132), a first actuator (146) attached to an upper piston assembly (140) that is movable to sealingly engage one end of the brewing chamber, a second actuator (156) attached to a lower piston assembly (150) that
A brewing system (100) includes a brew group (130) having a cylindrical brewing chamber (132), a first actuator (146) attached to an upper piston assembly (140) that is movable to sealingly engage one end of the brewing chamber, a second actuator (156) attached to a lower piston assembly (150) that slidably engages the opposite end of the brewing chamber. The lower piston assembly includes a water supply tube (151) that engages a channel through the piston to supply heated water to the brewing chamber. The upper piston assembly includes a dispensing tube (141) that engages a channel through the piston to accommodate dispensing the brewed liquid. A sliding arm assembly is positioned to remove spent grounds from the brewing assembly. The current embodiment includes a controller (100), hopper (112), water heater (11) and grinder assembly (120). An optional flavoring dispenser may also be provided.
대표청구항
▼
1. A brew group comprising: (a) a brewing chamber having an upper surface and a cylindrical aperture with an open first end and an open second end;(b) a lower piston assembly sized and configured to slidably engage the brewing chamber open first end;(c) a first actuator attached to the lower piston
1. A brew group comprising: (a) a brewing chamber having an upper surface and a cylindrical aperture with an open first end and an open second end;(b) a lower piston assembly sized and configured to slidably engage the brewing chamber open first end;(c) a first actuator attached to the lower piston assembly and operable to move the lower piston assembly longitudinally through the cylindrical aperture;(d) an upper piston assembly sized and configured to sealingly engage the brewing chamber open second end;(e) a second actuator attached to the upper piston assembly and operable to move the upper piston assembly between (i) a load position wherein the upper piston assembly is disposed above the brewing chamber and is pivoted away from the brewing chamber, and (ii) a brewing position wherein the upper piston assembly sealingly engages the brewing chamber;(f) means for pivoting the upper piston assembly away from the brewing chamber when the second piston assembly is moved to the load position;(g) a sliding arm assembly having a scraping arm slidably disposed on the upper surface of the brewing chamber; and(h) a third actuator operable to move the scraping arm across the upper surface of the brewing chamber over the open second end of the brewing chamber wherein the scraping arm is hingedly attached to the third actuator. 2. The brew group of claim 1, wherein the lower piston assembly defines a flow channel therethrough fluidly connecting the brewing chamber with an external water supply tube. 3. The brew group of claim 2, wherein the lower piston assembly comprises a first piston member and a second piston member that is removably attached to the first piston member. 4. The brew group of claim 3, wherein the first piston member and the second piston member cooperatively define an annular peripheral groove, and further comprising a seal ring disposed in the annular peripheral groove, wherein the seal ring is configured to sealingly engage the brewing chamber. 5. The brew group of claim 1, wherein the upper piston assembly comprises a first piston member that is attached to the second actuator, a second piston member that is removably attached to the first piston member, the first and second piston members cooperatively defining an annular channel, and a ring seal disposed in the annular channel. 6. The brew group of claim 5, wherein the first piston member defines a flow channel therethrough, and the second piston member comprises a plurality of flow channels therethrough that fluidly engage the first piston member flow channel. 7. The brew group of claim 6, wherein the upper piston assembly further comprises a dispensing tube that sealingly engages the first piston member flow channel. 8. The brew group of claim 7, wherein the upper piston assembly further comprising a seal means disposed between the first piston member flow channel and the second piston member plurality of flow channels. 9. The brew group of claim 7, further comprising a perforated plate attached to a distal face of the second piston member. 10. The brew group of claim 9, wherein a distal face of the second piston member is configured with a plurality of spacing members such that a flow path is defined between the distal face of the second piston member and the perforated plate. 11. The brew group of claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises a lead screw assembly. 12. The brew group of claim 1, wherein the means for pivoting the upper piston assembly comprises a lever arm on the upper piston assembly and a fixed spring member that engages the lever arm to pivot the upper piston assembly as the upper piston assembly is moved to the load position. 13. The brew group of claim 1, wherein the brew group is configured to retain a liquid pressure between 10 psig and 100 psig when the brew group is brewing a brewed liquid. 14. A method for producing a brewable beverage comprising the steps of: (a) providing a brew group having (i) a brewing chamber defining a cylindrical aperture having an open first end and an open second end; (ii) a lower piston assembly that slidably engages the open first end of the cylindrical aperture; (iii) an upper piston assembly movable between a load position wherein the upper piston assembly is disposed above the cylindrical aperture and pivoted away from the cylindrical aperture, and a brewing position wherein the upper piston assembly sealingly engages the open second end of the cylindrical aperture; and (iv) a sliding arm assembly configured with an actuator, the sliding arm assembly being configured to slide over the open second end of the cylindrical aperture, wherein the sliding bar assembly is hingedly attached to the actuator;(b) with the upper piston assembly in the load position, depositing a brewable material into the brewing chamber;(c) moving the upper piston assembly to the brewing position;(d) initiating a flow of heated water into the brewing chamber to produce a brewing pressure between 10 psig and 100 psig;(e) stopping the flow of heated water into the brewing chamber and allowing the brewable material to brew thereby producing a brewed liquid in the brewing chamber;(f) forcing a portion of the brewed liquid out of the brewing chamber;(g) moving the lower piston partially through the cylindrical aperture such that the brewable material is compressed between the upper piston assembly and the lower piston assembly;(h) moving the upper piston assembly to the load position;(i) moving the lower piston through the cylindrical aperture to a position substantially flush with the open second end of the cylindrical aperture; and(j) moving the sliding arm assembly over the open second end of the cylindrical aperture to remove the brewable material. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forcing the brewed liquid from the brewing chamber is accomplished by slidably moving the lower piston assembly through the brewing chamber. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forcing the brewed beverage from the brewing chamber is accomplished by reinitiating the flow of heated water into the brewing chamber. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the upper piston assembly further comprises a channel therethrough that is fluidly connected to a dispensing tube, and wherein the brewed liquid is forced from the brewing chamber through the dispensing tube. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the brewing pressure produced is between 20 psig and 60 psig. 19. A system for producing a brewed coffee beverage comprising: (a) a hopper configured to dispense coffee beans;(b) a grinder configured to receive coffee beans from the hopper and to dispense ground coffee;(c) a reservoir of heated water;(d) a brew group comprising (i) a brewing chamber having an upper surface and a cylindrical aperture with an open first end and an open second end; (ii) a lower piston assembly sized and configured to slidably engage the brewing chamber open first end; (iii) a first actuator attached to the lower piston assembly and operable to move the lower piston assembly longitudinally through the cylindrical aperture; (iv) an upper piston assembly sized and configured to sealingly engage the brewing chamber open second end; (v) a second actuator attached to the upper piston assembly and operable to move the upper piston assembly between a load position wherein the upper piston assembly is disposed above the brewing chamber and is pivoted away from the brewing chamber and a brewing position wherein the upper piston assembly sealingly engages the brewing chamber; (vi) means for pivoting the upper piston assembly away from the brewing chamber when the second piston assembly is moved to the load position; (vii) a sliding arm assembly having a scraping arm slidably disposed on the upper surface of the brewing chamber; and (viii) a third actuator operable to move the scraping arm across the upper surface of the brewing chamber over the open second end of the brewing chamber wherein the scraping arm is hingedly attached to the third actuator; and(e) a programmable controller operably connected to control operation of the hopper, the grinder, the reservoir, the first actuator, the second actuator, and the slidable means to selectively deposit ground coffee into the brewing chamber, close the brewing chamber, provide heated water at between 10 psig and 100 psig to the brewing chamber, and dispense a brewed liquid from the brewing chamber. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the lower piston assembly comprises a first piston member and a second piston member that is configured to be removably attachable to the first piston member, wherein the first piston member and the second piston member cooperatively define an annular channel therebetween, and further comprising a seal ring that is retained in the annular channel. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the lower piston assembly defines a flow channel therethrough fluidly connecting the brewing chamber with an external water supply tube. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the lower piston assembly further comprises a water supply tube that sealingly engages a first flow channel extending through the lower piston assembly to the brewing chamber, and the upper piston assembly further comprises a dispensing tube that sealingly engages a second flow path extending through the upper piston assembly to the brewing chamber. 23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a pivotable chute assembly defining a receiving end that is configured to receive the dispensed ground coffee, and an output end that is disposed over the brewing chamber when the upper piston assembly is in the load position. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the pivotably chute assembly is biased toward the brewing chamber, and further wherein the upper piston assembly moves the pivotably chute assembly away from the brewing chamber when the upper piston assembly moves from the load position to the brewing position.
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