Method and apparatus for controlling brewed beverage quality
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
A47J-031/44
A23F-005/26
출원번호
US-0050852
(2011-03-17)
등록번호
US-8623441
(2014-01-07)
발명자
/ 주소
McLaughlin, James M.
Nguyen, Quan H.
Collier, Christopher D.
Nall, Eileen M.
Marks, Lucas A.
Rebhuhn, Carrie M.
출원인 / 주소
Concordia Coffee Company, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
83
초록▼
A brewing system and method are shown for brewing a beverage, such as coffee or tea. The system includes an inline sensor or sensor array that intercepts the dispensing stream and measures the time dependent properties of the brewed liquid at a particular location as the liquid is dispensed. In a pa
A brewing system and method are shown for brewing a beverage, such as coffee or tea. The system includes an inline sensor or sensor array that intercepts the dispensing stream and measures the time dependent properties of the brewed liquid at a particular location as the liquid is dispensed. In a particular embodiment, the total dissolved solids is measured to produce a coffee signature, which is sent to a controller that uses the time-dependent data to perform one or more of the following: evaluate the quality of the brewed liquid, control the brewing process for subsequent brewing cycles; identify the blend or brand of brewed product; and/or determine when maintenance is needed or advisable for the brewing system.
대표청구항▼
1. A brewing system comprising: a hopper configured to dispense brewable product;a reservoir configured to dispense heated water;a brewing chamber that receives brewable product from the hopper, and receives heated water from the reservoir, wherein the brewing chamber is configured to produce a brew
1. A brewing system comprising: a hopper configured to dispense brewable product;a reservoir configured to dispense heated water;a brewing chamber that receives brewable product from the hopper, and receives heated water from the reservoir, wherein the brewing chamber is configured to produce a brewed liquid from the received brewable product and heated water and to dispense the brewed liquid in a fluid stream;a controller that controls the operation of the brewing system, the controller comprising a processor, an input signal port, an output signal port, and a memory module;a sensor positioned to intercept the fluid stream, and operable to measure a property of the brewed liquid at a fixed location as the brewed liquid flows by the sensor, wherein the sensor generates time-dependent data corresponding to the measured property, and communicates the time-dependent data to the controller;wherein the controller uses the time-dependent data to control the amount of brewable product received by the brewing chamber. 2. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein the controller uses the time-dependent data to identify the brewable product. 3. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein the controller uses the time-dependent data to identify if there is a need to service the brewing system. 4. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein brewable product comprises coffee and wherein the system further comprises a coffee grinder configured to grind coffee from the hopper. 5. The brewing system of claim 4, wherein the sensor measures total dissolved solids in the brewed liquid. 6. The brewing system of claim 5, further comprising means for displaying the measured total dissolved solids in the brewed liquid. 7. The brewing system of claim 4, wherein the controller is in signal communication with the grinder, and further wherein the controller uses the time-dependent data to control the operation of the grinder. 8. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a conductivity sensor. 9. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein the brewing chamber comprises a cylindrical chamber and is part of a brew group further comprising a lower piston that is attached to a first linear actuator and sealably engages an open lower end of the brewing chamber, an upper piston assembly that is attached to a second linear actuator and sealably and releasably engages an open upper end of the brewing chamber, and a sliding arm assembly that is attached to a third linear actuator and is operable to slide over the open upper end of the brewing chamber. 10. The brewing system of claim 1, wherein the controller further uses the time-dependent data to identify the brand of the brewable product. 11. The brewing system of claim 4, wherein the controller further uses the time-dependent data to identify the brand of the coffee. 12. The brewing system of claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a quality of the brewed beverage based on property of the brewed liquid measured by the sensor. 13. A method for producing a brewable beverage in a brewing system having a controller and a sensor, the method comprising: grinding coffee beans with a grinder to produce a brewable product;providing a quantity of the brewable product to a brewing chamber;providing a quantity of heated water to the brewing chamber;permitting the brewable product to brew in the heated water in the brewing chamber to produce a brewed liquid;forcing at least a portion of the brewed liquid from the brewing chamber in a fluid stream;measuring a property of the brewed liquid with the sensor at a fixed location as the fluid stream flows by the fixed location, to generate a time-dependent data set for the fluid stream corresponding to the measured property, the measured property comprising the total dissolved solids in the brewed liquid; andusing the time-dependent data set to control the operation of the grinder. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the time-dependent data set is used by the controller to evaluate a quality of the dispensed brewed liquid. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the time-dependent data set is used by the controller to control at least one brewing parameter of the brewing system. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the time-dependent data set is used by the controller identify the brand of the brewable product. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the time-dependent data set is used by the controller to identify if the brewing system is in need of maintenance. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a conductivity meter. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein the brewing chamber is a part of a brew group that further comprises a lower piston that is attached to a first linear actuator and sealably engages an open lower end of the brewing chamber, an upper piston assembly that is attached to a second linear actuator and sealably and releasably engages an open upper end of the brewing chamber, and a sliding arm assembly that is attached to a third linear actuator and is operable to slide over the open upper end of the brewing chamber. 20. A brewing system comprising: a hopper configured to dispense coffee beans;a coffee grinder configured to receive and grind coffee beans from the hopper to produce a brewable product;a reservoir configured to dispense heated water;a brewing chamber configured to receive the brewable product from the grinder, and to receive heated water from the reservoir, wherein the brewing chamber is configured to produce a brewed liquid from the received brewable product and heated water and to dispense the brewed liquid in a fluid stream;a controller that controls the operation of the brewing system, the controller comprising a processor, an input signal port, an output signal port, and a memory module;a sensor positioned to intercept the fluid stream, and operable to measure a property of the brewed liquid at a fixed location as the brewed liquid flows by the sensor, wherein the sensor generates time-dependent data corresponding to the measured property, and communicates the time-dependent data to the controller;wherein the controller is in signal communication with the grinder, and further wherein the controller uses the time-dependent data to control the operation of the grinder. 21. A brewing system comprising: a hopper configured to dispense brewable product;a reservoir configured to dispense heated water;a brewing chamber that receives brewable product from the hopper, and receives heated water from the reservoir, wherein the brewing chamber is configured to produce a brewed liquid from the received brewable product and heated water and to dispense the brewed liquid in a fluid stream;a controller that controls the operation of the brewing system, the controller comprising a processor, an input signal port, an output signal port, and a memory module;a sensor positioned to intercept the fluid stream, and operable to measure a property of the brewed liquid at a fixed location as the brewed liquid flows by the sensor, wherein the sensor generates time-dependent data corresponding to the measured property, and communicates the time-dependent data to the controller;wherein the brewing chamber comprises a cylindrical chamber and is part of a brew group further comprising a lower piston that is attached to a first linear actuator and sealably engages an open lower end of the brewing chamber, an upper piston assembly that is attached to a second linear actuator and sealably and releasably engages an open upper end of the brewing chamber, and a sliding arm assembly that is attached to a third linear actuator and is operable to slide over the open upper end of the brewing chamber. 22. A method for producing a brewable beverage comprising: providing a quantity of brewable product to a brewing chamber;providing a quantity of heated water to the brewing chamber;permitting the brewable product to brew in the heated water in the brewing chamber to produce a brewed liquid;forcing at least a portion of the brewed liquid from the brewing chamber in a fluid stream;measuring a property of the brewed liquid at a fixed location as the fluid stream flows by the fixed location, to generate a time-dependent data set for the fluid stream corresponding to the measured property;wherein the brewing chamber is a part of a brew group that further comprises a lower piston that is attached to a first linear actuator and sealably engages an open lower end of the brewing chamber, an upper piston assembly that is attached to a second linear actuator and sealably and releasably engages an open upper end of the brewing chamber, and a sliding arm assembly that is attached to a third linear actuator and is operable to slide over the open upper end of the brewing chamber. 23. A method for producing a brewable beverage comprising: providing a quantity of brewable product to a brewing chamber;providing a quantity of heated water to the brewing chamber;permitting the brewable product to brew in the heated water in the brewing chamber to produce a brewed liquid;forcing at least a portion of the brewed liquid from the brewing chamber in a fluid stream;measuring a property of the brewed liquid at a fixed location as the fluid stream flows by the fixed location, to generate a time-dependent data set for the fluid stream corresponding to the measured property;using the time-dependent data set to control the amount of brewable product that is provided to the brewing chamber.
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