초록 ▼

A mechanical waste pod ejector system for a single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that has a lower head with a holding chamber therein, for holding a pod during a flavoring operation, which head mechanically ejects the pod after usage. The system includes a pod ejector mechanism, a pod support p

A mechanical waste pod ejector system for a single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that has a lower head with a holding chamber therein, for holding a pod during a flavoring operation, which head mechanically ejects the pod after usage. The system includes a pod ejector mechanism, a pod support plate sized to engage the pod, and actuator head, with a pod ejector controller including a cam slide surface for moving the lower head from a flavoring position to a pod disposal position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that utilizes a sealed beverage pod that contains beverage flavoring material surrounded by filter paper and formed in a disc-like shape for automatically flavoring a beverage one cup at a time, comprising: a beverage flavoring pod holding mechanism for

1. A single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that utilizes a sealed beverage pod that contains beverage flavoring material surrounded by filter paper and formed in a disc-like shape for automatically flavoring a beverage one cup at a time, comprising: a beverage flavoring pod holding mechanism for receiving and retaining a beverage pod during a flavoring operation, said beverage flavoring pod including a holding mechanism forming a chamber including an upper head and a lower head with said lower head including a recess therein forming e said holding chamber for the beverage flavoring pod, said upper and lower heads being movable relative to one another to engage with one another to enclose the beverage flavoring pod within said holding chamber in a beverage flavoring engagement position and to effect a generally water tight seal between said upper and lower heads in such position and to thereafter disengage from said beverage flavoring engagement, said upper head having a water inlet on a top surface and said lower head having a liquid outlet on a bottom surface for passing water through the beverage pod within said holding chamber during a flavoring operation,a support assembly supporting said upper and lower heads within said beverage flavoring machine in desired positions during the flavoring operation, said support assembly including a mechanism for arcuately moving said lower head between pod receiving, beverage flavoring, and pod discharge positions,a control assembly operable during the course of a flavoring operation to effect movement of said lower head from said pod receiving position to said beverage flavoring position, to effect movement of said upper and lower heads relative to one another into said beverage flavoring engagement position, to effect the passage of water through the beverage flavoring pod while the upper and lower head are in said beverage engagement position, to effect disengagement of said upper and lower heads from one another, and to effect movement of said lower head from said beverage flavoring to said pod discharge position,said upper head and lower head of said machine during operation pivots about upon the same rotation axis, provided through said support assembly of said upper head;said lower head also including a pod ejector mechanism for discharging the beverage flavoring pod from said holding chamber therein, said pod ejector mechanism including a pod support disc associated with said holding chamber for contacting and acting against the beverage flavoring pod enclosed within said holding chamber and a spring loaded stem connected to said pod support disc, with the stem slidably disposed though the lower head to an actuator head, said stem and actuator head moving along a defined travel path as said lower head is moved from said beverage flavoring position to said pod discharge position,and a mechanical pod ejection controller for acting against said actuator head of said pod ejector mechanism to effect the discharge of the beverage pod from said holding chamber when the lower head is moved to said pod discharge position,and a mechanical pod ejection controller for acting against said actuator head of said pod ejector mechanism to effect the discharge of the beverage pod from said holding chamber when the lower head is moved to said pod discharge position,said pod ejection controller including a cam slide surface positioned to come into contact with said actuator head of said pod ejection mechanism and to increasingly compress the spring of said spring-loaded stem to apply increasing pressure to said pod support disc as said lower head is moved from said beverage flavoring position to said pod discharge position, said cam slide surface positioned to effect sufficient force through said spring loaded stem and said pod support disc to eject the beverage flavoring pod from said holding chamber and said lower head when said lower head reaches said pod discharge position,wherein said pod ejection controller includes a pod ejection controller bracket member having said cam slide surface formed thereon,said actuator head follows a generally arcuate path as said lower head is moved from said beverage flavoring position to said pod discharge position, andsaid pod ejector controller bracket includes an arcuately shaped portion along one edge thereof with said cam slide surface formed thereon. 2. The single cup pod beverage flavoring machine of claim 1 wherein said support assembly includes a base, upstanding spaced apart support bracket portions secured to said base, a rotatable axis member extending between said spaced apart support bracket members, and a pair of side support members for said lower head attached to the said lower head and to said axis member, rotation of said axis member effecting arcuate movement of said lower head, andsaid pod ejector controller bracket is mounted to said base of said support assembly at a position to dispose said cam slide surface between said side support members and to contact said actuator head of said pod ejector mechanism as the lower head is moved from said beverage flavoring position to said pod discharge position. 3. A single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that utilizes a user installable pod that contains beverage flavoring material surrounded by filter paper formed in a disc-like shape for beverage flavoring during a beverage flavoring cycle, comprising: a) a pod holding chamber construction, having a recess therein, configured to hold the pod, said holding chamber having two separate halves comprising an upper head and a lower head with said upper head having a water inlet and said lower head having a liquid outlet;b) a pod ejector mechanism including a spring-loaded stem slidably penetrating through said lower head and including, at one end thereof, a pod support plate sized to engage and support the pod within said holding chamber between the lower head and upper head, and, at the other end, an actuator head extending generally below said lower head;c) an upper head mounting frame attached to a horizontal base and movably supporting said upper head;d) a pair of lower head arcuate rotating arms for retaining said lower head, and a first shaft attached to said arms penetrating said upper head mounting frame, a first motor attached to said upper head mounting frame for rotating said shaft into at least a pod loading position, a pod flavoring position, and a pod disposal position,e) a sealing mechanism for sealing the pod within said pod holding chamber and permitting water to be introduced into said chamber during a flavoring operation, said sealing mechanism including a second motor, secured to said upper head mounting frame, and a cam driven by said second motor to effect engagement and disengagement of said upper head with said lower head;f) a pod ejector controller including a cam slide surface for contacting said actuator head as said lower head is moved from said flavoring position to said pod disposal position to mechanically propel the pod from said chamber when said lower head is oriented generally vertically in the pod disposal position,g) an electronic control system operable to control the sequence of operations during the beverage flavoring cycle; andh) an outer shell having an access slot therethrough through which the lower head is presented to a user for installation by the user of the pod into said pod holding chamber when said shaft is rotated to said pod loading position,wherein said upper head and lower head of said machine during operation pivots about upon the same rotation axis,wherein said pod ejection controller includes a pod ejection controller bracket member having said cam slide surface formed thereon, andsaid pod ejector controller bracket includes an arcuately shaped portion along one edge thereof with said cam slide surface formed thereon. 4. The single cup pod beverage flavoring machine of claim 3 wherein said upper head mounting frame further comprises a horizontal base, a pair of channel-shaped columns attached to said base, and a lower head positioning solenoid attached to a single channel shaped column, for positioning said lower head in the pod flavoring position. 5. The single cup pod beverage flavoring machine of claim 3 wherein said pair of lower head arcuate rotating arms further comprise a coupling attaching said first motor located on said upper head mounting frame to said first shaft. 6. The single cup pod beverage flavoring machine of claim 3 wherein said sealing mechanism further includes a pair of parallel brackets attached to said upper head mounting frame, said brackets having a pin disposed therebetween penetrating said cam such that when the cam is rotated in one direction by the second motor the cam engages the upper head on the cam's periphery urging the upper head downwardly to mate with the lower head and when the cam is rotated in the opposite direction by the second motor the pin penetrating the cam lifts the upper head away from the lower head. 7. The single cup pod beverage flavoring machine of claim 3 further including a pod disposal bin removably housed within said outer shell to receive and store spent pods, andan automatic pod loading, lower head door which opens by physical contact with said pod holding chamber construction and closes by gravity or spring action.