# US 11,076,715 B1 · Coffee machine with dynamic flow and temperature control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,715 B1 - Document ID: US11076715B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/084,664 - Filed: 2020-10-30 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-30 - Assignees: Nuli Coffee, Inc. - Applicants: Nuli Coffee, Inc. - Inventors: Ali H Mohammad; Ethan Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076715B1 ## CPC - A47J 31/5253: {of temperature} - A47J 31/10: Coffee-making apparatus, in which the brewing vessel {, i.e. water heating container}, is placed above or in the upper part of the beverage containers {i.e. brewing vessel}; Drip coffee-makers {with the water heating container in a higher position than the brewing vessel} (A47J31/02 takes precedence) - A47J 31/34: with hot water under liquid pressure - A47J 31/4467: {by means of linear guides, e.g. drawer-type engagement} - A47J 31/46: Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices - A47J 31/468: {Pumping means} - A47J 31/52: Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus} - A47J 31/521: {the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device} - A47J 31/5251: {of pressure} - A47J 31/5255: {of flow rate} - A47J 31/542: {Continuous-flow heaters} - A47J 31/56: having water-level controls; having temperature controls - A47J 31/36: with mechanical pressure-producing means - A47J 31/469: {Details of hydraulic circuits} - A47J 2202/00: Devices having temperature indicating means - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A coffee machine is provided. The coffee machine may include an electronic control module configured to receive at least one flow set point and at least one temperature set point. The coffee machine may further include a portafilter, a group head configured to receive the portafilter, and at least one water line configured to supply water. The coffee machine may further include at least one syringe pump configured to pressurize the water to attain the at least one flow set point. The coffee machine may further include an in-line heating element configured to control temperature of the water according to the at least one temperature set point. The coffee machine may further include a feedback loop configured to provide the temperature to the electronic control module to enable selectively adjusting the temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coffee machine comprising: an electronic control module configured to receive brewing settings, the brewing settings including at least one flow set point and at least one temperature set point; a portafilter configured to hold coffee; a group head configured to receive the portafilter; at least one water line configured to supply water; at least one syringe pump configured to administer predetermined amounts of the water based on predetermined criteria to attain a flow rate according to the at least one flow set point, the flow rate provided by the syringe pump being substantially unaffected by a flow resistance created by the coffee; an in-line heating element configured to control a temperature of the water to attain the at least one temperature set point during an extraction process; and a feedback loop configured to provide the temperature to the electronic control module, the electronic control module being further configured to selectively adjust the temperature based on the brewing settings. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the in-line heating element is located down the stream from the at least one syringe pump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow set point and the at least one temperature set point vary during the extraction process according to the brewing settings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the group head is a forward-sliding group head configured to receive the portafilter being moved along a track. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the electronic control module includes a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller configured to control the at least one temperature set point within a range of 0.5° C. to 1.0° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the least one syringe pump includes a plurality of redundant syringe pumps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the in-line heating element is configured to change the at least one temperature set point based on the brewing settings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the in-line heating element is made of materials selected to be non-reactive with the water to avoid sediment formation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow set point is selected to maintain the at least one temperature set point. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of the water, wherein the feedback loop is further configured to provide the pressure to the electronic control module, the electronic control module being further configured to selectively adjust the pressure based on the brewing settings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the electronic control module includes a learning mode configured to learn a brewing profile, the brewing profile being selected from the following: brewing profiles executed manually by an operator, brewing profiles received from external sources, brewing profiles received via a data network, and the electronic control module being in communication with the data network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one water line is configured to connect one or more of the following: an inlet to the at least one syringe pump; the at least one syringe pump to the in-line heating element; and the in-line heating element to the group head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The coffee machine of claim 1, wherein the brewing settings are provided by an operator or predetermined based on a brewing profile. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The coffee machine of claim 11, wherein the brewing profile includes pre-programmed set points for preparing one or more of the following beverages: espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew. ### Claim 15 A method for manufacturing a coffee machine, the method comprising: providing an electronic control module, the electronic control module being configured to receive brewing settings, the brewing settings including at least one flow set point and at least one temperature set point; providing a portafilter configured to hold coffee; providing a group head configured to receive the portafilter; providing at least one water line configured to supply water; providing at least one syringe pump, the at least one syringe pump being configured to administer predetermined amounts of the water based on predetermined criteria to attain a flow rate according to the at least one flow set point, the flow rate provided by the syringe pump being substantially unaffected by a flow resistance created by the coffee; providing an in-line heating element, the in-line heating element being configured to control a temperature of the water to attain the at least one temperature set point during an extraction process; and providing a feedback loop, the feedback loop being configured to provide the temperature to the electronic control module, the electronic control module being further configured to selectively adjust the temperature based on the brewing settings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: connecting, via the at least one water line, one or more of the following: an inlet to the syringe pump; the syringe pump to the in-line heating element; and the in-line heating element to the group head. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the providing the least one syringe pump includes providing a plurality of redundant syringe pumps. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the providing the in-line heating element includes placing the in-line heating element down the stream from the at least one syringe pump. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the providing the group head includes providing a forward-sliding group head configured to receive the portafilter being moved along a track. ### Claim 20 A coffee machine comprising: an electronic control module configured to receive brewing settings, the brewing settings including at least one flow set point and at least one temperature set point; a portafilter configured to hold coffee; a group head configured to receive the portafilter; at least one water line configured to supply water; at least one syringe pump configured to administer predetermined amounts of the water based on predetermined criteria to attain a flow rate according to the at least one flow set point, the flow rate provided by the syringe pump being substantially unaffected by a flow resistance created by the coffee, wherein the at least one flow set point and the at least one temperature set point vary during the extraction process according to the brewing settings, wherein the at least one flow set point is selected to maintain the at least one temperature set point; an in-line heating element configured to control a temperature of the water to attain the at least one temperature set point during an extraction process; and a feedback loop configured to provide the temperature to the electronic control module, the electronic control module being further configured to selectively adjust the temperature based on the brewing settings.