# US 12,004,677 B2 · Japanese-style iced coffee maker

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- Number: US 12,004,677 B2
- Document ID: US12004677B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/371,203
- Filed: 2021-07-09
- Published: 2023-01-12
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-09
- Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: Brent Alden Junge; Danister Abeygunawardana
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004677B2

## CPC

- A47J 31/002: {following a specific operational sequence, e.g. for improving the taste of the extraction product}
- A23F 5/26: Extraction of water soluble constituents {(A23F5/246 takes precedence)}
- A47J 31/057: with water container separated from beverage container, the hot water passing the filter only once {i.e. classical type of drip coffee makers}
- A47J 31/0642: {specially adapted to cooperate with a cartridge, e.g. having grooves or protrusions to separate cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber (A47J31/0668 takes precedence)}
- A47J 31/0668: {specially adapted for cartridges}
- A47J 31/3676: {Cartridges being employed}
- A47J 31/407: {with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means}
- A47J 31/46: Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices
- A47J 31/54: Water boiling vessels {in beverage making machines}
- F25C 5/182: Ice bins therefor
- A47J 31/465: {for the heated water}
- F25C 1/00: Producing ice (F25C3/00 takes precedence)
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF
- F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE

## Abstract

A method for brewing Japanese-style iced coffee with a single-serve beverage dispenser includes dispensing heated water onto coffee grounds disposed within a brew chamber of a brew module, flowing brewed coffee from the brew chamber into an ice chamber of an iced coffee module, the brewed coffee flowing over ice within the ice chamber, and flowing the iced brewed coffee from the ice chamber into a container. A related single-serve beverage dispenser is also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A single-serve beverage dispenser, comprising:
a housing;
a heating element disposed within the housing, the heating element operable to heat water;
a water delivery tube in flow communication with the heating element;
a brew module defining a brew chamber for receipt of a brew pod, an outlet of the brew module disposed at a bottom portion of the brew module, heated water from the heating element followable into the brew chamber of the brew module via the water delivery tube; and
an iced coffee module defining an ice chamber for receipt of ice, the iced coffee module mountable to the brew module at the bottom portion of the brew module such that coffee from the brew chamber is flowable into the ice chamber via the outlet of the brew module, an outlet of the iced coffee module disposed at a bottom portion of the iced coffee module,
wherein the water delivery tube is loaded by a spring toward or against the brew module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein a volume of the ice chamber is no less than fifty cubic centimeters and no more than one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inlets of the iced coffee module are disposed at a top portion of the iced coffee module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 3, wherein the plurality of inlets comprises no less than seven inlets.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 1, further comprising an icemaker disposed within the housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 5, wherein the icemaker is a nugget icemaker.

### Claim 7

A single-serve beverage dispenser, comprising:
a housing defining a dispenser recess;
a hot water line provided within the housing;
a delivery assembly positioned within the dispenser recess, the hot water line extending to one or more outlets of the delivery assembly;
a heating element provided along the hot water line to selectively heat water upstream from the one or more outlets of the delivery assembly;
a brew module defining a brew chamber for receipt of a brew pod, the brew module defining an outlet disposed at a bottom portion thereof; and
an iced coffee module comprising a side wall and a plate, the side wall being removable mountable on the brew module, the plate being disposed within the side wall and positioned below the outlet of the brew module, the plate defining a plurality of inlets, the bottom portion of the side wall defining an outlet,
wherein the plate and a bottom portion of the side wall define an ice chamber for receipt of ice.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 7, wherein a volume of the ice chamber is no less than fifty cubic centimeters and no more than one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 7, wherein the plate is disposed at a top portion of the iced coffee module.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 9, wherein the plate defines no less than seven inlets.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 7, further comprising an icemaker disposed within the housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The single-serve beverage dispenser of claim 11, wherein the icemaker is a nugget icemaker.