Beverage maker
AssigneeHamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
InventorsAdam Hanes, Yongwu Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage maker includes a body and a cover movably attached to the body. The body includes therein (among other components), a hot liquid generator (HLG) having a tank, an inlet for receiving liquid into the tank and an outlet, at least one heater in thermal communication with the liquid in the HLG tank, and a discharge port in fluid communication with the outlet of the HLG for discharge of the liquid. The cover is movably attached to the body between a closed position and an open position. At least one valve permits the discharge of the liquid via the discharge port in a closed position of the cover. The at least one valve is mechanically actuated by the cover in the open position of the cover to substantially prevent the discharge of the liquid via the discharge port.
Claims18
A beverage maker comprising:
- a body;
- a reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;
- a hot liquid generator (HLG) having an inlet, an outlet and a tank, the inlet of the HLG being connected to the reservoir for receiving liquid into the tank;
- at least one heater in thermal communication with liquid in the HLG tank;
- a discharge port in fluid communication with the outlet of the HLG;
- a pump fluidly connected with the HLG tank for displacing liquid out of the tank outlet to the discharge port;
- a controller configured to actuate the at least one heater and the pump;
- a switch electrically coupled with the pump, the switch being biased into an “off” position, to maintain the pump in an inoperable condition, and being actuatable into an “on” position, placing the pump in an operational condition;
- and
- a pressure release valve in fluid communication with at least the HLG tank, the pressure release valve being movable between an open position for releasing pressure within the tank therethrough and a closed position for preventing the release of pressure within the tank therethrough;
- and
- a cover movably attached to an upper end of the body and being movable between an open position, and a closed position;
- wherein the cover:
- mechanically actuates the switch into the “on” position and mechanically actuates or releases the pressure release valve into one of the open and closed positions, upon movement of the cover to the closed position thereof, and
- releases the switch for return into the “off” position and mechanically actuates or releases the pressure release valve into the other of the open and closed positions, upon movement of the cover from the closed position toward the open position.
A beverage maker comprising:
- a body:
- a reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;
- a hot liquid generator (HLG) having an inlet, an outlet and a tank, the inlet of the HLG being connected to the reservoir for receiving liquid into the tank;
- at least one heater in thermal communication with liquid in the HLG tank;
- a discharge port in fluid communication with the outlet of the HLG;
- a pump fluidly connected with the HLG tank for displacing liquid out of the tank outlet to the discharge port;
- a controller configured to actuate the at least one heater and the pump;
- a switch electrically coupled with the pump, the switch being biased into an “off” position, to maintain the pump in an inoperable condition, and being actuatable into an “on” position, placing the pump in an operational condition;
- and
- a pressure release valve in fluid communication with at least the HLG tank, the pressure release valve being movable between an open position for releasing pressure within the tank therethrough and a closed position for preventing the release of pressure within the tank therethrough;
- and
- a cover movably attached to an upper end of the body and being movable between an open position, and a closed position;
- wherein movement of the cover mechanically actuates the switch into the “on” position and mechanically actuates or releases the pressure release valve into one of the open and closed positions, upon movement of the cover to the closed position thereof, and
- releases the switch for return into the “off” position and mechanically actuates or releases the pressure release valve into the other of the open and closed positions, upon movement of the cover from the closed position toward the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.