Modular brew systems
AssigneeStarbucks Corporation
InventorsNatarajan Venkatakrishnan, Joseph Emil Gormley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular brewing system is described for providing hot water and managing power to multiple brew tower modules using a single centralized boiler and power management module so as to limit the number of high-power circuits required in a coffeehouse or store. The boiler and power management module manages power of components of the centralized boiler assembly and any brew tower modules connected thereto, including the boiler heaters, the grinder motors, and the brew chamber heaters.
Claims19
A method of facilitating brewing of coffee using a modular brew system, the method comprising:
- heating water in a boiler assembly of a base module of the modular brew system;
- supplying a first portion of the heated water from the boiler assembly of the base module to a first brew chamber of a first brew tower module of the modular brew system to facilitate preparation of a first coffee beverage within the first brew chamber of the first brew tower module,
- supplying a second portion of the heated water from the boiler assembly of the base module to a second brew chamber of a second brew tower module of the modular brew system to facilitate preparation of a second coffee beverage within the second brew chamber of the second brew tower module,
- wherein the first brew tower module, the second brew tower module, and the base module comprise separate structural units, the first brew tower module having a first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular brew system, and the second brew tower module having a second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system;
- providing power, via a single high power circuit in the base module, to the base module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module, wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the base module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit;
- and
- allocating the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module such that the base module, the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module can operate simultaneously with the power provided by the single high power circuit,
- wherein the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module each comprise a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers and a grinder.
A modular coffee brewing system comprising:
- a first coffee brew tower module comprising a first housing, a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers, a grinder, and a brew chamber, the first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular coffee brewing system;
- a second coffee brew tower module comprising a second housing, a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers, a grinder, and a brew chamber, the second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system;
- and
- a single boiler and power management module operatively and removably coupled to the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module,
- wherein the boiler and power management module comprises:
- a boiler configured to supply hot water to the brew chamber of each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module;
- and
- a controller configured to allocate power provided to each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module, and configured to transmit control signals to the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module in order to turn on or off one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module;
- wherein the power is provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module and is supplied by a single high power circuit electrically coupled to the single boiler and power management module, wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the single boiler and power management module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit;
- and
- wherein the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower do not comprise one or more boilers.
A coffee brewing module for a modular coffee brewing system, the coffee brewing module configured to supply hot water and manage power delivery to a first coffee brew tower module comprising a first housing, a grinder and a brew chamber and a second coffee brew tower module comprising a second housing, a brew chamber and a grinder, the first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular coffee brewing system, the second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system, and the brewing module comprising:
- a boiler assembly configured to supply hot water to the brew chamber of each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module;
- a controller configured to allocate power provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module;
- and
- an electronic switching device configured to turn on or off one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module,
- wherein the power is provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module and is supplied by a single high power circuit,
- wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the boiler assembly, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit;
- and
- wherein the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower do not comprise one or more boilers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.