Dual mode hot beverage dispenser
OwnerSteve L. Koontz, Stuart P. Kanerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual mode liquid concentrate beverage dispenser includes both a pour-over water inlet and a plumbed water line inlet, either of which may be used to provide water to a heating tank. The pour-over water inlet is used to add water to the dispenser when located remote from a plumbed water supply line. A dump valve selectively supplies heated water to a mixing chamber. A concentrate pump selectively moves concentrated liquid beverage from a source thereof to the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber dilutes the beverage concentrate with heated water to provide an individual serving of a desired hot beverage.
Claims23
An apparatus for dispensing a hot beverage, including in combination:
- a. a water inlet basin adapted to receive poured water;
- b. a heating tank including a heating element, the heating tank being coupled to the water inlet basin for receiving water therefrom, the heating tank including a water outlet for supplying heated water;
- c. a pump having a pump inlet coupled to a source of beverage concentrate and including a pump outlet, the pump selectively forcing beverage concentrate from the pump inlet to the pump outlet;
- d. a valve having a valve inlet coupled to the water outlet of the heating tank for receiving heated water, the valve including a valve outlet;
- and
- e. a mixing chamber coupled to the pump outlet for receiving beverage concentrate, and coupled to the valve for receiving heated water, the mixing chamber diluting the beverage concentrate with heated water to provide a desired hot beverage.
An apparatus for dispensing a hot beverage, including in combination:
- a. a first water inlet adapted to receive water from a plumbed municipal water supply line;
- b. a second water inlet adapted to receive poured water in the event that the first water inlet is not coupled to a plumbed municipal water supply line;
- c. a heating tank including a heating element, the heating tank being coupled to the first water inlet and to the second water inlet for receiving water therefrom, the heating tank including a water outlet for supplying heated water;
- d. a pump having a pump inlet coupled to a source of beverage concentrate and including a pump outlet, the pump selectively forcing beverage concentrate from the pump inlet to the pump outlet;
- e. a valve having a valve inlet coupled to the water outlet of the heating tank for receiving heated water, the valve including a valve outlet;
- and
- f. a mixing chamber coupled to the pump outlet for receiving beverage concentrate, and coupled to the valve for receiving heated water, the mixing chamber diluting the beverage concentrate with heated water to provide a desired hot beverage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.