Beverage making apparatus
AssigneeAppliance Development Corporation
InventorsDov Glucksman, Gary McGonagle, Laura Nickerson, John Oliver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brewing apparatus for infusing compacted ground coffee in a grounds cup at a brewing station with heated water under pressure. At a brewing station, a piston head with an active seal that is spaced from the grounds cup wall during motion, extends into the grounds cup. When the piston head begins to compact the ground coffee it activates the seal to form a sealed upper end of a brewing chamber. Hot water is admitted to the brewing chamber to produce the coffee. When the brewing cycle is completed, the piston head displaces further to force additional coffee from the grounds. Then the piston head retracts to allow the infusion chamber assembly to be removed for cleaning.
Claims14
Apparatus for brewing beverages by supplying a liquid under pressure to an infusible material, said apparatus comprising:
- A) infusion chamber means for receiving the infusible material including a side wall, an open top and a perforated bottom, and
- B) piston means for compacting the infusible material and dispersing the liquid, said piston means including piston head means for forming a brewing chamber in said infusion chamber means and piston rod means for moving said piston head means past said open top, said piston head means having an active peripheral sealing means including:
- i) first means fixed to said piston rod means for forming a rigid structure,
- ii) second means for compacting the infusible material and dispersing the liquid and including:
- a) means for forming a labyrinth facing said brewing chamber, and
- b) perforated disk means overlying said labyrinth for distributing the liquid under pressure evenly over the infusible material during brewing,
- iii) sealing means attached to each of said first and second means for suspending said second means from said first means, and
- iv) spring means intermediate said first and second means for separating said first and second means when said piston head means is spaced from the infusible material whereby said seal means contracts from said side wall of said infusion chamber means, said second means overcoming the bias of said spring means during compaction of the infusible material whereupon said seal means expands into a sealing engagement with the side wall and said piston head means and said infusion chamber means form the brewing chamber.
Apparatus for brewing beverages by supplying a liquid under pressure to an infusible material wherein said apparatus includes an infusion chamber including a side wall, an open top and a perforated bottom and a piston including a piston head that forms a brewing chamber in said infusion chamber and a piston rod that moves said piston head past said open top, said piston head having an active peripheral seal comprising:
- A) a first rigid disk fixed to said piston rod,
- B) a second disk including a labyrinth facing said brewing chamber and a perforated disk overlying said labyrinth that distributes the liquid under pressure evenly over the infusible material during brewing,
- C) a seal captured by each of said first and second disks that suspends said second disk from said first disk, and
- D) a spring intermediate said first and second disks that separates said first and second disks when said piston head is spaced from the infusible material whereby said seal contracts from said infusion chamber side wall, said second disk overcoming the spring bias during compaction of the infusible material whereupon said seal expands into a sealing engagement with the side wall and said piston head and said infusion chamber form the brewing chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.