Delayed fill of beverage machine heater tank
AssigneeKeuring, Incorporated
InventorsJennifer Zimmerman, William T. Jacobs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage forming method and system in which a heater tank can be filled with liquid to an expansion level after a beverage is formed. The liquid in the heater tank may be heated, causing expansion of the liquid in the tank. Thereafter, a volume of liquid may be delivered to the tank to fill the tank to a liquid delivery level at which the tank is filled to deliver a controlled volume of liquid to form a beverage. No further heating of liquid in the tank may be performed or required after filling to the delivery level since the volume of liquid delivered to fill the tank to the liquid delivery level may be relatively small. Accurate volumes of liquid may be delivered in a way that compensates for any expansion that may occur due to heating.
Claims18
A beverage forming apparatus comprising:
- a housing to support components of the beverage forming apparatus;
- a beverage forming station supported by the housing and arranged to combine a precursor liquid with a beverage material to form a beverage that is dispensed via a dispense outlet;
- a precursor liquid supply system supported by the housing for providing precursor liquid to the beverage forming station, the liquid supply system including a heater tank having a heater to heat liquid in the tank and a liquid delivery level to which the heater tank is filled to deliver a controlled volume of liquid to the beverage forming station to form a beverage;
- and
- a control circuit arranged to control the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the heater tank to fill the heater tank to an expansion level below any liquid delivery level after completing formation of a beverage, and arranged to control the liquid supply system to fill the heater tank to the liquid delivery level in response to receiving a beverage formation start command.
A method for controlling a beverage forming apparatus, comprising:
- providing a beverage forming apparatus having a heater tank with a liquid delivery level to which the heater tank is filled to deliver a controlled volume of liquid to form a beverage;
- after completing a beverage formation cycle, filling the heater tank to an expansion level below any liquid delivery level of the heater tank;
- heating liquid in the heater tank after filling the heater tank to the expansion level;
- filling the heater tank to the liquid delivery level in response to receipt of a beverage formation start command;
- and
- delivering liquid from the heater tank to form a beverage after filling the heater tank to the liquid delivery level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.