US 2018/0008087 A1Published application

Single Serve Beverage Dispenser for a Refrigerator Appliance

AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

InventorsCharles Benjamin Miller, Christopher Francis Bird

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Abstract

A brew module for use with a refrigerator appliance is provided. The brew module includes a brewing body and a pivotally attached lid that together define a brew chamber configured to receive a brew pod. A lower needle is positioned at the bottom of the brew chamber and an upper needle is slidably received within the lid. Pivoting the lid to the closed position forces the lower needle to pierce the brew pod first, thereby relieving any built up pressure. Thereafter, a moving water supply tube drives the upper needle downward to pierce a top cover of the brew pod along a substantially vertical direction, thus minimizing the size of the pierced hole in the top cover. The brew module thus facilitates an improved seal with the brew pod, reduces the risk of clogging the upper needle, and prevents the ejection of brew pod contents.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;
a door being rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, the door defining a dispenser recess;
a dispensing assembly positioned within the dispenser recess and comprising a moving water delivery tube configured to move substantially along the vertical direction between a retracted position and an extended position;
and
a brew module being removably mounted to the dispensing assembly, the brew module comprising:
a brewing body defining a brew chamber configured to receive a brew pod, the brewing body defining an outlet and comprising a lower needle;
a lid configured to seal the brew pod within the brew chamber, the lid defining an inlet configured to receive a flow of water from the moving water delivery tube to mix with contents of the brew pod to create a beverage;
and
an upper needle assembly comprising an upper needle attached to a drive member, the drive member being slidably received within the lid and configured to move in a vertical direction between a retracted position and an extended position.

6 more elements

A beverage dispensing assembly for use with a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a dispensing assembly including a moving water delivery tube, the refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the beverage dispensing assembly comprising:

a brewing body defining a brew chamber configured to receive a brew pod, the brewing body defining an outlet and comprising a lower needle;
a lid configured to seal the brew pod within the brew chamber, the lid defining an inlet configured to receive a flow of water from the moving water delivery tube to mix with contents of the brew pod to create a beverage;
and
an upper needle assembly comprising an upper needle attached to a drive member, the drive member being slidably received within the lid and configured to move in a vertical direction between a retracted position and an extended position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.