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US 2026/0174274 A1Published application
Beverage-making machine with vacuum break valve
AssigneeHamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
InventorAdam Hanes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage-making including a controller operatively connected with a hot water generator and a pump; a vacuum break valve fluidly connected with the hot water generator and the dispensing needle. The vacuum break valve is configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the valve provides a seal that maintains a substantially airtight path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle, and wherein in the open position the valve opens to vent the path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle.
Claims21
A beverage-making machine, comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a base;
- a tower extending upwardly from the base;
- and
- a dispensing arm that extends from the tower;
- a water reservoir mounted on the housing;
- a brew chamber positioned in the dispensing arm;
- a hot water generator fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a pump fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a dispensing needle fluidly connected with the pump and the hot water generator and positioned to dispense heated water into the brew chamber;
- a controller operatively connected with the hot water generator and the pump;
- and
- a vacuum break valve fluidly connected with the hot water generator and the dispensing needle, the valve configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the valve provides a seal that maintains a substantially airtight path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle, and wherein in the open position the valve opens to vent the path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle to atmospheric pressure, and wherein the valve moves from the closed position to the open position when exposed to negative pressure in the path between the dispensing needle and the hot water generator, the negative pressure exceeding a predetermined magnitude.
10 more elements
A beverage-making machine, comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a base with a vessel receiving area;
- a tower extending upwardly from the base;
- and
- a dispensing arm that extends from the tower at least partially directly above the vessel receiving area;
- a water reservoir mounted on the housing;
- a brew chamber positioned in the dispensing arm and above the vessel receiving area, the brew chamber configured to receive a hard-shelled pod of grounds for brewing;
- a flow-through heater fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a pump fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a dispensing needle fluidly connected with the pump and the flow-through heater and positioned to dispense heated water into the brew chamber;
- a controller operatively connected with the flow-through heater and the pump;
- and
- a vacuum break valve fluidly connected with the flow-through heater and the dispensing needle;
- the valve configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the valve provides a seal that maintains a substantially airtight path between the flow-through heater and the dispensing needle, and wherein in the open position the valve opens to vent the path between the flow-through heater and the dispensing needle to atmospheric pressure, and wherein the valve moves from the closed position to the open position when exposed to negative pressure in the path between the dispensing needle and the flow-through heater, the negative pressure exceeding a predetermined magnitude.
11 more elements
A beverage-making machine, comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a base with a vessel receiving area;
- a tower extending upwardly from the base;
- and
- a dispensing arm that extends from the tower at least partially directly above the vessel receiving area;
- a water reservoir mounted on the housing;
- a brew chamber positioned in the dispensing arm and above the vessel receiving area, the brew chamber configured to receive a hard-shelled pod of grounds for brewing;
- a hot water generator fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a pump fluidly connected with the water reservoir;
- a dispensing needle fluidly connected with the pump and the hot water generator and positioned to dispense heated water into the brew chamber;
- a controller operatively connected with the hot water generator and the pump;
- and
- a vacuum break valve fluidly connected with the hot water generator and the dispensing needle;
- the valve configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the valve provides a seal that maintains a substantially airtight path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle, and wherein in the open position the valve opens to vent the path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle to atmospheric pressure, and wherein the valve moves from the closed position to the open position when exposed to negative pressure in the path between the dispensing needle and the hot water generator, the negative pressure exceeding a predetermined magnitude of between about 0.05 and 5 psi.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.