Beverage machines and methods of forming beverages
AssigneeKeurig Green Mountain, Inc.
InventorsCarl Gottfried Kammer, Matthew Martin Kenneth Hansen, Robert Dana Cassano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beverage making machine may form a cooled beverage by recirculating a beverage and/or cooling the beverage using a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may include a phase change material (PCM), a fluid, and a thermal element. The heat exchanger may be configured such that heat is transferred from the beverage to the PCM, heat is transferred from the PCM to the fluid, and heat is transferred from the fluid to the thermal element.
Claims23
A beverage making machine, comprising:
- a brew chamber configured to form a beverage;
- a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the brew chamber, the heat exchanger comprising:
- a volume of space containing a phase change material;
- a first fluid pathway in fluid communication with the brew chamber such that brewed beverage from the brew chamber is configured to flow through the first fluid pathway, the first fluid pathway passing through the phase change material such that heat is transferred from the beverage to the phase change material;
- a second fluid pathway passing through the phase change material, wherein fluid communication between the first fluid pathway and the second fluid pathway is closed;
- and
- a thermal element configured to cool the fluid in the second fluid pathway such that heat is transferred from the phase change material to the fluid.
A method for operating a beverage making machine comprising:
- providing a beverage making machine having a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a phase change material, a fluid, and a thermal element;
- combining a liquid with a beverage ingredient to form a beverage;
- providing the beverage to the heat exchanger;
- cooling the beverage such that heat is transferred from the beverage to the phase change material, wherein heat from the phase change material is transferred to the fluid, and wherein heat from the fluid is transferred to the thermal element.
18-20. (canceled)
A beverage making machine comprising:
- a brew chamber configured to receive a beverage ingredient and a precursor liquid to form a beverage;
- a valve fluidly coupled to the brew chamber, wherein the valve is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein while in the first configuration, the valve is configured to enable recirculation of the beverage such that beverage exiting the brew chamber is directed to re-enter the brew chamber, and while in the second configuration, the valve directs the beverage to exit the brew chamber and be dispensed out of the beverage making machine.
23-31. (canceled)
A method for operating a beverage making machine comprising:
- providing a beverage making machine having a brew chamber;
- providing a beverage ingredient in the brew chamber;
- directing a precursor liquid to enter the brew chamber to combine with the beverage ingredient for a first period of time to form a beverage;
- and
- recirculating the beverage to further combine with the beverage ingredient for a second period of time.
33-42. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.