Coffee making machine and components thereof

A brewing head adapted for use in conjunction with a coffee making machine, the brewing head including:

• a reservoir for water heating and storage;
• valved inlet means adapted to connect the reservoir to mains water supply;
• outlet means operable to deliver hot water from the reservoir to contact ground coffee;
• an electrical heating element operable to heat the contents of the reservoir;
• lower level sensing means adapted to sense a pre-determined water level condition in the reservoir;
• upper level sensing means disposed above the lower level sensing means and adapted to sense an overfill water level condition in the reservoir;
• temperature sensing means for monitoring the temperature of the reservoir contents;
• and
• a solid state controller in communication with said temperature sensing means and operable to enable said heating element in response to signals received from the temperature sensing means to maintain the reservoir contents within a pre-determined temperature range and also adapted to open the valved inlet means for water supply to the reservoir in response to signals received from said lower level sensing means when said water is below said pre-determined water level condition, said control means further being responsive to signals received from said upper level sensing means to close said valved inlet means in the event of a malfunction of said lower level sensing means and upon detection of said overfill water level condition.

A coffee making machine of the type adapted to be connected to a mains water supply and to deliver hot water during a brewing cycle to ground coffee supported in a removable filter element, said coffee making machine comprising:

• a reservoir for water heating and storage;
• valved inlet means adapted to connect the reservoir to mains water supply;
• outlet means operable to deliver hot water from the reservoir to contact ground coffee;
• an electrical heating element operable to heat the contents of the reservoir;
• lower level sensing means adapted to sense a pre-determined water level condition in the reservoir;
• temperature sensing means including a thermistor positioned in said reservoir and forming a circuit element of a voltage divider, said temperature sensing means for monitoring the temperature of the reservoir contents;
• and
• control means in communication with said temperature sensing means, said control means including a comparator for comparing the potential at a point along said voltage divider with a reference voltage and enabling said heating element when the potential at said point falls below said reference voltage by a pre-set level to maintain the reservoir contents within a pre-determined temperature range, said control means also being adapted to open the valved inlet means for water supply to the reservoir in response to signals received from the lower level sensing means when the water is below the pre-determined water level condition.