US 5,375,508 A · Digital brewer control

Abstract

A control system for a beverage brewing apparatus which includes a programmable control module and a separate input device. The control system is used with a beverage brewing apparatus of the type having an infusion assembly for retaining and filtering a brewing substance, a heated water source and a water distribution system for transporting water from the heated water source to the infusion assembly. The programmable control module controls numerous adjustable functions associated with the brewer and stores at least one function limit for each of the functions which it controls. The separate input device is selectively attachable to the control module for manipulating the function limits of the programmable function retained and controlled by the control module. Function controls are associated with the input device for selecting a function to manipulate and for incrementing and decrementing the limit or limits of the selected function. The control module and input device allow selection of control limits which affect a valve for controlling water flow from the heated water source to the infusion assembly. These control limits establish a dispensing cycle which periodically dispenses water from the heated water source through the water distribution system to the infusion assembly to prevent overflowing the infusion assembly.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A brewer for producing brewed beverages of the type having an infusion assembly for retaining and filtering a brewing substance;

a heated water reservoir, and a water distribution system for controllably transporting heated water from said heated water reservoir to said infusion assembly for infusing a brewing substance retained therein to produce a brewed beverage;
said brewer comprising:
a programmable control circuit operatively associated with said brewer, said control circuit controlling a plurality of functions associated with said brewer and storing at least one function limit for each of the plurality of functions controlled by said control circuit;
a separate input device being selectively couplable with said control circuit for manipulating said function limits of said functions in said control circuit;
means operatively associated with said input device for incrementing and decrementing said function limits of said brewer;
and
means for controlling water flow from said heated water reservoir to said infusion assembly, said control means being coupled to said programmable control circuit for controlling the flow of water from said heated water reservoir to said infusion assembly for accommodating a slower filtering rate of brewed beverage through said infusion assembly to prevent overflowing said infusion assembly.

4 more elements

A control system for controlling a beverage brewer of the type having an infusion assembly for retaining and filtering a brewing substance, a heated water reservoir, and a water distribution system for controllably transporting heated water from said heated water reservoir to said infusion assembly for infusing a brewing substance retained therein to produce a brewed beverage;

said control system comprising:
a programmable control circuit operatively associated with said brewer, said control circuit controlling a plurality of functions associated with said brewer and storing at least one function limit for each of the plurality of functions controlled by said control module;
a separate input device being selectively couplable with said control circuit for manipulating said function limits of said functions stored in said control circuit;
and
means operatively associated with said input device for incrementing and decrementing said function limits of said brewer.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital brewer control

Life of this patent

Digital brewer control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11