Coffee maker for the preheating and keeping warm of cups

Abstract

The invention is directed to a coffee maker for the preheating and keeping warm of cups, including a support surface (3) for cups (7, 8) and a heat source (2) delivering heat also to the cups (7, 8) resting on the support surface (3), wherein water held in a water reservoir (1) is heatable by means of the heat source (2) to a temperature such that vapors and/or steam are formed. Discharge orifices (9, 10) are provided in the support surface (3) for passage of the vapors and/or steam therethrough to circulate around the cups (7, 8) resting on the support surface (3), thereby heating them. In this manner, the cups are preheated readily and kept warm durably. In addition, the discharge orifices (9, 10) in the support surface may be closable by a spring-loaded flap structure (19) or a valve, a flap structure (19) or a valve being movable to an open position by the weight of a cup (7, 8).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.