System for monitoring and controlling the operation of a single serve beverage brewer

A system for repeatedly delivering a volume of heated liquid, said system comprising:

• a storage tank comprising a supply of liquid and having a reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom and a sidewall with a seat;
• a heater for heating the supply of liquid;
• a slideable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end that includes a sealing assembly on said distal end, wherein said shaft assembly is connected to a baffle that moves between a first position and a second position, wherein in said second position said baffle engages said seat to form a metering chamber in a portion of said storage tank;
• and
• means for moving said slideable shaft between said first and second positions;
• a discharge conduit communicating with the interior of said metering chamber;
• and
• a first pump that pneumatically pressurizes the interior of said metering chamber to an elevated pressure level to exhaust said heated liquid from said metering chamber via said discharge conduit.

An automated beverage brewing system that receives a cartridge containing a beverage extract and establishes a liquid flow path through the cartridge to provide a brewed beverage, said system comprising:

• a holder that holds and pierces the cartridge to provide a cartridge inlet and a cartridge outlet that together establish a flow path through the beverage extract to provide the brewed beverage;
• a storage tank comprising a supply of liquid and having a reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom and being in communication with the cartridge via a chamber outlet port;
• means for sealing a portion of said storage tank to form a metering chamber in cooperation with said reduced diameter cup-shaped bottom;
• a first pump that provides compressed air along a flow line to said metering chamber to force liquid from said metering chamber and through said chamber outlet port;
• a sensor that senses air pressure in said flow line and provides a sensed pressure signal indicative thereof;
• and
• a controller that commands said first pump on, monitors said sensed pressure signal and turns said first pump off after detecting that said sensed pressure signal value has dropped below a threshold value indicating the predetermined volume of liquid has been delivered through said chamber outlet port.