US 8,011,290 B2Granted

Apparatus for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption, such as coffee

AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.

InventorGustaaf Brouwer

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A beverage preparation apparatus with a three-way valve that includes an inlet; a first outlet; a second outlet; a first member movable between first and second extreme positions under the influence of liquid flow from the inlet to the first and/or second outlets from the first extreme position towards the second extreme position which closes off the first outlet so that the liquid flow then extends from the inlet to the second outlet; a second member which is freely moveable under the influence of a liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet between a third and fourth extreme position wherein under the influence of the liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet, moves from the third extreme position to the fourth extreme position and in the third extreme position blocks a liquid flow from the second outlet in the direction of the inlet.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A three-way valve provided with an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet wherein the three-way valve is provided with a first member which is freely moveable, under the influence of a liquid flow from the inlet to the first outlet and/or the second outlet, between a first and second extreme position wherein the first member can move, under the influence of the liquid flow from the inlet to the first outlet and/or the second outlet, from the first extreme position towards the second extreme position and in the second extreme position closes off the first outlet so that the liquid flow then extends from the inlet to the second outlet and the first member can move, under the influence of gravity, from the second extreme position towards the first extreme position when the liquid flow from the inlet ceases, wherein the three-way valve is further provided with a second member which is freely moveable, under the influence of a liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet, between a third and fourth extreme position wherein the second member can move, under the influence of the liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet, from the third extreme position in the direction of the fourth extreme position, the second member can move, under the influence of gravity, from the fourth extreme position to the third extreme position when the liquid flow from the inlet ceases and in the third extreme position, the second member blocks a liquid flow from the second outlet in the direction of the inlet, wherein the first member is heavier than the second member.

An apparatus for preparing at least one type of beverage suitable for consumption such as coffee or cocoa on the basis of a hot liquid such as water, provided with a storage tank which, in use, is filled with a liquid such as water, a heater and a three-way valve, wherein the three-way valve is provided with an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, a pump being in fluid communication with the storage tank and an inlet of the heater for pumping the liquid from the storage tank to the heater and wherein an outlet of the heater is in fluid communication with the inlet of the three-way valve, the first outlet of the three-way valve being in fluid communication via a first outflow path with the storage tank and/or an inlet of the pump for returning liquid from the three-way valve to the storage tank and/or the pump and wherein the second outlet of the three-way valve is in fluid communication via a second outflow path with a beverage preparing unit for preparing, on the basis of the hot liquid, the beverage suitable for consumption, wherein the three-way valve is provided with a first member which is freely moveable, under the influence of a liquid flow from the inlet to the first outlet and/or the second outlet, between a first and second extreme position wherein the first member can move, under the influence of the liquid flow from the inlet to the first outlet and/or the second outlet, from the first extreme position towards the second extreme position and in the second extreme position closes off the first outlet so that the liquid flow then extends from the inlet to the second outlet, and wherein the three-way valve is further provided with a second member which is freely moveable, under the influence of a liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet, between a third and fourth extreme position wherein the second member can move, under the influence of the liquid flow from the inlet to the second outlet, from the third extreme position in the direction of the fourth extreme position and in the third extreme position blocks a liquid flow from the second outlet in the direction of the inlet, wherein the first member is heavier than the second member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/061,522Filed 2 Apr 2008 · continuation
Priority: NL 10182478 Jun 2001
Published: US 2008/0184896 A17 Aug 2008
Granted: 6 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A47J 31/36
With hot water under liquid pressure: with mechanical pressure-producing means
A47J 31/461
Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices: valves, e.g. drain valves
A47J 31/54
Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus: water boiling vessels in beverage making machines
F16K 11/105
With two or more closure members not moving as a unit: three-way check or safety valves with two or more closure members

Family

Application10/480,075Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Aug 2004
US 2008/0184896 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Aug 2008
US 7,415,921 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0003052 A1Published application
US 8,011,290 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.