HK1142787B - Method and apparatus for beverage formation - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for forming a beverage

This application is a divisional application of PCT patent application entitled "method and apparatus for forming a beverage" filed as florigen gmbh and having international application date of 2007, 9, 7, and application number of 200780041098.3 (international application number of PCT/US 2007/019574).

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/843,012 filed on 7/9/2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a beverage.

Background

Certain types of beverage forming devices, such as coffee brewers, use cartridges containing beverage media, such as ground coffee, to form a beverage. In this type of coffee brewer, water is heated by the brewer and introduced into the cartridge. The coffee is brewed with water in the cartridge and the resulting beverage is removed from the cartridge for consumption. Many coffee brewers of this type typically require the user to provide water to the machine for forming the beverage.

Disclosure of Invention

The inventors have appreciated in certain applications that it may be desirable to alert a user of a beverage forming device, such as a coffee brewer, that water needs to be supplied to the brewer. For example, a hotel guest may use a brewer in a room, the guest may be unfamiliar with brewer operation, and appropriate reminders as to the need to supply water may help avoid user frustration or confusion to properly operate the device. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to keep the brewer clear of water during both uses. Also using a hotel brewer in this context as an example, it may be preferable to keep the brewer empty of water during the two uses, for example because several hours or days may pass during the two uses. Requiring the user to provide fresh water at the time of use may help provide a higher quality beverage.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method of brewer operation that may include placing a brew cartridge into a brewer and then closing a brew chamber to at least partially enclose the cartridge. Closing the brew chamber may automatically enable water or other beverage precursor liquid to be provided into a reservoir within the brewer, which is then used (heated or unheated) to form a beverage with the cartridge. For example, closing the brew chamber may allow a lid for the water reservoir to be fully opened or otherwise moved to an access opening accessible to the reservoir, enabling a user to provide water into the reservoir. The reservoir lid may be opened with a snap action, focusing attention on the reservoir lid. In an embodiment, the lid may be opened with a spring action, for example to help draw further attention to the water reservoir and the need for water supply. Such a feature may be useful in some embodiments, such as brewers that are arranged to form one cup of beverage at a time and therefore require water to be supplied for each brew cycle. In other embodiments, closing the brew chamber may cause actuation of a baffle, pump, valve, or other device to provide an appropriate amount of water to the reservoir to form a beverage.

In another aspect of the invention, a beverage forming apparatus may include a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and have a lid movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber. The brew chamber may be adapted to substantially enclose a beverage cartridge with the lid in a closed position. The reservoir may hold a beverage precursor liquid, such as water, and have a lid that is movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir. The heater may heat precursor liquid provided to the brew chamber, and the lid control mechanism may lock the reservoir lid in a position to block access to the access opening when the brew chamber lid is open, and unlock the lid to enable access to the access opening when the brew chamber lid is moved from the open position toward the closed position.

In another aspect of the invention, the brewer may be configured such that when a user opens the brew chamber, e.g., to place a cartridge into the brewer, the lid of the water reservoir also opens automatically at the same time as the brew chamber opens. After the cartridge is placed into the brew chamber and the brew chamber is closed, the lid of the water reservoir may remain open, e.g., to help remind the user to supply water to the brewer. Opening the reservoir lid may include a sound, signal display, or other indication to the user to supply water for the brew cycle, for example a visual indicia such as printed text "water on" to help guide the user to operate the device.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for operating a brewer includes: providing a brewing keg, providing water for beverage formation within the reservoir, closing the lid to close the access opening and pneumatically sealing the reservoir, heating the water and supplying the keg with water to form the beverage. Water may be supplied by a user pouring water into the reservoir through the reservoir access opening. The pneumatic seal may be provided by a silicone gasket between the lid and the reservoir body and/or any other suitable arrangement. The pneumatic seal of the reservoir may allow water within the reservoir to be expelled from the reservoir to flow to the brew chamber by, for example, introducing air pressure into the reservoir by an air pump. The reservoir may be vented during heating of the water, e.g., to allow vapor or other gases to escape, and during pressurization of the reservoir and delivery of brew water. However, the venting arrangement may be configured to allow a suitably small amount of gas to escape to enable successful delivery of the brew water to the brew chamber. Thus, heating of the water and the accompanying formation of steam or other pressure generation may not cause the water to be transferred to the tub. Instead, this pressure is vented and water is delivered to the tub at the appropriate time. This arrangement may eliminate the need to provide controlled venting through, for example, a controllable valve, and also enables the delivery of water under pressure from the reservoir.

In another aspect of the invention, a beverage forming apparatus may include a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and have a lid movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber. The brew chamber may be adapted to substantially enclose a beverage cartridge with the lid in a closed position. The reservoir may contain a beverage precursor liquid and have a lid that is movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir. The lid may be adapted to pneumatically seal the reservoir access opening in the closed position and thereby pneumatically seal the reservoir to allow liquid within the reservoir to be transferred by pressurizing the reservoir. The heater may heat the precursor liquid provided to the brew chamber by, for example, a heater within the reservoir.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for operating a brewer includes: providing a brewing cartridge, providing water within the reservoir, providing a brew indication to begin a brew cycle, heating the water, detecting when the water is heated to a desired temperature, and then providing the water to the cartridge to form a beverage based on the detected temperature. In one embodiment, the detection of water temperature is performed by a temperature cut-off switch (TCO) that is normally closed to energize the water heater and opens when the water reaches a predetermined temperature. The opening of the TCO may cause the brewer to deliver heated water to the tub. For example, the brewer may include an air pump that pneumatically pressurizes a water reservoir in response to the opening of the TCO switch, thereby forcing heated water to the tub. This arrangement may provide a simplified control mechanism.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for forming a beverage comprises: providing a brew indication to cause a brewer to begin a brew cycle, energizing a heater to heat precursor liquid within a reservoir of the brewer, detecting a temperature of the precursor liquid during heating, interrupting power to the heater in response to detecting that the precursor liquid is heated to a desired temperature, and delivering the precursor liquid from the reservoir in response to interrupting power to the heater. Thus, delivery of water from the reservoir is controlled in dependence on the interruption of power to the heater, thereby ensuring that the heater is not operated whilst water is being delivered from the reservoir. This feature may help prevent damage to the heater or other components caused by operating the heater without having sufficient water to accept the heat generated, particularly in devices that empty the reservoir of liquid during each brew cycle.

In another aspect of the invention, a beverage forming machine includes a brew chamber for receiving a brew cartridge, a reservoir for receiving precursor liquid for forming a beverage, and a brew indication switch for accepting an indication from a user to begin a brew cycle. The brew indication switch may take any suitable form, such as a power button that a user may press to initiate a brew cycle, a switch to detect closure of a lid for the reservoir, a cup sensor to detect the presence of a cup or other receptacle to receive a beverage, and so forth. The machine may also include a heater for heating the precursor liquid in the reservoir, a detector for detecting a desired temperature of the precursor liquid in the reservoir, an air pump for providing pressurized air to the reservoir, and a controller constructed and arranged to control operation of the heater and the air pump. The controller may be adapted to control the heater to heat the precursor liquid and to cause the air pump to deliver pressurized air to the reservoir when the detector detects that the precursor liquid is at a desired temperature.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

Drawings

Aspects of the invention are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage forming apparatus according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of selected components of the beverage forming device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the portion of the beverage forming device of FIG. 2;

4-8 illustrate various states of the portion of the beverage forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in an open and closed operation; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a beverage forming apparatus according to aspects of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Aspects of the invention are described below and/or illustrated in the figures. These aspects of the invention may be used alone and/or in any suitable combination with each other. The various aspects of the present invention are not in any way limited by the illustrative embodiments shown and described herein.

As used herein, a "cartridge" may take any suitable form, such as a can (e.g., opposing layers of filter paper encapsulating a beverage medium), a pouch, a sachet, or any other arrangement. The tub may be permeable to air and/or liquid, or may allow water and/or air to pass into the tub. The cartridge may include a beverage medium such as tea, coffee powder, milk powder, a mixed beverage, and/or any other suitable material for forming a beverage. The cartridge may include a filter or other arrangement to help prevent certain portions of the beverage medium from forming a beverage such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. "brewing" a beverage includes injecting, mixing, dissolving, infusing, or forming a drinkable substance with water or other beverage precursor (e.g., flavored or otherwise treated water or other liquid) and a beverage medium. Further, reference herein to "water" is to any suitable water formulation, e.g., filtered, deionized, softened, etc., as well as any other suitable precursor liquid used to form a beverage, such as sweetened or flavored water, milk, etc.

FIG. 1 shows a beverage forming apparatus 10 incorporating aspects of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment includes a housing 101 that encloses the components of the device 10 and supports several external structures, such as a power button 91, a cup sensor 97 (e.g., a light-sensitive sensor), and/or other optional structures 101. The brew chamber 1 may be opened, for example, by lifting the handle 3, so that a beverage cartridge may be inserted into the brew chamber 1 to form a beverage. In this regard, the device 10 may operate, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,488, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. That is, lifting the handle 3 may raise a brew chamber lid (not shown in fig. 1) such that the cartridge receiver may be tilted forward to receive a beverage cartridge. Of course, it should be understood that the brew chamber 1 may also be opened in other manners, such as by button actuation of a motor-driven mechanism, manual opening of an outwardly sliding drawer to receive a cartridge, and so forth.

In one aspect of the invention, the device 10 can automatically provide water or other precursor liquid for forming a beverage within the reservoir 5 (for heating water) in response to closing of the brew chamber 1. For example, the user may lift the handle 3 or otherwise open the brew chamber 1. After placing a new cartridge into the brew chamber 1, the user may close the brew chamber 1 by, for example, depressing the handle 3, pressing a button that actuates a motor drive to close the brew chamber 1, or the like. As the brew chamber moves toward the closed position, the lid 51 of the reservoir 5 may open, allowing a user to access the reservoir 5. With access to the reservoir 5, a user may pour water or other liquid into the reservoir 5 through the access opening exposed by the open lid 51. Of course, water or other liquid can be provided to the reservoir 5 in other ways, and the user does not need to provide liquid into the reservoir. For example, liquid may be provided in response to the brew chamber closing by opening a valve in a water supply line feeding the reservoir 5. The water supply line may extend from a water storage tank on the device 10 or from a pipe connected to a municipal water supply. In these embodiments, there is no need to provide a lid 51 for the reservoir 5, as the user does not need to access the reservoir 5. However, in this embodiment, the reservoir 5 receives water or other liquid by a user pouring the liquid into the reservoir 5 through an access opening exposed by opening the reservoir lid 51. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the device 10 is effectively empty of water during both uses and provides fresh water to the brewer in response to the activated closing of the brew chamber 1 (which may indicate a user request to form a beverage).

In another aspect of the invention, the lid 51 of the reservoir 5 may open simultaneously and automatically with the opening of the brew chamber 1. For example, when a user takes action to open the brew chamber 1, the lid 51 of the reservoir 5 may pivot upward to expose an access opening of the reservoir 5, thereby enabling the user to pour water into the reservoir 5. The simultaneous and automatic opening of the brew chamber 1 and reservoir 5 may be controlled by a lid control mechanism that releases the reservoir lid 51 from a locked closed position, e.g., in response to lifting of the handle 3 and opening of the brew chamber 1, allowing the lid 51 to open under spring bias. Other arrangements for the lid control mechanism are also possible, such as a motor driven linkage that opens the lid 51 and brew chamber 1 in response to a user pressing a button, a mechanical or electromechanical latch that releases the brew chamber 1 and lid 51 allowing the brew chamber and lid 51 to open under spring bias, and others.

To further illustrate these and other aspects of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of selected components of the device 10 of FIG. 1 with the housing 101 removed, and FIG. 3 shows an exploded view thereof. Reference is made to fig. 2 and 3 for the purpose of illustrating aspects of the invention, but is not meant to be limiting to these aspects of the invention. For example, although arrangements for movement of the brew chamber lid and reservoir lid 51 are described, aspects of the invention are not limited to the embodiments described, e.g., neither the brew chamber 1 nor the reservoir 5 need have a lid in certain aspects of the invention. In addition, it should also be understood that the device 10 may include other components that are not shown for purposes of clarity.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the handle 3 is fixed to a cover carrier 42 pivotally mounted to the frame 6 at a pivot 41. The frame 6 may form a base frame for the apparatus 10, supporting the housing 101 and other components of the apparatus 10. The lid carrier 42 has mounted thereto a brew chamber lid 12 and a reservoir lid 51 that cover an opening in the beverage cartridge receiver 11 and an access opening in the reservoir 5, respectively. The brew chamber lid 12 may be fixed relative to the lid carrier 42 and thus may move with the movement of the lid carrier 42 to open or close the brew chamber 1. The reservoir lid 51 may be movably mounted to the lid carrier 42, for example, such that the lid 51 may pivot about the axis 41. Thus, the reservoir lid 51 may pivot or otherwise move relative to the container portion of the reservoir 5 to expose the access opening of the reservoir 5.

In this illustrative embodiment, the opening of the brew chamber 1 is initiated by depressing the lever 2, which releases the locking arrangement 21, which locking arrangement 21 cooperates with a portion 61 of the frame 6 to lock the lid carrier 42 in the closed position and prevent lifting of the handle 3. However, other arrangements may be used to perform such locking of the lid carrier 42, or such locking may not be provided at all. In some instances, locking or otherwise preventing opening of the brew chamber 1 of the lid carrier 42 may help the device 10 resist pressure generated within the brew chamber 1 during beverage formation. In this embodiment, the locking arrangement 21 comprises a first slide 21a which is movable back and forth on the lid carrier 42 and is biased by a spring or other resilient member to move in a forward direction. Thus, pressing the lever 2 overcomes the bias of the spring or other member and moves the first slide 21a rearwardly and out of engagement with the portion 61 of the frame 6. Of course, it should be understood that locking of the lid carrier 42 may be accomplished in other ways, such as by a ratchet mechanism or latch configuration, a linkage, or the like.

Lifting the handle 3 pivots the lid carrier 42 about the axis 41 to expose the opening in the cartridge receiver 11 and partially lift the reservoir lid 51 relative to the access opening in the reservoir 5. However, since the reservoir lid 51 is locked in place relative to the lid carrier 42, the access opening is not exposed to enable liquid to be provided into the reservoir 5 even if the lid carrier 42 is fully raised. The lid 51 is locked in place by the second slide 21b of the locking arrangement 21, the locking arrangement 21 being slidably mounted on the lid carrier 42. The second slide 21b is biased by, for example, a spring to move rearwardly and engage the tab portion 53 on the lid 51, thereby holding the lid 51 in place relative to the lid carrier 42. However, with the forward movement of the slider 21b, the cover 51 is released and can be moved to expose the access opening of the reservoir 5. As will be discussed in more detail below, engagement of the slider 21b with the portion 62 of the frame 6 when the lid carrier 42 is moved downward to close the brew chamber 1 causes the slider 21b to move forward toward the handle 3 and release the lock of the lid 51. In this embodiment, the lid 51 is spring biased to pivot upwardly and away from the lid carrier 42 such that upon release of the lid 51, the lid 51 snaps into the open position. In other embodiments, the cover 51 need not be spring biased, but may be moved by hand, motor drive, or other arrangement. Furthermore, the cover 51 need not pivot about the axis 41, but may pivot about any other suitably arranged axis, may slide from side to side or back and forth, or move in any other way to expose/cover the access opening. Likewise, the lid carrier 42 is not necessarily required, and the brew chamber lid 12 and reservoir lid 51 may be independently mounted to the frame 6 or other member. Alternatively, the lid carrier 42 may move in other ways, such as sliding, non-pivoting up and down, and so forth. In short, aspects of the present invention are not limited to the manner in which the brew chamber is opened/closed and/or the manner in which the access opening of the reservoir is opened or covered to prevent access to the reservoir.

According to an aspect of the invention, the reservoir lid 51 may be arranged to pneumatically seal the reservoir 5 when the lid 51 is in a closed position relative to the access opening of the reservoir 5. By pneumatically sealing the reservoir 5, liquid within the reservoir 5 can be caused to flow to the brew chamber 1 by pressure within the reservoir 5, such as air pressure introduced by an air pump or other means. In this embodiment, the lid 51 includes a silicone rubber seal 52 that mates with the container portion of the reservoir 5, but other sealing arrangements are possible, such as an interference or other close fit, other gasket arrangements, and the like.

As also described in more detail below, in this embodiment, the lid carrier 42 includes a pair of depending arms 43, the depending arms 43 each having a pin that mates with a corresponding slot 14 on the cartridge receiver 11. As the lid carrier 42 and the arms 43 move upwardly, the engagement of the arms 43 with the slots 14 causes the receiver 11 to tilt forwardly about the axis 13. Of course, it should be understood that receiver 11 may be tilted forward in other ways, such as by hand, a motor drive mechanism, or other arrangement. Alternatively, the receiver 11 may remain stationary.

Figures 4-8 show the arrangement of figures 2 and 3 in various operating states. Fig. 4 illustrates an initial configuration with the brew chamber 1 closed and the reservoir lid 51 closed, i.e., a configuration in which the beverage forming device 10 may be commonly found by a user immediately after a beverage is formed. To start the process for forming a new beverage, the user can open the infusion chamber 1, for example by depressing the lever 2, which moves the slider 21a backwards against the bias of the spring, as shown in figure 5. The rearward movement of the slider 21a disengages the slider 21a from the portion 61 of the frame 6, enabling the lid carrier 42 to be raised by lifting the handle 3. The lid carrier 42 may be biased to move upwardly, for example under the action of a spring or other biasing member, or may be arranged to require a user to support or lift the lid carrier 42.

With the lid carrier 42 fully raised as shown in fig. 6, the cartridge receiver 11 is tilted forward and positioned to receive a cartridge for brewing a beverage. A ratchet or other arrangement may be employed to maintain the lid carrier 42 in a raised condition, for example, to help prevent inadvertent closing of the brew chamber 1. As described above, the lid carrier 42 is lifted and the engagement of the arms 43 with the slots 14 on the receiver 11 causes the receiver 11 to tilt forwardly about the axis 13. Although in this embodiment the cartridge receiver 11 pivots forwardly about the axis 13 based on the engagement of the arms 43 with the slots 14 on the cartridge receiver 11 to enable easier manipulation of the cartridge, the cartridge receiver 11 may also be manually moved, may remain stationary, and/or may otherwise move. In the state shown in fig. 6, the reservoir lid 51 is opened from the closed position (in which the lid 51 seals the reservoir 5), but the reservoir lid 51 also covers the access opening to the reservoir container, so that the user cannot pour water into the reservoir 5. Thus, although the access opening is slightly open, the access opening is not exposed.

With the cartridge (not shown) placed in the cartridge receiver 11 (and the used cartridge removed from the receiver 11 if necessary), the handle 3 may be depressed as shown in fig. 7 to close the brew chamber lid 12 and thus the brew chamber 1. When the brew chamber 1 is fully closed, the slider 21a may then engage the portion 61 of the frame 6, locking the lid carrier 42 in the closed position. The reservoir hd 51 may travel with the hd carrier 42 until the brew chamber lid 12 is nearly closed or closed and the slider 21b engages the portion 62 on the frame 6, which disengages the slider 21b from the tab portions 53 on the reservoir hd 51. This enables the reservoir lid 51 to pivot freely on the lid carrier 42, for example about axis 41, to the open position shown in figure 7 to enable access to the reservoir 5. The reservoir lid 51 may have a spring bias that urges the lid 51 to move to the position shown in fig. 7. Therefore, when the slider 21b is disengaged from the cover 51, the cover 51 can be abruptly moved to the position shown in fig. 7. This may give the user attention that water should be supplied into the reservoir 5 to brew.

In this embodiment, the reservoir 5 is sized to receive only enough water for preparing a cup of beverage (e.g., 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces), and the device 10 is operable to empty the reservoir 5 during each brew cycle. Thus, the reservoir 5 in this embodiment needs to be refilled after each completed brew cycle. This embodiment may be useful for certain applications, such as hotel use or other environments that do not require water to be stored within the brewer. Of course, in other embodiments, the reservoir 5 may have a larger volume, or water may be provided from a separate storage tank or plumbing connection. After providing water within the reservoir 5, the user may push the reservoir lid 51 down, locking it in place on the lid carrier 42 (tab portion 53 engaging the slider 21 b-as shown in fig. 8) and pneumatically sealing the closed reservoir 5. Pneumatically sealed, meaning that the lid 51 provides a suitable seal of the reservoir 5 to enable pneumatic transfer of water within the reservoir to the tub, as described in more detail below.

In this embodiment, the slider 21b and the frame portion 62 form a lid control mechanism for locking the reservoir lid 51 in place to block access to the access opening when the brew chamber lid 12 is open, and unlocking the lid 51 to enable access to the access opening when the brew chamber lid 21 is moved toward the closed position. However, it should be understood that the lid control mechanism may include other components that provide the same or similar energy supply. For example, the lid control mechanism may include a solenoid-actuated latch that is triggered to release the lid 51 from a locked position on the lid carrier 42 when the switch is closed when the lid carrier 42 is lowered to close the brew chamber 1. In another embodiment, the lid control mechanism may include a motor that is actuated to drive the lid 51 toward the open position in response to activation of a closure of the brew chamber 1, such as sensed by a light detector, switch, or other detector. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the variable lid control mechanism functions in a different manner, such as causing the reservoir lid 51 to open simultaneously and automatically when the brew chamber lid 12 is opened. For example, the slider 21b and frame portion 62 may be configured to unlock the lid 51 from the lid carrier 42 when the user lifts the handle 3 with the brew chamber lid 12 in the closed position. Alternatively, the slider 21a may cooperate with the lid 51 to lock the lid in the closed position, close the brew chamber 1, and release the reservoir lid 51 upon depression of the lever 2. Other arrangements are possible, such as a push button function whereby a user presses a button to move the brew chamber lid 12 and reservoir lid 51 toward respective open positions, whether by motor, manual, electromechanical or other means.

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a beverage forming apparatus 10 according to aspects of the present invention, such as the apparatus 10 generally shown in FIGS. 1-8. When a new cartridge is placed in the brew chamber 1 and water is provided in the reservoir 5, the user may press a brew button (such as power button 91) to cause the brewer to begin a brew cycle. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, initiation of a brew cycle may begin by heating the water within the reservoir 5, and when the water is sufficiently heated, delivery of the water to the brew chamber may be triggered. Heating of the water may be achieved in any suitable manner. For example, the controller 9 may control the heater 94 to begin heating the water in the reservoir 5, such as by, for example, an electrical resistance heater in or around the reservoir 5, a heater in a line 96 leading from the reservoir 5 to the brew chamber 1, or other arrangement configured to heat the water. Once the water is heated to the desired temperature, a thermal cut-off (TCO) switch 93 associated with the reservoir 5 may be opened and power to the heater 94 may be cut off, e.g., the TCO switch 93 may be placed on the power line to the heater 94. (in some embodiments, sufficiently heated water may be sensed in other ways, such as by a thermocouple or other sensor.) according to aspects of the present invention, the controller 9 (which may include, for example, a microprocessor for performing data processing functions, a memory for storing data and/or operating instructions, a communication bus or other device, software or other computer-executable instructions, a power source or other power source such as a plug that mates with a socket, a relay, a mechanical linkage, a user data input device such as a button, touch screen or other, an information display device such as an LCD display, indicator lights, etc., and/or other components for providing the required control functions) may detect the opening of the TCO (such as by detecting a pressure drop at the heater 94) and in response cause water to be delivered to the brew chamber 1, such as to control the air pump 92 to begin operation. The air pump 92 may deliver pressurized air to the reservoir 5 to raise the pressure within the reservoir 5, causing heated water to be forced from the reservoir 5 to the brew chamber 1 via line 96. The reservoir 5 may have an outlet at or near the bottom of the reservoir 5 such that heated water is forced from the outlet into the line 96 (the line may include a check valve to help prevent backflow of fluid within the line 96). Heated water or other precursor liquid provided to the brew chamber may enter a beverage cartridge within the brew chamber 1 via an inlet needle that pierces the cartridge when the brew chamber lid 12 closes the brew chamber 1. The water may come into contact with the beverage medium within the cartridge and the formed beverage may exit the cartridge, for example, by an outlet needle piercing the bottom side of the cartridge. The air pump 92 may be operated for a particular period of time, such as 60 seconds, or may be otherwise controlled (e.g., by detecting a pressure drop in the reservoir 5 indicating a lack of liquid) to empty all water or other liquid from the reservoir 5. The timing of the air pump operation may be such that primary air is pumped at the end of the cycle, for example to help purge the keg of any remaining beverage, and to help dry the reservoir 5 and the line 96.

As described above and in accordance with an aspect of the invention, the reservoir 5 may be vented to allow steam or other pressurized air to escape during heating of the water, but not to interfere with the pneumatic delivery of water from the reservoir 5 to the brew chamber 1. For example, a hole 95 disposed on the connection between the air pump 92 and the reservoir 5 may be suitably configured to properly vent the reservoir 5 during heating (e.g., to prevent substantial water transfer from the reservoir 5 to the brew chamber 1 until the air pump 92 is operational) and to enable pressure generated by the air pump 92 within the reservoir 5 to enable water to be transferred to the brew chamber 1 as desired. In one illustrative embodiment, the holes have a diameter of about 0.012 inches.

In one embodiment, the brewer may include a cup or mug sensor 97 that detects whether a container is positioned to receive the beverage as it exits the brew chamber 1 and the cartridge exits. If no pod is detected, the controller 9 may prevent operation of the brewer, e.g., may prevent water heating, air pump operation, etc. In addition, if the cup sensor detects that the container is removed during a brew cycle (e.g., during water heating or during delivery of heated water to the cartridge), the controller 9 may stop the brewer from operating (stopping heating or water delivery). The brewing cycle is restarted if it is detected that the container is replaced. The cup sensor may take any suitable form such as an LED and a light detector.

In another aspect of the invention, the controller 9 may include a feature to energize the device 10 upon detecting that the brew chamber 1 has been opened. According to this aspect of the invention, the user need not be required to turn the device 10 on when he or she wishes to form a beverage, for example by pressing the power button 91, but may simply lift the handle 3 or otherwise open the brew chamber 1 and place a new cartridge into the brew chamber 1. Upon closing the brew chamber 1 and the reservoir lid 51 (indicating that a new cartridge has been placed and water has been provided within the reservoir 5), the controller 5 may begin a brew cycle (e.g., water heating followed by delivery of water to the brew chamber). The controller 9 may include one or more sensors to detect the opening/closing of the brew chamber 1 and/or reservoir lid 51 to energize the device 10 and/or initiate a brew cycle. Such sensors may include a micro-switch that turns on/off upon movement of the lid carrier 42, brew chamber lid 12, reservoir lid 51, lever 2, and/or other suitable components. Energization of the device 10 may be triggered by, for example, a switch that detects movement of the brew chamber lid 12 or lid carrier 42 from the closed position toward the open position and/or by depressing the lever 2. In one embodiment, the switch provides a brew indication signal by detecting the closing of the reservoir lid 51. Since in the above-described embodiment the reservoir lid 51 cannot be fully closed if the brew chamber 1 is not closed, the reservoir lid switch may detect that a new cartridge has been placed and provide energized water to the reservoir 5, enabling the controller 9 to initiate a brew cycle when the reservoir lid 51 is closed. The sensors may alternatively or additionally detect the presence of a cartridge in the brew chamber 1, the presence of water or other liquid in the reservoir 5, and/or other features for appropriate control of the device 10. Thus, the device 10 may receive an indication of a brew from a user to begin a brew cycle in a variety of different ways, such as closing the reservoir lid 51, pressing the power button 91 or other user input, by placing a cup or other receptacle under the brew chamber or otherwise receiving a beverage, etc.

The above and other aspects of the invention will be appreciated from the detailed description and claims. It should be understood that while aspects of the invention have been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, aspects of the invention are not limited to the described embodiments. Furthermore, aspects of the invention may be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the invention.

Claims (16)

1. A method of forming a beverage comprising:

providing a brew indication to enable a brewer to begin a brew cycle;

energizing a heater to heat precursor liquid within a reservoir of the brewer;

detecting a temperature of the precursor liquid during heating;

discontinuing power to the heater in response to detecting heating of the precursor liquid to a desired temperature; and

delivering the precursor liquid from the reservoir in response to an interruption of power to the heater,

wherein the brewer comprises:

a brew chamber for receiving a beverage cartridge and having a brew chamber lid movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber, the brew chamber adapted to substantially enclose the beverage cartridge with the brew chamber lid in the closed position; and

the reservoir includes a reservoir lid movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1,

the step of delivering the precursor liquid includes pneumatically pressurizing the reservoir to force water and precursor liquid out of the reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2,

the step of detecting the temperature comprises using a thermal cut-off switch that is opened when heating the precursor liquid to the desired temperature.

4. The method of claim 3,

the step of delivering the precursor liquid comprises:

starting operation of an air pump to pressurize the reservoir in response to the thermal cut-off switch being open.

5. The method of claim 1,

the reservoir lid is adapted to pneumatically seal the access opening of the reservoir when in a closed position.

6. The method of claim 1,

further comprising:

introducing the precursor liquid from the reservoir into a beverage cartridge to form a beverage.

7. The method of claim 1,

the brew indication is provided by closing a lid of the reservoir.

8. The method of claim 1,

the step of delivering the precursor liquid comprises:

venting the precursor liquid in the reservoir.

9. A beverage forming machine comprising:

a brew chamber for receiving a brew cartridge;

a reservoir for receiving a precursor liquid for forming a beverage;

a brew indication sensor for receiving an indication from a user to begin a brew cycle;

a heater for heating the precursor liquid within the reservoir;

a detector for detecting a desired temperature of the precursor liquid within the reservoir;

an air pump for providing pressurized air to the reservoir; and

a controller constructed and arranged to control operation of the heater and the air pump and to detect whether the reservoir is closed;

wherein the controller is adapted to initiate a brew cycle upon detecting that the reservoir is closed, and to control the heater to heat the precursor liquid in response to an indication to initiate a brew cycle, and to deliver pressurized air to the reservoir in response to the detector detecting that the precursor liquid is at the desired temperature.

10. The machine of claim 9,

the detector is a thermal cut-off switch that interrupts energization of the heater when the precursor liquid is heated to the desired temperature.

11. The machine of claim 10,

the controller causes the air pump to deliver pressurized air when the thermal cut-off interrupts energization of the heater.

12. The machine of claim 9,

communicating the pressurized air to the reservoir forces the precursor fluid to flow from the reservoir to the brew chamber.

13. The machine of claim 9, wherein:

the brew chamber being arranged for receiving a beverage cartridge and having a brew chamber lid movable between open and closed positions to open and close the brew chamber, the brew chamber being adapted to substantially enclose the beverage cartridge with the brew chamber lid in the closed position; and

the reservoir includes a reservoir lid movable to open and close an access opening through which precursor liquid is provided into the reservoir.

14. The machine of claim 13,

the reservoir lid is adapted to pneumatically seal the reservoir access opening when in a closed position.

15. The machine of claim 9,

the brew indication sensor is triggered by closing a lid of the reservoir.

16. The machine of claim 9,

the controller controls the air pump to empty the precursor liquid in the reservoir when the detector detects that the precursor fluid is at the desired temperature.