Patent ID: 8950315
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: A47J,B65D

Abstract:
1. A beverage appliance, comprising: a housing, said housing including a liquid reservoir supported by said housing; a receptacle in said housing dimensioned to receive a container containing at least one drink ingredient having particles of a first size, said receptacle being pivotable from a first position in which said receptacle is angled towards a front of said appliance and a second position in which said receptacle is aligned with a brew head and contacts said brew head, said receptacle including a generally hollow needle arranged at the bottom thereof for piercing a bottom of said container, said hollow needle being in fluid communication with a beverage outlet; a mechanism for transforming said particles of said drink ingredient from said first size to a second size within said container, said second size being smaller than said first size; a three way valve in fluid communication with said beverage outlet; a solenoid for controlling said three way valve to direct a flow of beverage to one of a beverage spout and a drain tray; and a container unloading mechanism including a plurality of spring biased push rods, said push rods being aligned with a rim of said container and exerting a downward force on an upper surface of said rim when said receptacle is in said second position such that said downward forces urges said container away from said brew head, and a sensor configured to detect a distance of vertical travel of at least one of said push rods.