Patent ID: 6062127
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
A portable espresso maker, comprising:a housing having a side wall with a top edge defining a cavity;a water chamber disposed within the cavity, said water chamber having a bottom, a side wall with a top edge and an o-ring mounted on said top edge;a heating element disposed adjacent the bottom of the water chamber;means for connecting the heating element to a power source;a bottom tray for holding the housing;a cup positioned on the bottom tray adjacent the housing;a filter assembly positioned within the water chamber, said filter assembly comprising:(a) a filter tube;(b) a reservoir connected to a top end of the filter tube, said reservoir having a bottom and side walls; and(c) a mesh screen extending over the bottom of the reservoir to divide the reservoir into upper and lower sections;a cover removably connected to the housing and the top edge of the side wall of the water chamber, said cover having a top and a side wall and comprising:(a) an o-ring engaging the o-ring mounted to the water chamber to create an air-tight seal between the water chamber and the cover when the cover is mounted to the housing;(b) a concave recess beneath the top;(c) a screen extending over the concave recess;(d) a plurality of ridges positioned within the recess and extending to the screen; and(e) an exit spout extending from the recess out of the cover,wherein a prepackaged coffee packet is placed between the screen of the filter element and the screen of the cover and is compressed by mounting the cover to the housing such that said ridges press against the screen of the cover element to compress the coffee further, and wherein water in the water chamber is heated by the heating element and travels up through the filter tube and through the coffee packet between the screens and exits out the exit spout into the cup.