IN-VEHICLE COFFEE MAKER ASSEMBLY

A in-vehicle coffee maker assembly for brewing a cup of coffee in a vehicle includes a vehicle that has an internal combustion engine. A water reservoir is coupled to the vehicle and the water reservoir is positioned in an engine compartment of the vehicle. The water reservoir contains potable water and the water reservoir is in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine. Thus, the internal combustion engine heats the potable water in the water reservoir when the internal combustion engine is running. A coffee maker is integrated into the vehicle. The coffee maker is in fluid communication with the water reservoir such that the coffee maker receives the potable water for brewing coffee.

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure and prior art relates to coffee maker devices and more particularly pertains to a new coffee maker device for brewing a cup of coffee in a vehicle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a vehicle that has an internal combustion engine. A water reservoir is coupled to the vehicle and the water reservoir is positioned in an engine compartment of the vehicle. The water reservoir contains potable water and the water reservoir is in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine. Thus, the internal combustion engine heats the potable water in the water reservoir when the internal combustion engine is running. A coffee maker is integrated into the vehicle. The coffee maker is in fluid communication with the water reservoir such that the coffee maker receives the potable water for brewing coffee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 5, the in-vehicle coffee maker assembly10generally comprises a vehicle12that has an internal combustion engine14. The vehicle12may be a passenger vehicle12, a cargo vehicle12and any other motor vehicle12. A water reservoir16is coupled to the vehicle12and the water reservoir16is positioned in an engine compartment18of the vehicle12. The water reservoir16contains potable water20and the water reservoir16is independent of a radiator, a de-gas bottle, a windshield wiper fluid reservoir and any other fluid reservoir involved with the operation of the vehicle12. The water reservoir16is in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine14such that the internal combustion engine14heats the potable water20in the water reservoir16when the internal combustion engine14is running. The thermal communication between the water reservoir16and the internal combustion engine14may be accomplished with a heat exchanger that is in fluid communication with a cooling system of the vehicle12, the water reservoir16may be placed directly against the engine block of the internal combustion, or any other conventional means.

The water reservoir16has a fill port22and an output24, and a pump26is positioned in the water reservoir16. The pump26is fluidly coupled to the output24such that the pump26urges the potable water20outwardly through the output24when the pump26is turned on. The pump26is electrically coupled to a power source comprising an electrical system of the vehicle12. The pump26may be an electrical fluid pump or the like that is common to electronic coffee makers. A lid27is removably coupled to the fill port22on the water reservoir16for closing the fill port22.

A coffee maker28is integrated into the vehicle12and the coffee maker28has a fluid input30, a basket32and a conduit34that is in fluid communication between the fluid input30and the basket32. The coffee maker28has a cup well36therein for insertably receiving a cup, such as a coffee cup or other beverage container. The cup well36is aligned with the basket32such that the cup receives coffee from the basket32. A hose38is fluidly coupled between the output24on the reservoir and the input on the coffee maker28such that the hose38delivers the potable water20to the coffee maker28for brewing the coffee. The coffee maker28may be a pod based coffee maker of any conventional design that has been integrated into the vehicle12during manufacturing. The coffee maker28may include electronic controls that are conventional to electronic coffee makers and the pump26may be electrically coupled to the coffee maker28for controlling the pump26.

In use, the water reservoir16is filled with potable water20prior to driving the vehicle12. The internal combustion engine14heats the water reservoir16when the internal combustion engine14is running. Thus, the coffee maker28has a supply of hot water for brewing a cup of coffee while the vehicle12is being driven. In this way a driver, or a passenger, can enjoy a freshly brewed, hot cup of coffee during trips without requiring stopping at a gas station or the like to purchase coffee. A storage reservoir40is positioned in the vehicle12such that that storage reservoir40is accessible to the driver or the passenger. The storage reservoir40is in fluid communication with the water reservoir16thereby facilitating hot water to be accessible to the driver and the passenger.