COFFEE MAKER OR LIKE BEVERAGE MAKING DEVICE

Abstract: A siphon coffee maker consists of a lower container (28) into which water is poured and which is heated with an electric heater (45), an upper container (29) for containing coffee powder, the upper container (29) communicating with the lower container (28) so that hot water is transferred between the containers (28), (29) through a water feed tube (30) due to siphon effects, and a pressure reducing valve (34) which communicates the lower container (28) with the atmosphere. The pressure reducing valve (34) is kept opened from the time when the temperature of the lower container (28) reaches approximately 105°C to the time when the ingredients extracting operation is completed.

Description: This invention generally relates to a siphon coffee maker or like beverage making device in which hot water in a lower container is fed to an upper container provided with a material such as coffee powder therein by making use of difference in air pressure in the containers and further in which the hot water is returned to the lower container to thereby extract ingredients from the material. Siphon coffee makers of the prior art type generally comprise a lower container into which a predetermined amount of water is poured and which is heated by a heater such as an alcohol lamp, an upper container provided therein with coffee powder which amount corresponds with that of the water provided in the lower container and having a water feed tube downwardly extending from the bottom thereof through a filter to be inserted into the lower container. In operation, the water in the lower container is transferred through the tube into the upper container due to increase of pressure in the lower container when heated and boiled. Thus, the hot water is mixed with the coffee powder in the upper container. When the heater is turned off, the air pressure in the lower container is decreased. The hot water mixed with coffee powder is transferred through the filter to the lower container so that coffee is obtained. US-A-2 619 895, US-A-2 664 811 and US-A-2 708 398 all show coffee makers of this general type. In the prior art siphon coffee makers, the fire of the alcohol lamp or the like needs to be manually turned out so that the hot water mixed with coffee powder in the upper container is fed through the filter to the lower container. Thus, an operator is forced into troublesome manual operation. Further, the operator needs to be by the side of the coffee maker while the water in the lower container is heated. Further, the fire of the alcohol lamp needs to be timely turned out after coffee is collected in the lower container. The operation timing, however, differs from time to time and the flavor of coffee also differs from time to time. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coffee maker or like beverage making device in which the soak-like processing for the material such as coffee powder is automatically performed before ingredients extracting operation so that flavorous coffee or other beverages are gained. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coffee maker or like beverage making device in which the extracting operation is automatically performed timely without delay or prematurity after the hot water is mixed with the material with siphon effects. According to this invention, there is provided a coffee maker or like beverage making device comprising a lower container for containing water, a water feed tube and a filter, an upper container for containing material such as coffee powder, and a heater for heating the water in the lower container, activation of the heater causing the water in the lower container to heat up and boil so that the water is fed to the upper container through the water feed tube and the filter by the pressure difference between the lower and upper containers created by boiling of the water, the hot water mixed with the material in the upper container being transferred back to the lower container through the filter and the water feed tube upon fall of the pressure difference, characterized by a pressure reducing valve communicating the lower container with the atmosphere in the open state, said pressure reducing valve being provided with opening and shutting means which, during each use of the coffee or like beverage making device, opens the pressure reducing valve when the temperature in the lower container exceeds a predetermined value exceeding the boiling temperature of water, the pressure difference between the lower and upper containers then falling. In a coffee maker or like beverage making device according to this invention, the temperature in the lower container will exceed the predetermined value when approximately all hot water in the lower container has been fed to the upper container by siphon effects. The pressure in the lower container is then reduced when the valve is opened, so that the hot water mixed with the material in the upper container is fed to the lower container so that the extracting operation is automatically started. Accordingly, manual operation is effectively eliminated when the extracting operation is started, and the extracting operation is timely started, so that coffee or other beverages of uniform quality are gained. Preferably, a temperature sensitive means is provided for sensing sudden increase of the temperature of the lower container, for example, increase of the temperature to 105°C after all the hot water is fed to the upper container and that the pressure reducing valve is opened when sudden increase of the temperature of the lower container is sensed by the temperature sensitive means. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the coffee maker in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial longitudinal section of the coffee maker in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a grinding mechanism of the coffee maker in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of the coffee maker in Fig. 1, at which portion a temperature sensitive switch is provided; Fig. 5 is a control circuit diagram employed in the coffee maker; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively enlarged partial longitudinal sections of the pressure reducing valve employed in a modification. Referring now to Figs. 1 - 5, the coffee maker of the invention will be described. Referring first to Fig.1, a hot plate 12 and a mechanism case 13 are provided on a base 11. An electric motor 14 is provided in the mechanism case 13. A coupling axis 14b is mounted on an upper end of a rotation axis 14a and extended upwardly through the bottom portion of an engaging concave portion 13a formed at the upper end of the case 13. A grind case 15 is placed on the case 13 and a plurality of generally inverted L-shaped engage grooves 17 are formed in the lower part of the grind case 15. Projections 16 formed on the inner periphery of the concave portion 13a of the case 13 detachably engage the inverted L-shaped grooves 17 in a manner of a bayonet. A cutter 18 is provided in the grind case 15 and a rotation axis thereof is adapted to engage the coupling axis 14b of the motor 14 so that rotation of motor 14 is transmitted to the cutter 18 when the grind case 15 is engaged with the mechanism case 13. An opening 15a is formed in part of the peripheral wall of the grind case 15 and covered with a filter 19. A guide 21 for guiding coffee powder from the grind case 15 to an upper container 29 is formed integrally with the grind case 15 so as to cover the opening 15a at one end. A lid 20 of the upper container 29 is also formed integrally with the guide 21 at the other end thereof. A lid 22 of the grind case 15 has two projections 23 formed in outer periphery thereof. Since the projections 23 engage concave portions 24 respectively formed in upper inner periphery of the grind case 15, the lid 22 is detachably mounted on upper opening of the grind case 15 so that the lid 22 cannot be moved easily. As shown in Fig. 1, an operation box 25 is provided at the upper side of the case 13 and a course control timer 26 is provided in the operation box 25. The course control timer 26 is of a well known flat spiral spring type and operated with a knob 26a. A horseshoe-shaped holder 27 is supported by a supporter 27a at the central portion of the case 13 so as to be positioned over the hot plate 12. A lower container 28 is formed of a material such as heat-proof glass, and the upper portion thereof is gripped by the holder 27 so that the container 28 is held on the hot plate 12. The upper container 29 is also formed of heat-proof glass. A water feed tube 30 is extended downwardly from the central bottom portion of the upper container 29 and has a filter 31 provided on an upper opening thereof. The filter 31 is supported by a spring 32 one end of which is attached to the lower end of the tube 30. An annular rubber gasket 33 shown in Fig.2 is provided on the upper opening of the lower container 28. The tube 30 is extended through an aperture 33a formed in the center of the gasket 33, so that the upper container 29 is supported by the lower container 28, which is air-tightly closed. A pressure reducing valve 34 shown in Fig. 2 generally has the construction that a working rod 36 having a valve medium 35 of disc-shaped type on a lower end thereof is extended upwardly through a vent 37 formed in the gasket 33. Downward movement of the working rod 36 causes the valve medium 35 to move away from the peripheral edge of the lower opening of the vent 37 to thereby open the vent 37, whereby the lower container 28 communicates with the atmosphere. A pin 36a is provided on the upper end of the working rod 36 and a compression spring 38 is provided between the pin 36a and the upper side of the gasket 33. Accordingly, the working rod 36 urged upwardly by the compression spring 38 to usually keep the pressure reducing valve 34 closed. The compression spring 38 is covered with a protecting cover 39 provided on the upper side of the gasket 33, and the working rod 36 is extended through the upper wall of the protecting cover 39. An electromagnet 40 is provided in the mechanism case 13 so as to be positioned in opposed relation to the pressure reducing valve 34. A working lever 41 is extended through an aperture 13a formed in the mechanism case 13 between the electromagnet 40 and the valve 34 and mounted on an axis 41a for rotative movement thereabout. When the electromagnet 40 is energized, one end of the working lever 41 is attracted as shown in chain line in Fig.2 and the other end of the lever 41 depresses the working rod 36. Consequently, the valve medium 35 is moved away from the vent 37 so that the vent 37 is opened. As shown in Fig. 5, the motor 14 is supplied with electric power from the terminal 49 through a timer switch 47 of the course control timer 26. A heater 45 of the hot plate 12 is supplied with electric power from the terminal 49 through a timer switch 48 and a temperature sensitive switch 44 connected in series thereto respectively. The electromagnet 40 of the valve control unit 46 and a buzzer 52 are connected in parallel to the temperature sensitive switch 44. The temperature sensitive switch 44 is adapted to open when the temperature of the lower container 28 increases to the temperature approximately 5°C higher than the boiling temperature (100°C). The temperature sensitive switch 44 is provided in the mechanism case 13 so as to be in contact with the side wall of the lower container 28 on the hot plate 12 through a thermally conductive cap 44a. On-off operation of the switches 47 and 48 is controlled by the course control timer 26. Hence, when the timing is set by turning the knob 26a in a direction, the timer 26 operates to close the timer switch 47 for a period of time set with the knob 26a and to open the timer switch 47 after lapse of time period set with the knob 26a with the simultaneous closing of the timer switch 48. The timer switch 48 can be reopened by manually turning the knob 26a in the other direction. In the operation of the coffee maker, when the course control timer 26 is set by turning the knob 26a, the timer switch 47 is turned on for a predetermined period of time. The motor 14 is energized, so that the coffee beans in the grind case 15 are ground into coffee powder, which is transferred into the upper container 29 through the guide 21. Afterwards, the timer switch 47 is turned off (i.e. opened) due to the timing operation of the timer 26 and the timer switch 48 is turned on, so that the heater 45 of the hot plate 12 is energized through the temperature sensitive switch 44 and starts to apply heat to the water in the container 28. When the water is boiled up, the hot water is fed to the upper container 29 through the water feed tube 30. When all the hot water is fed, the temperature of the lower container 28 rapidly increases. The temperature sensitive switch 44 is turned off (i.e. opened) when the temperature of the container 28 increases to approximately 105°C. When the temperature sensitive switch 44 is turned off, the electromagnet 40 and the buzzer 52 are simultaneously energized, so that the working lever 41 is subjected to the attraction force of the electromagnet 40 and moved. The valve medium 35 is moved so that the vent 37 is opened, and the internal pressure of the lower container 28 is reduced. The hot water mixed with coffee powder is transferred through the water feed tube 30 and the filter 31, so that coffee is extracted in the lower container 28. In this case, the buzzer 52 informs the operator that the extracting operation will shortly be completed. The coffee maker of Figs. 1 to 5 is characterized in that the extracting operation is automatically performed by a pressure reducing unit including the pressure reducing valve 34 and the temperature sensitive switch 44 which are adapted to operate when all the hot water in the container 28 is fed to the container 29. Consequently, since the period of time from the feeding of hot water to the collecting of coffee in the lower container 28 is not affected or changed by the ambient temperature or the speed at which the hot plate 12 is cooled, coffee having a uniform flavor and quality can always be served. Additionally, the process of feeding the hot water mixed with coffee powder ot the lower container 28 is automatically performed without requiring any manual operation, so that the present invention can provide a quite useful coffee maker. Fig. 6 illustrates a pressure reducing valve 53 of a modification. Identical parts are labelled by the same numerlas as in the first embodiment. A valve case 55 having a plurality of openings 54 formed in the peripheral wall thereof is mounted on the underside of the gasket 33 so as to cover the vent 37. A valve medium 56 opening and closing the vent 37 and a spring 57 usually urging the valve medium 56 in the direction of closing the vent 37 are provided in the valve case 55. The spring 57 is formed of a shape memory alloy which reversibly deforms when heated above a predetermined temperature. In the modification, the spring 57 also serves as a means for opening and closing the valve 53. When the temperature of the lower conatiner 28 approximates 105°C, the spring 57 contracts in the direction of moving the valve medium 56 away from the vent 37 as shown in Fig. 7. When the temperature of the lower container 28 is decreased below 105°C, the spring 57 expands so as to apply a spring force to the valve medium 56 to push it against the peripheral surface of the vent 37 as shown in Fig. 6. In the case where the pressure reducing valve 53 is constructed as described above, the temperature sensitive switch 44, the electromagnet 40 and the buzzer 52 are eliminated and the heater 45 is connected in series to the timer switch 48 in the circuit shown in Fig. 5.

Claims: A coffee maker or like beverage making device comprising a lower container (28) for containing water, a water feed tube (30) and a filter (31), an upper container (29) for containing material such as coffee powder, and a heater (45) for heating the water in the lower container (28), activation of the heater (45) causing the water in the lower container (28) to heat up and boil so that the water is fed to the upper container (29) through the water feed tube (30) and the filter (31) by the pressure difference between the lower and upper containers (28, 29) created by boiling of the water, the hot water mixed with the material in the upper container (29) being transferred back to the lower container (28) through the filter (31) and the water feed tube (30) upon fall of the pressure difference, characterized by a pressure reducing valve (34) communicating the lower container (28) with the atmosphere in the open state, said pressure reducing valve (34) being provided with opening and shutting means (46) which, during each use of the coffee or like beverage making device, opens the pressure reducing valve (34) when the temperature in the lower container (28) exceeds a predetermined value exceeding the boiling temperature of water, the pressure difference between the lower and upper containers (28, 29) then falling. A coffee maker or like beverage making device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said valve opening and shutting means (46) comprises a temperature sensitive switch (51) which is operative at the time when the temperature of the lower container (28) increases above the boiling point of water and an electromagnet (40) which receives a signal from said temperature sensitive switch (51) to thereby operate so that the pressure reducing valve (53) is opened. A coffee maker or like beverage making device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said valve opening and shutting means (46) comprises a member (57) formed of a shape memory alloy, which member (57) changes its shape when the temperature of the lower container (28) increases above the boiling point of water, which shape changing movement is transmitted to a valve medium (56) of said pressure reducing valve (53). A coffee maker or like beverage making device as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that said member (57) formed of the shape memory alloy is formed into a spring to apply a resilient force to said valve medium (56) so that said valve medium (56) is closed at the room temperature.

Inventors: SHIMOMURA, NOBUO
Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A47J31
IPC codes: A47J31