Abstract:
The present disclosure recites a beverage brewing system having beverage brewing machine and a collapsible brew basket. The beverage brewing machine has a housing with a water reservoir and an electrical heating element for heating water. An output system is provided for dispensing the heated water to the brew basket. The brew basket is a collapsible brew basket, positionable between a collapsed position and an expanded portion. The brew basket included and upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion slidingly engaging the upper portion between the collapsed and the exposed position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/607,151 filed on Mar. 6, 2012, which is incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a beverage brewing platform, and more particularly to a drip-typed beverage brewing machine and collapsible brew basket for use therein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Drip-type electric brewing machines have been in use for a many years as a means for making coffee or tea. The brewing machine typically include a cold water reservoir, an electric resistance heating element for heating the water, and a brew basket for holding a brewing material within a filter. To make a beverage, water is poured into the water reservoir and brewing material is placed in the filter, which is then placed in the brew basket. The water is heated by the electric heating element, and the heated water is dispensed from the water reservoir, through an output tube and shower head onto the brewing material. The brewed beverage then drips out into a receiving vessel, such as a coffee pot, cup; or the like, positioned below the brew basket. After brewing is complete, the filter and used beverage material in the brew basket and discarded. 
         [0004]    Such brewing machines have been in use in homes and the hospitality industry, such as hotels, motels and the like. The brew baskets can be made of a hard plastic, which are cleaned after each use. Alternatively, the brew baskets can be disposable, being made of paper, cardboards, or soft plastic. Such brew baskets are designed for limited usage, after which they are discarded. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present disclosure recites a beverage brewing system having beverage brewing machine and a collapsible brew basket. The beverage brewing machine includes a housing, with a water reservoir and an electrical heating element for heating water. A output system is provided for dispensing the heated water to the brew basket. The brew basket is a collapsible brew basket, positionable between a collapsed position and an expanded portion. 
         [0006]    The brew basket includes an upper portion and a lower portion slidingly engaged within the upper portion, where the lower portion is movable with respect to the upper portion between an expanded position and a collapsed position. The upper portion includes a open top end, an open bottom end, and a substantially vertical side wall. A rim radially, outwardly, extends about the open top end and a flange radially, inwardly, extending about the open bottom end of the upper portion. 
         [0007]    The lower portion includes a open top end, a bottom end, and a substantially vertical side wall, wherein the open top end has a radially, outwardly, extending flange and the bottom end has a surface defining at least one output opening. The lower portion is slidingly position within the upper portion so that the inwardly extending flange on the open bottom end of the upper portion engages the outwardly extending flange on the open top end of the lower portion to support the lower portion in the expanded position. 
         [0008]    The upper portion include on the rim radially extending about the open top end a tab having at least one key element. Similarly, the brewing location in the brewing machine can include at least one machine key element, where the at least one machine key element is configured to receive the at least one key element on the brew basket. This allow for proper alignment of the brew basket within the brewing machine. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts an isometric view of the beverage brewing system of the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts an isometric view of a brew basket for use in the brewing system of the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts the brew basket of  FIG. 2  in a collapsed position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts an exploded view of the brew basket of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a filter pod for use in the beverage brewing system of the present disclosure; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  depicts a bottom isometric view of a beverage brewing system for use with the brew basket of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in  FIG. 1  an automatic drip beverage maker  10  having an upper housing  12  configured to receive a brew basket  14 , where the brew basket  14  is removeably positionable into the beverage maker  10 . The beverage maker  10  includes a water reservoir and heating element, where the water reservoir is in fluid communication with the brew basket  14 , such that as the water is heated, the heated water will be dispensed into the brew basket  14 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the brew basket  14  includes an upper portion  16  and a lower portion  18 , which are slidingly connected. In this manner, the brew basket  14  may be used in an expanded configuration for the brewing and dispensing of the brewed beverage, and a collapses position for shipping and storage. The upper portion  16  of the brew basket  14  in substantially cylindrical in shape having an open top end  20 , open bottom end  22 , and substantially vertical side wall  24 . The open top end  20  includes a radially, outwardly, extending rim  26  for supporting the brew basket  14  within the beverage maker  10 . The open bottom end  22  includes a flange  28  for capturing and supporting the lower portion  18  of the brew basket  14 . 
         [0018]    The lower portion  18  of the brew basket includes a open top end  30 , a bottom end  32 , and a substantially vertical side wall  34 . The open top end  30  includes a radially extending flange  36 , configured to engage the flange  28  on the open bottom end  22  of the upper portion  16  of the brew basket  14 . The upper and lower portions  16  and  18  are configured to be slideable with respect to each other between the collapsed and expanded configurations. In the expanded configuration, the flange  28  engages flange  36 , capturing and supporting the lower portion  18  of the brew basket  14 . 
         [0019]    The bottom end  32  of the lower portion  18  include a bottom surface  38  having at least one opening  40  there through for dispensing the brewed beverage. The bottom surface  38  can be substantially flat, or in the alternative, provided at an angle, forming a substantially conical shape defining an opening  40  at the bottom thereof. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the upper portion  16  of the brew basket  14  has a first diameter D 1  and the lower portion  18  of the brew basket has a second diameter D 2 , where the first diameter D 1  is greater than the second diameter D 2 . Flange  28  extends radially inward about the inner edge of open bottom end  22  of the upper portion  16 , and flange  38  extends radially outward about the open top end  30  on the lower portion  18 . In this manner, the lower portion  18  is slideable along the inside surface of the vertically side wall  24  of the upper portion  16 . 
         [0021]    The lower portion  18  can further include a flange  39  radially extending about the bottom end  32 . The flange  39  prevents the removal of the lower portion  18  from the upper portion  16  when the brew basket  14  is in the collapsed configuration. In this configuration, the range of travel of the lower portion  18  with respect to the upper portion  16  is limit to be between flanges  38  and  39  on the lower portion  18 . 
         [0022]    In an alternative embodiment, the upper portion  16  of the brew basket  14  has a first diameter D 1  and the lower portion  18  of the brew basket has a second diameter D 2 , where the first diameter D 1  is less than the second diameter D 2 . Flange  28  extends radially outward about the open bottom end  22  of the upper portion  16 , and flange  38  extends radially inward in the open top end  30  on the lower portion  18 . In this manner, the lower portion  18  is slideable along the outside surface of the vertically side wall  24  of the upper portion  16 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a filter pod  40  contains an prescribed amount of brewing material  43  packaged within it, between first and second sheets of filter material  42  and  44 . The brewing material  43  can be coffee, tea, or the like. The sheets of filter material  42  and  44  are fixed to each other about their periphery, forming a pouch for placement of the brewing material  43  therein. The sheets  42  and  44  are secured around their periphery to form a flange  46 . 
         [0024]    The diameter of the filter pod  40  is selected such that the filter pod  40  will snuggly fit within the lower portion  18  of the brew basket  14 , with the flange  46  being pressed against the vertical side wall  34  of the lower portion  18 . When hot water is supplied to the brew basket  14 , the flange  46  of the filter pod  40  will form a seal against the inner surface of the vertical side wall  34  of the lower portion  18  of the brew basket  14 . In this manner, the hot water will be prevented from passing about the edges of the filter pod  40 , having substantially all of the water passing through the filter pod  40 , and brewing material  43  therein. As the hot water then passes through the filter pod  40 , the water will be infused with the brewing material  43 , and dispensed through the opening  40  in the bottom of the lower portion  18  of the brew basket  14 . 
         [0025]    In an embodiment, the radially extending rim  26  of the upper portion  16  of the brew basket  14  includes a tab  50  extending upwardly therefrom to allow user to lift up out of and insert the brew basket into the coffee maker  10 . The rim  26  can include a second tab  52  extending outwardly therefrom, opposite tab  50 . The second tab  52  can include one or more key element(s)  54 . The key element(s)  54  is configured to engage corresponding key element(s) within the beverage maker  10 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the beverage maker  10  includes one or more key element(s)  56 , configured to receive the brew basket  14  key element(s)  54  upon placement in to the beverage maker  10 . The key elements  54  and  56  are configured and position such that upon placement of the brew basket  14  within the beverage maker  10 , the brew basket  14  will be properly aligned within the beverage maker  10 . A pair of guide rails  50 ,  50  on the underside of the beverage maker  10  facilitates placement of the brew basket  14  on the underside of the beverage maker  10 . 
         [0027]    The key elements  54  and  56  further provide the added benefit of preventing the usage of brew baskets within the coffee maker  10  they are not specifically design for use therein. This prevents the use amiss sized or miss aligned brew baskets with the coffee maker  10 . 
         [0028]    All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated by persons skilled in art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.