Abstract:
A beverage brewer and method of using the same is provided. The beverage brewer has the capacity to brew a beverage from variable amounts of prepackaged pods or from free-form brewing material captured between upper and lower filter membrane surfaces.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to beverage brewers, especially coffee brewers used in homes or for preparing small servings of coffee.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In recent years, individual servings of flavored and unflavored coffee drinks have become increasingly popular. Moreover, there has been an increased desire for beverage brewers that can be utilized to prepare small or single servings of coffee in the home, office and restaurants.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention provides a beverage brewer and a method of using the same that are highly useful in the preparation of small servings of brewed beverages. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage brewer of the present invention has the capacity to brew a beverage from one or more prepackaged pods or from a charge of free-form brewing material captured between upper and lower filter membrane surfaces. The beverage brewer includes a showerhead forming a boundary for a pod chamber, and a pod carrier forming an opposite boundary for the pod chamber. A seal is provided which is connected with the showerhead for sealing the pod chamber between the showerhead and the pod carrier. A main carrier mounting the showerhead is also included.  
         [0004]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the showerhead is compliantly mounted with the main carrier. In a complimentary embodiment, the main carrier has a contact surface for urging peripheral surfaces of upper and lower filter membrane surfaces toward the pod carrier and thereby joining the filter membrane surfaces together outboard of the seal to form a pod and to facilitate the removal of the brewing material from the beverage brewer.  
         [0005]     Other features of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the invention is further revealed in the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment beverage brewer of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a brewhead portion of the beverage brewer shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view of the brewhead shown in  FIG. 2  taken along a section line  3 - 3  wherein a prepackaged pod of brewing material is being utilized.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are sectional views of the brewhead shown in  FIG. 2  and at various stages of operation wherein a free-form brewing material is being utilized.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are views similar to those of  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrating an alternate embodiment of a pod chamber seal.  
         [0011]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the brewhead shown in  FIGS. 1-5 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a pod formed by the beverage brewer shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of a brewing filter paper with a pre-applied adhesive ring that can be utilized with the beverage brewer of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a beverage brewer  7  is provided with a stand or base  8 . Connected to and projecting upwardly from the stand  8  is a tower  10 . Positioned inside the tower  10  is a liquid reservoir  12 , a heater  16  and a pump  14  which are shown schematically in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The tower  10  supports a brewhead  18  in a position to allow it to hang over a beverage container or cup  20 . The liquid reservoir  12  is fluidly connected to the heater  16 . The pump  14  has a suction end receiving liquid such as water from the heater  16 . After leaving the pump  14 , pressurized liquid  14  is delivered to the brewhead  18  via a polymeric tubular duct member  19  ( FIG. 2 ). Alternatively, the heater may directly heat the reservoir or heat the liquid downstream of the pump.  
         [0015]     The brewhead  18  includes an upper assembly  24  and a lower assembly  26 . The lower assembly  26  includes a drawer  44  having an integral downwardly projecting rear tail  45  ( FIGS. 1 and 8 ). The tail  45  is fixedly connected to a support bracket  49 . The support bracket  49  is structurally affixed to the tower  10 , thereby connecting the brewhead  18  with the tower  10 .  
         [0016]     The upper assembly  24  includes a main or inner carrier  28  ( FIG. 2 ). The main carrier  28  on an outer diameter has a spiral groove cam surface  30 . The upper assembly  24  also includes a lever  32 . The lever  32  is connected with a lever ring  34  that surrounds the main carrier  28 . The lever ring  34  has a bottom surface  35  ( FIG. 3 ). Projecting from an inner surface  37  of the lever ring  34  is a pin or rod  36 . The rod  36  engages with the cam groove surface  30 . Horizontal movement of the lever  32  causes rotation of the lever ring  34  thereby moving the main carrier  28  up and down with respect to the lower assembly  26  due to the engagement of the rod  36  with the spiral cam surface  30 .  
         [0017]     A series of stepped alignment pins  38  restrain and guide the main carrier  28 . The alignment pins  38  have an aperture  39  through which a guide pin (not shown) is connected. The guide pin restrains the main carrier  28  from arcuate or rotational movement. The alignment pins have a stem  40  which is axially fixably received within a respective well  42  ( FIGS. 2 and 8 ) of a drawer cabinet  44  of the lower assembly  26 . The alignment pins  38  also limit the upper vertical position of the main carrier  28  with respect to the drawer cabinet  44 .  
         [0018]     Vertically slideably mounted within an interior of the main carrier  28  is a polymeric molded plastic showerhead  46 . Referring to  FIGS. 4, 5 , and  8 , the showerhead  46  has three upward projecting geometrically spaced arms  48  with respective radially outwardly projecting fingers  50 . The projecting fingers  50  have an underside  52  ( FIG. 3 ) that makes contact with a top rim  54  of the main carrier  28  to limit the downward movement of the showerhead  46  with respect to the main carrier  28 .  
         [0019]     For cleaning or maintenance, the arms  48  can be resiliently bent inwardly to allow the showerhead  46  to be removed from the main carrier  28 . The showerhead  46  is compliantly downwardly biased and mounted within the main carrier  28  by series of geometrically spaced coil compression springs  56 . The top of each spring  56  is captured within a spring mounting chamber  58  of the main carrier  28 . The bottom of each spring  56  is mounted on spring towers  60  of the showerhead  46 .  
         [0020]     The spring constant of the springs  56  can be customized for a beverage that the beverage brewer  7  is making. Typically when brewing regular types of coffee, the springs  56  will have lower spring constants. Brewing espresso type coffees typically requires higher brewing pressures and therefore the springs  56  will have higher spring constants. Of course, other forms of biasing members may be used in place of springs  56 , such as elastomeric rods or rubber bellows or diaphragms.  
         [0021]     Along an outer surface  63  ( FIG. 4 ), the showerhead  46  has a formed groove  64  for placement of a ring seal  66 . The seal  66  annularly seals the showerhead  46  along an inner diameter surface  68  of the main carrier  28 .  
         [0022]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , the showerhead  46  has an inlet  72  to receive pressurized fluid delivered by the pump  14  via the tubular duct member  19 . The showerhead  46  on its lower surface has a distribution chamber  74  to deliver the pressurized fluid. The distribution chamber  74  has a bottom border formed by a shower plate  75  that has a plurality of small liquid distribution apertures  77  to distribute the pressurized fluid. A lower surface  79  of the shower plate  75  forms an upper boundary for a pod chamber  47 .  
         [0023]     Connected with the showerhead  46  is a chamber seal  76 . The chamber seal  76  may be connected by fasteners such as rivets  78  ( FIG. 4 ), or other suitable fasteners or adhesives or by an interference fit. As shown in  FIGS. 3-5  and  8 , the chamber seal  76  curls resiliently radially outward. In an alternative preferred embodiment  107  of the present invention ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ), the chamber seal  76  curls resiliently radially inwardly. Typically, the seal  76  of  FIGS. 6 and 7  will seal with a higher sealing pressure than the seal  76  of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The chamber seal  76  is preferably fabricated from a silicone rubber or other suitable material.  
         [0024]     As further seen in  FIG. 4 , a bottom peripheral edge of the main carrier  28  provides a first body annular contact surface  80 . The contact surface  80  surrounds the showerhead  46 . The contact surface  80  has a series of annular saw tooth serrations  81  and generally surrounds and is radially outward of the seal  76 .  
         [0025]     As seen in  FIG. 8 , the lower assembly drawer cabinet  44  has an annular generally horizontal surface  83 . The surface  83  functions as a bearing surface supporting the lower surface  35  of the lever ring  34 . The drawer cabinet  44  also has two (only one shown) parallel spaced inwardly facing cupped channels or drawer runners  181 .  
         [0026]     Horizontally slideably mounted to the drawer cabinet  44  is a drawer  85 . The drawer  85  is generally bowl shaped having a flanged rim  87  that slides upon the drawer runners  81 . A front handle  89  allows the drawer  85  to be pushed in and pulled out of the drawer cabinet  44 . A bottom  90  of the drawer has a drip aperture  92 .  
         [0027]     Snap fitted into a top of the drawer  85  is a pod carrier insert  91 . The pod carrier insert  91  has a bowl portion  94  forming a lower boundary of the pod chamber  47  generally opposite the lower surface  77  of the shower plate  75 . The bowl portion  94  has a drip aperture  95 .  
         [0028]     Connected with the bowl portion  94  is a generally horizontal flanged portion  96  ( FIG. 4 ). A slanted side surface  88  of the bowl portion  94  is provided as a valve seat to engage the seal  76  in a manner to be explained later. Generally along a peripheral section of the flanged portion  96  the pod carrier insert  91  has a contact surface  86  for making contact with surface  80  of the main carrier  28 . The contact surface  86  has annular saw tooth groove serrations  82 .  
         [0029]     In operation, the lever  34  is initially actuated to the left (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) and rotated in the direction of arrow  100 . The main carrier  28  is thereby raised to a position as shown in  FIG. 4 . The drawer  85  is pulled out by its handle  89 . A single or plurality of prepackaged pods  104  ( FIG. 3 ) containing a brewing material such as coffee, tea, concentrated juice or other beverage can be placed inside the pod carrier insert bowl portion  94 . The drawer  85  is then pushed into the drawer cabinet  44 . The lever  32  is then actuated in the direction of arrow  110  to cause the main carrier  28  to be displaced downwardly.  
         [0030]     The downward movement of the casing  28  will cause the downward movement of the showerhead  46  until the showerhead  46  directly contacts a top  105  ( FIG. 3 ) of the pods or pods  104 . The compression springs  56  allow the showerhead&#39;s  46  vertical position to resiliently vertically adjust to variations in shapes, sizes, or number of pods placed within the pod carrier insert  91 . The reaction force of the compression springs  56  acting to lift the lever ring  34  via the casing  28  is resisted by a lower step  112  ( FIG. 2 ) of the alignment pins  38  acting against a top surface  33  of the lever ring  34 .  
         [0031]     Regardless of the number of pods  104  placed within the pod chamber  47 , the showerhead  46  can directly engage with the top surface of pod(s)  104  and the seal  76  will sealably engage with the slanted surface  88  to seal the pod chamber  47  interface between the showerhead  46  and the pod carrier insert  91 .  
         [0032]     Heated water or other liquid is then delivered to the showerhead  46  from the tubular duct  19 . Because of the contact between the showerhead  46  with the top of the pod(s)  104 , the flow of liquid is forced through the interior of the pod(s)  104  instead of around a periphery of the pod(s)  104  within the pod chamber  47 . In addition, the springs  56  will ensure the proper compaction of the brewing material within the pod(s) for optimum brewing quality. Accordingly, the pod chamber  47  can be made sufficiently large so that the various sizes, shapes, and numbers of pods  104  can be accommodated without materially affecting brewing quality.  
         [0033]     After passing through the pod(s)  104 , the brewed beverage then passes out through the drip apertures  92  and  95  then out of the lower assembly  26  into the cup  20 . After the brewing process is over, the lever  32  is rotated in the direction of arrow  100  raising the main carrier  28  and showerhead  46 . The drawer  85  is then pulled out to allow removal of the pod(s)  104  from the pod carrier insert  91 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  a customized brewing material  118  is provided in a free form. Typically, the free-form brewing material  118  will be provided in a ground, powdered or granulated form.  
         [0035]     When the drawer  85  is pulled out, a lower filter membrane  122  is placed in the pod carrier insert bowl portion  94 . A supply of free-form brewing material  118  is then placed on the lower filter membrane  122 . An upper filter membrane  120  is placed over the free-form brewing material  118  with the free-form brewing material  118  being juxtaposed between upper and lower filter membranes  120 , 122 .  
         [0036]     The filter membranes  120 , 122  are fabricated from filter paper or other suitable filter material and may be disc-shaped, oval, square or any other suitable shape. The drawer  85  is then closed. Actuation of the lever  32 , the main carrier  28 , and showerhead  46  will be as described previously, with the showerhead  46  making contact with the top of the upper filter membrane  120 .  
         [0037]     The seal  76  seals the membranes  120  and  122  along a first periphery  98  by contacting the slanted surface  88 . Again, the compliant compression spring  56  mounting of the showerhead  46  allows the beverage brewer  7  to accommodate variable volumes of brewing material  118 . The springs  56  will ensure the proper compaction of the brewing material  118  within the pod chamber  47  for optimum brewing quality.  
         [0038]     Downward movement of the main carrier  28  causes the contact surfaces  80  and  86  to engage. The contact surfaces  80  and  86  capture the filter membranes  120  and  122  and crimp and join the filter membranes  120 , 122  together along a second periphery  123  ( FIGS. 5 and 9 ). The contact surfaces annular grooved serrations  81  and  82  are aligned peak to valley to aid in the crimping action. A pod  126  is thus created to facilitate an easy, clean, and neat disposal of the brewing material  118 .  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , in an alternative embodiment, a filter membrane  128  is provided with a pre-applied ring  130  of adhesive material. The ring  130  is generally aligned with the location of contact with the surfaces  80  and  86  when the pod chamber  47  is closed. One or both of the filter membranes used with the beverage brewer  7  may optionally have such an adhesive ring  130 . The compressive contact of the surfaces  80  and  86  with the upper and lower filter membranes will cause the filter membranes to be joined together by adhesive bonding. Since the location of the adhesive ring  130  is outward of the periphery of sealing (first periphery  98 ) provided by the seal  76 , there is less chance of a bad taste being induced into the brewed beverage since the beverage is sealed from the adhesive ring  130 .  
         [0040]     In still another embodiment of the present invention, the contact surfaces  80  and/or  86  maybe heated so that the filter membranes may be joined by heat bonding. In such an embodiment, a heat bondable filter membrane material would be utilized on at least one of the filter membranes  120 , 122 . In both the adhesive bonding and heat bonding methods, the serrations  81 ,  82  on the surfaces  80  and  86  may be modified or eliminated.  
         [0041]     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood it has been described by way of example only, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as it is encompassed in the following claims.