Abstract:
The multiple beverage brewer utilizes the vacant vertical spaces in an establishment, opens counterspace, and allows placement of different products, such as coffee varieties and flavors, for simultaneous brewing. The vertical multiple coffee brewer begins with a base, a housing upon the base extending upright while leaving room for at least one warmer on the base, a deck extending from the housing above the base with a brew basket and a coffee pot, at least one warmer on the deck, a second deck extending from the housing, and a top. The housing contains one tank for heating of water supplied to all of the brew baskets through piping and dump valves. Alternatively, the housing has two vertically stacked tanks supplied with fresh water but heating the water separately for delivery to each deck.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This non-provisional application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/833,168 filed on Jul. 25, 2006, which claims priority to the design patent application having Ser. No. 29/232,989, which was filed on Jun. 24, 2005, and has the same inventors. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to beverage brewers and particularly to a stacked brewer. The brewers typically make coffee upon a countertop at a restaurant or other establishment. Multiple brewers, on a countertop, increases the beverage brewed while occupying more counter space in competition with other products. The present invention increases beverage brewed per square foot by stacking at least two brewers vertically to reduce the countertop space required.  
         [0003]     Various types of brewers have long been available in the prior art. All of these are for use for holding beverages generally one brewer in height. In addition, some of these vessels or brewers are of a fairly large size, and include their own spigot, at the bottom, that allows for the dispensing of any beverage maintained therein, during usage. Some of these brewers, even though they may be of substantial size, perhaps in the two to four gallon capacity, may yet be used in conjunction with the beverage brewing apparatus, whether it be for the preparation of hot tea or coffee, or other beverages, directly under a brew basket or other brewing apparatus, the beverage as brewed being deposited directly into the brewer, of substantial volume, for eventual dispensing and consumption. Having a variety of these types of brewers, provided around a counter or shelf, as in a commercial establishment or restaurant, or even in an office, occupies a fair amount of counter space. Hence, the present invention provides for vertical stacking of brewers, one upon the other, as a needed enhancement and a desirable contribution to the field of beverage brewing and serving, for various types of facilities.  
         [0004]     Beverage brewers occupy counterspace in a footprint. The footprint is the horizontal planar space required to locate an appliance for operation and dispensing in an establishment. The footprint includes the width and depth of counterspace allocated for restaurant equipment such as a brewer. Presently, the amount of counterspace available at establishments dwindles as additional products occupy more and more counterspace. For many years, coffee has been served at most establishments. In recent years though, coffee has expanded to include many varieties and flavors, cappuccino, espresso, teas, and iced tea. These newer products are prepared and dispensed from separate pieces of equipment, each with its own footprint that consumes counterspace. Coffee grinders and bulk coffee dispensers further crowd the available counterspace.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0005]     Saving horizontal space with vertical stacking commonly occurs in commercial settings. In areas of high real estate values, buildings soar to great heights thus, maximizing value per square foot of ground. On congested roads, particularly in England, busses have a second upper deck for transporting more people on a given square foot of road. In the brewed coffee field, Grindmaster® and Bunn® combined a brewer with an above mounted grinder. The grinder prepares coffee beans for brewing below it. The ground beans drop from the grinder into a brew basket to make coffee into a pot below. The brewer grinder combination saves counterspace but remains limited to dispensing a single product from a single pot.  
         [0006]     The present invention though overcomes the limitations of the prior art where a need exists for effectively brewing more beverages per square foot. That is, the art of the present invention, a vertical multiple coffee brewer, places at least one brewer atop another brewer, the brewers with either separate or common heated water tanks, and separate controls for each brewer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     As counterspace dwindles in restaurants and other establishments, the expansion of new product offerings becomes limited. As the present invention stacks brewing machinery vertically, coffee production per square foot increases, and perhaps doubles or triples. Further, the stacking of brewing machinery utilizes the vacant vertical spaces in an establishment and opens counterspace for other products. The present invention also allows placement of different products, such as coffee varieties and flavors, for simultaneous brewing on a minimum footprint.  
         [0008]     The vertical multiple coffee brewer begins with a base, generally planar and with or without feet, a housing upon the base extending upright while leaving room for at least one warmer on the base, a deck extending from the housing above the base with sufficient room beneath to admit a brew basket and a coffee pot, at least one warmer on the deck, a second deck extending from the housing again with room beneath it to admit a second brew basket and a coffee pot, and a top. In the preferred embodiment, the housing contains one tank for receipt and heating of water supplied to all of the brew baskets through piping and dump valves. In the alternate embodiment, the housing contains two vertically stacked tanks commonly supplied with fresh water but heating the water separately for delivery to each deck.  
         [0009]     Additionally, the vertical multiple coffee brewer has top access to the housing and tanks, guards on the base and decks to guide front insertion of pots, controls for each warmer and brew basket, a hot water spigot, and centrally located dump valves. The applicants also foresee the following combinations of brewing machinery: glass bowl and carafe brewers, satellite dispenser brewers, glass bowl and single cup brewers, airpot and single cup brewers, and coffee and cappuccino.  
         [0010]     The operating system for these combined appliances can be designed to incorporate conventional five quart tanks, singly or with multiple tanks. When a water siphon brewer design is utilized, water tanks can be stacked vertically. The stacking causes an inlet and outlet differential that creates a siphon action to dispense heated water into the brewing baskets. Alternatively, the tank or tanks dispense the heated water through piping with a dump valve to regulate delivery of heated water to the brewing basket. The piping connects to a tank below the fill line of the tank and slightly above the low water line of the tank. Alternatively, the dump valve may be located above the tank thus requiring a pump to lift heated water from the tank to the dump valve. A magnetic drive hot water pump lifts the heated water for distribution through the brewing machinery.  
         [0011]     Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide increased production of brewed beverages per square foot of counter space in an establishment.  
         [0012]     Another object of this invention is to provide for holding freshly brewed beverages in stacked containers one above the other for usage and application of dispensing of a variety of beverages.  
         [0013]     Still another object of this invention to provide a multiple coffee brewer with a single tank and commonly located valves and controls for ease of use and of repair of the brewer.  
         [0014]     Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple coffee brewer which maintains the plurality of pots warm with various beverages therein.  
         [0015]     These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaking a study of the description of the preferred embodiment in view of the drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     In referring to the drawings,  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the dual tank embodiment of the present invention with coffee pots placed thereupon;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the dual tank embodiment with warmers shown and a lid placed upon the top above the reservoir;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a section view of the dual tank embodiment including brew baskets installed;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the single tank embodiment with a plurality of warmers; and,  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a partial exploded view of the single tank embodiment showing the gang of dump valves for the various brewers. 
     
    
       [0022]     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a brewer that stacks pots, baskets, and related plumbing vertically for producing more beverage, primarily coffee, in a given amount of square footage or counterspace. In referring to the drawings, and in particular  FIG. 1 , the multiple beverage brewer  1  is disclosed. The brewer has a generally rectangular base  2  with rounded corners. The base has a front half  2   a  with a warmer  3  that receives a pot  4 . The rear half  2   b  of the base supports a housing  5 . Beneath the base, a plurality of feet  2   c  raise the brewer slightly above the surface of a countertop.  
         [0024]     The housing extends vertically above the base and has sufficient height for at least two pots and two brewing baskets  6 . The housing has a top  7  opposite the base. The top has a reservoir  8  for admitting water into the brewer. The reservoir has a lid  9  for temporarily closing the reservoir to prevent contamination. The reservoir has upright sides  10  and a front  11  that extends laterally across the invention. The reservoir, like the housing, occupies the rear half  2   b  of the invention.  
         [0025]     Extending from the housing, at least two decks  12  span over the front half of the base. The decks are mutually parallel and spaced apart to admit a pot and a brewing basket between a deck and the surface below. Each deck has a front edge  12   a  that faces the users of the invention. The front edge has at least one switch or control  13  for activating dispensing of water into a brew basket beneath the deck. Behind the edge, each deck has a warmer  3 . The warmer is electrically operated and generally available in the prior art. As the lowest horizontal surface, the base also has a warmer for the lowest pot while the switch for the warmer is located in the deck above the base here shown in  FIG. 1 . Behind the edge, each deck has two parallel and spaced apart sides  12   b  that extend longitudinally. In the preferred embodiment, each side and the sides of the reservoir have a plurality of slots  8   a  for venting and cooling the spaces within the deck and the reservoir.  
         [0026]     Then  FIG. 2  shows a two brewer embodiment of the present invention that has three warmers. As before, the brewer has a base with a warmer, a housing extending upward from the rear half of the base, a reservoir on top of the housing, and two parallel and spaced apart decks. The reservoir has a lid  9  shown in this embodiment to have a hand hold  9   a  upon the diameter of the lid. Each deck in this embodiment has a warmer  3  located upon the top surface behind the edge  12   a  with the switch  13  and at least one track  6   a  upon the bottom surface opposite the warmer for guiding and positioning a brew basket. The brew basket is shown installed above the base and below the lower deck while the track  6   a  is shown below the upper deck without a brew basket, for clarity. The reservoir has a front  11  facing towards the warmer of the upper deck. Upon that front, the reservoir has at least two switches, with three shown here. These switches regulate the temperature of the three warmers shown in this embodiment.  
         [0027]     Viewing the interior of the embodiment in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  describes and explains the water storage, plumbing, and brewing. The brewer has a base as before with a housing upon the base and decks extending perpendicular from the housing. The base and each deck have a warmer and the decks have a brew basket below the warmer. The reservoir receives water for combining with powders and other concentrates to make a beverage selected by the user. The reservoir provides water to each liquid storing vessel, or tank  14 , here shown behind a deck. Water enters each tank through a fill tube  14   a , extending into each tank that generally has a mouth above the bottom of the tank. Each tank is on end and stacked vertically within the housing. Within each tank, a heating coil  14   b  descends from the top of the tank to below the mouth of the fill tube. The heating coil has an upright portion parallel to the upright wall of a tank and a rounded coil portion proximate to the bottom of the tank. The heating coils generate heat through electric resistance with an applied current. Alternatively, the heating coils are hollow and admit steam to transfer heat to water within a tank.  
         [0028]     From each tank, a hot water line  15  extends from the top through the housing and on to each deck. The hot water line is generally centered within the deck and has a brew head  16  generally in the center of a deck  12  aimed downwards towards a brew basket  6 . The spray head disperses heated water over the brewing materials, such as beans, powders, or leaves. Opposite the spray head, each deck generally has a warmer as previously described. Then outside of each tank and within the housing, generally upon the front, a control  13  regulates the flow of heated water to each deck. The control has a sensor  13   a  that detects water temperature and opens a valve when the temperature reaches brewing level thus allowing heated water into the hot water line. The control also has a second sensor  13   b  that detects excessive water temperature and closes the valve to prevent scalding or worse damage to the present invention and users. Upon each deck, generally at the front, a switch  13  allows a user to activate the brewing of a beverage for the pot below the deck. The switch has an off position where no electricity flows to the heating coil and control, and an on position where electricity flows to the heating coil for heating water and to the control for regulating the flow of heated water into a brew basket.  
         [0029]     Moving to another alternate embodiment,  FIG. 4  shows a four brewer with six warmer embodiment of the present invention. Expanding on  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4  has a brewer with a base, a housing extending upwards from the rear half of the base, a deck extending outwards from generally the middle of the housing, and a top having the same shape as the base. The base has a generally rectangular shape with a front half and a rear half. The front half has a top surface and two spaced apart lateral edges. Three warmers are spaced upon the top surface, with two warmers spaced apart and located beneath brew baskets, and a warmer centered between the other two warmers but not below a brew basket. The center warmer is for heating of a brewed pot of beverage. The other two warmers hold pots for receiving a brewed beverage. Upon each lateral edge, the base has a guard  17  extending upright generally in the same direction as the housing. Each guard is a thin planar member that deters users from removing a pot towards the side of the present invention. The guards also prevent spills.  
         [0030]     Above the base, a deck extends from the housing and has generally the same shape as the base. Similar to  FIG. 1 , the deck has two brew baskets depending over the outer warmers of the base. The brew baskets are in fluid communication with a tank  14  within the housing later shown in  FIG. 5 . The deck has a line for heated water dispensed by a spigot  18  generally upon the front of the deck and located outwards from a center warmer. Like the base, the deck has a top surface and two lateral edges. The top surface has two outer warmers and a center warmer. The outer warmers receive pots for holding brewed beverages and the center warmer receives a pot for reheating of a beverage contained therein. The deck also has guards located upon each lateral edge both to prevent spills and to guide users in removing the pots towards the front of the brewer. The housing continues upwards from the deck.  
         [0031]     A top extends from the housing spaced above the deck. The top has two brew baskets spaced apart for dispensing a brewed beverage into the pots on the outer warmers of the deck. The top is generally rectangular of the same shape as the deck and the base. The top has a front with a control panel  19  for regulating the brewing and warming of each brew basket and warmer. The control panel has a means  13 , like a switch or button, for each warmer identified by position as those on the base and those upon the deck. Each means has an indicator, such as an LED  13   c , to show when the means is activated. A user activated the means by finger pressure. The activated means in the control panel thus regulate the warming and brewing of the six locations in this embodiment.  
         [0032]     Removing a portion of the top and the deck top surface,  FIG. 5  shows the interior of the alternate embodiment, particularly behind the control panel  19 . The deck has two brewheads spaced apart over the outer warmers of the base. Between the brewheads, the deck has a spigot  18  centered upon the front for delivery of heated water, as in usage of a single cup for a beverage. Above the deck, the top has two brewheads also spaced apart above the outer warmers within the deck. Within the brewheads, the top has four dump valves  20  for regulating flow of heated water into the brew baskets. The dump valves  20   c ,  20   d  are spaced apart for connection to heated water lines and electrical supply. The dump valves  20   a ,  20   b  towards the left of  FIG. 5  control heated water sent to the left brew baskets with those towards the right of  FIG. 5  dispense heated water to the right brew baskets. The two dump valves  20   b ,  20   c  closest to the housing dispense heated water to the lower brew heads, those depending from the deck. The remaining dump valves  20   a ,  20   d  send heated water to the upper brew heads depending from the top. The dump valves have fluid communication to the single tank and related pump (not shown) in this embodiment.  
         [0033]     The singe tank  14  occupies a substantial portion of the housing and extends from the housing up into the vicinity of the top. The tank is filled by removing the top of the housing and adding water or by a water line plumbed into the tank. A shaft  14   a  permits placement of a heating coil upon one side of the tank spaced apart from the fill tube or other mechanism to introduce water into the tank. The heating coil extends from the top to proximate the base. As before the heating coil has a straight upright section then a round coil towards the bottom. The round coil provides even heat through the lower portion of the tank. Heating the tank from the lower portion assists in mixing the water within the tank to a temperature for brewing and later drinking. The rising heated water mixes displaces cooler water until it reaches the upper portion of the tank. In the upper portion of the tank, the dump valves  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  have lines to guide heated water to each valve separately. The lines are in fluid communication to at least one pump for delivery of heated water. Each valve has an electrically powered solenoid activated by a control  13  connected to a water temperature sensor  13   a  and the control panel and its means for brewing at the four outer warmers. In usage, a user places a pot upon an outer warmer and brewing ingredients within a brew basket. The user presses the means corresponding to the desired warmer. That activates the heating coil to supply heated water to the appropriate dump valve. When the water reaches brewing temperature, the control directs the solenoid to open the dump valve. The appropriate dump valve then releases heated water into the brewhead for brewing a beverage. After a certain time interval, the dump valve closes to prevent overfilling a pot. The user can place up to four different beverage ingredients into the brew baskets for brewing from heated water coming from a common tank.  
         [0034]     From the aforementioned description, a multiple beverage brewer has been described. This brewer is uniquely capable of brewing beverages upon at least two vertical levels. This brewer and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to polymers, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and composites.  
         [0035]     Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the development as described herein. Such variations, if within the scope of this development, are intended to be encompassed within the principles of this invention, as explained herein. The description of the preferred embodiment, in addition to the depiction within the drawings, are set forth for illustrative purposes only.