Abstract:
An apparatus for brewing tea in accordance with an aspect of the invention includes a brew chamber that holds water. An infuser disposed in the chamber holds tea leaves and allows the water to contact the tea leaves. A heater heats the water in the brew chamber. A control sets a tea characteristic of the tea leaves. The tea characteristic can include one or both the tea format (loose or bagged) and tea type. The control can also set tea strength. A control circuit communicated with the heater. The control circuit controls power to the heater to heat the water to a steep temperature and then controls power to the heater to maintain the steep temperature for a steep time. The control circuit determines the steep temperature and the steep time based on the set tea characteristic or characteristics. It can further determine steep time based on the set tea strength. The tea leaves steep in the heated water until expiration of the steep time to produce a brewed tea.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/450,730, filed Jun. 6, 2006, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for brewing liquids. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for brewing tea. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for brewing tea where such apparatus has a moveable spout. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The statements of this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    Tea consumption in the United States is increasing as the public discovers the health benefits of tea drinking. The public is also discovering a diverse assortment of teas, each with a unique flavor and aroma. The diversity of teas gives rise to diverse requirements for steeping time and temperature to extract the teas&#39; unique flavors and aromas. 
         [0005]    Steeping times and temperatures to extract optimal flavor from each of the five principle tea types, of which each includes many varieties, are different. Additionally, tea packaged and brewed in portion-sized bags or tea bags, which can be constructed of paper, silk, nylon, and/or other materials, extracts at a different rate than tea steeped as loose leaves. Current methods require that a tea preparer be aware that differences in steeping requirements exist, remember the optimal times and temperatures for each tea type, and use thermometers and/or heating devices to achieve and maintain the proper times and temperatures to produce the best tasting cup of tea. The important parameters of time and temperature may be left to chance and leave the tea drinker with a taste experience that fails to meet his/her expectations. Known methods and devices to help the tea drinker solve the problem of steeping a particular tea at the appropriate temperature for the appropriate amount of time include published tables in books and articles, instructions printed on the tea package by a tea provisioner, trial and error, and tribal knowledge. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An apparatus and method for brewing tea in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes a brew chamber that holds water. An infuser disposed in the chamber holds tea leaves and allows the water to contact the tea leaves. A heater heats the water in the brew chamber. A control sets a tea characteristic of the tea leaves. A control circuit, coupled to the control and the heater, controls power to the heater to heat the water to a steep temperature and then controls power to the heater to maintain the steep temperature for a steep time. The control circuit determines the steep temperature and the steep time based on the set tea characteristic. The tea leaves steep in the heated water to produce a brewed tea. 
         [0007]    In an aspect, the tea characteristic includes one or both of a tea leaf format and a tea type. In an aspect, the tea leaf format can be loose tea leaves or bagged tea leaves. In an aspect, the tea type can include one of a plurality of tea types, such as black, oolong, green, white and herbal teas. 
         [0008]    In an aspect, the control includes a tea format control and a tea type control and the control circuit determines the steep temperature based on the tea type set by the tea type control and the steep time based on the tea format set by the tea format control. In an aspect, the control further includes a tea strength control and the control circuit further determines the steep time based on the tea strength set by the tea strength control. 
         [0009]    In an aspect, the control circuit includes a memory in which data for steep times and steep temperatures for different tea types and formats are stored. In an aspect, the data further includes steep times for different tea strengths. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The organization and manner of the structure and function of the present invention, together with further aspects and advantages thereof, may be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, corresponding part and/or features and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a tea-brewing appliance and accessories in accordance with an aspect of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the tea making appliance and accessories of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of the tea-brewing appliance and accessories of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the tea-making appliance and accessories of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows an electrical diagram of the tea-making appliance of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6A  shows a method for steeping teas in accordance with an aspect of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6B  shows look-up tables for the method of  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-section view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 through 3  along line A-A with the spout in its stored non-dispensing configuration; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a cross-section view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 through 3  along line A-A with the spout in its dispensing configuration and interacting with an opening in the carafe. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    While the present invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, embodiments with the understanding that the present description is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. Instead, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications and equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a tea-making appliance  10  in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is shown with accessories such as cups  12 , a tea pot or carafe  14 , and a tray  16 . Tray  16  includes an hourglass-shaped recess including a first region  24  and a second region  26 . First region  24  receives a base of carafe  14 . Second region  26  receives a base of appliance  10  or cups  12 . Appliance  10  includes a concave portion for receiving a side portion of carafe  14 . When carafe  14  and appliance  10  are positioned in first region  24  and second region  26 , respectively of tray  16 , the concave portion of appliance  10  receives and positions one of the openings  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  in carafe  14  under a dispensing spout  27  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) of appliance  10 . Openings  22  can be formed in a lid  29  of carafe  14 . The spout  27  is located in an overhanging portion  27  of appliance  10  and a valve  25  controls the flow of brewed tea through the spout  27 . Further, spout  27  cooperatively and securely interfaces with an associated one of openings  22  by partial insertion of a portion of the spout  27  into the carafe  14  so as to maintain the carafe  14  in its interrelated position throughout the entirety of the tea dispensing process. Appliance  10  includes an indicator  28 , such as a buzzer, lamp, and/light-emitting diode (LED) that signals when the tea is brewing and/or ready. After appliance  10  dispenses the brewed tea into carafe  14 , appliance  10  may be removed from tray  16  and replaced with one or more cups  12 . Here again the first and second regions  24  and  26  of tray  16  serve to provide a user guidance in the positioning of the accessories with the carafe  14  remaining in the first region  24  and the cups  12  positioned in the second region  26  of the hourglass-shaped recess (best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). 
         [0022]    Appliance  10  includes a tea strength control switch  18 - 1  for selecting brewed tea strength, a tea format control switch  18 - 2  for selecting a tea leaf format, and a tea type control switch  18 - 3  for selecting a tea type. In this regard, as used herein, the tea leaf format and tea type are characteristics of the tea to be brewed, whereas the tea strength is a user preference. Examples of tea leaf formats include loose tea leaves and bagged tea leaves. Examples of tea types include black, oolong, green, white, and herbal teas. Appliance  10  also includes an on/off or power control switch  18 - 4  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). Tea strength control switch  18 - 1 , tea format control switch  18 - 2 , tea type control switch  18 - 3 , and power control switch  18 - 4  are collectively referred to as controls  18 . Tea strength control switch  18 - 1  and tea type control switch  18 - 3  may illustratively be multi-position selector type switches and tea format control switch  18 - 2  and power control switch  18 - 4  may illustratively be on/off type switches. Each may be referred to herein as a switch. It should be understood that controls  18  could be devices other than switches. For example, tea strength control switch  18 - 1  and tea type control switch  18 - 3  could be potentiometers. 
         [0023]    As best seen in  FIG. 2 , appliance  10  also includes a brew chamber  20  that rests upon a base  40 . Base  40  houses a control circuit  100  ( FIG. 5 ) that controls various aspects of appliance  10 . Appliance  10  dispenses the brewed tea into carafe  14  through one of openings  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  depending on an orientation of carafe  14 . 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view is shown of appliance  10  and the accessories. Prior to operation, carafe  14  and base  40  are positioned-.on tray  16 . Brew chamber  20  is then filled with a predetermined amount of water based on the amount of tea to be brewed. Brew chamber  20  is then placed on base  40 . Base  40  can include a shroud  41  that helps prevent a user from touching brew chamber  20  while appliance  10  is operating. In some embodiments brew chamber  20  and/or shroud  41  can be made of a translucent material. 
         [0025]    A tea infuser assembly  42  includes a perforated lid  44  that fits onto a tea basket  46 . The bottom of basket  46  includes a valve  48  that opens above a predetermined temperature. In some embodiments valve  48  includes a bimetal valve. Valve  48  prevents the water in the brew chamber  20  from entering infuser assembly  42  until the water is heated to a predetermined temperature to brew the tea. In some embodiments, the predetermined temperature is about 65° C. 
         [0026]    To brew tea, tea leaves (not shown) are placed in the basket  46  and lid  44  is then placed upon the basket  46 . Infuser assembly  42  is then lowered into brew chamber  20 . A lid  50  is positioned on top of brew chamber  20  and tea strength control switch  18 - 1 , tea format control switch  18 - 2 , and tea type control switch  18 - 3  are set accordingly. Power control switch  18 - 4  is then switched to an on position to start appliance  10  brewing tea as described in more detail below. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , electrical circuit  100  of appliance  10  is shown. Circuit  100  includes components attached to one or more printed circuit boards (PCB)  120 . PCBs  120  facilitate mounting circuit  100  within base  40 . Circuit  100  receives power through a secondary winding of a transformer  108 . A primary winding of transformer  108  connects to a wall plug  106 . A motor  114  drives both the dispense valve  25  and the dispensing spout  27  that are located in base  40 . In some embodiments motor  114  is associated with a position feedback circuit that indicates a rotational position of motor  114 , dispense valve  25 , and/or dispensing spout  27 . A heating element  102  heats the water in brew chamber  20 . A temperature sensor  116  generates an electrical temperature signal based on the water temperature in brew chamber  20 . In some embodiments the temperature sensor  116  includes a resistive thermal device (RTD). 
         [0028]    A central processing unit (CPU)  110  communicates with an associated memory  112 . Memory  112  includes program instructions that are executed by CPU  110  to control appliance  10 , such as in accordance with a control method  200  that is described below. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 6A , control method  200  that CPU  110  executes in controlling appliance  10  is described. Control method  200  begins at block  202  and immediately proceeds to block  204 . In block  204  a timer, illustratively implemented in CPU  110 , is reset and it is assured that motor  114  has closed dispense valve  25 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the movement of the dispensing spout  27  between the stored and dispensing positions are coordinated with the closed and open positions of the dispense valve  25 , respectively. Signals from tea strength control switch  18 - 1 , tea format control switch  18 - 2 , and tea type control switch  18 - 3  are read at blocks  206 ,  208 , and  210 . At decision block  212 , on/off power control switch  18 - 4  is checked. If on/off power control switch  18 - 4  is off then control returns to block  206  and repeats blocks  206 - 210 . If on/off power control switch  18 - 4  is on then control branches to block  214  where heater  102  is turned on and indicator  28  is activated. Control then proceeds to block  216  to execute water heating mode. 
         [0030]    In the water heating mode, CPU  110  repeatedly compares the temperature signal to a set-point temperature, referred to herein as steep temperature. In an aspect, the steep temperature is determined by CPU  110  based on the tea type set by tea type control switch  18 - 3 . In another aspect, CPU  110  could further determine the steep temperature based on the tea format set by tea format control switch  18 - 2 . In an aspect, CPU  110  obtains the steep temperature from steep temperature data in tables  218 - 1  and  218 - 2 , which are shown in  FIG. 6B . Tables  218 - 1  and  218 - 2  are stored in memory  112  and read by CPU  110 . Tea type control switch  18 - 3  and/or tea format control switch  18 - 2  is also monitored to determine if they changed from their settings read in block  206 . If the tea format control switch  18 - 2  and/or tea type control switch  18 - 3  settings change, the set-point temperature is updated based on the new settings. 
         [0031]    The water temperature reaches the opening temperature of valve  48  at some time during water heating mode. Upon reaching some predetermined temperature less than steep temperature, valve  48  opens, allowing the heated water to enter infuser assembly  42  ( FIG. 1 ) and begin to soak the tea leaves. The infuser assembly  42  slowly sinks towards the bottom of the brew chamber  20  as the infuser assembly  42  fills with the water in the brew chamber  20  soaking/steeping the tea leaves. 
         [0032]    The soaking/steeping mode begins in block  224  when the water temperature in brew chamber  20  reaches the predetermined temperature which triggers the opening of valve  48 . During the soaking/stepping mode CPU  110  cycles heater  102  on and off to maintain the water at steep temperature. The soaking/steeping mode continues for a steep time that is determined by CPU  110  based on one or more of tea type, tea format, and tea strength. In an aspect, CPU determines the steep time based on the settings of tea type control switch  18 - 3 , tea format control switch  18 - 2 , and tea strength control switch  18 - 1 . The appropriate steep time is obtained from steep time data from tables  218 - 1  and  218 - 2 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6B , tea strength control switch  18 - 1  can be set to provide three tea strengths for each tea type and tables  218 - 1  and  218 - 2  include data of each of the tea strengths. It should be understood, however, that more or less than three tea strengths for each tea type can be provided. In which case, tea strength data, such as steep time, is provided in tables  218 - 1  and  218 - 2  for the tea strengths that can be set with tea strength control switch  18 - 1 . The settings of tea strength control switch  18 - 1 , tea format control switch  18 - 2  and tea type control switch  18 - 3  are also monitored to determine if any of them have changed from their settings in blocks  206 - 210 . If any of their settings change, then the steep time is updated accordingly. In an aspect, steep time begins when the temperature of the water in brew chamber  20  reaches the steep temperature. 
         [0033]    At this time, appliance  10  is physically configured as shown in  FIG. 7  in which the dispensing spout  27  is in its stored configuration and the dispensing valve  25  is closed. The brewed tea is ready when the steep time expires. Heater  102  is turned off in accordance with block  230 . In block  234 , motor  114  rotates a cam  131 . As it rotates, the cam&#39;s shape causes it to mechanically engage a stroke shaft  133  forcing it to extend upward such that it interacts with the underside of the distal end of a valve pointer arm  135 . 
         [0034]    As best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the dispensing spout  27  and the valve pointer arm  135  have at their distal ends a co-linear axis of rotation  137 . The stroke shaft  133  upon impinging on the underside of the valve pointer arm  135  forces the axis of rotation  137  to translate upward such that the valve pointer arm  135  engages the dispensing valve  25 . Further, the upward translation of the axis of rotation  137  is sufficient to allow the proximal end of the dispensing spout  27  to lower into an engaged position with a properly placed receiving vessel or carafe  14 . Brewed tea is drains from the brewing chamber  20  through dispensing valve  25  into a receiving tray  139  located at the proximal end of the dispensing spout  27 . Opening  141  located at the bottom of the extreme proximal end of dispensing spout  27  inside the receiving tray  139  allows the draining tea to be dispensed into an associated receiving vessel  14 . 
         [0035]    After a predetermined period of time (a dispense time) sufficient to allow appliance  10  to dispense the brewed tea into carafe  14 , motor  114  rotates cam  131  such that stroke shaft  133  reverses thus allowing rotational axis  137  to return to its beginning position. Such process disengages valve pointer arm  135  from dispense valve  25  allowing it to close and causes axis of rotation  137  to translate back to its original position effectively retracting dispensing spout  27  from its dispense configuration the stored configuration depicted in  FIG. 7 . The timer is reset at block  240 . Indicator  28  is then turned off at block  242 . 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims.