Abstract:
A mechanical waste pod ejector system for a single cup pod beverage flavoring machine that has a lower head with a holding chamber therein, for holding a pod during a flavoring operation, which head mechanically ejects the pod after usage. The system includes a pod ejector mechanism, a pod support plate sized to engage the pod, and actuator head, with a pod ejector controller including a cam slide surface for moving the lower head from a flavoring position to a pod disposal position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 61/463,302, having filing date Feb. 15, 2011; and, this application claims priority to the non provisional application having Ser. No. 12/152,325, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,542, and which patent claimed priority to the provisional application having Ser. No. 60/930,459, filed on May 16, 2007, and which application claimed priority to the regular letters patent application having Ser. No. 10/917,501, filed on Aug. 12, 2004, and which claimed priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60/495,761, filed on Aug. 15, 2003. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a system and method for removing a beverage flavoring pod, such as a single serve coffee pod, from a beverage flavoring or brewing apparatus that flavors or brews a single dose or cup of a beverage, such as coffee, then automatically disposes of the spent beverage flavoring pod. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior art systems such as are disclosed in Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401, which is directed to a single cup pod beverage brewer, generally employ upper and lower heads of known designs, with the lower head including a chamber therein for holding the coffee or other beverage flavoring pod, wherein the upper and lower heads are movably engagable with one another to close the beverage flavoring chamber and to pass a liquid, such as heated water, through the chamber and the beverage flavoring pod therein. In general, such systems are so designed that the lower head is movable between a pod receiving, or pod loading, position at which the beverage flavoring pod is inserted by a user into the chamber formed in the lower head, a beverage flavoring position at which the actual beverage flavoring operation is effected, and a pod disposal, or pod discharge, position at which the waste pod is then ejected from the chamber in the lower head into a waste bin. 
     The Rolfes system includes a pod support plate or disc within the chamber of the lower head, upon which pod support disc the beverage flavoring pod generally rests. Such pod support disc is attached to a spring loaded stem construction that is intended to hold the support disc tightly to a sealing o-ring within the chamber to prevent leakage when the lower head is in a beverage flavoring position and to operate to forcibly eject the pod from such chamber into a pod waste bin when the lower head is moved to the pod disposal position. 
     The system and method of the present invention is an improvement over the pod ejection system of beverage flavoring devices such as that disclosed in Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401 and the use therein and therewith of an electro-mechanical solenoid kicker to strike the ejector stem to effect pod removal or ejection. The Rolfes system, as stated in the specification and in claim 1 of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401, makes use of “a pod ejection means for removing a pod after infusion from the lower head by electro-mechanically propelling a pod from the chamber when the lower head is oriented vertically, thereby totally removing a pod from contact with the lower head for disposal, wherein said vertical pod ejection means further comprises, a pod ejection solenoid striking said ejection disc stem such that a pod is driven completely away from the lower head.” 
     Two common problems have typically been encountered with the Rolfes electro-mechanical pod ejection system and method, which problems involve 1) the electromagnet-solenoid and 2) the spring that is intended to hold the pod support disc, sometimes also referred to as the pod ejection disc, to a sealing o-ring inside the lower brew chamber. 
     In the Rolfes system, when the pod ejection solenoid operates in the manner as noted hereinabove to cause the striker pin to strike the pod ejection disc stem, coffee residue from the brew chamber is frequently transferred onto the solenoid shaft, which residue, over time, builds up inside the solenoid body itself and dries up. Such buildup of residue causes the shaft to stick, and to eventually seize, and thus prevents the solenoid striker pin from effectively striking the pod ejection disc. Such seizure of the shaft causes the waste pod removal feature of the machine to become disabled and to fail. As a consequence of such failure, the waste pod is not properly ejected and is, instead, often thereafter undesirably presented to the next user when the lower head is moved to the pod loading position for installation by such next user of a new beverage flavoring pod and for initiation of a new beverage flavoring cycle. 
     Also, with the Rolfes system, the spring loading that can be employed is necessarily limited in that the force of the solenoid striker must be able to readily overcome such spring loading in order to permit sufficient movable extension of the ejection stem and the attached pod support disc so as to effect ejection of the waste pod. Consequently, the compression spring tension holding the pod support disc to the sealing o-ring mounted in the lower brew chamber during the actual beverage flavoring is generally of a relatively low value and is often of insufficient force to effectively maintain a seal and to keep the brew chamber from weeping coffee while brewing, especially since the spring force cannot be appreciably increased without degrading or negating the ejection force from the electro-mechanical solenoid when it strikes the ejection disc stem and rendering the pod ejection system inoperable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The improved system and method for removing the spent waste pod from a beverage flavoring device according to the present invention substantially resolves such problems. The present invention involves removing and discarding the electro-mechanical solenoid that strikes the ejection disc and installing, for effecting waste pod ejection, an alternative, mechanical system that ameliorates the problems encountered with the Rolfes system. 
     The replacement system of the present invention employs a mechanical slope cam construction so positioned that the ejection stem contacts and rides upon the cam slope as the system moves the lower head and the pod in the chamber thereof from the beverage flavoring position to the pod disposal position. As the lower head is moved in a rotational arc from the beverage flavoring position to the pod disposal position, which operation is well known from such prior art constructions, gradually increasing pressure is applied to the ejection stem and therethrough to the pod support disc. As the ejection stem is forced increasingly outward relative to the lower head as the stem rides down a plastic glide on the mechanical slope cam, the waste pod resting upon the pod support disc is mechanically urged outwardly out of the chamber by such disc to fall out of the lower head and into the pod waste bin. 
     Because the improved system and method does not have or require an electro-mechanical solenoid to eject the waste coffee pod, the problem of the electro-mechanical solenoid drying out and sticking is resolved. 
     Moreover, since the improved system and method does not employ an electro-mechanical solenoid to eject the waste pod, the spring pressure on the sealing O-ring in the chamber of the lower head can be greatly increased, such as in an amount of ten-fold, thereby also eliminating or minimizing the problem of coffee weeping while brewing. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, perspective view of a beverage flavoring mechanism of a beverage flavoring and dispensing machine, with the portion of the beverage flavoring mechanism in the foreground generally constituting the rearward portion of the mechanism and the hidden portion in the background generally constituting the forward portion of the mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial, cross sectional view of the lower head generally showing the pod holding chamber thereof and the pod support and ejection mechanism associated therewith when the lower head is positioned, generally, in the beverage flavoring position. 
         FIG. 3  is a partially stylized side view of the lower head when such lower head is positioned, generally, in an intermediate position very slightly rearwardly from the beverage flavoring position. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially exploded view of the lower head and the pod holding chamber thereof in conjunction with the pod support and ejection mechanism associated therewith and a chamber sealing o-ring. 
         FIG. 5  is a more detailed side view of a portion of the beverage flavoring mechanism, with the channel-shaped column shown in the foreground in  FIG. 1  removed for clarity, better showing one of the support arms for the lower head and the pivot connection therefore, with the lower head shown being moved slightly rearwardly from the beverage flavoring position towards the waste pod removal position. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the lower head when at the waste pod removal position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Inasmuch as Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401 is the closest known prior art, the description of features and operation of the brewing apparatus thereof may generally be considered to correspond to features and operations of a beverage flavoring apparatus according to the present invention, except with regard to the pod ejection system of the present invention, and the descriptions as set forth in Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401 are therefore incorporated hereinto by reference thereto, except to the extent that the description of any feature therein or operation thereof is inconsistent with the description of the present invention and its operation as presented herein. 
     In light thereof, because such other features of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401 and their operation are within the prior art and are readily understood by those skilled in the art, it is not considered necessary to herein discuss and explain in detail all such prior art features and their operation, including features such as are depicted in FIGS. 17-25 and 27-30 of such patent, and the operation thereof, including the movement of the lower head from a pod receiving or pod loading position, such as shown in FIG. 28 of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401, to a beverage flavoring position, as shown in FIG. 29 of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401, and then to a pod disposal or pod discharge position, such as shown in FIG. 30 of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401. In general, a beverage flavoring device according to the present invention will include many of the same or similar components. 
     With reference now to the drawings, wherein like numbers correspond to and identify generally like components of a pod ejection system according to the present invention,  FIG. 1  depicts a preferred construction  10  of a beverage flavoring pod holding mechanism, that includes an upper head mounting frame  12  installed upon a base  14 , with an upper head  16  mounted between two channel shaped columns  18  and  20 . These constitute the support assembly for the system. And, the upper head  16  holds the control assembly  21 . 
     For purposes of further discussion herein the portion to the left side of  FIG. 1  and in the foreground is considered to be the rear portion of such construction and the portion to the right side of  FIG. 1  and in the background is considered to be the forward portion of the construction. Consequently, relative to the various figures of this application, rearward movement, or movement to the rear, of various components should thus generally be considered movement towards the left in  FIG. 1  and forward movement, or movement towards the front, should thus generally be considered movement towards the right in  FIG. 1 , with corresponding movements in the other figures. 
     Lower head  24  is supported by two spaced, generally alike, support arms  26  that have upper ends attached to lower head  24  and lower ends rotatably connected to respective inner sides of columns  18  and  20  at pivot connections  27  to define a rotation axis  29  about which the support arms  26  and attached lower head  24  can pivot to move lower head  24 , in an arc, between pod loading, beverage flavoring, and pod disposal positions. Rotational movement of the support arms  26 , and attached lower head  24 , about rotation axis  29  is controlled by a lower head positioning solenoid or motor  30 , shown mounted to upper head support column  20 . 
     The lower head  24  includes a chamber  32  formed therein, preferably approximately centered therein, sized to receive and hold a beverage flavoring pod that will rest upon a pod support disc  34  disposed in the bottom of the chamber  32 . As is perhaps best seen in  FIGS. 2-4 , pod support disc  34  is part of a spring loaded pod support and ejection mechanism or controller  36  that also includes an ejector stem  37  attached to pod support disc  34  and extending through an opening  38  that is preferably approximately centered in the bottom of chamber  32  to a stem end cap or actuator head that includes a low friction flat disc  40 . A spring  42  is disposed about ejector stem  37  to be compressible between a lower surface of lower head  24  and the end cap to bias the pod support disc  34  to generally hold it against the bottom of chamber  32 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 , when lower head  24  is in the pod loading position and later in the beverage flavoring position. As the lower head support arms  26  are rotated rearwardly about rotation axis  29 , lower head  24  is moved in an arc between its pod loading, beverage flavoring, and pod disposal positions, with ejector stem  37  and low friction flat disc  40  projecting beneath the bottom of lower head  24 . 
     As known in the art, these pods P, include an outer casing of filer paper F, encapsulating a beverage flavoring material B. 
     Support bracket  50  is installed on base  14  between channel members  18  and  20  and also between the spaced lower head support arms  26 , preferably approximately centered therebetween. Support bracket  50  is preferably an upstanding blade-like construction that includes an arcuately shaped outer surface  52  along a rearwardly extending external portion thereof, with a plastic slide  54  conformably positioned along such arcuately shaped surface  52 . 
     During the beverage flavoring operation, upper head  16  and its lower surface  17 , and lower head  24  and its surface  25  are urged into a generally tight engagement with one another to effectively seal, including with the use of o-rings, the chamber  32  therebetween. This is the system sealing mechanism. The support bracket  50  is so sized and positioned that, when lower head  24  is in the beverage flavoring position, flat disc  40  will preferably not be in contact with or rest upon plastic slide  54 , and pod support disc  34  will be biased by the spring loading of spring  42  towards the bottom of chamber  32 . An O-ring  56 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , is preferably employed within chamber  32  below pod support disc  34  to seal the lower portion of chamber  32  to prevent leakage of liquid through the hole  38  through which pod ejector stem  37  passes. Heated water is delivered to the upper head  16  through the conduits  19 . The flavored beverage exists through the outlet  27 . 
     Following completion of the actual beverage flavoring operation, the upper and lower heads disengage from one another by means of an actuator head, and the lower head  24  begins to be moved rearwardly from the beverage flavoring position to an intermediate position such as is shown in  FIG. 5  by rotation of spaced arms  26  about rotation axis  29 . As such movement occurs; the flat disc  40  is caused to move into contact with plastic slide  54  near the top of support bracket  50 , with pod support disc  34  generally still being held near the bottom of chamber  32  by the spring  42  about ejector stem  37 . 
     Thereafter, as the lower head  24  is further moved rearwardly towards the pod disposal position, such as shown in  FIG. 6 , by rotation of the support arms  26  about rotation axis  29 , flat disc  40  will ride on plastic slide  54  to gradually mechanically urge attached ejector stem  37  generally upwardly through hole  39  in the lower head  24  to gradually push pod support disc  34  and the waste pod being supported thereby within chamber  32  upwardly and outwardly from the chamber  32 . This is the mechanical pod ejection controller of the system. As the ejector stem  37  is urged upwardly through hole  38 , the spring  42  is increasingly compressed between the underside of lower head  24  and the end cap with its flat disc  40 , the purpose of which spring compression will be further discussed hereinafter. 
     The movement of the pod support disc  34  to push the waste pod from the lower brew chamber  32  into the waste bin  60  is determined by the position of the low friction flat disc  40  relative to the contact with the low friction cam slide surface  54 , which is mounted upon the arcuate outer surface  52  of the rigid and fixed support bracket  50 . The position of the low friction flat disc  40  relative to the low friction cam slide surface  54  is determined by the fixed distance at which the lower head  24  is attached to the support arms  26 , the location of rotational axis  29 , and the position and particular configuration of the support bracket  50  and of the arcuate portion  52  to which the cam slide surface  54  is mounted. Preferably, the bracket  50 , with its arcuate portion  52 , are so installed and configured that the distance between the bottom of lower head  24  and the cam slide surface  54  gradually decreases as the support arms  26  are rotated about rotational axis  29  to move lower head  24  from the beverage flavoring position to the waste pod disposal position, typically with ejector stem  37  maximally extending below the bottom of lower head  24  when lower head  24  is in pod loading and beverage flavoring positions and minimally extending below the bottom of lower head  24  when lower head  24  is in the waste pod disposal position. 
     Once pod disposal has been effected, support arms  26  and supported lower head  24  can be rotatably moved forwardly back through the beverage flavoring position and towards the pod holding position to complete a beverage flavoring cycle. Oftentimes, forward rotation may be interrupted prior to movement of the lower head  24  all the way to the pod loading position, and the lower head  24  may be maintained in a rest or idle position thereat while awaiting initiation of a new beverage flavoring cycle, preferably with the lower head  24  disposed interiorly of an external shell of the beverage flavoring machine. 
     Such external shell may take many forms, including forms similar to that as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/899,417, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto, but wherein the access slot in the upper front face of the shell is configured to permit the lower head  24  to be advanced therethrough for pod loading by a user, similarly to what is shown in FIG. 6 of Rolfes U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,401. 
     As the lower head  24  is moved towards such rest or idle position, spring  42  will urge the end cap on ejector stem  37  outwardly from the bottom of lower head  24  to draw pod support disc  34  back into chamber  32  as flat disc  40  rides back up along the plastic slide  54  on the arcuately shaped outer surface  52  of support bracket  50 . When the forward rotation of support arms  26  carries lower head beyond the point at which flat disc  40  is in contact with plastic slide  54 , pod support disc  34  should preferably be fully retracted into chamber  32  and held in such position by the spring loading acting against the end cap and its flat disc  40 . 
     When a user desires to initiate a new beverage flavoring cycle, the user may then actuate appropriate controls, such as are well known in the art, to effect movement of the lower head  24  forwardly to a pod loading position, at which a new beverage flavoring pod can be installed to rest upon pod support disc  34  in chamber  32 , and to thereafter effect commencement of further movement of the lower head to the beverage flavoring position and the beverage flavoring operation. 
     In light of all the foregoing, it should thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that there has been shown and described an improved beverage flavoring pod ejection system and method. However, it should also be apparent that, within the principles and scope of the invention, many changes are possible and contemplated, including in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention. Thus, while the foregoing description and discussion addresses certain preferred embodiments or elements of the invention, it should further be understood that concepts of the invention, as based upon the foregoing description and discussion, may be readily incorporated into or employed in other embodiments and constructions without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown, and all changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.