Abstract:
A brewing system ( 20 ) may utilize first ( 24 ) and second ( 26 ) structurally different funnels. The first funnel ( 24 ) has surfaces ( 31, 37 ) positioned for carrying an upwardly open first filter element ( 28 ) containing a first solid beverage material ( 30 ). The second funnel ( 26 ) has second surfaces ( 152 ) adapted for carrying a closed second filter element ( 144 ) containing a second solid beverage material ( 146 ). A brewer unit ( 22 ) has a funnel-receiving area ( 54 ) sized to receive as an installed funnel, one at a time, both the first funnel and the second funnel. The unit has a water inlet ( 70 ). A heater ( 72 ) is coupled to the water inlet for heating received water. A water outlet ( 74 ) is coupled to the heater to deliver heated water to the installed funnel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to brewed beverages. More particularly, the invention relates to brewing systems for brewing multiple beverage types and/or volumes. 
         [0002]    The most common forms of coffee brewers utilize open paper filters into which coffee grounds are placed. Exemplary filters are conical or generally frustoconical (e.g., with a pleated sidewall so that the filter may be formed from flat stock). The filter may be placed in a brew chamber (typically a removable brew funnel). The user may scoop a desired amount of coffee grounds into the filter and install the funnel on the brewer. Heated water is then discharged through the open top of the filter to directly contact the grounds. The water flows through the grounds and then passes through the filter and into a carafe, having acquired flavor and other components from the grounds. 
         [0003]    Often, however, it is desired to brew different amounts of coffee. U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,035 of Knepler discloses a brew funnel having a selector settable to indicate a desired batch size and type of coffee. Sensors on an associated coffee grinder and on an associated coffee brewer then sense the setting to grind an appropriate amount of grounds and brew an appropriate amount of coffee. 
         [0004]    Additionally, various closed filters have been developed wherein the filter completely encloses an amount of coffee grinds to form a cartridge. In cartridge brewers, the heated water will typically flow into the cartridge through one portion of the filter, pass through the grounds, and exit another portion of the filter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,570 of Santi and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/921,683 of Kief identify single cup brewers using generally circular coffee pods. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/969,265 of Kief identifies a funnel having an insert for carrying a coffee cartridge to improve flow through the cartridge. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Accordingly, one aspect of the invention involves a brewing system having first and second structurally different funnels. The first funnel has surfaces adapted for carrying an upwardly open first filter element containing a first solid beverage material. The second funnel has second surfaces adapted for carrying a closed second filter element containing a second solid beverage material. A brewer unit has a funnel-receiving area sized to receive as an installed funnel, one at a time, both the first funnel and the second funnel. The unit has a water inlet. A heater is coupled to the water inlet for heating received water. A water outlet is coupled to the heater to deliver heated water to the installed funnel. 
         [0006]    In various implementations, a valve may be coupled between the water inlet and outlet to control a delivery of the heated water. A sensor may be positioned to engage at least one of the first funnel and second funnel when said one is the installed funnel. A controller may be coupled to the sensor to receive an input. The controller may be coupled to the at least one valve to control operation of the valve to cause a discharge of the heated water in an amount associated with the installed funnel and different from an amount associated with the other funnel. The second funnel may have a depending cup holder having a support surface positioned to be spaced above a heating surface of the main unit when the second funnel is installed. 
         [0007]    The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a view of a brewing system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic view of a water delivery subsystem of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a view of a single serving funnel assembly for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partially exploded view of the funnel assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partial longitudinal cut-away view of the funnel assembly of  FIG. 3  in an uninstalled condition. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a longitudinal cut-away view of the funnel assembly of  FIG. 3  in an installed condition. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a view of a cup holder portion of the funnel assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a brewing system  20  having a main unit  22  to which either a first funnel  24  or a second funnel  26  may be installed. The first funnel  24  may be one of a number of conventional funnel configurations or other configurations for use with an open-top filter  28  containing grounds  30 . An exemplary funnel  24  may be made as a unitary one-piece plastic molding. The exemplary funnel  24  includes a body  32  having an upper rim  33  and a lower drain aperture  34 . A cantilevered handle  35  may extend from the body. An upper flange or a pair of side rails  36  may serve to mount the funnel in an installed position on the main unit (described below). A plurality of ribs  37  may space the filter  28  apart from a main interior surface  31  of the body  32  to facilitate flow of water through the filter. 
         [0017]    The first funnel  24  may be used to fill a decanter/carafe  38 . An exemplary carafe includes a glass body  39  and a plastic or metal handle  40 . The second funnel  26  may be used to fill a single serving cup  44 . The second funnel  26  may be configured for use with a single serving coffee pod (described below). Exemplary carafe sizes are typically in excess of 0.5 liter, more particularly, 1.5-6.6 liters. Exemplary single serving cup sizes are typically less than 1.0 liter, more typically, 0.15-0.7 or 0.2-0.5 liter. Exemplary amounts of coffee filling such carafes or cups may be close to such nominal capacities (e.g., 80-100%). 
         [0018]    The basic form of the main unit  22  may be one of any of a number of existing or yet-developed forms. The exemplary form includes a base  50 , generally elongate front-to-back. At the front, the base  50  bears a heating plate element  52  below an open brewing area or bay  54 . A back  56  extends upward from a rear portion of the base  50 . A top  58  extends from an upper end of the back over the brewing bay  54 . The exemplary top includes front and back additional heating plate elements  60  and  62  for supporting filled or partially filled carafes and maintaining a desired coffee temperature. One or more of the various heating elements  52 ,  60 , and  62  may be switchable on/off when it is not desired to heat on such element. A pair of side rails  64  along the top at the upper end of the brewing bay  54  may support the side rails or flange of an installed funnel, permitting installation by an essentially rearward translation of the funnel. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  schematically shows the unit  22  as including a water inlet  70  coupled to a water heater  72 . The heater  72  is, in turn, coupled to a first outlet  74  located at a top of the brewing bay  54 . As is discussed in further detail below, the exemplary outlet  74  may be formed as a plurality of outlet apertures in a brew/spray head  76 . Flow of heated water to the head  76  is controlled by a valve  78 . The valve  78  may, in turn, be controlled by a control unit  80  (e.g., a microcontroller). As is discussed below, the control system  80  may receive input from one or both of a user interface  82  (e.g., a switch array, control panel, or the like) and a funnel sensor  84 . One or more additional outlets (e.g., a spigot  90 ) may be coupled to the water heater  72 . For simplicity of illustration, power connections, and connections between the control unit  80  and the heating plate elements are not shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows further details of the second funnel  26 . A main body  120  may be made of metal (e.g., stamped from stainless steel) welded or fastener-secured to a cantilevered handle  122  (e.g., also of stainless steel or of molded plastic). Alternatively, the main body may be made as a unitary plastic (e.g., polypropylene) molding along with a cantilevered handle  122 . The exemplary body  120  extends from an upper flange  124  to a lower drain aperture  126 . A sidewall  128  of the body is generally frustoconical and extends from an inboard aperture of the flange  124  to a base  130  in which the aperture  126  is formed. The second funnel  26  further includes a pod carrier assembly or insert  140  for carrying a single serving coffee pod  142  ( FIG. 4 ). An exemplary pod  142  has a generally circular planform and includes a closed paper filter element  144  containing an amount of coffee grounds  146 . The exemplary pod carrier  140  includes a sidewall (e.g., circular metallic cylindrical sleeve)  150  and a foraminate bottom wall  152  (e.g., a perforated metallic spray disk inserted within the sidewall  150  and retained by a lower shoulder or inwardly-directed lip). The exemplary sidewall  150  is secured to a driven end  160  of a lever arm  162  (e.g., metallic). In the exemplary embodiment, a distal perimeter portion  164  of the driven end  160  extends beyond an outer diameter of the sidewall  150  and carries a resilient elastomeric gasket or seal  166  (e.g., silicone) surrounding the sidewall  150  and having an upper end/rim  168  protruding above an upper end/rim of the sidewall  150 . 
         [0021]    The lever  162  has a driving end  170 . As a fulcrum, a first portion  172  of a hinge (e.g., a metallic assembly) is secured to the lever arm (e.g., by welding). A second portion  174  of the hinge is secured to the funnel body  120  (e.g., by a metallic screw or other fastener  176 , which may also secure the handle to the body). Exemplary metallic components of the pod carrier  140  are formed of a food-compatible stainless steel sheet stock. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows the pod carrier  140  in an initial lowered position such as when the second funnel  26  is disengaged from the main unit  22 . Upon insertion, however, the upper surface of the driving end  170  will come into contact with an underside of a forward portion of the top  58  of  FIG. 1 . With the final stage of insertion, this contact drives the driving end  170  downward and the driven end  160  upward, rotating the lever about a transverse fulcrum/hinge axis and bringing the pod carrier into an engaged orientation ( FIG. 6 ) wherein the upper rim  168  of the seal  166  engages a complementary lower annular perimeter portion  178  of the head  76  that acts as seat. The seal  166  advantageously has appropriate resilience and sufficient engagement force to be effective to seal against temporary peak pressures locally within the chamber formed by the carrier, head, and seal as water is introduced and forced through the pod. Exemplary peak pressures may be 1-30 psig (7-200 KPa), more narrowly 2-10 psig (14-70 KPa). Alternative pod carriers may utilize more complex linkages to engage/disengage the carrier from the head (e.g., with multiple pivot axes, virtual pivot axes, and/or shifting pivot axes). 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  also shows an identification element  180  (e.g., a magnet) mounted to the body substantially opposite the handle  122  (e.g., 180°±45°). Upon insertion, the identification element  180  interacts with the sensor  84 , indicating to the control unit  80  that the second funnel  126  is in place and that the corresponding amount of water is to be dispensed from the head  76 . To account for absorption, the amount of water dispensed from the head may be slightly greater than the desired amount of coffee to be dispensed (e.g., closer to but typically less than the carafe or cup capacity). 
         [0024]      FIGS. 3 and 7  show further details of an exemplary cup holder  200  depending from the funnel body  120 . The exemplary cup holder  200  includes a platform  202  for supporting a base of an associated cup below the aperture  126 . A connecting portion  204  suspends the base from the funnel body. The raising provided by the cup holder  200  may serve one or more of several functions. It may bring the cup closer to the drain aperture to reduce splashing/spattering. It may prevent the cup from being heated by the heating plate element  52  (particularly significant with paper or foam cups). By not trapping coffee, it may keep the bottom of the cup clean relative to placing of the cup on the heating plate element. The exemplary cup holder  200  is metallic (e.g., formed of cut/bent/welded stainless steel wire). In this example, the connecting portion  204  is formed by a plurality of generally vertically-extending wires  210  having flattened/bent upper ends  212  welded to the base  130 . Other constructions are possible. 
         [0025]    One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, various aspects of the system may be implemented in remanufacturing an existing system or reengineering a configuration of such a system. In such situations, details of the existing configuration will influence or dictate details of any particular implementation. Various features such as the cup holder may be independently implemented or not implemented at all. Thus, for example, the cup holder may be made a nondestructively removable accessory on funnels such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,570 or others. Beverages other than coffee may be brewed (e.g., tea from tea leaves in a tea filter pod or beverages from dehydrated crystalline or other concentrate). Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.