Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a coffee maker and more specifically to a two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control in a precise manner, particular to a one cup coffee in desired volume, a two reservoirs type design to avoid overfill and able to have two different tastes, with a manual reset thermostat controls to turn off the heaters while brewing cycle is completed.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a coffee maker and more specifically to a two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control to make a precise number of cups of coffee and with two different tastes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Brewing coffee also called dripped coffee method, which is the most common coffee making method. It had been widely used at home and/or commercial such as office and hotel. Today many people use: automatic drip coffee makers to brew coffee because they can have a cup of hot coffee anytime and unlike before had to boil and wait for hot water to make coffee while they can leave and go to do something else. 
         [0003]    Although conventional automatic drip coffee makers work well for their intended purpose, but one problem with their associated use is a typical design of convention drip type coffee maker in which a heater soldered water duct is designed to pump the water from a cold reservoir into the coffee brewing chamber, which is hardly to manage the flow control in a precise manner, particular to a one cup coffee in desired volume. The existing design is always has to pump empty the cold reservoir so that to avoid interrupting the brewing cycle. Therefore to brew only one-cup coffee the coffee maker has to build with a one-cup cold reservoir. 
         [0004]    In order to brew two cups coffee at the same time and able to have different tastes, it is necessary to have the cold reservoir with the volume over two cups, and then to control the flow from the cold reservoir needs not to be pumped empty if only one cup coffee is to be served. Precisely flow control is also vital in considering brewing two cups coffee tandem to avoid excessive coffee slops over the cup, or not enough coffee due to the premature stoppage in the brewing cycle. 
         [0005]    In the meanwhile the design of the conventional automatic drip coffee makers in the existing market are also not reliable in safety concern because the automatic reset thermostat employed in the circuitry cannot stop energizing the machine permanently as soon as the brew is completed. This is inherent fire hazardous especially if the thermal plastic is used for the enclosure. A manual reset thermostat control is therefore built to replace the automatic reset thermostat in order to improve the coffee maker in safety aspect. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention address the problems discussed above and aims to provide a coffee maker that has the following features: with flow control in a precise manner; particular to a one cup coffee in desired volume, two reservoirs type design to avoid overfill and able to have different tastes, a manual reset thermostat controls to turn off the heaters while brewing cycle is completed, and cancel button with pause and resume function. These features are embodied in a single construction of the coffee maker. 
         [0007]    The two cups automatic coffee maker of the present invention comprises the following elements: the invention is to redesign the cold reservoir construction so that there are a primary reservoir and a secondary reservoir to manage the flow control precisely for the cups in desired volume particular serving two cups coffee at the same time with different tastes. Both the primary and secondary reservoirs have the volume identical to the cup with the desired volume. Each reservoir is built with a floating block, which is to provide the indication of the amount of water filled. 
         [0008]    The user can choose both reservoirs at the same time in order to brew two cups coffee. Because of the separated basket therefore it is possible to have two different tastes at the same time, with a cancel button to serve as a “pause and resume” function so that user can be paused and resumed in the mid way of the brewing cycle in which the convention drip type coffee maker does not have this function at all. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is the sectional view of the two cups automatic coffee maker. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is the side sectional view of the two cups automatic coffee marker. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is the sectional view of the sluice-valve of the two cups automatic coffee marker. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c  are the embodiment of the two cups automatic coffee maker for brewing two different tastes at the same time. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is the structural view of the manual reset thermal control of the two cups automatic coffee maker. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control it comprises: a main house  1 , primary reservoir  2 , secondary reservoir  3 , floating block  4 , main switch  5 , switch mount  6 , switch cover  7 , cancel button  8 , top cover  9 , coffee filters  10 , coffee filter holder  11 , brewing chamber  12 , sprinkle heads  13 , heater soldered water ducts  14 , water pipes  15 , drip tray  16 , manual reset thermal controls  17 , bottom cover  18 , pusher  19 , horizontal linkage  20 , disc shape bimetal  21 , terminals  22 , spring  23 , switching mechanism  24 , sluice-valve  25 , adjustable screw  26 . 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 2  the two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control, the spring loaded main switch  5  is a kind of momentary ‘ON’ press switch, in which is designed to have the stroke length controlled not able to activate the switching mechanism  24  unless the horizontal linkage(s)  20  is/are in place. It will bounce back to its initial position if not holding the press. 
         [0016]    There is a switching mechanism  24  in each Primary reservoir  2  and Secondary reservoir  3 . This switching mechanism  24  is designed to sit on top of the reservoir and consists of a long bar hooked to the manual reset thermal control  17 . When the reservoir  2  or  3  is filled with enough water and the main switch  5  is pressed it pull up the manual reset thermal control  17  to close the circuitry via this long bar. 
         [0017]    The cancel button  8  is designed to stop the brewing cycle or to break the electric circuitry manually. This button is also spring loaded and is designed to link with the switching mechanism  24 . When this button is pressed it will push open the manual reset thermal control  17  via the long bar and break the electric circuitry, thus to stop the brewing cycle. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 5  the two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control, the manual reset thermal control  17 , in which designed like a v-shape clothing-pinch, is consists of a disc shape bimetal  21 , two terminals  22  and a spring  23 , is built underneath in each Primary reservoir  2  and Secondary reservoir  3 . The disc shape bimetal  21  is used to sense the temperature drift and will deform upon reaching the dry boil temperature. The two terminals  22  are wired to the circuitry and serves as the open/close function. When the manual reset thermal control  17  is at the open stage the two terminals  22  making no contact, vice versa they contact each other when the manual reset thermal control  17  is at the close position, thus form the close-loop electric circuitry. The spring  23  is designed to help the manual reset thermal control  17  stays firmly and mechanically either at the open or close position. As soon as the brewing cycle is completed and the disc shape bimetal  21  deformed after sensing the dry boiling, it triggers the spring  23  and push open the manual reset thermal control  17  so that the electric circuitry stays permanently open. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c  the two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control, the Primary and Secondary reservoirs  2  &amp;  3  have their separated sprinkle head  13 . The sprinkle heads  13  from both reservoirs are linked up to the main switch  5  for selecting the mug on either left/right/or both sides. When turn the main switch  5  to the left hand side for brewing only one cup coffee shown in  4   a , both the sprinkle heads  13  are sitting on top of the coffee filter  10  at the left so that the hot water can be pumped from the primary reservoir  2 , or the secondary reservoir  3  when the primary reservoir  2  is empty. This concept applies the same to the right hand side selection shown in  4   c . When the main switch  5  stays at the middle for brewing  2  cup coffees shown in  4   b , the sprinkle heads  13  are now sitting separately to the coffee filters  10  at left and right sides. With the separated coffee filter  10  design it allows the selection of 2 different tastes coffee. 
         [0020]    In the primary reservoir  2  when there is water filled the floating block  4  will rise up and activate a horizontal linkage  20  so that it links up with the switching mechanism  24  built to this primary reservoir. When the user selects to brew one cup only and the push button is pressed with both the sprinkle heads  13  at either left or right orientation the switching mechanism  24  actives and it starts to energize the heater soldered water duct  14  underneath the primary reservoir  2 . When the primary reservoir  2  pumps empty then the manual reset thermal control  17  will break the circuitry completely upon the sensing of dry boiling, and the coffee maker stays permanently off. 
         [0021]    The secondary reservoir  3  is built adjacent to the primary reservoir  2  and will collect water excessive to the primary reservoir  2  volume. It also builds with the floating block  4  in which the design is, when the water not filled to its maximum, even it is half filled, the floating block  4  cannot activate the switching mechanism  24  thus far the main switch  5  cannot activate the circuitry and start the brewing. This can ensure the primary reservoir  2  is to be used prior to the secondary reservoir  3  whenever the primary reservoir  2  is filled. Underneath the secondary reservoir  3  it is an identical design the manual reset thermostat control  17  will break the circuitry when the reservoir is pumped empty. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 3  the two cups automatic coffee maker with flow control, in between the primary reservoir  2  and secondary reservoir  3  there is a partition that has a cut open at one end to allow the excess water flow from the primary reservoir  2  to the secondary reservoir  3 . A sluice-valve  25  sits at the cut open, which has a screw  26  mounted on the top of the reservoirs adjusts its height. When adjusting the height of the sluice-valve  25 , the water level of both of the primary reservoir  2  and the secondary reservoir  3  are adjusted at the same time. The excess water of the primary reservoir  2  will drain out to the secondary reservoir  3  through the sluice-valve  25  and consequently the excess water of the secondary reservoir  3  will drain out from the coffee maker also through this sluice-valve  25 . The sluice-valve  25  is capable to control the water level inside both the reservoirs means the user can deliberately to control the desired volume of one-cup coffee by the adjustable screw  26  to adjust the height of the sluice-valve  25 . 
         [0023]    The present invention provide a selection for brewing two cups of coffee at the same time or brewing two cups of coffee in tandem explain as the following details operation description as stated. 
         [0024]    When brewing two cups of coffee at the same time, both primary reservoir  2  and secondary reservoir  3  are empty and the floating blocks  4  are sitting at the bottom. When both primary reservoir  2  and secondary reservoir  3  filled with water, both floating blocks  4  rise up and swing their own horizontal linkages  20  so that they both linking up with their own switching mechanism  24  in the separated primary and secondary reservoirs. When the main switch  5  points to the middle shown in  4   b  for selection of brewing two cups, with the horizontal linkages in place, press down the main switch  5  now able to trigger both manual reset thermal controls  17 . Pusher  19  is integrated to the main switch  5  is also used to hold the selection of the sprinkle heads  13 . Sprinkle heads  13  now are sitting on top of both the coffee filters  10  when the main switch  5  points to middle, thus allowing the hot water to drain over the 2 independent coffee filters  10  and brew 2 different tastes of coffee. Upon the activation of the manual reset thermal control  17  it short the electric circuit and the heater soldered ducts  14  start to energize, hence the brewing cycle begin until both primary reservoir  2  and secondary reservoir  3  drain empty. When the disc shape bimetal  21  built inside the manual reset thermal control  17  senses the temperature drifted to dry boiling, it triggers and activate the manual reset thermal control  17  to break the electric circuit, thus the brewing cycle completed. Manual reset thermal control  17  at the open circuit stage and floating blocks  4  remain sitting at the bottom while both reservoirs showed empty. 
         [0025]    When brewing two cups of coffee in tandem, both primary reservoir  2  and secondary reservoir  3  filled with water and both the floating blocks  4  rise up, consequently the horizontal linkages  20  swing to link up both the switching mechanisms  24 . Main switch  5  turns to the left for selecting the left mug shown in  4   a  or turns to right for selecting the right mug shown in  4   c , the pusher  19  will link both the sprinkle heads  13  on top of the left coffee filter  10  (or link both the sprinkle heads  13  on top of the right coffee filter  10  if turns to right). Press down the main switch  5  will only activate the manual reset thermal control  17  underneath the primary reservoir  2  hence starts the brewing cycle for a single cup. As soon as the manual reset thermal control  17  activated, the heater soldered water duct  14  starts to pump the water from the primary reservoir  2  into the left coffee filter  10  until the primary reservoir  2  is empty. As long as the primary reservoir  2  is empty, the floating block  4  drops down to its bottom. The horizontal linkage  20  swings back to initial position. When the disc shape bimetal  21  of the manual reset thermal control  17  detect the temperature drifted due to the dry boiling, it triggers the manual reset thermal control  17  and breaks open the electric circuit, thus stop the brewing cycle. Press the main switch  5  once again with the selection of either left or right mug, the main switch  5  now only have the horizontal linkage  20  of the secondary reservoir  3  underneath, hence it only can activate the manual reset thermal control  17  from the secondary reservoir  3 . The heater soldered water duct  14  will start pumping the water from the secondary reservoir  3  into either the left or right coffee filter  10 , and brewing the second cycle. As long as the secondary reservoir  3  drains empty and finished the brew, the floating block  4  drops to its bottom, the horizontal linkage  20  swings back to its initial position, and the manual reset thermal control  17  break the electric circuit after detecting the dry boiling temperature.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0