Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7503253?dq=oakley+D523,461
Timestamp: 2017-10-17 19:14:03
Document Index: 359992253

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7503253 - Apparatus, system and method for infusing a pre-packaged pod - Google Patents
Disclosed is a beverage brewer which produces beverage by delivering brewing water to a quantity of brewing substance. The brewer includes a water source for providing water to the brewer. The water source may be in the form of a reservoir or pressurized waterline. A water supply line is provided in...http://www.google.com/patents/US7503253?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7503253 - Apparatus, system and method for infusing a pre-packaged pod
Publication number US7503253 B2
Application number US 11/055,411
Also published as CA2555286A1, US20060196363, WO2005077232A2, WO2005077232A3
Publication number 055411, 11055411, US 7503253 B2, US 7503253B2, US-B2-7503253, US7503253 B2, US7503253B2
Inventors Christopher W. Rahn
Patent Citations (23), Referenced by (23), Classifications (21), Legal Events (4)
US 7503253 B2
Disclosed is a beverage brewer which produces beverage by delivering brewing water to a quantity of brewing substance. The brewer includes a water source for providing water to the brewer. The water source may be in the form of a reservoir or pressurized waterline. A water supply line is provided in the brewer communicating with the water source and a pump. A control is provided for controlling operation of the brewer. The pump transfers water from the water supply line to a heater assembly for heating prior to use in brewing a beverage. A water delivery line communicates with the heater assembly for delivering heated water to a brewing assembly. Brewing substances retained in the brewing assembly and brewing water is received therein for producing a brewed beverage.
21. The method of brewing of claim 19, further comprising detecting non-use of the brewer over a predetermined period of time; operating the controller to deactivate at least a portion of the brewer after the predetermined period of time; and operating the controller to reactivate the brewer upon detecting removal of the holder from the brewing assembly.
Such brewing substances pre-packaged in filter material are referred to as “pods” or “sachets.” Pods can be compressed while packaging in the filter material or left in a generally loose condition. Pods generally have a circular shape with a generally flattened configuration often appearing as a disc or puck. Pods generally range in a size from approximately 45-60 mm and contain approximately 9-11 grams of brewing substance.
While a “pod” is described herein, it is envisioned that any form of beverage brewing substance device, holder, filter structure or other substance delivery media or vehicle may be used. The present disclosure will also include use of the structures and functions with loose brewing substance such as might be used in a loose substance holder. It is envisioned that the present apparatus, system and method of operation could be utilized with other concentrates such as freeze dried concentrates, gel, liquid, powder or any other form of concentrate which will operate with the disclosed apparatus, system and method as well as equivalents thereof and any modifications which might be required to modify the apparatus, system and method to be used with such other substances, if necessary.
In use, the user selects a desired substance for brewing and places the substance 34 in a drawer or substance holder 23 of the brewing assembly 26. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the drawer 23 is moved outwardly to place the pod within the drawer 23. The drawer 23 is closed positioning the brewing substance pod 34 in position to receive water from the spray head 130 in the brewing assembly 26. Operation of one embodiment of the drawer 23 as referred to hereinabove can be found in related provisional application entitled “Apparatus System and Method for Retaining Beverage Brewing Substance” filed Feb. 6, 2004, Provisional Application No. 60/542,433. Additional information relating to the adjustable control 120 can be found in related provisional application entitled “Adjustable Volume Brewer” filed Nov. 7, 2003, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/518,039. Additional information related to the spray head system and method for delivering water to the brewing assembly 26 can be found in U.S. Provisional Application entitled “Water Delivery System, Method and Apparatus” filed Nov. 7, 2003, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/518,411 and U.S. Patent Application entitled “System, Method, and Apparatus for Heating Water” filed Nov. 8, 2004, U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 10/983,446.
Further details of the configuration and operation of the single-serving brewer 20 can be found in related provisional applications entitled “Apparatus, System and Method for Infusing a Pre-Packaged Pod” filed Feb. 9, 2004 U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/543,370, and “Pod Brewer Design” filed Feb. 10, 2004, U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/199,168. Additional information related to beverage making apparatus which uses loose coffee and related devices and methods of use can be found in U.S. Provisional Application entitled “A Beverage Making Apparatus and Method Using Loose Beverage Substances” filed Apr. 2, 2004, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/560,033. Information about a pod holder with a removable insert can be found in U.S. Provisional Application entitled “Pod Holder with Removable Insert” filed May 28, 2004, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/575,235. Information about a beverage making apparatus which uses loose coffee and related devices and methods of use can be found in U.S. Provisional Application entitled “A Beverage Making Apparatus and Method Using Loose Beverage Substance” filed Sep. 1, 2004, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/606,233. Each of the above-referenced applications and subsequent related applications and the materials set forth therein is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Additionally, the system provides a “wakeup” function whereby when the user is planning to use the system the system is activated when the user removes the drawer 23 from the brewing assembly 26. In this regard, as a user approaches the brewer 20 and removes the drawer 23 to place a new pod 34 therein, removal of the drawer activates the detection censor 116 indicating to the controller 28 that the drawer 23 has been removed. This is programmed into the controller 28 to indicate that a user is planning to use the machine and that the system should wake up the various components if the system has not been used for a predetermined period of time. For example, after the conclusion of a brewing cycle, if the controller 28 does not sense further activity for a predetermine period of time, for example 5 minutes to 48 hours, the system can shutdown the various components. For example, the heater 62 can be deactivated so that the water retained in the tank 82 is not continuously heated. Once the detector 116 detects removal of the drawer 23, the controller 28 will activate the heating element 62 and any other elements required for brewing in order to initiate the brewing cycle. By activating the heater 62 while the user is filling the pod drawer, the apparent warm-up time for the brewer can be decreased. In an embodiment using the controllable inlet valve 45, when the system is woken up, the inlet valve 45 can be activated in response to the level censor 106 to refill the reservoir to a desired level in anticipation of additional brewing. As an additional matter, the level censor 106 can be moved to a higher portion of the reservoir in an automatic brewing embodiment so as to maximize the volume of water that can be retained in the reservoir 22.
Assuming that the assembly 26 is closed or that any indicated error has been resolved, the brewing cycle continues. The user can adjust the control 120 to select the size and/or the characteristics of the brew which is produced by the brewer 20. In this regard, the user can select the volume of water which is dispensed over the brewing substance 34, thereby affecting the overall finished brew product dispensed into the cup. The user adjusts the control 120 coupled to the controller 28 to increase or decrease the quantity of water dispensed to the brewing substance or pod. If the user is using nine gram coffee pods and then switches to eleven gram coffee pods, the user may wish to increase the quantity of water dispensed to the pod to produce a similar finished product. Similarly, if the user uses a smaller pod instead of the larger pod, the user may wish to decrease a quantity of water. Additionally, a user may wish to alter the volume of water dispensed through the pod to affect the strength or flavor of the coffee produced. In this regard, decreasing the quantity of water dispensed to the pod may produce what seems to be a “stronger” cup of coffee as a result of different flavor characteristics being washed from the pod.
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US7773866 * Nov 8, 2005 Aug 10, 2010 Bunn-O-Matic Corporation System and method for preventing tank overheating
US8151694 * Aug 1, 2008 Apr 10, 2012 Keurig, Incorporated Beverage forming apparatus with centrifugal pump
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CN104000497A * Apr 11, 2014 Aug 27, 2014 宁波全景电器技术有限公司 Installation structure for water outlet nozzle of coffee machine
U.S. Classification 99/280, 99/299, 99/305, 426/433, 99/285, 99/307
International Classification A47J31/56, A47J31/46, A47J31/40, A47J31/10, A47J31/00
Cooperative Classification A47J31/36, A47J31/46, A47J31/465, A47J31/106, A47J31/56
European Classification A47J31/46, A47J31/56, A47J31/10C, A47J31/36, A47J31/46S2
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:RAHN, CHRISTOPHER W.;REEL/FRAME:017676/0219