Patent ID: 6941856

Claim:
An appliance for the preparation of hot drinks, the appliance comprising; a drink preparation chamber in which hot water is combined with another substance to prepare a hot beverage; and a water supply conduit having an outlet exposed to atmospheric pressure and arranged to dispense hot water in the drink preparation chamber, the water supply conduit including; a riser through which water flows toward the outlet; a heater extending along at least a portion of the riser and heating water in the riser; and a conduit pressure control chamber open to atmospheric pressure and in hydraulic communication with lower end of the riser such that water in the riser that is maintained during heating at a water level between the heater and an upper end of the riser and substantially equal to static water level in the pressure control chamber, wherein the pressure control chamber further comprises an overflow chamber at a level corresponding to the level of water in the riser that is between the heater and the outlet.