Coffee making apparatus

Abstract

A brewing apparatus for infusing compacted ground coffee in a grounds cup at a brewing station with heated water under pressure. At a brewing station, a piston head with an active seal that is spaced from the grounds cup wall during motion, extends into the grounds cup. When the piston head begins to compact the ground coffee it activates the seal to form a sealed upper end of a brewing chamber. Hot water is admitted to the brewing chamber to produce the coffee. When the brewing cycle is completed, the piston head displaces further to force additional coffee from the grounds. Then the piston head retracts to allow the infusion chamber assembly to be removed for cleaning.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention generally relates to apparatus for brewing beverages by directing a liquid, such as hot water, across a compacted infusible material, such as ground coffee beans, in a sealed infusion chamber. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0002] A large number of commercial devices are available for brewing beverages, particularly coffee, by infusing material with a liquid. Prior art coffee makers have incorporated a variety of percolating, drip, steeping and other brewing approaches. A large number of these coffee makers were also designed to brew coffee in batches, for example, 4-cup to 12-cup batches. Such devices, however, were characterized by difficulties in maintaining coffee flavor over time, in controlling waste as occurred by making excessive coffee that was then discarded, and in cleaning and maintenance of the coffee makers. [0003] The advent of espresso machines introduced new coffee brewing concepts. Espresso machines produce a small quantity ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide brewing apparatus for the consumers that has many of the advantages of more expensive commercial systems and that is economical, convenient to use and easy to maintain.

[0023] Another object of this invention is to provide brewing apparatus that eliminates manual latching mechanisms.

[0026] Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a coffee brewing system in which a grounds cup can be withdrawn for filling or cleaning without the need for releasing manual latches or breaking seals.

Problems solved by technology

Such devices, however, were characterized by difficulties in maintaining coffee flavor over time, in controlling waste as occurred by making excessive coffee that was then discarded, and in cleaning and maintenance of the coffee makers.

However, such machines are expensive and not economically attractive to most consumers even though they may make the best coffee.

Such systems are characterized by locating the brewing chamber at an inaccessible location so it becomes impossible or, at best, very difficult, to clean the brewing chamber.

If regular cleaning is not undertaken, oils and organic acids present in coffee attack the seal materials used to define the brewing chamber.

If the seal slides over the walls, this material produces a rough surface that can damage the seals with use.

Some commercially available consumer-oriented coffee makers limit the consumer to proprietary prepackaged coffee filter pods.

This can limit consumer choices.

Also some consumer-oriented coffee makers are limited to making espresso.

These factors and expense limit their market to consumers.

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