Kitchen appliance for preparing a beverage and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10307014-B2
Application number	US-201615298814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A kitchen appliance includes a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage. A hot water generator (‘HWG’) has an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween. The inlet end of the HWG is connected to the first reservoir. Liquid from the first reservoir flows into the HWG through the inlet end. A selector valve is connected to the outlet end of the HWG. At least a portion of the selector valve is movable by a user between a first valve position and a second valve position.

First claim

We claim:

1. A kitchen appliance comprising:
a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;
a hot water generator (HWG) having an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween, the inlet end of the HWG being connected to the first reservoir, liquid from the first reservoir flowing into the HWG through the inlet end;
a selector valve connected to the outlet end of the HWG, at least a portion of the selector valve being movable by a user between a first valve position and a second valve position, in the first valve position the kitchen appliance being configured to prepare the beverage at atmospheric pressure, in the second valve position the kitchen appliance being configured to prepare the beverage at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure where fluid motivation through the HWG is not due to a pump and the kitchen appliance does not comprise any of a impeller, displacement pump, water pump and air pump to motivate fluid through the HWG;
a second reservoir connected to the selector valve, the second reservoir including a discharge port;
a fluid path connecting the second reservoir to the first reservoir and bypassing the HWG; and
a showerhead connected to the selector valve, the showerhead including an outlet port.

2. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third reservoir connected to the first reservoir, liquid within the third reservoir being maintained at atmospheric pressure;
a primary check valve positioned between the first reservoir and the third reservoir, the primary check valve preventing liquid in the first reservoir from entering the third reservoir from the first reservoir; and
an inlet check valve positioned between the first reservoir and the HWG, the inlet check valve preventing liquid in the HWG from entering the first reservoir from the HWG.

3. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a container at least partially enclosing foodstuff for preparing a beverage, the container being in fluid communication with the discharge port of the second reservoir, wherein, when the selector valve is in the second valve position, activation of the HWG causes liquid in the HWG to flow to the second reservoir, through the discharge port and into the container to prepare a beverage; and
a discharge check valve positioned in the second reservoir proximate the discharge port, the discharge check valve preventing liquid in the container from entering the second reservoir through the discharge port.

4. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the HWG is a U-shaped, tubular, aluminum extrusion with a cal-rod.

5. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the selector valve includes a housing having an inlet opening, a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening, the inlet opening being connected to the outlet end of the HWG, the first outlet opening being connected to a non-pressurized fluid flow path, and the second outlet opening being connected to a pressurized fluid flow path.

6. The kitchen appliance according to claim 5 , wherein, in the first valve position, the selector valve closes the second outlet opening to permit liquid to flow out of the housing only through the non-pressurized fluid flow path, and wherein, in the second valve position, the selector valve closes the first outlet opening to permit liquid to flow out of the housing only through the pressurized fluid flow path.

7. The kitchen appliance according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a knob mounted to an exterior of the kitchen appliance, wherein engagement of the knob by the user causes at least a portion of the selector valve to be moved between the first and second valve positions.

8. A kitchen appliance comprising:
a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;
a hot water generator (HWG) having an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween, the inlet end of the HWG being connected to the first reservoir, liquid from the first reservoir flowing into the HWG through the inlet end;
a selector valve connected to the outlet end of the HWG, at least a portion of the selector valve being movable between a first valve position and a second valve position, in the first valve position the selector valve permitting liquid to flow out of the selector valve only in a non-pressurized path, in the second valve position the selector valve permitting liquid to flow out of the selector valve only in a pressurized path, the pressurized path comprising:
a second reservoir connected to the selector valve, the second reservoir including a discharge port;
a fluid path connecting the second reservoir to the first reservoir and bypassing the HWG; and
a container at least partially enclosing foodstuff for preparing a beverage, the container being connected to the discharge port of the second reservoir, a combination of at least the first reservoir, the HWG, the second reservoir, the fluid path and the container forming at least a generally closed system, the system being configured to achieve and maintain an internal pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, wherein, when the selector valve is in the second valve position, activation of the HWG increases a temperature of liquid within the system and effectuates movement of liquid in the HWG to the second reservoir, through the discharge port and into the container to prepare a beverage, the non-pressurized path comprising:
a showerhead connected to the selector valve, the showerhead including an outlet port exposed to atmospheric pressure,
wherein, when the selector valve is in the first valve position, activation of the HWG increases a temperature of liquid within the HWG and effectuates movement of liquid in the HWG to the showerhead and through the outlet port to prepare a beverage; and
a third reservoir fluidly connected to the first reservoir, liquid within the third reservoir being maintained at atmospheric pressure.

9. The kitchen appliance according to claim 8 , wherein, when the selector valve is in the second valve position, activation of the HWG is operable to increase pressure at both the inlet end and the outlet end of the HWG.

10. The kitchen appliance according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a check valve positioned between the first reservoir and the third reservoir, the check valve preventing liquid in the first reservoir from entering the third reservoir and maintaining the internal pressure within the closed system.

11. The kitchen appliance according to claim 8 , wherein the selector valve includes a housing having an inlet opening, a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening, the inlet opening being connected to the outlet end of the HWG, the first outlet opening being connected to the non-pressurized path, and the second outlet opening being connected to the pressurized path.

12. A kitchen appliance comprising:
a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;
a hot water generator (HWG) having an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway extending therebetween, the inlet end of the HWG being connected to the first reservoir, liquid from the first reservoir flowing into the HWG through the inlet end; and
a selector valve connected to the outlet end of the HWG, the selector valve including a housing having an inlet opening, a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening, the inlet opening being connected to the outlet end of the HWG, the selector valve comprising a valve plate being movable by a user between a first valve position and a second valve position;
a selector mounted to an exterior of the kitchen appl

Assignees

• Hamilton Beach Brands Inc

Inventors

• Starr William D
• Mulvaney Patrick T
• Hanes Adam
• Olson Larry

Classifications

• A47J31/36

  with mechanical pressure-producing means · CPC title

• A47J31/462

  with an intermediate liquid storage tank · CPC title

• A47J31/0576

  with a sealed water boiling vessel in which the steam pressure urges the hot water through a rising pipe (with brewing vessel adapted for extraction under pressure A47J31/30) · CPC title

• A47J31/54

  Water boiling vessels {in beverage making machines} · CPC title

• A47J31/0573

  with flow through heaters (flow through heaters as part of a water boiling vessel in a beverage making machine A47J31/542) · CPC title