Beverage preparation machine and gasket arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11839325-B2
Application number	US-202217856676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Oct 30, 2018
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A beverage preparation machine having an inlet arrangement and a gasket arrangement is provided, where the inlet arrangement is configured with a plurality of inlet ports to deliver liquid to a beverage cartridge. The gasket arrangement may include a single unitary shape with a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of inlet ports. The gasket arrangement may include one or more inner ribs disposed about each of the plurality of openings. A perimeter rib may extend along a perimeter of the gasket arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage forming system comprising:
a brew chamber configured to hold a beverage cartridge containing a beverage ingredient, the brew chamber including a liquid inlet configured to provide liquid for combining with the beverage ingredient to form a beverage and a beverage outlet to allow beverage to exit the brew chamber, the liquid inlet comprising a plurality of inlet ports; and
a gasket arrangement comprising a single unitary shape with a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of inlet ports;
wherein each of the plurality of inlet ports is received within one of the plurality of openings; and
wherein the gasket arrangement comprises:
one or more inner ribs disposed about each of the plurality of openings; and
a perimeter rib that extends along a perimeter of the gasket arrangement such that the perimeter rib surrounds each of the plurality of openings.

2. The beverage forming system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of rib walls that form a plurality of sealing zones that are distinct from one another, each of the sealing zones including a different one of the plurality of openings.

3. The beverage forming system of claim 1 wherein:
the brew chamber comprises a brew chamber lid configured for opening and closing;
the beverage cartridge comprises a beverage cartridge lid;
the plurality of inlet ports includes at least one piercing element mounted to the brew chamber lid;
closure of the brew chamber lid involves some lateral movement of the at least one piercing element with respect to the beverage cartridge lid;
the lateral movement of the at least one piercing element causes tearing a portion of the beverage cartridge lid such that a hole is formed in the beverage cartridge lid, the hole being larger than a cross-sectional area of a respective one of the plurality of inlet ports; and
the gasket arrangement is larger than the hole and helps to decrease leaking through the hole during brewing.

4. The beverage forming system of claim 3 wherein the brew chamber lid moves in an arc during closure.

Assignees

• Keurig Green Mountain Inc

Inventors

• Smith Geoffrey Y
• Mikkelsen Blair
• Mackey Steven
• Fucci Joseph George
• Johnson Roger

Classifications

• A47J31/4403 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• A47J31/02

  Coffee-making machines with removable extraction cups, to be placed on top of drinking-vessels {i.e. coffee-makers with removable brewing vessels, to be placed on top of beverage containers, into which hot water is poured}, e.g. cafe filter (filters A47J31/06) · CPC title

• A47J31/3695 Primary

  Cartridge perforating means for creating the hot water inlet (cartridge perforating means of the filter holder for creating the beverage outlet A47J31/0673) · CPC title

• A47J31/407

  with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means · CPC title

• A47J31/4492

  Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge · CPC title