Apparatus for providing a brewed beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12042085-B2
Application number	US-201916975156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2019
Priority date	Mar 2, 2018
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for providing an infused or brewed beverage comprises a brewing arrangement which is configured to brew a beverage according to a selected one of a plurality of brewing processes, at least one being a hot brewing processes and at least one being a cold brewing process. The apparatus includes a controller configured to receive a user selection indicative of a required beverage, and to control the brewing arrangement in dependence upon the user selection. The apparatus may for example be used to provide either hot brew or cold brew coffee as required, without the need for multiple machines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing a brewed beverage comprising:
a brewing arrangement configured to brew a beverage according to a selected one of a plurality of brewing processes, at least one being a hot brewing processes and at least one being a cold brewing process, in which the brewing arrangement includes a brewing chamber having an inlet for a brewing substance and a brewing fluid, and an outlet for a brewed fluid;
a user interface configured to receive a user selection comprising both: a selected beverage from options including at least one beverage brewed using the hot brewing process and at least one beverage brewed using the cold brewing process; and a selected volume of the selected beverage;
a controller in communication with the user interface and configured to receive the user selection indicative of both the selected beverage and the volume of the beverage, and in response to the user selection, to control the brewing arrangement to carry out a selected one of the plurality of brewing processes in dependence upon the user selection to brew the required volume of the selected beverage, and to dispense from the outlet the required volume of the selected beverage; and
further comprising a pressurising arrangement configured to pressurise the brewing chamber during the brewing process, wherein the pressurising arrangement is configured selectively to increase the pressure within the brewing chamber to a level above atmospheric pressure and/or to decrease the pressure within the brewing chamber to a level below atmospheric pressure in dependence upon the user selection.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cold brewing process comprises brewing a brewing substance with a fluid at a temperature of between 25° C. and 75° C., and/or wherein the at least one hot brewing process comprises brewing a brewing substance with fluid at a temperature at or near boiling point.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of brewing processes comprises at least one of: a filter coffee brewing process; a drip brewing process; a nitrogenated brewing process; and an espresso brewing process, and/or wherein at least one of the plurality of brewing processes comprises a hot bloom process, comprising soaking the brewing substance in a pre-brew fluid, optionally at a temperature above 80 degrees C., before brewing with the brewing fluid in the brewing chamber.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user selection is indicative of at least one of: a volume of the beverage; a quantity a brewing substance; a brewing time; a coarseness of a brewing substance; and a brew strength.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a temperature controller configured to control the temperature of brewing fluid in the brewing chamber, and/or comprising a chamber heater configured to heat the brewing chamber and/or a brewing substance contained in the brewing chamber.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a grinder configured to grind the brewing substance, the grinder preferably being controllable to provide a selected coarseness of the ground material, and wherein the grinder optionally comprises a pair of grinding elements, and is controllable to change the distance between the grinding elements, preferably wherein, when the user selection indicates a cold brewing process, the controller is configured to control the grinder to grind the substance such that the average particle size is between 1150 and 1600 microns, more preferably the average particle size is between 1300 and 1400 microns, yet more preferably the average particle size is approximately 1350 microns.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a storage container for storing a brewed beverage, preferably wherein the storage container is in communication with the outlet of the brewing chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising at least one filter for the brewing substance, wherein the filter is located within at least one of:
the brewing chamber; the chamber outlet; and a dispensing outlet of the apparatus for dispensing the brewed beverage and wherein said filter has a mesh size of about 50 microns or less, and/or comprising a pump configured to convey a brewing substance through the chamber outlet, and/or further comprising an agitating arrangement configured to agitate contents of the brewing chamber, wherein the agitating arrangement is at least one of: a stirrer, a pump, and a pressurized gas.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the brewing chamber comprises a pH sensor arranged to sense the pH value of the brewing fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to control one or more parameters of the brewing process and/or arrangement in dependence upon the output of the pH sensor, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of: the volume of fluid supplied to the brewing chamber; the temperature of fluid and/or brewing substance supplied to or contained in the brewing chamber; the duration of brewing.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more parameters to obtain a predetermined beverage pH value, preferably of between 4.9 and 6, more preferably of between 5.4 and 5.7, yet more preferably of 5.5, and/or to obtain a pH value of the beverage corresponding to a user selection, and/or further comprising a neutralizing arrangement configured selectively to deliver a neutralizing substance, preferably comprising calcium carbonate and/or magnesium oxide, to the beverage to vary the pH of the beverage, preferably wherein the neutralizing arrangement is arranged to deliver the neutralizing substance upstream of the inlet of a brewing chamber, within a brewing chamber, or downstream of the outlet of a brewing chamber.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: at least one sensor comprising a chromatographic sensor and/or a spectrometer, and in which the controller is arranged to control one or more components of the brewing arrangement dependent upon the output of the sensor, and the user selection, and/or further comprising a roaster for roasting a brewing substance, preferably wherein the controller is arranged to control the roaster in dependence upon at least one of: the output of a temperature sensor; the output of a color sensor; and/or the output of a timer, and a property of the substance, and/or comprising a pressurized gas source arranged to selectively add a gas to the brewing fluid.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a pressurized gas source arranged to selectively add a gas to the brewing fluid, and optionally further comprising a restrictor plate located at an outlet of the brewing arrangement, wherein the restrictor plate contains one or more apertures, preferably wherein the restrictor plate is moveable between a first position obstructing the outlet, and a second position not obstructing the outlet, preferably wherein the restrictor plate is further moveable to a third position partially obstructing the outlet, and preferably further comprising a dispensing arrangement configured to dispense the brewed beverage through the restrictor plate at a pressure of no less than 25 PSI, preferably at no less than 30 PSI, more preferably at between 30 and 40 PSI.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the beverage is coffee and/or wherein the beverage is tea, and/or further comprising a dilution arrangement for diluting a brewed beverage with a fluid, preferably wherein the fluid is water, and/or wherein the beverage making apparatus is a kitchen appliance.

14. The app

Assignees

• Kenwood Ltd

Inventors

• Palmer Paul
• Sealy James Joseph
• Cunningham Bradley
• Fields Robert
• Grundy Gilman

Classifications

• A47J31/24

  Coffee-making apparatus in which hot water is passed through the filter under pressure, {i.e. in which the coffee grounds are extracted under pressure}(A47J31/043 {and A47J31/40} take precedence) · CPC title

• A47J31/32

  with hot water under air pressure · CPC title

• B01F23/237621

  in beverages · CPC title

• B01F23/23765

  Nitrogen · CPC title

• A47J31/467

  for the infusion · CPC title