Coffee Maker With Multi and Single Cup Modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016242589-A1
Application number	US-201615046757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 18, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2009
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-mode coffee maker facilitates switching between a carafe mode and a single cup mode. The coffee maker includes switches for selecting the amount of coffee brewed, a drip valve normally closed to prevent dripping and opened by insertion of a carafe or a single cup adapter into the coffee maker, and a hot plate for maintaining the temperature of coffee in the carafe, the hot plate independent switchable on and off. A single cup adapter includes a swing-out platform which cooperates with a multi-mode coffee maker to allow switching from a small amount to a large amount of brewed drink when the platform is moved to provide space for a large cup. A slide may also be provided to select the mode.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A multi-mode coffee maker comprising:
a body; a cavity in the body for receiving dry coffee; a water container attached to the body for providing water to make brewed beverage; a heater for heating the water to make the brewed beverage; a mouth on the front of the body for receiving a brewed beverage container; and a brewed beverage accessory positionable at the bottom of the mouth, the brewed beverage accessory cooperating with the coffee maker to select operating modes of the coffee maker.

2 . The coffee maker of claim 1 , wherein the brewed beverage accessory is a platform for supporting a brewed beverage container.

3 . The coffee maker of claim 2 , wherein:
the coffee maker includes a passage aligned with the platform and a sensing element in the passage; and the platform includes a probe configured to enter the passage and actuate the sensing element when the platform resides in the mouth of the coffee maker to select the operating modes of the coffee maker.

4 . The coffee maker of claim 3 , wherein the platform includes a movable small cup support and moving the small cup support positions the probe away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

5 . The coffee maker of claim 4 , wherein the small cup support lifts out of the platform to position the probe away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

6 . The coffee maker of claim 4 , wherein the small cup support slides out of the platform to position the probe away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

7 . The coffee maker of claim 4 , wherein the small cup support pivots to position the probe away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

8 . The coffee maker of claim 2 , wherein:
The coffee maker includes a magnetic sensing element positioned to align with the platform; and the platform includes a magnetic element cooperating with the magnetic sensing element in the coffee maker to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

9 . The coffee maker of claim 8 , wherein a small cup support lifts out of the platform to position the magnet away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

10 . The coffee maker of claim 8 , wherein the small cup support slides out of the platform to position the magnet away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

11 . The coffee maker of claim 8 , wherein the small cup support pivots to position the magnet away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

12 . The coffee maker of claim 8 , wherein the platform includes a slide to position the magnet away from the sensing element to select the operating mode of the coffee maker.

13 . The coffee maker of claim 1 , wherein the brewed beverage accessory is a carafe, and positioning the carafe in the mouth of the coffee maker selects the operating mode of the coffee maker.

14 . The coffee maker of claim 1 , wherein the brewed beverage accessory is a platform for supporting a brewed beverage container, the platform including:
a base; a drip tray pivotally connected to the base and having a raised grill for supporting the brewed beverage container, the drip tray pivotable to a closed position towards the coffee maker to support the brewed beverage container and pivotable to an open position away from the coffee maker to provide additional vertical space for the brewed beverage container; a finger extending from the pivoting drip tray towards the coffee maker; an actuating element including:
a pivoting actuator having a pivot axis;
an arm extending radially from the pivot axis;
a magnetic element holder displaced radially from the pivot axis and having a first position adjacent to the sensing element and a second position pivoted away from the sensing element;
a magnetic element attached to the magnetic element holder and alignable with a sensing element of the coffee maker to cooperate with the sensing element; and
a spring biasing the pivoting actuator to align the magnetic element holder with the sensing element;
wherein, in the closed position of the drip tray, the finger engages the arm to pivot the pivoting actuator to position the magnetic element holder in the second position pivoted away from the sensing element.

15 . The coffee maker of claim 14 , wherein the actuating element includes a slide cooperating with the pivoting actuator to pivot the pivoting actuator to position the magnetic element holder in the second position pivoted away from the sensing element when the drip tray is in the open position.

16 . The coffee maker of claim 1 , wherein:
the coffee maker includes a passage aligned with the accessory and a sensing element in the passage; and the accessory includes a probe configured to enter the passage and actuate the sensing element when the accessory resides in the mouth of the coffee maker to select the operating modes of the coffee maker.

17 . A multi-mode coffee maker comprising:
a body; a cavity in the body for receiving dry coffee; a water container attached to the body for providing water to make brewed beverage; a heater for heating the water to make the brewed beverage; a mouth on the front of the body for receiving a brewed beverage container; and a carafe positionable at the bottom of the mouth, the carafe cooperating with the coffee maker to select operating modes of the coffee maker.

18 . A multi-mode coffee maker comprising:
a body; a cavity in the body for receiving dry coffee; a water container attached to the body for providing water to make brewed beverage; a heater for heating the water to make the brewed beverage; a mouth on the front of the body for receiving a brewed beverage container; and a platform positionable at the bottom of the mouth and cooperating with the coffee maker to select operating modes of the coffee maker, the platform comprising:
a base;
a drip tray pivotally connected to the base and having a raised grill for supporting the brewed beverage container, the drip tray pivotable to a closed position towards the coffee maker to support the brewed beverage container and pivotable to an open position away from the coffee maker to provide additional vertical space for the brewed beverage container;
a finger extending from the pivoting drip tray towards the coffee maker;
an actuating element including:
a pivoting actuator having a pivot axis;
an arm extending radially from the pivot axis;
a magnetic element holder displaced radially from the pivot axis and having a first position adjacent to the sensing element and a second position pivoted away from the sensing element;
a magnetic element attached to the magnetic element holder and alignable with a sensing element of the coffee maker to cooperate with the sensing element; and

a spring biasing the pivoting actuator to align the magnetic element holder with the sensing element;
wherein, in the closed position of the drip tray, the finger engages the arm to pivot the pivoting actuator to position the magnetic element holder in the second position pivoted away from the sensing element.

Assignees

• Rivera Adrian
• Green Kenneth L

Inventors

• Rivera Adrian
• Green Kenneth L

Classifications

• A47J31/446 Primary

  Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus · CPC title

• A47J31/0647

  with means to adjust the brewing chamber volume to accommodate different quantities of brewing material · CPC title

• A47J31/02 Primary

  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

• A47J31/4464

  by means of bayonet-type engagement · CPC title