Method for using a beverage brewing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9320386-B2
Application number	US-201414566565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 28, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Shown is an apparatus for brewing a beverage, such as coffee, as well as associated methods for brewing a beverage. Apparatuses and methods are shown to reduce labor involved in pour-over brewing techniques, while providing greater consistency in the results. Manual and/or automatic movements are provided to a filter (e.g., rotation) and/or a nozzle dispensing liquid over the filter. Water dosage and timing therefore can be automated to the filter. The nozzle can be positioned off-center with respect to the filter to ensure wetting thereof. The nozzle can be made movable for constrained changes to the path of liquid flow relative to the rotating filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a beverage brewing apparatus, comprising:
providing a beverage brewing apparatus that comprises:
a body;
a support member engaged with the body, the support member comprising a filter holder engagement portion configured to engage with a filter holder, wherein a filter is positioned within the filter holder; and
a nozzle configured to deliver a fluid into the filter holder;

delivering a fluid into the filter holder from the nozzle;
providing one or more movable elements configured such that at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion can move with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion;
wherein delivering comprises first delivering fluid to the center of the filter, and moving comprises moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion such that the fluid forms a flowpath pattern over the filter and forms a substantially curved shape, such that the flowpath forms a substantially spiral or coil-like shape extending outwardly from the center of the filter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving comprises rotating the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving comprises pivoting the nozzle with respect to the filter holder engagement portion.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retracting the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion to provide access to the filter holder engagement portion and filter by a user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing coffee grounds into the filter prior to the delivering step.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein delivering comprises delivering a first predetermined quantity of fluid to the filter holder and waiting for a predetermined period of time wherein no fluid is delivered, prior to delivering a second predetermined quantity of fluid to the filter holder.

7. A method of using a beverage brewing apparatus, comprising:
providing a beverage brewing apparatus that comprises:
a body;
a support member engaged with the body, the support member comprising a filter holder engagement portion configured to engage with a filter holder, wherein a filter is positioned within the filter holder; and
a nozzle configured to deliver a fluid into the filter holder;

delivering a fluid into the filter holder from the nozzle;
providing one or more movable elements configured such that at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion can move with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion; and
moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion, such that the fluid forms a flowpath pattern over the filter,
wherein moving comprises rotating and manually moving the filter holder engagement portion.

8. A method of using a beverage brewing apparatus, comprising:
providing a beverage brewing apparatus that comprises:
a body;
a support member engaged with the body, the support member comprising a filter holder engagement portion configured to engage with a filter holder, wherein a filter is positioned within the filter holder; and
a nozzle configured to deliver a fluid into the filter holder;

delivering a fluid into the filter holder from the nozzle;
providing one or more movable elements configured such that at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion can move with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion; and
moving the nozzle in a first direction and a second direction with respect to the filter holder engagement portion such that the fluid forms a flowpath pattern over the filter, wherein the first and the second directions are substantially non-collinear with respect to each other.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving the nozzle in the first direction comprising moving the nozzle in a first linear direction, and moving the nozzle in the second direction comprises moving the nozzle in a second linear direction, wherein the first and second linear directions are approximately orthogonal to each other.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein delivering a fluid to the filter holder comprises rinsing the filter at a first flow rate.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising placing coffee grounds into the filter after the rinsing step, and delivering a fluid to the filter holder at a second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is less than the first flow rate.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprises moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion such that the flowpath forms a substantially curved shape.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprises moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion such that the flowpath includes a portion offset from the center of the filter.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein moving comprises moving the nozzle linearly with respect to the filter holder engagement portion such that substantially the entirety of the flowpath is laterally offset from the center of the filter.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein moving comprises moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion such that the flowpath forms a substantially spiral or coil-like shape.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprises reciprocating the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the other of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprises moving both the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion with respect to the body.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprises rotating the filter holder engagement portion.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein moving comprises automatically moving the filter holder engagement portion.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein moving further comprises linearly moving the nozzle with respect to the support member.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein moving further comprises manually moving the nozzle.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein moving further comprises automatically moving the nozzle.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein moving further comprises reciprocating the nozzle.

24. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing a control system that provides a signal to the one or more movable elements, and wherein moving comprises moving the at least one of the nozzle and the filter holder engagement portion in response to the signal.

25. The method of claim 8 , wherein moving comprising moving the nozzle between an extended and retracted position, wherein the apparatus is placed in an enabled state in the extended position and a disabled state in the retracted position.

26. A method of using a beverage brewing apparatus,

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Hulett Randy
• Shay Brian
• Koller Izaak

Classifications

• A47J31/46 Primary

  Dispensing spouts, pumps, drain valves or like liquid transporting devices · CPC title

• A47J31/0631 Primary

  with means for better or quicker spreading the infusion liquid over the filter (spreader plates for drip coffee makers A47J31/4478) · CPC title

• A47J31/4475

  Hot water outlets for drip coffee makers · CPC title

• A23F5/262 Primary

  the extraction liquid flowing through a stationary bed of solid substances, e.g. in percolation columns · CPC title