Patent Application
20190099037
The present invention relates to an improved coffee percolator with electronic controls for programming options via wired or wireless modes including features such as brew start times, shut off, warming, and a tone signal when brewing is complete. A percolator can be defined as a pot that is used for brewing coffee by repeatedly cycling near-boiling water through coffee grounds until a desirable coffee beverage strength is achieved. The main advantage of brewing coffee using percolators is that they normally expose the coffee ground to temperatures that are higher compared to other brewing methods. Furthermore, they recirculate coffee that is already brewed through the beans.
There are many iterations of coffee percolators known in the art. Some have programmable features, and some do not. However, the prior art does not disclose a coffee percolator with brewing shut off, a controlled warming plate, or a tone that notifies the user that the brewing process is complete. The inventive percolator can also be controlled via a wi-fi or smart phone app. However, the majority of percolators are manual and need constant checking to get the perfect brew. It is not recommended for brewed coffee to be left on a high heat for long, since this will make the coffee bitter to the taste buds.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,315 (Huber et al), the coffee percolator is disclosed as having a brewing chamber wherein at least one of the boundary wall surfaces of the brewing chamber is adjustable transversely of the direction of flow of the hot water through the coffee powder so that the thickness of the coffee powder bed in the direction of flow may be kept substantially constant for the coffee charges of varying size. The coffee percolator may include a brewing sieve having a support sieve with openings of a size exceeding the dimensions of the ground coffee particles and a fine sieve supported on the side of said support sieve facing towards the brewing chamber and having openings of a size smaller than the dimensions of the ground coffee particles. This patent does not provide for electronic or wireless controls among other differences between Huber and the present Percolator. As said supra, the majority of percolators are manual and need constant checking to get the perfect brew. It is not recommended for brewed coffee to be left on a high heat for long, since this will make the coffee bitter to the taste buds.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,079 (Princz et al.), a coffee percolator is claimed as having a coffee meal supply container mounted at an upper portion thereof, in which heating of the coffee meal supply by the heat of the coffee percolator and the resultant loss of volatile aroma substances are avoided. This is accomplished by providing a cooling system effective to cool the bottom of the supply container. In a preferred embodiment, the supply container is cooled by means of air aspirated by a fan through an air flow path extending along the bottom of the supply container and subsequently returned to the environmental atmosphere. Princz does not disclose timing features either wired or wireless. Further, it requires a fan system for cooling percolated coffee. This teaches away from the present Percolator in that the coffee is meant to be kept warm by a warming plate or method.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,686 is described is a coffee percolator for dispensing individual charges of freshly brewed coffee, which may also be employed, however, for satisfying a temporarily occurring increased demand. To this purpose the percolator is provided with a second outlet for dispensing the coffee into a storage container. In a preferred embodiment, two separate switching means are provided for actuation by the user for dispensing the coffee directly into a serving receptacle or into the storage container. This permits charges of different size to be preselected, so that a greater amount of coffee can be brewed for filling the storage container than would be required for filling a serving receptacle. The storage container is portable and provided with its own outlet, so that it can readily be carried to the site of use. There is no such transfer and storage system in the inventive Percolator.
What becomes apparent after careful searching and review, is that the prior art percolators do not have means, methods or features that encompass what Applicant's novel Percolator discloses. And prior art has means, methods or features which are not claimed in Applicant's Percolator Application. Attempts to combine the prior art would be unsuccessful since many of the prior art features either teach away from one another, or would not operate as the inventor intended. Applicant's Percolator is novel over the prior art both from a § 102 and § 103 perspective.
The present inventive coffee percolator and pod system encompass all the features that drip coffee makers or plastic cup single brew type coffeemakers have, as well as features the aforementioned do not. There has not been the technological attention paid to percolating brewers as with other types, yet many coffee connoisseurs prefer a percolated cup.
The invention most closely corresponds with USPTO Class 99/219 wherein Class 99 relates to percolators animal husbandry and sub-class includes electrically heated percolators.
In its simplest form, the invention relates to a novel coffee percolator which adds features not presently available in the art for coffee percolators on the market.
It is well known that coffee is a must for many consumers. Methods of making and serving coffee has turned into a multimillion dollar industry. Coffee shops are located one most city street corners, and each chain or individual shop has methods of making “boutique” coffee. Baristas are now respected as artisans in many cases. People are adamant that their coffee is brewed the way they choose.
Coffee shops can charge fairly hefty prices for crafting a simple cup of coffee to creating a foamy delight such as a latte. Many consumers are willing to pay for these caffeine laden treats. However, there are many who prefer to brew their own coffee at home, and not endure the hassle of lines or mistakenly made drinks. These consumers have several home-brew options.
Home brew enthusiasts have various options for making coffee such as a drip maker, single cup pod-type brewers, or brewers that grind coffee beans and make the coffee. Many of these coffee makers also offer timing and warming features. Lost in the art, however, is the percolator. There are plenty of coffee connoisseurs who prefer percolated coffee, but have fairly antiquated options for the percolators themselves.
The inventive percolator combines all of the desired modern features a drip or pod-type brewer may offer, but concentrated in one percolator unit. The inventive percolator provides timed brew, timed heating elements, notification of brew cycle, and even a “smart” interface app for the consumer to operate the percolator from. The warmth source in the base or warming plate of the percolator warms the water in the carafe. Water at the base of the percolator gets hot first and begins to bubble. The bubbling makes rises rise and drive water up a vertical tube in the center of the carafe, and then out the highest point of the vertical tube. From the highest point of the tube, the water streams out and over the top of the coffee percolator. Holes in the tube basket disseminate the water over the highest point of the coffee grounds. The water then leaks through the coffee grounds then through the base of the coffee basket. From the base of the coffee percolator, the water drops onto the colder water at the highest point of the base percolator, driving water up the tube. This entire cycle rehashes consistently
The invention is described in further detail by reference to eleven (11) drawings sufficient in detail to describe the invention in which:
