Patent Application
20230008685
The present subject matter relates generally to coffee makers and, more particularly, to coffee makers for Japanese-style iced coffee.
In home, restaurant, and office settings, it is common for multiple individual users to enjoy a wide variety of beverages. For instance, individuals regularly enjoy coffee. Conventional coffee makers generally brew coffee and dispense the hot brewed coffee to a container, such as an individual mug or carafe. However, some individuals prefer iced coffee, and making iced coffee with conventional coffee makers can be difficult.
A coffee maker with features for making iced coffee, in particular Japanese-style iced coffee, would be useful.
The present subject maker provides a coffee maker for making Japanese-style iced coffee. An iced coffee module can be mounted below an outlet of a single-serve beverage dispenser. The iced coffee module defines an ice chamber that may be filled with ice. During operation of the single-serve beverage dispenser, brewed hot coffee from the outlet of the single-serve beverage dispenser flows over the ice within the ice chamber. The ice advantageously dilutes and cools the brewed coffee, e.g., in order to reduce oxidation and produce smooth Japanese-style iced coffee. Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a method for brewing Japanese-style iced coffee with a single-serve beverage dispenser includes dispensing heated water onto coffee grounds disposed within a brew chamber of a brew module, flowing brewed coffee from the brew chamber into an ice chamber of an iced coffee module, the brewed coffee flowing over ice within the ice chamber, and flowing the iced brewed coffee from the ice chamber into a container.
In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a single-serve beverage dispenser includes a housing. A heating element is disposed within the housing. The heating element is operable to heat water. A brew module defines a brew chamber for receipt of a brew pod. An outlet of the brew module is disposed at a bottom portion of the brew module. Heated water from the heating element is followable into the brew chamber of the brew module. An iced coffee module defines an ice chamber for receipt of ice. The iced coffee module is mountable to the brew module at the bottom portion of the brew module such that coffee from the brew chamber is flowable into the ice chamber via the outlet of the brew module. An outlet of the iced coffee module is disposed at a bottom portion of the iced coffee module.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative position with respect to a fluid flow along a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” may refer to a position that is closer to an entrance of the fluid flow along the fluid pathway, and “downstream” may refer to a position that is closer to an exit of the fluid flow along the fluid pathway.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a ten percent (10%) margin.
Cabinet 120 supports or houses various components of free-standing appliance 100 to produce ice or dispense one more liquids, e.g., beverages, using a water source, such as a refillable internal water tank 170, e.g., removably held within cabinet 120. For instance, an icemaker 160 (
Free-standing appliance 100 includes a delivery assembly 142 for delivering or dispensing one or more liquids, such as cold water, hot water, or carbonated water, from one or more outlets 140. In some embodiments, a dispenser recess 144 is defined below one or more of the outlets 140. Additionally or alternatively, an actuating mechanism 146, shown as a paddle, may be mounted below the outlet(s) 140, e.g., within dispenser recess 144, for operating delivery assembly 142. In alternative exemplary embodiments, any suitable actuating mechanism 146 may be used to operate delivery assembly 142. For example, delivery assembly 142 can include a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor, or a button rather than the paddle. In certain embodiments, a control panel 148 is provided, e.g., mounted to a top panel 150 of cabinet 120, for controlling the mode of operation. For example, control panel 148 may include a plurality of user inputs (not labeled), such as one or more buttons, knobs, or graphical user interfaces, e.g., presented on a touchscreen display, for selecting a desired mode of operation or beverage to be dispensed.
Operation of the free-standing appliance 100 can be regulated by a controller 152 that is operatively coupled to control panel 148 or various other components, as will be described below. Generally, in response to user manipulation of control panel 148 or one or more sensor signals, controller 152 may operate various components of the free-standing appliance 100. Controller 152 may include a memory and one or more microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of free-standing appliance 100. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 152 may be constructed without using a microprocessor (e.g., using a combination of discrete analog or digital logic circuitry; such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software.
Controller 152 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout free-standing appliance 100. In the illustrated embodiments, controller 152 is located within top panel 150. In other embodiments, the controller 152 may be positioned at any suitable location within cabinet 120. Input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between controller 152 and various operational components of free-standing appliance 100. For example, control panel 148 and delivery assembly 142 may be in communication with controller 152 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. Additionally or alternatively, controller 152 may be in communication with various other components of free-standing appliance 100. For example, various valves, switches, light sources, etc. may be actuatable based on commands from the controller 152. As discussed, control panel 148 may additionally be in communication with the controller 152. Thus, the various operations may occur based on user input or automatically through controller 152 instruction.
In optional embodiments, a power receptacle 154 having one or more electrical outlet plugs, e.g., standard 3-prong outlets, may be mounted to cabinet 120, e.g., at top panel 150. An electrical device, such as a coffee grinder or phone charger, having a mating inlet plug may selectively connect and disconnect from power receptacle 154.
Although free-standing appliance 100 is not limited to any specific shape or dimensions, free-standing appliance 100 may generally be sized to fit within a fairly small room, such as an office breakroom, commercial kitchen, or in place of a so-called water cooler (i.e., fountain).
With reference to
A brew module 200 is provided to aid in the generation or dispensing of one or more hot beverages. For instance, brew module 200 may define a brew chamber 202 in which a brew pod 300 (
With reference to
An iced coffee module 240 is provided to aid in the generation or dispensing of one or more iced coffee beverages. As described in greater detail below, iced coffee module 240 cooperates with brew module 200 to brew Japanese-style iced coffee, e.g., rather than dispensing hot coffee as with using only brew module 200. Iced coffee module 240 may define an ice chamber 242 in which ice 320 (
With reference to
Iced coffee module 240 may define a plurality of inlets 246 at a top portion of iced coffee module 240. Inlets 246 may be disposed upstream of ice chamber 242, e.g., such that inlets 246 are disposed between outlet 204 of brew module 200 and ice chamber 242. Inlets 246 may be distributed over the top of ice chamber 242. Having multiple inlets 246 may facilitate dispersion of brewed coffee from brew module 200 across ice chamber 242. Inlets 246 may include no less than seven inlets in certain example embodiments, e.g., in order to advantageously facilitate dispersion of brewed coffee from brew module 200 across ice chamber 242.
Iced coffee module 240 may be sized to advantageously provide a single serving of Japanese-style iced coffee. For example, a volume of ice chamber 242 may be no less than fifty cubic centimeters (50 cm3) and no more than one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (150 cm3). Thus, e.g., ice 320 may be loaded into ice chamber 242 (e.g., may fill ice chamber 242) without concern for overly diluting brewed coffee from brew module 200 as the ice 320 in ice chamber 242 melts, and Japanese-style iced coffee may be brewed in a convenient manner with a single serve beverage dispenser, such as free-standing appliance 100.
An example method for operating brew module 200 and iced coffee module 240 to brew Japanese-style iced coffee with a single-serve beverage dispenser will now be described. Initially, the single-serve beverage dispenser, such as free-standing appliance 100, may be operated such that heater 172 generates heated water. The heated water may be dispensed onto coffee grounds within the brew chamber 202 of brew module 200. The coffee grounds may be disposed within brew pod 300 and/or within basket 230. The heated water may mix with, dissolve, or extract portions of the coffee grounds to form brewed coffee within brew chamber 202. The temperature of the brewed coffee within brew chamber 202 may be no less than one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit (140° F.) and no greater than two hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit (210° F.).
The brewed coffee exits brew module 200 and enters iced coffee module 240. Moreover, the brewed coffee flows out of brew chamber 202 at outlet 204 and flows into ice chamber 242 via inlets 246. Within ice chamber 242, the brewed coffee flows over ice 320. The ice 320 melts in order to advantageously dilute and flash cool the brewed coffee, e.g., and thus reduce oxidation and produce smooth Japanese-style iced coffee. The iced coffee then exits iced coffee module 240 through outlet 244, e.g., into a container 310 disposed within dispenser recess 144 on a shelf 180.
A volume of ice 320 within ice chamber 242 may be advantageously selected to provide a single serving of Japanese-style iced coffee. For example, a volume of the ice 320 within ice chamber 242 may be no less than fifty cubic centimeters (50 cm3) and no more than one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (150 cm3). Moreover, the volume of heated water dispensed onto coffee grounds within the brew chamber 202 may be advantageously selected to form a single serving of Japanese-style iced coffee. For example, a volume of the heated water dispensed into brew chamber 202 may be no less than one hundred milliliters (100 mL) and no more than two hundred and ninety milliliters (290 mL). Collectively, the volume of the heated water dispensed into brew chamber 202 and the melt water from the ice 320 within ice chamber 242 may form the iced coffee within iced coffee module 240. A volume of the iced brewed coffee may be no less than two hundred milliliters (200 mL) and no more than five hundred and eighty milliliters (580 mL), in certain example embodiments. Using nugget ice as ice 320 may facilitate complete melting of ice 320, e.g., due to the flakes that make nugget ice, facilitating melting relative to solid ice cubes.
The heated water may be automatically dispensed in response to an iced coffee user input at control panel 148. For example, a user may actuate the iced coffee user input on control panel 148 in order to initiate the brewing of Japanese-style iced coffee with brew module 200 and iced coffee module 240 describe above. A volume of heated water automatically dispensed in response to the iced coffee user input may be less than the volume of the heated water automatically dispensed in response to a brewed coffee user input at control panel 148. Thus, less heated water may be dispensed from outlet 140 when brewing ice coffee with both brew module 200 and iced coffee module 240, and more heated water may be dispensed when brewing hot coffee with only brew module 200. In certain example embodiments, the volume of heated water automatically dispensed in response to the iced coffee user input may be about half the volume of heated water that is automatically dispensed in response to the brewed coffee user input. Thus, a strength of the coffee brewed within brew module 200 in response to the iced coffee user input may be greater than the strength of the coffee brewed within brew module 200 in response to the brewed coffee user input.
As may be seen from the above, iced coffee module 240 may be placed directly under a drip brewing system to flash cool coffee. Excellent iced coffee may be brewed with iced coffee module 240 by brewing coffee at twice the regular strength (i.e., the strength when brewing coffee without iced coffee module 240) and then immediately cooling the brewed coffee with ice within iced coffee module 240. The ice melts and dilutes the coffee to regular strength. The Japanese-style iced coffee may be flash-chilled by ice 320 within iced coffee module 240 immediately after brewing the coffee within brew module 200. The ratio of ice to heated water used to brew coffee grounds to ice used to cool the brewed coffee may be about one to one (1:1) in order to avoid diluting or watering down the Japanese-style iced coffee.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
