Patent Application
20210274967
The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for automated cold drip coffee brewing.
Coffee is a well-known beverage that can be enjoyed in various forms, including hot and cold, and can be prepared in a variety of methods, such as immersion, infusion or drip methods. There are many types of devices that can be used to brew coffee, such as a French press, espresso machine, or Moka pot, using a variety of methods, such as immersion, infusion, pressure, and gravity.
Many of these devices and methods are used for brewing hot coffee, and are not intended to brew cold coffee. For example, a French press is a coffee brewing device that includes a carafe where hot water and coffee grounds, typically course, are combined. A plunger-like device is placed over the combined hot water and coffee grounds, and then pressed downwards, causing the grounds to be separated from the water towards the bottom of the device. The hot water interacts with the grounds, such that the oils, flavors, and essence of the grounds is captured in the hot water. This process uses hot water, usually in the range of 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit, as cold brew methods typically take much longer to extract the flavor from coffee to water. French press and other related hot-brew devices are not ideal for extracting flavor from coffee for cold brew coffee.
One method for brewing cold brew coffee is known as Kyoto style or Dutch style. For this method, the process begins when a container containing water and possibly ice is placed at the top of a device, for example a frame. The bottom of the container is connected to a manually-operated valve with an outlet that allows water from the container to pass through the valve. The valve can be manipulated by a user to manipulate the flow of water; a user set the valve to achieve a high-flow, which may cause the cold brew coffee to be more diluted than a low-flow setting. The water from the container falls into another container containing coffee grounds, where the coffee grounds container is open at the top so that water from the water container is received. As more water drips into the coffee grounds container, the coffee grounds become saturated. As the water passes through the coffee, the water will pick up oils and other flavors from the coffee grounds. Finally, the coffee-infused water will pass through the coffee grounds container into another container, where the cold brew coffee is collected. When complete, a cold brew coffee is ready to consume, either by pouring over ice or serving at room temperature.
There are several disadvantages to the Kyoto-style slow drip method. It is a manually-intensive process, as the user must fill and setup the water container, fill and setup the coffee grounds container, adjust the valve to the user's preferred setting, and set the container for collecting the cold brew coffee. A valve implementation is often imperfect, and must be carefully adjusted to find an ideal flow rate that is subject to water pressure and other factors. The frequent adjustment of the valve is often neglected by the end user, resulting in less-than-ideal cold brew coffee. This process can take anywhere from two to six hours. Additionally, the water flow may vary depending on the type of valve used and other factors that change the pressure on the valve, causing an irregular water flow.
Another method for brewing cold brew coffee is the immersion method. In this method, a mesh container is filled with coffee grounds. The mesh container is inserted into a larger container including water; this allows the water to interact with the coffee grounds in the mesh container. While similar to the French press, this method has the drawback of taking 12 to 24 hours to complete, depending on the user's preferred strength of cold brew coffee. Further, cold brew techniques based on immersion typically have different tasting coffee than drip or gravity based cold brew techniques, as the extraction process differs.
The present application describes systems and methods for providing cold brew coffee using a drip technique that uses gravity to transfer oils and other flavors from coffee grounds to water that may then be consumed by an individual.
For example, a method for preparing a cold brew coffee beverage may include receiving a coffee grounds container containing coffee grounds and one or more filters, receiving a preferred cold brew concentrate indication for preparing the cold brew coffee beverage, activating a peristaltic pump to move water from a reservoir containing water to a drip mechanism, and receiving cold brew coffee in a container. The method may include water that is room temperature. The method may include water that has a temperature between 48° F. and 68° F. when the peristaltic pump is activated. The method may include determining a water level of the reservoir, and when the water level reaches a predetermined value, deactivating the peristaltic pump and alerting the user that the cold brew coffee is read. The method may include filtering the water prior to moving the water from the reservoir to the peristaltic pump. The method may include filtering the water after the water passes through the peristaltic pump. The method may include, prior to activating the peristaltic pump, measuring a first temperature of the water in the reservoir, sending the first temperature to a controller, measuring a second temperature of the water in the reservoir after the first temperature is sent to the controller, and when the second temperature falls within a predefined range, activating the peristaltic pump.
As another example, a cold brew coffee device may be configured to prepare a cold brew coffee beverage, where the cold brew coffee device may include a water reservoir containing water, a plurality of tubes for transporting water in the water reservoir to a different location, a drip mechanism configured to receive water from the water reservoir, a coffee grounds container configured to receive water from the drip mechanism, wherein the coffee grounds container contains coffee grounds, a peristaltic pump configured to pump the water in the water reservoir to the drip mechanism, a container for collecting coffee-infused water from the coffee grounds container, a user interface configured to display information, a controller configured to control the peristaltic pump and user interface, and further configured to receive the cold brew strength indicator, and a battery configured to provide power to the controller, the peristaltic pump, and the user interface. The cold brew coffee device may include a portable battery configured to be inserted and removed from the cold brew coffee device. The cold brew coffee device may include a temperature sensor configured to obtain a temperature of the water in the reservoir. The cold brew coffee device may include a temperature sensor configured to obtain a first temperature of the water in the water reservoir and obtain a second temperature of the water in the water reservoir, compare the second temperature to a predetermined range, and based on the second temperature falling within the predetermined range, activate the peristaltic pump to pump water from the reservoir to the drip mechanism. The cold brew coffee device of may include a water level sensor configured to determine a water level of the reservoir. The cold brew coffee device may include a controller configured to receive a water level value from the water level sensor and determine when the water level value falls below a predetermined value, and cause the user interface to issue an alert associated with the water level value. The cold brew coffee device may include a filter for filtering the water in the water reservoir. The cold brew coffee device of may include a filter configured to filter the water prior to the water passing through the peristaltic pump. The cold brew coffee device may include a filter configured to filter the water after the water passes through the peristaltic pump. The cold brew coffee device may include an electric plug configured to plug into a wall outlet. The cold brew coffee device may include a drip mechanism including a plurality of outlets, each outlet configured to allow water to pass through the drip mechanism to the coffee grounds container. The cold brew coffee device may include a drip mechanism configured to rotate in response to a command from the controller.
As yet another example, a cold brew coffee device may be configured to prepare a cold brew coffee beverage, the cold brew device including a water reservoir containing water, a plurality of tubes for transporting water in the water reservoir to a different location, a drip mechanism configured to receive water from the water reservoir, a coffee grounds container configured to receive water from the drip mechanism, a peristaltic pump, the peristaltic pump configured to pump the water in the water reservoir to the drip mechanism, a container for collecting coffee-infused water from the coffee grounds container, a user interface configured to display information, a controller configured to control the peristaltic pump and user interface and further configured to receive the cold brew strength indicator and control the peristaltic pump to pump the water at a rate based on the cold brew strength indicator, and a battery configured to provide power to the controller, the peristaltic pump, and the user interface.
The embodiments disclosed in the present application include a system and method for preparing cold brew coffee. While the present disclosure focuses on preparing cold brew coffee, preparation of other beverages using cold brew techniques is within the scope of this disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein. In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designate like structural elements. It should also be appreciated that the depictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for making cold brew coffee using a cold brew coffee device. The disclosed systems may include a cold brew coffee device that is configured to brew coffee using a cold brewing method technique. A cold brew coffee device may include a reservoir for holding water, tubing for transporting water in the reservoir to another location, a drip mechanism for distributing water over a coffee filter or grounds container including coffee grounds, a pump for forcing water to move from the reservoir to the drip mechanism, and a container for collecting water that has absorbed oils and other elements from the coffee grounds. The coffee grounds in the coffee filter may be dampened prior to the filter being inserted into the cold brew coffee device, for example by a user who manually performs this process. The dampening process may also be performed by the drip mechanism, which may be configured in for example a “showerhead” configuration that distributes water over an area, and may be used to avoid a scenario where water follows a path through the coffee grounds that avoids most of the grounds in the coffee filter. While different types of pumps may be used, the present disclosure describes a peristaltic pump that may be used to ensure reliable distribution of water throughout the brewing process. As described in the present disclosure, the peristaltic pump may be an off-the-shelf pump, or alternatively may be modified and miniaturized to support a smaller form factor that enables the cold brew coffee device to be transported to different locations.
The cold brew coffee device may include other components to enable the cold brew process to be performed automatically, and either largely without user intervention, or entirely without user intervention. For example, the cold brew coffee device may include a portable battery that may inserted and removed into the cold brew coffee device. The device may also include an electrical cord that is used to plug the device into an electrical outlet. This allows for electrical components in the cold brew coffee device to receive power. The cold brew coffee device may include a user interface including one or more buttons and knobs, and a touch-sensitive display screen. A user may interact with the user interface for example to begin the cold brewing process, select a desired brew concentrate setting, or to change other settings, such as an alarm for notifying a user when a cold brew process is complete.
The cold brew coffee device may include various features to improve usability of the device. For example, the device may include a transceiver for communicating wirelessly with an electronic device, for example over a local Wi-Fi network or through the Internet. This allows a user to start a cold brewing process at a specific time, so that a cold brew beverage is ready when a user arrives at a location where the cold brew coffee device is located.
Turning to
A pump 114 is used to transport water from water carafe 104 to coffee grounds filter 110. The present embodiment uses a peristaltic pump to pump water from water carafe 104, though other types of pumps may be used. A peristaltic pump may be useful in order to reliably transport water from water carafe 104 to coffee grounds filter 110 in a manner that additional sensors are not needed, based on the purpose and design of a peristaltic pump. As disclosed in the present disclosure, the peristaltic pump may be modified to support a form factor where cold brew coffee device 100 may be packed into a portable format that allows for relocating the device to a different location, whether a different room for example in a home or office, on a trip, or possibly a vacation. For cold brew coffee with a limited flow rate, the components of the peristaltic pump may be miniaturized for embodiments where a portable cold brew device is preferred. Additionally, by using a peristaltic pump, a regular flow of water to the coffee grounds filter may be maintained, ensuring that the brew process requires less time.
Coffee grounds filter 110 includes coffee grounds. Over time, coffee grounds in coffee grounds filter 110 become saturated, and the water flows downward because of gravity. As the water passes through the coffee, oils and other elements from the coffee beans grounds is transferred to the water. At the bottom of coffee grounds filter 110, water is output and falls into container 118. Container 118 collects water that passes through coffee grounds filter 110. Eventually, the coffee-infused water that is collected in container 118 may be poured into another container that an individual may consumer.
Cold brew coffee device 100 also includes a battery 116. In the embodiment shown in
The cold brew coffee device 100 in
The user interface may also include additional features, for example a timer to notify the user when the cold brewing process is complete. In some embodiments, the peristaltic pump may provide information to a controller or other device that controls peristaltic pump, for example the amount of water that has been processed by the pump. After a certain amount of water has been processed, the controller may determine that the cold brewing process is complete, and provide a notification, such as an audio alarm, visual alarm, or other alarm that is designed to notify a user that the process is complete. The user interface may also be configured to allow a user to perform maintenance, such as providing a button to clear the device of any residual water that may be in tubing or other mechanisms for transporting water from, for example, a water reservoir to a coffee grounds filter.
Also shown in
Battery 224 may provide power to controller 220, user interface 222, and pump 204. In some embodiments, battery 224 may include separate power lines to each of controller 220, user interface 222, and pump 204. This may be useful for example if a fault occurs in delivering power to user interface 222. In this embodiment, the device may continue to function, albeit in a state with possibly less features. In other embodiments, an electrical plug not shown may be used instead of a battery to provide power to components found in cold brew coffee device 200. An electrical plug may plug into a wall outlet.
An example of a peristaltic pump that may be used in a cold brew coffee device as described in the present disclosure is shown in
Other embodiments may use a different kind of pump to move water from a water reservoir to other parts of a cold brew coffee device. Examples of pumps that may be used include diaphragm pumps, piston pumps, and peristaltic pumps. A benefit of using a peristaltic pump is the water is moved through the pump such that nothing but the tubing comes into contact with the water, and reduces risk of water contamination or fluid contaminating the pump. A peristaltic pump's design prevents backflow and removes the need for check valves to ensure flow of water in a single direction. In embodiments where portability is relevant, the peristaltic pump components, including the length of tubing, size of motor, and size of rollers, as well as dimensions of other components such as the outlet and inlet components, may be miniaturized in order to limit the size of the peristaltic pump and its form factor.
Exemplary user interfaces are shown in
At step 520, a controller sends a signal to a pump, causing the pump to move water from a water reservoir to a drip mechanism at a rate specified by the user. At described in the present disclosure, a user may specify, through a user interface, a specific volume of water to drip per second, or alternatively may specific a range of coffee strengths, for example, Mild, Regular, or Strong, and the controller adjusts the flow rate based on the user's selection. In some embodiments, the controller may cause an initial flow of water from the water reservoir in an amount that is greater than the user's specified input. This may be desired for example to flood coffee grounds with water. If a user dampens coffee grounds before starting the device, the controller may begin the flow rate based on the user's selection. The process then proceeds to step 530, where the pump causes water to be moved from the water reservoir to the coffee grounds filter at a rate based on the user's input.
In the embodiment disclosed in
In certain embodiments, the cold brew device described in the present disclosure does not include sensors. A benefit of not including any sensors besides sensors relating directly to the pump, such as a peristaltic pump, is to minimize cost and risk of component failure. Additionally, by using a peristaltic pump, the flow of water from a reservoir to a coffee grounds filter through a drip mechanism is more precisely obtained, minimizing the need for a sensor to measure water flow to ensure the flow of water is at an ideal rate. In some embodiments, a cold brew coffee device includes sensors for example to track the coffee-infused water level of a container to determine when an alert should be provided to a user that a cold brew process is nearly complete or complete. It can be appreciated that additional sensors may be added, for example to measure the volume of water leaving the reservoir, pump, drip mechanism, and coffee grounds filter. In other embodiments, no additional sensors are added, which may provide a cost benefit.
In the disclosed embodiments, the cold brew coffee device does not include a heating element. A heating element may heat water prior to the start of the brewing process. A benefit of designing a cold brew coffee device to not include a heating element includes: design aesthetics (e.g., a form factor of the cold brew coffee device can be designed in a more pleasing, aesthetic way), cost benefit (e.g., the cost of manufacturing the cold brew coffee device and the cost of use may be minimized by omitting the heating element), and portability (e.g., reducing the number of components in the cold brew coffee device may allow for the device to be more readily designed to allow for portability, for example if a user desires to take the cold brew coffee device on a work trip or vacation).
In the disclosed embodiments, the cold brew coffee device does not include a water filter. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the cold brew coffee device to include a water filtration system. Such systems can vary in complexity, including using non-electrical filtering processing versus processes that require electricity to filter water and other liquids with potentially greater purity. In some embodiments, the filter may be added prior to water being transported from a reservoir to a pump, for example a peristaltic pump, and in some embodiments the filter may be added between the pump and the drip mechanism. Ideally, filtering occurs prior to water entering a coffee filter including coffee grounds, but the cold brew coffee device is not limited in such a manner.
In the disclosed embodiments, the cold brew coffee device does not include a manual valve, such as valves used in Kyoto-style cold brewing devices. A benefit of using a peristaltic pump to pump water from a water reservoir to a drip mechanism at a rate defined by a user (or alternatively a default rate determined by the system) is that water may be accurately transported in a manner that does not require manual intervention, as is typically required with a valve in a Kyoto-style cold brewing device. In some embodiments, a valve may be used in addition to a pump's internal mechanisms, though any such valves are automatically operated and not configured by a user.
While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example and not limitation. Various changes in form and detail may be made to the embodiments described in the present disclosure, and alternative embodiments may be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, other steps may be added or removed from the described flows, and other components may be added or removed from the described systems. It is intended that other implementations are within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that any figures which highlight the functionality and advantages are presented for exemplary purposes only. The disclosed methods and systems are each flexible and configurable, such that they may be utilized in ways other than that shown in the present disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/985,752, filed Mar. 5, 2020, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62985752 | Mar 2020 | US |
