Bunn-O-Matic Corporation

Brent R Friedrich

John T Knepler

James H Anson

Randy D Pope

Christopher W Rahn

Alan W Brewer

David Trojahn

William Krause

James L Kates

According to the present disclosure, a brewing system includes a water delivery system, a cover, and a funnel. The water delivery system supplies water through a spray head of the cover to the funnel. The funnel holds brewing substance to be combined with the water to form a brewed beverage.

Accelerated brewing system, method, and apparatus

A spray head for use with or in combination with a beverage making apparatus. The spray head receives liquid from a liquid dispensing path of the beverage making apparatus and distributes liquid over a beverage making substance retained in close proximity to the spray head. The spray head includes a body portion () having a lip () extending generally from a periphery of the body portion. A plurality of holes () are formed extending through at least the lip portion. A connector () is provided for removably attaching the spray head to the beverage making apparatus. The spray head is removable from the beverage making apparatus for facilitating direct contact cleaning of the surfaces of at least the body of the spray head to remove particles and mineral deposits therefrom.

Spray head

Disclosed are a water heating system, a method of heating water and a water heating apparatus for use in providing successive volumes of heated water at a generally consistent temperature. In one aspect of the disclosure, a water heating system includes a reservoir () for containing water (), the reservoir having an inlet zone () comprising a lower portion of the reservoir and an outlet zone comprising an upper portion of the reservoir. A water inlet () is provided in fluid communication with a source () of water and the inlet zone. A heater () is positioned within the inlet zone is coupled to the reservoir. A temperature sensor () is positioned within the inlet zone, and a water outlet () is provided in fluid communication with the outlet zone. A controller () is coupled to the heater and the temperature sensor, the controller using information from the temperature sensor to controllably operate the heater to generally maintain a desired temperature within the reservoir.

System, method and apparatus for heating water

A beverage brewing apparatus which includes a substance dispensing device and a brewing device. The brewing apparatus includes a receptacle for receiving a brewing substance from the substance dispensing device, a movable chute positioned between the substance dispensing device and the receptacle, and a water dispensing system operatively associated with the brewing device and selectively communicating with the receptacle for delivering water to a brewing substance retained therein. Additionally, a drive assembly is provided to operatively displace the water dispensing device relative to the receptacle. When the water dispensing device is positioned in communication with the receptacle, the chute is moved out of communication with the receptacle. When the water dispensing device is removed from communication with the receptacle, the chute is placed in communication with the receptacle. The present invention also includes a seal attached to the water dispensing device to seal the water dispensing device while dispensing water to prevent the escape of moisture from the water dispensing device. The apparatus includes a sensor for detecting when a funnel is not present for brewing a beverage or when the funnel has not been recharged and replaced after brewing a beverage and upon initiating a subsequent beverage brewing cycle.

Combo grinder and brewer

A beverage (tea and coffee) making appliance of the type having a reservoir wherein a supply of hot water for brewing is maintained and from which a volume of the hot water is displaced by an equal volume of a batch of cold water discharged by gravity from a cold water basin through a fill tube into the bottom of the reservoir. The displaced hot water is discharged into a brewing funnel lined with a filter on which the beverage forming material (ground coffee or tea leaves) is placed. The cold water basin is equipped with a removable standpipe-like fitting on the upper end of the fill tube through which cold water enters as long as the level of water in the cold water basin is above the upper end or entrance opening in the fill tube. The fill basin has a second drain opening to which is connected one end of a tube the other end of which discharges into a portion of the brewing funnel which is partitioned off from the filter lined portion. In making iced tea, the portion of hot water flowing into the brewing funnel forms a concentrate which on discharging from the brewing funnel combines with the cold water entering the partitioned-off portion of the brewing funnel thereby forming iced tea stock. When the standpipe is removed and the second drain opening is closed the applicance can be used to brew coffee or tea in conventional manner.

Growing community of inventors

Springfield, IL, United States of America

Brent R Friedrich