Drip coffeemaker having a condenser eliminating delivery of steam to the

Abstract

An electric drip coffeemaker has a generally upright C-shaped housing with a lower horizontal leg having a heated carafe support, an upper horizontal leg having a water spreader, and a vertical leg enclosing an accessible water reservoir. An electrically heated hot water generator in the lower leg below the carafe support has an inlet connected to the reservoir through a one-way inlet valve and an outlet connected to the spreader by tubes through an interposed separate definitive steam condenser located in the vertical leg entirely below the reservoir. The condenser includes a plenum chamber larger in cross section than the connecting tubes and has a single inlet for water from the hot water generator at its bottom and a single outlet to the spreader at its top. A check valve in the chamber outlet permits only unidirectional water outflow from the condenser to create a 'scrubbing' effect cleansing the passages of mineral deposits and preventing clogging. The condenser provides a large condensing volume which eliminates deliver of steam to the spreader, thus increasing brewing temperatures, decreasing brewing time and improving quality of the brewed coffee. The lack of steam in the spreader region eliminates condensation on the outer surfaces of the coffeemaker and reduces condensation leaks.