The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 28, 1990
Hans-Jurgen Precht, Solingen, DE;
Robert Krups Stiftung & Co. KG, Solingen, DE;
Abstract
A coffee maker or another beverage brewing apparatus wherein a holder for flavoring agent or a filter in the holder has one or more valve-controlled outlets for gravitational descent of freshly brewed beverage into an open-top vessel beneath the holder. The top of the vessel has a rim and a spout which extends to a level below the rim. In order to automatically open the valve which controls the outlet or outlets, the holder or the housing of the apparatus carries a movable actuator which is engaged by the rim, irrespective of the orientation of the spout, and opens the valve as soon as the open top of the vessel is properly positioned beneath the outlet or outlets. The actuator has a rim-engaging follower the effective length of which in the circumferential direction of the open top of the vessel at least equals but normally exceeds the width of the spout. This ensures that the follower is engaged by the rim in any selected orientation of the vessel. The actuator can be reciprocably or pivotably mounted on the housing, on a container for liquid or on the holder.