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:
Jul. 22, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1996
Ingrid E Heynderickx, Eindhoven, NL;
Antonius A Rademaker, Hoogeveen, NL;
U.S. Philips Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus is provided (1) for preparing a hot beverage, comprising a water reservoir (3), means for removing and heating water from the reservoir and transferring it into a brewing chamber (5), and a light-transmissive jug (9) for catching hot liquid emerging from the brewing chamber (5), a wall (13) of the jug (9) being provided with optical means (15) for indicating the volume of liquid contained in the jug (9), wherein the optical means (15) comprise a first graduated scale (159) and a second graduated scale (153), the first scale (159) being clearly visible only when the jug wall temperature is below a reference temperature T.sub.o and the second scale (153) being clearly visible only when the jug wall temperature is above the reference temperature T.sub.o, whereby the reference temperature T.sub.o is within the range of 25.degree. C.<T.sub.o <80.degree. C., the ratio of the pitch of graduations in the second scale (153) to the pitch of corresponding graduations in the first scale (159) being approximately equal to the liquid yield ratio (R.sub.L) of the apparatus. In practice, the optical means (15) may comprise a film (155) of polymer-dispersed liquid crystalline (PDLC) material disposed between the first (159) and second (153) graduated scales.