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:
Dec. 15, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2003
Michael W. Lassota, Barlett, IL (US);
Zbigniew G. Lassota, Long Grove, IL (US);
Michael W. Lassota, Barlett, IL (US);
Zbigniew G. Lassota, Long Grove, IL (US);
Food Equipment Technologies Company, Inc., Lake Zurich, IL (US);
Abstract
A hot beverage brewer () with an auto-directive brewer controller () that controls enabling and revealing of a plurality of hidden, or phantom, switches (and). Signals from disabled switches are ignored by a microcomputer (), and the operator is directed to only the hidden switches that are enabled by selectively revealing them with individually associated backlights (', and′). When the backlights are energized the location of the hidden switches is revealed by the light passing through a dark, but semi-translucent, flexible, plastic control panel that overlies the hidden switches and their associated backlights. Different modes of normal operation may be preselected during a program mode (FIG.D) in which one or more of the brew start switches are relatively permanently disabled and remain relatively permanently hidden, while other ones of the start brew switches and other function selection switches are only temporarily disabled and temporarily hidden due to changing conditions or status of the brewer during normal operation. A demonstration mode is provided in which the performance of the apparatus under normal circumstances is performed but the heating element and various valves are inhibited from being actuated. A self-diagnostic mode is provided for selective use in combination with a normal operation mode, a program mode and a self-diagnostic mode of operation.