Airpot beverage dispenser and method

Abstract

An airpot beverage dispenser () having a composite dispense tube () with an exterior outlet () adjacent a top of a hollow body () and an interior inlet () located adjacent a bottom () for passing beverage () from adjacent the bottom () to the outlet when the interior of the hollow body () is pressurized has a brew-through assembly with a cover body () for substantially closing the open top () except for a centrally located brew-through passageway () substantially smaller than the open top () and extending between an upwardly facing exterior brew-through inlet () and an interior outlet () that passes through a central passageway extending through a double-walled bellows () or extends past a plurality of bellows (FIG.) that are laterally spaced from the passageway has an electronic display () for indicating a plurality of levels of the beverage () within the hollow body and a resistive (FIGS.-) or capacitive (FIG.) electronic level sensing assembly carried by the dispense tube () for sensing a plurality of different levels of beverage () within the hollow body and electrical leads () printed on the dispense tube to pass the sensing signals to a display controller (). The display, controller and portable power source () are protectively contained within a plastic watertight compartment () integrally formed with the cover body () is vented (FIG.) to prevent the accumulation of moisture within the compartment ().