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:
Apr. 10, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 01, 2008
William T. Jacobs, Lynnfield, MA (US);
James E. Shepard, Marblehead, MA (US);
Kevin P. Sullivan, Wakefield, MA (US);
Ian Tinkler, Wakefield, MA (US);
William T. Jacobs, Lynnfield, MA (US);
James E. Shepard, Marblehead, MA (US);
Kevin P. Sullivan, Wakefield, MA (US);
Ian Tinkler, Wakefield, MA (US);
Keurig, Incorporated, Reading, MA (US);
Abstract
A beverage forming apparatus includes a storage tank, and a centrifugal pump having an inlet connected to the storage tank by a supply conduit. The centrifugal pump may include a priming vent located below a full level of the storage tank and permit air to vent as liquid primes the pump. A metering tank may have an inlet connected to the centrifugal pump by a pump conduit, and an outlet connected to a brew chamber that forms a beverage using liquid received from the metering tank. In one embodiment, a flow control valve, such as a check valve, may be provided in the pump conduit to allow flow from the pump to the metering tank, but resist flow in reverse. In another embodiment, a vent valve in the pump conduit may be arranged to vent at least a portion of the pump conduit, e.g., to ambient air pressure.