US 11,889,943 B2
Axially operable brewing system
Tom Sonnek, Springfield, IL (US); Matthew P. Rutledge, Springfield, IL (US); and Joel Morton, Springfield, IL (US)
Assigned to Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, Springfield, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/048,882
Filed by BUNN-O-MATIC CORPORATION, Springfield, IL (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 19, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/028367
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 19, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/204759, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 24, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/660,085, filed on Apr. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0235919 A1, Aug. 5, 2021
Int. Cl. A47J 31/36 (2006.01); A47J 31/46 (2006.01); A23F 5/26 (2006.01); A47J 31/00 (2006.01); A47J 31/52 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/3614 (2013.01) [A23F 5/26 (2013.01); A47J 31/002 (2013.01); A47J 31/3619 (2013.01); A47J 31/461 (2018.08); A47J 31/469 (2018.08); A47J 31/52 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beverage brewing machine having a housing containing a beverage brewing apparatus, the beverage brewing apparatus providing mechanisms to function in a sequence of steps to minimize the time for producing a beverage from beverage brewing substance controllably combined with water, the brewing apparatus comprising:
a brew chamber for receiving beverage brewing substance and water;
an upper piston sized and configured for controllable movement into and out of the brewing chamber during a brewing cycle;
a drive mechanism coupled to the upper piston and a controller for controllably operating the upward and downward movement of the upper piston;
a vent valve communicating with the brewing chamber and coupled to the controller for controllably opening and closing the vent valve during a brewing cycle;
a heated water delivery system coupled to the controller and communicating with the brew chamber for controllably delivering water to the brew chamber during at least a portion of the brewing cycle;
a controllable brew chamber dispense valve coupled to the controller and communicating with the brew chamber for controllably opening and closing a passage from the brew chamber for dispensing of brewed beverage therefrom;
a dispense line communicating with the brew chamber and a controllable vale coupled to the dispense line and the controller for use in controllably dispensing beverage from the brew chamber, and
the system operates by positioning the upper piston at the start of a brew cycle out of the brew chamber to allow beverage brewing substance to be dispensed into the brew chamber, water is delivered from the heated water delivery system to the brew chamber simultaneous with the dispensing of brewing substance into the brew chamber to facilitate distribution and wetting of the brewing substance, at the conclusion of dispensing the brewing substance the piston is controllably moved downwardly into the brew chamber to seal the brew chamber, continued dispensing of heated water into the brew chamber occurs until a predetermined volume of water is achieved for use in at least partially saturating the brewing substance to facilitate extraction of brewed beverage therefrom, the piston is controllably moved upwardly in the brew chamber and not disengaged from the brew chamber during the brewing cycle to provide a volume within the sealed chamber for movement of the combination of water and brewing substance, continued dispensing of heated water into the brew chamber and controllable opening of the dispense valve on the dispense line initiates movement of brewed beverage out of the brew chamber through the dispensing line for dispensing to a container, after conclusion of the brewing cycle the combination of brewing substance and water is compressed by controlled movement of the piston in the brew chamber to extract beverage therefrom and at least partially drain the brewing substance for subsequent disposal.