Coffee infusion apparatus and method

Claim 2

A coffee maker comprising in combination, a base, a water heating vessel on said base having an inlet and an outlet, means for heating water in said vessel, means on one portion of the vessel to support a coffee receiver, a column extending upwardly from another portion of the vessel, a coffee infusion chamber supported by the column, means for closing the inlet, a passage through which heated water may be withdrawn from the outlet of the vessel and passed to said infusion chamber through an entrance thereto, a water spreader means disposed across the entrance to said infusion chamber, a thermally responsive valve means controlling said passage for said heated water, said valve means being closed when the water is below a preset temperature and being sharply responsive when the water exceeds said preset temperature to open said valve means and permit water under pressure built up in said vessel by heating of the water therein to pass via said passage to said infusion chamber.

Claim 3

A coffee maker comprising a base member, a closable water heating vessel mounted on the base member, a coffee infusion chamber exterior to the water heating vessel and spaced above the base member; water inlet means for the vessel extending therefrom up to at least the top of the coffee infusion chamber; a closure element for said water inlet means; a water flow tube connecting said water heating vessel from a point near the bottom thereof to said coffee infusion chamber; valve means controlling the flow in said tube; means responsive to the temperature in said vessel for operating the valve means, said valve means being closed at normal room temperature; means for heating the water in the vessel to increase the pressure therein when both the closure element and the valve means are closed; said temperature responsive means being effective to open the valve means when the water exceeds a predetermined temperature, so that the water then flows rapidly through the valve means and the tube to the coffee infusion chamber.

Claim 4

A coffee maker comprising a base member, a closable water heating vessel mounted on the base member, a coffee infusion chamber exterior to the water heating vessel and spaced above the base member; water inlet means for the vessel extending therefrom up to at least the top of the coffee infusion chamber; a closure element for said water inlet means; a water flow tube connecting said water heating vessel from a point near the bottom thereof to said coffee infusion chamber; valve means controlling the flow in said tube; means responsive to the temperature in said vessel for operating the valve means, said valve means being closed at normal room temperature; means for heating the water in the vessel to increase the pressure therein when both the closure element and the valve means are closed; said temperature responsive means being effective to open the valve means when the water exceeds a predetermined temperature, so that the water then flows rapidly through the valve means and the tube to the coffee infusion chamber.

Claim 5

Coffee making apparatus for heating selective variable quantities of coffeee, comprising a closable pressure-tight water heating chamber, an infusion chamber, a conduit connecting the heating chamber and the infusion chamber, a valve controlling water flow through the conduit, means responsive to the temperature in the heating chamber for operating the valve from a closed position when the water therein is below a predetermined temperature to an open position when the water exceeds said temperature, heating means effective when the chamber is closed to generate pressure in said heating chamber, said pressure being effective when the valve is thereafter opened to urge a measured quantity of heated water from the heating chamber through the infusion chamber, and means to control the flow of heated water through the infusion chamber in accordance with the quantity of coffee to be brewed in order to maintain a constant infusion time.

Claim 6

Coffee making apparatus for heating selective variable quantities of coffeee, comprising a closable pressure-tight water heating chamber, an infusion chamber, a conduit connecting the heating chamber and the infusion chamber, a valve controlling water flow through the conduit, means responsive to the temperature in the heating chamber for operating the valve from a closed position when the water therein is below a predetermined temperature to an open position when the water exceeds said temperature, heating means effective when the chamber is closed to generate pressure in said heating chamber, said pressure being effective when the valve is thereafter opened to urge a measured quantity of heated water from the heating chamber through the infusion chamber, and means to control the flow of heated water through the infusion chamber in accordance with the quantity of coffee to be brewed in order to maintain a constant infusion time.

Claim 7

Coffee making apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means to control the flow of water through the infusion chamber is an adjustable chamber diameter.

Claim 8

In a coffee maker appliance of unitary form for brewing a variable quantity of coffee, variable by feed of a variable number of chosen units of volume of water from a heating chamber to an infusion chamber, the combination comprising a base supporting a column, said base and column being in communication and enclosing the heating chamber, said column enclosing a water filter chamber, and the top of said column being closable to seal said column, filter and heating chamber to a pressure-tight condition, a discharge tube communicating with said heating chamber at a low point therein, the entry to said tube being controlled by a thermally responsive valve sharply responsive to a predetermined temperature, a top for said coffee maker comprising a support on said column, carrying a coffee infusion chamber removable therefrom, said cOffee infusion chamber being a closed receptacle with an ingress orifice for water from said heating chamber and a discharge orifice, said infusion chamber being of variable diameter to permit variable rates of discharge from said chamber through constant depth of coffee grounds, and heating means in the heating chamber in heat exchange relation with water therein, said heating means being selectively controllable at different levels of intensity.

Claim 9

In a coffee maker appliance of unitary form for brewing a variable quantity of coffee, variable by feed of a variable number of chosen units of volume of water from a heating chamber to an infusion chamber, the combination comprising a base supporting a column, said base and column being in communication and enclosing the heating chamber, said column enclosing a water filter chamber, and the top of said column being closable to seal said column, filter and heating chamber to a pressure-tight condition, a discharge tube communicating with said heating chamber at a low point therein, the entry to said tube being controlled by a thermally responsive valve sharply responsive to a predetermined temperature, a top for said coffee maker comprising a support on said column, carrying a coffee infusion chamber removable therefrom, said cOffee infusion chamber being a closed receptacle with an ingress orifice for water from said heating chamber and a discharge orifice, said infusion chamber being of variable diameter to permit variable rates of discharge from said chamber through constant depth of coffee grounds, and heating means in the heating chamber in heat exchange relation with water therein, said heating means being selectively controllable at different levels of intensity.