Machine for brewing a beverage such as coffee and related method

Abstract

A machine for brewing a beverage such as coffee includes a chamber and a piston disposed in the chamber. The piston is operable to move to a first position to allow the chamber to receive a liquid and a flavor base such as ground coffee, to remain in the first position for a time sufficient for the beverage to brew, and to move to a second position to dispense the beverage by forcing the beverage out of the chamber. By modifying some or all steps of the French press brewing technique, the machine can typically control coffee-brewing parameters with a level of precision that yields brewed coffee having a uniform taste from cup to cup, and can typically brew the coffee with a speed that renders the machine suitable for use by establishments that serve significant amounts of coffee.

1 . A machine for brewing a beverage, the machine comprising:
 a chamber; and   a piston disposed within the chamber and operable to move to a first position to allow the chamber to receive a liquid and a flavor base, to remain in the first position for a time sufficient for the beverage to brew, and to move to a second position to dispense the beverage by forcing the beverage out of the chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operable to control the movement of the piston. 
   
   
       3 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the chamber and piston are cylindrical. 
   
   
       4 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first position of the piston comprises a retracted position; and   the second position of the piston comprises an extended position.   
   
   
       5 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 the flavor base comprises coffee; and   the liquid comprises water.   
   
   
       6 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the flavor base comprises a solid; and   a filter operable to pass the beverage and retain the solid in the chamber while the piston moves from the first position to the second position.   
   
   
       7 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the flavor base comprises a solid; and   a wiper operable to remove the solid from the piston after the beverage is dispensed.   
   
   
       8 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hopper operable to store coffee beans; and   a grinder operable to receive the coffee beans from the hopper, to grind the coffee beans, and to provide the ground coffee to the chamber as the flavor base.   
   
   
       9 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hopper operable to store the flavor base; and   a measuring unit operable to receive the flavor base from the hopper and to provide a predetermined amount of the flavor base to the chamber.   
   
   
       10 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hopper operable to store the flavor base; and   a transporter operable to provide the flavor base from the hopper to the chamber during a first operating mode and operable to provide the flavor base to a disposal unit during a second operating mode.   
   
   
       11 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir operable to hold the liquid, to heat the liquid to a predetermined temperature, and to provide the heated liquid to the chamber. 
   
   
       12 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reservoir operable to hold the liquid and to heat the liquid to a first predetermined temperature; and   a temperature-control unit operable to receive the heated liquid from the reservoir, to change the temperature of the liquid from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature, and to provide the liquid having the second predetermined temperature to the chamber.   
   
   
       13 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reservoir operable to hold the liquid and to heat the liquid to a first predetermined temperature; and   a temperature-control unit operable to receive the heated liquid from the reservoir, to cool the liquid to a second predetermined temperature, and to provide the cooled liquid to the chamber.   
   
   
       14 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reservoir operable to hold a cleaner; and   a transporter operable to provide the cleaner from the reservoir to the chamber during a cleaning operating mode.   
   
   
       15 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a holder operable to hold a beverage cup; and   wherein the piston is operable to dispense the beverage into the cup.   
   
   
       16 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a holder operable to hold a beverage cup;   a sensor operable to indicate whether the beverage cup is in the holder; and   wherein the piston is operable to dispense the beverage if the sensor indicates that the beverage cup is in the holder.   
   
   
       17 . A method, comprising:
 brewing a beverage in a chamber from a flavor base and a liquid; and   forcing the beverage out of the chamber by moving a piston within the chamber.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein producing the beverage comprises brewing coffee in the chamber from ground coffee and water. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein forcing the beverage comprises forcing the beverage through a filter to remove a solid from the beverage. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 introducing the flavor base into the chamber; and   introducing the liquid into the chamber in a manner that mixes the flavor base and the liquid.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 introducing the flavor base into the chamber; and   introducing the liquid into the chamber in multiple bursts.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising wiping a solid residue from the piston into a waste-disposal unit after forcing the beverage out of the chamber. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving a beverage-producing parameter; and   producing the beverage according to the parameter.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 electronically receiving a beverage-producing parameter; and   producing the beverage according to the parameter.   
   
   
       25 . A machine for brewing coffee, the machine comprising:
 a brew chamber having an opening operable to receive ground coffee;   a reservoir operable to hold water, to heat the water to a first predetermined temperature, and to provide heated water to the brew chamber;   a filter;   a piston disposed in the chamber and operable to force brewed coffee out of the chamber through the filter; and   a wiper operable to sweep the ground coffee off of the piston after the piston forces the brewed coffee out of the chamber.   
   
   
       26 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a hopper operable to store coffee beans; and   a grinding-and-measuring unit operable to receive coffee beans from the hopper, to grind the beans into ground coffee, and to introduce a predetermined amount of ground coffee into the brew chamber.   
   
   
       27 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding and measuring unit comprises an optical sensor operable to indicate an amount of ground coffee that the unit introduces to the brew chamber. 
   
   
       28 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding and measuring unit comprises an ultrasonic sensor operable to indicate an amount of ground coffee that the unit introduces to the brew chamber. 
   
   
       29 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding and measuring unit comprises a disk operable to indicate an amount of ground coffee that the unit introduces to the brew chamber. 
   
   
       30 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding and measuring unit comprises:
 a grinding motor; and   a current sensor operable to indicate an amount of ground coffee that the unit introduces to the brew chamber based on a current drawn by the grinding motor.   
   
   
       31 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding and measuring unit comprises:
 a grinding motor; and   a temperature sensor operable to indicate an amount of ground coffee that the unit introduces to the brew chamber based on a temperature of the grinding motor.   
   
   
       32 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding-and-measuring unit comprises:
 a container operable to hold the ground coffee;   a mass sensor operable to indicate a mass of the ground coffee held in the container; and   a mechanism to dump the ground coffee in the container into the brew chamber.   
   
   
       33 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding-and-measuring unit comprises:
 a container operable to hold ground coffee; and   a mechanism to dump the ground coffee in the container into the brew chamber.   
   
   
       34 . The machine of  claim 26  wherein the grinding-and-measuring unit comprises:
 a container operable to hold ground coffee; and   a mass sensor operable to indicate a mass of the ground coffee held in the container.   
   
   
       35 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising a water transporting unit disposed between the reservoir and the brew chamber and operable to receive heated water from the reservoir and to introduce a predetermined amount of the heated water into the chamber via the opening. 
   
   
       36 . The machine of  claim 25  further comprising a water transporting unit disposed between the reservoir and the brew chamber and operable to receive heated water from the reservoir and to introduce a predetermined amount of the heated water into the chamber via the opening, wherein the water transporting and measuring unit comprises a pump that introduces the water into the brew chamber at a rate that is proportional to a time during which the pump is active. 
   
   
       37 . The machine of  claim 25  wherein the piston is operable draw a predetermined amount of heated water from the reservoir into the chamber by moving a distance that corresponds to the predetermined amount. 
   
   
       38 . The machine of  claim 25  wherein:
 the filter is operable to cover the opening of the brew chamber; and   the piston is operable to force the brewed coffee out of the chamber via the opening and through the filter.   
   
   
       39 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising a temperature unit disposed between the reservoir and the water transporting and measuring unit and operable to cool the water from the reservoir to a second predetermined temperature. 
   
   
       40 . The machine of  claim 25  wherein the wiper and the filter are attached to a common assembly. 
   
   
       41 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising an electronic controller operable to control operation of the grinding and measuring unit, the reservoir, the water transporting and measuring unit, the piston, and the wiper. 
   
   
       42 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a substantially flat surface contiguous with the opening of the brew chamber;   wherein the piston has a surface and is operable to move into a wipe position where the piston surface is substantially coplanar with the contiguous surface after the piston forces the brewed coffee out of the chamber; and   wherein the wiper is operable to sweep the ground coffee from the piston surface when the piston is in the wipe position.   
   
   
       43 . The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising a cleaning mechanism operable to remove ground coffee from the filter and the wiper after the wiper sweeps the coffee grounds from the piston.