Kitchen Appliance for Preparing a Beverage and Method of Operating Same

Abstract

A kitchen appliance includes a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage and a hot water generator (‘HWG’) which has an inlet end, an outlet end and a passageway therebetween. The inlet end of the HWG is connected to the first reservoir. Liquid from the first reservoir flows into the HWG through the inlet end. A second reservoir is connected to the outlet end of the HWG. The second reservoir includes a discharge port. A fluid path connects the first and second reservoirs and bypasses the HWG. The kitchen appliance is operable for both pressurized brew/heat cycles and un-pressurized brew/heat cycles.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A kitchen appliance comprising:
 (a) a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage;   (b) a HWG in fluid communication with the first reservoir and configured to heat liquid received from the first reservoir;   (c) a discharge port in fluid communication with an outlet of the HWG;   (d) a housing in fluid communication with the discharge port such that heated liquid from the discharge port flows over foodstuff received in the housing to prepare the beverage, the housing further comprising a removable basket with integral filter arranged therein, the basket configured to retain a loose foodstuff or foodstuff in a soft packet, the housing further configured to receive foodstuff in a container.   
     
     
         2 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable cartridge holder configured to receive the container therein, the basket being configured to receive the cartridge holder when the beverage is prepared using foodstuff in the container. 
     
     
         3 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising a handle pivotally attached to at least a portion of the basket. 
     
     
         4 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising a support fork that is at least one of pivotally, slidably, or removably attached to the handle, and is pivotally attached to the cartridge holder. 
     
     
         5 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable cartridge holder configured to receive the container therein and selectively received in the housing when the basket is removed. 
     
     
         6 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 5 , further comprising an ejection fork pivotally attached to the cartridge holder. 
     
     
         7 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge port is configured to pierce the container to allow entry of the heated liquid into the container. 
     
     
         8 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 7 , further comprising a blade arranged within the housing configured to pierce the container to allow the beverage to flow out of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is a drawer. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a kitchen appliance having a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing a beverage, a HWG in fluid communication with the first reservoir, a discharge port in fluid communication with an outlet of the HWG, and a housing in fluid communication with the discharge port, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving in the housing foodstuff for preparing the beverage, the foodstuff being in loose form, in a soft packet, or in a container;   (b) receiving a selection from a user of an operating mode of the kitchen appliance based on whether the received foodstuff is in loose form, in a packet, or in a container;   (c) heating the liquid in the HWG;   (d) outputting the heated liquid from the HWG through the discharge port in accordance with the selected operating mode, the heated liquid flowing over the foodstuff in the housing to prepare the beverage.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a removable basket having a filter arranged therein, and when the foodstuff is in loose form or in the packet, the basket retains the loose foodstuff or the packet during operation of the kitchen appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a removable cartridge holder configured to receive the container therein, and when the foodstuff is in the container, the basket receives the cartridge holder. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, when the foodstuff is in the container, piercing, by the discharge port, the container to allow entry of the heated liquid into the container. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the kitchen appliance further includes a blade, and the method further comprises, when the foodstuff is in the container, piercing, by the blade, the container to allow the beverage to flow out of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A process for preparing a beverage, the process comprising:
 (a) providing a kitchen appliance having a first reservoir for receiving a liquid to be used for preparing the beverage, a HWG in fluid communication with the first reservoir, a discharge port in fluid communication with an outlet of the HWG, and a housing in fluid communication with the discharge port;   (b) providing foodstuff in each of a loose form, in a soft packet, and in a container, the housing of the kitchen appliance being configured to receive the foodstuff in the loose form, in the soft packet, or in the container;   (c) selecting, by a user, the foodstuff in the loose form, the foodstuff in the soft packet, or the foodstuff in the container and placing the selected foodstuff in the housing;   (d) heating the liquid in the HWG; and   (e) outputting the heated liquid from the HWG through the discharge port, the heated liquid flowing over the foodstuff in the housing to prepare the beverage.