Vacuum brewed beverage machine and vacuum brewing method

Abstract

The desired amount of coffee grounds, tea leaves, herbs or other beverage making material is placed in a chamber of glass vessel located on a moveable table top in its lowered position. The table top can be elevated until the upper edge of the vessel seals against a top seal. With the top sealed, the desired amount of water is introduced into the chamber through a port in the top. Thereafter, a vacuum is drawn. Alternatively, the vacuum can be pulsed by turning it on and off several times during the brewing cycle. After the beverage has brewed for the desired amount of time, the vacuum is removed, the chamber is returned to atmospheric pressure and the table top is lowered to release the vessel. The contents of the chamber are then strained to remove solids from the beverage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for brewing beverages comprising:
 a vessel having a single chamber and an open top;   a lid configured to connect to the vessel top and seal the chamber from atmosphere;   a port configured to communicate water through the lid;   a port configured to communicate vacuum pressure through the lid and connected to a vacuum source located outside of the chamber; and   a surface configured to move the vessel towards the lid to connect and seal the lid onto the open top.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is configured to move the vessel directly up toward said lid. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the port configured to communicate water and the port configured to communicate vacuum are the same port. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the port configured to communicate water and the port configured to communicate vacuum are different ports. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an energy source configured to heat water.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the energy source is configured to heat the water between 185° and 212° F. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a screen configured at a bottom of the chamber. 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source is a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source comprises a venturi vacuum. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a one-way valve in fluid communication with at least one of the port configured to communicate water through the lid and the port configured to communicate vacuum pressure.