Appliance for brewing coffee/tea

Abstract

An appliance for automatically brewing a beverage such as coffee, tea or the like comprising a reservoir for receiving a predetermined amount of water, a heating element for heating the water, a container adapted to receive coffee, tea or the like defining a wetting chamber and means for delivering heated water to the wetting chamber. The container includes an outlet port disposed a predetermined distance above the lowest portion of the wetting chamber wherein a predetermined head of water is consistently developed and maintained throughout the brewing cycle.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed: 
     
       1. An appliance for making iced coffee/tea comprising: a housing,   a reservoir within said housing for holding a predetermined amount of water,   a heating system for heating said water,   a receptacle for receiving brewed heated water,   a container dimensioned to be supported in said receptacle, said container having a chamber adapted to receive coffee, tea or the like and having dispensing means for dispensing brewed, heated water into said receptacle, said dispensing means including overflow means for dispensing said brewed, heated water into said receptacle after said water reaches a certain height in said chamber, and,   means for transferring heated water to said container, said means having orifice means for dispensing heated water into said chamber.   
     
     
       2. An appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said dispensing means for said container further includes: drain port means at a low portion of said chamber for selectively communicating with said receptacle, and   valve means operable for opening and closing said drain port .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to selectively dispense brewed, heated water into said receptacle.   
     
     
       3. An appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is generally cylindrical in shape.[.,.]. and .[.said means for locating is comprised of.]. .Iadd.includes .Iaddend.a cylindrical recess .[.in said housing.]. .Iadd.formed along one side thereof.Iaddend., said recess having a radius of curvature generally equal to the radius of curvature of said receptacle .Iadd.to receive said receptacle therein.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       4. An appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for forcing said heated water .[.through said dispensing means.]. into said chamber. 
     
     
       5. An appliance as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for forcing is comprised of a flow restriction. 
     
     
       6. An appliance according to claim 5 wherein said flow restriction is an orifice. 
     
     
       7. An appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said overflow means has inlet means a predetermined distance above the bottom of said chamber and outlet means in communication with said receptacle. 
     
     
       8. An appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said container has a drain port at a low portion of said container, and closure means for selectively opening and closing said drain port, said closure means being normally closed to allow the brewing of water in said chamber and being openable to release the brewed water into said receptacle. 
     
     
       9. An appliance according to claim 8 wherein said closure means has a manually accessible means for opening said closure means. 
     
     
       10. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein said heating system includes means for supplying heated water under pressure to .[.said dispensing.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.orifice, said .[.dispensing.]. orifice injecting said heated water into said chamber. 
     
     
       11. An appliance for automatically brewing a flavor-carrying material such as coffee, tea or the like comprising: a reservoir for receiving a predetermined amount of water,   means for heating said water,   a container having a chamber .Iadd.through which all said heated water passes .Iaddend.adapted to receive a predetermined maximum amount of said flavor-carrying material therein, said container including .Iadd.a drain port at the bottom of said chamber.Iaddend., .[.an.]. outlet .[.port.]. .Iadd.means .Iaddend.disposed above the lowest portion of said chamber and above the highest level of said flavor-carrying material, said port .Iadd.and said outlet means .Iaddend.communicating with a receptacle below said chamber for receiving brewed liquid, .Iadd.and control means integral with said container for regulating flow through said drain port to regulate the amount of water within said chamber, the position of said control means relative to said drain port being manually adjustable.Iaddend., and   means for delivering heated water to said chamber.   
     
     
       12. An appliance as defined in claim 11 further comprising means for forcing said .[.heat.]. .Iadd.heated .Iaddend.water into said chamber. 
     
     
       13. An appliance as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for delivering includes a restrictive nozzle operable to deliver said heated water to said container in pulsed streams. 
     
     
       14. An appliance for automatically brewing coffee, tea or the like comprising: a reservoir for receiving a predetermined amount of water,   means for heating said water,   a container having a chamber adapted to receive coffee, tea or the like therein, said container including an outlet port disposed a predetermined distance above the lowest portion of said chamber, a drain port at the lowest point in said chamber and .Iadd.manually operable .Iaddend.valve means .Iadd.integral with said container .Iaddend.operable .Iadd.on said container .Iaddend.for opening .[.an.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.closing said drain port, said outlet port communicating with a receptacle below said chamber for receiving brewed liquid, and   means for delivering heated water to said chamber.   
     
     
       15. In an appliance for automatically brewing coffee or tea, said appliance having means for providing heated water for brewing at a predetermined location .[.thereon.]. .Iadd.therein.Iaddend., a brew funnel for holding tea, coffee or the like for receiving heated water at said predetermined location, said brew funnel having:   a generally cylindrical shape, a closed lower end and an open upper end defining a chamber for receiving said coffee, tea and water,   a first port located a predetermined distance above the lowest portion of said chamber,   a second port located at the lowest portion of said chamber, said ports operable to drain liquid from said funnel,   a plug associated with said second port movable between a first position closing said second port and a second position opening said port,   means for biasing said plug to said first position, and   lever means on said brew funnel for overcoming said biasing .[.mean.]. .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to move said plug to said second position.   
     
     
       16. A brew funnel as defined in claim 15 further comprising latch means for maintaining said plug in said second position. 
     
     
       17. An appliance for .[.brewing coffee, tea or the like .]. .Iadd.making freshly brewed iced-tea .Iaddend.comprising: an elongated .Iadd.columnar .Iaddend.housing,   a reservoir within said housing for receiving a predetermined amount of water,   a heating unit within said housing for heating said water,   a receptacle .[.for receiving.]. .Iadd.dimensioned to receive .Iaddend.heated .[.water.]. .Iadd.brewed tea and ice to cool said heated tea.Iaddend., and   a container dimensioned to be supported over said receptacle, said container having a chamber for receiving .[.coffee,.].tea .[.or the like.]., .Iadd.means for creating a head of heated water within said chamber .Iaddend.and .[.having.]. dispensing means for dispensing brewed, heated .[.water.]. .Iadd.tea .Iaddend.into said receptacle, said housing and said receptacle being dimensioned such that said receptacle is telescopically received over said housing. .Iadd.   
     
     
       18.  A brew funnel for use in an appliance for automatically brewing coffee or tea, for holding tea, coffee or the like and receiving heated water, said brew funnel having: a chamber for receiving said coffee, tea and water, said chamber having an open upper end,   a drain port located at the lowest portion of said chamber operable to drain liquid from said chamber,   a control member integral with said funnel for controlling flow through said drain port, said control member being manually positionable relative to said drain port to a position to regulate the amount of water in said chamber, and   overflow means within said chamber operable to drain liquid from said chamber when said liquid in said chamber has reached a predetermined height. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       19.  A brew funnel as defined in claim 18 wherein said control member is a plug movable between a first position closing said drain port and a second position opening said drain port. .Iaddend.