Abstract: A coffee brewer (10, 10′ and 10′) is provided with a plurality of solenoid controlled, bi-position dispense valves (40, 40′), a size adjustable valve (60) or a combination of both and a programmable controller (18) for controlling the dispense valves in accordance with preselected brew parameters of batch quantity and dispense time duration (FIG. 8).

Abstract: An insulated beverage dispenser (10) with an outer housing (24) having reinforcing cavities (86) and reinforcing ribs (88) on a canted surface (92) of a top closure (78) to resist distortion that is fitted over an integrally formed inner liner (48) in spaced relationship to provide a gap (52) that is evacuated to approximately 8% of standard atmospheric pressure. The bottom closure (62) of the inner liner (48) is symmetrically tilted downwardly across the center to a center-offset drain opening (76) to reduce the lateral extent (137) of a dispense tube (136) to reduce the quantity of beverage contained within the dispense tube (136) and subject to heat loss between the drain opening (76) to and a faucet (20). The dispense tube (136) is protectively contained within a hollow bottom section (25) for purposes of insulation and is also wrapped in foam insulation (139) for further insulation.

Abstract: A method of maintaining temperature of a hot beverage in an urn with a self-heating urn (10) provided with heat packs (18) that are rapidly heated during the brewing process and then gradually release their heat to the brewed beverage within the urn after it is removed from the brewing location to a serving location at which electrical powered for heating is not available. The heat packs (18) are formed of ceramic materials, high density liquids, PCM's or the like which are capable of being rapidly heated during the brewing process but then gradually release their heat to the beverage in the urn. Alternatively, the warmer packs (18) are removably mounted within a compartment (68) within the self-heating urn (10) and are heated apart from the brewing process and then inserted into the self-heating urn (10) when it is moved to a serving location.

Abstract: A food ingredient grinder assembly (10) having ingredient hoppers (12) and grinding blades (20) for grinding ingredient upon receipt within grinding chamber (14) has a controller that maintains a motor (38) operating after the ingredient in the grinding chamber has been depleted to vibrate and blow away residual ground ingredient from interior surfaces of the grinder assembly to reduce contamination of different type of ingredient subsequently ground in the same grinding chamber and passed to a brew basket (24) through the same outlets and manifold (50). In one embodiment the grinding blades are controlled according to a preselected time period and in another embodiment the control is based on the net weight of the ground ingredient within the brew basket (24) which is measured through use of strain gages (30).

Abstract: A beverage brewer (20) with a programmable dispenser cycle dispenser valve controller (36) for controlling a dispenser valve (34) to intermittently open and close during a plurality of control periods of an intermittent dispense period (88) to selectively control the quantity of hot water that is dispensed without changing the overall duration of the dispense period (88). Each of the control periods (CP1-CP20) has a duty portion during which the dispenser valve is open that is selectively varied to brew either greater or lesser amounts of beverage without varying the overall dispense period (88). Alternatively, the number of control periods is selectively changed to change the overall dispense period (88) without changing the quantity of beverage by appropriate changes to the duty portion.

Abstract: A dispensing urn assembly (10, 10′) with a hollow body (12) with an interior surface for containing beverage (14) and a manually operable faucet (16) for selectively dispensing beverage (14) from the bottom of hollow body with an electronic status display assembly (50) controlled by a microcomputer (62) in response to a temperature probe (44), a level probe (42) and a timer reset switch (46) to provide graphic displays (64,68, 72), numerical displays (66,70, 74) of the temperature, quantity and time elapsed or remaining since the brewing of the beverage and light indication displays (55,57, 59) when preselected values are ahieved.

Abstract: A card package production system (30) for producing card packages each with at least one card (48) bearing card information at a plurality of different card information locations on the card (48) with a card multireader (54) having an elongate card track (52) with a succession of reading stations located along the track (52) with readers for respectively reading the card information at the different locations on the card (48) with means for simultaneously sliding a plurality of the cards (48) along the track (52) in seriatim relationship through the succession of reading stations of the multireader 54 for simultaneous reading of the card information at the different locations on the cards (48) by the multireader (54).

Abstract: A card package production system (100) for producing card packages (115) composed of printed paper carriers (113) with matching cards (128) attached to the carriers (113) selectively outputs the card packages through a card package multi-directional distribution module (136) having a carrier transport with a primary carrier transport path extending between a package inlet (262) and a primary package outlet (144) for transporting the card packages along the primary carrier transport path. A movable stacker gate assembly (214, FIG. 7) mounted for movement between a stacking position (FIG. 26). In the stacker position, the card packages are inserted laterally through a laterally facing inlet (145) of a stacker (146) in two stages with successive pairs of card packages (115, 115′) being kept in an interleaved state.

Abstract: A method of making tea with a tea maker (54) provided with a control system (116) that enables the tea to be intermittently drained of water to allow contact of the tea (52,26) with atmospheric oxygen several times during each brew cycle to enhance flavor and to eliminate the problems associated with seeping of the tea.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser (20) with a top assembly (26) having a pivotally mounted closure cover (50) with an inlet access opening (56) and a stopper (54) of contrasting color pivotally mounted to the underside of the closure cover (50) for movement between a closed position (FIGS. 2, 5) in which the stopper (54) extends through the inlet access opening (56) to block the access opening (56) and to prevent movement of the dispenser (20) beneath a brew basket (58) of an associated brewer (60) for receipt of beverage, and an open position (FIG. 2) in which the stopper (54) held against the underside of the cover closure (50) and spaced from the access opening (56). The closure cover is pivotally mounted to a cover base (62) and is limited in movement by a carry handle (52) when in a lowered position, and is removable for cleaning and removal of a funnel assembly (70) to enable access to the interior through a funnel mounting hole (66) for cleaning.

Abstract: A beverage brewer (20) with a brew basket sensor (48) that senses when the brew basket is fully mounted to a brew basket mount (38) to enable initiation of a brew cycle. A controller 14 responds to the brew basket sensor (48) and internal programming that times the brew cycle including the drip period to actuate an automatic remote controlled brew basket lock (50) to lock the brew basket to the mount (38) during the entire brew cycle.

Abstract: A brewing system (30) with a brew basket support (358) with apparatus for mounting the brew basket (180) for movement between a first position (FIG. 10A) in which the brew basket (180) is aligned with the brewer (30) for receipt of water and a second position (FIG. 10B) in which the brew basket is removed from proper alignment to facilitate removal of the brew basket from the brew basket support (180). A filter support basket is supported within the brew basket (184) but spaced inwardly from a closed wall of the brew basket to provide a perimital gap (172) between the filter support basket (184) and the wall for passage of bypass water through the brew basket without passing through the filter support basket (184). The basket (184) includes an annular trough (172) for receipt of water above the gap (180) with a plurality of drain holes (344) for draining by-pass water through the perimital gap (172).

Abstract: A beverage dispenser (20) with a faucet assembly (42) manually removably attached to an integral, stainless steel, U-shaped outlet pipe (52) having a generally horizontal section (74) that extends outwardly from the enveloping side (76) has a faucet with a faucet shank (48) for mating overlapping connection with the horizontal section (74) and a faucet latch member (78) carried by the faucet shank (48) and a mating outlet pipe latch assembly (90,92) for releasable latching engagement with the faucet latch member (78) to releaseably lock the faucet shank (48) to the outlet pipe (52).

Abstract: A brewing system (30) with a brew basket support (358) with apparatus for mounting the brew basket (180) for movement between a first position (FIG. 10A) in which the brew basket (180) is aligned with the brewer (30) for receipt of water and a second position (FIG. 10B) in which the brew basket is removed from proper alignment to facilitate removal of the brew basket from the brew basket support (180). A filter support basket is supported within the brew basket (184) but spaced inwardly from a closed wall of the brew basket to provide a perimital gap (172) between the filter support basket (184) and the wall for passage of bypass water through the brew basket without passing through the filter support basket (184). The basket (184) includes an annular trough (172) for receipt of water above the gap (180) with a plurality of drain holes (344) for draining by-pass water through the perimital gap (172).

Abstract: A beverage ingredient filter (10) having a relatively inwardly located, filtering, inner section (12) of the beverage ingredient filter (10) made of water permeable filter paper (11) and a relatively outwardly located, water impervious and nonfiltering outer section (14) of the beverage ingredient filter continuously joined to and surrounding the inner filtering section (12) of beverage ingredient filter.