Abstract: A food processing device including: abase having a drive motor; a vessel removably mounted on the base and including a bottom wall, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a cover member, the cover member including a feed tube extending upwardly therefrom; a pusher member adapted to be slidably received in the feed tube; and an interlock system operatively associated with the drive motor to enable operation of the drive motor, the system including: a light transmitter and a light sensor, the transmitter being operable to provide a path of light that is receivable by the light sensor; a light channel having an input end portion associated with the light transmitter and an output end portion associated with the light sensor to allow the path of light to travel therethrough; and a light blocker located between the input and output end portions of the light channel, the light blocker being movable between: a closed position to block the path of light travelling through the light channel, and an ope

Abstract: A drip filter coffee making device has a filter basket with a lid. The lid supports a water dispenser for wetting grounds in the filter basket. The basket is removable from a body of the device. The lid may have a dampened opening motion, biased into an open position by a spring.

Abstract: A filter cup (100) holds ground coffee within a portafilter for attachment to an espresso machine to extract a dose of coffee. The filter cup (100) has a body (102) including a floor (104) with a plurality of perforations (106), a sidewall (108) extending upwardly from the floor (104) to a rim (110) to define a cavity for holding the ground coffee, and a magnet (114) attached to the body (102) for producing a magnetic field.

Abstract: An appliance for making a beverage, the appliance comprising: a plurality of heating components for heating a liquid, and a power management system, wherein the power management system comprises: an energy storage device, wherein at least a first function of the appliance requires simultaneous operation of a first heating component and a second heating component of the plurality of heating components, and wherein at least the first heating component comprises a first heater element and a second heater element, where the first heater element is powered using mains power, and the second heater element is powered using the energy storage device.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a toaster (10) including: a housing (12); a pair of opposing food guards (24a, 24b) located within the housing (12) and defining a toasting cavity (25a, 25b) for receiving foodstuff to be toasted; a pair of heating elements (28) located within the housing (12), each heating element (28) being located on a respective side of the pair of food guards (24a, 24b), wherein each food guard (24a, 24b) is spaced from the corresponding heating element (28) by a clearance (81); and wherein each food guard (24a, 24b) has an upwardly-extending portion (75c, 75d) that extends upwardly to a portion (75a, 75b) that extends transversely from the upwardly-extending portion so as to extend above the corresponding heating element (28), the transversely-extending portion (75a, 75b) of each food guard (24a, 24b) projecting away from the opposing food guard (24a, 24b).

Abstract: A steam wand assembly that comprises a steam wand pivotable about a pivot axis and a dampening assembly configured to resist pivotable motion of the steam wand about the pivot axis. The steam wand assembly further includes a bias assembly configured to bias the steam wand in a first direction along the pivot axis such that the dampening assembly is configured to moderate a steam wand velocity in the first direction.

Abstract: An espresso machine has a built-in coffee grinder. A coffee grinding apparatus cooperates with a removable portafilter having a handle, the apparatus including: a cradle for supporting the portafilter; an actuator adjacent to the cradle for co-operating with the portafilter; a downward facing ledge engages a front tab of the portafilter for resisting imbalance of the portafilter when supported by the cradle. Wherein, when the portafilter is supported by the cradle and advanced forward, the front tab of the portafilter further contacts the actuator to operate an electrical switch, thereby causing a signal to be sent to a microprocessor for delivering coffee grinds to the portafilter.

Abstract: A steam wand assembly for an espresso machine has features for preventing overheating of the tip of the steam wand. In a first aspect there is provided a steam wand device comprising a metallic main body tube, a steam hose that passes through the tube, the steam hose also passing through a flexible spacer that is within the tube. In a further aspect there is provided a steam wand device comprising a main body tube having a metallic primary tube and a metallic tip, the primary tube and the tip being attached to one another by a polymeric steam nozzle, the nozzle having a central bore that extends from an inlet adjacent to a lower end of a steam hose to an exit opening.

Abstract: An espresso machine has a built-in coffee grinder. A coffee grinding apparatus cooperates with a removable portafilter having a handle, the apparatus including: a cradle for supporting the portafilter; an actuator adjacent to the cradle for co-operating with the portafilter; a downward facing ledge engages a front tab of the portafilter for resisting imbalance of the portafilter when supported by the cradle. Wherein, when the portafilter is supported by the cradle and advanced forward, the front tab of the portafilter further contacts the actuator to operate an electrical switch, thereby causing a signal to be sent to a microprocessor for delivering coffee grinds to the portafilter.

Abstract: An energy management system (401) for a kitchen appliance (201), the energy management system (401) comprising: a mains power system, a backup energy storage system (405), and a con-troller (411), wherein the controller (411) is arranged to: determine a state of health of the energy storage system; determine a state of charge of the energy storage system; determine how energy from the energy storage system is to be used based on the determined state of health, the determined state of charge and at least one measured variable obtained from a kitchen appliance (201), and apply the energy to operate at least one function of the kitchen appliance (201).

Abstract: A toaster (103) having a side wall (10) with a reflective surface (16) to reflect radiant heat towards a toasting chamber (13), and an external surface to which there is attached a sensor assembly (12). The sensor assembly (12) provides a source beam to illuminate part of the product and receives a reflected beam that is received by a sensor, with the sensor providing a signal indicative of a property of the reflected beam and therefore a chromatic property of the product.

Abstract: An appliance (100, 200) for heating a liquid to make a beverage, the appliance (1) including: a sensor assembly (10) including: a duct (12) having an inlet (18) and an outlet (20), the duct (12) defining a liquid flow path (21) between the inlet (18) and the outlet (20) for the liquid; a sensor (22) having an operative end portion (28) in the flow path (21) for measuring line parameters of the liquid in the flow path (21); and a nozzle (34) to receive water under pressure and direct a water jet transverse to the flow path (21) and towards the operative end portion (28) of the sensor (22) to at least aid in cleaning the operative end portion (28) of the sensor (22).

Abstract: A temperature sensing assembly for a milk frothing apparatus. The assembly including: a temperature sensor element and a resilient support element that receives and biases the temperature sensor element towards thermal communication with the underside of a vessel; wherein the assembly is located towards the end of a protruding portion that extends from the body of the a milk frothing apparatus; and wherein an upper surface of the temperature sensor assembly is adapted to promote liquid movement into a drip tray reservoir. The apparatus may include: a steam source; an air source coupled to an air injector module for mixing the air and steam; a user interface for receiving input from a user; and wherein the apparatus is configurable by receiving input parameters through the user interface, whereby the parameters includes final milk temperature, and an indication of froth amount.

Abstract: An appliance (210) to heat a liquid, the appliance (21) including: a vessel (212) to receive the liquid to be heated, the vessel (212) having a generally central upright longitudinal axis (218), a bottom housing (220), and a side wall (222) extending upwardly from the bottom housing (220), with a portion of the bottom housing (220) and side wall (222) at least partly enclosing a chamber (234) within which the liquid is heated; and a heating element (238) in thermal communication with the chamber (234) so that heat generated by the element (238) can be delivered to the liquid via convection, wherein the housing (210) includes a deformable sealing member (268) sealingly associated with the element (238) to sealingly connect the element (238) and bottom housing (220), with the member (268) inhibiting transmission of sound from the chamber (234).

Abstract: A temperature sensing assembly for a milk frothing apparatus. The assembly including: a temperature sensor element and a resilient support element that receives and biases the temperature sensor element towards thermal communication with the underside of a vessel; wherein the assembly is located towards the end of a protruding portion that extends from the body of the a milk frothing apparatus; and wherein an upper surface of the temperature sensor assembly is adapted to promote liquid movement into a drip tray reservoir. The apparatus may include: a steam source; an air source coupled to an air injector module for mixing the air and steam; a user interface for receiving input from a user; and wherein the apparatus is configurable by receiving input parameters through the user interface, whereby the parameters includes final milk temperature, and an indication of froth amount.

Abstract: A liquid heating appliance for making a beverage, the liquid heating appliance comprising: a plurality of heating components for heating a liquid, where at least a first of the plurality of heating components is powered using mains power, a power management system, wherein the power management system comprises: a controller, and an energy storage device, wherein the controller is arranged to: control an amount of the mains power applied to the first of the plurality of heating components, control an amount of stored power from the energy storage device to be applied to at least a second of the plurality of heating components, and switch polarity of the voltage of the stored power from the energy storage device to be applied to the second of the plurality of heating components after one or more heating cycles associated with the second of the plurality of heating components.

Abstract: A kettle (10) comprising: a hollow body (14) having a bottom wall (16) and a side wall (18) extending upwardly from the bottom wall (16) to a rim (19), with the side wall (18) surrounding a cavity (22) to receive water to be heated, the bottom wall (16) having an inner surface (17) facing the cavity (22), the inner surface (17) having an area; and a heating element (32) in thermal communication with the bottom wall (16) to thereby heat the water, the heating element (32) occupying a horizontal area that is at least 30% of the inner surface area (17).

Abstract: A steam wand assembly for an espresso machine has features for preventing overheating of the tip of the steam wand. In a first aspect there is provided a steam wand device comprising a metallic main body tube, a steam hose that passes through the tube, the steam hose also passing through a flexible spacer that is within the tube. In a further aspect there is provided a steam wand device comprising a main body tube having a metallic primary tube and a metallic tip, the primary tube and the tip being attached to one another by a polymeric steam nozzle, the nozzle having a central bore that extends from an inlet adjacent to a lower end of a steam hose to an exit opening.

Abstract: A kitchen device comprising a cooking vessel, a heating plate, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is thermally connected to, at least part of, the heating plate of the kitchen device for measuring the temperature of the heating plate, and the second temperature sensor is located in a position to measure the temperature of one or more ingredients that are inside the cooking vessel and the second temperature sensor is thermally isolated from the cooking vessel by a sensor isolation seal.

Abstract: An appliance (10) to heat a liquid, the appliance (10) including: a hollow body (16) providing a chamber (23) to receive the liquid, the body (16) having a bottom wall (17) and a side wall (18) extending upwardly from the bottom wall (17) so as to surround the chamber (23); an electrical resistance heater (27) fixed to the body (16) and to which electric power is delivered so that the heater (27) has a raised temperature to heat the liquid contained in the chamber (23); a switch (29), adjacent the heater (27), that receives electric power and delivers electric power to the heater (27), the switch (29) being mounted in the body (16) and located so that heat generated by the switch (29) can be delivered to the liquid via conduction; and wherein the switch (29) is mounted on the body (16) to inhibit heat transfer by conduction between the heater (27) and switch (29).