Grind and brew coffee apparatus
A grind and brew coffee making apparatus for providing freshly brewed coffee and having a number of features for easy cleaning, more efficient maintenance and improved safety. The coffee making apparatus has a housing assembly with an upper separable top cover, a grinding assembly with a removable grinding chamber and separable grinding chamber cover, a brewing assembly with a removable brew basket and separable brew basket cover, a control assembly with a safety lock mechanism and a control panel for providing a user with control over the various operations of the coffee making apparatus.
This application is a continuation application and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/340,547, filed Jan. 10, 2003, which claims priority in co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/368,182, filed Mar. 28, 2002 and co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/347,266, filed Jan. 10, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coffee making apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a coffee making apparatus that has the combined capability of both grinding and brewing coffee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desirability or need for having freshly brewed coffee at home, at work, at restaurants and/or convenience store service stations, is well established. Accordingly, there have been a number of different coffee machines developed over the years that have been directed to improving or enhancing the different aspects associated with the coffee making process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,985 is directed to an apparatus and method for providing freshly brewed coffee with a superior aroma. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,410 provides for a coffee maker that brews coffee at a desirable concentration or strength and also provides a readout of the freshness of the brew remaining in a pot. Still other examples can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,932; U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,705; U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,507 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,502.
None of the foregoing inventions address the need for providing convenient freshly brewed coffee using a grind and brew coffee making apparatus having a combination of features that provide optimally fresh coffee flavor/aroma with either freshly ground coffee or previously processed commercial coffee, easy efficient cleaning, and improved safety in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a coffee making apparatus for providing optimal flavor/aroma with either freshly ground coffee or previously processed commercial coffee.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a coffee making apparatus having an improved housing assembly.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a coffee making apparatus having an improved removable grinding assembly for convenient/easy cleaning and/or filling.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a coffee making apparatus having an improved removable brewing assembly for convenient/easy cleaning and/or filling.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a coffee making apparatus having an improved control assembly for improved safety and greater flexibility in use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a coffee making apparatus with a housing assembly having an upper casing with a selectively separable top cover, an outer enclosure and a lower support base. The coffee making apparatus also has a grinding assembly with a motor, a grinding blade, a removable grinding chamber with a separable cover, and a grate for sieving coffee grinds. The coffee making apparatus further has a brewing assembly with a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly. The coffee making apparatus still further has a control assembly with a safety lock mechanism and a control panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSOther and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure.
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Motor 42 is preferably of any type suitable for providing sufficient rotational speed or torque to grinding blade 44 to process or grind whole coffee beans into coffee grinds. Grinding blade 44, preferably, is mounted so as to rotate about a vertical axis. However, grinding blade 44 can also be disposed to operatively rotate about any other axis, such as a horizontal axis, suitable for effective/efficient operation in the coffee making apparatus.
Grinding chamber 46 is preferably made of a resilient material and is removable for easy cleaning. Further, grinding chamber 46 can have a fill-level indicator 50 for providing observable information relating to fill capacity. Grinding chamber cover 48 operates to prevent particles from being extruded from the grinding chamber during a grinding operation. Grinding chamber cover can also be fixed to the grinding chamber and have an inlet for receiving coffee beans into the grinding chamber.
Grinding chamber cover 48 is also selectively separable from grinding chamber 46 for more effective and efficient cleaning. Grate 49 preferably acts as a pass-through to brewing assembly 60 for grinds once they reach a desired size. Grate 49 preferably has a plurality or number of differently sized apertures 54 to facilitate the delivery of a mix of grind sizes. This can help reduce clumping and to enhance the aroma and flavor of the coffee.
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The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined herein.
Claims
1. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
- a housing assembly;
- a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans;
- a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and
- a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus,
- wherein said housing assembly has an upper casing with a selectively separable top cover, an outer enclosure, and a lower support base.
2. The coffee making apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top cover is pivotally connected to said upper casing.
3. The coffee making apparatus of claim 2, wherein said top cover selectively opens and/or removes to provides access to internal components of the coffee making apparatus including a fluid reservoir, a removable grind chamber and cover, and a removable fluid filter holder and filter.
4. The coffee making apparatus of claim 3, wherein said fluid reservoir has a relatively large upper fill area for efficient filling and easy cleaning.
5. The coffee making apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top cover has a lock actuator for cooperating with said upper casing to selectively lock said top cover in a closed position.
6. The coffee making apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outer enclosure is a single piece of heat resistant material for supporting and insulating said upper casing and said fluid reservoir to dampen operative noise and provide greater thermal efficiency.
7. The coffee making apparatus of claim 6, wherein said lower support base supports said reservoir, said outer cover, and is configured to retain a carafe.
8. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
- a housing assembly;
- a grinding assembly for grinding coffee beans;
- a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and
- a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus,
- wherein said grinding assembly has a motor, at least one grinding blade operatively connected to said motor, a removable grinding chamber having a separable cover and a grate for sieving coffee grinds.
9. The coffee making apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one grinding blade is horizontally disposed.
10. The coffee making apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one grinding blade is vertically disposed.
11. The coffee making apparatus of claim 8, wherein said grinding chamber cover operates to prevent particles from being extruded from said grinding chamber during a grinding operation.
12. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
- a housing assembly;
- a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans;
- a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and
- a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus,
- wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly.
13. The coffee making apparatus of claim 12, wherein said fluid reservoir has a relatively large upper filling area for efficient filling and easy cleaning.
14. The coffee making apparatus of claim 13, wherein said fluid reservoir has a fluid level indicator with a stepped construction.
15. The coffee making apparatus of claim 12, wherein said removable filter assembly has a filter and a filter holder.
16. The coffee making apparatus of claim 15, wherein said filter is a charcoal fluid filter.
17. The coffee making apparatus of claim 15, wherein said filter holder has a handle, a stem, and a filter compartment for selectively retaining said filter.
18. The coffee making apparatus of claim 17, wherein said handle has one or more gripping structures to facilitate the grasping and/or handling of said filter holder.
19. The coffee making apparatus of claim 17, wherein said filter compartment has an entrance for allowing a user access to said filter.
20. The coffee making apparatus of claim 12, wherein said brew basket assembly has a removable brew basket with a separable cover and an access door assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 26, 2005
Publication Date: Jan 26, 2006
Inventors: Theodore Mulle (New Milford, CT), James Barraclough (Waterbury, CT)
Application Number: 11/235,716
International Classification: A47J 31/44 (20060101);