U.S. patent application number 14/408623 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-09 for method and device for brewing a beverage.
This patent application is currently assigned to Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER, Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER. The applicant listed for this patent is Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER, Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER. Invention is credited to David Murray Cross, Michael Paton, Cristian Simion Popa, Alistair David Smith, Daniel Thomas Toon.
Application Number | 20150190010 14/408623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48703593 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150190010 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cross; David Murray ; et
al. |
July 9, 2015 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE
Abstract
A method of preparing a beverage in a brewing device is
provided, the device comprising an infusion chamber (10) with a
bottom rim (12) which defines an opening; a capsule holder (20) for
receiving a capsule (30), the capsule holder comprising a sidewall
(24) having an upper rim (23), a filter (25) and an openable and
closable passage (29) on the opposite side of the filter from the
upper rim; the method comprising the steps of: inserting a capsule
(30) containing infusible beverage material into the capsule holder
(20); connecting the upper rim (23) of the capsule holder (20) to
the bottom rim (12) of the infusion chamber (10); introducing
liquid into the capsule (30) and releasing the beverage material
from the capsule so that the liquid and beverage material mix and
flow into the infusion chamber (10) so as to brew the beverage; and
then after brewing has taken place, opening the passage (29) to
allow the beverage to flow from the infusion chamber (10) through
the filter (25) and out through the passage.
Inventors: |
Cross; David Murray;
(Letchworth, GB) ; Paton; Michael; (Royston,
GB) ; Popa; Cristian Simion; (Royston, GB) ;
Smith; Alistair David; (Bangkok, TH) ; Toon; Daniel
Thomas; (Epping, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Conopco, Inc., d/b/a UNILEVER |
Englewood Cliffs |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Conopco, Inc., d/b/a
UNILEVER
Englewood Cliffs
NJ
|
Family ID: |
48703593 |
Appl. No.: |
14/408623 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
July 2, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2013/063943 |
371 Date: |
December 17, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/435 ;
426/431; 99/295 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/8043 20130101;
B65D 2203/00 20130101; A23F 3/18 20130101; A47J 31/0615 20130101;
A47J 31/0642 20130101; A47J 31/0605 20130101; B65D 85/804 20130101;
A47J 31/44 20130101; A47J 31/4492 20130101; Y02W 30/807 20150501;
A23V 2002/00 20130101; A47J 31/06 20130101; G01N 27/025 20130101;
A47J 31/407 20130101; A23L 2/52 20130101; A23F 5/262 20130101; Y02W
30/80 20150501 |
International
Class: |
A47J 31/40 20060101
A47J031/40; A23F 5/26 20060101 A23F005/26; A23L 2/52 20060101
A23L002/52; A23F 3/18 20060101 A23F003/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 6, 2012 |
EP |
12175405.5 |
Jul 6, 2012 |
EP |
12175406.3 |
Mar 21, 2013 |
EP |
13160324.3 |
Mar 21, 2013 |
EP |
13160325.0 |
Mar 21, 2013 |
EP |
13160326.8 |
Mar 21, 2013 |
EP |
13160328.4 |
Mar 21, 2013 |
EP |
13160342.5 |
Claims
1. A method of preparing a beverage in a brewing device (1), the
device comprising: an infusion chamber (10) with a bottom rim (12)
which defines an opening; a capsule holder (20) for receiving a
capsule (30), the capsule holder comprising a sidewall (24) having
an upper rim (23), a filter (25) and an openable and closable
passage (29) on the opposite side of the filter from the upper rim;
the method comprising the steps of: a) inserting a capsule (30)
containing infusible beverage material into the capsule holder
(20); b) connecting the upper rim (23) of the capsule holder (20)
to the bottom rim (12) of the infusion chamber (10); c) introducing
liquid into the capsule (30) and releasing the beverage material
from the capsule so that the liquid and beverage material mix and
flow into the infusion chamber (10) so as to brew the beverage; d)
after brewing has taken place, opening the passage (29) in the
capsule holder (20) to allow the beverage to flow from the infusion
chamber (10) through the filter (25) and out through the
passage.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the infusible beverage
material comprises tea plant material, herb plant material, flower
material and/or fruit pieces.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the liquid is water at a
temperature in the range of 80 to 96.degree. C.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the capsule (30)
comprises a body part (31) and a lid (32), the lid being attached
to the body part so as to enclose the infusible beverage material
(36) within the capsule.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the body part is made
from a water-impermeable material.
6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lid is opened
automatically as the upper rim of the capsule holder is connected
to the bottom rim of the infusion chamber.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lid is opened by
pushing it against one or more static opening members (40, 42).
8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein two openings are made in
the lid, one to introduce liquid and the other to release liquid
and beverage material into the infusion chamber.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the opening to introduce
liquid is made by pushing the lid against a static needle (42)
which pierces the lid so that the liquid can enter the capsule
through the needle.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the opening to release
liquid and beverage material is made by an opening member (40)
which is angled or has a sloped rear part (40) so that as it moves
into the capsule, the flap formed by opening the lid is pushed away
from the opening.
11. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the lid has pre-formed
weaknesses (34), and wherein the opening to release liquid and
beverage material is made by a blunt opening member (40).
12. A brewing device (1) comprising an infusion chamber (10) with a
bottom rim (12) which defines an opening; a capsule holder (20) for
receiving a capsule (30), the capsule holder comprising a sidewall
(24) having an upper rim (23), a filter (25) and an openable and
closable passage (29) on the opposite side of the filter from the
upper rim; means for moving the capsule holder and/or the infusion
chamber so that the upper rim (23) of the capsule holder is
connected to the bottom rim (24) of the infusion chamber; means
(42) for introducing liquid into the capsule so that the liquid and
beverage material can mix and flow into the infusion chamber so as
to brew the beverage; a valve (21) for opening the passage in the
capsule holder to allow the beverage to flow from the infusion
chamber through the filter and out through the passage.
13. A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the capsule holder is
removable from the device.
14. A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein there is a gasket on
the upper rim (23) of the capsule holder and/or the bottom rim (12)
of the infusion chamber.
15. A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the filter (25) is
inclined to the horizontal at an angle of from 5 to 45.degree..
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method and device for
brewing a beverage. In particular, the invention relates to infused
beverages such as tea that are brewed in a device having an
infusion chamber.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Beverages such as tea and coffee are usually prepared in the
home using ground coffee, tea bags or loose-leaf tea. However, the
long brewing time required and the mess produced are inconvenient.
Therefore, brewing devices have been devised which provide a
convenient, rapid and consumer friendly way of brewing such
beverages. The beverage material is typically provided in a single
use capsule or other container which is disposed of after brewing
the beverage. For coffee beverages the capsule itself typically
functions as the brewing chamber. The volume of the capsule is
normally less than that of the final beverage, so it is necessary
for the brewing water to flow through the capsule. This is achieved
by having a filter in the capsule so that the brewed beverage can
be dispensed whilst the beverage material is retained, and is
disposed of together with the capsule.
[0003] This method, however, is not well-suited for brewing tea, as
tea leaves require a larger volume in which to infuse. Therefore
devices for brewing tea have been designed which have a separate,
larger infusion chamber. For example, WO 2007/042485 discloses a
device for preparing an infused beverage, having an infusion
container for containing liquid. A cartridge containing tea leaves
is introduced into a cavity in the device. The bottom part of the
cartridge comprises a liquid-permeable filter. The infusion
container and the cavity communicate with each other, so that when
liquid is poured into the infusion container it flows to the
cartridge. The tea leaves are thus immersed in the liquid and
infusion takes place. After infusion has taken place, a passage
communicating with the cavity is opened to let the infused liquid
flow from the infusion container through the cavity and through the
filter of the cartridge to the passage. The spent tea leaves are
collected in the cartridge and are removed from the cavity together
with the cartridge. Whilst the infusion chamber allows space for
tea leaves to infuse, this method has a number of disadvantages. In
particular the cartridge has firstly to provide sufficient area for
the filter to allow the beverage to be dispensed in a short time
once brewing has taken place, and secondly to have sufficient
volume to contain the spent tea leaves which swell during infusion,
typically to around four times their dry volume. Thus the cartridge
has to be relatively large. It also has to be sufficiently strong
to support the weight of the spent tea leaves when it is removed
from the device. Furthermore it has to be connectable to the
infusion chamber in a liquid-impermeable manner, so that the
beverage does not leak out, which in turn requires the cartridge to
have at least a rigid lip or flange. Thus the cartridge needs to be
made out of a material such as plastic or aluminium, and because of
its size, a significant amount of this material is required.
However, this is undesirable from the point of view both of cost
and environmental impact. Hence it is an object of the present
invention to provide a method for brewing a beverage which
overcomes this disadvantage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method
of preparing a beverage in a brewing device, the device comprising:
[0005] an infusion chamber with a bottom rim which defines an
opening; [0006] a capsule holder for receiving a capsule, the
capsule holder comprising a sidewall having an upper rim, a filter
and an openable and closable passage on the opposite side of the
filter from the upper rim;
[0007] the method comprising the steps of: [0008] a) inserting a
capsule containing infusible beverage material into the capsule
holder; [0009] b) connecting the upper rim of the capsule holder to
the bottom rim of the infusion chamber; [0010] c) introducing
liquid into the capsule and releasing the beverage material from
the capsule so that the liquid and beverage material mix and flow
into the infusion chamber so as to brew the beverage; [0011] d)
after brewing has taken place, opening the passage in the capsule
holder to allow the beverage to flow from the infusion chamber
through the filter and out through the passage.
[0012] In a second aspect the present invention provides a brewing
device, the device comprising [0013] an infusion chamber with a
bottom rim which defines an opening; [0014] a capsule holder for
receiving a capsule, the capsule holder comprising a sidewall
having an upper rim, a filter and an openable and closable passage
on the opposite side of the filter from the upper rim; [0015] means
for moving the capsule holder and/or the infusion chamber so that
the upper rim of the capsule holder is connected to the bottom rim
of the infusion chamber; [0016] means for introducing liquid into
the capsule so that the liquid and beverage material can mix and
flow into the infusion chamber so as to brew the beverage; [0017] a
valve for opening the passage in the capsule holder to allow the
beverage to flow from the infusion chamber through the filter and
out through the passage.
[0018] By having the filter in the capsule holder rather than in
the capsule, the capsule holder can perform the functions performed
in the prior art by the capsule, and thus the functionality
required of the capsule is significantly reduced. Firstly, since
the beverage is filtered through the capsule holder, there is no
need for the capsule to provide sufficient area for the filter;
there is also no need to puncture or otherwise open the capsule on
two opposite sides. Secondly, there is no need for the capsule to
hold the spent tea leaves. Thirdly, the capsule does not need to
form a water-tight connection with the infusion chamber. In fact,
the capsule is immersed in the brewing liquid. Thus the capsule can
be much smaller and can have thinner walls since it only needs to
be large enough and strong enough to contain the dry tea leaves.
Moreover, it can be made of non-rigid materials (for example paper)
or could even be made of a soluble material which becomes part of
the beverage, leaving no waste.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The term "beverage" refers to a substantially aqueous
drinkable composition suitable for human consumption. Preferably
the beverage comprises at least 85% water by weight of the
beverage, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably from 95
to 99.9%. Preferably the beverage is a `tea-based beverage`, i.e. a
beverage comprising at least 0.01% by weight tea solids. Preferably
the tea-based beverage comprises from 0.04 to 3%, more preferably
from 0.06 to 2%, most preferably from 0.1 to 1% by weight tea
solids.
[0020] The term "infusible beverage material" refers to a beverage
ingredient that when steeped or soaked in an aqueous liquid
releases certain soluble substances into the liquid, e.g. flavour
and/or aroma molecules. Preferred examples of infusible beverage
materials are tea plant material, herb plant material, fruit pieces
and/or flower material (e.g. petals). The term `tea` refers to leaf
and/or stem material from Camellia sinensis var. sinensis or
Camellia sinensis var. assamica. It also includes rooibos obtained
from Aspalathus linearis. `Tea` is also intended to include the
product of blending two or more of any of these teas. The leaf
material may be substantially fermented i.e. black tea,
semi-fermented i.e. oolong tea, or substantially unfermented i.e.
green tea. The tea can be flavoured and/or spiced. Preferably the
infusible beverage material is dried and has a moisture content of
less than 30 wt %, more preferably less than 20 wt % and most
preferably from 0.1 to 10 wt %.
[0021] The term `brewing` refers to the addition of a liquid,
particularly hot water, to an infusible beverage material thereby
to form a beverage. Brewing may be carried out at any temperature,
but preferably in the range of 80 to 95.degree. C.
[0022] The term "infusion chamber" means a vessel which in which
infusion of infusible beverage material takes place, and which is
large enough both to allow the beverage material to move around in
the liquid during infusion, and also to contain a substantial part,
at least 75% of the volume of the final beverage. The term
"infusion chamber" therefore does not refer to capsules inside
which brewing takes place (as is typically the case in coffee
machines).
[0023] The term "capsule" is to be understood broadly, and includes
cartridges, pods, and packages etc. Capsules may be made out of any
suitable material, such as plastic or aluminium. The term "capsule"
includes packages/bags made of non-rigid materials, for example
paper, card or a woven or non-woven material such as is used for
tea bags. Capsules can also be made from materials which dissolve
and/or disintegrate in water, e.g. rice paper, a soluble film or
even from tea leaves.
[0024] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the figures, wherein:
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a brewing device according to the
invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the functional main
components of the device.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 with the capsule holder in
its lowered position.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows the device as in FIG. 3, but now with a capsule
inserted into the capsule holder.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows the capsule holder removed from the device.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows a capsule
[0031] FIG. 7 shows a preferred embodiment with a piercing blade
for opening the lid of the capsule.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows one non-limiting embodiment of a brewing device
according to the invention. The device 1 has a casing 2 with a
front side 3 and a rear side 4. An infusion chamber 10 and a
capsule holder 20 are located at the front side of the device. The
infusion chamber 10 has a bottom rim 12 which defines an opening in
its lower side. The infusion chamber may have an opening in its top
side which is covered with a removable lid 15, or it may be
constructed as a vessel without an opening in its top side. The
capsule holder 20 is sized and shaped so as to receive a capsule.
The capsule holder 20 has a handle 22 and is located on a support
6. The capsule holder 20 is shown in position for brewing, i.e. so
that the upper rim 23 of the capsule holder is in water-tight
contact with the bottom rim 12 of the infusion chamber 10. The
infusion chamber 10 is supported and held in place by a manifold
(not shown). A water reservoir, heater, and pump (not shown) are
located inside the rear 4 of the casing. At the bottom of the front
side 3 of the casing there is a tray 8 on which a cup 9 is placed
when the beverage is dispensed. A dispensing spout 7 is positioned
beneath the capsule holder.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main functional
components of the device. Water from the reservoir 50 is fed to the
infusion chamber 10 via a water filter 52, a water pump 54, a
heater 56 and a valve 57. The valve 57 controls the route the water
takes between the heater 56 and the infusion chamber 10. Firstly
the water is pumped to the infusion chamber 10 via the capsule 30
in order to brew a beverage 60. Subsequently, the valve 57 can
re-direct the water such that it enters the brewing chamber 10 via
a rinse head 18 in order to rinse and/or clean the brewing chamber
10. There is also an air pump 58 which can pump air to the infusion
chamber, preferably via the capsule 30 which is located in the
capsule holder 20. The spout 7, cup 9 and tray 8 are located
beneath the capsule holder 20.
[0034] FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 with the capsule holder 20
lowered so that its upper rim 23 is separated from the bottom rim
12 of the infusion chamber. The capsule holder 20 is removable from
the support 6 so that a capsule can be inserted. FIG. 4 shows the
device with a capsule 30 inserted into the capsule holder 20, which
is in the lowered position.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows the capsule holder removed from the device 1:
(a) in a perspective view and (b) in cross-section. The capsule
holder 20 has a side wall 24 with an upper rim 23. The side wall 24
and base 26 define a cavity 27. A filter 25 is located inside the
capsule holder. Protrusions 28 support the capsule 30 inside the
cavity 27 above the filter 25. Beneath the filter 25 is a passage
29 through which the beverage flows during dispensing and which is
closed by a drain valve 21 during brewing. The filter preferably
consists of a fine mesh made for example of stainless steel. The
mesh size must be sufficiently small to catch small pieces of
beverage material but large enough to ensure that draining is not
too slow. Preferably, the mesh size is from 100 to 500 microns,
more preferably 150 to 300 microns. Preferably the filter (when in
its normal position in the device) is inclined to the horizontal at
an angle of from 5 to 45.degree., preferably from 10 to 30.degree.,
such as about 20.degree.. Having the filter at an angle to the
horizontal has two advantages: firstly it presents a larger surface
area, and hence increases the speed of draining. Secondly beverage
material collects at the bottom of the sloped filter while leaving
the upper part clear of beverage material so that the beverage
drains freely through it.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows a capsule 30. The capsule 30 can be of any
suitable design. In order to facilitate efficient and
cost-effective manufacture, it is preferred that the capsule is
formed by injection moulding or by thermoforming. Preferably the
capsule comprises a body part 31 and a lid 32, the lid being
attached to the body part so as to enclose the infusible beverage
material 36 within the capsule. In this embodiment, the body part
is preferably formed by injection moulding or by thermoforming, and
the beverage material is subsequently enclosed within the capsule
by attaching the lid to the body part. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, the body part comprises a rim 33, and the lid is
attached to the body part around the rim, e.g. by heat-sealing. The
lid may be made of a thin film, such as foil. The body part is
preferably made from a water-impermeable material. Since the filter
is not located in the capsule, there is no need to puncture or
otherwise make an opening in the base of the capsule. This greatly
simplifies the construction of the capsule as the body part can be
e.g. injection moulded as a single piece, which only requires
filling with beverage material, followed by covering with a
lid.
[0037] Since the functionality required of the capsule is
significantly reduced compared to known capsules which contain a
filter, the capsule can be much smaller and/or can have thinner
walls since it only needs to be large enough and strong enough to
contain the dry infusible beverage material. The capsule can be
made from materials conventionally used for beverage capsules, such
as plastic or aluminium. However, it can also be made of non-rigid
materials (for example paper, card or a woven or non-woven material
such as is used for tea bags). The capsule could even be made
wholly or partly of a material which itself is a beverage material.
In this embodiment the capsule breaks up and/or dissolves during
brewing. For example the capsule could be made of rice paper, a
soluble film or even from tea leaves that have been pressed or
otherwise stuck together (in which case the capsule itself is the
infusible beverage material).
[0038] In use, the device functions as follows. With the capsule
holder in its lowered position, the user removes the capsule holder
from the support. A capsule containing infusible beverage material
is placed into the cavity of the capsule holder and rests on the
protrusions which hold it in the correct position.
[0039] The capsule holder is then replaced on the support. The user
then raises the support, for example by pressing a button on the
device which activates an actuator. The capsule holder travels
vertically upwards until it connects with the infusion chamber, and
forms a water tight seal. In an alternative embodiment, the
infusion chamber could move down towards the capsule holder.
[0040] In the context of the present invention, `connecting the
upper rim of the capsule holder to the bottom rim of the infusion
chamber` and `the upper rim is in connected to the bottom rim of
the infusion chamber` should be understood to mean that upper rim
of the capsule holder and the bottom rim of the infusion chamber
form a water-tight contact, so that the capsule holder and infusion
chamber form a vessel in which the brewing liquid can be held while
brewing takes place. The capsule holder and infusion chamber may be
connected by means of an intermediate member such as a gasket (for
example a rubber or foam ring located on the upper rim of the
capsule holder and/or the bottom rim of the infusion chamber) in
order to provide a good seal. Preferably the infusion chamber and
the capsule holder form an enclosed space when connected.
[0041] The device may have means for recognizing a capsule and/or
reading information from a code on the capsule. This allows the
capsule to be recognized by the device, so that the device can
automatically set the parameters for the brewing operation, such as
the brewing time, water temperature etc. It also allows the device
to be programmed so that it only operates if the correct type of
capsule is present. Thus a valid code signifies that an expected
type of capsule is present, and an invalid code signifies an
unexpected type of capsule, a capsule that has already been used or
that no capsule is present. The recognition system can be of any
suitable type, such as mechanical interlocking between the capsule
and the capsule holder; optical recognition (e.g. by means of
colour, fluorescence or bar code), electrical, magnetic,
radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip etc. The code may be
provided for example as a tag attached to the capsule. A tag is
particularly suitable for a capsule which dissolves or breaks up
during brewing.
[0042] Optionally, the device may also have means for allowing the
user to adjust the parameters of the brewing operation, such as the
brewing time, the cup size etc. The means may suitably consist of
buttons or other inputs on the device, together with a control
system.
[0043] The capsule preferably has a lid, which needs to be opened
or removed in order to release the beverage material. In one
embodiment, the lid is removed by the user before the capsule is
inserted in to the device. Alternatively, the lid is opened
automatically by the device after the capsule is inserted into the
capsule holder, e.g. as the upper rim of the capsule holder is
connected to the bottom rim of the infusion chamber. Preferably,
two openings are made in the lid, one to introduce liquid into the
capsule and the other to release liquid and beverage material into
the infusion chamber However, because the capsule does not have a
filter, there is no need to puncture or otherwise make an opening
in the base of the capsule. This greatly simplifies the
construction of the capsule.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, the lid is
opened by pushing it against one or more static opening members
when the capsule holder travels upwards to connect with the bottom
rim of the infusion chamber. The lid 32 is pushed against a static
opening member 40 located on the infusion chamber manifold 16. The
function of the member is to create an opening in the lid in order
to release liquid and beverage material. This can be achieved by a
member with a sharp edge which cuts or punctures the lid.
Alternatively, the lid may have pre-formed weaknesses, such as
perforations 34 which reduce the force required to open it. In this
case, the member 40 can be blunt, for example a wire. Preferably
the member is angled or has a sloped rear part 41 so that as it
moves into the capsule, the flap formed by opening the lid is
pushed away from the opening and held out of the way whilst the
beverage material is released from the capsule.
[0045] In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a second
opening for introducing liquid into the capsule is made by pushing
the lid against a static needle 42 consisting of a tube with a
pointed end. The needle 42 pierces the lid. Water is then pumped
from the reservoir to the heater, which is preferably a flow-though
heater. The resulting hot water (and optionally steam) is then
pumped to the capsule and enters it through the needle. The influx
of hot water pushes the infusible beverage material out from the
capsule through the opening made by the opening member 40 and into
the infusion chamber 10.
[0046] The heater and pump are controlled so that the target brew
temperature (which is typically in the range 80.degree. C. to
95.degree. C.) is achieved in the infusion chamber. Typically the
water flow rate is in the range of 200 to 400 ml/min, and the
volume of water is 150 to 300 ml, depending on the desired size of
the beverage.
[0047] Preferably the infusion chamber 10 is made of transparent
material such as glass, perspex, pyrex, etc., so that the user can
see the motion of the infusible beverage material (such as tea
leaves) whilst the beverage is brewing. Air may be pumped into the
capsule holder 20 or directly into the infusion chamber 10 to
create bubbles in the water and thereby agitate the beverage
material. This not only enhances the visual appearance, but also
aids infusion and helps to prevent the beverage material from
sticking to the sides of the infusion chamber. Moreover, the
introduction of air releases aroma which can optionally be vented
via a tube, which for example, has an outlet near to the dispensing
spout, thereby providing the user with the aroma of tea during
brewing. The brewing time, which typically ranges from 10 to 120
seconds, is preferably set by user input and/or information read
from the capsule.
[0048] Once brewing has taken place for the required time, the
drain valve 21 located in the base of the capsule holder 20 is
opened, allowing the beverage to drain from the infusion chamber.
Preferably the opening of the drain valve is controlled
automatically by the machine. The beverage flows from the infusion
chamber through the filter 25 located in the capsule holder below
the capsule, then through the passage 29, and finally into a cup 9
which the user has already placed onto the tray 8. Tea material is
prevented from entering the cup 9 by the filter 25. Optionally,
there may be a dispensing spout 7 positioned beneath the capsule
holder, so that the beverage is dispensed through the drain valve
and out through the spout. Thus, instead of being dispensed
vertically downwards into the cup, the beverage follows an arc,
similar to that of tea poured from the spout of a tea pot. This
enhances the "theatre" provided by the machine for the user, and
also emphasizes the "tea-ness" of the beverage, as distinct from
coffee making machines.
[0049] After the beverage has been dispensed, the infusible
material and/or beverage residue may be rinsed from the wall of the
brew chamber with further hot water. Preferably the rinsing water
is introduced through rotating rinse jets 18 located near the top
of the infusion chamber. Better rinsing is achieved by rotating
rinse jets than static ones. In a preferred embodiment, rinsing
takes place immediately after the beverage has been dispensed, and
the rinse water is also dispensed into the cup and becomes part of
the beverage. This removes the need for separate disposal of the
rinse water. In this case, the rinse water provides around 15-30%
of the total volume of the beverage, i.e. the volume of rinse water
used is around 50 ml.
[0050] Finally, after the beverage has been dispensed, the user
lowers the capsule holder and removes it from the support, using
the handle 22. The used capsule and spent tea leaves are then
disposed of, and the capsule holder can be rinsed. Since the
capsule holder is removable from the brewing device, it is easy to
clean. The capsule holder is then returned to the support, ready
for the next use.
[0051] The device can be cleaned, for example by running a rinse
cycle with no beverage material or by running a cycle with a
specific capsule containing a cleaning material, for example sodium
percarbonate.
[0052] The various features of the embodiments of the present
invention referred to in individual sections above apply, as
appropriate, to other sections mutatis mutandis. Consequently
features specified in one section may be combined with features
specified in other sections as appropriate. Various modifications
of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are
apparent to those skilled in the relevant fields are intended to be
within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *