Modular brew systems
A modular brewing system is described for providing hot water and managing power to multiple brew tower modules using a single centralized boiler and power management module so as to limit the number of high-power circuits required in a coffeehouse or store. The boiler and power management module manages power of components of the centralized boiler assembly and any brew tower modules connected thereto, including the boiler heaters, the grinder motors, and the brew chamber heaters.
1 . A method of facilitating brewing of coffee using a modular brew system, the method comprising:
heating water in a boiler assembly of a base module of the modular brew system;
supplying a first portion of the heated water from the boiler assembly of the base module to a first brew chamber of a first brew tower module of the modular brew system to facilitate preparation of a first coffee beverage within the first brew chamber of the first brew tower module,
supplying a second portion of the heated water from the boiler assembly of the base module to a second brew chamber of a second brew tower module of the modular brew system to facilitate preparation of a second coffee beverage within the second brew chamber of the second brew tower module,
wherein the first brew tower module, the second brew tower module, and the base module comprise separate structural units, the first brew tower module having a first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular brew system, and the second brew tower module having a second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system;
providing power, via a single high power circuit in the base module, to the base module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module, wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the base module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit; and
allocating the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module such that the base module, the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module can operate simultaneously with the power provided by the single high power circuit,
wherein the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module each comprise a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers and a grinder.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the first portion of the heated water to the first brew chamber comprises delivering at least 2 ounces of heated water per second to the first brew chamber and wherein supplying the second portion of the heated water to the second brew chamber comprises delivering at least 2 ounces of heated water per second to the second brew chamber.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein managing the power allocation is performed by a master controller of the base module.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein managing the power allocation comprises diverting power from one or more heating elements of the boiler assembly of the base module to one or more components of at least one of the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first brew tower module and the second brew tower module are not powered separately by an electrical outlet.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an input indicative of power resource requirements from the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower,
wherein the step of allocating the power provided to the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower is performed based on the input indicative of power resource requirements.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via a master controller of the base module, control signals to the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower in order to turn on or off one or more components of the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower.
8 . A modular coffee brewing system comprising:
a first coffee brew tower module comprising a first housing, a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers, a grinder, and a brew chamber, the first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular coffee brewing system;
a second coffee brew tower module comprising a second housing, a hopper assembly having a plurality of hoppers, a grinder, and a brew chamber, the second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system; and
a single boiler and power management module operatively and removably coupled to the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module,
wherein the boiler and power management module comprises:
a boiler configured to supply hot water to the brew chamber of each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module; and
a controller configured to allocate power provided to each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the first coffee brew tower module and the second brew tower module, and configured to transmit control signals to the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module in order to turn on or off one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module;
wherein the power is provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module and is supplied by a single high power circuit electrically coupled to the single boiler and power management module, wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the single boiler and power management module, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit; and
wherein the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower do not comprise one or more boilers.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module cannot operate independently without the boiler and power management module.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module cannot be powered by a separate electrical outlet.
11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module are configured to operate simultaneously.
12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the boiler is configured to simultaneously provide at least 2 ounces of hot water per second to each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module.
13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to divert power from one or more heating elements of the boiler to one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module or the second coffee brew tower module via a solid state relay bank.
14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the modular coffee brewing system is configured to operate using a single high power circuit configured to provide a voltage level of at least 200 V and a current level of at least 50 A.
15 . A coffee brewing module for a modular coffee brewing system, the coffee brewing module configured to supply hot water and manage power delivery to a first coffee brew tower module comprising a first housing, a grinder and a brew chamber and a second coffee brew tower module comprising a second housing, a brew chamber and a grinder, the first housing comprising a base, a sidewall, and a rear wall at a rear side of the modular coffee brewing system, the second housing comprising a base and a rear wall at the rear side of the modular coffee brewing system, and the brewing module comprising:
a boiler assembly configured to supply hot water to the brew chamber of each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module;
a controller configured to allocate power provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module by controlling an amount of the power provided to the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module; and
an electronic switching device configured to turn on or off one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module,
wherein the power is provided to each of the boiler, the first coffee brew tower module, and the second coffee brew tower module and is supplied by a single high power circuit,
wherein a total power required to simultaneously operate the boiler assembly, the first brew tower module, and the second brew tower module with separate power circuits is greater than the power provided by the single high power circuit; and
wherein the first coffee brew tower and the second coffee brew tower do not comprise one or more boilers.
16 . The coffee brewing module of claim 15 , wherein the boiler assembly is configured to simultaneously provide at least 2 ounces of hot water per second to each of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module.
17 . The coffee brewing module of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to divert power from one or more heating elements of the boiler to one or more components of the first coffee brew tower module or the second coffee brew tower module via a solid state relay bank.
18 . The coffee brewing module of claim 15 , wherein the power circuit is configured to provide a voltage level of at least 200 V and a current level of at least 50 A.
19 . The coffee brewing module of claim 15 , further comprising two water supply conduits, with each of the two water supply conduits configured to be coupled to a respective one of the first coffee brew tower module and the second coffee brew tower module.