Drain for beverage forming machine
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for draining a component of a beverage forming system such as a coffee brewer. A tank used for holding and/or heating a beverage precursor liquid may be automatically drained. A beverage forming machine including a drain system may be self-contained in that the liquid drained from the tank is held by another tank that is part of the beverage forming machine. The tank into which the drained liquid is deposited may be removable from the beverage forming machine.
1. A beverage forming system comprising:
a housing;
a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid;
a reservoir that is configured to provide the beverage precursor liquid to the tank;
a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid;
a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage;
a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system deposits beverage precursor liquid that is removed from the tank in the reservoir; and
a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation.
2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank.
3. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank using pressurized gas.
4. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the drain system includes a pump that pumps the beverage precursor liquid from the tank.
5. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the tank is configured to hold an amount of beverage precursor liquid at least equal to a volume of the beverage formed at the beverage forming station.
6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the beverage precursor liquid is heated in the tank.
7. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to accept a beverage forming cartridge.
8. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the drain system to automatically drain the tank in response to an input from a user.
9. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the drain system to automatically drain the tank after a specified condition is met.
10. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is removably attached to the housing, and the system further comprises a pump that moves beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the tank.
11. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the drain system drains the beverage precursor liquid from the tank via a pathway that is different, at least in part, from a pathway by which beverage precursor liquid is provided to the beverage forming station for formation of a beverage.
12. A system as in claim 1 , further comprising a liquid inlet line which connects the reservoir to the tank.
13. A method for draining the contents of a tank used in a beverage forming machine, comprising:
providing a beverage forming machine including a tank, a reservoir arranged to supply beverage precursor liquid to the tank, and a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank;
providing a volume of a beverage precursor liquid to the tank;
substantially emptying the tank of the beverage precursor liquid by removing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank and depositing the beverage precursor liquid in the reservoir; and
removing the reservoir from the machine after the beverage precursor liquid has been deposited into the reservoir.
14. A method as in claim 13 , wherein the beverage forming machine is configured to move the beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the tank.
15. A method as in claim 13 , wherein substantially emptying the tank comprises forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank.
16. A method as in claim 15 , wherein forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank comprises providing a pressurized gas in the tank.
17. A method as in claim 15 , wherein forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank comprises pumping the beverage precursor liquid from the tank.
18. A method as in claim 13 , further comprising heating the beverage precursor liquid in the tank.
19. A system as in claim 13 , wherein providing a volume of a beverage precursor liquid to the tank comprises providing a volume of a precursor liquid to the tank via a liquid inlet line which connects the reservoir to the tank.
20. A beverage forming system comprising:
a housing;
a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid;
a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid;
a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage;
a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank using pressurized gas; and
a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation.
21. A system as in claim 20 , wherein the tank is configured to hold an amount of beverage precursor liquid at least equal to a volume of the beverage formed at the beverage forming station.
22. A system as in claim 20 , wherein the beverage precursor liquid is heated in the tank.
23. A system as in claim 20 , wherein the system is configured to accept a beverage forming cartridge.
24. A system as in claim 20 , further comprising a reservoir that is configured to provide beverage precursor liquid to the tank, wherein the reservoir is removably attached to the housing, and the system further comprises a pump that moves beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the tank.
25. A beverage forming system comprising:
a housing;
a tank attached to the housing for holding a beverage precursor liquid;
a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the rank, the beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part by using the beverage precursor liquid;
a supply system configured to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage;
a drain system configured to substantially empty the tank of beverage precursor liquid during a drain operation, wherein the drain system includes a pump that pumps the beverage precursor liquid from the tank; and
a controller adapted to control the supply system in a beverage forming mode to provide beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the beverage forming station for forming the beverage, and is adapted to control the drain system in a drain mode to automatically perform the drain operation.
26. A system as in claim 25 , wherein the tank is configured to hold an amount of beverage precursor liquid at least equal to a volume of the beverage formed at the beverage forming station.
27. A system as in claim 25 , wherein the beverage precursor liquid is heated in the tank.
28. A system as in claim 25 , wherein the system is configured to accept a beverage forming cartridge.
29. A system as in claim 25 , further comprising a reservoir that is configured to provide beverage precursor liquid to the tank, wherein the reservoir is removably attached to the housing, and the system further comprises a pump that moves beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the tank.
30. A beverage forming apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a beverage forming station attached to the housing and configured to form a beverage in part using a beverage precursor liquid;
a tank attached to the housing and configured to supply the beverage precursor liquid to the beverage forming station;
a reservoir supported by the housing; and
a drain system configured to substantially empty the beverage precursor liquid from the tank into the reservoir, wherein the drain system forces the beverage precursor liquid from the tank, and the drain system includes an air pump that pumps air into the tank.
31. An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the air pump that pumps air into the tank forces the beverage precursor liquid to move from the tank to the reservoir.
32. An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the reservoir is removable from the housing.
33. An apparatus as in claim 30 , further comprising a controller adapted to control the drain system to automatically move the beverage precursor liquid from the tank to the reservoir.
34. An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the tank is configured to hold an amount of beverage precursor liquid at least equal to a volume of the beverage formed at the beverage forming station.
35. An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the beverage precursor liquid is heated in the tank.
36. An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the apparatus is configured to accept a beverage forming cartridge.
37. A method for draining the contents of a tank used in a beverage forming machine, comprising:
providing a beverage forming machine including a tank, a reservoir arranged to supply beverage precursor liquid to the tank, and a beverage forming station fluidically connected to the tank;
providing a volume of a beverage precursor liquid to the tank; and
substantially emptying the tank of the beverage precursor liquid by removing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank and depositing the beverage precursor liquid in the reservoir, wherein substantially emptying the tank comprises forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank, and
forcing the beverage precursor liquid from the tank comprises providing a pressurized gas in the tank.
38. A method as in claim 37 , wherein the beverage forming machine is configured to move the beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the tank.
39. A method as in claim 37 , further comprising heating the beverage precursor liquid in the tank.