AUTOMATIC COFFEE MAKER AND METHOD OF PREPARING A BREWED BEVERAGE

1 . A beverage system, comprising:

a housing including a water outlet;

a water reservoir mounted to said housing, said water reservoir being arranged in fluid communication with said water outlet via at least one fluid conduit;

a flow meter disposed within said at least one fluid conduit, said flow meter being configured to measure a volume of water supplied to said water outlet; and

a heating mechanism configured to heat at least a portion of the water within said at least one fluid conduit, wherein water is selectively supplied to said water outlet without a pump.

2 . The beverage system according to claim 1 , wherein water is selectively supplied to said water outlet by operating said heating mechanism.

3 . The beverage system according to claim 2 , wherein pressure generated by operating said heating mechanism is configured to supply a volume of water to said water outlet.

4 . The beverage system according to claim 2 , wherein said heating mechanism and said flow meter are operably coupled to a controller.

5 . The beverage system according to claim 4 , wherein said controller is configured to control operation of said heating mechanism based on said volume of water measured by said flow meter.

6 . The beverage system according to claim 1 , wherein water from said water reservoir is fed to said flow meter by gravity.

7 . The beverage system according to claim 1 , wherein said flow meter is a paddle wheel.

8 . The beverage system according to claim 1 , wherein said heating mechanism is operable only when the water reservoir contains a fluid.

9 . A beverage system, comprising:

a housing configured to receive a container for storing a beverage prepared by the beverage system;

a heating mechanism positioned within said housing, said heating mechanism being configured to selectively heat said beverage within said container; and

a thermal regulation device operably coupled to said heating mechanism, said thermal regulation device being configured to monitor a temperature of at least one of said beverage and said container such that said temperature remains within a predetermined threshold to maintain a flavor profile of the beverage.

10 . The beverage system according to claim 9 , wherein if said temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, power is removed from said heating mechanism.

11 . The beverage system according to claim 9 , wherein said heat provided by said heating mechanism affects said flavor profile of said beverage when said heat breaks down one or more compounds within said beverage.

12 . The beverage system according to claim 9 , wherein said thermal regulation device is a thermistor.

13 . The beverage system according to claim 9 , wherein said thermal regulation device is a thermostat.

14 . The beverage system according to claim 9 , wherein said housing includes a floor configured to receive said container and said heating mechanism is positioned within said floor.

15 . A beverage system, comprising:

a housing configured to receive a container;

a shower head mounted to the housing, the shower head being substantially vertically aligned with said container;

a water reservoir removably coupled to a portion of the housing; and

a brew basket removably mounted to said housing directly beneath said shower head, the brew basket including:

a generally hollow body configured to define a brew chamber therein; and

at least one outlet opening formed in said body and fluidly coupled to said brew chamber.

16 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said generally hollow body includes at least one overflow orifice configured to stow a volume of fluid to prevent overflow.

17 . The beverage system according to claim 16 , wherein said at least one overflow orifice is positioned adjacent a sidewall of said hollow body.

18 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one outlet opening includes two substantially identical outlet openings.

19 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one outlet opening includes a single outlet opening.

20 . The beverage system according to claim 19 , wherein the single outlet opening includes a siphon having a pipe fluidly coupled to the brew chamber and extending from a sidewall of said hollow body.

21 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , further comprising a flow control device mounted to said hollow body adjacent said at least one opening, said flow control device being configured to selectively control a flow of the fluid through the at least one opening.

22 . The beverage system according to claim 21 , wherein said flow control device is movable between a first position where fluid is configured to flow freely through said at least one opening, and a second position where no fluid is configured to flow through said at least one opening.

23 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said hollow body is configured to slidably mount to one or more rails of said housing.

24 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said water reservoir and said portion of said housing to which said water reservoir is coupled are substantially identical in diameter.

25 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , wherein said brew basket and said shower head are laterally offset from said water reservoir.

26 . The beverage system according to claim 15 , further comprising a platform mounted to said housing, said platform being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in said extended position said floor, said platform, said brew basket, and said shower head are substantially aligned about a vertical axis.

27 . A beverage system, comprising:

a housing including a flow meter;

a water reservoir configurable with said housing and including a chamber for receiving a liquid, said water reservoir being arranged in fluid communication with said flow meter, said water reservoir being disposed vertically above said flow meter such that a flow of said liquid from said chamber to said flow meter is driven by gravity.

28 . The beverage system according to claim 27 , wherein said liquid is configured to flow from said chamber until reaching equilibrium.

29 . The beverage system according to claim 27 , wherein said flow meter is arranged within a fluid conduit, upstream from a heating mechanism.

30 . The beverage system according to claim 27 , wherein said flow meter is a paddle wheel.