Device and method for delivering liquid heated to a desired temperature under pressure in a microwave oven

1. A device for delivering a liquid heated to a desired temperature under pressure in a microwave oven, the device comprising:

a first chamber adapted to receive and hold a first volume of a liquid, wherein the first chamber is configured such that the liquid in the first chamber receives a first amount of microwave energy produced by a microwave oven during a period of time;

a second chamber adapted to receive and hold a second volume of the liquid, wherein the second chamber is configured such that the liquid in the second chamber receives a second amount of microwave energy produced by a microwave oven during the period of time, wherein a ratio of the second amount of microwave energy to a mass of the second volume of liquid is less than a ratio of the first amount of microwave energy to a mass of the first volume of liquid;

a vapor flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber; and

a liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to a destination outside of the second chamber;

wherein, when the liquid in the first chamber reaches its boiling point from receiving the first amount of microwave energy and at least partially turns into a gas, at least a portion of the gas flows through the vapor flow path from the first chamber into the second chamber, thereby increasing a pressure in the second chamber; and

wherein the increased pressure in the second chamber forces at least a portion of the liquid in the second chamber through the liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to the destination outside of the second chamber.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a first chamber end of the vapor flow path is above a predetermined liquid fill line.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein a second chamber end of the liquid/vapor flow path is below the predetermined liquid fill line.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the second chamber end of the liquid/vapor flow path is in a bottom one-fourth of the second chamber.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid flow path between the first and second chambers such that the liquid is able to flow between the first and second chambers.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second chambers are formed from a larger chamber with a dividing wall separating the larger chamber into the first and second chambers.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the dividing wall is arranged such that the first chamber peripherally surrounds the second chamber.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a nucleation site on an internal surface of the first chamber.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a chamber adapted to receive and hold an infusible material; and

wherein the liquid/vapor flow path delivers the liquid to the infusible material chamber.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a chamber adapted to receive and hold a cartridge containing an infusible material;

wherein the liquid/vapor flow path delivers the liquid to the infusible material cartridge chamber.

11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising a liquid insertion needle at a distal end of the liquid/vapor flow path, wherein the liquid insertion needle is adapted to pierce a lid of the cartridge such that the liquid is delivered into the cartridge.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the infusible material chamber comprises an extraction needle adapted to pierce a bottom surface and/or a side surface of the cartridge such that the liquid delivered into the cartridge flows out of the cartridge through the extraction needle as a brewed beverage.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device does not comprise an electric heating element.

14. A device for brewing a beverage in a microwave oven, the device comprising:

a first chamber adapted to receive and hold a first volume of a liquid, wherein the first chamber is configured such that the liquid in the first chamber receives a first amount of microwave energy produced by a microwave oven during a period of time;

a second chamber adapted to receive and hold a second volume of the liquid, wherein the second chamber is configured such that the liquid in the second chamber receives a second amount of microwave energy produced by a microwave oven during the period of time, wherein a ratio of the second amount of microwave energy to a mass of the second volume of liquid is less than a ratio of the first amount of microwave energy to a mass of the first volume of liquid;

a vapor flow path from the first chamber to the second chamber;

a chamber adapted to receive and hold a cartridge containing an infusible material; and

a liquid/vapor flow path from the second chamber to the infusible material chamber, wherein the liquid/vapor flow path has a liquid insertion nozzle at its distal end;

wherein, when the liquid in the first chamber reaches its boiling point from receiving the first amount of microwave energy and at least partially turns into a gas, at least a portion of the gas flows through the vapor flow path from the first chamber into the second chamber, thereby increasing a pressure in the second chamber;

wherein the increased pressure in the second chamber forces at least a portion of the liquid in the second chamber through the liquid/vapor flow path and the liquid insertion nozzle and into the cartridge; and

wherein the liquid delivered into the cartridge flows through the infusible material and out of the cartridge as a brewed beverage.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein a first chamber end of the vapor flow path is above a predetermined liquid fill line.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein a second chamber end of the liquid/vapor flow path is below the predetermined liquid fill line.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the second chamber end of the liquid/vapor flow path is in a bottom one-fourth of the second chamber.

18. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a liquid flow path between the first and second chambers such that the liquid is able to flow between the first and second chambers.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first and second chambers are formed from a larger chamber with a dividing wall separating the larger chamber into the first and second chambers.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the dividing wall is arranged such that the first chamber peripherally surrounds the second chamber.

21. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a nucleation site on an internal surface of the first chamber.

22. The device of claim 14 , wherein the infusible material chamber comprises an extraction needle adapted to pierce a bottom surface and/or a side surface of the cartridge; and

wherein the liquid flows out of the cartridge through the extraction needle.

23. The device of claim 14 , wherein the liquid insertion nozzle comprises a liquid insertion needle adapted to pierce a lid of the cartridge.

24. The device of claim 14 , wherein the device does not comprise an electric heating element.