GB2207341A - Beverage makers - Google Patents

Abstract

A siphon (81) of a beverage maker has two upright passages (87, 87') side by side. The passages are open to each other at their upper ends, and the lower end of one passage (87) is open to the interior of a beverage chamber (47) in which the siphon (81) is provided, the lower end of the other passages (87') being open to an aperture (78') from which effused beverage is dispensed. A sheath (91) divided internally by a dividing wall (87) defines the passages (87, 87'). Communication between the beverage chamber (47) and the one passage (87) is via capillary slots (93) to prevent the siphon effect from breaking as the level of beverage decreases. The siphon is removable from the beverage chamber (47) and may be replaced with a different outlet unit (71). The beverage chamber (47) is part of a tray (6) which is removable from the beverage maker to enable a water reservoir (46) in the tray (6) to be filled and beverage ingredients to be placed in the beverage chamber. The arrangement allows tea or coffee to be made in the same apparatus; tea using the siphon to delay discharge, unit (71) and filter (63) for coffee. <IMAGE>

Description

BEVERAGE MAKERS This invention relates to beverage makers, for example for making tea or coffee, of the kind in which water from a reservoir is heated by an electric flow heater and thereby caused to pass into a beverage chamber containing the ingredients for making the beverage, a dispensing aperture being provided for the infused beverage to flow from the beverage chamber into a cup or other receptacle. Such beverage makers are hereinafter referred to as of the kind described.

Beverage makers of the kind described are known in which, particularly for making tea, the dispensing aperture is connected to the interior of the beverage chamber by a siphon device comprising an upright pipe and a surrounding sleeve closed at the top. The upright pipe rises from the floor of the beverage chamber and its lower end is open to the dispensing aperture. The closed top of the sleeve is spaced from the open upper end of the upright pipe to connect the base of the pipe to an annular passage formed between the outside of the upright pipe and the interior of the sleeve. An inlet from the beverage chamber to the siphon device so formed is provided at the bottom of the sleeve. The closed top of the sleeve is arranged to be at the maximum desired level of beverage in the beverage chamber.The effect of the siphon device is to cause water to accumulate in the beverage chamber until the maximum level is reached before beverage delivery begins. The beverage thus has time to infuse and gain strength which is especially important for tea making.

Once delivery has started the siphon device may lower the level of beverage in the beverage chamber to such an extent that the siphon inlet is uncovered. To avoid breaking the siphon in these circumstances it is known to form the siphon inlet with capillary slots or openings so that the siphon device remains full when its inlet is uncovered and delivery will start again when more water enters the beverage chamber.

An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an alternative construction of the siphon device.

According to this first aspect the present invention consists in a beverage maker of the kind described wherein the beverage chamber is provided with a siphon device which has two upright passages side by side, the lower end of one of the passages being open to the dispensing aperture or apertures and the lower end of the other passage being open to the lower part of the interior of the beverage chamber to form the siphon inlet, the upper ends of the passages being open one to the other but closed from the interior of the beverage chamber.

The two upright passages may be formed in a variety of ways. For example they may be integrally formed in a unitary moulding or extrusion in plastics material. The upper ends of the passages may be initially open and subsequently closed by covering with a hollow cap allowing communication between the two passages, the cap being held in place, for example, by welding, or adhesive or by a friction fit. The two passages in cross-section may form a figure-eight shape or two D-shaped passages back to back. D-shaped passages back to back may alternatively be formed by an upright partition which enters a tubular part with a single bore and divides it into two passages. The tubular part may be a closed-top sheath fitting over the upright partition to complete at least the upper part of the siphon device.

In any of the above described forms upright elements may be moulded in plastics material integrally with the beverage chamber from the floor of which they extend upwards or, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, to be described later in greater detail, they may be moulded integrally with a base element releasably mounted in an opening in the floor of the beverage chamber.

In a preferred form of siphon device of a beverage maker according to the first aspect of the invention an upright partition and a low wall surrounding the base of the partition are integrally moulded with the floor of the beverage chamber on the base element. The wall is of oval shape and forms with the upright portion the lowermost portions of two D-shaped passages back to back. A hole through the floor or base element at the bottom of one of the D-shaped passages forms a siphon outlet leading to the dispensing aperture or apertures. The wall on the other side of the aperture is pierced by upright slits of capillary width to form the siphon inlet. To stiffen the partition an upright buttress web extends at right angles to the upright partition along its vertical centre line and tapers to nothing at the top of the partition.Within the low wall the buttress sub-divides the D-shaped passage having the siphon inlet but this does not affect the siphon function.

A closed-top sheath is moulded as a separate component. The sheath has an oval side wall portion similar in shape and size to the low wall. A muff portion around the bottom edge of the sheath fits telescopically over the top of the low wall on assembly. Grooves are formed on the inside of the major walls of the sheath to receive the edges of the upright partition on assembly to locate the sheath and partition correctly and assist in isolating the D-shaped passages one from the other. The sheath could be permanently secured in its assembled position, for example by adhesive, but is preferably removable for cleaning the interior of the siphon.

Previously known beverage makers of the kind described have been so made that they are capable of infusing a beverage by one method only. For example, these primarily intended for making coffee have been provided with a filter vessel inside the beverage chamber into the open top of which the hot water is supplied. The ground coffee is put into the filter vessel and beverage begins to flow from the filter vessel shortly after the start of the hot water supply.

Tea makers on the other hand have a siphon tube in the beverage chamber but need not have a filter vessel. The siphon tube causes hot water to accumulate in the beverage chamber to a pre-determined level before delivery to the dispensing aperture begins and so allows a longer period of infusion more suitable for tea-making.

It is an object of a second aspect of the present invention to enable beverage makers to be made which are more adaptable to the making of different beverages.

According to this second aspect the present invention consists in a beverage maker of the kind described wherein a base element is releasably mounted in, and in substantially sealing relationship with, an opening in the floor of the beverage chamber.

The base element may be in the form of a circular plug having a spigot to fit into the opening in the floor of the beverage chamber and an annular flange at the lower end. The spigot is longer than the thickness of the floor and is provided with radially-projecting formations which will pass through complementary radial extensions of the opening. After insertion of the spigot through the opening the base element is rotated to move the formations out of alignment with the extensions and hold the base element in place On the base element may be mounted a siphon device having an inlet above the base element and an outlet through the base element. The siphon may be of any known form or of any of the forms previously described in connection with the first aspect of the present invention.

Alternatively, for use, for example, with a filter vessel for coffee making, the base element may simply have a hole forming a direct outlet from the beverage chamber leading to the dispensing aperture.

By means of this second aspect of the present invention beverage makers, otherwise of similar construction, can be readily adapted to different modes of beverage making by manufacturing two interchangeable base elements one with a siphon device and the other with a plain base element having a simple outlet.

These can be factory fitted to the beverage makers which can then be sold as beverage makers of a particular kind. Alternatively beverage makers can be supplied with both kinds of base elements and a filter vessel so that the user can change the infusion mode at will.

In the case of beverage makers supplying two or more cups, equipment can be supplied with the beverage maker to enable it to make two or more cups of the same or different beverages by the more suitable mode.

Valve means may be mounted on each base element to control delivery to the dispensing aperture or apertures. In one form the valve means for each base element comprises a shallow elastomeric cup having a wide mouth and a delivery spout at the bottom. The cup is secured to the underside of the base element by resiliently gripping a spigot through which the outlet from the beverage chamber or siphon passes. The outlet opening is out of alignment with the delivery spout and around the inlet to the spout an annular seating is formed on the underside of the beverage chamber between the outlet opening and the inlet to the spout. A complementary seating is formed around an opening through which the delivery spout projects in a housing of the beverage maker in which the beverage chamber is vertically movably mounted.The bottom of the cup lies between the annular seating and the complementary seating. The resilience of the cup member normally holds the seatings apart to allow flow from the outlet to the inlet of the delivery spout but when the beverage chamber is pressed down the bottom of the cup is gripped between the seatings and flow is cut off. A catch may be provided to hold the chamber down and keep the valve means of the dispensing aperture or apertures closed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a perspective sketch illustrating the general form of a beverage maker in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of the beverage maker with its lid removed; Figure 3 in its upper part is a vertical section of the beverage maker of Figure 2 along a line corresponding to stepped line II-II of Figure 2, and in its lower part is a vertical section through a central plane of the beverage maker; Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line IV- IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a vertical section along line V-V of Figure 2;; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a beverage maker generally similar to that of Figures 2 to 5 illustrating some of the parts of the outer housing of the beverage maker; Figure 7 is a fragmentary, partially-sectioned, exploded perspective view of a combined filter and reservoir assembly of the beverage maker of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a flow-heater assembly of the beverage maker of Figures 6 6 and 7.

A beverage maker according to the invention as typified by Figure 1 is designed to make two cups of beverage and to release the beverage directly into two cups ready for drinking. The general overall arrangement is shown in Figure 1 which shows the beverage maker to comprise a vertical central pillar 1 extending from the centre of a rectangular base portion 2. An upper portion 3 extends across the top of the pillar 1 and projects over the base portion 2.

The upper portion is parallel with and of substantially the same plan shape as the base portion 2. The upper portion has a substantial vertical extent, roughly equal to that of the central pillar 1. The beverage maker thus has the appearance of a capital T standing on a base. One cup 4 is located on the respective base portion 2 on each side of the column 1 and under the respective projecting part of the upper portion. A lid 5 is pivotally connected to the upper portion 4 at the rear of the lid.

The main internal components of the beverage maker are held in a housing 8 of the beverage maker and comprise a combined filter and reservoir assembly 6 located in the upper portion 3 of the beverage maker, and a flow heater assembly 7 within the central column 1.

The housing 8, shown in Figures 2 to 5 and, slightly modified, in Figure 6, is moulded from ABS or other suitable plastics material and comprises an upstanding hollow column 8' of rectangular cross-section which is open at its lower end and has opposed side panels 9 and 10 and a front panel 11. The fourth side of the hollow column 8' is at the back of the column and has a large rectangular slot 12 which is open at its lower end. The open lower end and the slot 12 provide access to the interior of the hollow column 8'. This is convenient both for installation of the flow heater assembly 7 in the housing 8 and for maintenance of the assembly 7.

A clock 11' is provided in the front panel 11.

The clock may have an electronic LED or LCD display, adjustment buttons and an audible alarm. For simplicity the clock has no electrical interconnection with the flow heater assembly, actuation of the beverage maker being performed manually in response to the sounding of the alarm.

A closure plate 12' is provided to close off the hollow column 8'. The plate 12' has a vertical portion 12a which is adapted to close the slot 12, and a foot portion 12b extending away from the vertical portion and being adapted to close the bottom of the open-ended hollow column 8'. Plate 12' can be screwed in place on the body by screw 95' and is also made of ABS plastics material.

The base portion 2 is defined by two base platforms 13 and 14 which are moulded integrally with the hollow column 8' and extend away from the lowermost part of the walls 9 and 10 respectively. Removable spillage trays 15 and 16 are provided to fit over respective base platforms 13 and 14. The rear parts of the side walls 9 and 10 curve away from each other.

The spillage trays 13 and 14 have curves complementary to the curved walls 9 and 10.

The upper portion 3 of the beverage maker includes an open-topped box portion 17 of the housing 8. The box portion 17 comprises parallel front and back walls 18 and 19, parallel side walls 20 and 21 and two floor walls 22 and 23. The floor walls 22 and 23 extend from the side walls 9 and 10 respectively away from the column 8' and at a position spaced from the top of the hollow column 8' so that the column 8' projects into the space defined by the box portion 17.

The column 8' extends over the full front to back depth of the box 17 and so partially divides the space within the box portion 17 into two similar compartments 24, 25. Each floor wall 22, 23 has a dispensing aperture 26 surrounded by a raised wall 27 which projects into the compartments 24, 25, and a semi-circular aperture 28, 29.

The lid 5 is moulded from polypropylene or other suitable plastics material and is a separate component of the beverage maker. It is hinged to the top of the rear wall 19 of the box portion 17 so that it can be swung completely free of the plan projected area of the box portion. There is a rectangular aperture 30 in the central region of the lid.

An open-topped guide channel 31 extends from the top wall 32 of the hollow column 8'. An actuating plunger 33 provided with a head 34 and a projecting stem 35 is retained in the channel 31 by the co-operation of resilient teeth 36 on the underside of the head 34 with apertures 37 in the walls of the channel 31. Provision is made in the channel to allow the plunger 33 to move vertically within defined limits.

The combined filter and reservoir assembly 6 is best shown in Figure 7 and is basically a relatively deep tray or vessel 38 divided into four open-topped compartments, two of which are water reservoirs and two of which are beverage chambers. The vessel 38 is adapted to be removably located in the box portion 17 and has a central socket portion 39 which is adapted to fit over the upper part. of the column 8' and its projecting guide channel 31. The socket has a top closed by a wall 40. The wall 40 has a central rectangular cantilevered portion 40' joined to the wall 40 along only one side, the other three sides of the cantilevered portion 40' being separated from the wall 40 by a slot which extends peripherally around the cantilevered portion.

A projection 41 extends downwards from the cantilevered portion 40' and carries a latch flange 42 which co-operates with a ledge 42' in a recess 43 in the top wall 32 of the column 8', as shown in Figure 5. The operation of the latch flange 42 will be described later.

The vessel 38 is centred by peripheral lugs 44 provided on the vessel. There is a through passage in the vessel 38 to allow the guide channel 31 to project upwards through the vessel 38. A handle 45 is permanently attached to the wall 40 for lifting the vessel 38 out of the box portion 17, and also to enable the vessel to be pushed down, for reasons explained later. The vessel is integrally moulded from polyproplene or other suitable plastics material.

The main aim of having a removable vessel 38 is to provide a pair of reservoirs 46 associated with a pair of beverage chambers 47 which can be removed from the beverage maker when filling the reservoirs with water and the beverage chambers with infusion ingredients.

To allow the reservoirs to be filled away from the beverage maker each reservoir has an outlet valve 48 through which water must flow before it can enter the flow heater of the device. Each valve 48 comprises a stem 49 passing through an outlet aperture 50 in the base of the reservoir, the stem 49 carrying a flanged head 51 which is urged by a spring 52 to seal against a washer 53 located between the flanged head and the respective floor wall 22 or 23 of the reservoir. When the reservoir is out of the beverage maker the spring 52 compresses the washer 53 between the head 51 and the floorwall 22, 23 of the reservoir. The pressure of water poured into the reservoir only serves to close the valve further.When the vessel 38 is located in the housing the stem 49 engages a perforated support plate 54 and the weight of the container, and water, overcomes the spring 52 to move the base of the container away from the head 51 to open the valve.

This is shown in Figure 5. The spring 52 is attached to the stem 49 below the level of the base of the reservoir and acts on the underside of the floorwalls of the vessel 38. The valve 48 is thus attached to the vessel 38. The weight of the vessel 38 alone is sufficient to open the valves 48.

Each beverage chamber 47 has an inlet 54 in its upper region and, in the embodiment of Figure 7, an aperture 55 in its base 56. The underside of the vessel 38 in the region of the inlet 54 has a downwardly extending tube portion 57 in which an inlet opening 58 is provided A downwardly projecting rim 59 depends from the underside of the vessel and surrounds the inlet opening 58. The upper side of the vessel 38 in the region of the inlet 54 comprises a flat sloping face 60 from which the tube portion 57 depends.

Sloping face 60 and tube portion 57 co-operate in use with a complementary sloping face 61 and downwardly depending hollow spigot 62 provided as an inlet arm 63 (Fig. 7) on a removable filter 64 when the filter 64 is provided, for example for use with coffee grains. The filter 64 is of the form of a box which is located in an beverage chamber 47 if it is desired to make coffee in that chamber, and is omitted altogether from the beverage maker if it is desired to make tea. The respective inlets 54 of each beverage chamber 47 are adjacent to each other, at the laterally innermost part of each of the beverage chambers. A flap 65 is integrally moulded to the vessel 38 in the region of the two inlets 54 and is attached to the main body of the vessel by a flexible 'living' hinge 66. The flap 65 is permanently secured in a position overlying the inlet openings 58, but spaced from them.It is held in place by a detent 67 on the flap which co-operates in snap-fit engagement with a recess 68 provided in the vessel 38. The flap 65 serves as a deflector plate, deflecting hot water as it enters the beverage chambers 47 via the inlets 54. There is sufficient spacing between the underside of the flap 65 and the sloping faces 60 to enable the arm 63 and its spigot 62 of the filter 64 to be introduced into and removed from the tube portion 57 of the inlet openings 58. The filter 64 can thus be manoeuvred into its operative position in the beverage chamber 47 if it is desired to include the filter, or alternatively removed from the beverage chamber.

The aperture 55 in the base of each beverage chamber of the embodiment of Figure 7 consists of a circular hole with a diametral pair of notches 69 forming extensions of the opening of the aperture. The user has the choice of whether to attach a tea outlet assembly 70 or a coffee outlet assembly 71 to the vessel 38 at each of the apertures 55, according to the beverage he desires to make in that beverage chamber.

The tea and coffee outlet assemblies 70 and 71 are interchangeable in the apertures 55 and two of each may be provided in the device when purchased. Each of the two kinds of outlet assembly includes a base element comprising a plug or plate 72 of the same size and shape as the apertures 55 to fill the aperture when the assembly 70 or 71 is in place, and a pair of diametral radially projecting formations comprising retention wings 73 which project beyond the plan projection of the plate 72 and may be passed through the notches 69.

After the wings 73 are passed through the notches 69 from the underside of the vessel 38 the assembly 70, 71 is rotated so that the wings locate above the base of the chambers 47, securing the outlet assembly to the vessel.

The underside of the tea and coffee outlet assemblies are similar and will be described in relation to the permanently fixed coffee outlet assembly 71 of the embodiment of Figure 3 for convenience. Corresponding reference numerals have been given to corresponding components of the tea outlet assembly where appropriate. Figure 3 shows the operational details, but shows an embodiment in which the assemblies 70 and 71 are not removable.

One of the features of the beverage maker is to enable the flow of infused beverage from the beverage chambers to the cups to be witheld for longer infusion or to be stopped without leaks or drips. This is particularly useful when only a small amount of beverage remains in the chambers and it is coming through slowly: the user can simply stop the flow and take what has already been delivered without worrying about catching drips. The outlet assemblies have an annular bead 74 depending down from the underside of the plate 72 to form a spigot and defining an annular groove 75 between the bead 74 and the underside of the vessel 38. A rubber cup seal 76 has an inwardly projecting annular retaining bead 77 for retention in the groove 75 and an intermediate portion 78 joining the retaining bead 77 to an outlet spout 78' of the cup seal.Within the plan area of the annular bead 74 on the plate 72 is an annular sealing projection 79 which depends down from the underside of the plate 72 to a level below that of the base of the beverage chamber 47. An annular flow passage 80 is defined between the bead 74 and the projection 79. The flow passage 80 forms an outlet from the beverage chamber.

The sealing projection 79 associated with the vessel 38 is disposed directly above the raised wall 27 of the main housing 8 surrounding the dispensing aperture 26. The outlet spout 78' extends down through the dispensing aperture 26 and the intermediate portion 78 of the rubber cup seal 76 lies between the raised wall 27 and the sealing projection 79. The flow path between the chamber 47 and the cup is through the annular flow passage 80, between the sealing projection 79 and the intermediate portion 78 and out of the spout 78'. Bodily movement o the vessel 38 downwards causes the projection 79 to engage the intermediate portion 78. The wall 27 supports the intermediate portion 78 and the sealing projection 79 seals against the intermediate portion 78 to obstruct the flow of beverage between the flow passage 80 and the spout 78'.The wall 27 and the projection 79 thus form a pair of complementary seating between which the cup seal 76 is gripped to stop the flow of beverage.

The tea outlet assembly 70 operates on the same principle, but whereas the annular structures of the coffee outlet assembly 71 are concentric the tea outlet assembly also incorporates a siphon 81 which is offset from the spout 78' and so has no annular passage 80.

Instead a siphon outlet 80' is provided.

The siphon 81 is illustrated in different modifications in Figures 3 and 7. In Figure 3 the siphon comprises a vertical dividing wall 87 projecting up from the base of the chamber 47. An opening 83 is provided adjacent the vertical wall 82 extending through the base of the chamber 47 into the region surrounded by the depending bead 74, between the bead 74 and the sealing projection 79. A sheath 84 is located over the wall 82. The sheath 84 has a closed top 85 spaced from the upper end of the wall 82 and a aperture 86 at its lower end which engages the base of the chamber 47. Beverage in the chamber passes through the aperture 86 into an upward siphon passage 87 defined between the wall 82 and the sheath 84.When the beverage level in the chamber is as high as the top of the tube 82 beverage passes from the top of the upward siphon passage 87 between the top 85 of the sheath and the end of the dividing wall 82 and down a downward siphon passage 87' defined between the dividing wall and the sheath. The beverage can then pass through siphon outlet 80' provided in the base of the beverage chamber. A siphon action then occurs to pass the contents of the chamber into the cup via the siphon outlet 80' and the spout 78'.

The siphon shown in Figure 7 operates in a similar manner, but is formed differently. The tea outlet assembly 70 of which the siphon is a part and the coffee outlet assembly 71 are interchangeably mountable in the apertures 55. The plate 72 carries an oval section wall 88 and a dividing partition 89 projecting considerably above the height of the wall 88. The dividing partition 89 is braced by a buttress web 90.

A closed-topped tubular sheath 91 fits over and around the dividing partition 89 and the oval section wall 88. The dividing partition 89 divides the sheath into two axial passages, an upward siphon passage and a downward siphon passage. The cross sections of the siphon passages need not be the same. Guide ribs 92 are formed on the inside surfaces of the sheath 91 to define a groove to locate and seal the dividing partition 89. Capillary slots or slits 93 are provided through the oval section wall 88 in that part of the wall that part defines the upward siphon passage.

Siphon outlet 80' is provided through the plate 72 to allow beverage in the downward siphon passage to pass through the plate 72 at a position between the annular bead 74 and the sealing projection 79.

Once siphoning has begun, the flow of beverage into the cup may empty the chamber 47 before the flow of water through the inlet 54 has ceased. The capillary slots 93 avoid breaking the siphon when this occurs. The capillary slots retain liquid which prevents the entry of air into the siphon when the capillary slots are uncovered and the back-flow of beverage from the siphon into the chamber 47. This enables the upward siphon passage to remain full of beverage and allows siphoning to recommence, when more water enters the chamber 47 and more infused beverage accumulates. The substantial length of the capillary slots enables infused beverage to enter the siphon even when there is a build up of tea leaves around the base of the siphon.

To prevent or stop the flow of beverage through the outlet assemblies 70, 71 the handle 45 of the vessel 38 is pressed downwards. This flexes the cantilevered portion 40' and the depending projection 41 with its latch flange 42 downwards. The cantilevered portion 40' effectively pivots about its connection to the wall 40 which allows the latch flange 42, normally nesting on the ledge 41' to swing out laterally beyond the ledge 41' allowing downward bodily movement of the vessel which will occur when additional pressure is applied to the handle 45 sufficient to move the vessel against the resistance of the sealing connections to the flow heater assembly 7 to be described later. Downward bodily movement of the vessel 38 causes the projection 41 to enter the recess 43 further and allows the latch flange 42 to move to a level beneath that of the ledge 41'. When pressure is released from the handle 45 the cantilevered portion 40' projection 41 and latch flange 42 return to their normal orientation with respect to the vessel 38. However, the latch flange 42 is now latched beneath the projecting ledge 41'. The vessel is thus held in its lower position, cutting off the flow of beverage through the outlet assemblies 70,71.

To return the vessel to its upper position and start or recommence the flow of beverage just sufficient pressure is applied to the handle 45 to disengage the latch flange 42 from the ledge 41 and is maintained while the vessel rises under the influence of sealing connections.

The flow heater assembly 7 comprises a flow heater 94, support bracket 94', thermostat 95, thermostat mounting bracket 96 and clip 97, mounting frame 98, actuating pylon 99, spring 100, fusible link 101, neon light 102, and mains electrical connections 103. All of the components of the flow heater assembly form a unit which can be removed from the beverage maker simply and easily for maintenance.

The flow heater 94 comprises an elongated oval section pipe or tube 104 which has a U-shape when viewed from the side of the beverage maker, and a tubular electric heater element 105 disposed at the central axis of the pipe 104. In cross section the pipe 104 bends inwards at its central region to follow the surface of the heater element 105 which divides the pipe into two parallel U-shaped and U-section transfer pipe conduits 106,107 each of which defines a flow passage from its reservoir to its beverage chamber.

Thus a single heater element 105 is sandwiched between two transfer conduits 106,107, and serves to heat the water in both.

The conduit 106 takes cold water from the left hand reservoir 46 and supplies hot water to the left hand beverage chamber 47 and the conduit 107 does the same for the right hand associated pair of reservoir and beverage chamber. The reservoir ends of the conduits 106,107 are at a lower vertical height than the beverage chamber ends of the conduits.

The reservoir and beverage chamber ends of the flow heater 94 each have coupling sleeves comprising rubber fittings 108,109 fitting over them. Each fitting 108,109 is basically two tubes 110 providing a skirt portion for continuation of the conduits 106,107, and a cap portion 111 sealing the end of the conduits and the heater element 105. The heater element 105 projects through an aperture 112 in the cap portion 111 to allow electrical connection thereto.

Each tube 110 of fitting 108,109 has an annular groove 113 which in use locates a flange 114 provided on the main housing 8 to mount the heater assembly 7 in the beverage maker. The mounting frame 98, and with it the entire flow heater assembly 7, is mounted in the central column 8' of the housing by a screw 98'. The support bracket 94' is made of aluminium and is brazed to the flow heater. When the closure plate 12' is in place screw 95' and the support bracket 94' assist in supporting and securing the flow heater. To remove the closure plate 12' for access to the flow heater the screw 95' is removed and the plate 12' detached. The flow heater assembly 7 remains in the central column 8'.

The uppermost part of each tube 110 of the fittings 108, 109 is formed as a seal portion comprising an annular flexible sealing lip 115 which sealingly engages in use against the underside of the vessel 38. The resilience of the sealing lips 115 holds the vessel 38 in its upper position in which flow through the outlet assemblies 71,72 is possible, but allows the vessel to be moved to its lower position in which flow is prevented as previously described.

The weight of the vessel 38 and its contents keeps the sealing lips 115 in sealing engagement with their respective outlets and inlets in the vessel 38.

Alternatively a catch may be provided to hold the vessel 38 down in sealing engagement with the lips 115. The catch 42 may be adapted to achieve this, as well as its 'cut-off' purpose, or a separate catch may be provided.

The perforated support plate 54 is provided in the tubes 110 of the rubber fittings 109 which seal against the reservoirs 46. As previously described, the lower end of the stems 49 of the reservoir outlet valves engage against and are supported by the plates 54 to open the valves when the vessel 38 is in place in the main housing 8 allowing water to flow from the reservoirs 46 to the flow heater 94.

The heater element 105 is turned on by pressing the head 34 of the plunger 33 retained to the guide channel 31 of the main housing 8. The lower end of the stem 35 of the plunger is received in a socket 116 at the upper end of the actuating pylon 99. The pylon 99 carries the Vee-shaped spring 100 mounted on the pylon by an upper arm of the Vee at an intermediate point in the vertical length of the pylon. The lower arm of the Vee of the spring 100 is constructed to rest on two runners 116 provided on the pylon 99 below the mounting of the spring. A gap 117 exists between the runners 116. The actuating plunger 118 of the thermostat 95 projects through the gap 117 when the pylon 99 is pressed down. The actuating plunger 118 is normally extended and the pylon 99 and plunger 33 supported in an upper position by the spring 100.When the head 34 of the plunger 33 is depressed the stem 35 urges the pylon 99 downwards. The spring 100 is thus urged towards the actuating plunger 118 of the thermostat and presses on it with a force limited by the characteristics of the spring. The spring 100 prevents excessive force being applied to the actuating plunger 118. The thermostat 95 is of the snap-action type with a bi-metallicactuator. The force exerted by the spring 100 on the actuating plunger 118 causes the thermostat to snap over to the condition in which the contacts of the thermostat are closed. When the critical temperature of the thermostat is reached the bi-metallic actuator returns the thermostat to the condition in which its contacts are open and so switches off the heating element 105.

The thermostat 95 is held to the mounting bracket 96 by clip 97. The mounting bracket 96 is made of aluminium and is retained to the mounting frame 98.

The mounting bracket 96 grips the flow heater 94 and assists in mounting the flow heater in the beverage maker and enables the thermostat to measure an intermediate temperature between the two ends of the flow heater 94.

The mains electricity is supplied to the beverage heater via cable 119 which may be stored wrapped around appropriate lugs on the underside of the base portion 13.

Other variations of the beverage maker could have a single reservoir in the vessel 38 feeding both beverage chambers, or two separate known flow heaters instead of the single heater heating two conduits.

Claims (26)

1. A beverage maker of the kind described wherein the beverage chamber is provided with a siphon device which has two upright passages side by side, the lower end of one of the passages being open to the dispensing aperture or apertures and the lower end of the other passage being open to the lower part of the interior of the beverage chamber to form the siphon inlet, the upper ends of the passages being open one to the other but closed from the interior of the beverage chamber.

2. A beverage maker according to Claim 1 in which the passages are integrally formed in a unitary moulding or extrusion in plastics material.

3. A beverage maker according to Claim 1 in which at least the upper ends of the passages have a tubular form and a separate hollow cap is provided at the top of the siphon device to close the upper ends of the passages and allow communication between the two passages.

4. A beverage maker according to Claim 1 in which the passages are formed by an upright partition which enters a tubular part with a single bore and divides it into two upright passages.

5. A beverage maker according to Claim 4 in which the tubular part comprises a closed-top sheath fitting over the upright partition to complete at least the upper part of the siphon device.

6. A beverage maker according to any preceding claim in which the two passages have a cross-section of the form of a figure-eight, or two D-shaped passages back to back.

7. A beverage maker according to any preceding claim in which an upright component of the siphon device is formed integrally with the floor of the beverage chamber.

8. A beverage maker according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 in which an upright component of the siphon device is formed integrally with a base element releasably mounted in and in substantially sealing relationship with an opening in the floor of the beverage chamber.

9. A beverage maker according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which the upright component comprises an upright partition and a wall surrounding the base of the partition, and in which a separate component comprising a closed-top sheath fits telescopically over the wall and partition and is divided by the partition to form the two upright passages, the lower part of the sheath comprising a muff portion defining a socket in which the wall is received, and a hole extends through the floor or base element at the bottom of one of the passages and forms a siphon outlet leading to the dispensing aperture or apertures.

10. A beverage maker according to Claim 9 in which the sheath is removable from the upright portion.

11. A beverage maker according to Claim 9 or Claim 10 in which the wall is pierced by upright slits of capillary width in its region at the base of the other passage to form the siphon inlet.

12. A beverage maker according to any one of Claims 9 to 11 in which an upright buttress web is provided to stiffen the partition.

13. A beverage maker according to any one of Claims 9 to 12 in which the wall and lower part of the sheath are of complementary oval shape.

14. A beverage maker according to any one of Claims 9 to 13 in which grooves are formed on the inside of the walls of the sheath to.receive the edges of the upright partition on assembly to locate the sheath and partition correctly and assist in isolating the passages one from the other.

15. A beverage maker according to Claim 8, or any one of Claims 9 to 14 as they depend from Claim 8, in which the base element comprises a circular plug having a spigot to fit into the opening in the floor of the beverage chamber and an annular flange at the lower end.

16. A beverage maker according to Claim 15 in which the spigot is longer than the thickness of the floor and is provided with radially-projecting formations which will pass through complementary radial extensions of the opening when the formations are aligned with the extensions, rotation of the base element moving the formations out of alignment with the extensions and holding the base element in place.

17. A beverage maker according to Claim 15 or Claim 16 in which an additional base element is provided that is interchangeable with the base element having the upright element, the additional base element having no siphon device but simply having a hole forming a direct outlet from the beverage chamber leading to the dispensing aperture or apertures.

18. A beverage maker according to Claim 17 which is adapted to make two or more cups of the same or different beverages simultaneously, the beverage maker being provided with as many interchangeable base elements and additional base elements as are necessary to allow it to make all of its cups of beverage using only base elements or using only additional base elements, or using any combination of base elements and additional base elements.

19. A beverage maker according to any one of Claims 8 to 18 in which valve means are provided on each base element to control delivery of beverage to the dispensing aperture or apertures.

20. A beverage maker according to Claim 19 in which the beverage chamber is vertically movably mounted relative to a housing in which it is held and the valve means comprises an elastomeric cup having a wide mouth and a delivery spout, the mouth being secured to the underside of the base element and the delivery spout being out of alignment with the outlet opening in the base element, an annular seating being provided on the underside of the beverage chamber, or base element, between the outlet opening and the inlet to the spout and a complementary seating being provided around an opening in the housing through which the delivery spout projects with the wall of the cup passing between the annular and complementary seatings, the resilience of the cap normally biasing the seatings apart to allow flow from the outlet to the inlet of the delivery spout but downward movement of the beverage chamber relative to the housing causing the cup to be gripped between the annular and complementary seatings to isolate the inlet of the delivery spout from the outlet of the beverage chamber.

21. A beverage maker according to Claim 20 in which a releasable latch is provided to hold the beverage chamber down and prevent flow of beverage to the delivery spout.

22. A beverage maker according to any preceding claim in which the beverage chamber is provided in a tray or box which is removable from the beverage maker and which also defines the reservoir.

23. A base element adapted for assembly to a beverage maker of the kind described which has a circular aperture in the floor of the beverage chamber for sealingly receiving a base element to complete the beverage chamber, the base element comprising a circular plug having a spigot to fit into the aperture of the beverage chamber and an annular flange at the lower end of the plug, the spigot being provided with a siphon device which has two upright passages side by side, the lower end of one of the passages being open to a hole in . the floor of the base element and the lower end of the other passage being open to the exterior of the siphon device so as to form a siphon inlet, the upper ends of, the passages being open one to the other but closed, in use, from the interior of the beverage chamber.

24. A beverage maker substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A beverage maker substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A base element substantially as herein described and illustrated in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.