FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dispensers such as coffee dispensers and, in particular, to a mechanism by which a bulk ingredient hopper and dispenser is bypassed to allow a user to substitute an alternative ingredient for the bulk ingredient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automated coffee brewers and dispensers are currently in use and are popular in numerous offices and places of business. Such coffee brewer/dispensers typically store ground coffee beans in a large, bulk hopper and move a small amount of ground coffee beans into a brew device when a cup of coffee is requested by a user. Within the brew device, the ground coffee beans are mixed with hot water and then filtered out to leave brewed coffee which is then dispensed to the user.

While such a system works very well, there are shortcomings. First, the user is typically limited to a selection of one or two types of beverage. For example, a dual dispenser assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,751 to King. While the '751 Patent describes a dual bulk hopper for dispensing either regular or decaffeinated coffee (or either of two beverage ingredients), the user is limited to a choice of two ingredients.

As gourmet coffees and various mixed coffee drinks become increasingly popular, people are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with only two coffee choices. For example, a visit to a grocery store coffee section reveals some 20 or more available varieties of coffee beans.

Thus, what is needed is a mechanism by which a user can select from more than just two or three varieties of a brewed beverage such as coffee from an automated beverage brewer/dispenser. In addition, such a mechanism should be inexpensive and reliable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a bypass chute is included with a bulk ingredient beverage brewer/dispenser such that the bypass chute accepts an alternative ingredient directly from a user. In conventional operation, a bulk ingredient is moved through a guide and into a brew device chamber for brewing. However, in a bypass mode, an alternative ingredient is introduced into the bypass chute by the user and the bulk ingredient is not used.

The bypass chute guides the alternative ingredient into the brew device chamber such that a beverage is brewed from the alternative ingredient rather than from the bulk ingredient. The alternative ingredient is moved through the bypass chute by operation of gravity upon the alternative ingredient.

The bypass chute is attached to a bulk ingredient hopper such that the hopper forms a back wall of the bypass chute. A baffle is included to direct the alternative ingredient away from the bulk ingredient hopper and to position the alternative ingredient at a delivery opening at which the bulk ingredient is delivered into the brew device chamber when the bulk ingredient is used.

To brew conventionally using the bulk ingredient, the user presses a button to activate both an auger-based bulk ingredient delivery mechanism and the brew device. To brew using an alternative ingredient, the user introduces the alternative ingredient to the bypass chute and presses a button which activates only the brew device. The bulk ingredient delivery mechanism is not activated such that only the alternative ingredient is used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a side view of a coffee brewer/dispenser with a bypass chute in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the bypass chute of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 3

is a front view of the bypass chute of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 4

is a side view of the bypass chute of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 5

is a perspective view of the coffee brewer/dispenser of FIG.

1

.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with the present invention, a chute

104

is attached to a bulk ingredient hopper

102

to provide an alternate pathway for ingredients to reach a brew device

116

. While chute

104

is shown in this illustrative embodiment to be attached to bulk ingredient hopper

102

, it is appreciated that chute

104

can be independent of, and detached from, bulk ingredient hopper

102

. Chute

104

guides an ingredient, such as ground coffee beans for example, from an opening

136

in an outer housing

140

to brew device

116

. While opening

136

is shown in this illustrative embodiment to be at the top of coffee brewer/dispenser

100

, it is appreciated that opening

136

can also be at the front or side of coffee brewer/dispenser

100

. A user can lift a lid

122

and pour the ingredient through opening

136

directly into brew device

116

. A grate

120

prevents objects, such as torn pieces of a paper packet holding the ingredient, from falling into brew device

116

. A guide member

112

directs the ingredient into brew device and prevents spillage of the ingredient from chute

104

into the remainder of coffee brewer/dispenser

100

.

A bulk ingredient, such as a house blend coffee, is stored in bulk ingredient hopper

102

. Bulk ingredient hopper

102

is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,751 to King and that description is incorporated herein by reference. Some of the details of hopper

102

are described herein for completeness. In particular, an auger

106

, which is a spiral shaped wire auger, is turned by an auger motor

108

to push the bulk ingredient through a cylindrical guide

110

and eventually through a guide opening

142

into brew device

116

. While a single bulk ingredient hopper, auger, and auger motor are shown, it is appreciated that multiple bulk ingredient hoppers, augers, and auger motors can be included in the manner described in the '751 Patent. Within brew device

116

, the bulk ingredient is mixed with hot water, agitated, filtered, and poured into a cup for the user in the manner described in the '751 Patent.

Brew logic

130

controls operation of auger motor

108

to force an amount of the bulk ingredient into brew device

116

and to initiate operation of brew device

116

to brew the bulk ingredient in hot water. Brew logic

130

initiates the movement of the bulk ingredient and the brewing thereof in response to a detected pressing of a button

132

by the user.

If the user wishes to substitute an alternative ingredient—such as a special, gourmet blend of ground coffee beans—the user pours the alternative ingredient through opening

136

and presses a button

134

. The alternative ingredient falls through grate

120

, chute

104

and opening

114

into brewing device

116

. In response to pressing of button

134

, brew logic

130

activates brew device

116

in the manner described above but does not activate auger motor

108

. As a result, the bulk ingredient is not added to brew device

116

in response to pressing of button

134

.

In an alternative embodiment, a single button is used to initiate brewing by brew device

116

and a separate switch control whether actuation of the single button also initiates movement of the bulk ingredient by auger

106

and auger motor

108

. In this alternative embodiment, the user brews a beverage using the bulk ingredient by placing the switch in a “normal” position and pressing the single button. With the switch in the “normal” position, auger motor

108

is activated by pressing the single button. To brew a beverage using an alternative ingredient introduced through chute

104

using this alternative embodiment, the user places the switch in a “bypass” position and presses the single button. With the switch in the “bypass” position, auger motor

108

is not activated by pressing the single button. In either case, brew device

116

is activated by pressing the single button.

Chute

104

of this illustrative embodiment is shown in greater detail in FIG.

2

. Chute

104

includes a forward wall

202

, side walls

204

A-B, and flanges

206

A-B. Flanges

206

A-B are attachable to bulk ingredient hopper

102

(FIG.

1

), e.g., by adhesive or by sheet-metal screws. Thus, chute

104

is defined by bulk ingredient hopper

102

as a back wall, front wall

202

(FIG.

2

), and side walls

204

A-B.

Chute

104

includes guide member

112

and side guide members

208

A-B to guide either the selected ingredient or the bulk ingredient into brew device

116

. As shown in FIG.

1

and

FIG. 4

, guide members

112

and

208

A-B are positioned over guide opening

142

to also guide the bulk ingredient into brew device

116

when the bulk ingredient is moved by auger

106

and auger motor

108

. In an alternative embodiment, guide members

112

and

208

A-B are omitted altogether, and the lower edges of front

202

and sides

204

A-B define bottom opening

114

of chute

104

. The bottom of chute

104

— as defined (i) by guide members

112

and

208

A-B or (ii) by the lower edges of front

202

and sides

204

A-B—is smaller than a top opening of brew device

116

such that any ingredient guided by chute

104

falls into brew device

116

. In this illustrative embodiment, the top of chute

104

is wider than the bottom of chute

104

for easy pour access to the top of chute

104

.

Chute

104

also includes a baffle

126

(

FIGS. 1 and 4

) which guides the selected ingredient poured through chute

104

away from bulk ingredient hopper

102

to the end of cylindrical guide

110

at which guide opening

142

is located. In this illustrative embodiment, baffle

126

is positioned between and attached to side walls

206

A-B of chute

104

. Baffle

126

can be attached to side walls

206

A-B using an adhesive for example.

In operation, the bulk ingredient is poured though opening

138

(

FIG. 5

) into coffee brewer/dispenser

100

. While stored in bulk ingredient hopper

102

(FIG.

1

), the bulk ingredient is ready for use in brewing a beverage in the conventional manner. To brew a beverage from the bulk ingredient, the user simply places a cup in a recess

502

and presses button

132

. In response, the beverage is brewed using the bulk ingredient in the manner described above.

In addition to the bulk ingredient, alternative ingredients are made available to a user of coffee brewer/dispenser

100

. The alternative ingredients can be packaged in individual, single-serving, paper packets or can be packaged in larger quantities and measured, using a measuring spoon for example, prior to use with coffee brewer/dispenser

100

. To brew a beverage from a selected one of the alternative ingredients, the user selects the ingredient and pours the selected ingredient into opening

136

. In addition, the user places a cup in recess

502

and presses button

134

. In response, coffee brewer/dispenser

100

brews the selected ingredient and does not use the bulk ingredient in the manner described above.

By allowing bypass of the bulk ingredient and addition of a user-selected alternative ingredient, coffee brewer/dispenser

100

provides the user which great flexibility and convenience. For example, alternative beverages are not limited to various caffeinated and decaffeinated blends of ground coffee beans. Instead, alternative beverages can include such things as various teas and tea blends, instant chocolate beverages, powdered apple cider mix, and generally any dry mix which can be added to hot water to make a beverage. Furthermore, while hot water is described as the liquid component of the beverage, it is anticipated that other liquids can be used. However, hot water is the preferred brewing liquid to provide the greatest flexibility as to which ingredients can be used as the bulk ingredient and alternative ingredients.

While chute

104

guides an ingredient directly into brew device

116

, it is appreciated that brew device

116

supplied the brewed beverage to a conventional whipper device using conventional techniques or can be replaced with a whipper device altogether. If chute

104

guides an ingredient into a whipper device, it is preferred that the ingredient is wholly soluble such that no grounds or other particulates must be removed from the beverage. However, if brew device

116

provides the beverage to a whipper device, brew device

116

can remove the grounds and/or other particulates.

The above description is illustrative only and is not limiting. The present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.