Coffee maker

US6224755A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Braun Corporation · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Schamberg · Oberursel, DE
• Reinhard Stucher · Freudenberg, DE
• Bernd Trebitz · Rockenberg, DE
• Christof Kleemann · Kronberg, DE
• Georges Driesen · Neu-Anspach, DE
• Klaus Amsel · Oberursel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 20, 1997
• Grant date: May 1, 2001
• Expiry date: Nov 20, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A47J31/545
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A coffee maker and a method of preparing coffee in which steam is applied to the coffee grinds prior to passing hot water through the coffee grinds. The coffee maker includes a controllable outlet valve disposed within a fluid path, between a water reservoir and a flow-through heater. In a first position, the outlet valve has a flow opening dimensioned sufficiently small that water exiting the outlet valve evaporates completely in the flow-through heater. In a second position, the outlet valve has a flow opening dimensioned sufficiently large that water exiting the outlet valve is heated in the flow-through heater without appreciable development of steam.