Sprayhead for a coffee brewing machine

Abstract

A sprayhead for a pour over coffee brewing machine for delivering hot water to coffee grounds held in a brew basket therebelow, has a housing with a water inlet at one end thereof, which is connectable to an intermittent source of hot water. A holding chamber for accumulating a quantity of hot water therein is located within the housing and is connected to the water inlet. A dispensing chamber is located within the housing and below the holding chamber, in use. A bell siphon located in the holding chamber delivers the accumulated quantity of water from the holding chamber to the dispensing chamber, and then to the coffee grounds, once the water level in the holding chamber rises above an open end of a siphon tube.

Claims

1. A sprayhead for a coffee brewing machine, comprising: a holding compartment defined by a first cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall including a fluid inlet port; a centrally disposed, tubular vent having open first and second ends, said first end disposed in the holding compartment and the second end disposed at an outlet to the sprayhead; a dispensing chamber disposed below the holding chamber defined by a second cylindrical wall, the dispensing chamber including a plurality of water outlets for spraying water from the sprayhead, the tubular vent passing through the dispensing chamber; a drain passage directly connecting the holding compartment to the dispensing chamber for fluid communication therebetween for evacuating any residual fluid in the holding compartment; a siphon tube connecting the holding compartment with the dispensing chamber, the siphon tube vertically arranged and having a first open end disposed within the holding compartment and below said first end of the tubular vent, and a second open end disposed within the dispensing chamber and above the second end of the tubular vent; and a removable siphon bell disposed over the siphon tube; wherein delivery of fluid from the holding compartment to the dispensing chamber through the siphon tube is controlled solely by a water level in the holding compartment above the first open end of the siphon tube without manual or mechanical intervention; and wherein dimensions of the holding compartment, dispensing chamber, and siphon tuber are selected to introduce a pause in the flow of fluid from the holding compartment to the dispensing chamber coinciding with an intermission between a wetting phase and an infusion phase of a brewing operation.

2. The sprayhead of claim 1, wherein a volume of the holding compartment can be adjusted by sliding a water displacing solid into the holding compartment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sprayhead in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the sprayhead of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a section view on line III-III of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the sprayhead of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the sprayhead in accordance with the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a plan view from above of the sprayhead of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a section view on line VII-VII of FIG. 6; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a section view on line VIII-VIII of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated generally at 10, a sprayhead for a pour over coffee brewing machine for delivering hot water to coffee grounds held in a brew basket therebelow, in accordance with the invention. The sprayhead 10 has a housing 11 having a water inlet 12 at one end 13 thereof, the water inlet 12 being connectable to an intermittent source of hot water.

(11) Referring to FIG. 2 the sprayhead 10 is shown in elevation.

(12) Referring to FIG. 3, the sprayhead 10 is illustrated in a section view on line III-III of FIG. 2. A plurality of spaced apart hot water outlets 14 are arranged at the other end 15 of the housing 11. A holding chamber 16 for accumulating a quantity of hot water therein is located within the housing 11. The holding chamber 16 is vented to the atmosphere by a vent 17, which is centrally mounted on end 15. The holding chamber 16 is connected to the water inlet 12.

(13) A dispensing chamber 18 is located within the housing 11 and below the holding chamber 16, in use. Means for delivering the accumulated quantity of water from the holding chamber 16 to the dispensing chamber 18, in the form of a bell siphon, shown generally at 20, is located in the holding chamber 16. The bell siphon 20 consists of an upstanding open ended siphon tube 21 located on a bottom surface 22 of the holding chamber 16 and is covered by a siphon bell 23. The siphon tube 21 connects the holding chamber 16 with the dispensing chamber 18, with the accumulated quantity of water being deliverable to the dispensing chamber 18 once the water level in the holding chamber 16 rises above open end 24 of the siphon tube 21.

(14) A sprayhead cap 25 seals top 26 of the sprayhead 10.

(15) A drain 27 is mounted in the bottom surface 22 of the holding chamber 16 and connects the holding chamber 16 with the dispensing chamber 18.

(16) Referring to FIG. 4 the sprayhead 10 is shown in an exploded view. The other end 15 of the housing 11 sits into bottom opening 28 of the housing 11 and the vent 17 locates in an open ended collar 29, mounted centrally in the other end 15.

(17) Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated generally at 40, in an exploded view, a further embodiment of a sprayhead in accordance with the invention. The sprayhead 40 has a housing 41 with a water inlet 42 at one end 43 thereof. The other end 44 of the housing 41 sits into bottom opening 45 of the housing 41. A holding chamber 46 is located within the housing 41 and a siphon tube 47 is locatable in an opening 48 in bottom surface 49 of the holding chamber 46, which connects the holding chamber 46 with a dispensing chamber 50. A sprayhead cap 51 seals top end 52 of the housing 41.

(18) A vent 53 is locatable in a central open ended collar 54 on the other end 44 of the housing 41. A plurality of spaced apart hot water outlets 55 are arranged at the other end 44 of the housing 41.

(19) Referring to FIG. 6, which is a plan view from above of the sprayhead 40, the vent 53 can be seen positioned in the centre 56 of the other end 44.

(20) Referring to FIG. 7, which is a section view on line VII-VII of FIG. 6, the position of the siphon tube 47 can be seen more clearly. The siphon tube 47 is located at one end 57 thereof in the opening 48 in the lower surface 49 of the holding chamber 46. The siphon tube 47 is open at other end 58 thereof, which open end 58 is located close to the bottom surface 49, with the siphon tube 47 curving in an arc 59 above the bottom surface 49, such that when the water level in the holding chamber 46 reaches the apex 60 of the arc 59, the siphon 47 will drain the accumulated water from the holding chamber 46 into the dispensing chamber 50, and thence to the coffee grounds.

(21) Referring to FIG. 8, which is a section view on line VIII-VIII of FIG. 6, a drain 61 is mounted in the bottom surface 49 of the holding chamber 46 and connects the holding chamber 46 with the dispensing chamber 50, and thence through the hot water outlets 55 to the coffee grounds.

(22) The vent 53 is locatable in a central open ended collar 54 on the other end 44 of the housing 41. The vent 53 is open to the atmosphere at end 62 thereof.