WO2013078155A2

WO2013078155A2 - Miniature brewer

Info

Publication number: WO2013078155A2
Application number: PCT/US2012/065966
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shmuel WEINFELD; Ziv Geva
Original assignee: Klein, David
Priority date: 2011-11-23
Filing date: 2012-11-20
Publication date: 2013-05-30
Also published as: WO2013078155A3

Abstract

A brewer including a water chamber disposed over a substance chamber, a water barrier placed between the water chamber and the substance chamber, the water barrier blocking flow of water from the water chamber to the substance chamber but permitting passage of steam from the water chamber to the substance chamber, a substance barrier that seals a non-brewed substance in the substance chamber but permits passage of brewed substance from the substance chamber, a heat source which is in thermal communication with the water chamber, and a trigger operative to trigger heat transfer from the heat source to the water chamber so that water in the water chamber is heated to boiling to form steam, the steam passing through the water barrier into the substance chamber to brew the non-brewed substance into a brewed substance, and the brewed substance exiting the substance chamber through the substance barrier.

Description

MINIATURE BREWER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to brewers, such as coffee brewers, and particularly to a miniature, pocket-size brewer, useful for brewing coffee, tea, and the like, and for preparing instant soups and other items that can be prepared by passage of steam therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people enjoy drinking coffee, but the coffee must be made in a fixed place, such as the kitchen, coffee-house, restaurant, fast-food place, etc. There is a need for pocket-size device that allows coffee drinkers to brew a cup of coffee while on the go.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a miniature, pocket-size brewer, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. The brewer of the present invention can prepare a cup of coffee while the drinker is walking, hiking or travelling and the like. Although the description will follow for coffee, it is noted that the brewer of the present invention can be used to prepare tea and other beverages, and to prepare instant soups and other items that can be prepared by passage of steam therethrough.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a brewer including a water chamber disposed over a substance chamber, a water barrier placed between the water chamber and the substance chamber, the water barrier blocking flow of water from the water chamber to the substance chamber but permitting passage of steam from the water chamber to the substance chamber, a substance barrier placed on a portion of the substance chamber, the substance barrier sealing a non-brewed substance in the substance chamber but permitting passage of brewed substance from the substance chamber, a heat source which is in thermal communication with the water chamber, and a trigger operative to trigger heat transfer from the heat source to the water chamber so that water in the water chamber is heated to boiling to form steam, the steam passing through the water barrier into the substance chamber to brew the non-brewed substance into a brewed substance, and the brewed substance exiting the substance chamber through the substance barrier.

a heat source, including an exothermic material, thermally communicating with the water chamber, and a trigger operative to trigger an exothermic reaction of the exothermic material, wherein upon the exothermic reaction of the exothermic material, water in the water chamber is heated to boiling to form steam, the steam passing through the water barrier into the substance chamber to brew the substance, and the brewed substance exiting the substance chamber through the substance barrier.

A cup may be provided for receiving therein the brewed substance exiting the substance chamber.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the water barrier includes a thin sheet formed with apertures and a laminated foil that covers the apertures, the laminated foil being modified by steam to permit passage of steam through the apertures.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the substance barrier includes a thin sheet formed with apertures and a laminated foil that covers the apertures, the laminated foil being modified by the brewed substance to permit passage of the brewed substance through the apertures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figs. 1A, IB and 1C are simplified exploded, perspective and enlarged sectional illustrations, respectively, of a brewer, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 2A and 2B are simplified side-view and sectional illustrations, respectively, of a heat source chamber (in this example, an exothermic chamber) of the brewer of Fig. 1A, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 3 A and 3B are simplified side-view and sectional illustrations, respectively, of a water chamber of the brewer of Fig. 1A, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 4A and 4B are simplified perspective and enlarged illustrations, respectively, of a water barrier of the brewer of Fig. 1A, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 5 A and 5B are simplified perspective and enlarged illustrations, respectively, of a substance barrier of the brewer of Fig. 1A, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a simplified side-view illustration of a heat source chamber (in this example, an electrical heat source) of the brewer of Fig. 1A, constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to Figs. 1A and IB, which illustrate a brewer 10, constructed and operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Brewer 10 includes a water chamber 12 disposed over a substance chamber 14, in which a substance to be brewed, such as coffee, is placed. A water barrier 16 is placed between water chamber 12 and substance chamber 14. Water barrier 16 blocks flow of water from water chamber 12 to substance chamber 14, but permits passage of steam from water chamber 12 to substance chamber 14.

Water chamber 12 and substance chamber 14 may be made of any suitable material, such as but not limited to, aluminum foil with laminate or injection molded plastic.

The water in water chamber 12 is heated to boiling by means of a heat source 18. In one embodiment, heat source 18 includes an exothermic material 20, such as but not limited to, calcium chloride or calcium oxide. Other types of heat sources for carrying out the invention are described further below.

A trigger 22 is provided for triggering the exothermic reaction of the exothermic material 20. Such triggers and exothermic materials are well known in the art of self- heating cans or self-heating pads, and do not require further description. In the non- limiting illustrated embodiment, the housing of heat source 18 forms a lid over water chamber 12, and trigger 22 forms an upper lid over the housing of heat source 18. The lids and chambers may be assembled together by crimping or other suitable manufacturing process.

As seen in Figs. 2A-3B, the heat source 18 (also referred to as a heat chamber) includes extensions 24 that extend at different depths into water chamber 12. This makes heating of the water more efficient. The water is heated by thermal conduction and natural convection in this example, but the invention may be carried out with other heating modes, such as forced convection, and radiation.

A substance barrier 26 is placed on a portion of substance chamber 14, such as at the bottom of a funnel shaped lower portion of substance chamber 14 (substance barrier 26 is typically placed on a bottom portion of substance chamber 14, but can alternatively be placed at other portions, such as side portions of chamber 14). Substance barrier 26 seals the non-brewed substance (e.g., coffee) in substance chamber 14, but permits passage of the brewed substance from substance chamber 14. Reference is now made to Figs. 4A and 4B, which illustrate water barrier 16, and to Figs. 5A and 5B, which illustrate substance barrier 26. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, water barrier 16 and substance barrier 26 each include a thin sheet formed with apertures 28 and a laminated foil 30 that covers apertures 28. The laminated foil 30 is modified by steam (in the case of water barrier 16) or brewed substance (in the case of substance barrier 26) to permit passage of steam or brewed substance through the apertures 28.

Brewer 10, which is preferably sized for fitting in a pocket of a garment, may be used as follows.

The user operates the trigger 22 to trigger the exothermic reaction of exothermic material 20. Exothermic material 20 heats water in water chamber 12 to boiling to form steam. The elevated temperature and/or pressure of the steam modify the laminated foil 30 so that the steam passes through the apertures 28 of water barrier 16. (Alternatively, an array of needles or other sharp protrusions may be provided in water chamber 12, which pierce water barrier 16 upon the buildup of pressure.) The steam seeps into substance chamber 14 and brews the substance stored therein. The elevated temperature and/or pressure of the brewed substance modify the laminated foil 30 of substance barrier 26 so that the brewed substance passes through the apertures 28 of substance barrier 26. The brewed substance then exits substance chamber 14 through substance barrier 26 and flows into a cup 32. Cup 32 may be collapsible so as to fit in a pocket of a garment.

Brewer 10 is designed to safely withstand the pressures of the steam. The small apertures of the barriers serve as safety valves to prevent bursting due to over-pressure.

Other types of heat sources for carrying out the invention are now described with reference to Fig. 6 (with like numerals representing like elements described above). In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the heat source in this embodiment is an electrical heat source 34, such as an electrical resistance heat source or electrical induction heat source, both readily commercially available in many sizes and shapes from different manufacturers. The electrical heat source 34 may be powered by a suitable power source 36, such as but not limited to, a battery, solar photovoltaic cells, or mains power. For example, power source 36 may be a transformer connected to mains, or connected to an electrical device with a USB connector or to a car 12V cigarette socket. A controller 38, such as a microprocessor, may control the timing and/or energy level of heat source 34; alternatively, the invention can be carried out without a controller. In this embodiment, the heat source 18 of the embodiment of Fig. 1 is replaced by a similarly shaped thermal unit 18 A, which may be useful in thermally conducting the heat generated by heat source 34 to heat the water in water chamber 12. The electrical heat source 34 and power source 36 (as well as the controller 38) may be supplied as external devices to the brewer, and may be manufactured and/or sold separately from the brewer.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A brewer comprising:

a water chamber disposed over a substance chamber;

a water barrier placed between said water chamber and said substance chamber, said water barrier blocking flow of water from said water chamber to said substance chamber but permitting passage of steam from said water chamber to said substance chamber;

a substance barrier that seals a non-brewed substance in said substance chamber but permits passage of a brewed substance from said substance chamber;

a heat source which is in thermal communication with said water chamber; and a trigger operative to trigger heat transfer from said heat source to said water chamber so that water in said water chamber is heated to boiling to form steam, said steam passing through said water barrier into said substance chamber to brew said non- brewed substance into a brewed substance, and said brewed substance exiting said substance chamber through said substance barrier.

2. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said heat source comprises an exothermic material, and said trigger is operative to trigger an exothermic reaction of said exothermic material, wherein upon the exothermic reaction of said exothermic material, water in said water chamber is heated to boiling to form steam.

3. The brewer according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that controls at least one of timing of said heat source and an energy level of said heat source.

4. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said heat source comprises an electrical resistance heat source.

5. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said heat source comprises an electrical induction heat source.

6. The brewer according to claim 1, further comprising a cup for receiving therein said brewed substance exiting said substance chamber.

7. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said water barrier comprises a thin sheet formed with apertures and a laminated foil that covers said apertures, said laminated foil being modified by steam to permit passage of steam through said apertures.

8. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said substance barrier comprises a thin sheet formed with apertures and a laminated foil that covers said apertures, said laminated foil being modified by the brewed substance to permit passage of the brewed substance through said apertures.

9. The brewer according to claim 1, wherein said brewer is sized to fit in a pocket of a garment.

10. The brewer according to claim 6, wherein said cup is collapsible.