Tea Maker

Abstract

A tea maker comprises a vessel in which is located a conveyor. The conveyor, preferably vertically, transports a carriage. The conveyor and a carriage are surrounded by a tube and are protected from the water in the vessel. An enclosed basket coupled to the carriage. An external user interface allows a user to select brewing parameters such as the type of beverage brewed, the brewing temperature, and the steeping time. The selection is sent to a processor. The processor then encodes the selection into a control data for the heating assembly or the conveyor.

1 . A tea maker, comprising,
 a vessel;   a vertical conveyor associated with the vessel; and   a basket located in the vessel that is carried by the conveyor.   
   
   
       2 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the conveyor is a vertical shaft that carries screw threads.   
   
   
       3 . The tea maker of  claim 2 , further comprising,
 a tube that surrounds the vertical shaft in the vessel, wherein the tube is adapted to block a rotation of the basket about the vertical shaft.   
   
   
       4 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 a carriage on the conveyor retains the basket and the basket is removable from the conveyor.   
   
   
       5 . The tea maker of  claim 4 , wherein,
 the basket is an enclosure having a lid.   
   
   
       6 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the basket is adapted to move up and down in reciprocating brew enhancing strokes.   
   
   
       7 . The tea maker of  claim 6 , wherein,
 an amplitude of the brew enhancing strokes is smaller than a full range of the basket's vertical motion.   
   
   
       8 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 a motor is located in the vessel.   
   
   
       9 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 a motor is located in a base, the base being adapted to transmit power to the vessel.   
   
   
       10 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the vessel is divided by into a liquid compartment and a lower compartment, a motor and a heating assembly being located in the lower compartment, and the conveyor extending from the lower compartment to the liquid compartment.   
   
   
       11 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 a transparent liquid compartment.   
   
   
       12 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 an user interface located on an exterior of the tea maker, the user interface being adapted to send a command to a processor.   
   
   
       13 . The tea maker of  claim 12 , wherein,
 a five pole connector between the vessel and a base is used to transmit the command.   
   
   
       14 . The tea maker of  claim 12 , further comprising,
 a heating assembly having a temperature sensor that sends a data to the processor, the processor being able to control the heating element to provide a range of water temperatures.   
   
   
       15 . The tea maker of  claim 12 , wherein
 the user interface comprises a selection for a brew time.   
   
   
       16 . The tea maker of  claim 1 , wherein,
 a movement of the basket is coupled to a movement of a carriage, the carriage being transported by the conveyor.   
   
   
       17 . A tea maker, comprising:
 a vessel further comprising a transparent compartment and a metal compartment;   a basket located within the vessel;   the basket having a range of vertical positions; and   a vertical conveyor located in the vessel, the conveyor transporting the basket.   
   
   
       18 . The tea maker of  claim 17 , wherein,
 the conveyor is a vertical shaft.   
   
   
       19 . The tea maker of  claim 17 , wherein,
 the vessel has a lid, and a height of the vessel is sufficient to accommodate the basket when the lid is closed.