Beverage Preparation Machines and Methods For Operating Beverage Preparation Machines

Abstract

A method of operating a beverage preparation machine, the beverage preparation machine being of the type comprising a brewer comprising: a reservoir containing water; a delivery head for receiving in use a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients; a pump for pumping water from said reservoir to said delivery head; a primary heater for heating the water contained in said reservoir; a secondary heater in between the reservoir and the delivery head; a controller for controlling energisation of the primary heater and the secondary heater; and wherein the controller operates to prevent energisation of the primary heater simultaneous with energisation of the secondary heater. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed and methods and apparatus utilising first and second brewers.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A beverage preparation machine comprising:
 a reservoir for water;   a delivery head for receiving in use a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients;   a pump for pumping water from said reservoir to said delivery head;   a primary heater for heating water contained in said reservoir;   a secondary heater in between the reservoir and the delivery head;   a controller for controlling energisation of the primary heater and the secondary heater; and   wherein the controller is operable to prevent energisation of the primary heater simultaneous with energisation of the secondary heater.   
     
     
         14 . A beverage preparation machine as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the controller is operable to prevent energisation of the primary heater during pumping of water by the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 13  or  14  wherein the primary heater is located in the reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 13  wherein the primary heater comprises an electrical power heating source. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 13  wherein the secondary heater is located in the flow path extending from the reservoir to the delivery head. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 13  wherein the secondary heater comprises an instantaneous heater. 
     
     
         19 - 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . The beverage preparation machine of claim  1  wherein the controller is operable to energise the secondary heater after activating the pump during a dispense cycle to generate steam from water remaining in the secondary heater at an end of the dispense cycle. 
     
     
         74 . The beverage preparation machine of claim  1  wherein the controller is operable to activate the pump at a beginning of a dispense cycle; and
 the controller is operable to energise the secondary heater to heat pumped water to a predetermined temperature after activating the pump at the beginning of the dispense cycle. 
 
     
     
         75 . A beverage preparation machine comprising:
 a reservoir for water;   a delivery head for receiving in use a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients;   a pump for pumping water from said reservoir to said delivery head;   a primary heater for heating water contained in said reservoir;   a secondary heater in between the reservoir and the delivery head;   a controller for controlling energisation of the primary heater and the secondary heater; and   wherein the controller is operable to prevent energisation of the primary heater simultaneous with energisation of the secondary heater and the controller operates to energise the secondary heater during a portion of a dispense cycle after activating the pump during the same dispense cycle.   
     
     
         76 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to energise the primary heater during a portion of the dispense cycle when the pump of said brewer is inactive. 
     
     
         77 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 76  wherein the dispense cycle comprises one or more pauses where water is not pumped to said delivery head and wherein the controller operates to energise the primary heater during said one or more pauses. 
     
     
         78 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 77  wherein the one or more pauses are for steeping the one or more beverage ingredients of the cartridge. 
     
     
         79 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to always energise the secondary heater and always de-energise the primary heater during the dispense cycle. 
     
     
         80 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to cause the primary heater to heat the water in the reservoir to a temperature of between 70 and 95 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         81 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to cause the primary heater to heat the water in the reservoir to a temperature of approximately 85 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         82 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to cause the secondary heater to boost the temperature of the water pumped to the delivery head by between 0 and 30 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         83 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to cause the secondary heater to generate steam. 
     
     
         84 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the secondary heater comprises an instantaneous heater. 
     
     
         85 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to energise the secondary heater after activating the pump to generate steam from water remaining in the secondary heater at an end of the dispense cycle. 
     
     
         86 . The beverage preparation machine of  claim 75  wherein the controller is operable to activate the pump at a beginning of the dispense cycle; and
 the controller is operable to energise the secondary heater to heat pumped water to a predetermined temperature after activating the pump at the beginning of the dispense cycle.