Adjustable tamper coffee apparatus, brewing machine utilizing such apparatus, and methods for making coffee

Abstract

A coffee brewer that includes a brewing chamber, and a brewing cup filled with coffee that is removably received in the brewing chamber. The cup includes a bottom that acts as a tamping member, and this bottom is movable to vary the size of the cup reservoir. Once the cup is positioned in the brewer, the closing of the cup forces engagement of the tamping member and an engagement member positioner in the brewing chamber, resulting in the tamping member being moved to compress the coffee.

1 . A method for brewing a beverage comprising:
 placing a brewing cup in a brewing chamber, wherein the brewing cup comprises a liquid impermeable cup housing defining a reservoir with a brewing material positioned therein, the cup housing comprising a tamping member wherein the tamping member is movable into and out of the reservoir to vary the size of the reservoir, and wherein the brewing chamber with a bottom and with an access opening is defined by a brewer housing first component, and wherein a brewer housing second component may be opened to afford access to said brewing chamber via said access opening and which may be closed to coact in sealing engagement with said first component to close said access opening, and having an engagement portion; and wherein the engagement portion is within the brewing chamber and in contact with the tamping member, and when the second component is opened, holds the tamping member a set off distance from the bottom of the brewing chamber;   closing the second component and forcing the housing portion to move toward the bottom of the brewing chamber while the engagement portion remains in contact with the tamping member and maintains the tamping member at the set off distance from the bottom of the brewing chamber, resulting in relative movement between the housing portion and the tamping member, and resulting in the tamping member being positioned a compression distance into the reservoir to compress the brewing material; and,   contacting the brewing material with a brewing liquid to produce a beverage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjustment may be made to at least one of the tamping member or the engagement portion so that the tamping member may be moved selected compression distances depending upon the adjustment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tamping member or the engagement portion is adjustable to vary the set off distance resulting in a varied compression distance once the second component is closed. 
     
     
         4 . A method of brewing a beverage comprising:
 placing a brewing cup in a brewing chamber, wherein the brewing cup comprises a liquid impermeable cup housing defining a reservoir with a brewing material contained in the reservoir, the cup housing comprising a first cup housing portion and a second cup housing portion, wherein the first cup housing portion defines a liquid entry port into the reservoir, and wherein the second cup housing portion comprises a tamping member movable into and out of the reservoir to vary the size of the reservoir, and wherein the cup housing further defines a liquid exit port, and wherein the brewing chamber comprises a bottom and an access opening and is defined by a brewer housing first component, with a brewer housing second component which may be opened to afford access to said brewing chamber via said access opening and which may be closed to coact in sealing engagement with said first component to close said access opening, and having an engagement portion, wherein, the engagement portion is positioned within the brewing chamber and in contact with the tamping member, and when the second component is opened, holds the tamping member a set off distance from the bottom of the brewing chamber;   closing the second component to cause a liquid injector to engage the liquid entry port and be in liquid communication with the reservoir, and to cause the housing portion to move toward the bottom of the brewing chamber while the engagement portion remains in contact with the tamping member and maintains the tamping member at the set off distance from the bottom of the brewing chamber, resulting in relative movement between the housing portion and the tamping member, and resulting in the tamping member being positioned a compression distance into the reservoir to compress the brewing material; and,   contacting the brewing material with a brewing liquid to produce a beverage.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein adjustment may be made to at least one of the tamping member or the engagement portion so that the tamping member may be moved selected compression distances depending upon the adjustment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the tamping member or the engagement portion is adjustable to vary the set off distance resulting in a varied compression distance once the second component is closed.