Patents

Patents (Granted)

• Preventing coffee bean grinder jamming (US12369741B1, US20250386966A1, WO2025155323A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for espresso machines are provided. In general, an espresso machine is configured to brew and dispense espresso. In an exemplary implementation, the espresso machine includes a grinder configured to grind coffee beans. The grinder is configured to be adjustable to allow for adjustment of coffee bean grind size, which may help ensure that a particular beverage brewed and dispensed by the espresso machine is prepared using an optimal grind size. The espresso machine is configured to prevent jamming of the grinder automatically in response to grind size adjustment.
• Preparation of beverage machines for cold beverage brewing (US12369744B1, US20260000242A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for beverage machines (e.g., coffee machines, espresso machines, etc.) are provided. In general, an espresso machine is configured to brew and dispense espresso. In one exemplary implementation, a system includes a boiler, a temperature sensor, a water outlet, a plumbing system, a housing, a controller, and a memory. The temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the boiler. The plumbing system is configured to deliver water from the boiler to the water outlet. The housing includes a reservoir coupled thereto and configured to contain a cleaning liquid therein. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations including measuring a temperature of the boiler, comparing the temperature of the boiler to a predetermined temperature, operating the pump, and terminating the operation of the pump.
• Zero retention coffee bean hopper (US12514394B2, US20250275644A1).
  • In one aspect, a method of using an automated beverage machine can include causing coffee beans to be dispensed from a hopper configured to contain the coffee beans and into a grinder configured to grind the coffee beans. The method can further include receiving, from a weight sensor configured to measure a total weight of the hopper and the coffee beans, data characterizing a weight of the hopper, and determining, based on the received data, an amount of coffee beans dispensed into the grinder.

Patents (Under Review)

• Determining an amount of carbon dioxide in a gas source in a carbonation system (US20240246041A1).
  • Various systems, devices, and methods of determining an amount of carbon dioxide in a gas source in a carbonation system are provided. A carbonation system is one example of a treatment system to which the systems, devices, and methods described herein apply. In general, a carbonation system can be configured to determine an amount of CO2 in a gas source, such as a CO2 canister, removably coupled to the carbonation system. The carbonation system can also be configured to provide a notification (e.g., audible alert and/or visual alert) to a user of the carbonation system indicative of the determined CO2 amount.
• Beverage carbonation systems (WO2024155439A2, WO2024155439A3, AU2024210768A1, CA3280529A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for a beverage carbonation system are provided. In general, a carbonation system is configured to form a carbonated fluid and dispense the carbonated fluid into a container, such as a bottle, a cup, or other container. A carbonation system is one example of a treatment system to which the systems, devices, and methods described herein apply.
• Detecting liquid temperature for a beverage carbonation system (US20250001371A).
  • Various systems, devices, and methods of detecting liquid temperature for a beverage carbonation system are provided. A carbonation system is one example of a treatment system to which the systems, devices, and methods described herein apply. In general, a carbonation system is configured to form a carbonated fluid by mixing a liquid and a gas and dispensing the carbonated fluid into a container. A temperature of the liquid can be detected, e.g., using a temperature sensor, before the liquid and the gas are mixed together to form the carbonated fluid. A user of the carbonation system can be informed of the liquid’s temperature before the mixing begins.
• Queueing beverage machine preparations (WO2025155327A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for beverage machines are provided. In one exemplary implementation, a system is provided that includes a beverage machine configured to brew a beverage and to froth milk. A user interface of the beverage machine is configured to receive a first user input requesting the beverage machine to start performing a first task and to receive a second user input requesting the beverage machine to start performing a second task. The performance of the second task is queued to begin automatically after the performance of the first task, and, after the first task has been performed, the beverage machine is prepared for the performance of the second task based on whether the first task is brewing the beverage or frothing the milk. The second task is the other of brewing the beverage and frothing the milk.
• Suggesting coffee bean grind size for beverage machines (US20250235034A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for beverage machines (e.g., drip coffee machines, espresso machines, etc.) are provided. In an exemplary implementation, an espresso machine is configured to brew and dispense espresso. In an exemplary implementation, the espresso machine is configured to determine a recommended coffee bean grind size for a beverage, e.g., an espresso or a sprover-style drink, selected by a user and to provide the recommended coffee bean grind size to the user.
• Descaling beverage machines (US20250235041A1).
  • Various illustrative systems, devices, and methods for beverage machines are provided. In one exemplary implementation, a system includes a steam frother arm of a beverage preparation machine, a hot water outlet of the beverage preparation machine, a group head of the beverage preparation machine, a housing of the beverage preparation machine, a controller, and a memory. The housing includes a reservoir coupled thereto and configured to contain a cleaning liquid therein. The housing also includes first, second, and third flow paths therethrough through which the cleaning liquid is configured to flow in a descaling operation.
• Superautomatic Beverage Machine (O2025190411A1, WO2025252087A1, WO2025223560A1).
  • Machines for brewing beverages are provided. A machine can include a brew chamber configured to receive ground coffee and to receive water and a tamper configured to move into the brew chamber to press against the coffee grounds in the brew chamber. The brew chamber can be configured to receive ground coffee from a grinder. The grinder can be configured to receive coffee beans from a hopper comprising an electro-mechanical rotor having a rotating configuration configured to allow coffee beans contained in the hopper to pass through an opening of the hopper and into the grinder.