Coffee Blending Apparatus

This invention relates to blending apparatus, and more particularly to a coffee blending apparatus whereby the individual purchaser may custom-blend coffee to the purchaser's individual taste, and whereby the customer may repeatedly make the same blend, and a method for customized blending.

Drinking of coffee has been, for a long time, a favorite beverage for many people. Coffee is grown in many parts of the world, and each such coffee has its own particular taste, flavor and smell. Such coffees have over time been combined by the major coffee manufacturers and coffee roasters into commercial blends. Such blends have been marketed by the major coffee manufacturers as predetermined by the mass producer of such coffee. In view of the vast popularity of coffee, many coffee drinkers have developed a desire for tastes and blends that are not generally commercially available.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method whereby an individual purchaser may select his or her own personal blend.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method whereby an individual purchaser may customize his or her personal blend or vary the blend as the customer may desire.

Another object is to provide a coffee blending apparatus by which the customer may customize his or her own blend and which blend formula can be readily stored in a memory bank or data base that can be recalled by the customer at some later time.

The foregoing objects and other features and advantages can be attained by a blending apparatus that comprises two or more hoppers, each containing a supply of coffee beans grown in various coffee producing areas. Each hopper is provided with an outlet that is controlled by a valve or damper actuated in a predetermined manner or sequence for releasing only that desired amount of a particular coffee bean required by the particular blend customized by the individual purchaser. The respective hoppers are arranged to discharge the predetermined amount of coffee beans into a collector which includes a weighing apparatus or scale to weigh the mixture or blend of the coffee beans released from the respective hoppers. Upon weighing, the mix or blend of coffee beans is directed to a grinder where the beans may be ground and subsequently bagged in a suitable bag or container. Alternatively, the mixed beans or blend can be directed to a bagging station where the beans are directly bagged. In accordance with this invention, the apparatus described is controlled by a central process unit (CPU) for controlling the actuation of the valves releasing the desired amount of coffee from the respective hoppers and for controlling the sequence of operation whereby the individual customer may make his or her personal blend according to his or her personal taste automatically. In one form of the invention, a suitable printer may be operatively connected to the CPU to print a label which identified the formula of the particular coffee blend designed by the purchaser, and which the purchaser may apply to the bagged, blended mix. The CPU program also includes a memory to form a data base of all the customers utilizing the apparatus, whereby a given customer may repeatedly reformulate his or her own personal blend by inputting the appropriate code into the CPU.

In another form of the invention, the respective hoppers are pressurized to maintain the coffee beans under pressure within their respective hoppers.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention that includes a support or base 10 having a superstructure or frame 11 for supporting thereon a plurality of hoppers 12. Each hopper 12 is designed to contain a supply of a particular type of coffee bean, e.g. Columbian coffee bean, India coffee bean, Jamaican coffee bean and such other type of coffee beans that are native to the various coffee producing countries or areas. In the illustrated embodiment, four such hoppers 12 are illustrated. However, it will be understood that more than four hoppers can be provided as will be hereinafter described. Each hopper 12 at its discharge opening is controlled by a valve 13 which is operatively connected in circuit to CPU unit 30.

As seen in FIG. 1, the hoppers 12 are clustered and are disposed above a collector 14 in the form of a funnel or hopper connected to a weighing apparatus or scale 15 that will weigh the mixture or blend of coffee beans discharged from the respective hoppers upon the actuation of the selected valves 13 controlling the discharge opening of the respective hoppers 12.

When the coffee bean mix has been weighed, the scale will direct the blend of coffee beans directly to either a grinder 17 or to a bagging station located at 16. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the coffee grinder 17 is located beneath the scale or weighing apparatus 15. The weighing apparatus or scale 15 may be provided with a suitable valved bottom for discharging the weighed coffee bean mixture directly to the bagging station 16 or optionally to the grinder 17. After grinding, the ground coffee mix is directed to the bagging station 16.

In operation, the customer will make his or her selection of the specific coffee beans desired for making up the individualized custom blend by making the proper selection on the CPU 30. The customer also inputs the percentages of each selected coffee by weight. Upon inputting the customer's individual customized blend or formula into the CPU 30, the valves controlling the discharged openings of the selected coffee hoppers are individually actuated, allowing the selected amount of each type of coffee bean to be discharged onto the weighing scale where the amount of the blend is automatically weighed and priced.

After weighing, the scale valve is actuated for directing the weighed blend or mix of coffee beans to either a grinder 17 or a bagging station 16 as directed by the customer. If the customer elects grinding, the beans making up the coffee blend are ground and thereafter directed to the bagging station 16 for bagging.

FIG. 2 illustrates another form of the invention. In this form of the invention, the blending apparatus 20 includes a base 21 on which there is supported a grinder 22 that includes a bagging station 23. Mounted above the grinder 22 is a weighing station or scale 24 which includes a hopper or funnel 25 forming a collector for receiving the various coffee beans selected by the customer.

The scale 24 includes a bottom opening which is controlled by a valve or damper which allows the coffee bean mix being weighed to release to the grinder 22 and/or bagging station 23 as hereinafter described.

Above the weighing station or scale 24, there is provided a main hopper 26 which has disposed therein a plurality of individual hoppers 27 circumferentially spaced about the interior of the main hopper 26. Each of the respective individual hoppers 27 contain a supply of different types of coffee beans which are grown in the various coffee producing countries. As hereinbefore described, each individual hopper 27 is provided with a bottom discharge opening controlled by an electrically actuated valve 28. The respective valves 28 are actuated by the output signal from a CPU 30. An output signal of the CPU also controls the actuation of the scale valve member. In order to visually determine the amount of bean supply in each of the respective hoppers 27, there is provided a sight opening 29. The sight opening 29 may comprise an elongated slot circumferentially spaced about the main hopper 26. The respective slots 29 are aligned with a corresponding glass or transparent sight formed in each of the respective individual hoppers 27. The arrangement is such that the amount of the coffee supply in each of the respective individual hoppers 27 can be visibly observed. In operation, this form of the invention is similar to that described with respect to the described embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention. In this form, the apparatus 35 comprises a panel 36 having mounted thereon a plurality of hoppers or chambers 37 for containing a supply of a particular type of coffee bean. As illustrated, the number of hoppers or chambers 37 may vary, depending upon the number of different types of coffee a particular store owner may wish to display. In this form of the invention, each of the respective hoppers or chambers 37 for containing a supply of coffee is pressurized. As shown, this is attained by an air pump or compressor 38 generating a fluid pressure, e.g. air pressure which is directed to a main manifold 39. The manifold 39 in turn is connected to a plurality of inlet branches 40. Each of the respective inlet branches 40 connects the manifold in communication with the interior of its corresponding chamber 37. Interconnected in each branch 40 is an electrically operated valve 41, interposed between the manifold 39 and the associated chamber for controlling the pressure on each hopper or chamber 37.

Connected to the bottom of each hopper or chamber is an outlet branch 42, each branch 42 including a valve 43. Each of the respective outlet branches 42 connects its corresponding hopper or coffee supply chamber 37 to a common outlet manifold 44.

Intermediate the ends of the outlet manifold 44 is a discharge opening 45 whereby the coffee beans being discharged from the respective hoppers or suppliers 37 are emptied onto a weighing device, e.g. an electronic scale 46. The bottom of the scale 46 is provided with an opening that is valved by a valve 47. Upon opening of the scale discharge opening, the weighed or mixed coffee beans are directed to a hopper 48 that discharges the blended coffee bean to a rotary mixer 49.

From the rotary mixer 49, the coffee beans may be optionally directed to a bagging station 50 or to a grinding station 51 after which the ground beans are suitably bagged. The bagged coffee, whether bagged as beans or as a grind, are directed to a printing station whereby the label containing the formula of the coffee blend is printed either directly onto the bag or upon a label which is attached to the bag. Bag as used herein includes a conventional coffee type bag, or tin or container of any suitable type in which the coffee is packaged.

It will be understood that the CPU 30 is programmed so that when a customer puts in the formula of a particular blend which the customer desires, the appropriate valves 41 and 43 are actuated to provide for a pressurized, controlled discharge of the particular coffee beans controlled by the respective valves. The program further defines the sequence and timing of the specific operations required to select the amount and kind of coffee beans making up the blend, the weighing of the amount of the blend desired, the mixing, grinding, bagging and printing in a predetermined automatic manner.

In accordance with this invention, it will be apparent that a coffee aficionado may customize his or her own blend from a variety of predetermined numbers of differing coffee beans in a self-service and automatic manner. The CPU program includes a memory whereby each customer's personal blend is recorded in a data base, so that the customer may reorder his individual customized coffee blend simply by inputting his personalized code into the CPU.

While the invention has been described in reference to the personal custom blending of coffee beans, it will be understood that the invention can be applied to the customized mixing of other ingredients, e.g. nuts, candy, cookies, cereals and other ingredients which a purchaser may buy in a customized variety package. With the present invention, a purchaser need not be limited to variety packaged goods which are predetermined by the manufacturer of such goods. The present invention provides for a readily simple and expedient manner by which the purchaser may personally customize and/or individually blend a mixture of like or unlike ingredients in an automatic manner to form his or her own personalized variety or blended package of a particular goods.

While the present invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.