Title of Invention

A MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DISPENSING TEA OR A DECOCTION OF TEA

Abstract A machine for making and dispensing tea or a decoction of tea comprising a microcontroller; a tea hopper; a motorized screw feeder; a filter tray with a filter mesh below the feeder; a shower above the filter tray; a storage vessel into which milk or water is drawn through a first solenoid valve, on activation by the microcontroller; a second solenoid valve for letting in steam into the said vessel, on activetion by the microcontroller; a pump when activated by the microcontroller, circulating the heated liquid frrom the vessel into the shower and into the filter tray to mix with the tea dust fed from the hopper; a lid the filter tray to mix with the tea dust fed from the hopper; a lid with a tapered surface provided for the top of the vessel having a drain hole opening into it; and a third solenoid valve for dispensing a predetermined quantity of tea or decoction from thde vessel when the microcontroller is manually actuated.
Full Text This invention relates to a machine for making and dispensing tea or, wherever required a decoction of tea.
Making tea or a decoction of tea involves the use of the right proportions of the ingredients at the right temperature. The machine proposed herein enables this to be done, economically and automatically.
The various features of this invention will be apparent from the following description.
The machine for making and dispensing tea or a decoction of tea, according to this invention, comprises a microcontroller ; a tea hopper for storing tea dust ; a motorized screw feeder mounted inside the tea hopper, said feeder, on activation by the microcontroller feeding a metered quantity of tea dust from the hopper into a filter tray provided with a filter mesh disposed below the said feeder; a shower disposed above the filter tray ; a storage vessel into which a predetermined quantity of milk or water is drawn from a source, through a first solenoid valve, on activation by the microcontroller; a second solenoid valve for letting in steam, from a source into the said vessel, on activation by the microcontroller ; a pump, when activated by the microcontroller, circulating the steam heated liquid from the said vessel into the shower and thence into the filter tray, to mix with the tea dust fed from the hopper; a lid with a tapered surface provided for the top of the said vessel,

below the filter tray, the lid having a drain hole opening into the said vessel, whereby the mixture of milk and tea dust or water and tea dust falls from the filter tray on to the tapered surface of the lid and is carried there from through the drain hole into the said vessel, the pump continuing to operate until the microcontroller deactivates it ; the microcontroller, however, when manually actuated, activating the pump to allow a predetermined quantity of the tea or decoction to be dispensed from the said vessel through a third solenoid valve and simultaneously, the microcontroller also activating the feeder to discharge a metered quantity of the dust from the hopper on to the filter tray , thereafter, to compensate for the resulting loss of tea or decoction, the microcontroller also letting in a predetermined quantity of milk or water into the vessel through the first solenoid valve and the inlet together with fresh steam into the vessel through the second solenoid valve and the pump actuating to circulate the steam heated weakened tea or decoction in the vessel into the shower and thence into the filter tray ; to repeat the procedure for strengthening the tea or decoction.
This invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of various possible embodiments of the machine proposed herein, wherein
Fig. 1 Illustrates the general assembly of the embodiment showing the microcontroller, the inlet of milk or water to the storage vessel and the first

solenoid valve , the steam line and the second solenoid valve, the outlet of the said vessel for dispensing the tea or decoction and the third solenoid valve.
Fig.2 Illustrates a separate view of the filter tray.
Fig.3 Illustrates a separate view of the shower.
Fig.4 illustrates a separate view of the lid provided for the storage vessel indicating the taper and the drain hole.
Fig.5 Illustrates a separate view of the froth tube.
The microcontroller M is programmed to control the activation of the components of the machine proposed herein.
A tea hopper A is provided for storing tea dust. B is a motorized screw feeder controlled by the microcontroller M. The feeder is mounted inside the tea hopper A. This feeder, on activation by the microcontroller feeds a metered quantity of tea dust from the hopper A into a filter tray C (provided with a filter mesh Q) disposed below the said feeder. Feeding of the tea dust from the hopper A into the filter tray C is done by the microcontroller M by turning on the screw feeder B for a predetermined interval of time.
A shower D is disposed above the filter tray C.

A storage vessel E is provided into which a predetermined quantity of milk or water is drawn from a source, through a first solenoid valve F and through inlet G, on activation by the microcontroller M. The predetermined quantity of milk or water is drawn into the vessel E by the microcontroller M turning on the solenoid valve F to open for a predetermined interval of time.
A second solenoid valve H is intended for letting in steam, from a source into the said vessel E, on activation by the microcontroller M. This is done by the microcontroller M turning on the second solenoid valve H for a predetermined interval of time.
A pump J, when activated by the microcontroller M circulates the steam heated milk or water in the said vessel E into the shower D and thence on to the filter tray C to mix with the tea dust fed from hopper A. Such activation is done by the microcontroller M for a predetermined interval of time.
A lid K with a tapered surface at L is provided for the top of the said vessel E below the filter tray C. The lid has a drain hole T opening out into the said vessel E, whereby the mixture of milk and tea dust or water and tea dust falls from the filter tray C on to the tapered surface L of the Lid K and is carried there from through the drain hole T into the said Vessel E. The tapered surface L of the lid K enables the tea or decoction falling on to the said surface to gravitate towards the drain hole T and enter the vessel E. The pump continues to operate until de-activated by the microcontroller on completion of the pre-determined interval of time.

Whenever the microcontroller M is manually actuated e.g. by manually pressing a button, to dispense tea or decoction from the vessel E, a predetermined quantity of the tea or decoction is dispensed by activation of the pump J through a third solenoid valve 0 and the outlet N. This is done by the microcontroller M by activating the pump and solenoid valve for a predetermined interval of time. Simultaneously, the microcontroller activates the Feeder B to discharge a metered quantity of the dust from the hopper A on to the filter tray C. Thereafter, to compensate for the resulting loss of tea or decoction, the microcontroller lets in a predetermined quantity of milk or water into the vessel E through solenoid valve F and the inlet G. Fresh steam is let Into the vessel E, through the solenoid valve H, the pump J is activated to circulate the steam heated weakened tea or decoction into the shower D and thence into the filter tray C. The lid K having drain hole T opening into the said vessel E allows the tea or decoction from the filter tray C in to the vessel E. The procedure repeats as aforesaid to strengthen the tea or decoction in the vessel E.
The vessel E is provided with a froth tube W with two apertures Y and Z, enabling atmospheric air to be drawn into the tube at aperture Y and mixed with the dispensed tea or decoction at aperture Z, resulting in the dispensed tea or decoction acquiring a froth which enhances the taste and flavour of the dispensed tea or decoction. Furthermore, since the froth on the surface of the

dispensed tea or decoction acts as a heat insulating medium, the froth minimizes loss of heat from the tea or decoction, when exposed to atmospheric air outside the out let N.
The aperture Y is open to atmosphere while the aperture Z is submerged in the tea or decoction in the vessel E.
The term "microcontroller" in this specification means and includes relay logic, semiconductor logic or PLC (programmed logic control).
The terms and expressions herein are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention in excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other embodiments of the machine proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and



We claim :
1. A machine making and dispensing tea or a decoction of tea comprising a microcontroiler; a tea hopper for storing tea dust; a motorized screw feeder mounted inside the tea hopper, said feeder, on activation by the microcontroller, feeding a metered quantity of tea dust from the hopper into a filter tray provided with a filter mesh disposed below the said feeder ; a shower disposed above the filter tray ; a . storage vessel into which a predetermined quantity of milk or water is drawn from a source through a first solenoid valve, on activation by the microcontroller; a second solenoid valve for letting in steam, from a source, into the said vessel, on activation by the microcontroller; a pump when activated by the microcontroller, circulating the steam heated liquid from the said vessel into the shower and thence into the filter tray to mix with the tea dust fed from the hopper; a lid with a tapered surface provided for the top of the said vessel, below the filter tray, the lid having a drain hole opening into the said vessel whereby the mixture of milk and tea dust or water and tea dust falls from the filter tray on to the tapered surface of the lid and is carried therefrom through the drain hole into the said vessel, the pump continuing to operate until the microcontroller de-activates it ; the microcontroller, however, when manually actuated, activating the pump to allow a predetermined quantity of the tea or decoction to be dispensed from the said vessel through a third solenoid valve and simultaneously, the microcontroller also activating the feeder to discharge a metered quantity of

the dust from the hopper on to the filter tray , thereafter, to compensate for the resulting loss of tea or decoction, the microcontroller also letting in a predetermined quantity of milk or water into the vessel through the first solenoid valve and the inlet together with fresh steam into the vessel through the second solenoid valve and actuating the pump to circulate the steam heated weakened tea or decoction in the vessel into the shower and thence on to the filter tray , to repeat the procedure for strengthening the tea or decoction.
2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the vessel is provided with a froth tube with two apertures enabling atmospheric air to be drawn into the tube at the first aperture and mixed with the dispensed tea or decoction at the second aperture, resulting in the dispensed tea or decoction acquiring a froth.
3. A machine for making and dispensing tea or a decoction of tea substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0611-mas-2002 abstract.pdf

0611-mas-2002 claims-duplicate.pdf

0611-mas-2002 claims.pdf

0611-mas-2002 correspondence-others.pdf

0611-mas-2002 correspondence-po.pdf

0611-mas-2002 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

0611-mas-2002 description (complete).pdf

0611-mas-2002 drawings.pdf

0611-mas-2002 form-1.pdf

0611-mas-2002 form-26.pdf


Patent Number 216667
Indian Patent Application Number 611/MAS/2002
PG Journal Number 17/2008
Publication Date 25-Apr-2008
Grant Date 17-Mar-2008
Date of Filing 20-Aug-2002
Name of Patentee LLM APPLIANCES LIMITED
Applicant Address 147, Karapakkam Village, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Chennai-600 096,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 VISWANATHA MURUGESA KUMARESAN LLM Appliances Limited, 147, Karapakkam Village, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Chennai-600 096,
PCT International Classification Number A47J 31/44
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA