Electronic timer for a coffee maker

Claim 2

An electronic timer for activating a switch circuit so as to connect electrically a heating device and a power supplying unit of a coffee maker for a predetermined brewing period, the heating device being used to heat water that is supplied to a filter basket and that comes from a water reservoir of the coffee maker, said electronic timer comprising: processing means having an internal clock for registering a current time of day, and an internal register for storing a preset brewing time, said processing means being operable in an automatic mode, wherein said processing means is adapted to activate the switch circuit for the predetermined brewing period so as to heat the water that is supplied to the filter basket when the brewing time coincides with the current time; and temperature sensing means including a temperature-controlled switch which is adapted to connect the switch circuit to the heating device so as to permit activation of the heating device when temperature of the heating device is below a lower limit of a predetermined temperature range and to disconnect the switch circuit from the heating device so as to deactivate the heating device when the temperature of the heating device is above an upper limit of the predetermined temperature range, said temperature sensing means further including a signal generating circuit which interconnects said temperature-controlled switch and said processing means and which is adapted to be connected to the power supplying unit via said temperature-controlled switch, said signal generating circuit generating a switch status signal received by said processing means, the switch status signal being a switch-on signal when said temperature-controlled switch connects the switch circuit to the heating device, and being a switch-off signal when said temperature-controlled switch disconnects the switch circuit from the heating device; said processing means further including means for preventing subsequent activation of the switch circuit when duration of the switch-off signal from said signal generating circuit does not exceed a predetermined critical time period.

Claim 3

The electronic timer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising display means connected to and controlled by said processing means so as to indicate time information thereon.

Claim 4

The electronic timer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the critical time period is about two minutes.

Claim 5

The electronic timer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing means is further operable in an OFF mode, in which said processing means is prevented from activating the switch circuit even when the current time coincides with the brewing time, and an ON mode, in which said processing means activates the switch circuit for the predetermined brewing period regardless of whether the current time coincides with the brewing time.

Claim 6

The electronic timer as claimed in claim 4, further comprising user input means connected to said processing means and operable so as to set the current time of day of said internal clock and the brewing time in said internal register.

Claim 7

The electronic timer as claimed in claim 5, wherein said user input means is further operable so as to set operation of said processing means in one of said OFF mode, said automatic mode and said ON mode.

Claim 8

A coffee maker including a filter basket, a water reservoir for receiving water that is to be supplied to said filter basket, a heating device for heating the water from said water reservoir, a power supplying unit for supplying power to said heating device, a switch circuit activable so as to connect electrically said heating device and said power supplying unit, and an electronic timer for activating said switch circuit for a predetermined brewing period, wherein said electronic timer comprises: processing means connected electrically to said switch circuit and having an internal clock for registering a current time of day, and an internal register for storing a preset brewing time, said processing means being operable in an automatic mode, wherein said processing means activates said switch circuit for the predetermined brewing period so as to heat the water that is supplied to said filter basket when the brewing time coincides with the current time; and temperature sensing means including a temperature-controlled switch which connects electrically said switch circuit to said heating device so as to permit activation of said heating device when temperature of said heating device is below a lower limit of a predetermined temperature range and to disconnect said switch circuit from said heating device so as to deactivate said heating device when the temperature of said heating device is above an upper limit of the predetermined temperature range, said temperature sensing means further including a signal generating circuit which interconnects said temperature-controlled switch and said processing means and which is connected to said power supplying unit via said temperature-controlled switch, said signal generating circuit generating a switch status signal received by said processing means, the switch status signal being a switch-on signal when said temperature-controlled switch connects said switch circuit to said heating device, and being a switch-off signal when said temperature-controlled switch disconnects said switch circuit from said heating device; said processing means further including means for preventing subsequent activation of said switch circuit when duration of the switch-off signal from said signal generating circuit does not exceed a predetermined critical time period.

Claim 9

A coffee maker including a filter basket, a water reservoir for receiving water that is to be supplied to said filter basket, a heating device for heating the water from said water reservoir, a power supplying unit for supplying power to said heating device, a switch circuit activable so as to connect electrically said heating device and said power supplying unit, and an electronic timer for activating said switch circuit for a predetermined brewing period, wherein said electronic timer comprises: processing means connected electrically to said switch circuit and having an internal clock for registering a current time of day, and an internal register for storing a preset brewing time, said processing means being operable in an automatic mode, wherein said processing means activates said switch circuit for the predetermined brewing period so as to heat the water that is supplied to said filter basket when the brewing time coincides with the current time; and temperature sensing means including a temperature-controlled switch which connects electrically said switch circuit to said heating device so as to permit activation of said heating device when temperature of said heating device is below a lower limit of a predetermined temperature range and to disconnect said switch circuit from said heating device so as to deactivate said heating device when the temperature of said heating device is above an upper limit of the predetermined temperature range, said temperature sensing means further including a signal generating circuit which interconnects said temperature-controlled switch and said processing means and which is connected to said power supplying unit via said temperature-controlled switch, said signal generating circuit generating a switch status signal received by said processing means, the switch status signal being a switch-on signal when said temperature-controlled switch connects said switch circuit to said heating device, and being a switch-off signal when said temperature-controlled switch disconnects said switch circuit from said heating device; said processing means further including means for preventing subsequent activation of said switch circuit when duration of the switch-off signal from said signal generating circuit does not exceed a predetermined critical time period.

Claim 10

The coffee maker as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electronic timer further comprises display means connected to and controlled by said processing means so as to indicate time information thereon.

Claim 11

The coffee maker as claimed in claim 7, wherein the critical time period is about two minutes.

Claim 12

The coffee maker as claimed in claim 7, wherein said processing means is further operable in an OFF mode, in which said processing means is prevented from activating said switch circuit even when the current time coincides with the brewing time, and an ON mode, in which said processing means activates said switch circuit for the predetermined brewing period regardless of whether the current time coincides with the brewing time.

Claim 13

The coffee maker as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electronic timer further comprises user input means connected to said processing means and operable so as to set the current time of day of said internal clock and the brewing time in said internal register.

Claim 14

The coffee maker as claimed in claim 11, wherein said user input means is further operable so as to set operation of said processing means in one of said OFF mode, said automatic mode and said ON mode.