Device for controlling a coffee maker

摘要

A control module suitable for controlling a manual switch type automatic drip coffeemaker (ADC) enabling the addition of fully automatic brewing start, programmable brewing strengths, programmable heater levels for keeping the coffee warm after the brewing cycle is complete, programmable shut-off time periods, automatic cleaning detector, automatic self cleaning cycle with automatic shut-off, and programmable twelve hour AM/PM or twenty-four hour time format. The control module contains a micro-controller, application specific firmware, a keypad, a liquid crystal display, a control relay, a current or a voltage sensor, indicator LED's, a piezo audible alarm, and power supply components.

主权项

1. A coffee maker controller for controlling the operation of an electric coffee maker, the electric coffee maker being configured to be powered by an AC power source and having an electrically powered heater operatively connected in series with a power switch, a thermostat, and a thermal fuse, said coffee maker controller comprising:
a programmable microcontroller controlled by programmable logic, said programmable microcontroller having initializable memory variables, stored program values and settable user programmable time and user operating systems; a power supply electrically connected to said microcontroller for powering said microcontroller; an output relay interconnecting said programmable microcontroller and power supply; said programmable microcontroller having an algorithm for controlling the operation of said programmable microcontroller; said algorithm evaluating the state of said coffeemaker thermostat status to operate said output relay; a switching device electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for selecting the operating state and for setting the user programmable operating settings; an LCD display electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for displaying the time and user selected operating settings; a current sensing device connectable in series with the electrically powered heater for detecting current through the heater, said current sensing device being selected from the group consisting of a Hall-effect sensor coil connected in series with the output relay; a Hall-effect sensor with magnetic coil having enamelled copper wire wound around a ferric iron wire, said magnetic coil having a gap to induce a magnetic field through said Hall-effect sensor; a resistive shunt connected in series with the output relay; a current transformer primary in series with the output relay; and said current sensing device being electrically connected to said microcontroller to switch the operating mode of the said microcontroller according to the output of said sensor; and an AC plug electrically connected to said power supply, said sensor device and said output relay for conveying electrical power to said power supply, said sensor and said output relay upon being plugged into an AC power receptacle.