COFFEE MAKER WITH SELECTIVE FILTER ASSEMBLY FOR RETROACTIVELY REMOVING CAFFEINE FROM BREWED COFFEE

摘要

A system and method for reducing the amount of caffeine in an existing volume of brewed coffee. The brewed coffee contains a predetermined level of caffeine. To reduce the caffeine, a caffeine filter is provided. Furthermore, a coffee receptacle is provided to hold the decaffeinated coffee. A filter chamber is positioned over the coffee receptacle. The caffeine filter is placed in the filter chamber. Brewed coffee is dripped, poured, or otherwise advanced into the filter chamber. At least some of the brewed coffee flows through the caffeine filter and into the coffee receptacle. This reduces the level of caffeine of the filtered coffee entering the coffee receptacle. The system also enables a single source of brewed coffee to produce cups of both regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee, using only one type of regular ground coffee.

主权项

1. A coffee maker, comprising:
a housing including a water reservoir; a receptacle port formed in the housing to receive a coffee pot; a brew chamber positioned above the receptacle port and the coffee pot; wherein the brew chamber is configured to receive an existing coffee filter adapted to receive ground caffeinated coffee; electrical components disposed in the housing and powered by a source of electrical power, the components including a water heater operative to heat water from the water reservoir and a pump operative to deliver the heated water to the brew chamber; a user-operated control panel disposed on the housing to operate the electrical components disposed in the housing; a caffeine filter support structure disposed directly under the brew chamber and above the receptacle port and the coffee pot; the caffeine filter support structure being configured to receive and retain a removable caffeine filter; wherein, when a caffeine filter is not retained by the filter support structure, brewed caffeinated coffee flows from the brew chamber, through the filter support structure, and into the coffee pot without being decaffeinated; and when a caffeine filter is retained by the filter support structure, brewed caffeinated coffee flows from the brew chamber, through the caffeine filter in the filter support structure, and into the coffee pot as decaffeinated coffee.