Patent Grant
7299940
The subject invention relates to apparatus and methods by which beverages may be prepared and consumed quickly and sanitarily. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods that facilitates the individual controlled preparation of a beverage from one or more beverage bags within a variety of containers and the quick and sanitary storage of the bag or bags once the beverage preparation has been completed.
Many liquid beverages are prepared by immersing a porous bag containing tea or coffee or other beverage preparation agent in a liquid for a given period of time. The immersion of the bag allows soluble components from the beverage preparation agent to go into solution thereby producing the beverage. This process is termed also steeping or brewing by infusion. The terms immersion, steeping, and brewing will be used largely interchangeably in the following to identify the step in the process and period when the bag is partially or wholly within the beverage preparation liquid. The beverage preparation agent will be identified in the following also as “bag contents” or simply “contents”. During the immersion process, and if the bag contents are a “non-instant” version of a dry or dried substance, such as ground coffee or leaf or shredded tea, the contents take up the liquid, thereby swelling in size and increasing in weight. Generally, the longer the bag remains in the solution, the stronger the beverage becomes. However, particularly with regard to tea, it is generally imperative that the bag not be allowed to remain in the liquid too long since the tea may become overly strong or bitter components from the tea may become solubilized. Preparing a beverage from a beverage bag provides the consumer with greater control over the steeping process since it can be stopped by removing the beverage bag from the liquid.
Beverage bags can be conventionally formed in a number of ways such as by the joining of two sheets of porous material at their edges such that the bag has opposing side walls and opposing edges or simply by gathering and/or joining a single sheet into a pouch-like shape having a generally continuous surrounding wall. The porous bag must provide a large inner volume to accommodate contents that increase in size and weight during immersion and have a structure so that the bag can freely be moved within and removed from the beverage without tearing. Conventionally, a string is attached adjacent to one edge of the bag to allow the consumer to immerse a bag within the liquid and remove it without having to come into contact with the bag or the immersion liquid. A finger tip-sized tag may be attached adjacent to the string at a place generally opposite to the place at which the string is attached to the bag to facilitate the removal of the bag by the string. In this application, the terms “beverage bag” or “bag” will mean to identify any such porous bag that is sized and shaped and structured such that it can: contain a beverage preparation agent—whether tea, coffee, or other flavoring or beverage preparation material; be immersed in a liquid to produce a beverage; and, be drawn up from the beverage such as by a string that may also contain a tag. Because more than one bag can be used in certain embodiments of the present invention, the term “bag” in the following can mean also a plurality of bags in the following.
Some of the many apparatus and systems that are directed to facilitate the preparation of beverages from such bags will be discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,671 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,672 each describe a combination cover and beverage infusion commodity container in which the container is secured to a lower side of the cover so that the container is suspended from the cover. The combination apparatus is structured so that the cover may rest on the lip of a beverage making vessel and the commodity container is partially immersed in the liquid within the vessel to produce a beverage. Once the beverage has been produced, the steeping/infusion process cannot be stopped with the apparatus in place on the lip of the vessel. Also, the beverage cannot be consumed with the combination cover/container in place. To stop the steeping/infusion process and/or in order to consume the beverage, the entire combination cover/container must be raised from the lip of the beverage making vessel. To remove excess liquid from the dripping commodity container, the cover is folded over at a median fold line and the commodity container is squeezed between the divided portions of the cover. If the combination cover/container is placed back onto the beverage vessel—such as to keep a hot beverage from cooling down—the commodity container may become immersed in the beverage again thereby reinitiating the infusion process and preventing the beverage from being consumed until the apparatus is again separated from the lip of the vessel. After the cover to which is attached the wet commodity container is separated from the beverage vessel, the consumer must hold onto it or find a separate place on which it can rest or in which it can be properly discarded.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,408 describes an apparatus for preparing beverage in a cup from a tea bag, the apparatus comprising a thin cover formed from a sheet of material folded to provide two hinged sections and to which the tea bag is permanently secured. The cover includes an opening in the center of the sheet that is of a size and shape such that a string from the tea bag may be extended through it. The tea bag string is attached by a staple to the outside of the cover. The cover includes an inclined passage that leads from the edge of the cover to the central opening. In order to stop the steeping process and begin consumption of the beverage, the consumer must remove the cover/tea bag assembly. Dripping from the tea bag is prevented by the application of manual pressure on the outer surface of the two sections of the assembly so that the tea bag is squeezed therein between. The cover/tea bag assembly must be positioned on another receptacle or discarded altogether.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,927 is directed to a cord harness assembly including a supporting card and a suspension cord fastened to the tea or coffee bag. The supporting card is not sized and shaped to function as a lid but is shown and described as being of a size slightly larger than the periphery of a rolled-up compressed bag. Through the looping of the cord and drawing of the cord upward with one hand, while the supporting card is held by the other hand, the bag can be raised from the liquid and squeezed against the under surface of the card. Once in the undersurface squeezed position, the consumer must find a place to accommodate the cord harness assembly with wet bag in order to have free use of both hands.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,373 is directed to a tea brewing device described as including a disc member adapted such that the device may be placed on the rim of a tea cup. The disc member comprises a peripheral portion having a downwardly concave annular flange adapted such that the device may be placed on the tea cup rim and a circular inner portion that is depressed relative to the peripheral portion. The circular inner portion is formed with a pair of opposing substantially rectangular resilient fingers being of substantial width and closely adjacent straight free end edges that are spaced apart symmetrically on opposite sides of and parallel to the diameter of the disc member. The fingers may be formed by parallel slits spaced apart from each other so that a conventional tea bag may be received and gripped between the opposing edges of the slits. In use, a tea bag is gripped between the edges such that one portion of the tea bag is exposed above the disc and another portion is suspended below the disc. The disc is placed on the tea cup so that the suspended portion of the bag is within the hot water. After the infusion has been completed, the consumer may grasp the portion of the tea bag that is exposed above the upper surface of the disc—that upper bag portion presumably having drawn up some of the liquid from the container and therefore being wet—and draw up the remaining suspended portion of the tea bag through the spaced apart edges. This device does not provide the means by which a consumer may sample the liquid or consume the beverage without removing the device and therefore stopping the infusion process. The device does not provide the means by which the removed tea bag can be sanitarily stored or positioned adjacent to the container or without having to find an additional place to discard it. Furthermore, because this tea brewing device allows only a portion of the tea bag to be suspended below the disc, tea can be brewed only in those containers in which the level of the liquid is generally close to the rim. Attempting to brew tea in such a container may be dangerous since some cups—particularly those disposable cups having the typical small base and outwardly flaring surrounding wall—may become top heavy and prone to tip over when filled to such a level. Also, liquid at such a level may more easily splash out from openings in the cover and injure the consumer and/or require clean-up. As a result, such a cup would not likely be used by those on the go and not, for example, without the container and device positioned on a stable surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,642 describes a suspending member that at least partly engages a rim of a vessel and that maintains a tea bag in a substantially horizontal position at about or near the top of the vessel so that the beverage is brewed without dunking or squeezing the tea bag. The suspending member is not described as being adjustable to permit tea to be brewed in cups that are filled with liquid at different levels. Because the suspending member permits tea to be brewed only when the cup is sufficiently filled with liquid so as to cover the horizontally aligned tea bag, the cup filled as necessary with suspending member and tea bag in place may be top heavy and therefore prone to tipping over. The suspending member is not described as providing the means by which the liquid may be sampled or the completely brewed beverage enjoyed with the member in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,284 describes a cup lid for brewing tea and the like including a base flange and a diametrical narrow flange extending vertically upward from the flange. One embodiment of the flange is open at both ends and described as having dimensions greater than a tea bag and into which a wet tea bag may be drawn. In use, the bag is lowered from the flange into the water within the cup and when steeping has been completed, the bag is drawn back up into funnel. The operator is instructed to use his or her fingers to depress the flat sides of the funnel in order to squeeze excess tea from the bag. As the cup lid does not provide the means by which the beverage may be consumed with the lid in place on the container, the lid together with the bag must be removed and discarded. A container on which the cup lid is fitted and with a wet tea bag drawn up into the flange may be top heavy and prone to tip over and therefore dangerous.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,110 describes a tag-like grasping means located at the end of retrieval means for infusion bags that include a shaped slit for forming an adjustable hook-like portion such that the grasping means may be clipped to the rim of a container. No means are provided for the storage of the infusion bag adjacent to the level of the beverage after the bag is removed.
Many other apparatus and systems are directed to facilitate the consumption, but not necessarily the preparation of beverages. For example, a wide variety of lids are known that are sized and shaped to be fitted on and around the edge of a container in which a beverage is stored and through which a beverage can be consumed. Generally, such beverage consumption lids are intended to prevent contaminants—such as dust, hair, dirt, or other matter—from entering the containerized beverage. Such lids also may prevent the liquid from splashing out from the container—such as when the container is carried—or from spilling out from the container—such as when the container is tipped over. Lids also may moderate the change in temperature of the containerized liquid, such as to slow the cooling of a hot liquid or the heating of a cold liquid.
More specifically, cup lids may include openings that allow the beverages to be consumed without removal of the lid. Some such cup lids openings are constructed to allow the consumer to drink from the container by direct contact of the consumer's lips with the surface of the cup lid around a “drink through aperture”. These “drink through apertures” include those that are raised relative to other portions of the lid upper surface, those having areas that are inverted to expose the drink aperture, those having areas covered by tear away strips or movable flaps, and those associated with complicated flexible drinking spouts extending from the lid. Other lids do not provide such drink through apertures. Other lids compliment such drink though apertures with or provide only an area aperture in which a separate apparatus may be inserted to allow a consumer to drink through the lid. Some of such insertion areas are sized and shaped to allow a suitably stiff or reinforced straw to be inserted through the area. Conventionally, the straw insertion areas are formed by placing two equally sized and symmetrically crossing incisions through the lid. By forcing the tip of the suitably stiff/reinforced straw against and through the incised area, an opening is formed that is no larger than and generally shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the outer diameter of the straw. Such a limited size and shape of the straw insertion area is considered advantageous in that little, if any fluid can splash or spill out from the area between the straw and the lid and gases below the lid cannot be exchanged with the outside environment thereby slowing the change in the temperature of the fluid. Because of the conventional resultant tight fit between straw and the straw insertion aperture, lids providing such an aperture must provide also a separate vent hole located elsewhere on the lid in order to prevent a vacuum from forming under the lid when the consumer attempts to draws liquid up through the straw. Such vent holes are conventionally taught as being pin hole size so that again little liquid can splash out from the hole while the cup is being carried or spill out in no more than minor amounts even if the cup is tipped over. Other lid openings include drain holes—that are conventionally located adjacent to the drink through aperture and are recessed and sized to allow liquid to flow back into the cup from above the lid recess area when too much is discharged.
The applicant's own application Ser. No. 08/529,061 filed on Sep. 15, 1995, and for which U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,898 was granted on Aug. 19, 1997 teaches an upwardly extending protrusion forming a retaining chamber into which a filter bag may be drawn and having an aperture that, due to its small size, does not allow the bag the bag to be easily extricated therethrough.
A number of disadvantages are associated with the conventional apparatus and systems intended to facilitate the consumption of beverages from a cup. Many are complicated structures that are relatively costly to manufacture and use. Many such apparatus and systems do not readily stack thereby making them more costly to ship and store. Many require other equipment—such as a straw or spout—to allow the liquid in the container on which the apparatus is fitted to be consumed from the container as intended.
Regarding conventional apparatus and systems directed to facilitate the preparation of beverages, a number of disadvantages are associated with them. Some of these will be discussed.
Some conventional preparation apparatus typically do not allow beverages to be produced quickly but instead require extensive, pre-use preparations and/or a series of manipulations so that the apparatus may be operated as intended. These include looping of cords and unfolding and folding of a sheet of covering material. Such complications limit the usefulness of the apparatus in circumstances where the preparer has a limited amount of time to spend on the preparation process—such as in a carry-out food and/or beverage operation.
Many conventional preparation apparatus typically do not allow beverages to be produced from a conventional beverage bag. Many conventional apparatus are combinations of covers and bags or utilize bags made only for such apparatus. Such cover/bag combinations limit the type of beverages that may be made with the apparatus. Other conventional preparation apparatus and conventional beverage cups or other containers do not provide the means by which a bag can be held in place relative to the liquid during the steeping process and even when the beverage is being consumed.
Many conventional preparation apparatus grip or have secured to it one portion of the walls of the conventional sized beverage bags such that the distance at which any portion of the beverage bag can extend below the surface of the apparatus is not freely adjustable. As a result, such conventional apparatus cannot be used to prepare a beverage in containers in which the liquid level cannot be brought close enough to the rim of the container so that the beverage bag can actually contact the liquid. When such conventional preparation apparatus are fitted on a conventional container that allows the liquid to be brought to nearly the mouth of the container, a dangerous situation may develop. The liquid may more easily splash out from any openings in the conventional apparatus and, if hot, injure the person preparing, serving, or consuming the beverage and/or require clean-up. If the container that is filled has a conventional shape with small base area and an outwardly flaring surrounding wall, the container as filled nearly to the top can become more top heavy and more prone to tip over. This again may cause injury and liability. As a result, such conventional preparation apparatus should not likely be used by those on the go and not, for example, without the container and apparatus being positioned on a stable surface. Also, such conventional apparatus do not allow the gripped or attached bag to be moved relative to the depth or other inner shape of the container. Such apparatus are, as a result, best used for preparing beverages in only certain types of containers.
Many conventional preparation apparatus require the individual preparing the beverage to use both hands to support and manipulate the beverage preparation apparatus. Because the individual no longer has a free hand to hold onto the cup in which the beverage is being prepared, the beverage can be safely prepared only if the cup is stably positioned on a flat surface and not, for example, while the individual is in the process of serving the beverage or while the individual, who intends to consume the beverage, is on the go and/or carrying the cup. This limits the usefulness of such conventional apparatus.
Other conventional apparatus make no provision for the storage of the used tea, coffee, or other beverage bag once the beverage has been produced. Typically, conventional preparation apparatus and methods require that the beverage bag be separated and lifted away from the cup and either placed on another surface or in another container for possible reuse or disposal. The failure to provide a quick and convenient sanitary storage place for the used bag with or on the cup in which the beverage is produced increases the likelihood that additional clean up will be necessitated. Also, conventional apparatus that fail to provide such sanitary storage cannot be easily used by an individual on the go without at least the bag being improperly discarded.
A demand therefore exists for a simplified beverage preparation and retention apparatus and methods by which a beverage can be prepared according to the individual tastes of the consumer in a variety of containers from a bag sanitarily and without the need for the operator to, for example, directly contact or squeeze the bag and, after the beverage is prepared, provide for the quick and easy storage of the bag within the apparatus such that the beverage can be consumed even with the apparatus in place on the container. The present invention satisfies the demand.
The apparatus of the present invention is a retainer by which the preparation of a beverage within a container may be individually controlled by movement of a string attached to a beverage bag relative to the retainer and the liquid within the container. The retainer is sized and shaped to form a cover over the mouth of a container and that is structured to be openable or is open and such that a bag from which the beverage is to be prepared can be adjustably retained in a wide variety of positions relative to the retainer—thereby permitting the retainer to be used to prepare beverages in containers having a variety of internal shapes and sizes and that are partially or completely filled with liquid. Such containers include those in which the surface of the liquid may be at a wide variety of distances from the container mouth and whose depth varies. Embodiments of the retainer vary in profile and the position of the bag retention structure. The retainer is further structured such that the bag may be easily moved to a generally elevated position relative to the surface of the beverage to stop the steeping process and releasably secured there so that the beverage can be consumed even with the apparatus and elevated bag in place.
In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the elevational retainer includes a bag retention structure that is movable and openable by the application of pressure on or adjacent to the retention structure. In certain preferred embodiments of the openable retention structure, the structure includes a patterned area such as weakenings or cuts made in or through the cover material that can be opened to provide an aperture with opposing resilient gripping edges by which a beverage bag can be secured to the retainer. In such movable and openable embodiments, the bag may be initially secured to the retainer, for example, by applying a relatively reduced amount of pressure at the patterned area—such as at the inner retainer surface or abutment surface described more completely below—so that the area is opened only slightly in order that the string—and if the string has one, the tag—can be only be drawn through the resultant string/tag securing aperture. In these embodiments, the string and/or tag may be gripped by the opposing gripping edges that may define the size and shape of the aperture such that the bag is suspended at a variety of distances relative to the lower inner surface of the retainer. By adjusting the point at which the opposing gripping edges grip the string or tag, the bag may be positioned within the container on which the retainer is seated at a variety of places—such as fully immersed and freely suspended within the liquid or closer to and possibly contacting the bottom of the container. When the preparation of the beverage has been completed, further contact of the bag with the beverage, and therefore further steeping can be prevented by simply pulling upward on the string and/or tag that is exposed above the upper surface of the retainer. The bag can thereby be raised from the immersion position to a position that is elevated relative to the surface of the beverage. By continuing to draw the string and/or tag upward, the bag encounters in certain embodiments the inner retainer surface—termed also abutment surface in the following—at the patterned area such that the bag and its contents are at least partially compressed and some fluid to be driven therefrom. By continuing to draw the bag upward, relatively greater pressure is placed against the abutment surface at the patterned area of the openable retention structure, causing the retention structure area to be further moved and opened outwardly so that at least an upper portion of the bag can be drawn through the opened pattern and the opposing resilient edges of the bag retention aperture area can grip and retain the bag in an elevated position without the application of any further upward pressure. During this step, additional fluid may be driven or drip from the bag. In certain of these preferred embodiments, the patterned area is structured such that it may be moved to form holding elements such as sharpened, pointed, or textured edges—as the bag is being drawn upward through the area. Such holding elements can catch the bag or, for example, the string or tag attached to the bag thereby preventing the bag from falling back into the beverage from the bag's elevated gripped position without the placement of any additional upward pressure on the bag by the consumer. This generally one-way catch advantageously further facilitates the use of the retainer to prepare beverages by those on the go and during the serving of the beverage.
In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, the elevational retainer includes a bag retention structure that is partially or completely open and may be movable. Embodiments of the partially open bag retention structure may include opposing resilient edges that by placing pressure against them may open more so as to provide an open string/tag securing aperture having a shape and size such that the string of the bag and, if the string has one attached to it, the tag may be passed through the aperture yet which remain generally close enough that a space generally smaller than the transverse section of the tag and/or string is formed so that the edges may grip the string and/or tag and thereby loosely secure the bag to the retainer. The string/tag securing aperture may be sized and shaped in certain embodiments such that the aperture functions also as a vent by which the gases above the liquid in the container can be exchanged with those outside the container area. The string/tag securing aperture may be generally placed within a patterned area such that by drawing the string upward, the bag makes contact with and is compressed against the abutment surface of the retainer below and adjacent to the patterned area causing the string/tag securing aperture to generally enlarge so as to provide a bag retention aperture of sufficient size and shape such that a least an upper portion of the bag can be retained in an elevated gripped position. A string/tag securing aperture that is centrally placed within the patterned area allows the area to be opened generally uniformly. Other embodiments of the partially open bag retention structure include an open string/tag securing aperture—having opposing edges that are spaced apart from each other and of a shape and size such that the string and/or tag may be passed through it and the bag thereby loosely secured to the retainer plus a separate openable or open string engaging portion into which the string of the bag may be drawn and by which the string may be gripped once the bag is positioned at the desired elevation relative to the liquid within the container and the retainer.
Embodiments of the open bag retention structure include a bag retention aperture having opposing gripping edges that are spaced apart from each other and are sized and shaped to accept a preparation beverage bag snugly without the user having to touch the bag by drawing the beverage bag by its string and/or tag from the fluid upwardly and through the aperture and retain the bag in an elevated position above the fluid level without the application of any further upward pressure being placed on the bag. The bag retention aperture of this open bag retention structure may be sized and shaped not only to allow the bag to be retained in an elevated position but also such that the same aperture can act as a vent through which gas may be vented out from or into the container. As above, such combination vent/open bag retention structure not only prevents a partial vacuum from forming under the cover and above the liquid when the beverage is withdrawn by the consumer but also allows an aroma to develop in the immediate area of the container. Such an aroma can heighten and extend the beverage consumption experience and, depending upon the aroma, act as a therapeutic agent.
Additional preferred embodiments of the present invention may include additional elements such as additional bag retention areas by which one or more additional beverage bags—either of the same or different size—may be releasably secured to the retainer. Certain such embodiments may include an additional open second bag retention area sized and shaped to accept a second beverage bag such as one that provides additional strength or flavorings to the beverage and/or provide fragrance to the area around the container to further heighten and/or extend the beverage consumption experience.
The apparatus may include an element that prevents the blockage of the drinking aperture by the elevated supported beverage bag such as when the container is rotated for drinking from it. An additional embodiment of the retainer including such a blocking element provides a wall projecting generally vertically perpendicular to the generally horizontal portion of the lower surface of the cover and between the drinking aperture and the bag retention structure. The wall of this embodiment may be formed from the same layer of material from which the elevational retainer is formed.
An advantage of the present invention is that the elevational retainer is sized and shaped such that one or more conventional tea, coffee, or other beverage bags can be used to prepare a beverage within a container quickly and easily, thereby increasing the convenience and utility of the retainer and specifically decreasing the amount of time and cost required to prepare and serve the beverage.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the retainer is sized and shaped to form a cover over the mouth of a container and structured such that a bag from which the beverage is to be prepared can be adjustably positioned at a wide variety of positions relative to the retainer. This permits the retainer to be used to prepare beverages in containers having a variety of internal shapes and sizes such as those in which the liquid level cannot necessarily be brought close to the mouth of the container and those having various depths.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that, after the preparation of the beverage has been completed, the bag may be moved from the beverage and releasably secured to a generally elevated position relative to the surface of the beverage to stop the steeping process and thereby allow a consumer to easily prepare a beverage according to his or her tastes and even reuse the bag if the consumer so chooses.
Also, an advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the beverage bag can be moved to a retained position without the need for both of, for example, the server's or consumer's hands to be in touch solely with the apparatus. As a result, an individual can prepare a beverage from one or more beverage bags, draw the bag or bags into an elevated position within the apparatus with one hand, and use the other hand to support, in part, the container, all the while the individual is walking with and/or serving the containerized beverage. This reduces the time needed to prepare and serve and for the consumer to begin to enjoy a freshly brewed beverage.
A further advantage of the present invention is that embodiments of the present invention allow the used beverage bag to be stored within the apparatus and the beverage to be consumed through the apparatus even while the apparatus remains in a covering position on the beverage container, thereby eliminating the need for the consumer to find a another place to store, place, or dispose of the bag.
An added advantage of certain embodiments of the present invention is that the bag retainer is sized and shaped such that the wet, and therefore heavier bag can be drawn up and into a position within the retainer and generally away from the outer wall of the beverage container such that the container on which the retainer is fitted remains generally balanced and less likely to accidentally tip over.
Additionally, an advantage of the present invention is that, after the consumption of the beverage, the container with the apparatus and bag in a retained position may be discarded sanitarily and all at once thereby preventing the need for additional clean up.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus is of a simplified construction that lessens the cost of manufacturing and use. Embodiments of the apparatus can be easily stacked thereby reducing transportation costs and lessen the need for costly storage space.
An added advantage of those embodiments of the present invention in which the retainer is not open but includes features that permit the retainer to be opened as needed so that the retainer as seated on the container and unopened can slow the change in the temperature of the liquid placed in the container and when needed can be opened for preparing and serving a beverage.
It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods by which a beverage may be prepared from one or more conventional bags quickly and easily and sanitarily.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods that permit a bag to be adjustably positioned relative to the fluid within a container such that a beverage may be prepared within containers having a variety of internal shapes and sizes.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide apparatus such that, after the preparation of the beverage, the position of the bag may be adjusted such that the bag is moved from the beverage and releasably secured at a generally elevated position relative to the beverage surface to stop the steeping process and thereby allow a consumer to easily prepare a beverage according to his or her tastes.
Also, an object of certain embodiments of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows a beverage bag to be moved to an elevated position without the need for both of, for example, the server's or consumer's hands to be in touch solely with the apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods by which a bag that is used to prepare a beverage can be supported at or above the level of the beverage in a position such that the consumption of the beverage through the apparatus is not generally impeded even with the bag in the elevated position thereby eliminating the need for the consumer to find a another temporary or generally permanent place to store, place, or dispose of the used bag.
An added object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods by which a beverage can be prepared within a container with one or more bags and the bags retained by and the gas vented into and/or out from the area adjacent to the beverage by the same retainer.
Also, an object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods by which a bag that is to be used to prepare a beverage within a container can be quickly and easily secured to the container for the sanitary disposal of the bag and container simultaneously.
Another object of certain embodiments of the present invention including an openable retainer structure is that the retainer as unopened can better moderate the change in temperature of the liquid after the container is filled.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is of a simplified construction that lessens the cost of manufacturing and use.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will be clearly understood and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings and through a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
A beverage preparation and bag retention apparatus according to the present invention is identified in the accompanying drawings as 21.
The apparatus 21—termed also “retainer” or “elevational retainer” in this application—is sized and shaped such that it may be used in conjunction with a container 11. For convenience of description, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “outer”, “inner”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, and “outwardly” are used to refer to the apparatus in an orientation illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be understood that during use, the retainer 21 advantageously can be used in a variety of orientations—such as rotated while in contact with the container 11 and as the beverage within the container is being consumed.
The container 11 includes a surrounding container wall 12 having a composition and structure such that the container is suitable for holding a liquid 19. The container 11 may, however, vary in construction and be made from a variety of materials including paper, plastic or other material that is preferably inexpensive and therefore suitable for one-time disposable use or otherwise. The container wall 12 includes an outer surface 12A and an inner surface 12B that meet to form a lip 12C that defines a mouth 14A. The size and shape of the inner surface 12B—which does not necessarily always correspond directly to the size and shape of the outer surface 12A—defines an inner space 14. Because of the adjustability features of the present invention, the retainer 21 advantageously can be used with containers 11 having inner surfaces 12B of a variety of depths and shapes.
The retainer 21 includes a cover panel 22 sized and shaped such that the panel 22 may extend over the container mouth 14A in a covering position 22A. Cover panel 22 includes an upper surface 24 and opposing lower surface 23 that meet at a peripheral rim 25 and may form a surrounding edge wall 25A sized and shaped such that the retainer 21 can sit on and/or form a releasable sealingly grip on or about the lip 12C and/or the outer surface 12A and/or inner surface 12B of the side wall 12 of the container 11. A peripheral rim 25 with surrounding edge wall 25A that is sized such that the retainer 21 has an internal circumference that is less than the circumference of the outer surface 12A of the container 11 advantageously can provide generally a sealing grip between the retainer 21 and the container 11 to lessen spillage from the container. The container 11 may be filled with liquid 19 such that a supra-liquid space 14B forms between the surface 19A of the liquid 19 and the cover panel lower surface 23 of the retainer 21 when in a covering position 22A such that a bag 15 retained in an elevated position 71 by the retainer 21 may be separated from the liquid 19 and, for example, the steeping process stopped thereby.
Preferred embodiments of the retainer 21 are intended to be made at low cost such that the retainer 21 may be discarded with the container 11 and therefore is preferably integrally made from a thin resilient sheet of inexpensive material—such as a polymer—that is suitable for efficient manufacturing—such as by a thermoforming operation—yet is sufficiently strong to facilitate the bag supporting and retention steps described herein.
Preferably, the retainer 21 includes an open or openable drinking aperture that may be positioned generally adjacent to the surrounding edge wall 25A through which the liquid may be drawn either directly by the consumer or indirectly—such as through the use of, for example, a straw or similar apparatus. In embodiments illustrated in certain of the accompanying drawings, the drinking aperture 91 is shown as open and rounded. However, the aperture 91 may be of any size and shape such that liquid may be withdrawn from the container 11 without general loss of the liquid 11. For example, the drinking aperture 91 of the embodiment illustrated in
The elevational retainer 21 includes a bag retention structure 31 that, depending upon the embodiment, is openable and may be partially opened or more fully opened depending upon the pressure applied on the retention structure or is open such that a string/tag securing aperture 61 and/or a bag retention aperture 51 is provided by which a bag 15 may be releasably secured to the retainer 21 in a variety of positions relative to the retainer 21 and thereby the container 11 onto which the retainer 21 is fitted and the liquid 19 within the container 11. It is contemplated that the retainer 21 can be sized and shaped such that it may be used with many different types of containers 11 and bags 15. One of the many types of bags 15 that may be used with the apparatus 21 is shown in the accompanying drawings and includes a single sheet of porous material gathered to form a bag having a side wall 16 proportioned generously enough to accommodate tea, coffee, or other contents (not shown) therein even after the contents have been immersed and are swollen thereby. The illustrated bag includes a string 17 having a bag end 18 at which the string 17 is fastened—such as by a knotted loop 18A or with a staple (not shown)—to an upper portion 16A of the side wall 16 of the beverage bag 15. The string 17 may include a tag 20 attached at or adjacent to the free end 20A of the string 17. Tag conventionally is planar in shape and sized so that it can be pulled between a user's thumb and forefinger. However, the present invention may be used with bags having tags 20 of a variety of sizes and shapes—such as non-planar and/or dimensioned larger than the aperture 51 and/or aperture 61—to facilitate the positioning and/or retention of the bag 15 by the retainer 21. Other types of bags that may be used with the invention include those that are of a size and shape that corresponds more closely to that of the lower surface 23 of the retainer 21—such as the bag retention space 28A—and those that do not include a string and/or tag.
Certain preferred embodiments of the retainer 21 include a retention structure 31 having a string/tag securing aperture 61 through which a string 17 and/or tag 20 attached to a bag 15 may be inserted such that the bag is in a secured position 70 relative to the retainer 21, thereby permitting, for example, a consumer to move the bag 15 within the liquid 19 by use of the string 17 and/or tag 20 with less likelihood that the entire string 17 and tag 20 will fall into the liquid 19 after the consumer has released the string 17 and/or tag 20. Among these embodiments are those in which the string 17 and/or tag 20 may be releasably gripped by edges 45 of the aperture 61 such that the bag is releasably secured to the retainer 21 in a position chosen, for example, by the consumer. Such embodiments permit beverages to be prepared in containers 12 having various shaped and sized internal surfaces 12B and those that are filled to a variety of levels.
Preferred embodiments of the invention include those retainers 21 having a retention structure 31 with a full profile 201—such as the embodiments illustrated in
Because of the size and shape and the placement of the accommodation area 24A relative to the structure 31 and the drinking aperture 91, the nose or other parts of the consumer's face or body do not easily come into contact with an exposed portion of the wet bag 15 while the consumer enjoys the beverage.
Specifically, the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
The open bag retention structure 31 of the
The apertures 51 of the embodiment of the retainer 21 illustrated in
The retainer 21 of this invention may include additional means to further restrict the movement of a bag such as to prevent a retained or elevated bag from blocking another retainer passage such as the drinking aperture 91.
The following will further describe the use of certain embodiments of the retainer 21. In those embodiments having an openable retention structure 31, a person, such as one in the food service industry or the ultimate consumer, may apply pressure to the patterned area 41 to open the area 41 to provide at least a string/tag securing aperture 61 such that string 17 and, if the bag 15 has one, the tag 20 may be threaded through the aperture 61. This places the bag in a secured position 70 relative to the retainer with a portion of the string and tag above the upper surface 24 of the retainer 21 and the remaining portion of the string 17 and the bag 15 below the lower cover surface 23. In those embodiments having an open retention structure 31, the string 17 and tag 20 is threaded through the securing aperture 61 or retaining aperture 51 to place the bag in a secured position 70. The person then places the retainer 21 with bag 15 releasably secured thereto onto the lip 12C of the container 11 already holding the liquid 19 from which the beverage will be prepared such that the surrounding edge 25A of the retainer 21 is seated on the lip 12C of the container 11 and/or sealingly grips to the outer surface 12A of the side wall 12 of the container 11 and the bag 15 comes to be fully immersed in the liquid 19. At any time after the initial immersion of the bag 15 within the liquid 19, and, for example, after the retainer 21 seated on the container 11 is served, the consumer may advantageously sample the liquid in order to determine if the beverage preparation has been completed without removing the bag 15 from the liquid or the retainer from its position on the container. When the consumer has determined that the beverage is of the desired strength and/or flavor, the person can easily move the bag 15 from the beverage and to an elevated position 71 at or above the level 19A of the beverage 19 by pulling upward on the tag 20 and/or string 17 such that at least an upper portion 16A of the bag 16 is gripped between the opposing edges 45 of the retaining aperture 51 and thereby held in place. Liquid from the bag in this elevated position advantageously drips back into the container 11. The beverage consumer can then drink through the aperture 91 of the retainer 21 even with the bag in this elevated position 91. The person does not need to come into direct contact with the wet bag 15 at any time in order to prepare a beverage with this apparatus and method. When the consumer is finished, the container 11 with retainer 21 and bag 15 retained in place can be disposed simultaneously thereby avoiding the need for the disposal of each of these items and additional cleanup. If the retainer 21 includes a second retention area 26, and the person wishes to use a second bag, for example, to flavor the beverage, the relevant portions of the process described above can be repeated. Because of the fragrance produced, for example, by many teas when wetted, one or more bags filled with such content and retained in an elevated position 71, and thereby exposed to the atmosphere can provide fragrance to at least the immediate area around the retainer 21. This fragrance can further heighten the beverage consumption experience and may constitute a form of aromatherapy for the beverage consumer.
It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described are illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/855,764 filed on May 27, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,510, which was co-pending as of the filing date of this application. U.S. application Ser. No. 10/855,764 is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/525,888 filed on Mar. 15, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,670. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/525,888 was a continuation in part of the U.S. application Ser. No. 09/231,180 filed on Jan. 14, 1999, now abandoned. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/231,180 was a continuation in part of the U.S. application Ser. No. 08/831,806 filed on Apr. 9, 1997, now abandoned. U.S. application Ser. No. 08/831,806 was a continuation in part of the U.S. application Ser. No. 08/529,061 filed on Sep. 15, 1995, for which U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,898 was granted on Aug. 19, 1997.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10855764 | May 2004 | US |
| Child | 11504987 | US | |
| Parent | 09525888 | Mar 2000 | US |
| Child | 10855764 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09231180 | Jan 1999 | US |
| Child | 09525888 | US | |
| Parent | 08831806 | Apr 1997 | US |
| Child | 09231180 | US | |
| Parent | 08529061 | Sep 1995 | US |
| Child | 08831806 | US |
