Patent Grant
10118758
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Field
This application generally relates to infusion packages intended for infusion, dissolution, or brewing of prepared raw materials contained within the packages. The packages are of the type that are immersed in an extracting liquid, especially infusion tea packages that are immersed in water.
Prior Art
Previously, it has been found that infusion of the contents of a tea package in hot water occurs more quickly and completely if the package does not lie at the bottom of a cup, but floats in the upper layers of the water. This could be attributed to the following: (1) the upper layers of the water have higher temperatures than the layers near the bottom, (2) the part of the package which contacts the bottom, now contacts only water and hence is fully involved in the infusion process, (3) water layers surrounding the package are stirred more freely by convection.
Several attempts were made to assure floatation of an infusion package near the surface of an extracting liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,215 to Dobry (1974) discloses an infusion package with light-weight floatation means fastened to the upper surface of the package. U.K. patent 1,436,397 to Rodrigues-Ely (1976) describes a beverage infusion device with a float proportioned to cover a major portion of water surface in a drinking vessel and attached to an infusion package. Both devices have external floatation means attached to the packages but both make the production technology of the packages more complicated and expensive, as new materials and unusual operations are involved. Moreover, the use of the packages becomes somewhat tricky, as there is always a risk that pieces of the floatation means may detach and litter the surface of the beverage.
Canadian patent 1,002,001 to Rodriques-Ely and Joannou (1976) shows an infusion filter which floats horizontally due either to floatable particles mixed with the infusible material, or to floatable disks attached to the inside of the upper wall of the filter. This eliminates the mentioned risk of the beverage littering by the floatation means pieces. Nevertheless it suffers from the following disadvantages:
(1) the material of the floatable particles and disks must be special, as it should be inert not only to water, but also to the infusible material that shares the same compartment with the floatable particles or disks, both during the storage and use of the package;
(2) the floatable particles or disks, which closely contact the infusible material during the storage, will inevitably catch some particles of the material during infusion, thus preventing their full contact with water and therefore hindering the infusion process;
(3) the production technology of the package with the floatable disks is significantly different, more complicated, and expensive in comparison with conventional technology, as it includes manufacturing of the disks and their attachment to the inner wall of the package.
To the best of my knowledge, none of the devices mentioned in these patents have been manufactured or put into practice. I believe that this is because of the mentioned disadvantages, i.e., the infusion package has the floatation means outside the package, and its technological and storage requirements are non-conventional.
In accordance with one embodiment, an infusion package comprising an envelope subdivided into plurality of compartments arranged in a single layer, at least one of the compartments being a prepared raw material compartment containing a predetermined quantity of prepared raw material adapted to be immersed into a liquid for infusion of the material also comprising floatation material assuring floatation of the package envelope in the liquid. The infusion package comprises at least one floatation compartment containing floatation material only. The infusion package can further include means for its agitation and removal from the liquid and carry advertising materials.
When the infusion package is placed in a hot extracting liquid, usually water, flotation compartment 18, due to flotation material 20, stays partly submerged near the surface of the liquid and prevents the package envelope from sinking. The envelope floats in a substantially vertical position, so that top 22 and the opposite lower end of the package are substantially vertically separated. Top 22 projects above the surface of the liquid, and raw material compartment 10 is suspended in the upper hottest layers thereof, which are stirred freely by convection. This assures that the advertising on top 22 is highly visible, and the infusion of prepared raw material 16 into the liquid occurs faster and more completely. The projection of top 22 above the surface of the liquid provides also easy handling of the envelope, i.e., the user can agitate it or remove it from the liquid easily if desired. The agitation and removal can be done also with the help of string 24. Label 26 provides additional space for advertising materials. If string 24 is attached to partition 12, tugging at string 24 will swing compartment 10, providing another manner of agitation of raw material 16.
Like the first embodiment of
When the infusion package is placed in a hot extracting liquid, flotation compartment 18A, due to flotation material 20, stays partly submerged near the surface of liquid 28 and prevents the package envelope from sinking. Consequently, raw material compartments 10A hang in substantially vertical positions in the hottest layers of liquid 28, which contact all their surfaces and are stirred freely by convection. As a result, the infusion of prepared raw material 16 into liquid 28 occurs faster and more completely. The projection of the upper wall of compartment 18A above the surface of liquid 28 assures that the advertising materials placed on it are highly visible. By tugging at string 24, one can easily agitate or remove the envelope from liquid 28. Pad 30 prevents damage of the package walls and consequent pulling out of string 24 from the envelope. The label at the end of string 24 (not shown) provides additional space for advertising.
When the infusion package is placed in a hot extracting liquid, flotation compartments 18B, due to flotation material 20, float partly submerged near the surface of liquid 28 and prevent the package envelope from sinking. Prepared raw material compartment 10B stays in a substantially horizontal position at or near the surface of liquid 28, in its hottest layers. These layers contact all surfaces of compartment 10B and are stirred by convection. As a result, the infusion of prepared raw material 16 into liquid 28 occurs faster and more completely. The upper walls of compartments 18B project above the surface of liquid 28. This, along with the horizontal position of compartment 10B, assures that the advertising placed on the upper wall of the envelope is well visible. The functions of string 24, pad 30 and label 26 are the same as in
Operation of this embodiment is essentially the same as of the one in
Accordingly the reader will see that the infusion packages of the various embodiments provide easy and trouble-free manufacturing, storage and use. They have one or more of the following advantages:
a) Manufacturing of all embodiments is similar to manufacturing of conventional infusion packages. It essentially requires only the addition of, for example, split cork in a separate compartment made in a conventional infusion package. This operation is very similar to adding a tea blend in another compartment.
b) Since, during infusion, the prepared raw material enclosed in a package is extracted more quickly and completely, its amount can be reduced. Because of this, and because the prepared raw material is the most expensive item in the package, the production cost and retail price of the package should be lower.
c) The storage of all embodiments is identical to the storage of conventional packages, as they have similar dimensions and all the materials inside them do not contact and adversely influence each other.
d) The use of all embodiments is as easy and trouble-free as the use of conventional packages. This is because the floatation material is disposed inside the embodiments and separately from the prepared raw materials. Hence there is no risk of beverage littering with the floatation material pieces, and the floatation and prepared raw materials do not contact and adversely influence each other during infusion.
e) The use of all embodiments is enjoyable, as one can study the advertising or funny pictures disposed at the package surface, and tug at the string.
While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments. For example, each of the embodiments described can comprise additional raw material compartments providing room for different raw materials or additives like coffee, sugar, dry cream, flavorings, herbs, etc. Any infusion material in lieu of tea and a herbal infusion can be used, such as fruit drink powders and sugar, soups, medicines, etc. The upper walls of the alternative embodiments can be made of a liquid-tight plastic film to provide additional retention of heat and flavor of the beverage in liquid 28 during the infusion. The embodiments can have other shapes, such as round, oval, trapezoidal, triangular, etc. The flotation and raw material compartments of the round package in
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2879613 | De Mario | Mar 1959 | A |
| 3809215 | Dobry | May 1974 | A |
| 6733804 | Lohrey et al. | May 2004 | B1 |
| 20050208181 | Greco et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
| 20050247207 | Saint | Nov 2005 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1002001 | Dec 1976 | CA |
| 1436397 | May 1976 | GB |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20100159076 A1 | Jun 2010 | US |
