Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Squeezed Coffee
This invention provides an improved way of maldng beverages such as coffee,
more pardcularly of
the type called coffee percolators and coffee presses.
Background of the Invention
Various forms of devices for beverage infusion commodities have been
heretofore designed and
various apparatuses have also been designed with a beverage infusion commodity
filter such as a
basket or the like. However, most devices for beverage infusion commodities
have been reasonably
complex in structure. Further, the various devices heretofore provided for
beverage infusion
commodity are less able to remove the brewing, infusion particulates from the
beverage being
dispensed. Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified beverage infusion
commodity device that is
able to dispense a beverage with less brewing particulates left in the
beverage such as coffee
grounds, yet not limited to coffee grounds. In addition, various devices
heretofore provided for
beverage infiusion commodity are more bulky, heavy and due to their more rigid
and numerous
parts, more prone to breaking. Agaain and accordingly, a need exists for a
beverage infnsion
commodity device that is compact, lightweight, less rigid, with fewer parts
and less prone to being
broken. Also, the various devices heretofore provided for beverage infusion
commodity are non-
buoyant and more likely to sink if accidentally dropped in water while b.eing
tcansported over water
or even when in use on boats. Accordingly, a need exists for a beverage
infusion commodity device
that is buoyant and less likely to sink. Also, some various devices heretofore
provided for beverage
infusion commodities utilize disposable filters and/or cartridges that add to
litter and landfills.
Purchasing and repurchasing of these disposable filters and cartridges result
in costing the consumer
more. Accordingly, a need exists for a beverage infusion commodity device that
has no disposable
filter and cartridges, thus not adding to land.fills and is more cost
effective for the consumer and
producer.
Description of Prior Art
The coffee press/ French press, as cited in U.S. patent numbers US 6,079,316
Barden et at.
June/2000, US 7,032,505 Brady ApriU2006 and US 7,040,218 Biolchini Jr.
May/2006 work on the
premise of combining water and coffee grounds in a cylinder for infusion and
through the use of a
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screening plunger device that undertakes separating the grounds from the water
for the purpose of
producing coffee. The parts comprising the coiree pressiFrench Press are more
complicated in
producing, thus represent a higher cost to the consumer. The level of infusion
is limited to steeping,
thus the time required for making coffee is considerably longer. Most coffee
presses/French presses
require coarse ground coffee, which further limits the infusion.
The percolator, as cited in U.S. patent US 7,270,049 Bntt September/2007 and
Canadian patent CA
740,628 Day Augusd1966 work on the pTemise of boiling water expansion being
directed up
through a percolating tube and then falling into a basket containing ground
coffee. The boiling
water then, through the law of gravity, drops down through the coffee grounds
into the water-boiling
portion of the device. This process then re-percolates the already infused
coffee that dropped down
through the basket containing the coffee grounds over and over, thus the time
required for making
coffee is considerably longer. As a consequence to the re-boiling, re-
pereolating of already infused
coffee, the result is coffee that has a boiled taste.
Beverage infusion devices as cited in U.S. patent numbers US 4,891,232 Dahl
January/1990, US
5,076,425 Plone December/1991 and US 6,541,055 Luzenberg ApriU2003 work on the
premise of
infusion by water being drawn through a straw or the like that has been
imbedded with food or
beverage matter. When water is passed through the straw and in contact with
the imbedded food or
beverage matter, infusion takes place. This process requires disposable
cartridges, which represent
litter and add to landfills. Further, the complicated nature of providing
cartridges can only add to
consumer cost.
Summary of the lnvention
The beverage infusion commodity device of the instant invention is a container
that is flexible in
natore consisting of a lower section, which provides a reservoir where water,
hot or cold, can be
placed into contact with the brewing agent such as coffee grounds. To filter
out the infusing
beverage particulates, a filtering screen is placed on top of the mouth of the
container and it is held
in place by a cap with a dispensing nozzle. The end user is able to either
drink the beverage being
dispensed from the beverage infusion commodity device or by holding the device
over a cup or
glass and squeezing the device so as tD dispense the beverage into a cup,
glass or beverage holding
device. An inmilating sleeve can be added to the cylinder such to protect the
end user's hands from
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heat when using boiling water in the beverage infimon commodity device. Also,
a container with
insulating propetties can be used or even a double wall design. The dispensing
nozzle of the cap of
the beverage infusion commodity device is able to regulate the speed of the
beverage being
dispensed so as to control the strength of the beverage being made. In the
event the beverage being
made was coffee, as an example, a person would be able to partly close the
pour nozzle of the cap
causing the dispensing of the beverage to take longer, increasing the infusion
time so as to make
stronger coffee. An assortment of caps can be used to regulate the dispensing
speed such as, but not
limited to, a push-pull cap or a twist cap. The container when squeezed
creates internal pressure
causing the water inside the container to peneu-ate the brewin.g particulatcs
more thoroughly, thus
achieving a higher level of infusion. The air that is taken back into the
cylinder in between squeezes
tosses the brewing particulates, which ensures more even and thorough infusion
of the brewing
particulates.
In the drawings, which form part of this specification,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container cap with push pull nozzle.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a container cap with twist nozzle.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a filtering mesh that is placed over the mouth
of the container.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fiiltering mesh supported by a retaining
ring, which is fitted into the
mouth of a container or it can be fitted into the cap.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a container with an insulated sleeve.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a container being squeezed with a filter
inserted, cap on, dispensing
nozzle in open position, and dispensing beverage. (1) Is a container/reservoir
being squeezed; (2)
coffee grounds; (3) filter mesh; (4) cap; (5) dispensing nozzle; (6)
dispensing beverage.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a beverage holding device, such as a cup.
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Fig. 8 is a peispective view of a container taking in air in between squeezes
tossing beverage
infusion particulates, filter insexted, cap on, and noz7le in open position.
(1) Is a container/reservoir
regaining its original shape; (2) coffee grounds being tossed by incoming air,
(3) dispensing nozzle;
(4) taking in air
Detailed Description of the Invention
The present invention is a beverage infusion commodity device for making a
beverage such as
coffee, in a flexible container such as, but not limited to, a plastic bottle
or cylinder.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings. Using a flexible container
(Fig. 5) as a holding
reservoir and adding into this reservoir beverage or food particulates such as
ground coffee and then
adding water, hot or cold. A filtering screen (Fig. 3) can be placed over the
mouth of the container
(Fig. 5) or filtering screen with a retainer (Fig. 4) can either be inserted
into the container (Fig. 5) or
it can be inserted into the cap (Fig.1) or (Fig. 2). The cap (Fig. I or Fig.
2) can then be assetnbled
to the container (Fig. 6(4)). The device in its assembled form with filter
(Fig. 6(3)) and cap (Fig. 6
(4)) containing both water and brewing agents such as ground coffee (Fig.
6(2)) can be inverted
upside down (Fig. 6) with the dispensing nozzle closed. Holding the device
(Fig. 6) over a cup (Fig.
7) and opening the dispensing push-pull cap nozzle (Fig. 6(5)) and then by
squeezing the device
(Fig. 6(1)) the beverage can be dispensed (Fig. 6(6)). In between squeezes the
container will
regain it original shape (Fig. 8(1)) as the device takes in air (Fig. 8(4)).
As consequence to the
taking in of air the brewing agent, such as coffee grounds, will become tossed
and/or stirred (Fig. 8
(1)) resulting in a more thorough infusion of the brewing agent.
When making hot beverages such as coff-ee and using coffee grounds the
pressure created by both
the hot water and when squeezing the flexible device will cause the hot water
to more thoroughly
penehate the coffee grounds, thus extracting higher levels of coffee oil and
sap from the coffee
grounds, enhancing infusion.
Before inverting the container right side up after dispensing some or the
entire amount of the
beverage made, the cap noale (Fig. 6(5) or Fig. 8 (3)) is closed to ensure no
unintended dispensing
of the beverage made.