Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BEVERAGE INFUSION POUCH RECEPTACLE DEVICE AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The following includes information that may be useful in
understanding the
present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information
provided herein is prior
art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that
any publication or
document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of receptacles
and more
specifically relates to a receptacle for a beverage infusion pouch.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Tea bags and beverage pouches are well known in the art. A tea bag
is a small,
porous, sealed bag containing dried plant material, which is immersed in
boiling water to
make a hot drink. At restaurants and public catering establishments tea would
be prepared by
the customers themselves. The waiter serves the guest a cup of hot water into
which the
customer immerses the teabag to brew their tea. However, when the teabag is
discarded and
put aside, there appears a problem with its consequent placement.
[0004] The customer may only dispose of the tea bag if a trash can be
nearby. Due to this,
a customer may attempt to deal with the problem in another way, such as
placing the tea bag
on a saucer or in a bundle of tissue. However, there are problems with these
approaches. If
the tea bag containing water is placed onto a saucer, moisture accumulates in
the recess of the
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saucer which then poses a risk of soiling clothing and tablecloths when the
saucer is moved.
If a tea bag is placed in tissue, the moisture seeps through the tissue and
soils the table
underneath. A further problem with these methods is that it ruins the
aesthetic quality of the
table. Thus, there is a need for an improved means of disposal of a beverage
infusion pouch.
[0005] U.S. Publication No. 2005/0031738 to Christensen et al.
relates to a tea bag
package. The described tea bag package includes a triangular envelope having
first and
second opposite flaps connected to each other along first and second sides of
the triangle but
not along the third side and furthermore having a third flap connected at the
third side to the
first flap and via a folding line foldable between a first position in which
the third side is open
and a second position in which the third side is closed so that the three
flaps together define a
closed chamber. The tea bag package includes a tea bag disposed in the chamber
and a string
attached to a corner of this tea bag and running through a slit or eye in the
point in which the
two closed sides join each other.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the
known receptacle art, the
present disclosure provides a novel beverage infusion pouch receptacle device.
The general
purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in
greater detail, is to
provide a beverage infusion pouch receptacle device useful for receiving and
disposing a
sodden beverage infusion pouch (such as a used tea bag).
[0007] A receptacle for a sodden beverage infusion pouch is
disclosed herein. The
receptacle for a sodden beverage infusion pouch may comprise a disposable
sheet having a
substantially flat surface with a mid-section and at least 3 corners. The
disposable sheet may
further include a pliability configured to constrict around and retain the
sodden beverage
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infusion pouch in a closed position when the sodden beverage infusion pouch is
seated about
the mid-section of the flat surface. The receptacle may further comprise a
disposable
absorbent-barrier fixedly attached to the mid-section of the disposable sheet,
the disposable
absorbent-barrier may have an opening and an inner volume configured to
receive the sodden
beverage infusion pouch, and the absorbent-barrier may be structured to absorb
a liquid from
the sodden beverage infusion pouch.
[0008] According to another embodiment, the receptacle for a sodden tea bag
may
include a disposable sheet that may include a substantially flat surface
having a mid-section
and 4 corners, and a disposable absorbent-barrier fixedly attached to the mid-
section of the
disposable sheet. According to this embodiment, the receptacle may be
structured and
configured to store and dispose of the sodden tea bag, while absorbing leakage
from the
sodden tea bag. According to this embodiment, the disposable sheet and the
disposable
absorbent-barrier may comprise a heat-resistant material and a bio-degradable
material and
may include at least two layers and have a thickness configured to provide
durability.
[0009] According to another embodiment, a method of using the receptacle
for the
sodden beverage infusion pouch is also disclosed. The method of using the
receptacle for the
sodden beverage infusion pouch may include holding the receptacle in an open-
condition,
placing the sodden beverage infusion pouch at the mid-section of the
disposable sheet,
folding the disposable sheet to constrict around and retain the sodden
beverage infusion
pouch and disposing of the receptacle containing the sodden beverage infusion
pouch.
[00010] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel
features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood
that not
necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one
particular
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embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried
out in a
manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as
taught herein
without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested
herein. The
features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly
pointed out and
distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and
other features,
aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood
with
reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00011] The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification
illustrate
embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a beverage infusion
pouch
receptacle device and method, constructed and operative according to the
teachings of the
present disclosure.
[00012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle for a sodden beverage
infusion
pouch during an 'in-use' condition, according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[00013] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the receptacle for the sodden
beverage
infusion pouch of FIG. 1 showing an open-condition of the receptacle according
to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the receptacle for the sodden beverage
infusion
pouch of FIGS. 1-2, illustrating a closed-condition of the receptacle
according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
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[00015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the receptacle for the sodden beverage
infusion
pouch of FIGS. 1-3, illustrating disposal of the receptacle according to an
embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[00016] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using the receptacle
for the
sodden beverage infusion pouch, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[00017] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be
described in
conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00018] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a
receptacle
and more particularly to a beverage infusion pouch receptacle device and
method as used to
improve the disposal of a beverage infusion pouch useful for receiving and
disposing a
sodden beverage infusion pouch (such as a used tea bag).
[00019] Generally, a receptacle for a used tea bag may allow for easier and
cleaner
disposal of the used tea bag. The receptacle may comprise a flat sheet and an
absorbent
barrier composed of a bio-degradable and heat-resistant material. The
receptacle may retain
the used tea bag after the tea bag is ready for disposal. The receptacle may
store the tea bag
temporarily on a table and prevent leakage from the tea bag seeping through to
the table and
soiling a tablecloth or clothing. The receptacle containing the used tea bag
may then be
disposed of.
[00020] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of
reference, there is
shown in FIGS. 1-4, various views of a receptacle 100 fora sodden beverage
infusion pouch
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5. FIG. 1 shows a receptacle 100 during an 'in-use' condition 150, according
to an
embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the receptacle 100 may be
beneficial for use by a
user 140 to cleanly dispose of the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5. As
illustrated, the
receptacle 100 may include a disposable sheet 110 and a disposable absorbent-
barrier 120.
[00021] FIG. 2 shows the receptacle 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment
of the
present disclosure. Illustrated is the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 in an
open-position
130 in the palm of a users 140 hand. As above, the receptacle 100 may include
a disposable
sheet 110 including a substantially flat surface 112 having a mid-section 114
and at least 3
corners 116. The disposable sheet 110 may further have a pliability configured
to constrict
around and retain the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 in a closed-position
330 when the
sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 is seated about the mid-section 114 of the
flat surface 112.
The disposable sheet 110 may be configured to fold in on its self by
manipulating the at least
3 corners 116 to meet at the mid-section 114 of the disposable sheet 110 when
the sodden
beverage infusion pouch 5 is seated about the mid-section 114 of the flat
surface 112. The
disposable sheet 110 may alternatively be rolled up to retain the sodden
beverage infusion
pouch 5 when the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 is seated about the mid-
section 114 of
the flat surface 112.
[00022] The receptacle 100 may further comprise a disposable absorbent-barrier
120
fixedly attached to the mid-section 114 of the disposable sheet 110, the
disposable absorbent-
barrier 120 having an opening 122 and an inner volume 124 configured to
receive the sodden
beverage infusion pouch 5, and the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 structured
to absorb a
liquid 15 from the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5. The sodden beverage
infusion pouch 5
may be a tea bag 5. The receptacle may be structured and configured to store
and dispose of
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the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5, while absorbing leakage from the sodden
beverage
infusion pouch 5.
[00023] The disposable sheet 110 may be configured to sit in the palm of the
hand of the
user 140 when the receptacle is in an open-position 130. In addition, the
disposable sheet 110
may be greater in length than the disposable absorbent-barrier 120, and the
disposable
absorbent-barrier 120 may cover no more than 40% of the flat surface 112 of
the disposable
sheet 110. Further, the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may sufficient
absorbency to prevent
leakage from the sodden tea bag 5 when the sodden tea bag 5 is seated within
the inner
volume 124 of the disposal 10 absorbent-barrier. For example, the disposable
absorbent-
barrier 120 may have the ability to absorb up to loz of liquid 15. In a
further example, the
disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may absorb up to 50 times its mass.
Additionally, the
disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may comprise a superabsorbent polymer.
[00024] The disposable sheet 110 may include at least two layers and formed to
a
thickness configured to provide durability. In addition, the disposable sheet
110 may
comprise a bio-degradable material, a heat-resistant material, a paper
material, or a cotton
material. Similarly, the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may comprise a heat-
resistant
material and a bio-degradable material and include at least two layers. The
disposable
absorbent-barrier 120 may further have a thickness configured to provide
durability. The
disposable sheet 110 may be configured to sit in the palm of the hand of a
user 140 when the
receptacle 100 is in an open-position 130.
[00025] In one embodiment, the flat surface 112 of the disposable sheet 110
may have
exactly four corners 116 and may comprise a square-shaped configuration or a
generally
rectangular-shaped configuration. The disposable sheet 110 may be greater in
length than the
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disposable absorbent-barrier 120, and the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may
cover no
more than 40% of the flat surface 112 of the disposable sheet 110.
[00026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the receptacle of FIG. 1 in a closed-
position
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The disposable absorbent-
barrier 120
may be configured to receive the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 of at least
3 inches in
length and width. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage infusion pouch 5 may
be a tea
bag. In addition, the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may have sufficient
absorbency to
prevent leakage from the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 when the sodden
beverage
infusion pouch 5 is seated atop the disposable absorbent-barrier 120. The
disposable
absorbent-barrier 120 may comprise a bio-degradable material, a heat-resistant
material, a
paper material, or a cotton material.
[00027] In one embodiment, the disposable sheet 110 may include a
substantially flat
surface 112 having a mid-section 114 and 4 corners 116. The disposable sheet
110 may
further have a pliability configured to constrict around and retain the sodden
tea bag when the
sodden tea bag is seated about the mid-section 114 of the flat surface 112.
The receptacle 100
may further comprise a disposable absorbent-barrier 120 fixedly attached to
the mid-section
114 of the disposable sheet 110, the disposable absorbent-barrier 120 may have
an opening
122 and an inner volume 124 configured to receive the sodden tea bag, and the
absorbent-
barrier 120 may be structured to absorb a liquid 15 from the sodden tea bag.
The receptacle
100 may be structured and configured to store and dispose of the sodden tea
bag, while
absorbing leakage from the sodden tea bag.
[00028] The disposable sheet 110 may be configured to fold in on its self by
manipulating
the 4 corners 116 to meet at the mid-section 114 of the disposable sheet 110
when the sodden
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beverage infusion pouch 5 is seated about the mid-section 114 of the flat
surface 112. The
disposable sheet 110 may alternatively be rolled up to retain the sodden
beverage infusion
pouch 5 when the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 is seated about the mid-
section 114 of
the flat surface 112.
[00029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the receptacle 100 of FIG. 1, showing
the
receptacle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The
receptacle 100 is
illustrated in an 'in-use' condition demonstrating the user 140 disposing of
the receptacle 100
containing the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5. In a preferred embodiment,
the sodden
beverage infusion pouch is a tea bag 5.
[00030] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram 550 illustrating a method 500 for using the
receptacle
100 for the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5, according to an embodiment of
the present
disclosure. In particular, the method 500 for using the receptacle 100 for a
sodden beverage
infusion pouch 5 may include one or more components or features of the
receptacle 100 for
the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 as described above. As illustrated, the
method 500 for
using the receptacle 100 for the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 may include
the steps of:
step one 501, holding the receptacle 100 in the open-position 130 (the
receptacle 100
including the disposable sheet 110 and the disposable absorbent-barrier 120,
the disposable
absorbent-barrier 120 fixedly attached to the mid-section 114 of the
disposable sheet 110);
step two 502, placing the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 at the mid-section
114 of the
disposable sheet 110 atop the disposable absorbent-barrier 120; step three
503, folding the
disposable sheet 110 by manipulating at least 3 corners 116 of the disposable
sheet 110 to
meet at the mid-section 114 of the disposable sheet 110 and retain the sodden
beverage
infusion pouch 5 in a closed position 330; and step four 504, disposing of the
receptacle 100
containing the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5. A further optional step may
be: step five
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505, storing the receptacle 100 on a surface until ready for disposal 10 (the
receptacle
comprising the sodden beverage infusion pouch 5 therein).
[00031] It should be noted that step 505 is an optional step and may not be
implemented in
all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 are illustrated using dotted
lines in FIG. 5 so
as to distinguish them from the other steps of method of use 500. It should
also be noted that
the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different
orders according
to user preference. The use of "step of" should not be interpreted as "step
for", in the claims
herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f). It
should also be
noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design
preference,
user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements,
available materials,
technological advances, etc., other methods for using the receptacle for the
sodden beverage
infusion pouch (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list,
elimination or
addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps,
etc.), are taught
herein.
[00032] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and
numerous
modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to
achieve
substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced
within the spirit and
scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to
enable the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the
scientist, engineers
and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms
or phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the
technical
disclosure of the application.
