Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Various different forms of coffee makers heretofore have been
provided for making multiple cups of coffee, but few have been specifically
designed for use by a traveler and constructed in a manner whereby a
traveler may quickly make one or two cups of coffee through the utilization
of a coffee maker which may be stored in a compact state. Accordingly, a
need exists for a small compact coffee maker which may be used by a traveler
for the purpose of making one or two cups of coffee and yet which may be
readily packed and transported in a compact state.
Examples of various different forms of coffee makers including
some of the general structural and operational features of the instant
invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,624,451, 2,641,991, 2,682,601,
3,268,104, 4,155,2~2 and 4~205J598. However, these previously known forms
of coffee makers and similar devices are not specifically designed with the
traveler in mind for rapid use and ready compact packing and transport.
The drip coffee making kit of the instant invention includes a
tubular body which is substantially square in cross-sectional shape and has
a mid-height partition therein provided with a central drain opening. Water
to be used in making coffee is poured into the upper portion of the tubular
; body above the partition and the valve structure is provided for selectively
20 opening and closing the drain opening. One side of the lower portion of the
tubular body is provided with an access opening through which a filter basset
may be inserted into the lower portion of the tubular body in registry with
the drain opening and the upper and lower ends of the body are provided with
removable caps telescopingly engaged there over.
During use of the coffee making kit, both of the caps are removed
and the lower cap, which also serves as a coffee receptacle, is placed in an
upwardly opening position with the lower end of the tubular body rotated 45
relative thereto and supported from the upper marginal edges of the lower cap.
r Electrical resistance heating structure is provided and operatively associated
30 with the partition for heating water disposed there above and an alarm circuit
is operatively associated with the electrical resistance heating
structure and renders an audible alarm when the electrical
resistance heating structure has been actuated a sufficient
length of time to properly heat the water within the body above
the partition. When the alarm is actuated, the user of the
coffee making kit opens the valve to the drain opening and
allows the heated water to fall downward into the filter basket
for subsequent drainage therefrom into the lower cap. After
the full amount of water within the tubular body has drained
into the lower cap, the electrical resistance heating means
may be deactivated and the prepared coffee within the upwardly
opening lower cap may be poured into one or more cups which
are provided and may be stored in nested relation within the
upper portion of the tubular body below the top cap telescopingly
engaged there over.
The main object of this invention is to provide
a coffee making kit of extremely compact design and which there-
fore may be used by a traveler without the coffee making kit
occupying excessive room in luggage.
Another object of this invention is to provide a
coffee making kit which will be capable of making more than
one cup of coffee and which includes electrical resistance
heating means for heating the water to be used in making coffee
from a conventional source of electrical potential.
According to one aspect of this invention there
is provided a coffee making kit including a control circuit
for the electrical resistance heating means provided and wherein
the control circuit includes an alarm which will automatically
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render an audible signal when the electrical resistance heating
means has been associated for a duration of time sufficient to
heat the water placed in the water receiving compartment of
the kit for the purpose of making coffee.
Yet another aspect of this invention is to provide
a coffee making kit including an extension cord therefore for
operative connection with a suitable source of electrical
potential such as a domestic electrical system and wherein
the kit includes a compartment in which the extension cord
may be stored when the kit is not in use.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention
there is provided a drip coffee making kit including upper
and lower downwardly and upwardly opening closure caps and
an upstanding tubular body over whose upper and lower ends
the upper and lower closure caps are removably snugly telescoped
and releasable secured to provide a unitary, closed and readily
portable assembly, the body including a mid-height partition
having a central opening therein, electrical resistance heating
means in the body for healing liquid disposed therein above
the partition, valve means for opening and closing the drain
: opening, one side of the body below the partition having an
access opening therein, an upwardly opening filter basket, the
filter basket being receivable inwardly and outwardly through
the opening and the body and basket including coating means
for removably supporting the basket within the body below the
partition and in registry with the drain opening, and the body
and lower cap being of a non-circular plan shape, whereby the
lower end of the body and the lower cap may be relatively
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angularly displaced after separation of the lower cap from
the lower end of the body for support of the body lower end
from the upper open end of the lower cap and drainage of liquids
from the basket into the lower cap.
A final object of this invention to be specifically
enumerated herein is to provide a coffee making kit in accordance
with the preceding objects and which will conform to convention
forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to
use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible,
long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coffee making
kit of the instant invention in a fully closed position:
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the coffee making
kit with the upper cap thereof removed and with the tubular
body and lower cap of the kit in relative positions for heated
water to be used in making coffee to drain through the filter
basket and down into the lower cap of the kit which is illustrated
in a position rotated 45 relative to the tubular body of the
kit;
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view
taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section
line 3--3 of Figure l;
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the asset-
blaze illustrated in Figure 2;
FIGURE 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical
sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated
by the section line 5--5 of Figure 4;
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FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken
substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line
6--6 of Figure 5;
FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken
substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line
7--7 of Figure 5;
FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section-
at view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the
section line 8--8 of Figure 6;
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Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the filter basket of
the coffee making kit; and
Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring circuit for the
coffee making kit.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral lo
generally designates the drip coffee making kit of the instant invention.
The kit 10 includes upper and lower downwardly and upwardly caps 12 and 14
and an upstanding tubular body 16 including an upper portion 18 and a lower
portion 20. The upper portion 18 includes a lower end outwardly offset
wall portion 22 extending peripherally thereabout defining a lower end
peripheral band and the upper extremity of the band 22 defines an external
upwardly facing shoulder 24 while the interior of the band 22 defines an
inner peripheral shoulder 25 recessed inwardly of the lower end of the upper
portion 18.
From Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that the upper
and lower caps 12 and 14 may be telescoped downwardly and upwardly over the
upper and lower portions 18 and 20 of the tubular body 16 and that the upper
cap 12 and upper portion 18 include coating detent recesses and projections
26 and 28 whereby the upper cap 12 may be snap fittingly retained on the
upper portion 18. Further, the lower cap 14 and lower portion 20 include
similar recesses and projection 26 and 28. also, from Figure 1 it will be
noted that the band 22 includes outer surfaces which are coextensive with
the corresponding outer surfaces of the upper and lower caps 12 and 14 and
that tune kit 10 therefore includes a smooth exterior.
The lower portion 20 is snugly telescoped within the band 22
during assembly and thermo-welded, sonic-welded or otherwise permanently
anchored to the upper portion 18 after upper and lower transverse partitions
30 and 32 are inserted within the lower end of the upper portion 18 to the
positions thereof illustrated in Figure 3.
The upper partition 30 defines a shallow upwardly opening conical
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partition including a central downwardly projecting tubular outlet neck 34
defining an outlet opening 36 extending there through and the lower partition
32 oscillatably supports, by a pivot fastener 38, a spring leaf valve lever
40 having a resilient washer 42 supported from one free end thereof singable
into and out of registry with an opening 44 formed in the lower partition 32
and registered with the lower end of the outlet neck 34. The other end of
the valve lever 40 has the inner rear end of a front-to-rear extending operate
in lever 46 pivotal attached thereto and the forward outer end of the
operating lever 46 extends forward to the open front side 48 of the lower
portion 20.
The lower portion 20 includes an upstanding front-to-rear extending
partition 50 having an upper window therein through which the end of the lever
40 remote from the washer 42 extends and the partition 50 is disposed closely
adjacent but spaced inward from the right sidewall 54 of the lower portion 20
to define a narrow upstanding storage compartment 56 between the wall 54 and
the partition 50, the compartment 56 including a bottom wall 58 extending
between the lower ends of the partition 50 and the wall 54.
The inner sides of the partition 50 and the wall 60 of the lower
portion 20 opposite the partition 50 include in warding projecting front-
to-rear extending horizontal support flanges 62 and a filter basket 64 is
provided and includes opposite side outwardly projecting front-to-rear
extending flanges 66 which slidingly engage, overlie and are supported from
the flanges 62 for support of the filter basket 64 from the flanges 60, the
filter basket 64 being removable through the open front side 48 of the lower
portion 20.
The filter basket 64 includes an annular bottom wall 68 which sup-
: ports a replaceable Jilter element 70 and the interior of the upper portion
of the filter basket 64 includes a removable upwardly opening water dispersion
tray 72 having a plurality of small drain openings 74 formed through the
: 30 bottom wall 76 of the tray 72.
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An electrical resistance heating element coil 78 underlies the partition 30 in good heat transfer relation therewith and the partition
30 may be constructed of a metallic material having good heat conducting
and corrosion resistant properties. The partition 30 is tightly sealed
within the lower end of the upper portion 18 immediately beneath an in-
warmly projecting peripherally extending lip 80 formed integrally with the
upper portion 18 and a suitable "Zip-Lock" packet 82 of coffee, a pair of
drinking cups 84 and a coffee measuring cup 86 may be supported within the
upper chamber 88 of the kit 10 defined within the upper portion 18 above
the partition 30.
With attention now invited more specifically to Figure 10, it
may be seen that the coil 78 is electrically connected in a loop circuit
92 having a load resistor in the form of a thermistor 94 serially connected
therein. In addition, a loop bypass circuit 96 is electrically connected
to the circuit 92 as at 98 and 100 and bypasses the thermistor 94. The
circuit 96 includes a diode 102, an electrically actuatable sound emitting
alarm 104 and a load resistor 106 serially connected therein. The circuit
92 may be connected to any suitable source of electrical potential such as
110 volt domestic current through an extension cord 108 which may be stored
within the compartment 56.
In operation, assuming that all of the components of the kit 10
are in the positions thereof as illustrated in Figure 3, the upper and lower
caps 12 and 14 may be removed and the tubular body 16 may be rotated approxi-
mutely 45~ relative to the lower cap 14 and positioned thereon in the manner
illustrated in Figure 2, the caps 12 and 14 as well as the tubular body 16
being substantially square in plan shape. Thereafter, the cups 84 and 86 as
well as the packet 82 may be removed from within the upper portion 18 of the
tubular body 16 and the packet 82 may be opened and the desired amount of
coffee from there within may be measured into the bottom of the filter basket
- 30 ox over the filter element 70 by the measuring spoon or cup 86. Thereafter,
the tray 72 is replaced on the top of the basket 64 and the latter is rein-
sorted through the open side 48 of the lower portion 20 of the tubular body
16. Thereafter, the desired quantity of cool water may be placed within the
upper portion 18 and above the partition 30 while the valve assembly 40, 42
remains closed. Thereafter, the extension cord 108 may be electrically con-
netted to the aforementioned suitable source of electrical potential and the
heating coil 78 will be actuated. When the thermistor is heated to approxi-
mutely 190 F - 200 F, it will substantially open and cause the current
supplied to the circuit 92 to pass through the circuit 96 to actuate the
sound alarm 104. At this point, the operating lever 46 may be actuated to
swing the valve lever 40 to the open position and allow the heated water
within the upper portion 18 above the partition 30 to flow downward into
the tray 72 for dispersion thereby and subsequent passage through an opening
74 and the coffee disposed on the filter element 70. Of course, the coffee
being prepared will drain from the filter basket 64 into the lower cap 14
from which it may be subsequently poured into one or both of the cups 84.
The filter basket 64 includes an upper handgrip 110 on its front
side which may be manually engaged through the open front side 48 of the
lower portion 20 of the tubular body 16 and the filter basket 64 may he
provided with disposable paper filters, if desired.
The caps and 12 and 14, the tubular body 16, the filter basket 64
and the cups 84 and 86 may be constructed of suitable plastic material as
may the tray 72. However, the partitions 30 and 32 probably will be con-
strutted of suitable metal.
