AU636977B2

AU636977B2 - Beverage maker

Info

Publication number: AU636977B2
Application number: AU76290/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Francis Robert Bannigan
Original assignee: Kambrook Distributing Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Kambrook Distributing Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-12-13
Filing date: 1991-04-29
Publication date: 1993-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-29
Also published as: AU7629091A

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 7 (Original) 9 FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: a 6

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Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: KAMBROOK DISTRIBUTING PTY. LTD.

44-60 Fenton Street, Huntingdale 3166, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia CHARLES SANDERCOCK 19 Farmer Street, Richmond 3121, Victoria, Australia S. S 5* 0 *5

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Complete Specification for the invention entitled: BEVERAGE MAKER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 02660 290491 910429,arsdat.102,pk3880,1 -2- 6* BEVERAGE MAKER Field of the Invention This invention relates to a beverage maker.

*S 5 20 Background of the Invention There are many methods of making tea and coffee.

o In one method of making coffee boiling water is introduced into the top of a first container containing coffee grounds and is allowed to trickle through the grounds into a second container where the so made coffee is kept separate from the grounds. In that method the boiling water is in contact with the grounds for a relatively short time.

By contrast, most methods of making tea involve contacting tea leaves with boiling water and leaving the water in contact with the leaves for a 910424c_spe.02,bverge.spe.2 -3relatively long period of time. However, it is also to be noted that many people believe that tea is spoiled if left in contact with the leaves beyond a certain period of time.

It will thus be appreciated that it is difficult to design a beverage maker which can be used for making tea and coffee as in the making of tea a relatively long time of contact of tea leaves with water is desired and in the making of coffee a relatively short time of contact of coffee grounds with water is desired.

S The present invention seeks to provide a beverage maker which can be used for making tea and coffee but which may also be used for makin- other beverages.

Prior Art Applicant is aware of US Patent No. 4,882,983.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a beverage maker comprising a container adapted to contain coffee grounds or tea leaves, an aperture at or adjacent the bottom of the container through which water as coffee may pass after remaining in contact, in use, with the grounds for a relatively short period of time and means for closing or at least restricting the aperture whereby water as tea will be retained in the container, in use, to remain in contact with the tea leaves for a relatively long period of time.

910424,c.spe.002,bcvcragespe,3 -4- Preferred features of the Invention The means for closing or at least restricting the aperture is preferably such as to be adapted to do no more than restrict the aperture. In this last respect it is preferred that the aperture is restricted only such that water as tea in the fi4t-container will substantially fully leak from the Few-container within a period of not more than 5 minutes, preferably not more than 3 minutes, more preferably not more than 2 minutes and most preferably not more than 1 minute.

o**o 9* 9 Preferably there is a means for delivering boiling water into the container. That means may be a percolator geyser means, a pump or a pressure vessel which when steam builds up inside will force boiling water into the container.

The container preferably comprises a first member and second member which are rotatable with respect to one another. In this instance the first member may have said aperture and the second member may have a closure 20 or restrictor for said aperture; the arrangement being such that in a first relatively rotated position of the first member with respect to the second member said aperture is relatively unrestricted and in a second relatively rotated position of the first member with respect to the second member the aperture is closed or at least substantially restricted. For weak tea it may be desirable that said aperture is part way between its most and least restricted conditions.

Preferably, the first member is a basket and the second member is a basket and the first member is located within the second member.

910424cspe.OO2,bverage.spe,4 The first member is preferably able to hold coffee filter papers or filter baskets or meshes of a standard size.

Preferably the container (hereinafter called the first container) is associated with a second container having a portion located below said aperture for receiving coffee which has passed through said aperture or for receiving tea which has overflowed from the first container or passed through said aperture when said aperture is restricted.

10 The first container may be located above, on top of or at least partly within the second container.

9.

Heater means may be provided for keeping the contents of the second container hot. Such heater means is preferably selectively operable, for instance, as some people consider that to heat brewed coffee destroys flavour.

The beverage maker of this invention can be used in respect of beverages other than tea or coffee.

20 Description of the Drawings Specific embodiments of beverage makers in accordance with this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig.1 is a perspective view of a beverage maker in accordance with this invention, Fig.2 is another perspective view of the beverage maker of Fig.l, Fig3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the beverage maker of Fig.l, Fig.4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.l, 910424,csspc.002,bvege.spe,5 -6is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.l, Fig.6 is a plan view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.l, Fig.7 is a perspective view of another beverage maker, Fig.8 is another perspective view of the beverage maker shown in Fig.7, Fig.9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the beverage maker of Fig.7, is an exploded perspective view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.7, Fig.11 is an exploded perspective view of part of the beverage maker of S 10 Fig.7, Fig.12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.7, and Fig.13 is a fragmentary top plan view of part of the beverage maker of Fig.7.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments a The beverage maker 1 shown in Figs.1-6 comprises a body 2, a lid 3, a first container 4 and a second container Within the body 2 is a water chamber 6 which can be filled by a user after removing or lifting the lid 3.

A heater pump 7 is provided within the chamber 6 and by means of a geyser tube 8 water which has been brought to the boil can be transferred to enter the first container 4 at the top centre thereof.

The second container 5 is little more than a jug with a handle 21 and is intended to catch beverage exiting from the first container 4.

The first container 4 comprises an inner part 22 and an outer part 23.

910424,cspe.002,bevcrage.sp,6 The outer part 23 has an aperture 29. The aperture 29 will normally be closed or restricted by a valve 61 mounted on a spring (62) loaded lever 63.

However, when the second container 5 is located as shown in Figs.1 and 2 it will engage with the lever 63 to move the valve 61 to open the aperture 29.

Access to the inner part 22 is by lifting the lid 3 whereafter the inner part 22 may be lifted off the outer part 23 for purposes of cleaning or filling and the outer part 23 may be lifted off the body 2.

10 The inner part 22 sits within the outer part 23 and has an aperture 27 *and a socket portion 28.

The outer part 23 has a spiggot portion 31.

0 o When the spiggot portion 31 is received in the aperture 27 it will either close or at least substantially restrict the first aperture 27 so that water will tend to be retained in the inner part 22 and this is the condition for making tea. This is shown in Fig.4.

20 When the spiggot portion is received in the socket portion 28 it will not be closing or restricting the aperture 27 so that water will tend to trickle through the first aperture 27 and the second aperture 29 and this is the condition for making coffee. This is shown in To enable a user to correctly locate the spiggot portion 31 with respect to the first aperture 27 or socket portion 28 an arrow 32 is located on the upper end of the inner part 22 and the words "coffee" and "tea" are marked on the upper end of the outer part 23.

In use of the beverage maker 1 to make coffee, the inner part 22 is rotated so that the arrow 32 is aligned with the word "coffee", a coffee filter 910424X_.sspe.002,bcveragespe,7 -8paper or filter basket or mesh is placed in the inner part 22 and coffee grounds are placed in the filter paper. The water chamber 6 is filled with water, the lid 3 is replaced and power is supplied to the heater 7.

When the water in the chamber 6 boils it will be forced up the tube 8 into the inner part 22 at the top centre thereof.

The water will then percolate through the grounds and become coffee.

The coffee will be filtered by the filter paper or filter basket or mesh and will exit the first container via the aperture 27 and the aperture 29 whereafter it S* will fall into the second container 5 to be ready for consumption.

In use of the beverage maker 1 to make tea the arrow 32 is aligned with the word "tea" and tea leaves or tea bags are placed in the inner part 22. The water chamber 6 is filled with water, the lid 3 is replaced and power is supplied to the heater 7.

a o When the water in the chamber 6 boils it will be forced up the tube 8 into the inner part 22 at the top centre thereof.

As the aperture 27 is closed, the water will rise in the inner part 22 and remain in contact with the tea leaves and become tea. Eventually tea will overflow the upper edge of the inner part 22 into the outer part 23 and will fall into the second container 5 via the aperture 29 to be ready for consumption.

As the spiggot portion 31 is unlikely to perfectly seal the aperture 27 the water in the inner part 22 should drain, after a time, through the aperture 27, aperture 29 and thence to the second container 5 and in so doing become out of contact with the tea leaves to avoid or reduce overbrewed taste. This ability to drain after a time can be used to reduce or eliminate any need to 910424c_.ssp.002,bverage.sp,8 -9overflow the upper edge of the inner part 22.

The beverage maker 11 shown in Figs.7-12 comprises a body 2, a lid 3, a first container 41 and a second container 5. It is generally similar to and works similarly to the beverage maker 1 of Figs.1-6.

Within the body 2 is a water chamber 6 which can be filled by a user after swivelling the lid 3 to one side.

10 A heater 7 is provided within the chamber 6 and by means of a geyser S* tube 8 water which has been brought to the boil can be transferred to enter the first container 41 at the top centre thereof.

The second container 5 is little more than a jug with a handle 21 and is intended to catch beverage exiting from the first container 41.

•The first container 41 comprises an inner part 22 and an outer part 23.

O0 The inner part 22 sits within the outer part 23.

The outer part 23 has a rim 24 which can rest on a flange 26 forming ,part of the body 2. Access to the first container 41 is by sliding the whole of the first container, in like manner to a drawer, to the left in Fig. 9 so that the first container 41 may be removed from the body 2 for the purposes of cleaning or filling.

910424,c_.sspc.002,beverage.spe,9 10 Another difference between container 4 and container 41 is that the outer part 23 has an upstanding flange 51 with a tapering surface 57, a gap 58 and a hole 52 and the inner part 22 has an upstanding boss 53 with a hole 54.

The inner part 22 can be rotated relatively to the outer part 23 and in so doing the hole 54 will be more or less closed by the flange 52 in that when the tapering surface 57 or the gap 58 are in alignment with the hole 54 liquid can flow through the hole 54, over the upper edge of the tapering surface and through the hole 52 and in this condition the beverage maker 11 will be suitable for making coffee. When the tapering surface 57 and gap 58 are out 10 of alignment with the hi:e 54 then the hole 54 will be blocked by the flange 51 whereupon liquid will overflow the upper edge of the inner part 22 and via gap 58 in the flange 51 will flow to hole 52 and thence to the second container and thereby be suitable for making tea.

When the gap 58 is in alignment with the hole 54 the container 41 will be in a most open condition. When the gap 58 and tapering surface are out of alignment with the hole 54 the container 41 will be in a least open condition.

By selecting the alignment of the tapering surface with the hole 54, the hole 54 can be made more or less open and this Imay be used for the purpose of 20 making relatively strong or relatively weak tea.

Even when the tapering surface 57 and gap 58 are fully out of alignment it is unlikely that the inner part 22 will be fully sealed with respect to the outer part 23 and so the water in the inner part 22 should drain, after a time, through the holes 54 and 52 into the second container 5 and in so doing become out cf contact with the tea leaves to avoid or reduce overbrewed taste.

This ability to drain after a time can be used to reduce or eliminate any ieed to overflow the upper edge of the inner part 22.

Thus applicant believes that it can provide a beverage maker which can be used for making both coffee and tea.

910424,csspe.002,be igespe,1O 11 The described arrangement has been advanced merely by way of explanation and many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and~ scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and combination of novel features herein disclosed.

6 0 0 910424,cssp.002,bevemgespe,lI

Claims

1. A beverage maker comprising a container adapted to contain iee grounds or tea leaves, an aperture at or adjacent the bottom of the container through which water as coffee may pass after remaining in contact, in use, with the grounds for a relatively short period of time and means for closing or at least restricting the aperture whereby water as tea will be retained in the container, in use, to remain in contact with the tea leaves for a relatively long period of time. .j

2. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for closing or at least restricting the aperture is such as to be adapted to do no more than restrict the aperture. I

3. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for restricting the aperture is such as to restrict the aperture to the extent that water as tea in the -fHist-container will substantially fully leak from the-fit--- container within a period of not more than 5 minutes.

4. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for restricting the aperture is such as to restrict the aperture to the extent that water as tea in the-fist-container will substantially fully leak from the first- container within a period of not more than 2 minutes. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for restricting the aperture is such as to restrict the aperture to the extent that water as tea in the -fire container will substantially fully leak from the-first- container within a period of not more than 1 minute.

6. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container comprises a first member and a second member which are rotatable with 910424,csspe.002,bcvegc.spe,12 k -13- respect to one another.

7. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first member has said aperture and the second member has a closure or restrictor for said aperture; the arrangement being such that in a first relatively rotated position of the first member with respect to the second member said aperture is relatively unrestricted and in a second relatively rotated position of the first member with respect to the second member the aperture is closed or at least substantially restricted. 3 S8. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 7, wherein in a third relatively rotated position of the first member with respect to the second member the aperture is part way between its most and least restricted conditions.

9. A beverage maker as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first member is a basket and the second member is a basket and the first member is located within the second member. A beverage maker substantially as hereinbefore described with n, ,reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

11. The Steps or features disecloed herein or aey-eombinatie thereof-- S"Dated this 29th day of April, 1991 KAMBROOK DISTRIBUTING PTY. LTD. by its Patent Attorney CHARLES SANDERCOCK 910424,c-sspe.002,bverage.pe,13