CN103619220A

CN103619220A - Tea bag tongs

Info

Publication number: CN103619220A
Application number: CN201280031369.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 亨利·布朗
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-27
Filing date: 2012-06-27
Publication date: 2014-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-27
Also published as: GB201110934D0; GB2492468B; GB201211386D0; GB2492468A; CN103619220B; GB2492343A; WO2013001290A1

Abstract

Tea bag tong are provides comprising first (1) and second (2) frames, each frame having a top handle portion (4) and a bottom tea bag portion (5), wherein the first and second frames are pivotably connected by a pair of hinges (3a, 3b) to allow a tea bag to be held and squeezed between the respective bottom portions by operation of the top portions, and wherein the hinges are located spaced apart at opposite lateral sides of the frames.

Description

Tea-bag clamp

Invention field

The present invention relates to the device for placing tea-bag and tea-bag being removed from the cup of tea, and relate to especially the tea-bag clamp (tea bag tong) for pushing and remove tea-bag.

Background of invention

When manufacturing cuppa, common way is that tea-bag is directly joined in mug (mug) or cup rather than teapot.In this case, expectation is from tea-bag, extruded excessive liquid and it is removed from cup before drink tea.

For pushing and remove the known devices of tea-bag, it is tea-bag squeezer.

Tea-bag squeezer is formed by single piece of metal, and it is being bent into U-shaped shape with it certainly backward to form a pair of flexibly arm of biasing.The end sections of each arm is used to clamp and extruding tea-bag.End sections is often perforated to allow the more easily tea-bag discharge from being extruded of liquid.

When tea-bag squeezer is not used, the biasing of arm means that end sections is spaced apart.Then end sections can be driven together in response to putting on the enough power of arm.When tea-bag is positioned between end sections, power is put on to just mobile end componental movement and cause tea-bag to be clamped and be compressed between end sections by end sections together of arm.Then tea-bag can remove from tea.

There are a plurality of problems relevant to tea-bag squeezer.

For tea-bag is removed from the cup of tea, user must put on arm power to drive together end sections and therefore tea-bag be bonded between end sections.

Yet often difficulty is enough power to be put on to arm clamp with the brute force realizing on tea-bag.Occur that this problem is because tea-bag squeezer works as the pair of lever arms that attaches to fulcrum (bend in metal).Therefore, increase the sole mode that is applied to the amount of the power on tea-bag by end sections be increase put on arm power or power apply position further from fulcrum move.

Certainly, in use the major part of the length of each arm is immersed in hot tea.Therefore, user is prevented from further from the trial of fulcrum ground clamp arm.

In addition, because metal conducts, therefore even arm close to but be not immersed in part in tea also may be for controlling uncomfortable underground heat.Consequently user is often forced to power to be applied to the position of close fulcrum on arm, causes weak clamping the on tea-bag.If tea-bag is not clamped forcefully, it may slide and turn back in hot tea so, and if this causes stimulating the words that tea splashes may cause confusion and even damage.Some user attempts to use its finger to adjust the position of tea-bag, this may be painful (because tea-bag is hot), to guarantee that tea-bag was fully pushed before finally the removing of mug at it.

For another known devices that removes tea-bag, be called as ' beating device (buffet) ' or ' scissors ' clamp, for example, at United States Patent (USP) the 2nd, 484, No. 461 or US5, those devices of describing in 335,591.

US2,484,461 and US5,335,591 have described and have had for pushing the tea-bag clamp of a pair of relative plate of tea-bag.Tea-bag clamp comprises a pair of arm, and each arm has at the plate at first end place with at the handle at the second end place.Arm, by single pivotally connected, is similar to a pair of scissors, this allow plate in response to the corresponding sports of handle towards or away from motion each other.At US2, in 484,461, (being described to spoon member) in relative plate is perforated and second (squeezer plate) is not perforated.At US5, in 335,591, two plates are all depicted as and are perforated.

Scissors style tea-bag clamp may be unworkable.When user discharges clamp (to allowing tea to brew) when tea-bag is in mug, clamp may roll around mug due to the narrow overall width of single pivot, and may discharge tea-bag.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides a kind of tea-bag clamp, it allows excess liq from the high efficiency extruding of tea-bag and allows tea-bag from container easily removing of mug for example.

The invention provides a kind of tea-bag clamp, it has the first framework and the second framework, each framework has top handle part and bottom tea-bag part, wherein the first framework and the second framework connect to allow tea-bag to be held and to be squeezed between minute other base section by the operation of top section by a pair of hinge pivotly, and the relative lateral sides (lateral side) that wherein hinge is positioned at framework is at interval located, and a top handle part wherein with the width less than another top handle part is assemblied in progressively along with jaws close in another top handle part.

This layout allows tea-bag to be placed in clamp, to be placed in cup, to brew, push (to remove excess liq) and remove from cup, all in an operation.

In linguistic context of the present invention, for ' top ', refer to tea-bag clamp framework the level that extends beyond during use the tea in mug part and for ' bottom ', refer to framework be immersed in during use the part in tea.

The providing of a pair of hinge that is positioned at interval the relative lateral sides place of framework means framework and connects two positions, and this has reduced the transverse movement of framework and torsion and has increased stability.Therefore tea-bag clamp can use the line (or other suitable material) of narrow diameter to build, simultaneously stable in textural maintenance.And then this allows tea-bag clamp to build and allow tea-bag clamp with the cost reducing is light weight.

By a pair of hinge by being positioned at interval the relative lateral sides place of framework, connect pivotly the first framework and the second framework, tea-bag clamp of the present invention can be by causing that the motion of top section of the corresponding sports of base section operates.Framework of the present invention flexibly do not setovered and be applied to power on handle portion be in fact all transferred to tea-bag part.Therefore, need less power so that operation tea-bag clamp.

Top handle part by its controlled size be engaged in feature of the present invention in the top handle part of another framework allow handle portion do not hindered towards or away from motion each other and allow in addition bottom handle part to be pressed toward each other more firmly.This feature also allows tea-bag clamp to have the storage configuration of relatively flat.This is useful space-saving advantage.

Selectable feature of the present invention will be proposed now.These features can be solely or are combined in the mode of any combination with any aspect of the present invention.

In certain embodiments, each hinge comprises hole and pin part, and pin part is rotatably received and is fixed in hole, and wherein each hole is positioned at the first framework place and each pin part is positioned at the second framework place.

Provide at the hole at the first framework place and pin part at the second framework place (or at the hole at the second framework place and pin part at the first framework place) and allow the first framework to be connected pivotly with the second framework, framework can relative to each other be moved around hinge.

In certain embodiments, can provide the frictional fit of certain degree of hinge to keep with help tea-bag.Such embodiment is favourable, because frictional fit can maintain tea-bag clamp in closed configuration, thus tea-bag is remained in tea-bag part.

Preferably, hinge be positioned at towards the bottom of framework more than half way.Therefore, aspect the length of clamp, preferably, top handle partly occupy clamp total length more than half.The mechanical advantage that this provides suitable control degree and has surpassed bottom tea-bag part.

Preferably, bottom tea-bag part each comprise from minute periphery of other bottom tea-bag part, upcountry arrange for keeping and engage at least one tea-bag retaining member of tea-bag.In certain embodiments, described at least one tea-bag retaining member comprises for keeping and engage a plurality of rods of tea-bag.The supply of rod provides the improved security engaging with tea-bag, thus tea-bag is remained in tea-bag part.The providing of rod also increased the surface area that tea-bag is extruded and therefore improved the efficiency of excess liq from tea-bag discharge.

In preferred embodiments, rod extends between the lateral sides of tea-bag part.This layout further increases the stability of each frame part.

In preferred embodiments, clamp is built by metal, preferably by stainless steel, more preferably built by stainless steel wire.For term " line ", it is intended to comprise the stainless steel of the shape of cross section with the circle of being selected from, square and rectangle.In the situation that stainless steel has circular cross-sectional shape, preferably it has the diameter of about 2mm at the most.In preferred embodiments, the diameter of line is 1.5mm.In the situation that stainless steel has rectangular cross-sectional shape, preferably it has at least thickness of 0.5mm, more preferably has the thickness of about 1mm.Similarly, in the situation that stainless steel has rectangular cross-sectional shape, preferably it has the width of no more than 5mm, more preferably has the width of about 3mm.

Stainless steel is light and durable, and sections can be easily bound up by welding.

In another preferred embodiment, at least tea-bag part in bottom can be built by perforation corrosion resistant plate.Suitable eyelet can have at least diameter of 2mm.Eyelet can be arranged regularly, so that manufacture.

Selectively, clamp can be built by suitable plastic material, for example food-grade molded plastics.In aspect the present embodiment preferred, the diameter of the first framework and the second framework is 5mm at the most, and the diameter of rod is 2mm at the most.

Preferably, the width of bottom tea-bag part is less than 10cm.More preferably, this width is 7cm or still less.This allows clamp to be assemblied in typical mug or cup.

Accompanying drawing summary

Now with reference to accompanying drawing, only in the mode of example, the preferred embodiments of the invention are described, in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 a is the side view of the tea-bag clamp of embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 b is the close-up view that connects (being indicated by dotted line) in the hinge of the first framework and the second framework in Fig. 1 a.

Fig. 2 is the perspective view of tea-bag clamp of opening Fig. 1 of configuration.

Fig. 3 is the front view of tea-bag clamp of Fig. 1 that clamps the closed configuration of tea-bag.

Fig. 4 is the perspective view of tea-bag clamp of opening another embodiment of the invention of configuration.

Fig. 5 is the front view of tea-bag clamp of Fig. 4 that clamps the closed configuration of tea-bag.

Fig. 6 is the cross-sectional view of mug of the tea-bag clamp of clamping Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is the view that is orthogonal to the view of Fig. 6, shows the tea-bag clamp of the inwall that leans to mug.

Fig. 8 is the perspective view of tea-bag clamp of opening another embodiment of the invention of configuration.

The detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the other feature selected

With reference to Fig. 1 a, show the first framework 1 and the second framework 2, each framework has top handle part 4 and the bottom tea-bag part 5 for engaging with tea-bag for being handled by user.

The first framework is connected by a pair of hinge 3a, the 3b that are positioned at interval the relative lateral sides place of framework with the second framework.Preferably, hinge is between the top section and base section of framework.

Each tea-bag partly comprises for tea-bag is engaged and remain on a plurality of excellent 6 in clamp.In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a, rod 6 attaches to the inner face of each tea-bag part.In another embodiment, rod can be attached to the outside of tea-bag part.In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a, tea-bag part is manufactured and attached to rod with framework apart ground, for example, by welding.In another embodiment, for example, when clamp is manufactured by plastic material, rod can with tea-bag part one.

In certain embodiments, rod is parallel to each other and arranges and to extend between the lateral sides of framework.Yet rod also can be arranged with any other configuration that is suitable for tea-bag to remain in tea-bag part.For example, second group of rod that rod 6 shown in Figure 1 can be extended perpendicular to the first leg is overlapping.This has increased the surface area that contacts available tea-bag part with tea-bag, and has therefore increased the amount of the liquid that can discharge from tea-bag.

In selectable embodiment, tea-bag part can be provided with perforated plate rather than rod.This is shown in Figure 8.

Hinge 3b comprises plate portion 8, and plate portion 8 has for receiving the hole of the pin part 11 being positioned on the second framework.In certain embodiments, plate portion is by being welded to connect in the first framework.In certain embodiments, for example, when clamp is manufactured by plastic material, framework is built as and makes plate portion and framework one.

Fig. 1 b is the partial enlarged view at the hinge area 3b shown in Fig. 1 a.In the present embodiment, pin part 11 provides (in pin part only one shown in Fig. 1 b) by the end of the lateral sides that extends beyond framework of top rod 6a.The present embodiment is preferred, because pin part does not need to manufacture discretely or attach to framework with top rod.Yet in certain embodiments, pin part can be independent of top rod to be provided.For example, individual other pin part can be attached (for example, by welding) in the lateral sides of framework.Pin part 11 inserts through the hole in plate and sells any suitable method of freely rotating by permission in hole and is held in place, and for example the end of pin part can be soldered, and it can not be recalled through hole.Selectively, the end of pin part can be crooked to prevent that plate from sliding off pin part.

In Fig. 2, tea-bag clamp shows to open configuration.From this position, arm portion 4 motion toward each other in the direction of indicated arrow causes tea-bag part 5 corresponding sports toward each other.

When tea-bag is positioned between tea-bag part, handle portion motion toward each other will cause that tea-bag is partly kept by tea-bag so, as shown in Figure 3.In Fig. 3, clamp shows with closed configuration, wherein handle portion 4 mobile together, tea-bag 10 is captured between closed tea-bag part 5.In the present embodiment, tea-bag 10 is remained in tea-bag part by the joint of rod 6 by tea-bag.

As long as handle portion keeps together, tea-bag is partly kept continuation by tea-bag.Once the clamp of clamping tea-bag has been inserted in cup or mug, the transverse movement of tea-bag clamp in cup just can be stirred the tea-bag that is clamped in tea-bag part with the accelerated infusion time so.Selectively, user can select only to use tea-bag clamp so that tea-bag is recalled from cup.In this case, tea-bag partly moves away from each other by the corresponding sports of handle portion.Then tea-bag part is inserted in cup and is positioned at any sidepiece place of tea-bag.Then handle portion is pulled together, and this tea-bag partly pulls together and tea-bag is captured between tea-bag part.When handle portion is pulled together, then tea-bag is compressed between the rod of tea-bag part and excess liq is removed.Then tea-bag can be recalled from cup.

In certain embodiments, the handle portion of in framework is that the handle portion than another framework is narrow on width.This layout allows handle portion between the operating period of clamp, to move through each other.In another embodiment, the handle portion of the first framework and the second framework be on width, equate substantially and from skew transverse to each other.This layout will also allow handle portion between the operating period of clamp, to move through each other.

Preferably, the tea-bag of the tea-bag of the first framework part and the second framework partly equates dimensionally substantially.

The width of tea-bag part preferably equals or is slightly greater than the width of standard square tea-bag substantially.Preferably, width equals or is slightly greater than the width of sections of the reservation tea of tea-bag substantially.In one embodiment, the diameter of tea-bag part 4 and 7cm between, more preferably 5 and 6cm between.In the most preferred embodiment, the diameter of tea-bag part is 5cm.

In certain embodiments, the handle portion of each framework is partly longer than tea-bag in length.Yet, selectable layout imagination, as long as the total length of each framework is longer than the height of standard cup or mug, make when clamp in use handle portion extend to above the outer rim of cup or mug.For example, in other embodiment, tea-bag part can be longer than handle portion in length, or tea-bag and handle portion can be equal substantially in length.

In one embodiment, tea-bag clamp is manufactured by metal.In certain embodiments, tea-bag clamp for example, is built by the line between about 1.5mm and about 2mm (stainless steel wire) on diameter.In certain embodiments, tea-bag clamp is manufactured by the food grade plastic between about 5mm and about 2mm on diameter.Figure 4 and 5 show plastics embodiment of the present invention.Reference number is not included in these figure, because structural feature is in fact as shown in Fig. 2 and 3.

In certain embodiments, the different piece of clamp can be manufactured by different materials.For example, in the preferred aspect of the above-mentioned embodiment that clamp is built by plastic material therein, framework can be connected by coupling part, coupling part by metal for example stainless steel build.In certain embodiments, the first framework being formed by plastics can be connected by stainless steel shaft with the second framework.Each end of axle can engage through the hole in the first framework and for example, with retaining part in the second framework (the sealing stomidium being formed by the expansion sections of framework).In such layout, axle coordinates the spring by between the first framework and the second framework to keep.

Fig. 6 and 7 shows the cross-sectional view of mug 20.Tea-bag clamp 22 is positioned in mug and clamping tea-bag 10.Hot water (not shown) is arranged in mug for soaking with tea.The key character of this preferred embodiment is that tea-bag clamp is supported by mug at least three positions: at the base portion place of mug, and at two positions of the side-walls of mug.Sidewall position is the opposite side portion of in support, top handle portion typically.These positions are by interval, suitable wide ground substantially, to prevent that clamp from rolling around mug during the manipulation of mug and/or during hot water is poured on the tea-bag being clamped in clamp.After water is poured into, clamp can remove after selected making beating together with bag, or selectively clamp can be used to squeeze bag before removing bag.

With reference to preferred embodiment, the present invention has been described.The modification of these embodiments, other embodiments and modification thereof for technical staff, will be when reading present disclosure significantly and in itself within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. a tea-bag clamp, comprising:

The first framework and the second framework, each framework has top handle part and bottom tea-bag part,

Wherein said the first framework and described the second framework connect to allow tea-bag to be held and to be squeezed between minute other base section by the operation of described top section by a pair of hinge pivotly, and wherein said hinge is positioned at the relative lateral sides place of described framework at interval, and top handle part wherein with the width less than another top handle part is assemblied in progressively along with described jaws close in described another top handle part.

2. tea-bag clamp according to claim 1, wherein each hinge comprises hole and pin part, described pin part is rotatably received and is fixed in described hole, and wherein each hole is positioned at described the first framework place and each pin part is positioned at described the second framework place.

3. according to claim 1 or tea-bag clamp claimed in claim 2, wherein said bottom tea-bag part each comprise from minute periphery of other bottom tea-bag part, upcountry arrange for keeping and engage at least one tea-bag retaining member of tea-bag.

4. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1-3, wherein said at least one tea-bag retaining member comprises for keeping and engage a plurality of rods of tea-bag.

5. tea-bag clamp according to claim 4, wherein said rod extends between the described lateral sides of described bottom tea-bag part.

6. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1-5, wherein said clamp is built by stainless steel.

7. tea-bag clamp according to claim 6, wherein said stainless steel has the shape of cross section of the circle of being selected from, square and rectangle.

8. tea-bag clamp according to claim 7, wherein said stainless steel has with the circular cross-sectional shape of the diameter of about 2mm at the most.

9. tea-bag clamp according to claim 7, wherein said stainless steel has with the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the thickness of 0.5mm and the width of no more than 5mm at least.

10. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1-5, wherein said clamp is by food grade plastic material construction.

11. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1-5, and wherein said clamp is by metal and food grade plastic material construction.

12. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1 to 11, and the width of wherein said bottom tea-bag part is less than 10cm.

13. according to the tea-bag clamp described in any one in claim 1 to 12, the described relative lateral sides of wherein said framework is spaced apart to certain degree to provide wide profile to described clamp, in use to resist around the rolling of the inside of mug or cup.