GB2268392A

GB2268392A - Producing an infusion beverage

Info

Publication number: GB2268392A
Application number: GB9313686A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Paul Guy
Original assignee: * A G
Current assignee: * A G
Priority date: 1992-07-02
Filing date: 1993-07-02
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-02
Also published as: GB2268392B; GB9313686D0; GB9214156D0

Abstract

A kit for making an infusible beverage such as coffee comprises a cafetière 1 and a base unit 2. The base unit 2 houses a rotatably driven bar magnet 5. A magnetic stirring element 16 is arranged within the cafetière 1 and is rotated by the bar magnet 5 during brewing of the beverage so as to reduce the brewing time. A portion 15 of the plunger 8 of the cafetière may be magnetic to attract the stirring element 26 so that it may easily be removed from the jug. In an alternative arrangement, the beverage may be agitated continuously eg by ultrasonic means or by resting the cafetière on a vibratory stand. <IMAGE>

Description

Method and Apparatus for Producing an Infusion Beverage The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing an infusion beverage, and in particular but not exclusively for producing a coffee beverage from ground, roasted coffee beans, as opposed to 'instant' coffee.

A variety of devices and methods are known for producing coffee. For example percolators and filtering devices have been known and widely used for some time.

More recently the cafetiere has risen in popularity.

This device consists of a cylindrical jug having a mesh filter formed at the lower end of a plunger which is slidable and removably located in the jug in the manner of a piston. Coffee grounds are placed in the jug with the plunger removed and water added. The plunger is then replaced in the up position. The beverage is left to stand for a period of time to allow it to brew, and the plunger then depressed to force the spent grounds to the bottom of the jug and retain them there. The beverage is then poured. While being a particularly simple way of making coffee, to allow a full flavour to develop, the coffee needs to be left for about 5 to 6 minutes before depressing the plunger. In practice, however, many users do not leave the coffee for this long, with the result that they do not get the full flavour from the coffee.

The present invention seeks to alleviate this problem.

From a first aspect the present invention provides a method for producing an infusion beverage such as coffee comprising the steps of placing an infusible substance such as ground coffee, water, and a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element in a jug, and subjecting the jug to a changing magnetic field to move the stirring element to stir the water and the infusible substance such as coffee during brewing.

From a second aspect the invention provides a infusion beverage making kit, comprising a base unit, a coffee jug or the like, and a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element, the base unit being adapted to support said jug and comprising means for generating a changing magnetic field, and the stirring element being adapted to be placed inside the jug to be moved under the influence of the changing magnetic field to stir a beverage such as coffee within the jug during brewing.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, a stirring element is placed in a jug and is moved under the influence of a magnetic field to stir the coffee and thus accelerate its brewing. Conventionally, where a lid has been provided to keep the beverage hot during brewing, the only agitation has been that due to convection within the jug. It has been found that employing the invention, the brewing time can be cut to 1 to 2minutes from the normal time of 5 to 6 minutes.

This is a significant time saving.

The magnetic field generating means and the stirring element can be of a general type, similar to that known in the field of specialist laboratory equipment. For example the field generating means may comprise a rotating bar magnet, and the stirring element also a bar magnet, preferably coated in an inert material such as PTFE or similar. The bar magnet may be rotated by a motor powered by one of a number of sources for example mains power, battery power, solar power, clockwork, heat from the jug or the weight of the jug.

Other constructions for the field generating means and stirring element can be envisaged however. The stirring element can for example be freely moving, or it can be rotatably journaled in the jug, for example.

The device may include timing means which may alert the user when a given period of time has elapsed and which may switch off the field generating means at that time.

In preferred embodiments, the base unit may include heating means to keep the brewing beverage warm.

The base unit may be formed with a formation such as an upstanding lip on its upper surface defining a recess configured to locate a coffee jug on the base unit in use.

Preferably the jug comprises filter means to retain spent coffee grounds during pouring. Many forms of filter can be envisaged, but in a preferred embodiment, the jug forms part of a cafetiere, and the filter is therefore provided at the lower end of a plunger which is slidable and removably located within the jug.

After the brewed coffee has been poured, the stirring element may be retrieved when the jug is being washed. In a particularly preferred embodiment however, magnetic or magnetisable means, possibly associated with the jug may be provided for attracting the stirring element once brewing has finished. Thus in one embodiment, a bottom portion of a cafetiere plunger may comprise magnetic means so as to attract the element when it is depressed. The element will then be removed with the plunger and the need to extract the element from the spent grounds during washing is obviated.

From a third aspect therefore, the invention provides a cafetire having a plunger, at least a lower portion of which comprises magnetisable or magnetic means for removing a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element from the cafetiere in use. It is to be understood in this context that the term plunger is intended to encompass the whole assembly of components which is movable in the jug, and not just the push rod of the assembly. The magnetic means may be a separate element mounted on the plunger or may be constituted by one or more of the components of the plunger being made of a magnetic material.

Viewed from a still further aspect the invention provides a base unit for an infusion making kit as set out above, comprising on its upper surface a formation or formations which define a recess configured to receive and thereby locate the base part of an associated coffee making jug or the like on the base unit.

The above description relates particularly to the agitation of a coffee beverage during brewing. However, the invention is not limited to such. From yet a further aspect, therefore, the invention provides a method of producing a non-soluble infusion beverage comprising the step of continuously agitating the beverage whilst brewing by automated agitation means.

This aspect of the invention is not limited to production of coffee and extends to embrace production of other infusion beverages, such as tea or herbal infusions. The automated agitation employed may be as described above, using a movable magnetic stirring element within the infusion vessel. However other forms of powered agitation can be envisaged, for example using a stationary magnetic member within a rotating infusion vessel; ultrasonic agitation; providing a vibratory stand upon which the infusion vessel rests; moving an infusion vessel vertically to agitate the contents of the vessel; and using a preferably rotating agitation member, such as a plunger, itself containing the infusible substance. Other forms of agitation may easily be envisaged. The automated agitation of a nonsoluble infusion beverage has not previously been proposed and leads to advantages concerning brewing time and beverage quality, both in the domestic and catering environments.

Furthermore, it is also possible to envisage a cafetiere being provided with or associated with means other than the magnetic agitation means described above.

From a yet further aspect therefore the invention provides apparatus for producing a beverage comprising a cafetiere and powered means associated with said cafetiere actuable continuously to agitate a beverage therein during brewing. The means of agitation may be for example any of those described above. Such a cafetiere could be used for soluble beverage types as well as non-soluble infusions.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing shows schematically, a cafetiere 1 (removed from its pouring stand) positioned on top of a base unit 2. The base unit 2 comprises a body 3, which houses a motor 4 which rotatably drives a bar magnet 5.

The body 3 is provided with an upstanding, circular, lip 6 which acts to locate the cafetiere jug 1.

The cafetiere 1 which contains a brewing coffee beverage 20 comprises a cylindrical jug 7 and a plunger assembly 8. The plunger assembly comprises a push rod 9, a lid 10, and a filter 11. The filter 11 comprises a circular metallic filter element 12 sandwiched between two circular, apertured metallic plates 13, 14, as is well known in the art, and is mounted at the lower end of the push rod 9. A magnetic element 15 is provided at the bottom of the filter 11. The plunger assembly 8 is removable from the jug 7 as a whole, and when in position, the filter 11 can be pushed down the jug 7 by the push rod 9.

A stirring element 16 which is formed by a bar magnet coated in PTFE is shown at the bottom of the jug 7. It is freely moving within the jug 7 and is formed with a raised collar 17 to facilitate its movement.

Coffee is made with the device in the following manner.

With the plunger assembly 8 removed, ground coffee, hot water and the stirring element 16 are added to the jug 7. The plunger assembly 8 is then replaced on the jug 7 (in the position shown in the drawing) and the jug then placed on the base unit 2.

The motor 4 is then switched on to cause the magnet 5 to rotate and produce a rotating magnetic field which the stirring element 15 follows, setting up a vortex in the jug 7, which agitates the brewing coffee and so accelerates its brewing.

After a given period of time, the motor 4 is switched off, the cafetiere 1 removed from the base unit and placed in its pouring frame (not shown) and the push rod 9 depressed to move the filter 11 down the jug and filter the coffee, which can then be poured. The filter 11 retains the spent grounds at the bottom of the jug 7 during pouring.

The stirring element 16 will be attracted by the magnetic element 15 which can therefore be removed with the plunger assembly 8 for cleaning.

The device as described above may include timing means to switch off the motor 4 after a given period of time and to give a visual or audible signal to a user to indicate that the beverage is ready.

Also, the base unit may be adapted to accept the cafetiere 1 in its pouring stand rather than removed from it as described.

It would also be possible to provide the cafetiere jug 7 with a handle, for example attached to an upper part of the jug 7 by a collar surrounding the jug 7 to obviate the need for a separate pouring frame.

Finally, while described in the preferred embodiment with reference to a cafetiere type coffee maker, the invention is not limited to such. The size of the infusion vessel is not a limiting factor in the present invention. Its size may be varied to suit the chosen applicaiton, for example in catering or domestic use. Furthermore, the form of the infusion vessel may be adapted to the beverage being brewed. For example, if tea is being brewed, the vessel may be a tea-pot.

Claims

1. A method of producing a coffee or other infusible beverage comprising the steps of placing ground coffee or infusion, water, and a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element in a jug, and subjecting the jug to a changing magnetic field to move the stirring element to stir the water and infusion during brewing.

2. A method of producing a coffee or other infusible beverage as claimed in claim 1 wherein said changing magnetic field is generated by a rotating bar magnet.

3. A method of producing a coffee or other infusible beverage as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the stirring element comprises a bar magnet.

4. A method of producing a coffee or other infusible beverage as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said stirring element is coated in an inert material.

5. A method of producing a coffee or other infusible beverage as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the beverage is heated during brewing.

6. A coffee or infusion beverage making kit, comprising a base unit, a coffee jug or the like, and a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element, the base unit being adapted to support said jug and comprising means for generating a changing magnetic field, and the stirring element being adapted to be placed inside the jug to be moved under the influence of the changing magnetic field to stir a coffee or other beverage within the jug during brewing.

7. A kit as claimed in claim 6 wherein the field generating means comprises a rotating bar magnet.

8. A kit as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the stirring element comprises a bar magnet.

9. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 wherein said stirring element is coated in an inert material.

10. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 further comprising timing means for switching off the field generating means after-a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

11. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein said base unit includes heating means to keep the brewing beverage warm.

12. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 11 wherein said base unit is formed with a formation such as an upstanding lip on its upper surface defining a recess configured to locate a jug on the base unit in use.

13. A kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 12 wherein the jug comprises filter means to retain the spent coffee grounds or infusion material during pouring.

14. A kit as claimed in claim 13 wherein said jug forms part of a cafetiere, and the filter is provided at the lower end of a plunger which is slidable and removably located within the jug.

15. A kit as claimed in any of claims 2 to 14 comprising magnetic or magnetisable means for attracting the stirring element to facilitate its removal from the jug.

16. A kit as claimed in claims 14 and 15 wherein a bottom portion of said cafetire plunger comprises magnetic means so as to attract the element when it is depressed.

17. A cafetiere having a plunger, at least a lower portion of which comprises magnetisable or magnetic means for removing a magnetic or magnetisable stirring element from the cafetiere in use.

18. A kit or cafetiere as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein said magnetic means is a separate element mounted on the plunger.

19. A kit or cafetiere as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein said magnetic means is constituted by one or more of the components of the plunger being made of a magnetic material.

20. A base unit for a beverage making kit as claimed in any of claims 6 to 16, comprising on its upper surface a formation or formations which define a recess configured to receive and thereby locate the base part of an associated beverage making jug on the base unit.

21. A method of producing a non-soluble infusion beverage comprising the step of continuously agitating the beverage whilst brewing by automated agitation means.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said automated agitation means comprises ultrasonic agitation means.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said automated agitation means comprises a vibratory stand upon which the infusion vessel rests.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said automated agitation means comprises means for moving an infusion vessel vertically to agitate the contents of the vessel.

25. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said automated agitation means comprises an agitation member arranged within the infusion vessel.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said agitation member contains the infusible substance.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25 or 26 wherein said agitation member is a rotating member.

28. An apparatus for producing a beverage comprising a cafetiere and powered means associated with said cafetiere actuable continuously to agitate a beverage therein during brewing.