GB2337449A

GB2337449A - Tea leaf infusing device

Info

Publication number: GB2337449A
Application number: GB9810780A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hsiou-Chuan Weng; Hsin-Tai Chu; Ching-Ting Wang; Chuan-Huei Cheng; Yi-Sheng Lin
Original assignee: LIN CHIH JSE
Current assignee: LIN CHIH JSE
Priority date: 1998-05-19
Filing date: 1998-05-19
Publication date: 1999-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2018-05-19
Also published as: GB9810780D0; GB2337449B

Abstract

A tea leaf infusing device includes a stem member 30 with upper and lower ends and a middle portion 31 between the upper and lower ends, a perforated container 20 defining a guiding through hole 201 which extends from top to bottom portions 22, 21 thereof to confine the container 20 to move along the stem member 30 in an axial direction, a floating member 10 having a proximate portion 10A to be attached to the bottom portion 21, a distal portion 10B, and an annular inner wall 11 to define a bore 11A that extends in the axial direction to enable the middle portion 31 to pass therethrough. A cam mechanism is disposed between the middle portion 31 of the stem member 30 and the annular inner wall 11 of the floating body 10 to transform a linear lifting force of the floating body 10 when submerged in water into a spiral force acting upon the floating body 10 and the container 20 so as to stir the water when the container 20 spirals upward along the stem member 30, and to permit a spiral falling movement of the floating body 10 and the container 20 to a lowest position on the stem member 30 by virtue of gravity.

Description

1 is 2337449 TITLE: TEA LEAP INFUSING DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE SUBMERGED IN A

WATER THAT IS CONTAINED BY A DRINKING VESSEL The invention relates to a tea leaf infusing device, more particularly to a tea leaf infusing device which is adapted to be submerged in a water that is contained by a drinking vessel.

Referring to Figure 1, a conventional tea leaf infusing device 101, in the form of a tea leaf strainer, is disposed on the open top of a drinking vessel 102 such that hot water for infusing the tea leaves can be poured into the drinking vessel 102 via the infusing device 101. In case the conventional infusing device 101 is immersed in the hot water for too long, the taste of the resulting tea might be too strong for the user. In case amount of the hat water in the drinking vessel 102 is insufficient to immerse the infusing device 101, the taste of the resulting tea will be too weak for the user.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, another conventional tea infusing devices 103, 104 are disposed in drinking vessels so as to infuse the tea leaves when hot water is poured into the vessels. It is noted that control of the tea concentration is dif f icult to conduct since the tea leaves are always immersed in the water.

Therefore, the- object of this invention is to provide a tea leaf infusing device which is adapted to be submerged in water that is contained by a drinking is vessel and which permits control of the concentration of the infused tea in the drinking vessel.

Accordingly, the tea leaf infusing device of this invention is adapted to be submerged in water that is contained by a drinking vessel, and includes a stem member, a perforated container, a floating body, and cam mechanism. The stem member has an upper end, lower end with an enlarged head to define a lowest position, and a middle portion disposed between the upper and lower ends in an axial direction. The perforated container is adapted to hold tea leaves to be infused in the water contained by the vessel, and has a top portion and a bottom portion. The container further defines a guiding through hole which extends from the top portion to the bottom portion to confine the container to move along the stem member in the axial direction. The floating body has a proximate portion to be attached to the bottom portion of the container, distal portion, and an annular inner wall to define bore that extends from the distal portion to the proximate portion in the axial direction to enable the middle portion of the stem member to pass therethrough. The cam mechanism is disposed between the middle portion of the stem member and the annular inner wall of the floating body to transform a linear lifting force of the floating body when submerged in the water contained by the vessel into a spiral force acting 3 is upon the floating body as well as the container so as to stir the water in the vessel when the container spirals upward along the stem member, and to permit a spiral falling movement of the floating body as well as the container to the lowest position on the stem member by virtue of gravity when lifted out of the water.

other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate conventional tea leaf infusing devices disposed in drinking vessels to infuse tea leaves; Figure 4 is a partially sectional view of the preferred embodiment of a tea leaf infusing device of the present invention when disposed in a drinking vessel; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf infusing device of the present invention; Figure 6 is a top view of a key mounting seat employed in the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf infusing device of this invention; Figure 7 is a top view of a perforated container employed in the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf 4 4 infusing device of the present invention; Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a stem member employed in the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf infusing device of the present invention; Figure 9 illustrates how the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf infusing device of this invention can be used to infuse tea leaves; and Figure 10 illustrates relative positions of the preferred embodiment of the tea leaf infusing device of the invention in the drinking vessel after tea leaves are infused.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the preferred embodiment of a tea leaf infusing device of this invention is adapted to be submerged in water that is contained by a drinking vessel 6, and includes a stem member 30, a perforated container 20, a floating body 10, and a cam mechanism.

As illustrated, the a stem member 30 has an upper end, a lower end with an enlarged head portion 32 to define a lowest position, and a middle portion 31 disposed between the upper and lower ends in an axial direction.

The perforated container 20 is adapted to hold tea leaves (not shown) to be infused in the water, and has atop portion 22 and a bottom portion 21. Thecontainer 2 0 contained by the vessel 6 defines a guiding through hole 2 01 (see Fig. 7) that extends from the top portion is 22 to the bottom portion 21 to confine the container 20 to move along the stem member 30 in the axial direction.

The floating body 10 has a proximate portion 10A to be attached to the bottom portion 21, a distal portion 10B, and an annular inner wall 11 to define a bore 11A that extends from the distal portion 10B to the proximate portion 10A in the axial direction to enable the middle portion 31 of the stem member 30 to pass therethrough.

The cam mechanism is disposed between the middle portion 31 of the stem member 30 and the annular inner wall 11 of the floating body 10 to transform a linear lifting force of the floating body 10 when submerged in the water contained by the vessel 6 into a spiral force (see Fig. 9) acting upon the floating body 10 as well as the container 20 so as to stir the water in the vessel 6 when the container 20 spirals upward along the stemmember 30, and topermit a spiral falling movement of the floating body 10 as well as the container 20 to the lowest position on the stem member 30 by virtue of gravity when the floating body 10 and the container 20 are lifted out of the water in the vessel 6.

The cam mechanism includes a spiral keyway 31A (see Fig. 8) formed on the middle portion 31 of the stem member 30 and extending from the lowest point, an 6 is annular key mounting seat 12 attached to the inner wall 11 of the floating body 10 (see Figs. 5 and 6), and a key unit 12A disposed on the mounting seat 12 to extend radially relative to the stem member 30 so as to engage the keyway 31A slidably.

Referring to Figure 10, in case the strength of the tea drink is not satisfactory, the container 20 as well as the floating body 10 can be lifted out of the water in the vessel 6 so as to cause the spiral falling movement of the floating body 10 and the container 20 to the lowest position on the stem member 30 such that the container 20 and the floating body 10 can be immersed once again in the vessel 6 to infuse the tea leaves as described beforehand.

In this embodiment, the proximate portion 10A of the floating body 10 has two recesses 13 at diametrical positions relative to the annular inner wall 11. The bottom portion 21 of the container 20 has two axially and downwardly extending studs 202 respectively received in the recesses 13.

Note that the top portion 22 of the container 20 is mounted detachably on the bottom portion 21 by means of fastening devices 221, 222 respectively formed on the top and bottom portions 22, 21 so as to facilitate replacement of tea leaves.

7 is

Claims

1 CLAIM:

1. A tea leaf infusing device adapted to be submerged in water that is contained by a drinking vessel, comprising: a stem member having an upper end, a lower end with an enlarged head portion to define a lowest position, and a middle portion disposed between the upper and lower ends in an axial direction; a perforated container adapted to hold tea leaves to be infused in the water contained by the vessel, having a top portion and a bottom portion, and defining a guiding through hole that extends from the top portion to the bottom portion to conf ine the container to move along the stem member in the axial direction; a floating body having a proximate portion to be attached to the bottom portion of the container, distal portion, and an annular inner wall to def ine bore extending from the distal portion to the proximate portion in the axial direction to enable the middle portion of the stem member to pass therethrough; and a cam mechanism disposed between the middle portion of the stem member and the inner wall of the floating body to transform a linear lifting force of the f loating body when submerged in the water into a spiral force acting upon the floating body as well 8 is i as the container so as to stir the water in the vessel when the perforated container spirals upward along the stem member and to permit a spiral falling movement of the floating body as well as the container to the lowest position on the stem member by virtue of gravity when the floating body and the container are lifted out of the water.

The tea leaf infusing device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the cam mechanism includes a spiral keyway formed on the middle portion of the stem member and extending from the lowest point, an annular key mounting seat attached to the inner wall of the floating body, and a key unit disposed on the mounting seat to extend radially relative to the stem member so as to engage the keyway slidably.

3. The tea leaf infusing device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the proximate portion of the floating body has two recesses at diametrical positions relative to the annular inner wall, the bottom portion of the container having two axially and downwardly extending studs respectively received in the recesses.

4. The tea leaf infusing device substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 4 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.