GB2398230A

GB2398230A - Enclosed "one cup" tea bag infusor

Info

Publication number: GB2398230A
Application number: GB0303405A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Thomas Lawless
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-14
Filing date: 2003-02-14
Publication date: 2004-08-18
Also published as: GB0303405D0

Abstract

The tea bag diffuser is an enclosed mechanism which operates on a pivot 2 system. It is made up of two plastic or stainless steel pieces 4 and 5 each of which has a handle 1 at the top for squeezing purposes. The bottom below the pivot of each piece creates an enclosed perforated chamber 3 into which the tea bag is placed At the very foot of the mechanism the system allows the pieces to pass through each other via a gated hole 6. By reversing pressure on the handles 1 the used tea bag can be released into a waste receptacle. By using the mechanism a cup of tea can be made without mess or scalding fingers.

Description

ENCLOSED "ONE CUP" TEA BAG DIFFUSER |

Background and problem

Using a tea bag to make one cup of tea is common. The tea bag is squeezed (diffused) by a variety of methods i) with the fingers ii) with the fingers and a spoon iii) with a normal tea bag diffuser which "grabs" the tea bag from the cup and, usually, the user applies a "pincer" motion to squeeze the water out.

None of these methods is really satisfactory. 1) and ii) can result in scalded fingers and iii) means that the bag has to be fished around for, not always completely "grabbed" and tends to be messy leaving tea splashes outside the cup.

Solving the problem If the diffuser was enclosed with mesh to allow the tea bag to be placed into the diffuser before being placed into the cup, i.e. the tea bag and the part of the diffuser holding it could both go into the cup simultaneously, this would solve all these problems.

The squeezing could still take place by employing a "pincer" movement but the tea bag would remain in the diffuser. The tea bag could be released by a mechanism over a waste bin when the water had been squeezed out and the diffusion had taken place.

Essential features The receptacle for the tea bag would made up of two pieces 4 and 5 which would overlap and thus be enclosed at the bottom half. They would be joined by a fulcrum/pivot 2 and the pieces would continue on to form the handles 1 to be squeezed.

The material could be plastic or stainless steel depending upon the quality and price required.

The receptacle would have small perforations 3 to allow the tea to brew and also to allow the water to be squeezed through when removing the tea bag.

At the foot of the two pieces, when squeezed, they would interlock through a set of Bated holes 6.

Claims

I. A tea bag diffuser which enables one cup of tea to be brewed from one tea bag without scalding fingers or making mess.
2. A diffuser as in Claim I which encloses the tea bag before it goes into the cup and allows it to brew and then be squeezed before removal.
3. A diffuser as in Claims I and 2 which enables the tea bag to be removed from the cup without mess and then be disposed of without having to handle it.
4. A diffuser as in Claims 1, 2 and 3 which involves two pieces worked via a fulcrum with handles at one end for the squeezing motion and an enclosed perforated chamber at the other end into which the tea bag is placed to be brewed, squeezed and disposed of.
5. Material to be plastic or stainless steel depending on quality and price required.

ENCLOSED "ONE CUP:' TEA BAG DIFFUSER

KEY TO DRAWING

I Handles 2 Pivot 3 Perforated chamber side 4 & 5 Two pieces of the equipment that move on pivot 2; 6 Gated holes for piece 5 to move through piece 4