GB2602200A - A non-drip infuser - Google Patents

Abstract

An infuser 100 comprising a porous bag 2 containing ingredients, such as tea leaves for making an infusion. Two cover sheets 4 are located on opposite sides of the bag where corresponding marginal portions 6 of the sheets are fixed to secure the cover sheets 4 and bag together 2. Cover sheets 4 extend at least over a major portion of opposite sides 2’ 2” of the bag, and can be folded back to be placed on rim of a receptable to support the bag. The bag 2 can be squeezed between the cover sheets 4 to remove liquid from the porous bag. Fold lines 8 for facilitating folding of the cover sheet 4 may be parallel and coincident on each cover sheet. Cover sheets 4 may comprise a laminated structure, comprising a layer of card or cardboard with a layer of plastic film, or heat insulating layer laminated to an inner surface, and an inner surface for directing the flow of liquid squeezed from bag 2 via corrugations.

Description

A non-drip infuser

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a disposable non-drip infuser. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a non-drip infuser comprising a porous bag containing ingredients for making an infusion and foldable cover sheets for removing excess liquid from and covering at least a portion of the bag after use.

Background of the Invention

Infusers are commonly used to steep material such as tea leaves and other herbs and/or spices in a liquid. Disposable teabags are generally used to infuse tea in hot water without leaving remnants of the leaves in the liquid afterwards. After the teabag has infused the water, the teabag may be removed from the liquid and then squeezed with an implement such as a spoon to remove excess liquid before it is discarded. When implements such as spoons are not available, it becomes difficult to squeeze the excess liquid from the bag and dispose of the teabag without excess liquid dripping on surrounding surfaces.

Often, it becomes difficult to remove the teabag from the liquid, particularly if the liquid is hot, without an implement such as a spoon. Some teabags comprise a string, with one end connected to a handle such as a paper tab and another end connected to the bag. The bag can be lifted from the liquid when it has finished infusing the liquid by holding the handle and lifting the bag from the liquid. However, the connections between the strings and the bag and tab tend to be weak and often break or become detached when the bag is lifted from the liquid, especially since the bag has become heavy when the ingredients are saturated with liquid, leaving the bag submerged in the liquid. Additionally, in the absence of a spoon, even when the bag is successfully removed from the liquid using the string and tab, excess liquid from the bag frequently drip onto surrounding surfaces when discarding the teabag.

The present invention seeks to mitigate one or more of the above-mentioned problems by providing a disposable non-drip infuser that can support an infusing bag in a volume of liquid and then be used to remove excess liquid from the bag while minimising any dripping on surrounding surfaces.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention thus provides a disposable, non-drip infuser comprising a porous bag which contains ingredients for making an infusion, and two cover sheets which are disposed on mutually opposite sides of the porous bag. Corresponding marginal portions of the cover sheets are fastened to one another with an edge portion of the porous bag therebetween, thereby to secure fixedly the cover sheets and porous bag together and define a holder which can be gripped by a user between his or her fingers. The cover sheets are suitably dimensioned to extend over at least a major portion of the respective opposite sides of the porous bag and can be folded back relative to their respective marginal portions to expose the porous bag and to be placed on mutually opposite portions of a rim of a receptacle for supporting the infuser on the receptacle, with the porous bag depending therefrom for immersion in a liquid disposed in the receptacle. After infusing, the porous bag can be removed from the liquid using the holder and squeezed between the cover sheets to remove excess liquid from the porous bag prior to its disposal.

The cover sheets are dimensioned to extend over at least a major portion of the respective opposite sides of the porous bag, so that when the cover sheets are aligned with, and parallel to, the porous bag, it will cover most of the surface area of the bag. In some embodiments, the cover sheets may be shaped and dimensioned to cover the respective opposite sides of the bag completely, to prevent the bag from being visible by the user when the cover sheets overlay the side walls. After use, as described below, the cover sheets may advantageously serve to reduce or prevent liquid dripping from the bag until it is placed in a suitable waste disposal receptacle The cover sheets are dimensioned such that when the cover sheets are folded back to expose the porous bag, the cover sheets may be placed on the rim of a receptacle, in order to support the bag in the liquid. The receptacle will typically be a cup, mug, flask, or any other receptacle that can hold a volume of liquid. It will be appreciated that in use, the cover sheets are folded back on a folding axis which extends juxtaposed the marginal portions of the cover sheets. Suitably, the cover sheets should be sufficiently long in a direction which is perpendicular to the folding axis to reach mutually opposite portions of rims of a variety of different sizes of receptacle when the cover sheets are folded back to expose the porous bag. For example, in some embodiments, the cover sheets may each have a length of 40-50 mm or more when measured from where the cover sheet folds back to a bottom edge remote from the marginal portion, such that the holder has a total span of up to about 100 mm or more when fully opened.

The cover sheets may be formed of paper, cardboard, card or any other suitably pliable material. The material of the cover sheet may be a combination of different materials. The material is preferably be recyclable, so that after the infusing process, the porous bag and the cover sheets can be recycled when discarded.

After the user is satisfied with the infusion of the liquid, the user may remove the porous bag from the liquid using the holder, and squeeze the cover sheets together against the side walls of the bag to remove excess liquid, without requiring any additional implements, such as a spoon. Using the cover sheets to express excess liquid reduces the amount of liquid remaining in the bag which could drip on surrounding surfaces when discarding the bag. The non-drip infuser can be easily transported and used without additional implements which would be required when making tea or other infused beverages, such as a spoon or a plate to hold the discarded bag.

Conveniently, the marginal portions of the non-drip infuser may be divided from the remainder of their respective cover sheets by fold lines, which facilitate folding back of the cover sheets. The fold lines may define an axis of rotation for the cover sheets to fold around when the porous bag is to be exposed and immersed in the liquid. In some embodiments, the cover sheets may comprise a rigid, non-pliable material, such as cardboard or recyclable plastic. The fold lines may assist movement of the cover sheets to expose the porous bag.

The fold lines thus define a holder or grip tab, whereby the user may easily hold the bag to immerse it in the liquid and/or lift it from the liquid after use. When the cover -4 -sheets are moved to expose the porous bag, the holder may be used to immerse the porous bag in the liquid. The user can subsequently use the holder to lift the porous bag from the liquid and discard the bag.

In some embodiments, the fold lines may be creased lines which may be formed, for example, by scoring in a manner well known in the art. In other embodiments, the fold lines may comprise hinges connecting the marginal portions with the remainder of the cover sheets, which allow the cover sheets to move with respect to the holder.

The fold lines may be substantially parallel to and coincident with one another. Each fold line may allow movement of the respective cover sheet independently from the other. In other embodiments, the fold lines may be linked together as to form a mutual fold line which allows simultaneous movement of the cover sheets.

Advantageously, the infusible bag may be configured to prevent the cover sheets from being folded back further than a fully opened position, e.g. where they are substantially coplanar. In use, when the bag is required to be immersed in the liquid, the cover sheets are folded back away from the side walls of the bag and placed on the rim of the receptacle to support the porous bag when it is immersed in the liquid. The weight of the porous bag will increase as it becomes saturated with the liquid. The cover sheets are thus suitably restrained from folding back further, which might cause the porous bag and the cover sheets to fall into the receptacle.

In some embodiments, folding of the cover sheets back further than a certain position, for example in which the cover sheets are substantially coplanar, under the weight of the infuser, particularly when soaked with liquid, may be achieved by using a suitably resilient material for the cover sheets.

In some embodiments, each cover sheet may have a laminated structure, having an inner layer and a contiguous outer layer. Suitably, one of the layers may be formed from stiff paper, cardboard or card as described above and may extend over substantially the whole extent of the cover sheet. The other layer may extend over at least a substantial portion and preferably all of the one layer, and in particular may extend across the fold line which defines the marginal portion. It will be appreciated -5 -that upon folding the cover sheet outwardly as described, the inner layer may be stretched across the fold line, while the outer layer may be compressed. The stretching of the inner layer affords resistance to folding of the cover sheet further than the certain position mentioned above.

Typically, the cardboard, paper or card layer is the inner layer. The outer layer may comprise any suitable material, for example, a second paper, card or cardboard layer, but in some embodiments may comprise a thin plastic film of the kind well known in the art for laminating paper and card. Suitable plastics which are well known and commonly used in the art for laminating card, paper and the like include polyethylene (e.g. low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, or linear low-density polyethylene), polypropylene, polyester (e.g. BoPET), nylon, polyvinyl chloride (with or without a plasticiser), cellulose acetate and cellophane, as well as a variety of bioplastics and biodegradable plastics.

Suitably, the outer plastic lamination may be transparent or opaque. It may be gloss or matt as desired. In particular, gloss laminates are well known for treating paper, card, cardboard and the like.

In some embodiments, the cardboard, paper or card layer may form the outer layer, and each cover sheet may be provided with an inner heat insulating layer which extends over at least a major portion of the cover sheets, including over the fold line which divides the marginal portion from the remainder of the cover sheet. A suitable heat insulating material is a heat-resisting foil, e.g. aluminium foil.

In some embodiments, each cover sheet may comprise a triple lamination comprising a laminated, outer plastic film, a middle card, paper or cardboard layer and an inner heat resisting layer. The triple laminated structure may serve to prevent the cover portion from being folded back too far under the weight of a water-laden teabag in use.

In some embodiments, the disposable, non-drip infuser may comprise at least one restrainer strip for restraining the cover sheets from being folded back further than the fully opened position. -6 -

In some embodiments, the restrainer strip may comprise first and second end portions, each of which is fastened to an inner surface of a respective one of the cover sheets at a point remote from the marginal portions, and an intermediate portion, which is free of the cover sheets and is foldable to allow the cover sheets to be folded back and forth relative to the marginal portions. The intermediate portion may be fully extended when the cover sheets are in the fully opened position, to restrain the cover sheets from moving beyond the fully opened position.

Advantageously, the restrainer strip limits the movement of the cover sheets when they are oriented in the fully opened position. The restrainer strip may prevent the cover sheets from moving beyond than a substantially coplanar position when the cover sheets are resting on the opening of the receptacle, so that the porous bag is suspended within the volume of liquid for infusing.

The restrainer strip may be formed of paper, card or any other suitable pliable material. Alternatively, the restrainer strip may comprise a rigid material, such as cardboard or plastic, and is provided with one or more joints to permit folding of the restrainer strip.

The intermediate portion may comprise at least two linear sections, which are interconnected by at least one intermediate joint, such that the intermediate portion can be folded on itself to allow the cover sheets to be folded back and forth, and is fully extended when the cover sheets are in the fully opened position.

The intermediate joint allows the restrainer strip to fold on itself when the cover sheets are in a closed position. Suitably, the cover sheets may be aligned with, and disposed substantially parallel to, the side walls of the porous bag when they are in a closed position. The intermediate portion of the restrainer strip may fold so that, when the cover sheets are in the closed position, the restrainer strip is concealed between the cover sheets. Alternatively, the intermediate portion may fold so that, when the cover sheets are in the closed position, at least part of the restrainer strip may protrude from between the cover sheets. -7 -

In some embodiments, the intermediate portion may comprise multiple linear sections, with each linear section being joined to an adjacent section by an intermediate joint, to facilitate folding of the intermediate portion at different points to form a concertina fold, for example Suitably, the infuser may comprise two or more restrainer strips. For example, in some embodiments, a restrainer strip of the kind described above may be provided juxtaposed each one of two mutually opposite side edges of the cover sheets. Each restrainer strip may be arranged outside a respective side edge of the bag, such that the bag extends between two restrainer strips, which are thus positioned at opposite ends of the marginal portions of the cover sheets.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the cover sheets of the disposable, non-drip infuser may comprise a heat insulating layer. The insulating layer may be a layer of plastic, heat-insulating foil, or other suitable material that retards the passage of heat from the porous bag through the cover sheets.

In use, the porous bag may be left to infuse in a volume of hot liquid. Once the liquid is infused to the user's desired amount, the user may lift the bag from the liquid and squeeze the cover sheets together against the bag to remove any excess liquid before disposing the bag. Advantageously, the heat insulating layer may retard the transfer of heat from the liquid through the cover sheets to the user's fingers when the user is squeezing the cover sheets. The insulating layer allows the user comfortably to squeeze out the excess liquid whilst preventing any harm to the user's fingers during the squeezing process The heat insulating layer may suitably be located on the inner surface of each cover sheet and may extend across a major portion of the surface of the cover sheets. Alternatively, the insulating layer may be provided on an outer surface of each cover sheet. In another alternative, the heat insulating layer may be integral within the cover sheet, whereby the insulating layer may form an internal layer within each cover sheet. In yet another alternative, each cover sheet may be formed as a single layer from a material which has insulating properties. -8 -

Suitably, the one or more restrainer strips may be integral with the insulating layer. Thus, the first and second end portions of each restrainer strip may be fastened to a respective edge of the heat insulating layer at a point remote from the marginal portion of the respective cover sheet. In some embodiments, the restrainer strip may be formed from the same or similar material as the heat insulating layer. In some embodiments, the one or more restrainer strips may be formed integrally with the insulating layers on the cover sheets, as a single piece. This will be advantageous if, for example, the restrainer strip needs manipulating by the user to open or close the cover sheets after the porous bag has been in hot liquid.

At least one of the cover sheets may comprise an inner surface that is formed with a plurality of corrugations to direct the flow of liquid which is squeezed from the porous bag. In general, the excess liquid may be squeezed from the porous bag when the bag is positioned directly above the opening of the receptacle, so the excess liquid is collected in the receptacle to avoid dripping on the surrounding surfaces. The corrugations assist in directing the flow of the excess liquid from the porous bag into the receptacle.

The corrugations may extend across only a portion of the inner surface of one or both cover sheets. Suitably, the percentage of the surface area of the inner surface that comprises corrugations may be at least 30%. In some embodiments of the invention, the corrugations may extend over at least 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of the surface area of the inner surface of one or both cover sheets.

Advantageously, the corrugations may also provide frictional support in holding the bag in place between the two cover sheets when they are pressed together to squeeze the excess liquid from the bag without the bag moving.

Advantageously, the inner surface may include at least one channel arranged to direct liquid which is squeezed from the porous bag away from the marginal portions of the cover sheets towards and out a bottom edge of the cover sheets. The channel may assist therefore in directing the excess liquid towards and out from the bottom edges of the cover sheets and into the receptacle, thereby reducing the risk of excess water spilling on the surfaces surrounding the receptacle or the user's fingers. -9 -

It will be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a non-drip infuser according to an embodiment of the invention, with two cover sheets shown in an intermediate configuration; Figure 2 is a side view of the non-drip infuser of Figure 1 with the two cover sheets in a fully opened configuration, for resting on a rim of a receptacle; Figure 3 is another side view of the non-drip infuser of Figure 1, with the two cover sheets in the intermediate position; and Figure 4 is a bottom view of the non-drip infuser of Figure 1, with the cover sheets in the fully opened configuration.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows a non-drip infuser 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The non-drip infuser 100 is shown from one side with two foldable cover sheets 4, as described below, which are positioned ajar to show the internal structure of the non-drip infuser 100.

The non-drip infuser 100 comprises a generally flat, water-permeable bag 2 containing one or more dried ingredients for infusing in a volume of liquid such as hot water (not shown). The ingredients may, for example, comprise tea leaves, herbs, berries and/or spices. The bag 2 comprises two generally flat, opposite side walls 2', 2-which are formed from a suitable water-permeable material of the kind which is well known in the art for making porous bags for containing tea or other infusions. In the present embodiment, the bag 2 is substantially rectangular, having four side edges -10 - 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. The edges of the bag are sealed to contain the ingredients within the bag. In other embodiments, the bag 2 may have a different shape; for example, circular, oval, etc. In some embodiments, the bag may be non-flat, having a thicker pouch which contains the ingredients.

In the present embodiment, the bag 2 is similar to a conventional, rectangular tea bag of the kind which is well known in the art The bag 2 has substantially straight top and bottom edges 3a, 3b and substantially straight side edges 3c, 3d. In the present embodiment, the top and bottom edges are about 70 mm long and the side edges are about 65 mm long, although it will be appreciated that the bags of different embodiments may have different dimensions and/or relative proportions.

As described below in more detail, an edge portion 3' of the bag 2, juxtaposed the top edge 3a, is firmly secured between the two cover sheets 4, which are formed of a layer of a suitable paper, card or cardboard material and arranged on mutually opposite sides of the bag 2. The sheets 4 have substantially the same shape, dimensions and features as each other. The following description of one of the sheets 4 thus applies equally to the other sheet 4.

Each cover sheet 4 has an inner surface 14 and an outer surface 12, one or both of which may be laminated as disclosed in more detail below. The cover sheet 4 has four edges; namely a top edge 4a, a bottom edge 4b and two side edges 4c, 4d which are substantially parallel to one another, have substantially the same length and are substantially orthogonal to the top and bottom edges 4a, 4b. In the present embodiment, the side edges 4c, 4d are about 70 mm long. The top and bottom edges 4a, 4b also have substantially the same length as each other. In the present embodiment, the top and bottom edges 4a, 4b are about 80 mm long. It will be appreciated that the cover sheets 4 of different embodiments may have different dimensions and/or relative proportions. It is generally desirable however, that the cover sheets 4 should be sufficiently large to cover at least a major portion of the side walls 2', 2-of the bag 2 and long enough to support the infuser 100 on a rim of a cup or other receptacle (not shown), as described in more detail below.

Marginal portions 6 juxtaposed the top edges 4a of the cover sheets 4 and the edge portion 3' of the bag 2 are fastened to each other, with the edge portion 3' fixedly secured between the marginal portions 6 of the two cover sheets 4, as best shown in Figure 2. The marginal portions 6 and edge portion 3' may be fastened together in any suitable way which is known to those skilled in the art. For example, the marginal portions 6 and edge portion 3' may be stitched together. Alternatively, they may be bonded together using a suitable non-toxic adhesive. Suitably, the top edge 3a of the bag and the top edges 4a of the cover sheets 4 may be aligned with one another, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Each cover sheet 4 further comprises a moveable flap portion 10. The marginal portion 6 and flap portion 10 are suitably divided from each other by a linear fold line 8 which is formed in the cover sheet 4 to facilitate rotation of the flap portion 10 relative to the marginal portion 6. The infuser 100 may thus be held by the conjoined marginal portions 6 of the cover sheets 4, which form a grip tab. The flap portion 10 of each cover sheet 4 can thus be folded back and forth, away from and towards the bag 2, to expose or cover the bag 2. The fold lines 8 in the two cover sheets 4 are arranged substantially parallel to one another, and the cover sheets 4 are adjacent one another such that the fold lines 8 substantially coincide on a common axis. This allows the flap portions 10 to be folded back to a mutually coplanar configuration.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the non-drip infuser 100 of the present embodiment in which the moveable portions 10 are shown in a fully opened position, in which the flap portions 10 are folded back relative to their respective marginal portions 6 until they are substantially coplanar with one another and oriented substantially perpendicular to the marginal portions 6, thereby to expose the bag 2.

The outer surface 12 of each cover sheet 4 may be laminated with a thin plastic film (not shown) of the kind well known in the art for laminating paper or card.

Suitable plastics materials include polyethylene (e.g. low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, or linear low-density polyethylene), polypropylene, polyester (e.g. BoPET), nylon, polyvinyl chloride (with or without a plasticiser), cellulose acetate and cellophane, as well as a variety of -12 -bioplastics and biodegradable plastics. The outer plastic film may be transparent or opaque; it may be gloss or matt, as desired. In particular, gloss laminates are well known for treating paper, card, cardboard and the like.

The outer lamination may typically have a thickness in the range of about 1.5 mil to about 10 mil, depending on how stiff it is desired to make the cover sheets 4. Suitably, the plastic lamination may extend over substantially all of the outer surface 12 of the cover sheet 4, including over the fold line 8. This arrangement may serve to prevent the flap portions 10 of the cover sheets 4 from being folded back too far, e.g. beyond a mutually coplanar position, relative to the marginal portions 6, because on folding, the outer laminated layer of each cover sheet 4 is compressed, while the cover sheet 4 itself is stretched across the fold line 8. In some embodiments, the outer plastic lamination may be omitted, particularly where other means are provided as described below for restraining movement of the flap portions 10 outwards beyond a certain configuration.

As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the present embodiment, each cover sheet 4 also comprises an insulating layer 22 which extends over a major portion of its inner surface 14. Each cover sheet 4 thus has a laminated structure, comprising a first outer layer 21 which forms the marginal portion 6 and the flap portion 10, which are divided from each other by the fold line 8, and an insulating inner layer 22, which extends over part of the inner surface 14 of the cover sheet 4. As described above, the first outer layer 21 may itself carry an outer lamination, such as a laminated plastic film.

As best shown in Figure 4, the inner insulating layer 22 extends substantially from one side edge 4c of the cover sheet 4 to the other side edge 4d, and covers about half of the inner surface 14 of the cover sheet 4 from the bottom edge 4b. Taking into account the portion of the inner surface 14 which is in the marginal portion 6 of the cover sheet 4, the insulating layer 22 thus extends over about two-thirds of the inner surface 14 of the flap portion 10, terminating in an upper end 22a, which is spaced from the fold line 8. 1 - -

In some embodiments of the invention, the insulating layer 22 may extend over at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of the surface area of the inner surface 14 of each cover sheet 4.

In other variants, each cover sheet 4 may be formed from a single layer, which may have insulating properties, or an insulating layer may be provided on the outer surface 12 of the cover sheet 4.

The surface of the insulating layer 22 of each cover sheet 4 is formed with multiple corrugations 16, which are arranged to direct the flow of excess liquid that is squeezed out of the bag 2, as described in more detail below. In the present embodiment, the corrugations 16 extend across the whole of the insulating layer 22. In some embodiments, the corrugations 16 may extend over only a portion of the inner surface 14. For example, the corrugations 16 may only extend over a portion of the inner surface 14 juxtaposed the bottom edge 4b of the cover sheet 4. Generally, the corrugations 16 may extend over between 30% to 100% of the surface of the insulating layer 22.

In general, the corrugations 16 may have different shapes and extend in different directions. For example, the corrugations 16 may be arranged to be perpendicular or parallel to the axis of the fold line 8. The corrugations 16 may be linear or curved. In the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, each groove in the corrugations 16 is arcuate, extending from one side edge 4c to the other side edge 4d of the cover sheet 4. The corrugations 16 comprise a plurality of peaks and troughs. It will be appreciated that the peaks and troughs may be narrower or wider depending on the number of them.

In the present embodiment, the insulating layer 22 also comprises a linear central groove 18, which extends from the upper end 22a of the insulating layer 22 proximate the fold line 8, to the bottom edge 4b of the cover sheet 4. The central groove 18 helps to direct the flow of excess liquid towards the receptacle when the bag 2 is squeezed by the cover sheets 4, as described below. It will be appreciated that the groove 18 need not be located centrally, but may be at any positon on the insulating layer 22. The groove 18 may form part of the corrugations 16; for example, -14 -it may comprise a single trough in the corrugations 16, which extends from the fold line 8 to the bottom edge 4b to assist in channelling excess liquid away from the non-drip infuser 100 into the receptacle on which the infuser is supported. In some embodiments, more than one such groove may be provided. It is generally advantageous that the groove 18 or grooves extend to and open out at the bottom edge 4b of the cover sheet 4.

In some embodiments, the insulating layer 22 may additionally or instead comprise a layer of a suitable heat resistant material such, for example, as a heat-resistant foil, which is laminated to the inner surface 14 of each cover sheet 4. A suitable heat resistant foil is aluminium foil of the kind that is well known in the art. The heat-resistant foil may extend over a major portion, or substantially all, of the inner surface 14 including across the fold line 8 dividing the flap portion 10 from the marginal portion 8. The heat resistant foil layer may thus form a lamination with the cover sheet 4 which may serve to prevent the flap portion 10 of the cover sheet 4 from being folded back too far relative to the marginal portion 8, as described above. Where the cover sheet 4 carries a laminated outer plastic film as described above and an inner heat-resistant foil layer, the cover sheet 4 may form a triple lamination, which afford extra resistance to excess folding back of the flap portion 10, even without the use of restraining strips of the kind described below, thereby to prevent the infuser 10 from sagging or falling into a cup in use.

As mentioned above, the side edges 4c, 4d of the flap portions 10 of the cover sheets 10 are suitably long enough such that when they are folded away from the bag 2 to the fully opened configuration, as shown in Figure 2, the flap portions 10 are able to span the open upper ends of a range of cups, mugs and other receptacles of different diameters for supporting the infuser 100 over the hollow interior of a receptacle with the bag 2 depending therefrom. When the bag 2 is immersed in a volume of liquid in the receptacle, the flap portions 10 of each cover sheet 4 are folded back relative to their marginal portions 6 to such an extent that they are oriented in a substantially coplanar arrangement, as described above. It will be understood that in the present embodiment, the flap portions 10, when arranged in the fully opened configuration, have a span of about 120-130 mm, depending on the depth of the marginal portions 6 between the top edge 4a and the fold line 8. This span will -15 -be even longer in embodiments in which the side edges 4c, 4d of the cover sheets 4 are longer than the 70 mm of the present embodiment. In the fully opened configuration, the inner surface 14 of each flap portion 10 can rest on a rim around the upper end of the receptacle for supporting the non-drip infuser 100 thereon, with the bag 2 depending therefrom into the volume of liquid in the interior of the receptacle.

It will be appreciated that the bag 2 should be long enough between the fold line 8 where its edge portion 3' is fastened between the marginal portions 6 of the two cover sheets 4, to extend into the liquid in the receptacle, without requiring the receptacle to be full to the rim.

In use, the flap portions 10 thus fold back in mutually opposite directions around their respective fold lines 8. In the present embodiment, movement of the flap portions 10 beyond the fully opened position as shown in Figure 2 is prevented by restraining strips 20, which are best shown in in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings and described below.

The restraining strips 20 tether the flap portions 10 of each cover sheet 4 to each other to limit movement of the flap portions 10 away from each other. Each restraining strip 20 comprises an elongate length of material which is fastened at one end 20a to the inner surface 14 of one of the cover sheets 4, juxtaposed a respective one of the side edges 4c, 4d of the cover sheet, and is fastened at another end 20b to the inner surface 14 of the other cover sheet 4, juxtaposed the same side edge 4c, 4d of the other cover sheet 4. As can be seen in more detail in Figure 4, the restraining strips 20 thus extend juxtaposed respective side edges 4c, 4d of the cover sheets 4, outside the side edges 2c, 2d of the bag 2. The restraining strips 20 are not connected to the bag 2. In the present embodiment, the restraining strips 20 are integral with the insulating layers 22 on the inner surfaces 14 of the flap portions 10 of the cover sheets 4, but it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the restraining strips 20 may be formed separately from the insulating layers 22. Intermediate the two ends 20a, 20b, the restraining strips 20 are not attached to the cover sheets 4.

Figure 3 is a side view of the non-drip infuser 100 of the present embodiment in which the flap portions 10 of the cover sheets 4 are disposed in an intermediate position. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, intermediate the fully opened position, the -16 -restraining strips 20 fold on themselves between the inner faces 14 of the cover sheets 4, to allow the cover sheets 4 to be positioned flat against the side walls 2'. 2-of the bag 2 in a fully folded position (not shown), to facilitate packaging multiple bags in a suitable container.

To facilitate correct folding, each restraining strip 20 comprises two sections 20', 20" which are connected end-to-end through a central fold 20c, which serves as a hinge, as best seen in Figure 3. While the restraining strips 20 of the present invention fold at each end 20a, 20b, where they are attached to the flap portions 10 and in the middle at 20c, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the restraining strips 20 may fold at multiple points in different directions to form a concertina fold, for example. The restraining strips 20 may form part of an additional layer extending over at least part of the inner surface 14 of the cover sheet 4 such, for example, as the insulating layer 22 as described above, or a different layer.

Figure 2 is a side view of the non-drip infuser 100 of the present embodiment in which the flap portions 10 are folded back away from the side walls 2', 2" of the bag 2 to the fully opened position. The restraining strips 20 are fully extended to prevent further movement of the flap portions 10 away from the bag 2, so that the infuser 100 can be supported on the cover sheets 4 on the rim of a receptacle (not shown) as described above. The restraining strips 20 limit movement of the flap portions 20 to a maximum angle 26 with respect to the side walls 2', 2" of the bag 2. In the present embodiment, the maximum angle 26 is approximately 90°. In other embodiments, the maximum angle 26 may fall within a range of about 80° to 100° with respect to the bag 2. The restraining strips 20, when fully unfolded, thus serve to prevent the moveable portions 10 from moving beyond the maximum angle 26 and the non-drip infuser 100 from dropping or sagging into the interior of the receptacle, especially as the bag 2 becomes heavy when the ingredients are soaked with the liquid.

In embodiments in which the restraining strips 20 are omitted, movement of the flap portions 10 beyond the fully opened position as described above may be resisted by an outer plastic lamination layer and/or a heat-resistant foil inner layer of the kind described above.

-17 -After infusing the contents of the bag 2 in the liquid for a time, the user can grip the infuser 100 by the grip tab formed by the marginal portions 6 of the cover sheets 4, lift the infuser 100 away from the rim of the receptacle, thereby extracting the bag 2 from the liquid in the receptacle, and press the flap portions 10 of the cover sheets 4 against the side walls 2', 2" of the bag, thereby to squeeze excess liquid from the bag 2 into the receptacle. The insulating layer 22 on the flap portions 10 serves to protect the user's fingers from the liquid, which may be hot, for example when making a tea infusion.

After removing excess liquid from the bag 2, the infuser 100 may be disposed of/thrown away.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

Claims (1)

1. -18 -Claims 1 A disposable, non-drip infuser comprising a porous bag which contains ingredients for making an infusion and two cover sheets therefor, which are disposed on mutually opposite sides of the porous bag; wherein corresponding marginal portions of the cover sheets are fastened to one another with an edge portion of the porous bag there between, to secure fixedly the cover sheets and porous bag together and provide a holder for the user, and the cover sheets are dimensioned to extend over at least a major portion of the respective opposite sides of the porous bag and can be folded back relative to their respective marginal portions to expose the porous bag and to be placed on mutually opposite portions of a rim of a receptacle for supporting the infuser on the receptacle, with the porous bag depending therefrom for immersion in a liquid disposed in the receptacle; and wherein after infusing the porous bag can be removed from the liquid using the holder and squeezed between the cover sheets to remove excess liquid from the porous bag prior to its disposal 2. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the marginal portions are divided from the remainder of their respective cover sheets by fold lines, which facilitate folding back of the cover sheets.3. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fold lines are substantially parallel to and coincident one another.4. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the holder is configured to prevent the cover sheets from being folded back further than a fully opened position, e.g. where they are substantially coplanar.The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising at least one restrainer strip for restraining the cover sheets from being folded back further than the fully opened position; the restrainer strip comprising first and second ends, each of which is fixedly secured to an inner surface of a respective one of the cover sheets at a point remote from the marginal portions, and an intermediate portion, which is free of the cover sheets and is foldable to allow the cover sheets to be folded back and forth, the intermediate portion being fully extended -19 -when the cover sheets are in the fully opened position, thereby to restrain the cover sheets from moving beyond the fiffly opened position.6 The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 5 wherein the intermediate portion comprises at least two linear sections, which are interconnected by at least one intermediate joint, such that the intermediate portion can be folded on itself to allow the cover sheets to be folded back and forth, and is fully extended when the cover sheets are in the fully opened position.7. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each cover sheet has a laminated structure.8. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 7, wherein each cover sheet comprises a layer of cardboard or card which is laminated on an outer surface, e.g. with a layer of plastic film 9. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each cover sheet comprises a heat insulating layer.10. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the heat insulating layer is laminated to an inner surface of the cover sheet.11. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat insulating layer comprises a sheet of heat-resistant foil, e.g. aluminium foil.12. The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein an inner surface of at least one of cover sheets is formed with a plurality of corrugations to direct the flow of liquid which is squeezed from the porous bag 13 The disposable, non-drip infuser as claimed in claim 9 wherein the inner surface includes at least one channel which is arranged to direct liquid which is squeezed from the porous bag away from the marginal portions, towards and out from a bottom edge of the cover sheets.