NZ247933A - Coffee or tea pot; ingredients held in detachable receptacle which is immersed in water when the pot is tilted - Google Patents

Description

Zql^3S> Patents Form No 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional Number: 247933 Dated: 21 June 1993 I ROBERT WARREN HUNTER, a New Zealand citizen of 358 Tinakori Road, Wellington, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly.described in and by the following statement TEA OR COFFEE POT 247933 TEA OR COFFEE POT This invention- relates to pots in which tea or coffee may be brewed or made, and in particular to the making of teas of various kinds using dried crushed,, powdered 5 or cut tea leaves, and/or 'instant1 powdered or granulated tea and/or coffee (or coffee substitutes), to be added directly to hot water - the invention is not concerned with percolating or like methods of coffee making using special pots and filters, and drip feed 10 methods.

Typically, in making tea or coffee of the kinds referred to for multiple servings, the base ingredients (which may or may not be contained in a 15 porous bag, satchet, or the like) are placed in a spouted pot or like container, and hot water poured over the base ingredients; or alternatively the pot (or like container) is first filled with hot water and the base ingredients subsequently added; and the 20 mixture is usually, or often, allowed to stand at least a short while to strengthen and gain flavour before serving. This frequently or usually results in variances in strength and/or flavour of the end beverage product between first and subsequent servings, and 25 a user has no means of controlling or regulating the strength and flavour of the beverage other than by subsequent addition of more water and/or milk; and sometimes the beverage is allowed to stand too long before the first pouring and/or between first and second 30 servings, with the result that the beverage is often spoilt and over-strong in taste.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel pot for making and serving beverages such as 35 teas and coffees of the kind referred (and which may be also be applicable to other beverages required to be made in a similar way from such as a leaf, powder or granular base ingredient or mix of ingredients) 247 having a construction and arrangement capable of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages, and enabling at least a large degree of control by a user in making servings at spaced intervals of time whilst 5 restraining the beverage mixture from becoming too strong with the lapse of time between servings.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pot for making beverages of the kind referred, and 10 including inner container means for holding the beverage base ingredient(s) separate from the water (or water mix, or other liquid eg milk, or milk substitute) as and when required by the user.

Other and more particular objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description.

According to this invention therefore, there is provided 20 a beverage making and serving pot or like receptacle having a handle at a rear side, an upper pouring spout at the opposite front side, an upper opening with a closing lid therefor, and a beverage ingredient receptacle which is detachably locatable in the pot 25 or like receptacle through the upper opening and arranged to have an upper end part supported thereat; said pot or like receptacle having a construction enabling rocking movement between a first forwardly tilted standing position and second rearwardly tilted 30 standing position, the first and second tilting positions being restricted to prescribed angles of tilt such that water or beverage liquid contained in the pot or like receptacle will not accidentally spill from the spout or upper opening; and said beverage 35 ingredient receptacle having an inner hollow part with a perforated wall disposed so as to normally extend above the maximum height of water or beverage liquid in the pot or like receptacle when in the first 247 forwardly tilted standing position, and further arranged so that an inner end part of the ingredient receptacle becomes immersed in the water or beverage liquid when the pot or like receptacle is moved to the rearwardly 5 tilted standing position and contained beverage ingredients are placed in contact with said water or beverage liquid by way of said perforated wall for ingredient strength and flavour absorption by the water or beverage liquid.

Some preferred aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the tea pot application and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGORE 1 is a side view of one form of teapot in accordance with the invention, shown in full line in the first forwardly tilted standing position, and in broken outline in the second rearwardly tilted standing 20 position; FIGORE 2 is a top plan view in the direction of arrows II-II of the teapot shown in figure 1; FIGORE 3 is a rear or handle end view of the teapot, as viewed in the direction of arrows III-III in figure 1; FIGORE 4 is a cross-sectional view of one form of the 30 closing lid for the upper opening of the teapot, removed therefrom; and FIGORE 5 is a side view of one form of strainer beverage ingredient receptacle removed from the teapot.

The teapot, generally indicated by the arrow 1 is arranged and constructed so that it does not normally stand on a flat surface 2 (such as a table or bench 247933 upper surface) in an upright position with its central axis 3 upright, as in the manner of conventional teapots; but provides that it normally stands either in the first forwardly tilted position as shown in 5 full line in figure 1, or in the second rearwardly tilted positioned as shown in broken outline in figure 1 - with no intermediate standing position. The angles of tilt A selected are such that when the teapot is filled to capacity (as indicated by ripple line 4) 10 with water or other beverage making liquid, such water or liquid upper level or line 4 is lower than the upper opening 5a of the spout 5 and upper opening 6 of the teapot body 7; and thus the water or liquid will not accidently spill from the spout opening 5a or teapot 15 opening 6 when the teapot 1 is in the first tilted standing position, or from the teapot opening 6 when teapot 1 is in the second rearwardly tilted standing position.

To enable movement between the two tilted standing positions, in this form of the invention the teapot body 7 has a lower externally rounded bottom part 7a; and to limit forward and rearward tilting to the desired safety angles A (which may or may not be the same, 25 but in this example are in the region of 60° to 70°, eg 65°, to the horizontal surface 2) a pair of spaced forward projections or limiting stops 8 (in this case spherical stops 8) are strategically located externally on the lower forward side of the teapot body 7 below 30 the spout 5, in equal spaced relationship one either side of the longitudinal axis 9 of the teapot 1 on which (in plan view) the spout 5 and oppositely positioned teapot handle 10 are located. Similar limiting stops 8 (or alternative separate stops or 35 a single stop) could be provided below the teapot handle 10 to limit rearward tilt, but in the illustrated arrangement the lower out edge or corner part 10a of the handle 10 is arranged to terminate at a prescribed 247933 height from or relative to the teapot bottom part 7a, so as to define the required rear limiting stop and engage on the surface 2 when the teapot is tilted to the second position indicated in broken outline in 5 figure 1.

In the illustrated form of the invention the body bottom part 7a is substantially part spherical and thus rounded transversely and longitudinally; but it is envisaged 10 that the bottom part 7a could be substantially flat transversely and either rounded in side view or of flat bottom shallow V form in side view, and the forward (and, if preferred, the rearward) limiting stop means can be defined by such as an appropriately transversely 15 disposed strip or bar projection.

Tea leaves 11 are arranged to be placed and contained in a tubular strainer receptacle (generally indicated by the arrow 12) in the form of a cylindrical tube 20 13 with a plurality of apertures 14 in its wall, and a closed or substantially closed inner lower end 13a (which can also be provided with similar apertures 14). The strainer receptacle 12 is arranged to extend into the upper part 7b of teapot body 7 and be supported 25 at the body upper opening 6; and in the illustrated form of the invention the upper outer end part of the receptacle 12 is arranged to be supported by and detachably engagable with the closure lid 15. This is achieved by forming the lid 15, as indicated, with 30 a lower hollow cylindrical part 15a (complementary to and arranged to locate in the teapot upper opening 6) and a lower inwardly directed annular flange part 15b with opposed gaps 15c and formed inner opposite recesses 15d; with the upper outer end part 16 of the 35 strainer receptacle 12 being in the form of an annulus dimensioned to locate within the area bounded by the inner flange part 15a of the lid 15, and having opposed projections or tabs 16a which are arranged to locate 247932 through the recesses 15c and, on rotation of the strainer receptacle 12 through 90 degrees about the axis of the lid 15 (or vice versa) the tabs 16a can be detachably engaged in the flange receses 15d.

In use and with the strainer receptacle containing the tea leaves 11 and engaged with the lid 15, the tubular part 13 is arranged to extend at an angle to the teapot body axis 3 equal or substantially equal 10 to the tilt angles A so that when the teapot 1 is in the forwardly tilted position the receptacle tubular part 13 is disposed substantially horizontally above the water line 4 and directed rearwardly towards the handle 10. Thus, when the teapot 1 is tilted into 15 the rearwardly inclined position the receptacle tubular part 13 becomes directed downwardly to have its inner lower end part immersed in the water; and the tea leaves 11 are placed in contact with the water via the apertures 14 to form the tea beverage. When the tea 20 is of the required strength and flavour, which can be hastened by rocking of the teapot 1 between the forwardly tilted and rearwardly tilted positions, the teapot 1 can be placed in the forwardly tilted position with the tea leaves 11 out of the made tea to thus 25 halt the tea brewing process and prevent the tea becoming overstrong.

As previously indicated, the invention is not confined to teapots and tea making; and it will be appreciated 30 that other variations of and modifications to the invention particularly described and illustrated by way of example, can take place without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

24 7933 -8- WHAT I CLAIM IS;

1. A beverage making and serving pot or like receptacle having a handle at a rear side, an upper pouring spout at the opposite front side, an upper opening with a closing lid therefor, and a beverage ingredient receptacle which is detachably locatable in the pot or like receptacle through the upper opening and arranged to have an upper end part supported thereat; said pot or like receptacle having a construction enabling rocking movement between a first forwardly tilted standing position and second rearwardly tilted standing position, the first and second tilting positions being restricted to prescribed angles of tilt such that water or beverage liquid contained in the pot or like receptacle will not accidentally spill from the spout or upper opening; and said beverage ingredient receptacle having an inner hollow part with a perforated wall disposed so as to normally extend above the maximum height of water or beverage liquid in the pot or like receptacle when in the first forwardly tilted standing position, and further arranged so that an inner end part of the ingredient receptacle becomes immersed in the water or beverage liquid when the pot or like receptacle is moved to the rearwardly tilted standing position and contained beverage ingredients are placed in contact with said water or beverage liquid by way of said perforated wall for ingredient strength and flavour absorption by the water or beverage liquid.

2. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 1 and having a body with a lower externally rounded or V-shaped (in side view) bottom part with strategically positioned external limiting stop or projecting means forwardly and rearwardly of said rounded bottom part to limit the permitted rocking movement between said first and second positions. 24 7 -9-

3. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pair of spaced projections located below the spout in equal spaced relationship one either side of the longitudinal axis on which the oppositely positioned spout and handle are located, to define the forward limiting stop means.

4. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said forward limiting stop means is defined by an externally projecting strip or bar disposed below the spout and transversely of the longitudinal axis on which the oppositely positioned spout and handle are located.

5. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein a lower outer edge or corner part of the handle is arranged to terminate at a prescribed height from or relative to the pot or receptacle bottom part to define the rear limiting stop means.

6. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body bottom part and limiting stop means are arranged, constructed and adapted for use substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A pot or receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the limited angles of forward and rearward tilt of the pot or receptacle (with the bottom part remaining on a horizontal support surface) are each between 60° to 70° to the vertical.

8. A pot or receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said beverage ingredient receptacle inner hollov part is defined by a perforated wall tube which is arranged in use to extend inwardly and rearwardly of the pot or 247933 -10- receptacle from a support part at said upper opening, and at an angle to the vertical axis of the pot or receptacle, such that tubular part locates substantially horzontally above the maximum level of liquid in the pot or receptacle when tilted to said first forwardly tilted standing position; said tubular part having an open outer upper end for the placement of the beverage ingredient(s) therein, and a lower inner closed or subtantially closed end part immersible in the liquid on tilting of the pot or receptacle to the second rearwardly tilted position.

9. A pot or receptacle as claimed in claim 8 and wherein the beverage ingredient receptacle is subtantially as herein before described with reference to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A pot or receptacle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 inclusive, wherein the closing lid for the upper opening and the beverage ingredient receptacle are arranged and constructed and adapted for engagement together and with the pot receptacle, substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A beverage making pot or receptacle assembly arranged, constructed and adapted for use, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. ROBERT WARREN HUNTER, By His Authorised Attorneys JOHN A REMMINGTON & ASSOCIATES N Z PATENT office 2 7 JlIN