US20040091580A1

US20040091580A1 - Infusion bag squeezing assembly

Info

Publication number: US20040091580A1
Application number: US10/414,136
Authority: US
Inventors: Yuriy Chernov; Gennady Kleyman; Patricia Stokes; Boris Liberman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-11-12
Filing date: 2003-04-16
Publication date: 2004-05-13
Also published as: WO2001034486A1; EP1244590A1; AU3269201A; EP1244590A4

Abstract

A filter bag has at least one thread forming a pair of spaced apart first and second loops extending between a bottom and top region of the filter bag. The filter bag further has a support traversed by the thread, which forms a loop above the support. The loop is sized so a user can pull the thread and the bag upward toward the support to a squeezing position of the filter bag, wherein the bottom region thereof is lifted toward the top region.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a squeezing assembly adapted to enhance brewing of infusible product. Particularly, the invention relates to a filter bag for infusible products selected from the group consisting of tea, coffee, extracted beverages and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is almost impossible to imagine a modern household whose members do not consume tea or coffee. Big cities and small towns champion a great variety of coffee and tea chains turning industries that manufacture these products in one of the most fast growing segments of our economy. Efficiency, compactness and convenience provide a widespread use of bags containing infusible products for rapidly brewing and preparing beverages.

A variety of such bags can generally be categorized as having four main types of filter bags. Common to all of these types is the fact that the increase in the contact area between the liquid and the infusion product accelerates the infusion process. Also, a method of brewing or preparing a beverage is rather uniform and, as is known, includes soaking a bag at the time of consumption in a container with water.

One of the traditional types of filter bag is a multi-layer bag made of porous material and having a substantially pyramidal shape. This type of bag is flat and is limited in its capacitative volume, which on immersion in the water tightly holds the product. A fundamental requirement for efficient brewing is an increased contact surface between the liquid and the infusion product particles that enables a greater unit utilization of the product. Clearly, a type of filter bag described above is in contrast with this requirement and is characterized by a slow volume growth and poor dissolution of the product. As a consequence, the infusion process is slow.

Another type of filter bag is basically similar to the above-described one and has two layers of face-to-face superimposed layers of porous paper and a number of folds along opposite sides. Although this structure is intended to improve a volume growth, in practice, it has been found that these folds allow only a partial swelling of the product when immersed in the water. Expansion of product particles is not nearly enough to allow the water to flow freely therethrough.

Still another type of filter bag envisages multiple sections, each of which contains the product, with or without lateral folds. Typically, the sections are densely packed one against the other, with little possibility of opening out at the bottom, and none in upper area. Allowing the swelling, the product is pressed against the walls of each individual compartment with reciprocal contact with the walls of the neighboring compartment. As a result, the water flow is partially blocked by the compressed particles of the product.

A further structure of filter bag has been developed to allow it to assume two stable positions. A generally flat position has been found to be particularly convenient for storage and for packaging in lots for sale. The other position is for three-dimensional use. The internal volume in this structure is manifestly greater than in previously discussed structures. However, similar to those structures, the lower area of the bag still contains compressed product particles upon swelling during infusion.

The practical embodiment of such a three-dimensional filter bag is furthermore problematic both from the point of view of production capacity and consequently, from the standpoint of production costs.

Traditionally, the upper terminal section of filter bags is shaped with a polygonal profile generally of a trapezoidal development. A thread is departably attached to the upper terminal section and is always anchored to a tag or label forming the pick-up element for the handling of the filter bag. Typically, a user shakes a filter bag to enhance penetration of water through the product particles. Yet, as has been discussed, typically an infusion process is far from satisfactory and, regardless of numerous types of filter bag, the process is inefficient because only a small fraction of product particles is infused.

To enhance brewing, users simply tend to squeeze a filter bag. This practical utilization of filter bag certainly achieves the intended results, but it also has negative consequences. One of them is the fact that by pressing against the walls of filter bag, a user may burn his or her fingers. The other consequence is that a filter bag may be accidentally torn apart, and product particles flowing into a cap suspend therein.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,990 to Casper discloses an extendable crossbar serving as a supporting surface for vertically displaceable filter bags. As a result of a generally triangular shape, the supporting surface acts laterally upon the walls of filter bag, particularly, on an upper region thereof, as the bag is displaceable upward. However, to provide a desirable result a user has to literally punch the supporting surface acting, in turn, on the tea bag.

Typically, lateral forces leave lower most particle-concentrated areas of filter bag unaffected. Further, because of esthetic and structural considerations, the supporting surface may not be deep and narrow enough to effectively act even upon upper regions of the bag. Thus, while preventing a user from direct contact with a hot bag, this structure is far from solving a problem of better utilization of the product.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,243 illustrates a typical packaging assembly of filter tea bag having an outer bag which is stapled with a tag. A filter bag having its upper region folded and attached to one end of thread is oscillatory displaceable along a vertical direction upon applying an external force to an outer end of the thread. As is typical to all of the above-discussed types of filter bag, here an external force is applied only to one end of the thread so the bag's bottom is left unexposed to a squeezing action. Consequently, the lower most product-concentrated region of filter bag remains practically untouched.

What is desired, therefore, is a squeezing assembly that enables efficient utilization of the infusible product. Providing a squeezing assembly that effectively presses against lower regions of the filter bags is also desirable, as is a filter bag whose bottom is exposed to vertical upwardly acting forces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This is achieved by provision of a tea bag assembly having the increased contact surface between an infusion product and a squeezing filament allowing the bag's bottom to be squeezed in both lateral and vertical directions.

The tea bag includes a filter bag provided with at least one filament looping around the bag's bottom and attached to a lifting bar. Upon raising the lifting bar to a position, wherein an upper region of the filter bag presses against a supporting surface, a user may further squeeze the filter bag, so that its bottom is brought upwardly toward the supporting surface.

According to one aspect of the invention, a filter bag is able to move up due to vertically directed tension forces applied to a lifting member. This embodiment features at least one filament looping around the bottom of filter bag and having its upper end connected to the lifting member. The filament allows the bag to be primarily exposed to vertical forces and secondary to lateral forces fairly uniformly squeezing the product particles all over the bottom region of the bag.

In accordance with another aspect of he invention, a support providing a reliable limiting surface that acts downward upon the squeezed filter bag contributes to vertically directed tension forces, thereby enhancing a brewing process. Having a variety of shapes, the support is sized to predominantly generate vertical forces, and only then it may act as a wedging surface generating lateral forces.

Still another aspect of the invention relates to a particular circular arrangement of filter bag that has a single continuous filament sewn along the bag's perimeter. This particular embodiment provides a uniform pressing force that has its components directed in mutually perpendicular planes.

The invention also discloses a variety of outer bags used either individually or in combination with a support to provide a vertically directed force. A combination of such outer bag and continuous filaments generates substantially uniform forces pressing against a lower bottom region of filter bag.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a filter bag assembly enabling efficient utilization of infusible product.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a filter bag assembly having at least one filament attached to the bag's bottom so as to provide a vertical squeezing force uniformly acting upon a bottom region of filter bag.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a filter bag assembly having a support generating a force directed opposite to a pulling force which is applied to the filter bag during brewing as it is gradually displaceable towards the support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a filter bag assembly having a structure enabling easy displacement of filter bag in a vertical plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filter bag having an annular shape enabling a continuous filament sewn along a perimeter of the bag to provide substantially uniform squeezing of product particles during its displacement towards a support.

The invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a filter bag assembly according to the invention shown in a rest position. [0027]
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of filter bag assembly of FIG. 1 shown in a squeezing position. [0028]
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of filter bag assembly according to another embodiment of the invention having a flat support surface. [0029]
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of filter bag assembly of FIG. 3 shown in a squeezing position. [0030]
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of filter bag assembly according to still another embodiment of the invention. [0031]
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of filter bag assembly of FIG. 5 shown in a squeezing position. [0032]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the filter bag of FIG. 5. [0033]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the filter bag of FIG. 7 shown in a squeezing position. [0034]
FIG. 9 is an isometric view of still another embodiment of the invention showing an annular filter bag. [0035]
FIG. 10 is an isometric view of yet another embodiment of the invention. [0036]
FIG. 11 is a perspective view if a filter bag substantially similar to embodiments shown in FIGS. [0037] 1-4 and shown in a brewing position.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a filter bag of FIG. 11 but shown in a squeezing position thereof. [0038]
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a filter bag, which is an embodiment of the filter bag shown in FIGS. [0039] 11-12, and is shown in a brewing position.
FIG. 14 is a filter bag of FIG. 13 shown in a squeezing position thereof. [0040]
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the filter bag shown in FIG. 1. [0041]
FIGS. [0042] 16-18 are perspective views of still another embodiments of the filter bag shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. [0043] 19-20 are perspective views of still further embodiments of the filter bag shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 21 is an isometric view showing the filter bag of FIG. 1 provided with broader strips. [0044]
FIG. 22 is an isometric view illustrating still a further embodiment of the filter bag of FIG. 1. [0045]
FIG. 23 is an isometric view illustrating still another embodiment of the filter bag.[0046]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIGS. [0047] 1-10 a filter bag assembly is shown and described in its various embodiments, where identical parts are denoted by the same numeral references.
Particularly, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a filter bag assembly [0048] 2 including at least one filament 12 wrapped about a bottom 11 of a filter bag 10. The filament, which is in this case includes a single thread 12, allows the filter bag to be compressed in a vertical direction as a result of applying a pulling force to the upper end of the filament 12. As is clearly illustrated in these drawings, the filament surrounding the filter bag 10 provides a fairly uniform distribution of squeezing forces acting on all regions of the filter bag including a bottom region with the highest concentration of infusible product particles.
Enhancement of squeezing ability of the filter bag, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is particularly achieved by the [0049] thread 12 forming substantially equally sized and shaped parallel longitudinal regions 10′, 10″ and 10′″ on the bag's peripheral surface. Insertion of the thread is simple and begins with attaching a first base portions 14 of the thread to the bottom 11.
Numerous methods of attachment are available. For example, one can pierce a lower region of the filter bag with one end of the tread. Another method is simply to fuse or glue the base portion of the tread to an exterior of the bottom [0050] 11. In either case, ends of the thread 12 are attached to a top region 16 of the filter bag to form the first stretch 18. After extending the free ends through first and second holes 22, 24 of a support 14, the free ends again are connected to the filter bag in the reverse order of forming the first stretch. As a result, the thread's second stretch 26, extending through the support and attached to two spaced-apart locations at the top region of the bag, and the third stretch 20 looping around the bag's periphery are formed after the thread's ends are interconnected.
Having reached its squeezing position as a result of the external pulling force applied to the [0051] thread 12, as seen in FIG. 2, the bag's top region 16 meets the support 14 that may controllably extend over the entire width of the bag 10. Since the thread 12 attached to the lifting element 26 displaces the bottom 11 parallel to this support 14, further application of external pulling forces causes the filter bag to uniformly reduce its vertical dimension. A squeezing action lasts until a pulling force applied by a user to the lifting element is balanced by an oppositely directed pressing force generated upon contact between the top region 16 and the support 14. Due to the uniform distribution of squeezing forces and the increased contact surface between the liquid and the infusion product particles, one obtains efficient unit utilization without applying excessive pulling forces.
A material used for manufacturing the filter bag is porous and relatively thin. The [0052] support 14 may be made of any light material, such as plastic, and, in order to prevent contact between a user and the filter bag in its squeezing position, may be provided with a formation 14′. It is contemplated within the scope of this invention to have the support that is extendable to cover differently sized containers. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support 14 has a dome shape, wherein an inner cross-sectional area 14′″ is sized to predominantly generate vertically directed forces. Preferably, each semi-circled edge 14″ is equal to at least one third (⅓) of the total support length L. Only, upon applying excessive pulling forces, the support can generate lateral forces that at the point of its origination are superfluous since the brewing or inflation process is substantially over.
The [0053] support 14 has a pair of holes 22, 24 traversed by the thread 12 which is attached to a lifting element 26. The latter can have different shapes and sizes. Particularly, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the lifting element 26 has a U-shaped central portion flanked by identical lateral wings, so that a user can easily hold the central portion while lifting the element 26 to the squeezing position of the assembly.
The assembly operates in the following manner. A user pulls the lifting member by one of his or her hands and, while holding his other hand on the [0054] formation 14′, provides displacement of the bag and the support relative to each other. Once the top 16 of the filter bag reaches the inner surface 14′″ of the support, the thread is extended at full length indicating that a beverage is ready. However, a user can continue to pull the lifting element 26 until oppositely acting pressing and pulling forces reach a state of equilibrium. Clearly, the infusion's concentration generally is a function of the pulling force and duration of holding the filter bag in a reservoir filled with water. Hence, a user intuitively can cease a squeezing action at any point during the infusion process, thereby achieving a desirable state of the beverage. Using a lifting element, it is easy to remove the once used filter bag from the reservoir, and, if the bag was not totally squeezed, it would be possible to reuse it.
Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4 another embodiment of a [0055] support 32 is shown. In contrast to the support shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, here the support 32 is flat. Thus, in a squeezing position shown in FIG. 4, no lateral forces act upon the filter bag 10. This embodiment is distinguished by its structural simplicity without, however, sacrificing its effectiveness. A lateral projection 34 serves as a support for the user's finger.
Optionally, the embodiments shown in FIGS. [0056] 1-4 can be used without the lifting element. The thread 18 is formed with an upper loop 36 serving as a lifting element for the user. Alternatively, the lifting element still can be used with the single continuous thread that has an upper end formed as a loop.
Although, the [0057] projection 34 is laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis L of the entire assembly, a pulling force P seen in FIG. 4 causes the swollen wet filter bag 10 to spread out along a sufficiently large surface of an inner face of the support 32. Once the user feels that the support is ready to swing, it is a reliable indication that the bag is fully squeezed and the infusion process is substantially finished.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a [0058] support 44 formed with a pair of displaceable resilient flaps 46, 48 that provide a squeezing action as the filter bag 10 moves upward. While this embodiment provides squeezing of the bag both in lateral and vertical directions, the threads 18 attached to the bottom enable the latter to be effectively squeezed. Also, a wedge action produced by the flaps 46 and 48 prevents reverse displacement of the bag as it upwardly advances to its squeezing position, as shown in FIG. 6.
Referring to FIG. 7, the [0059] filter bag 10 has a single filament threaded through and anchored to the top 16. A free end of the filament further penetrates the bottom region 11, and after being threaded through the top 16, it is received between the lips 46, 48. Finally, the free end is attached to a tag that can serve as a lifting element.
FIG. 8 illustrates the filter bag in one of its squeezing positions. It is clear that penetration of the filter bag is a function of a pulling force applied to the lifting element. To facilitate a squeezing process, the support is made of material flexible enough to provide easy deformation of the [0060] lips 46, 48 during the bag's displacement.
Another aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9 and relates to a [0061] filter bag 54 having an annular shape. Preferably, a broad strip 56 whose end is attached to a lifting element peripherally belts the bag 54. Similarly to the previously disclosed embodiments, the strip acts on the bottom 11 providing squeezing of the bag in a vertical direction in response to a pulling force. A single strip having its free ends attached to the lifting element or tag is shown. However, it is understood that a number of strips are easily available for this embodiment. During application of the pulling force to the lifting element, the strip uniformly squeezes the bag's annular periphery and, as a consequence, brings the bottom 11 toward the top 16 after it has reached the support 44.
According to still another aspect of the invention shown in FIG. 10, the upper stretch of the of the [0062] filament 18 is connected to a tag 92 that has an adhesive surface allowing a user to anchor the whole assembly to an outer surface of reservoir. Thus, it is not necessary to immediately start an infusion process. A user may leave the filter bag in the reservoir for some time before he or she initiates a squeezing process.
Referring to FIGS. [0063] 11-20, different techniques of attaching a strip are shown. Particularly, FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the filter bag provided with the single strip 60 whose base portion 62 is located at a top 64. Free ends of the strip 60 extending towards and penetrating a bottom 66 of the filter bag belt a periphery 68 and are threaded through the top 64 at separate locations 70 and 72. Penetrating further through a support 74 the free ends are attached to a tag or lifting elements 76, thereby making the strip 60 continuous.
FIG. 12 illustrates a squeezing position of the filter bag shown in FIG. 11. As clearly seen in this figure, the [0064] strip 60 forms three regions 78, 80 and 82 on the filter bag thereby effectively eliminating a possibility of any part of the bottom 66 to remain unsqueezed.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the [0065] support 74 is formed with a pair of openings 59 traversed by the strip or strips 60. Clearly, this holes have a diameter which is sufficient to allow the support and the strip to be freely displaceable relative each other. The hole 59 is further formed with a narrow slit 61 used by a user to arrest displacement of the support relative to the strip. This feature is particularly advantageous when a user wants to leave the filter bag in a container and a tag is not provided with an adhesive layer.
FIG. 13 illustrates two [0066] strips 84 attached to the filter bag 10. Each of the threads is threaded through the top 64 and the bottom 66 to further penetrate the top 64, thereby forming two loops around the bag's periphery. Upon penetrating a circular support 86, opposite ends of the strips are attached to the tag 76. A squeezing position of the filter bag, as shown in FIG. 14, is similar to the one shown in FIG. 12 and is characterized by three adjacent regions 78, 80 and 82 formed during displacement of the bottom toward the top of the filter bag.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a [0067] single strip 86 belting a periphery of the bag 10 substantially midway between the bag's opposite sides. The only difference between these two embodiments is that the strip 86 of FIG. 16 is affixed to an exterior of the bottom 66, whereas FIG. 15 illustrates the strip that is threaded through the bottom of the bag.
According to FIG. 17, the [0068] strip 86 first attached to the bottom of the bag has its free ends penetrating the bag's top in the same location 90 to form a loop around the bag's periphery. The ends further penetrate the support and are finally attached to the tag, thereby forming a second loop.
Attachment of a [0069] single strip 96, as shown in FIG. 18, differs from the previously described techniques in that that its one end 98 is first affixed to the tag and then penetrates the bag's top twice to be further threaded through the bag's bottom. This one end further penetrates the top at another location 100, and upon traversing the support, is attached to the tag, thereby completing a continuous path thereof.
FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate a bell-shaped [0070] support 102 receiving the filter bag 10 in its squeezing position as shown in FIG. 20. In this embodiment, the bag filter is uniformly squeezed by vertically and laterally acting forces generated by an interior of the support. A three-dimensional support, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, may have different shapes varying from triangular to circular to rectangular.
As shown in FIG. 21, a strip can have different sizes. Increasing a width of the strip can translate to an increased reliability of the filter bag since there is less chance to tear it apart. Preferably, the broad filaments are glued to the bottom and walls of the filter bag. [0071]
FIG. 22 illustrates another embodiment of the [0072] filter bag 10 which has at least one filament attached thereto so that the bag is divided into two prismatic and one triangular regions. The free end of the strip is attached to a lifting element. This construction allows peripheral regions of the bottom to be upwardly displaced toward a point located along an axis of symmetry that coincides with the upper stretch of the filament.
FIG. 23 illustrates the filter bag which is formed with a pyramidal top portion forming a pocket. A filament is attached to the bag's bottom by its opposite ends and is adapted to be pulled upward by a user holding a tag. The upward displacement of the bag's bottom is arrested once it is introduced into the pocket, which has a triangularly-shaped interior continuously squeezing the bottom in response to applying a pulling force to the tag. [0073]
The infusible product can be selected from a wide variety of beverages including, for example, tea, coffee, juices, soups and the like. Also, a material of filter bags can be made of a great variety of porous fabrics that can be permeable to provide efficient penetration of water through product particles contained in the filter bag. It is clearly seen that the inventive concept does not require modification of already existing tea bags and can be easily implemented in the existing equipment. [0074]
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modification and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art. [0075]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A squeezing device comprising:

a bag containing infusible product and having a bottom and top region;

a support having an inner surface facing the top region of the bag; and

at least one filament having a lower stretch looping around the bottom region of the bag and an upper stretch extending through the support, the bag and the support being displaceable relative to one another upon applying a lifting force to the upper stretch of the one filament so as to bring the bag in a squeezing position, wherein the bottom region of the bag is displaced towards the upper region which urges against the inner surface of the support.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the one filament has one of opposite ends thereof threaded through the bottom region, so as to form a first loop on the bag upon threading the ends of the thread through the top region, the ends further traversing the support and being sequentially threaded through the top and the bottom region of the bag, thereby forming a second loop on the bag spaced apart from the first loop upon attaching the ends together.

3. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising a lifting element receiving the upper stretch of the one filament and adapted to be held by a user.

4. The device defined in claim 3 wherein the lifting element includes two spaced apart flat surfaces bridged by a C-shape intermediate surface.

5. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the support has a C cross-section and extends at least along a substantial portion of the top region of the bag.

6. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the support has at least one thoroughgoing hole traversed by the upper stretch of the one filament and an outer surface formed with a formation which extends upwardly from the support, the hole including a first region having a diameter at least equal to a width of the filament and a second region having a diameter less than the width, so that displacement of the filament and the support relative each other can be arrested upon displacing the filament into the second region.

7. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the support is flat, the support further being formed with a lateral extension adapted to be pressed upon by a user.

8. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising another filament having a lower and upper stretch, the upper stretches of the one and other filaments being connected to one another above the support, and the lower stretches extending peripherally along an exterior of the filter bag under the bottom region and toward the top region to form two spaced apart loops on the bag.

9. The device defined in claim 8 wherein the lower stretches of one and other filaments are parallel to one another and form three rectangular regions on the bag.

10. The device defined in claim 8 wherein lower stretches are inclined toward one another to form two spaced trapezoidal regions and a triangular region.

11. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the support has a pair of resilient flaps formed substantially in a central region of the support and displaceable upward and away from another upon moving the bag towards the squeezing position, the flaps preventing rearward displacement of the bag.

13. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the bag has a cross-section selected from the group consisting of pyramidal and annular cross section.

14. The device defined in claim 14 wherein the bag having the circular cross-section is formed with a peripheral annular edge receiving the lower stretch of one filament.

15. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising a tag connected to the upper stretch of the filament and having a side covered by an adhesive.

16. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising an outer bag receiving the support and having a pocket which has a shape similar to a shape of the bag.

17. The device defined in claim 17 wherein the shape of the pocket is selected from the group consisting of semicircular, pyramidal and polygonal shape.

18. A squeezing device comprising:

a filter bag containing infusible product and having a bottom and top region;

a support having an inner surface facing the top region of the bag; and

a single filament forming a pair of spaced apart loops extending between the bottom and top regions of the filter bag and an upper stretch connecting the loops and extending through the support, the bag and the support being displaceable relative to one another upon applying a lifting force to the upper stretch of the filament, so as to bring the bag in a squeezing position, wherein the bottom region of the bag is displaced towards its upper region which, in turn, urges against the inner surface of the support.

19. A method of manufacturing a filter bag containing infusible product, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a first loop of at least one thread extending between a bottom and top region of the filter bag;

extending ends of the one thread through a support facing the upper region of the filter bag;

forming a second loop of the one thread spaced from the first one on the peripheral wall of the filter bag; and

upwardly displacing an upper stretch of the one thread formed above the support in a squeezing position, wherein the upper region of the bag is in contact with the support so as to enable the first and second loops to vertically squeeze and displace the bottom region toward the upper region.

20. A squeezing device comprising:

a filter bag containing infusible product and having a bottom and top;

a support facing the top of the bag; and

at least one continuous filament extending between the bottom and the support to provide displacement of the bag relative to the support upon applying a lifting force to the filament, so as to bring the bag in a squeezing position, wherein the bottom of the bag is displaced towards its top.

21. A squeezing device comprising:

a filter bag containing infusible product and having a bottom and top; and

22. The squeezing device defined in claim 21 wherein the top has a pocket opening towards and receiving the bottom of the filter bag in the squeezing position, said pocket being shaped to arrest upward displacement of the bottom upon applying the lifting force.