US20080292756A1

US20080292756A1 - Infusion cup

Info

Publication number: US20080292756A1
Application number: US11/802,111
Authority: US
Inventors: Chien-Jen Lin
Original assignee: Chien-Jen Lin
Priority date: 2007-05-21
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2008-11-27

Abstract

An infusible cup includes a cup body having protruding stop members inwardly protruded from the inside wall, an infusible material contained in the cup body below the elevation of the protruding stop members, and a screen plate mounted inside the cup body and stopped below the protruding stop members above the infusible material for stopping the infusible material inside the cup body when the infusible material is infused with hot water.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to preparation of drinking fluids and more specifically, to an infusion cup, which has screen means to stop the contained infusible material inside the cup body when the infusible material is infused with hot water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercial disposable cups are commonly made of paper or plastics for holding water or beverage for drinking. Further, many different packed beverages (green tea, woolong tea, flower tea, herbal tea, etc.) are commercially available. Except mineral water, most packed beverages contain artificial flavors and/or chemical additive to give a special pleasant taste and to extend the preservation time. It is not good to the health to drink these chemical additive-contained commercial packed beverages. Further, there are infusible tea-bags, coffee-bags, and herbal-bags available on the market. During preparation, the user must unpack the packing paper of the tea-bag, coffee-bag or herbal-bag, and then put the tea-bag, coffee-bag or herbal-bag in a cup, and then pour hot water into the cup to infusion the tea-bag, coffee-bag or herbal-bag for service. This drinking fluid preparation procedure is complicated. Further, the user needs to prepare a cup or container for infusion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide an infusion cup, which has an infusible material contained in the disposable cup body for infusion with hot water directly for quick service. It is another object of the present invention to provide an infusion cup, which has a filter material bonded to the inside of the cup body above the infusible material to stop the infusible material inside the cup body when the infusible material is infused with hot water. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an infusion cup, which contains a dried infusible material without chemical additives for infusion with hot water for drinking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective assembly view of the infusion cup in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the infusion material infused and the screen plate stopped at the bottom side of the protruding stop members inside the cup body.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective assembly view of the infusion cup in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the infusion material infused.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is schematic drawing showing a status of use of the infusion cup in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a part FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective assembly view of the infusion cup in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, showing the infusion material infused.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 13.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective assembly view of the infusion cup in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a sectional side view of the infusion cup in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of an infusion cup in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a sectional side view of the infusion cup in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 3A, an infusion cup in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, a infusible material 3 contained inside the cup body 1, and a screen plate 2 mounted in the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3. The cup body 1 has a plurality of protruding stop members 11 protruded from the inside wall at a selected elevation. The screen plate 2 is flexible, having meshes 21 smaller than the particle size of the infusible material 3. The screen plate 2 is forced downwards over the protruding stop members 11 to the bottom side of the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3. The infusible material 3 can be tea-leaves, coffee, herbals, juice powder material, soda-contained powder material, etc.) When hot water is filled in the cup body 1 to infuse the infusible material 3, the screen plate 2 is moved upwards the with water lever of added hot water and then stopped below the protruding stop member 11. Thus, the screen plate 2 stops the infusible material 3 inside the cup body 1 when the user drinks the prepared infusion fluid.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, an infusion cup in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, an infusible material 3 contained inside the cup body 1, and a screen plate 2 mounted in the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3. The screen plate 2 is flexible, having meshes 21 smaller than the particle size of the infusible material 3. Further, the screen plate 2 has a flange 22 extending around the periphery and bonded to the inside wall of the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3 by thermo-compression bonding. When hot water is filled in the cup body 1 to infuse the infusible material (such as tea-leaves, coffee, etc.) 3, the screen plate 2 stops the infusible material 3 inside the cup body 1, allowing the user to drink the prepared infusion fluid comfortably.
Referring to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, an infusion cup in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, an infusible material 3 contained inside the cup body 1, a screen plate 2 mounted in the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3, and a sealing layer 23. The screen plate 2 is flexible, having meshes 21 smaller than the particle size of the infusible material 3. Further, the screen plate 2 has a flange 22 extending around the periphery and bonded to the inside wall of the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3 by thermo-compression bonding. The sealing layer 23 has a peripheral edge 24 bonded to the inside wall of the cup body 1 above the screen plate 2 by thermo-compression bonding to seal the screen plate 2 and the infusible material 3 inside the cup body 1, having a finger strip 25 for pulling by hand to separate the sealing layer 23 from the cup body 1. After removal of the sealing layer 23 from the cup body 1, the user can pour hot water into the cup body 1 to infuse the infusible material (such as tea-leaves, coffee, etc.) 3, the screen plate 2 stops the infusible material 3 inside the cup body 1, allowing the user to drink the prepared infusion fluid comfortably.
Referring to FIGS. 10, 11, 12, and 13, an infusion cup in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, an infusible material 3 contained inside the cup body 1, and a sealing layer 23. The sealing layer 23 has a peripheral edge 24 bonded to the inside wall of the cup body 1 above the infusible material 3 by thermo-compression bonding to the infusible material 3 inside the cup body 1, having a finger strip 25 for pulling by hand to separate the sealing layer 23 from the cup body 1. After removal of the sealing layer 23 from the cup body 1, the user can pour hot water into the cup body 1 to infuse the infusible material 3 and then drink the prepared infusion fluid comfortably.
Referring to FIGS. 14, 15, and 9, an infusible cup in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, and an infusion bag 4 containing an infusible material 3. The infusion bag 4 has a peripheral flange 41 bonded to the inside wall of the cup body 1 near its bottom side by thermo-compression bonding. The user can directly pour hot water into the cup body 1 to infuse the infusible material (such as tea-leaves, coffee, etc.) 3 in the infusion bag 4, and then drink the prepared infusion fluid comfortably.
Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, an infusible cup in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a cup body 1, an infusible material (such as tea-leaves, coffee, etc.) 3 contained inside the cup body 1, and a filter sheet material (filter cloth, non-woven fabric, or filter paper) 5. The filter sheet material 5 has a peripheral flange 52 bonded to the inside wall of the cup body above the infusible material 3 by thermo-compression bonding, and meshes 51 that stop the solid matters of the infusible material 3 inside the cup body when the infusible material 3 is infused with hot water.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An infusible cup comprising:

a cup body, said cup body having protruding stop means inwardly protruded from an inside wall thereof;

an infusible material contained in said cup body below the elevation of said protruding stop means; and

a screen plate mounted inside said cup body and stopped below said protruding stop means above said infusible material and adapted to stop said infusible material inside said cup body when said infusible material is infused with hot water.

2. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein screen member is prepared from one of the materials including waterproof paper and non-toxic plastics.

3. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said infusible material is selected from one of the materials of tea-leaves, coffee, herbals, juice powder, and soda-contained powder materials.

4. An infusible cup comprising:

filter bonded to the inside of said cup body above said infusible material and adapted to stop said infusible material inside said cup body when said infusible material is infused with hot water.

5. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 4, wherein said filter means is a screen plate having a peripheral flange extending around the periphery thereof bonded to an inside wall of said cup body by thermo-compression bonding, said peripheral flange having a diameter greater than the inner diameter of said cup.

6. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 5, wherein said screen plate has a finger strip for pulling by the user to separate said screen plate from said cup body.

7. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 4, wherein said filter means is a waterproof filter paper.

8. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 4, wherein said filter means is a non-toxic plastic filter sheet material.

9. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 4, wherein said infusible material is selected from one of the materials of tea-leaves, coffee, herbals, juice powder, and soda-contained powder materials.

10. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 4, wherein said filter means is a filter sheet material of non-woven fabric.

11. An infusible cup comprising:

a cup body; and

an infusion bag containing an infusible material, said infusion bar having a peripheral flange bonded to an inside wall of said cup body.

12. The infusible cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein said infusible material is selected from one of the materials of tea-leaves, coffee, herbals, juice powder, and soda-contained powder materials.