WO1993015641A1

WO1993015641A1 - Portable automatic device, with throwaway units, containing raw materials, source of heat included, to prepare hot drinks by infusion or solution

Info

Publication number: WO1993015641A1
Application number: PCT/IT1993/000009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Savarese
Original assignee: Vittorio Savarese
Priority date: 1992-02-07
Filing date: 1993-02-04
Publication date: 1993-08-19
Also published as: ITNA920004A0; EP0625020A1; ITNA920004A1; IT1264328B; AU3462793A

Abstract

This patent deals with a portable automatic device containing the necessary raw materials to prepare hot drinks - source of heat included. The device can be provided with either chemical elements in an isolated space to cause exothermic reaction or an external heater. The device consists also of: a unit containing water or any liquid to prepare drinks; a unit suitable to receive the prepared drink (cup); a unit containing the necessary powder which opens both into the water unit and the cup.

Description

PORTABLE AUTOMATIC DEVICE, WITH THROWAWAY UNITS, CONTAINING RAW MATERIALS, SOURCE OF HEAT INCLUDED, TO PREPARE HOT DRINKS BY INFUSION OR SOLUTION.

This patent proposes a portable automatic device containing all the raw materials necessary to prepare hot drinks, source of heat included.

The device can be provided with either chemical elements in an isolated space to cause exothermic reaction or an external heater. The device consists also of: a unit containing water or any liquid to prepare drinks; a unit suitable to receive the prepared drink (cup); a unit containing the necessary powder which opens both into the water unit and the cup.

Preparing hot drinks requires solvents, generally water, which must be heated and mixed with specific substances, following different methods: infusion or solution. Nowadays this kind of drinks are prepared mainly in two different ways: a)-by using different kinds of devices (for private or industrial use in bars and refreshment rooms). An operator fills the device with raw materials (powder and water) separately and whenever the drink must be prepared. b)-by using automatic devices, as those available in offices and other public meeting-places, which are provided also with raw materials tanks, periodically filled up. This kind of device according to users' choice, can automatically mix raw materials and prepare drinks without any operation by users.

In both cases the preparing device is used over and over again requiring periodical cleaning and maintenance. Raw materials are not included in the preparing device and users or managers must fill them up periodically or from time to time. These devices, with different size and shape, can't be portable.

This industrial invention patent aims to propose a portable device which contains, in a single object, the necessary elements to prepare the infusion: raw materials, source of heat and the cup to drink.

The device is reproduced in the enclosed pictures which are non- binding suggestions.

Picture I in drawing 1) shows the device in transparent axonometric view, in drawing 2) the device is partially sectioned. Picture II in drawing 4) shows the version provided with an electrical heater at the base and in drawing 3) the remaining throwaway unit. Picture III shows the device with a different placement of its components. In drawing 5) the version with chemical heating is provided with two adjacent tubular sections, one for liquid solvents and the other for powders. Drawing 6) shows another version with the same tubular mechanism but with electrical heating. The resistance wraps up the container for liquids.

With reference to drawings 1), 2), 3) and 4) the device consists of an external container 1. of insulating material.

Inside the container there is a peripheral unit 2. where the tubular container for powders is placed 3. The remaining room inside the container is divided into three separate and insulated sections: the central one 4. fitted to contain a heating chemical mixture or an electrical heater.

The second section in the container is the area 5. between the external container and the central core. It contains the liquid for the drink.

The third section 6. in the container is placed onto the 5. and acts as cup receiving the prepared drink. The cup is closed on the top by a removable lid 7. (preferably a tear off system).

With reference to the drawings, the device can be started by activating the esothermic reaction of the chemical elements placed in the central core 4.. i.e. by cutting a baffle placed between the two chemical elements in order to let them mix up.

The resulting heat warms up the liquid inside the container 5. causing increase in vapour tension. With the increase in vapour tension the liquid enters the tube containing powder through its mouth which is provided with a valve or a permeable membrane

The hot liquid flows through the powder in the tube and comes out into the cup 6. through the upper mouth of the tube closed by a baffle which can be easily taken away by the liquid.

This baffle can consists of a soluble pad (i.e. sugar) or of a pressure- or punching mechanism. The drink can be tasted simply by tearing off the seal on the cup.

The device can be produced in many other different varieties: a)-the heating element can be an electrical heater placed in an empty- space (see drawing 4). b)-the liquid can be placed in a tubular container next to the one containing powder (see picture m drawing 5 and 6). In this version the device can be much simplified: there can be only one room filled up with heating chemical elements (mixed with inert substances) in which the tubular containers are placed (8) (9) filled up with water and powder as in drawing 5. c) -instead of chemical elements water can be warmed up, as in drawing 6) by an electrical resistance 10. wrapping up the water tubular container. In this case the bottom of the device must be filled with inert material acting as heat conductor. d)- assembling different designed pieces, serially produced by means of industrial processes and machineries such as moulding , extrusion or other automatic machineries.

The assembled pieces will reproduce the different device section: that containing the liquid for infusion (5), that containing the substance to be infused (3), the cup for the drink (6), the container for the heating element (4), chemical or electrical, the interconnecting ducts. Pictures TV- and V in the drawings 7 and 8 shows, as a non-binding suggestion, a schematic arrangement of this type of device.

Choosing one of the proposed versions or others, depends on the kind of drink to be prepared (the quantity of liquid and powder to be used) and on industrial costs of production and the kind of usage.

The advantages of this device are therefore clear:

- it collects in one single object the necessary to prepare the drink: raw materials, source of heat and the cup to drink.

- the device's weight, size and content is portable and can be "throwaway" or its heating mechanism recycled.

- the drink prepared with this device tastes always the same; all variables that can influence the final result are standardized.

- the kind of drink, the way to fill it up, water, the preparation device and the source of heat are settled in advance. In this way the taste of the drink will be always the same not only in relation to the kind and quantity of the powder to be infused but also to the auxiliary raw materials and to the preparing methods.

- the device is organized in an original way which is very compact and suitable to be produced with modem industrial technologies and follow future developments regarding both materials and manufacturing methods.

The main idea can be formally and structurally changed, in particular the placement of the various units of the device can be differently set without affecting its dominion which remains as the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS l)-Portable automatic device, containing all the raw materials, source of heat included, necessary to prepare drinks by infusion or solution.

2) -The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claim characterized by its multisectorial thermoinsulated container.

3)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that the container, preferably in the middle, has a capsule containing chemical elements to cause an exothermic reaction whenever they are mixed up.

4)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that preferably around the capsule there is a container for water necessary to prepare the drink.

5) -The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that , preferably above the water container there is an empty space which acts as cup where the prepared drink flows to be drunk.

6)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that water can be replaced by milk or other necessary ingredient according to the drink to prepare. 7)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that a preferably tubular container, containing the necessary powder to prepare the drink, is placed peripheral around the device so that one extremity is at the basis of the water container and the other one on the top of the unit which receives the drink.

8)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that at its two extremities the powder container has a mechanism to let water come in as the vapour tension increases with heating and flow throughout the upper mouth.

9)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that the unit to receive the prepared drink is closed on the top by a removable protection preferably a throwaway protection.

10) -The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that in one of the possible variants the chemical elements unit can be replaced by a space where a throwaway or recyclable electrical heater can be placed. l l)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that in one of the possible variants the liquid and powder containers can be one or two overlapped or flanked interconnected tubes, placed on the bottom of the container and surrounded by the heating chemical mixture.

12)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that in one of the possible variants the heater can be electrical by wrapping up the tube for liquid with an electrical resistance.

13)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that the sections containing the liquid for the infusion, the substance to be infused, the cup for the drink, the heating element, chemical or electrical, the interconnecting ducts, can be obtained assembling designed pieces, whatever their manufacturing system.

14)-The same device for the same purpose mentioned in the above claims characterized by the fact that the various compounds can be placed in the most suitable position and have different shapes to perform the described functions.