WO2019142043A1

WO2019142043A1 - Tea dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2019142043A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/060603
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giris ARTUL
Original assignee: Artul Giris
Priority date: 2018-01-18
Filing date: 2018-12-25
Publication date: 2019-07-25

Abstract

A tea dispensing apparatus is disclosed, comprising an elongate shell defining an inner cavity, the elongate shell comprised of a non-porous outer layer having a plurality of perforations, and a porous inner layer, and a quantity of tea leaves disposed within said inner cavity.

Description

TEA DISPENSING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a tea dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to a disposable tea infuser.

BACKGROUND

Tea bags have been around for a very long time. A conventional tea bag is typically a small, porous, sealed bag containing dried plant material, which is immersed in boiling water to make a tea or an infusion, an infusion being a drink, remedy or extract prepared by soaking the leaves of a plant or herb in liquid. To use a conventional tea bag one would place the tea bag in a glass or cup of hot water and allow the bag to be soaked, often with the aid of some stirring, usually with a spoon, so as to transfer as much of the tea flavor from the bag to the water as desired while retaining the cut-up tea leaves in the bag.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

According to one aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter there is provided a tea dispensing apparatus having an elongate shell defining an inner cavity, the elongate shell comprised of a non-porous outer layer having a plurality of perforations, and a porous inner layer, and a quantity of tea leaves disposed within said inner cavity.

According to further aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, the tea dispensing apparatus can include one or more of the following features, individually or in combination where suitable:

(a) the non-porous outer layer is made of aluminum foil;

(b) the porous inner layer is made of filter paper;

(c) the plurality of perforations are located more at one distal end of the elongate shell than the opposite distal end and/or are spaced more closely together in a lower region of the elongate shell than in an upper region of said elongate shell and/or one distal end of the elongate shell is free of perforations;

(f). the shell further comprises a seam and area around the seam is free of perforations;

(g) upon immersion in hot water, the tea leaves are steeped and tea flavor is infused in to the hot water via said plurality of perforations;

(h) the shell is adapted for use as a combined tea infuser and stirrer;

(i) the shell is between 10-14 cm in length, and substantially cylindrical with a diameter between 0.75 to 1.5 cm; and

(j) the shell is flattened at each distal end.

Amongst certain advantages of the present invention is a tea dispensing apparatus featuring a combined infuser and stirrer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it can be carried out in practice, embodiments will be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a front view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter;

Fig. 2 illustrates a cut-away back view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter;

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter; Fig. 4 illustrates a back view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter; and

Fig. 5 illustrates a side view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the presently disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the presently disclosed subject matter.

Bearing this in mind, attention is drawn to Fig. 1 illustrating a front view of a tea dispensing apparatus in accordance with certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. The tea dispensing apparatus (which, for convenience, will hereinafter be called a "tea stick" or "stick") has an elongate shell 10 which is preferably about 10-14 cm in length, and substantially cylindrical, preferably with a diameter of about 0.75 to 1.5 cm). Shell 10 is preferably flattened at distal ends 14, as will be detailed below with reference to Fig. 5, and substantially hollow inside thereby defining an inner cavity.

Shell 10 is comprised of an outer layer 12, made of a preferably non-porous material such as aluminum foil, or any other material suitable for immersion in hot water (i.e. can withstand hot temperatures without melting or deforming) and having a plurality of perforations 16. In some embodiments, perforations 16 are located more towards one distal end 14 of shell 10, while the opposite distal end 14 is free of perforations, as shown in Fig. 1. The perforations 16 can be spaced in any manner deemed desirable. For example, as further detailed below, in certain embodiments it may be desirable for the perforations in the lower portion of the stick to be spaced more closely together than in the upper portion, as shown in Fig. 1. Referring now to Fig. 2, illustrating a cut-away view of the tea stick, and to Fig. 3 illustrating a cross-sectional view of the tea stick, shell 10 further comprises an inner layer 20, preferably made of a porous material such as filter paper, possibly similar to filter papers currently used in conventional tea bags.

As detailed above, shell 10 defines an inner cavity. A quantity of cut and/or ground tea leaves 22 sufficient for making a single serving of tea is disposed within the inner cavity of shell 10.

In some embodiments, the tea stick is preferably wrapped in a freshness preserving outer wrapping (not shown) such as clear cellophane, so as to preserve the freshness of the tea leaves 22 and prolong the shelf life of the tea stick.

To use the tea stick to make a cup of tea, the user would first remove the freshness preserving wrapping (not shown) to obtain the tea stick itself. The user would then place or partially immerse the tea stick in a cup of hot water in a substantially vertical orientation while grasping the top end of the stick. The user would then move the tea stick in substantially circular motion so as to induce the water to enter the shell 10 through the perforations 16, contact the tea leaves 22, and steep the tea leaves to produce tea flavor. The stirring motion applied by the user on the tea stick then induces the tea flavor to exit the shell 10 through the perforations 16, infusing the tea flavor into the cup of hot water. In certain embodiments, as detailed above, it may be desirable for the perforations in the lower portion of the stick to be spaced more closely together than in the upper portion, as shown in Fig. 1. One such advantage that the inventors have found with this configuration is that in situations where a user immerses only the lower part of the stick, having the perforations closer together at the lower end allows the hot water to quickly and easily enter the tea stick, while having perforations further apart higher up the stick allows steam to easily escape the tea stick.

As can be seen from the above, an advantage of the present invention over conventional tea bags is that the tea stick of the present invention features a combined infuser and stirrer, thereby obviating the need for stirring the water with a separate utensil, such as a spoon, as in conventional tea bags. As in conventional tea bags, the tea stick itself is also disposable, so that once the water has been sufficiently flavored, the stick can be removed and discarded.

Manufacture of the tea stick could be effected by any suitable means. Preferably, outer layer 12 is made using a long flat thin sheet of a suitable outer material, such as aluminum foil or any other material suitable for immersion in hot water, and is perforated with a series of holes or perforations 16 of suitable diameter or diameters (for example, as shown in the Figures). The inner layer 20 is then pressed against and preferably bonded to the outer layer 12 using an adhesive, forming shell 10.

The shell 10 is then cut to the appropriate size, filled with tea leaves 22. Shell 10 is then rolled or folded and sealed along the length and at the two ends by any suitable means. Referring now to Fig. 4, illustrating a back view of the tea stick, there is shown a folded seam 18 where the two lateral ends of the combined sheet were joined. In certain preferred embodiments, the area around the seam 18 is free of perforations so as not to damage the seal and allow uncontrolled exit of the tea leaves. The distal ends 14 can be sealed using any suitable method. In certain embodiments, the distal ends 14 ends are flattened and sealed with adhesive, as shown in Fig. 5.

It should be appreciated that while the apparatus of the present invention has been described with respect to dispensing tea, its use is not limited to dispensing only tea and it can in fact be used to dispense other products as well, such as coffee, medicine, vitamins, etc.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details set forth in the description contained herein or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Hence, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other stmctures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the presently disclosed subject matter. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and changes can be applied to the embodiments of the invention as hereinbefore described without departing from its scope, defined in and by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A tea dispensing apparatus comprising: an elongate shell defining an inner cavity, the elongate shell comprised of a non- porous outer layer having a plurality of perforations, and a porous inner layer; and a quantity of tea leaves disposed within said inner cavity.

2. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said non-porous outer layer is comprised of aluminum foil.

3. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said porous inner layer is comprised of filter paper.

4. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of perforations are located more at one distal end of said elongate shell than the opposite distal end.

5. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of perforations are spaced more closely together in a lower region of said elongate shell than in an upper region of said elongate shell.

6. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein one distal end of the elongate shell is free of perforations.

7. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shell further comprises a seam and wherein the area around said seam is free of perforations.

8. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein upon immersion of said apparatus in hot water, said tea leaves are steeped and tea flavor is infused in to said hot water via said plurality of perforations.

9. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shell is adapted for use as a combined tea infuser and stirrer.

10. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shell is between 10-14 cm in length, and substantially cylindrical with a diameter between 0.75 to 1.5 cm.

11. The tea dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the shell is flattened at each distal end.