Patent ID: 9498080
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: A47J

Claim Text:
1. A single cup brewer comprising: a steeping cup comprising a sidewall extending from a base to form a contained space, and a thin-walled tapered drain formed from an elastic material extending from the base and away from the contained space, the tapered drain having a tapered drain hole enclosed by walls tapering at an angle in the range of 1°-3° from a top diameter to a bottom diameter through the base of the steeping cup; and a drain plug comprising a stem and a tip extending from a first end of the stem and having a diameter greater than a width of the stem, greater than the bottom diameter of the drain hole, and less than the top diameter of the drain hole, wherein the tip is spherical at least in a contact area where the tip of the drain plug makes contact with the walls of the tapered drain when the tip is inserted into the tapered drain; such that when the tip of the drain plug is seated in the tapered drain with the stem of the drain plug in contact with the sidewall of the steeping cup, the spherical contact area of the tip of the drain plug forms a circle of contact with the elastic material of the thin-walled material forming the tapered drain, permitting the drain plug to seal the tapered drain in the base of the steeping cup against leakage of liquid while a beverage is steeping in the steeping cup.