Patent ID: 6422133
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
A steeping apparatus for steeping a granular solid food material in a liquid to impart a flavor of the solid food material to the liquid to produce a flavored beverage, comprising:a container to hold the solid food material and the liquid; a plunger movable vertically with respect to the container between an upper plunger position and a lower plunger position, the plunger including a filter element that, as the plunger is moved from the upper plunger position to the lower plunger position, permits the flow of liquid therethrough but that substantially inhibits the passage of solid food material therethrough; and a buffer element movable with respect to the container from an upper buffer element position to a lower buffer element position, wherein when the buffer element is at the lower buffer element position the granular solid food material is automatically substantially decoupled from the flavored beverage.