Abstract:
A liquid shield and a funnel in combination with the liquid shield is disclosed. The funnel includes at least one side wall defining a cavity within the funnel and it has a drain opening generally on the bottom surface of the funnel. A rim along the upper edge of the side wall defines a mouth of the funnel. A handle is provided on the funnel. Spaced apart receptacles are positioned on the side wall in relation to the handle. The liquid shield includes a body portion which extends over at least a portion of the cavity of the funnel and is positioned adjacent the handle. The shield includes attachment portions extending from the body which are engageable with the receptacles for removably retaining the shield on the funnel. A flange extends from a portion of the shield and abuts an inside surface of the side wall of the funnel generally blocking passage of material between the shield and the funnel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority under 35 USC Section 120 to U.S. application Ser. No. 29/125,043, filed Jun. 16, 2000 which has issued as U.S. Pat. No. D439,798, issued Apr. 3, 2001, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and which patent is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a funnel liquid shield, for use in brewing funnels which can retain either a brewing substance or a combination of a filter and a brewing substance for infusion with heated water to produce a liquid brewed beverage. 
     A variety of brewing funnels are available which are used to support filter papers or permanent filters containing a beverage brewing substance, such as tea or ground coffee. Such a brewing funnel is attached to a brewing apparatus so that heated water can be sprayed over the brewing substance to infuse the substance and produce a liquid brewed beverage. The brewed beverage drains from the bottom of the funnel and into a carafe or pot position there below. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid shield for use with a brewing funnel to prevent unintentional escape of brewing substance and water from the funnel. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a funnel including a liquid shield to prevent unintentional escape of brewing substance and water from the funnel. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a funnel for receiving a liquid shield to prevent unintentional escape of brewing substance and water from the funnel. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description and preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial fragmentary perspective view of a brewing funnel having a liquid shield retained therein; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the shield; 
     FIG. 3 is a right elevational view of the shield; 
     FIG. 4 is a left elevational view of the shield; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the shield; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the shield; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the shield; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial fragmentary cross-sectional view of the shield taken along line  8 — 8  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  in FIG. 1 showing a shield engaged with a funnel; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial fragmentary view showing a flanged depending from a body portion of the shield flexibly engaged against an inside surface of the funnel; 
     FIG. 11 is the cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 9 in which brewing substance and water are deflected by the liquid shield into the funnel cavity; and 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded prospective view of the shield disengaged from the funnel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a beverage funnel  20  is shown which has a generally frustoconical shape with a mouth  22  which is defined by an annular lip or rim  24 . A drain aperture  26  (see FIGS. 9 and 10) is formed in a bottom surface  28  thereof. A sidewall  30  generally continuously extends around the brewing funnel  20  between the lip  24  and the bottom surface  28 . While a generally frustoconical funnel shape having a circular cross-section is shown in FIG. 1, other forms of the funnel may be provided such as a generally rectangular or square cross-sectional shape, triangular cross-sectional shape or oval cross sectional shape. A handle  36  is provided on an outside surface  38  of the sidewall  30 . 
     A liquid shield  44  is attached to the funnel  20  generally adjacent the handle or grip  36 . It should be noted that the handle  36  could be any form of a gripping structure defined on the funnel  20  to facilitate gripping, grasping or otherwise handling the funnel  20 . The liquid shield  44  is similar to the device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,900 issued May 2, 2000 (the “&#39;900 Patent”) and assigned to the assignee of the present invention and which patent is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is as improvement on a removable form of the splash shield  44 . While a liquid shield was disclosed in the &#39;900 patent, specific refinements have been made to provide a preferred embodiment of such a novel removable liquid shield  44 . 
     The liquid shield  44  is formed of material that is resistant to moisture and heat, such as the material from which the funnel is formed or any other suitable material. The liquid shield  44  includes a body portion  46  which extends inwardly over at least a portion of a cavity  48  defined by the wall  30  mouth  22  and bottom  28  of the funnel  20 . The body includes a first edge  50 , generally proximate to the funnel and in particular an inside surface  52  of the wall  30 . A second edge  54  is positioned generally opposite the first edge  50  extending over the cavity  48 . 
     The shield  44  is attached to the funnel  20  by an attachment assembly  56 . The attachment assembly  56  includes at least one outwardly extending attachment portion  58  on the body  46  on the shield  44 . An attachment receptacle  60  is provided on a corresponding portion on the funnel  20  for receiving the attachment portion. The attachment structures  56  facilitate the removable engagement of the shield  44  on the funnel  20 . It should be noted that the attachment assembly could be provided by reversal of the structures such that the funnel includes an extending portion which engages a corresponding receptacle on the shield  44 . While this specific embodiment is not illustrated, one of ordinary skill in the art should be capable of reversing the structures without undue experimentation. 
     As shown in the Figures, the shield  44  includes a pair of spaced apart outwardly extending attachment portions. Corresponding spaced apart attachment receptacles  60  are provided in corresponding locations on the funnel. It is envisioned that the shield  44  may be attached to the funnel  20  using a single attachment portion and receptacle configuration. While such a configuration may be provided at either end of the shield, it may also be provided centrally located on the shield, so as to balance the opposite ends. Additional variations of the attachment assemblies  56  are contemplated herein, such as a plurality of such assemblies or even a single, generally continuous channel and tongue. The attachment assemblies  56  should be broadly construed. The attachment assemblies  56  provide structures which cause the shield  44  to be retained on the funnel  20  in a desired location. Alternative structures of such attachment assemblies may be employed to achieve substantially the same function and result. 
     The preferred embodiment employs two spaced-apart attachment assemblies  56  to help provide suitable engagement of the shield  44  with the funnel  20  yet providing generally easy removability without tools. It should be noted that the shield  44  attaches to the funnel  20  without the use of hardware, and hence no tools are required for attachment or removal of the shield  44 . This is important as the National Sanitation Foundation has guidelines for use of devices and the removability of structures or components with and without tools. The preferred embodiment of the present invention shows a funnel  20  and shield  44  which have been designed to eliminate the need for hardware and tools and facilitates a high degree of sanitation. 
     With reference to FIGS. 2,  6  and  12 , the shield  44  has two attachment portions in the form of first and second attachment portions, tabs, extensions or fingers  64 ,  66 , respectively. The first tab  64  has a width dimension  68  which is different than a generally corresponding width dimension  70  of the second tab  66 . As shown in the drawings first tab  64  has a smaller width dimension  68  than width dimension  70  of tab  66 . Corresponding first and second receptacles,  72 ,  74 , respectively (see FIG. 12) are provided on the funnel  20  for receiving the corresponding first and second tabs  64 ,  66 . The receptables  72 ,  74  have corresponding width dimensions,  75 ,  77 , respectively which correspond to the width dimensions  68 ,  70  respectively of the tabs  64 ,  66 . The dimensional difference in the tabs  64 ,  66  is to cause the shield  44  to be oriented and engaged with the funnel  20  in a particular direction. In other words, the dimensional relationship between the tabs  64 ,  66  and receptacles  72 ,  74  assures that the shield  44  will be properly attached to the funnel  20 . The attachment assemblies  56  should be broadly construed. Alternative structure such attachment assemblies may be engaged to achieve substantially the same function and result. The attachment assemblies  56  provide structures which cause the shield to be oriented in a desired direction for correct attachment or, if improperly oriented, prevent incorrect attachment. 
     As shown in the figures, the shield  44  includes a flange  76  which extends from the first edge  50 . As shown in figures, the enlarged views of FIGS. 8 and 10, the flange  76  extends downwardly and slightly outwardly from the body  46  of the shield  44 . As shown in FIGS. 9,  10  and  11 , when the shield  44  is engaged with the funnel  20 , the attachment assembly  56  is positioned in relation to the funnel and shield is dimensioned so as to cause the flange  76  to be slightly inwardly deflected by an inside surface  52  of the wall  30 . Inward deflection of the flange  76  creates a spring force  78  which pushes on outside surface  80  of the flange  76  against the inside surface  52  of the funnel wall  30 . The engagement of the flange  76  against the wall  30  with the spring loading of the flange  76  helps assure that the flange will closely abut the wall over the length of the flange, generally the first edge  50 , to seal or close the edge against irregularities in the funnel wall  30 . 
     Generally, the shield  44  is positioned below the mouth  22  proximate to the handle  36 . While the design and placement of the shield  44  relative to the funnel  20  as shown in the figures, is generally symmetric relative to the handle  36 , it is envisioned that there may be other relationships between the handle  36  and shield. For example, if the geometry of the funnel is different, the relationship of the movement of liquid and beverage brewing substance in the funnel may dictate placement of the shield  44  in a different location relative to the handle  36 . 
     As shown in FIG. 11, the shield  44  prevents the material  82  in the funnel, typically liquid and beverage brewing substance in a slurry-form, from escaping the cavity  48  of the funnel  20 . The shield  44  blocks passage or otherwise prevents escape of the material in the area near the handle  36 . Typically, the shield will generally prevent escape of the material  82  should the funnel be removed from the brewer prior to completion of the brewing process. If the funnel  20  is removed from the brewer while there is still material  82  therein, the material may develop a great degree of momentum  84  toward the handle  36 . The shield  44  causes the material  82  to be redirected and deflected back into the cavity  48 . 
     During a brewing operation, the funnel  20  is situated within a brewing apparatus with the handle  36  in a position such that the funnel can be removed from the brewing apparatus when the brewing process is complete. A filter  86  is positioned in the cavity  48  with a charge of beverage brewing substance placed therein. During the brewing process, water is sprayed from a nozzle of the brewing apparatus through the mouth  22  and onto the brewing substance. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the method of brewing as described herein above. The water and brewing substance begin the process of infusion whereby water and the brewing substance mixed together to form the material  82  from which brewed beverage is drained through the filter  86  and through the drain aperture  26 . The shield  44  is sized and dimensioned so as to allow the spray head to dispense water over the beverage brewing substance during the brewing process but to prevent escape of material from the funnel. 
     In use, the funnel  20  is provided for receiving the shield  44  therein. The shield  44  is positioned with the first tab  64  positioned for engagement with the first receptable  72  and the second tab  66  position for engagement with the second receptacle  74 . The body  46  of the shield  44  may need to be curved slightly when engaging the tabs  64 ,  66  with the receptacle  72 ,  74 . Due to the dimensional differences between the tabs  64 ,  66  and the dimensional relationship between the corresponding receptacle  72 ,  74 , the shield  44  will only be received by the funnel in a proper orientation. Once the shield  44  is properly positioned in the funnel  20 , the flange  76  is slightly inwardly deflected by engagement against the inside surface  52  of the wall  30 . The spring force  78  in the flange  76  creates a sealing effect against the inside surface  52 . Generally, the flange  76  is formed as an integral component of the body  46 . Alternatively, the flange  76  could be separate piece of material suitably attached to a separate body portion providing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same results. 
     The shield  44  as illustrated is attached to the funnel  20  without the need for additional separate hardware, whether or not captive, and without the use of tools. The simplified attachment of the shield  44  on the funnel  20  allows for attachment and removal of the shield, even while wearing protective or sanitation gloves. By positioning the shield  44  near the mouth  22 , the funnel  20  can accommodate a standard filter and does not require a custom sized filter for operation of the brewing apparatus.