Abstract:
A cover for a container in which the cover is formed with a first opening to which a mesh pouch is secured to hold fragments of tea leaves or other infusible consumable products. The opening is positioned on one side of a diameter of the cover with a remote sip hole in the cover. A second opening in the cover provides for inclusion of other ingredients and stirring the beverage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a lid or cover for infusing beverages in a cup. The invention is useful for tea, herbal teas, as well as coffee and other various steeped beverages such as cocoa and the like. 
         [0002]    A wide range of disposable lids are specifically designed for use in infusing tea into disposable cups. Many of these use a separate infuser member which is secured to an opening in the cover with the member projecting into the cup to infuse the tea water within the cup. 
         [0003]    In general, these systems use cylindrical or frusto-conic cylinders having perforations in the side. The cylinder with the cylinder centrally located in the cover occupies a good portion of the cover. Such units are comparatively expensive to make. 
         [0004]    There are other systems in which the infuser is formed integrally with the cup as an extension on one side of the cup with a limited number of openings through which the tea may be infused. These constructions require a sophisticated molding process which does not permit easy stacking of the cups or the containers. 
         [0005]    Other systems also contemplate the use of infusers which are lowered into the cup to a significant depth for immersion in the liquid for a time period. Such units are difficult and time consuming to use and frequently result in a messy spilling of or over absorption of the liquid from the container during the infusion process. 
         [0006]    Most of these systems do not contemplate the use of loose tea in an infuser system. Such systems which permit the use of loose tea have advantages over others. Such systems are more versatile and adapted for infusing a wide range of tea, since loose tea is more readily available in a variety of styles and types than pre-bagged teas. Some earlier patents illustrate the use of a tea bag secured to a cover in a manner in which will allow the bag to steep into the container but do not provide a simple system for removing the tea once the tea has been steeped, or a simple system for removing the bag once the tea has been steeped. 
         [0007]    The cover itself is formed as a membrane with a depending peripheral flange shaped and sized to engage the rim of the cup. 
         [0008]    It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved cover for dispensing loose tea in a container in a manner that will allow the tea to be fully infused and with the infused liquid easily removed without allowing tea sediments to float in the infused tea once it is steeped. In another embodiment of the invention, a second opening is provided to permit adding other ingredients such as milk, honey, and sugar without having to remove the cover or also use the infusing portion of the cover. 
         [0009]    One further object of the present invention is to provide a simple design for a cover intended for infusing tea and the like with the covers shaped and sized for easy stacking and use with a variety of standard disposable cups. 
         [0010]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a disposable cover for use in infusing beverages which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use and attractive in overall appearance. 
         [0011]    One further object of the present invention is to provide a disposable cover for a container, with the covers shaped to be assembled with quantities of loose tea or the like in the stacked containers. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention is intended to provide an improved cover for infusing beverages such as tea, coffee, and cocoa in a cup. In the present invention, a cover formed of a membrane is removably secured to the open end of the cup. The membrane is provided with an opening on about one half of the cover through which materials such as fragments of loose tea may be inserted into a porous bag. The porous bag is formed of a mesh or netting material with an upper periphery secured to the periphery of the opening. The pouch or porous mesh is shaped to extend down into a quantity of the water within the cup so that infusion will take place and to allow the water in the cup to infuse through the porous mesh to steep the tea or other material which is being processed. The opening is provided with a lid that is hinged to the cover in a manner that will permits its closure once the tea has been inserted. A sip hole is provided in the cover, remote from the opening to allow a user to sip the tea or the material from the cup once the tea is properly steeped. A second opening is provided through with other ingredients may be included such as milk, honey, or sugar, as well as room for properly stirring the beverage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompany drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the lid with a cover closed, embodying the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 1  with the lid opened; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the cover with the open lid taken substantially along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a membrane with a cover in a closed position and the membranes in a stackable position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a second embodiment of the cover of  FIG. 1  with an open lid; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the cover of  FIG. 5  with the lid closed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0020]    The cover  1  is preferably formed of a vacuum or injection molded plastic conventionally used for fabricating disposable plastic covers for disposable cups. However, it should be understood that this invention can readily be used in conjunction with non-disposable beverage ware. This cover  1  is shaped and sized to fit over and engage in an air tight seal the disposable cup  2  ( FIG. 3 ) which is a conventional cup, made in a suitable manner. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the disposable cup  2  is formed with a peripheral edge defined by a beaded or rolled rim  4  in a conventional fashion. The cover  1  is shaped with a periphery  6  depending from a membrane  7  which effectively forms the cover of the present invention. The membrane  7  is preferably circular in configuration to conform to the shape and size of the open top of the cup  2 , and the periphery  6  is formed with a series of annular depending flanges  10  shaped to engage and disengage the rim  4 . 
         [0021]    The membrane  7  is formed with an opening  12  preferably positioned on one side of the diameter of the cover as best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . This opening  12  is preferably arcuate in configuration conforming to the periphery of the cover and spaced a short distance from its periphery with the opening  12  occupying a portion of one-half of the lid of the membrane  7 . The opening  12  is bordered with a depending continuous flange  23  to which the open end of the pouch  22  is permanently secured by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, or other suitable means. The opening  12  may be selectively opened and closed by a lid  14  which is suitably secured at one end  16  to the membrane  7  by a heat seal or other suitable means conventional in the industry. The lid  14  is preferably formed with a depending lip portion  18  defining a peripheral wall that is shaped and sized to engage the periphery of the opening  10  in a sealed fashion when the lid  14  is closed. 
         [0022]    The cover may be opened to allow tea leaves  20  ( FIG. 3 ), ground coffee or other material to be inserted in the pouch formed by the mesh or net  22 . The mesh pouch  22  may be of any standard fine filter material such as paper, woven and non-woven fabric. Many commercially available filter materials are available. It is important that the mesh be fine to effectively prevent small particles from passing through it. Other filter material may be selectively used but should be shaped and dimensioned and have permeability sufficient to allow the infusion of water through the porous membrane or pouch  22  to infuse the tea or other related material  20 . 
         [0023]    The filter or pouch material  22  is sufficiently large to allow it to extend into the disposable cup  2  a sufficient distance to be positioned in the water or other liquid added to the cup for infusion purposes. In this configuration, the pouch  22  lies partially below the water line  24  for infusion purposes, particularly when initially filled. A sip hole  28  is provided in the lid through the membrane at a distance remote from the opening  12  with the sip hole sized and shaped to allow a user to draw tea or other infused liquids from the disposable cup through the sip hole  28 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  illustrates the lid in a position suitable for stacking. In this configuration, the cover is formed with its lid closed and with the tea bag or pouch folded closely under the under side of the cover or membrane  7 . In this fashion, a stack of covers may be arranged in a column for easy disposition or shipment. Further the pouch may be prefilled with loose tea. 
         [0025]    While the description of this application describes the material in which the tea is brewed as comprising a filter, there are many types of filters that are available, but preferably a micro-filter mesh with mesh openings of a fraction of a millimeter are preferred so as to prevent the tea particles from entering into the liquid body of the tea. It is preferable that the filter material not be made of plastic since plastic tends to leach and has on some occasions become a concern with consumers. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a preferred embodiment in which there are two openings in the cover  50 . The opening  51  is sized and shaped to permit adding milk, sugar, or other ingredients to the beverage without removing the lid. It also allows the contents to be stirred. The second opening  52  is parallel to the opening  12  of the first embodiment including a mesh pouch  53  for holding the materials  20  to be infused such as tea leaves or coffee.  FIG. 6  illustrates the cover of  FIG. 5  with a lid  60 . The lid  60  may be integrally formed with two segments to fit respectively over the openings  51  and  52 . Another option is to have lid  60  hinged along its center line  61  to permit access to either openings  51  or  52  separately while keeping the other opening closed. If secured to the cover  50  along the center line  61 , both can openings can be accessed without removing the lid. 
         [0027]    The present invention is particularly useful in the developing tea market which high quality loose tea is more commonly sold today than previously. Because of this trend, there is a greater demand for various types of loose teas that can be selectively used in various quantities. The present invention provides an improved method for use in restaurants and by other vendors presenting to the potential customer, a selection of different types of teas and coffees of different strengths and sizes. It also allows cafés or other vendors of tea to package its own brand tea product. Other uses are obvious. 
         [0028]    The specific design of the tea bag and cover permit the tea to depend into the liquid for thorough infusion. When the tea is removed by drinking the infusion stops at an appropriate time, there is no need to remove the spent tea leaves. 
         [0029]    In use these lids may be initially loaded or not with tea particles or the like and compactly stacked one upon the other. 
         [0030]    The system may be used for other beverages such as coffee, any other infused beverage, and used in a manner as described.