Abstract:
A reverse French press has a brewer, carafe and optional lid. The brewer has a plunger, a vertical open top flask and a base with legs arranged about its bottom edge. The plunger has a vertical rod that goes through the center of the base with a horizontal filter at the top of the rod and a knob at the bottom of the rod. The legs form a space for the knob underneath the base. The filter extends above the top rim of the flask. Hot water and coffee are put in the flask below the filter. The carafe is then placed over the flask and sealed to the base. The assembly is turned upside down and the knob is pulled up pulling coffee grounds into the base. The brewer is then removed and brewed coffee remains in the carafe. The lid may then be put on the carafe.

Description:
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE 
       [0001]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim for copyright is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other copyright rights whatsoever. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to coffee brewers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    French presses are devices for brewing coffee or other beverages requiring extraction of soluble chemicals from solids. One of the drawbacks of a French press is that coffee grounds are pushed to the bottom where they can continue to diffuse undesirable compounds into the coffee. This is a particular problem for travel French presses where the French press is taken by a user for consumption of the coffee later. There is need, therefore, for a French press that does not leave the coffee grounds in the bottom of the press after the coffee is brewed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The summary of the invention is provided as a guide to understanding the invention. It does not necessarily describe the most generic embodiment of the invention or the broadest range of alternative embodiments. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a reverse French press  100 . The reverse French press comprises a brewer  102  and a carafe  170 . It may also comprise an optional lid  142 . The brewer comprises a plunger  104 , a flask  106  and a base  108 . The plunger comprises a vertical rod  114 , a horizontal filter  112  and a knob  116 . The horizontal filter is attached to about the top end of the rod and the knob is attached to about the bottom end of the rod. The flask comprises an upper rim  105  and a bottom  107 . The base comprises an open top  109  and a closed bottom  111 . 
         [0006]    The top of the base is joined to the bottom of the flask. The vertical rod passes through about the center of the bottom of the base and forms a sliding seal therewith. An elastomeric insert  136  may be provided in the bottom of the base for the rod to pass therethrough and form said sliding seal. 
         [0007]    As used herein, a “seal” is a joint between two items that does not allow water or other liquid to readily pass through. A “sliding seal” is a seal that allows two items to slide past each other. A “reversible seal” is a seal that can be made and broken multiple times by mechanically moving two items together and apart. 
         [0008]    The carafe has an open top  174  and a closed bottom  176 . The carafe is dimensioned so that the flask of the brewer fits within the carafe when the carafe is turned upside down and placed over the brewer. Enough clearance is provided between the rim of the flask and the inside of the carafe to allow air to escape from the flask as the carafe is lowered. A suitable clearance is about 1.4 mm. 
         [0009]    The top of the base of the brewer is adapted to form a reversible seal with the top of the carafe when the carafe is turned upside down and placed over the brewer. The top of the base may comprise a male closure  131  that mates with a female closure  173  near the top of the carafe. The male closure may comprise a male thread  132  and an elastomeric seal ring  130  above said male thread. The female closure may comprise a matching female thread  172  ( FIG. 2 ) and a mating surface  176  ( FIG. 2 ) below said female thread. Said mating surface is adapted to form said reversible seal with said elastomeric seal ring when said male thread is screwed into said female thread. 
         [0010]    Alternatively, a female closure may be provided on the base of the brewer and a male closure may be provided near the top of the carafe. Other suitable reversible seals for the base of the brewer and the top of the carafe include twist and lock closures, flared fittings (e. g. corks or stoppers), “O” rings, quick disconnects, and compression fittings. 
         [0011]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the bottom of the base of the brewer is described by a perimeter  113 . A plurality of legs  134  extend down from the perimeter forming a knob space  138  therebetween. The knob space is indicated by dashed lines. The knob is dimensioned to fit within said knob space when the vertical rod is pushed up and the legs are placed on a horizontal surface. The horizontal filter will then be positioned above the upper rim of the flask forming a vertical clearance  135  between the horizontal filter and the upper rim of the flask. The vertical clearance should be at least 2 cm. Hot water and ground coffee can then be put through the vertical clearance and into the flask for brewing. An upward opening flare  128  may be provided at the upper rim of the flask to facilitate the introduction of hot water and ground coffee. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a cross section of the brewer  102 , lid  142 , and carafe  170  of  FIG. 1 . The horizontal filter  112  may comprise a stiff frame  122 , a filter mesh  124  and a flexible seal  126 . The frame supports the filter mesh and the flexible seal. The flexible seal proceeds from the outer perimeter of the frame. For generally cylindrical flasks, the frame  122  will have an outer diameter  117  smaller than the internal diameter  139  of the flask  106  so that said frame easily fits inside said flask. The flexible seal  126  will have an outer diameter  115  slightly greater than the internal diameter of the flask so that said flexible seal will press against the inside of said flask and form a sliding seal as the filter is moved through the flask under the influence of the rod  114  and knob  116 . 
         [0013]    The flask  106  may be described by a height  127  and rim diameter  111 . The base  108  may have an upward facing shoulder  137 . The height of the flask is defined as the distance from the shoulder of the base to the rim  129  of the flask. The shoulder is low enough so that when the carafe  170  is inverted and the female thread  172  in the carafe is screwed on to the male thread  132  of the base, the seal ring  130  in the base can form a reversible seal with the mating surface  176  in the carafe. 
         [0014]    The carafe may be described by an internal depth  171  and internal diameter  183 . The internal depth of the carafe is measured from the inside bottom of the carafe  177  to the top of the carafe  174 . In order for the flask to fit inside the carafe, the rim diameter of the flask must be smaller than the internal diameter of the carafe. Furthermore, the height of the flask must be less than the depth of the carafe. 
         [0015]    A cross section of the insert  136 , legs  134  and knob space  138  are shown in  FIG. 2 . The insert may be flexible enough to allow air to pass between the rod  114  and the insert when there is low pressure in the flask. This will be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 4A . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  further shows a simplified cross section of the lid  142 . A latch  148  and lock  146  indicated in  FIG. 1  are not shown. These will be described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 5A to 7B . The lid comprises a cap  144  on top of a bung  150 . A plug  164  is provided in the roof of the cap. The bung comprises a spout  156 . A vertical passage  162  proceeds from below the bung to above the spout. The spout and passage allow a user to drink brewed coffee or other beverage from the carafe when the lid is mounted on the carafe and the cap is opened. When the cap is closed, the plug presses against the spout forming a reversible seal. 
         [0017]    The bottom of the bung may comprise a downward facing shoulder  153 , male thread  152  and seal ring  154 . These have about the same dimensions as the shoulder  137 , male thread  132  and seal ring  130  of the top of the base  108 . Thus the lid can be screwed onto the female thread of the carafe to form a reversible seal with the carafe. 
         [0018]    The carafe may have insulation  178  in its walls. The insulation may be vacuum insulation or any other type of insulation. 
         [0019]    The materials of construction for the reverse French press include any food suitable materials including metals (e.g. stainless steel), rigid plastics (e.g. polyethylene and polypropylene), flexible plastics (e.g. Tygon®), and elastomers (e.g. silicone rubber). 
         [0020]    In operation, hot water and ground coffee are introduced into the brewer. The carafe is turned upside down, placed over the flask, and lowered. When the top of the carafe is lowered to the top of the base of the brewer, a reversible seal is made. The brewer-carafe assembly is then turned upside down and the knob is pulled up. The filter moves up as the knob is pulled up. This pulls coffee grounds up into the base of the brewer and leaves brewed coffee behind in the carafe. The brewer is then removed from the carafe taking the coffee grounds with it. The lid may then be put on the carafe for transporting the brewed coffee. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is illustrates a reverse French press. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a vertical cross section of a brewer, lid and carafe. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3A  is a cross section of a brewer after hot water and ground coffee has been put in it. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3B  is a cross section of a carafe placed over the top of a brewer forming a brewer-carafe assembly. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4A  is a cross section of a brewer-carafe assembly turned upside down. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4B  is a cross section of a lid-carafe assembly. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5A  is a rendering of a lid from a side view. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5B  is a rendering of an exploded view of the lid of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a rendering of the latch and lock of  FIG. 5B . 
           [0030]      FIG. 7A  is a rendering of a bottom side view of the cap of  FIG. 5B . 
           [0031]      FIG. 7B  is a rendering of a bottom rear view of the cap of  FIG. 5B . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    The detailed description describes non-limiting exemplary embodiments. Any individual features may be combined with other features as required by different applications for at least the benefits described herein. 
         [0033]    As used herein, the term “about” means plus or minus  10 % of a given value unless specifically indicated otherwise. 
         [0034]    As used herein, the term “generally” when referring to a shape means that an item as the overall appearance of said shape even if there are minor variations from the pure form of said shape. 
       Operation 
       [0035]    The operation of the reverse French press is illustrated in  FIGS. 3A to 4B .  FIG. 3A  shows a cross section of the brewer  102  of  FIG. 1 . The filter  112  is above the rim  129  of the flask  106 . Hot water  302  and ground coffee  304  have been introduced into the flask through the clearance between the filter and the rim. A mixture  306  of water and coffee is brewing in the flask. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3B  is a cross section of the carafe  170  being placed over the brewer  102  while the coffee is brewing. The user may initially lift up  312  the brewer and pull down  314  on the knob  116  so that the filter  112  is below the rim  129  of the flask  106 . The user then picks up the carafe, inverts it, places it over the flask and lowers it  316 . As described above, there is sufficient clearance  314  between the rim of the flask and the internal wall of the carafe  326  so that air can escape from the head space  324  above the rim and flow out  322  of the carafe as the carafe is lowered. Suitable clearance is 1 mm or larger. The carafe is lowered until the female thread  172  of the carafe can engage the male thread  132  of the base of the flask. The user then screws the threads together until a reversible seal is made. The joined brewer and carafe are referred to as a “brewer-carafe assembly”  320 . The brewer-carafe assembly is then turned upside down. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4A  is a cross section of a brewer-carafe assembly after it has been turned upside down. The user then holds the carafe  170  and pulls  402  the knob  116  on the bottom end of the rod  114  of the brewer  102  up. This causes the filter  112  to move up through the mixture  306  of ground coffee and hot water. Coffee grounds  304  collect above the filter and filtered coffee  406  strains through  404  and collects in the bottom of the carafe. 
         [0038]    As the rod is pulled up, a certain volume of rod  412  is removed from the inside of the brewer-carafe assembly  320 . This can cause a reduced pressure in the inside of the brewer-carafe assembly depending upon how much residual air  414  there is in said brewer-carafe assembly. Replacement air  416 ,  418  may leak inside the brewer-carafe assembly thus relieving some of the reduced pressure if either of the elastomers in the insert  136  or seal ring  130  are soft enough and are under sufficiently low compression. 
         [0039]    Once the knob is pulled all of the way up, the coffee grounds are held in the base of the brewer, filtered brewed coffee is in the carafe and the user can unscrew the brewer from the carafe and remove it. The user may then screw a lid on the brewer for transport thus forming a lid-carafe assembly. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4B  is a cross section of a lid-carafe assembly  420  after the user has screwed the lid  142  on the carafe  170 . The brewed coffee  406  is then stored in the insulated carafe for transport and future consumption. 
       Lid 
       [0041]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the lid  142  comprises a top  141  and a bottom  143 . The top of the lid may comprise a cap  144 . The bottom of the lid may comprise a bung  150 . The bung is adapted to form a reversible seal with the top  174  of the carafe  170 . Said adaptation may comprise the above described male thread  152  and seal ring  154 . The lid may also comprise the above described lock  146  and latch  148 . Buttons on said lock and latch may protrude through corresponding upper  145  and lower  149  openings in the front of said cap. 
         [0042]    The lid is generally symmetric about its front-to-back median plane  157 . Thus when referring herein to left and right matched components of the lid, only one of said left or right matched components may be explicitly identified in a given figure. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5A  shows a side rendering of the lid  142  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5B  shows a vertically exploded rendering of a side view of the lid of  FIG. 1 . The top of the lid comprises a cap  144 , a latch  148  and a lock  146 . The lid has a front  167  and a back  165 . The bottom of the lid comprises a bung  150 . A hinge  506  in the back of the lid pivotably connects the bottom of the cap to the top of the bung. The latch comprises a latch button  504  which protrudes through a lower opening  149  in the front of the cap. The latch is adapted to hold the front of the cap onto the bung until the latch button is pressed in and the latch is released. The height  505  of the lower opening is about the same as the height  507  of the latch button since said button&#39;s motion is forward and back. 
         [0044]    The lock serves to prevent the latch button from being accidentally pushed in when the cap is closed on the bung. The lock comprises a lock button  502  which protrudes through an upper opening  145  in the front of the cap. The height  501  of the upper opening is greater than the height  503  of the lock button. This allows the lock button to be pushed up and down. When the cap is closed, the lock button can be pushed down to prevent the latch button from being pushed back. When the lock button is pushed up, the latch button can be pushed in. In an alternative embodiment, the latch and/or the lock could be incorporated into the bottom of the lid. In another alternative embodiment, the lock button is to the side of the latch button. In another alternative embodiment, the lock button is below the latch button. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 5B , the bung  150  may comprise a spout  156 . A vertical passage  162  proceeds from the top of the vertical spout to the bottom of the bung. This will allow a user to drink beverage in the carafe when the lid is joined to the carafe and the cap is open. A downward facing plug  164  ( FIG. 7B ) may be mounted in ceiling  147  ( FIG. 7B ) of the cap. The plug may be aligned with the spout so that it will form a reversible seal with the spout when the front of the cap is closed on the bung. 
         [0046]    The bung may further comprise a grip  151 , a male thread  152  below the grip and a seal ring  154  below the male thread. The male thread mates with a female thread in the top of the carafe. The grip has raised portions  155  to allow a user to grab and turn the bung to screw the male thread of the bung into the female thread of the carafe until the seal ring forms a reversible seal with the mating surface of the top end of the carafe. 
         [0047]    The cap  144  may comprise a generally circular vertical inner wall  700  ( FIG. 7A ). The cap may further comprise left and right latch channels  702  ( FIG. 7A ) oriented front-to-back along the left and right inner sides of said generally circular vertical inner wall. The latch  148  has a generally arcuate shape to fit inside the vertical inner wall of the cap and around the spout of the bung. The latch comprises:
       an arcuate stiff collar  602  extending about half way around the vertical inner wall of the cap;   left and right fingers  161  extending downward from the left and right ends of the collar;   left and right hooks  163  extending forward from the bottoms of said left and right fingers;   left and right side tabs  614  extending outwardly and horizontally from said left and right ends of said collar and into said left and right latch channels in said cap; and   left and right flexible arcuate bars  619  extending rearward from said left and right ends of said collar such that the distal ends of said left and right flexible arcuate bars contact and press against the back of said vertical inner wall of said cap thus pushing said latch button forward and through said lower opening.
 
The bung comprises:
   left and right finger channels  158  extending back-to-front on the left and right sides of the spout and aligned with the left and right fingers of the latch; and   left and right overhangs  159  that each cover a portion of the front end of said left and right finger channels such that said left and right hooks of said latch will sit in said finger channels and under said overhangs when the front of the cap is pressed down on the bung.       
 
         [0055]    The hooks on said fingers may each comprise a front end with a forward and downward facing wedge  612 . The wedges are aligned with the left and right overhangs on the finger channels in the bung such that the hooks will be pushed back and slide down past the overhangs when the front of the cap is pushed down on the bung. 
         [0056]    The distal ends of the left and right flexible arcuate bars may each comprise an outward directed bump  616  which contacts the back of the inner vertical inner wall of the cap. The flexible bars must be bent in in order for the latch to fit in the cap. Thus the flexible bars are under compression and force the latch forward so that the latch button is pushed out of the lower opening in the cap. 
         [0057]    The lock  146  may comprise a vertical back plate  644 . The back plate comprising a left side, a right side, a top, a bottom, a front and a back. The lock button  502  is mounted on the front of the back plate. A lock tab  652  may be attached to said back of said back plate and extend below said bottom of said back plate. The cap may comprise left and right vertical lock channels  706  ( FIG. 7B ) in the front of said vertical inner wall  700  ( FIG. 7B ). The vertical lock channels may be dimensioned to receive the left and right sides of said back plate and allow the back plate to move up and down when the lock button is moved up and down. The lock tab is dimensioned to fit behind the collar of said latch when the lock button and hence the back plate is pushed down. The lock tab will then prevent the collar from moving backward when the latch button  504  is pushed in. 
         [0058]      FIG. 6  is a rendering of the latch  148  and lock  146  of  FIGS. 5A and 5B . The latch comprises the latch button  504 , collar  602 , left and right side tabs  614 , left and right fingers  606 , left and right hooks  608 , left and right wedges  612 , left and right flexible bars  619  and left and right bumps  616  attached to the distal ends  615  of the flexible bars. Left and right horizontal buttresses  618  may be provided at the back of the collar to further stiffen the collar. Left and right shoulders  607  may be provided on the top of the collar to help align  626  the lock  146  as it is pushed down  628  to secure the latch. The latch button may be described by a horizontal depth  622 . The hook may be described by a horizontal depth  624 . The depth of the latch button should be greater than the depth of the hook so that the hook can be pushed back far enough to clear the overhang of the finger channel in the bung when unlatching the cap from the bung. 
         [0059]    The latch may be made from a single piece of rigid plastic. The bars  619  are flexible  617  relative to the collar  602  in part due to their smaller cross section relative to their length. 
         [0060]      FIG. 7A  shows a rendering of a side bottom view of the cap  144  of  FIG. 5A . The latch  148  is shown mounted in the cap. The front  167  of the cap is on the right and the back  165  of the cap is on the left. A portion  708  of the rear hinge is shown. The left and right side tabs  614  of the latch sit in the left and right latch channels  702  of the cap. The left and right fingers  606  of the latch point up. The left and right hooks  608  point forward. The left and right flexible bars  619  are bent in and under compression so that the left and right bumps  616  at the distal ends of the flexible bars press against the back of the inner wall  700  of the cap. A plug mount  704  is shown in the ceiling of the cap. The plug mount is dimensioned to hold a flexible plug  164  ( FIG. 7B ) that will form a reversible seal with the spout of the bung when the front of the cap is closed on the plug. 
         [0061]      FIG. 7B  shows a rendering of a rear bottom view of the cap  144  of  FIG. 5A . The front  167  and back  165  of the cap are indicated. The portion of the rear hinge  708  can be seen. The latch  148  and lock  146  are both mounted in the cap. The left and right sides of the back plate  644  of the lock are mounted in the left and right lock channels  706  of the cap. The lock is moved up (down if the cap were right side up) so that the lock tab  652  sits behind the collar  602  of the latch. Thus the collar cannot move back. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0062]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to one or more different exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation without departing from the essential scope or teachings thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.