Automatic tea brewing device and tea pot receptacle

A device for automatically brewing and holding tea has a water reservoir and a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor attached to and extending from the water reservoir, a hinge mounted steeping chamber positionable over a base for holding a tea pot under the steeping chamber, and a tea pot specially adapted for use with the device having a flat bottom surface for optimal heat transfer from the base to the receptacle. A steeping chamber flow control valve includes opposing, overlapping relatively adjustable frusto-conical surfaces.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention pertains in general to automatic brewing devices and, 
in particular, to automatic brewing devices for brewing tea. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Brewed tea is traditionally prepared by first boiling water and then 
transferring the boiling water to a pot holding tea leaves in a tea ball 
or bag. The tea is allowed to steep whereupon flavor is extracted from the 
tea leaves into the water. The strength of the flavor of the tea is 
primarily dependent upon the length of the steeping period. 
Automatic brewing devices which heat water and transfer the heated water to 
a brewing basket or chamber for contact with a brewing material have 
heretofore been principally employed for brewing coffee and coffee related 
drinks such as cappucino. Such devices can be used with some success for 
preparing hot tea. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,240 and 4,843,954. 
However, since coffee-derived beverages typically do not require a 
steeping process wherein heated water is held in prolonged contact with 
ground coffee beans, these devices simply drain the brewing water from a 
brewing, devices which do not provide precise control of the rate of flow 
of heated water through a steeping chamber in which tea leaves are held 
are not ideally suited for brewing tea. 
Automatic coffee makers typically utilize relatively thin-walled glass 
receptacles or decanters to receive, hold and thermally insulate the 
brewed coffee. Though suitable for coffee, these types of decanters are 
inadequate as receptacles for hot brewed tea for the reasons that they do 
not provide maximum insulation for heat retention including the absence of 
an insulative lid or cover, and are not aesthetically appropriate for 
typical tea drinkers accustom to serving hot tea from a traditional tea 
pot. 
The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages of the 
apparatus and methods of the prior art used to automatically prepare hot 
tea. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention provides entirely new and novel apparatus and method 
for the preparation, including steeping and retention, of hot tea which 
overcomes the inadequacies of all prior apparatus and methods. 
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for brewing 
and holding hot tea includes a water reservoir, a water reservoir filling 
inlet positioned not directly over the water reservoir, a heated conduit 
connected to the water reservoir for heating water from the reservoir, 
heated water transfer means for transferring heated water from the 
reservoir into a steeping chamber, the steeping chamber including a cavity 
for receiving and holding heated water and tea and a controlled valve for 
releasing brewed tea from the steeping chamber at the end of a controlled 
steeping period into an insulative tea pot receptacle having a handle, and 
a spout with an opening separate from a top opening in the tea pot. 
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for 
automatically brewing hot tea includes a water reservoir, a combined 
heating and pumping element in contact with the water reservoir for 
heating water from the water reservoir and pumping the heated water into a 
brewing chamber, the brewing chamber having a cavity for receiving tea and 
heated water and an opening through which brewed tea is released from the 
brewing chamber into an insulated tea pot having a bulbous body, a handle 
integrally molded or mechanically attached to the body, and a spout 
extending from a side of the bulbous body generally opposite the handle 
and having a spout opening separate from a top opening in the bulbous 
body. 
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a device for 
automatically brewing tea and maintaining brewed tea in a heated condition 
includes, in combination, a housing including a tea pot base, a water 
reservoir, a heating element positioned in the tea pot base and connected 
to the water reservoir, a combined heated water distributor and water fill 
inlet extending forward from the water reservoir and positioned over the 
tea pot base, and a molded tea pot having a flat bottom dimensioned to fit 
upon the tea pot base, a handle, and a spout having an opening separate 
from or inclusive of an opening to a main body section of the tea pot. 
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a receptacle 
specially adapted for use with an automatic tea brewing device is provided 
which has a bulbous main body having a cavity for receiving brewed tea 
through a top opening to the main body, a handle attached to the main 
body, a spout which extends from the main body and has a spout opening 
separate from the top opening to the main body, a lid for the top opening 
to the main body, and a flat bottom which extends in a horizontal plane 
radially inward from bottom edges of the bulbous main body. 
These and other aspects of the invention are herein described in 
particularized detail with reference to the accompanying Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B, there is illustrated an 
automatic tea brewing device, indicated generally at 10, which is 
particularly adapted and especially suited for brewing or steeping and 
holding and warming tea. As used herein, the terms "brewing" and 
"steeping" are synonymous, both meaning controlled contact of a brewing 
material such as tea with hot or cold water. The device includes the basic 
components of a base section 12 which has a forward section 14 which 
includes a heated tea pot warming platform 16 and a housing for a heating 
element contained therein. A specially designed tea pot 32 is dimensioned 
to fit upon warming platform 16. The device further includes a rearward 
section 20 behind tea pot 32; a water reservoir 24 (also behind tea pot 
32) which fits upon and is supported by the rearward section 20 of base 
section 12 a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor 
structure 26 (also referred to herein sometimes simply as the "water 
reservoir inlet" or "water inlet" or "heated water distributor" or 
"structure") which extends forward of the water reservoir 24 and over the 
tea pot platform 16 and tea pot 32, a cover 28 which covers both the 
combined water reservoir inlet and the water reservoir 24, and a brewing 
or steeping chamber (also referred to as a "brew basket"), indicated 
generally at 30, supported by a hinged support arm 76 attached to the base 
and cover and retractable against a frontal wall of the water reservoir 
24. An overflow drain hole 124 is provided near the top of the back wall 
of water reservoir 24. Each of the aforementioned components are described 
in further detail below. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the specially adapted tea pot 32 is dimensioned to fit 
upon the tea pot platform 16 and within the area defined by the frontal 
wall of the water reservoir and the underside of the steeping chamber 30. 
The tea pot 32 has a handle 133 which may be integrally formed or 
otherwise mechanically attached to extend from the side of the generally 
bulbous body 132 which has a top opening 135, and a spout 134 which 
extends from a side of bulbous body 132 at a point generally opposite 
handle 133. Spout 134 has a pouring spout opening 136 separate and apart 
from top opening 135 of tea pot 32. In an alternate embodiment, a lip 
spout 140 (shwon in phantom) may be formed in the lip of top opening 135 
instead of spout 134. 
The tea pot 32 may be integrally formed or molded or cast of any suitable 
material and is preferably formed of ceramic or porcelain or other 
vitreous or stoneware material which has suitable structural and 
insulative properties and appearance and weight characteristics consistent 
with traditional ceramic or porcelain tea pots. This unique construction 
and appearance of tea pot 32, and in combination with the automatic 
brewing device of the invention, eliminates the need to transfer brewed 
tea from a carafe or other receptacle into a socially attractive and 
functional tea pot such as tea pot 32. 
An insulating pad 33 is applied to the area of the exterior surface of the 
bulbous body 132 of the tea pot proximate to handle 133 to prevent 
transfer of heat from the tea pot vessel to a hand gripping the handle. 
The insulating pad 33 can be made of any material having relatively low 
thermal conductivity/insulative properties such as for example 
polyurethane, plastic, rubber, paper, cork, etc. The insulating pad 33 may 
be adhesively or mechanically secured to the exterior of bulbous body 132. 
For mechanical attachment, the insulating pad 33 may be snap-fit between 
the segments of handle 133 which intersect bulbous body 132, such as 
insulating pad 130 also shown in FIG. 1. As further shown in FIG. 1, 
handle 133 may be mechanically attached to the tea pot body 132 by, for 
example, straps 137 which encircle body 132 and are secured to the ends of 
the handle which abut body 132. 
As shown in FIG. 8, the bottom of the tea pot 32 is provided with a 
substantially flat surface area 31 which rests directly upon a 
substantially flat surface of heating platform 16 to optimize heat 
transfer from the warming platform 16. A selected percentage such as for 
example approximately 50% or more or less of the total surface area of the 
tea pot bottom is formed substantially flat (for example by grinding 
and/or polishing if required) to optimize heat transfer characteristics as 
the tea pot rests or sits flush upon the heated platform 16. In a 
preferred embodiment, the flat surface area 31 is completely flat from a 
bottom edge 131 of the bulbous body 132 and extends radially inward in a 
horizontal plane toward the center of the generally circular bottom. This 
novel configuration of the tea pot bottom is contrary to traditional tea 
pot bottom designs which have a bottom edge rim which elevates the bottom 
of the main body portion of the pot from a supporting surface so as to 
minimize contact with a supporting surface. Also in the preferred 
embodiment, the flat surface area 31 of tea pot 32 has a cross-section 
thickness approximately equal to a cross-section thickness of the walls of 
the bulbous body 132. 
As further illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the tea pot warming platform 16 
is incorporated into forward section 14 of base 12 by placement of a ring 
34 within an opening in the base and encompasses a plate 36. Ring 34 may 
be made of a phenolic material and plate 36 of a metallic material such as 
aluminum. A water heating and warming element 38, operative to heat water 
drawn or drained from the water reservoir and pump the water by thermal 
expansion from a water conduit of the heating element to a heated water 
distributor as generally known in art and described for example in U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 4,613,745 and 5,183,998 incorporated herein by reference, is 
positioned underneath and in contact with plate 36 to perform the water 
heating function and provide a heat source to warming platform 16 and tea 
pot 32. The forward section 14 of base 12 also houses a switch, indicated 
generally at 40, electrically connected to the circuit elements also 
housed within base 12 proximate to heating and warming element 38. 
As schematically illustrated in FIG. 3, switch 40 is connected to a plug 42 
and in series to a thermostat 44, thermal fuses 46 and heater resistive 
element 48 of heating and warming element 38. With the switch in the 
closed "on" position, indicator light 43 (which may be incorporated into 
the control button of switch 40) is illuminated and the heater element is 
energized to a maximum heating temperature regulated by thermostat 44 and 
limited by fuses 46. 
Referring again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a bottom portion of water reservoir 24 
includes an integrally formed stepped funnel 48 adapted to receive a 
pressure-controlled unidirectional plunger type check valve (not shown) 
known in the art to allow water to drain from the reservoir to the heating 
element and prevent water from re-entering the reservoir. A water supply 
tube 50 connects funnel 48 to an input end of heating and warming element 
38. A heated water supply tube 52 connects an output end of heating and 
warming element 38 to a riser tube 54 (shown in phantom) generally 
vertically disposed within water reservoir 24 and bent at an upper end to 
lie flat within the water reservoir inlet 26 and terminated at a heated 
water distributor hole 56 formed centrally in the underside of the 
combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor structure 26 
and over the steeping chamber 30. A flow path from the water reservoir, 
through the heating element, and to the steeping chamber is thus provided. 
With additional reference to FIG. 4A, the water inlet and reservoir cover 
28 includes a solid rearward section 58 which covers the top opening of 
the water reservoir, and a forward water inlet section 60 which fits over 
the forward end of the combined water reservoir inlet and heated water 
distributor structure 26. The water inlet section 60 of cover 28 is 
uniquely constructed and contoured to cover the heated water distributor 
hole 56 and to provide a splash-free water disbursement structure. The 
generally circular opening or aperture 61 includes a dome 62 (positioned 
directly over the heated water distributor hole 56) and multiple fins 64 
which extend radially from the dome to the periphery of the opening 61. 
Water poured into the forward positioned water inlet section 60 of cover 
28 is evenly distributed without splashing onto the water reservoir inlet 
26, which is internally sloped into water reservoir 24. The positioning of 
the combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor structure 
26 forward of and not directly over the water reservoir allows the 
reservoir to be conveniently filled without having to reach to the back of 
the device, and without having to pour water directly into the top of the 
water reservoir. Circular opening 61 is dimensioned to be covered by lid 
67 of tea pot 32 as shown in FIG. 1. The structural arrangement of dome 62 
and radially extending fins 64 substantially reduces and in most cases 
eliminates any splashing of liquid poured into water inlet section 60. 
As shown in FIGS. 2A, 5A and 5B, the steeping chamber 30 is formed of an 
inner section 68 (FIG. 5A) which fits within an outer section 72 (FIG. 
5B). Inner section 68 includes a cavity 69 for receiving tea in a bag, 
filter or tea ball and a quantity of heated water for steeping and a 
brewed tea exit port 57 in the center of the bottom wall. The cavity 69 of 
the inner section is dimensioned to optimize the water line or steeping 
head of the heated water introduced from the water distributor and with 
tea in the steeping chamber. The exterior of inner section 68 is provided 
with radially extending fins 70 contoured to abut the interior surface of 
an outer section 72 to form a double insulative wall of the steeping 
chamber. 
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 5B, a stepped groove 74 in a posterior segment of 
the outer section 72 of the steeping chamber is provided to engage a 
flange 73 of a steeping chamber support arm 76 which is vertically 
hinge-mounted by insertion of hinge pins 75 and 77 in respective hinge pin 
seats 175 and 177. The steeping chamber 30 supported by arm 76 can thus be 
swung about hinge pins 75 and 77 out of alignment with the water reservoir 
inlet and heated water distributor structure 26 to allow access to the 
interior of the steeping chamber, to insert or remove brewing material 
such as tea, and to allow the steeping chamber to be disengaged from 
support arm 76. The support arm 76 is removable from the device by 
vertical displacement of upper and lower hinge pins 75 and 77 to disengage 
upper hinge pin 75 from hinge pin seat 175 and lower hinge pin 77 from 
lower hinge pin seat 177. 
The surface 180 in which hinge pin seat 177 is formed is shown from the top 
in FIG. 9 which is a top view of rearward section 20 and forward section 
14 including warming platform 16. A cam 181 is formed to rise from surface 
180 to gradually vertically lift support arm 76 as it is swung into a 
closed position (underneath the heated water distributor structure 26) 
flush against the forward wall of reservoir 24. As shown in FIGS. 10A and 
10B, a corresponding cam 182 may be formed to rise from surface 185 of 
support arm 76, about hinge pin 77, also to gradually vertically lift 
support arm 76, in cooperation with cam 181, as it is swing into the 
closed position. Cams 181 and 182 serve to increase the accuracy of 
alignment of the steeping chamber in a closed position under the heated 
water distributor structure 26. The close tolerance fit of the top edge of 
the steeping chamber with the bottom edge of the heated water distributor 
structure (as shown in FIG. 2A) reduces the amount of brewing steam lost 
through the open top of the chamber. As further shown in FIG. 10A, in lieu 
of cam 181, a cam 277 may be formed on the end of hinge pin 77 similarly 
to lift the support arm by rotation against a corresponding cam 273 formed 
in hinge pin seat 177. 
As the steeping chamber 30 is thus swung in and out of alignment with the 
water reservoir inlet/heated water distributor structure 26, a leading top 
edge 35 of steeping chamber 30 contacts an underside surface area 126 of 
structure 26 (shown in FIG. 11) which includes a plurality of structural 
ribs 128 and further includes an arcuate ramped bearing surface 127 
slightly raised from surface 126 and ribs 128 to provide a bearing surface 
for the leading top edge 35 of brew basket 30 to glide into alignment 
underneath structure 26. As shown in FIG. 5B, leading edge 35 of steeping 
chamber 30 may be chamfered to further reduce resistance of contact of the 
steeping chamber with bearing surface 127 of structure 26. A latch point 
138 protrudes from surface 126 to engage a locking tab 139 which protrudes 
from a top surface of the steeping chamber 30 as shown in phantom in FIG. 
5A to secure the brew basket in the closed position. 
The rate of flow of heated water through the steeping chamber 30 is 
regulated by a novel flow control valve pivotally secured to the bottom of 
the inner section 68. The flow control valve, indicated generally at 80 in 
FIG. 2A, includes a valve arm 82 which supports a frusto-conical valve 
plunger 84 positioned and biased by a spring 83 for partial adjustable 
insertion into the brewed tea exit port 57 which has a complementary 
frusto-conical shape. A toggle control arm 86, pivotally secured about the 
neck of exit port 57 includes a vertical displacement cam or ramp 88 
(shown in isolated detail in FIGS. 6A-6C) in contact with a distal tab 85 
of valve arm 82, whereby radial adjustment of toggle control arm 86 
changes the relative position of distal tab 85 of valve arm 82 upon 
displacement of ramp 88 to thereby adjust the relative position of valve 
plunger 84 within exit port 57 and the consequent flow rate of liquid 
therethrough. A finger tab 89 on the forward distal end of toggle control 
arm 86 allows the valve to be easily adjusted from the front of the 
steeping chamber. A small through-hole 81 (e.g., 0.080" diameter) is 
provided in valve plunger 84 to define a minimum flow rate and elevation 
of the steeping head in the steeping chamber. As shown in isolated detail 
in FIGS. 7A-7C, the valve arm 82 further includes a cylindrical wall 87 
which surrounds valve plunger 84 and drain holes 79 disposed radially 
about plunger 84. Wall 87 has a height dimension substantially equal to a 
height dimension of plunger 84. As shown in FIG. 2A, the top of wall 87 is 
positioned slightly higher than the lowermost point of exit port 57 to 
contain all liquid which drains through port 57 for flow rate controlled 
passage through the valve. 
To prepare hot brewed tea in accordance with the apparatus and method of 
the invention, the water reservoir is filled with an appropriate amount of 
water, for example, the maximum capacity which is approximately equal to 
the maximum capacity of tea pot 32. A brewing material such as tea is 
placed in the steeping chamber in an open position swung out from under 
the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure. The 
steeping chamber is then swung and locked into the closed position under 
the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure. Heating 
and warming element 38 is energized by operation of switch 40 to begin 
thermal dynamic pumping of water from the water reservoir to the heated 
water distributor structure, into the steeping chamber, and through the 
steeping chamber valve into the tea pot. Upon completion of the steeping 
operation, the tea is ready to be served directly from the tea pot and/or 
kept warm in the tea pot upon the warming platform. 
Although the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred 
and alternate embodiments, modifications and variations which may occur to 
those of skill in the art are equivalent to and within the scope of the 
invention as defined by the accompanying claims.