SWEET TEA BREWING DEVICE

The present application provides a sweet tea brewing device for brewing tea with hot water and adding sugar and dilution water. The sweet tea brewing device includes a tea basket for brewing the tea with the hot water, a sugar basket with the sugar downstream of the tea basket, a dilution line with the dilution water in communication with the sugar basket, and a tea urn downstream of the sugar basket. The tea from the tea basket and the dilution water from the dilution line dissolve the sugar in the sugar basket such that the combined tea, dissolved sugar, and dilution water flow to the tea urn.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to brewing devices and more particularly relate to sweet tea brewing devices for dissolving sugar into the tea as the tea is brewed in a single step process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Brewed sweet tea is one of the most popular fresh brewed offerings in restaurants, convenience stores, and other types of outlets. The process of making sweet tea generally involves adding granular sugar to the brewed tea in a tea urn or other type of container and stirring until the sugar is dissolved. For example, about three pounds of sugar may be added to a typical three gallon tea urn. This is a cumbersome and time consuming process that may be prone to inconsistencies in the sweetness and/or quality  of the final beverage due to human error, lack of complete dissolving of the sugar, stratification, and other causes.

There is thus a desire for an improved brewing device that provides dissolved sugar or other types of sweeteners to the brewed tea or other type of brewed beverage in the correct proportions at the time of brewing in an automated and easy to use fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application and the resultant patent provide a sweet tea brewing device for brewing tea with hot water and adding sugar and dilution water. The sweet tea brewing device includes a tea basket for brewing the tea with the hot water, a sugar basket with the sugar downstream of the tea basket, a dilution line with the dilution water in communication with the sugar basket, and a tea urn downstream of the sugar basket. The tea from the tea basket and the dilution water from the dilution line dissolve the sugar in the sugar basket such that the combined tea, dissolved sugar, and dilution water flow to the tea urn.

The present application and the resultant patent further provide a method of brewing sweet tea. The method may include the steps of brewing tea with hot water in a tea basket, flowing the tea to a sugar basket with sugar therein, flowing dilution water to the sugar basket, dissolving the sugar in the tea and the dilution water, and flowing the combined tea, dissolved sugar, and dilution water to a tea urn.

These and other features and improvements of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the shown drawings and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,FIG. 1shows a known brewing device10. The brewing device10includes an outer frame20with a water heater30therein. The water heater30has a hot water spout40. The brewing device10further includes a tea basket50in communication with the hot water spout40. The tea basket50includes a volume of tea leaves or other types of brewable material therein. The tea leaves may be in one or more tea bags55or other type of permeable packaging or loose tea may be held in a paper filter. The tea basket50may include a tea spout60. The brewing device10further may include a tea urn70. The tea urn70may have any convenient size, shape, or configuration. In this example, the tea urn70may have a conventional three gallon configuration. The brewing device10also may have a dilution water line80. The dilution water line80may be in communication with the tea urn70or elsewhere to provide dilution water and the like. In a conventional manner, hot water from the water heater30flows into the tea basket50to brew the tea therein. The brewed tea flows into the tea urn70where dilution water may be added by the dilution water line80. Sugar also may be manually added and stirred to dissolve. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 2shows a sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. The figures are not drawn to scale. In a manner similar to that above, the sweet tea brewing device100may include an outer frame110, a water heater120with a water spout130, a tea basket140with one or more tea bags145and a tea spout150, a tea urn160, and a dilution line170. In this example, the sweet tea brewing device100further includes a sugar basket180with a volume of granular sugar185therein. The granulation range of the sugar may vary from about USS screen 8 to about USS screen 200 with larger sizes preferred. The sugar basket180may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration.

The sugar basket180may be positioned between the tea basket140and the tea urn160with the tea basket140and the sugar basket180arranged in a top and bottom configuration195. As will be described in more detail below, the sugar basket180may have an open mesh end190or other type of exit. The open mesh end190may be a metal mesh, a fabric mesh, combinations thereof, and the like. The tea spout150of the tea basket140thus may be in communication with the sugar basket180and the open mesh end190of the sugar basket180may be in communication with the tea urn160. The dilution line170may be in communication with the sugar basket180or elsewhere. More than one dilution line170may be used. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

The sugar basket180may be sized to permit all of the sugar therein to dissolve in the time of the typical brew cycle, e.g., about three pounds of sugar for three gallons of tea in a brewing cycle of about six to ten minutes. In use, hot water flows from the water spout130of the water heater120into the tea basket140. The hot water seeps through the tea leaves to create the brewed tea. The brewed tea flows through the tea spout130into the sugar basket180and in contact with the sugar therein. More than one tea spout130may be used. At the same time, dilution water from the dilution line170also may flow into the sugar basket180. The dilution line170may be configured with a sprayer head200to ensure continuous spraying of the sugar by the dilution water. The combination of the hot brewed tea brew and the dilution water ensures that all of the sugar is dissolved during the typical brewing cycle. The now sweetened tea205flows through the open mesh end190of the sugar basket180into the tea urn160. The sweetened tea now may be served as desired.

FIG. 3shows an alternative embodiment of the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the tea spout130may lead to a manifold spray head210positioned over or within the sugar basket180. The manifold spray head210may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The manifold spray head210ensures even spraying over the all of the sugar therein. The tea spout130and/or the manifold spray head210also may rotate for good water coverage. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 4shows a further alternative embodiment of the sugar basket180for use with the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may include a mechanical mixer220therein. The mechanical mixer220may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The mechanical mixer220may be driven by the water in the dilution line170, by a separate flow source, and/or by electromechanical devices. Alternatively, the streams flowing into or exiting the tea basket140and/or the sugar basket180may be used to drive the mechanical mixer220. The mixing action assist in dissolving the sugar into the tea. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 5show a further alternative embodiment of the sugar basket180for use with the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may include a dispersion pan230positioned thereon. The dispersion pan230may include a central aperture240for the tea spout150and any number of dispersion holes250. The dispersion pan230may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The dispersion pan230may be in communication with the dispersion water line170such that dilution water flows evenly through the dispersion holes250for good water coverage of the sugar. The dispersion pan230alternatively also may define a water cavity and a mesh raised liner. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 6show an alternative embodiment of the sweet tea brewing device100described herein. Instead of the tea basket140and the sugar basket180arranged in the top and bottom configuration195described above, here the tea basket140and the sugar basket180may be arranged in a side by side configuration260. The tea basket140and the sugar basket180may be separate containers in a single material hopper or separate structures. The size and shape of the tea basket140and the sugar basket180may vary to accommodate differing brew times and dissolving times and/or the flow rates of the hot water through the tea basket140and the sugar basket180may vary. The brewed tea may have a separate exit such that the brewed tea and the dissolved sugar solution merge at some downstream point or the brewed tea may flow into the sugar basket180to aid in dissolving the sugar. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 7shows a further alternative embodiment of the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, a combined tea/sugar basket270is shown. The tea bag145may be supported above the sugar185by a number of support fins or rods280within the combined tea/sugar basket270or the tea bag55may be positioned directly on the sugar185. The dilution water line170also may be used in this example. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 8shows a further alternative embodiment of the sugar basket180for use with the sweet tea brewing device100as may be defined herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may have an inner chamber280and an outer chamber290separated by a chamber divider300. The chamber divider300may have a number of divider apertures310therein. The number, size, and shape of the divider apertures310may vary. Alternatively, a mesh divider also may be used. The inner chamber280holds the sugar therein. The dilution line170may be in communication with the outer chamber290. The brewed tea from the tea basket140flows into the inner chamber280to dissolve the sugar. Dilution water also may flow from the outer chamber280into the inner chamber290to aid in dissolving the sugar. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 9shows a further alternative embodiment of the sugar basket180for use with the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may have a substantially conical shape320. The sugar basket180may be made out of a mesh330. The size of the apertures in the mesh330may vary. The conical shape320maintains the sugar where the water is flowing as opposed to, for example, a typical corner of a rectangular container that may have less water flow and therefore more undissolved sugar. Dilution water may be added from the dilution line170being in communication with a top dilution tray or a rim340positioned at the top of the cone320. Other components and other configurations may be used.

FIG. 10shows a further alternative embodiment of the sugar basket180for use with the sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may again have the substantially conical shape320. The sugar basket180may made out of a plastic360and/or a combination of the plastic360for a top portion and the mesh330for a bottom portion. The plastic portion of the cone320may have grooves or fins360formed therein to promote the downward movement of the sugar. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 11shows a further embodiment of a sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, the sugar basket180may have a pair of support arms400on either side thereof that extend upwardly and around the tea basket140. Each support arm400may have a hook410on the upper end thereof. Each hook410may fit into a groove420formed in the top end of the outer frame110. Other types of connection means may be used herein. The use of the support arms400may give the sugar basket180some amount of swing for easy positioning. The sugar basket180may use the modified manifold spray head210on top and the mesh bottom190. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 12shows a further embodiment of a sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, a sugar hopper430may be attached to the top or side of the outer frame110about the sugar basket180. The sugar hopper430holds a volume of bulk sugar therein. The sugar hopper430may have a dispensing chute440in communication with the sugar basket180. A portion controlled sugar dispense control button450may be positioned on the outer frame110or elsewhere. The portion controlled sugar dispense control button450may dispense a pre-weighed amount of sugar to flow into the sugar basket180under the force of gravity or otherwise. Specifically, sugar that can be dispensed in a portion controlled manner, such that a precise quantity of sugar /per brew cycle is used to maintain quality of sweet tea. The portion controlled sugar dispense control button450may be mechanical or electromechanical. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.

FIG. 13shows a further embodiment of a sweet tea brewing device100as may be described herein. In this example, a combined tea basket and sugar basket460is shown. The combined tea basket and sugar basket460combines the tea basket140and the sugar basket180in a single unit. The combined tea basket and sugar basket460thus may be installed and removed as the single unit. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.