Abstract:
A brew stick for brewing a measure of brewable material. The brew stick may include a bag with the measure of brewable material positioned therein and a plate. The plate may include a pair of wings and a central tab. The bag is connected to the central tab such that the bag can be raised within the wings.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a non-provisional application claiming priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60/803,651, filed on Jun. 1, 2006, incorporated herein by reference in full. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present application relates generally to brewing packages and methods and more particularly relates to the use of a “tea stick” brewing package and methods for tea leaves.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Individual servings of tea leaves are generally packaged in a traditional double-chambered tea bag. As is well known, the tea bag is placed within a consumer&#39;s cup and the beverage is steeped until brewed. The tea bag is then removed via an attached string and discarded. Known tea bags, however, have several disadvantages. For example, traditional tea bags may not be able to fit in all types of glasses such as a traditional tulip-shaped “ince belli” Turkish tea glass and otherwise, Further, tea bags often may drip hot or boiling water when removed from the cup. Such dripping thus may present a potential danger to the consumer.  
         [0004]     There is a desire, therefore, for an improved tea brewing system that is easy to use and also easy to be disposed of without risk of harm to the customer. The improved brewing system preferably should be reasonably priced as compared to traditional tea bags.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present application thus describes a brew stick for brewing a measure of brewable material. The brew stick may include a bag with the measure of brewable material positioned therein and a plate. The plate may include a pair of wings and a central tab. The bag is connected to the central tab such that the bag can be raised within the wings.  
         [0006]     The plate may include a number of perforations positioned about the central tab such that the central tab is removable from the pair of wings. The plate may include a number of attachment tabs positioned about the central tab and the pair of wings. The brew stick further may include an envelope to seal the brew stick therein. The bag may be made out of Nylon or Soilon. The plate may be made out of cardboard. The bag may include an extended shape. The brewable material may be tea leaves.  
         [0007]     The present application further describes a method of brewing tea in a cup from a tea stick having a tea bag attached to a plate with a central tab and a number of wings. The method may include placing the tea stick within the cup, steeping the tea, removing the tea stick from the cup, detaching the central tab from the plate, raising the tea bag between the wings, and squeezing the wings.  
         [0008]     The method further may include the step of flattening the wings before the placing step. The placing step may include placing the tea stick in a Turkish tea glass. The placing step also may include covering the mouth of the cup with the plate. The central tab may be connected to the plate via a number of perforations and the detaching step may include ripping the number of attachments.  
         [0009]     The present application further describes a tea stick for brewing a measure of tea leaves. The tea stick may include an extended tea bag with the measure of tea leaves positioned therein and a circular plate. The circular plate may include a pair of wings and a central tab. The tea bag is connected to the central tab via a number of perforations such that the tea bag can be raised within the wings.  
         [0010]     The circular plate may include a number of attachment tabs positioned about the central tab and the pair of wings. The tea stick further may include an envelope to seal the tea stick therein. The tea bag may be made out of Nylon or Soilon. The plate may be made out of cardboard.  
         [0011]     These and other features of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detail description when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tea stick as is described herein.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tea stick of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the tea stick positioned within an envelope.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tea stick being removed from the envelope.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tea stick in the folded position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the wings of the tea stick being opened.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the wings of the tea stick in the opened position.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the tea stick being placed in a glass.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the tea stick within a glass.  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the tea stick being removed from a glass.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the wings of the tea stick being folded downward while the tab is being removed from the wings.  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the tea bag being raised into the wings and the tea bag being squeezed.  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the tea stick after use.  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a brewed tea beverage. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a tea stick  100  as is described herein. The tea stick  100  as shown is a single serving size, although other sizes may be used herein. The tea stick  100  includes a tea bag  110  with a measure of tea leaves  120  positioned therein. The tea bag  110  may have any convenient size or shape. For example, the tea bag  110  may have a width such that it will fit within an opening of a traditional tulip-shaped tea glass or other desired shape. As such, the tea bag  110  as shown has an extended shape in length. The tea bag  110  may be a single or double chamber bag. The tea bag  110  may be made out of Nylon, Soilon (a corn starch derivative), or other types of conventional materials. Any desired amount or type of tea leaves  120  may be used herein. The tea leaves  120  also may be placed within a separate pouch (not shown) before being placed within the tea bag  110 . Other types of brewable material, such as coffee, may be used herein.  
         [0027]     The tea bag  110  may be attached to a plate  140 . The plate  140  may be largely circular in shape. The plate  140  may be sized to cover the open diameter of a particular type of cup. Likewise, plates  140  with a number of different shapes or sizes may be used. Specifically, the plate  140  may have any desired size or shape such that the plate  140  serves as an envelope for the tea bag  110  as will be described in more detail below. The plate  140  may be made out of paper, cardboard, plastic, and other conventional types of materials. A foil layer or another type of substantially non-permeable material also may be used thereon.  
         [0028]     The plate  140  may be divided into two sides or “wings”  150  on either end of an extended tab  160 . The tab  160  may be folded about the middle and have a number of perforations  170  on both sides along the intersection with the wings  150  so as to be detachable therefrom. The wings  150  may be detached from each other on either side of the tab  160  other than along a pair of attachment tabs  175 . The elements of the plate  140  may be die cut from a continuous sheet of material. Any similar structure or manufacturing technique may be used herein. The tea bag  110  may be attached to the tab  160  of the plate  140  via heat sealing, adhesives, or other conventional types of joinder methods.  
         [0029]     As is shown in  FIG. 3 , the tea stick  100  may be positioned within an envelope  180  and sealed therein. The envelope  180  may be made out of any type of conventional substantially non-permeable material. The envelope  180  may have any desired size and shape. The envelope  180  may have a tear notch  185  on one end thereof for easy opening. The envelope  180  allows the tea stick  100  to be distributed while keeping the tea leaves  120  sealed and fresh therein. Other conventional types of packaging methods may be used herein. For example, multiple tea sticks  100  may be packaged in any type of a substantially airtight container or otherwise.  
         [0030]      FIGS. 4-14  show use of the tea stick  100 .  FIG. 4  shows the tea stick  100  in its closed position while being removed from the envelope  180 . As is shown in  FIG. 5 , the wings  150  of the tea stick  100  are folded down while in the envelope  180 . In order to use the tea stick  100 , the wings  150  are opened to the flat position as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIG. 8  shows placing the tea stick  100  within a glass  190 . In this case, the glass  190  is a tulip-shaped traditional “ince belli” Turkish tea glass. The tea stick  100  may be used with a glass  190  of any type, shape, or size. The wings  150  extend over the mouth of the glass  190  so as to keep the heat within the glass  190  and to provide for better infusion. The tea stick  100  remains in the glass  190  until the desired color or strength is reached as is shown in  FIG. 9 . At that point, the tea stick  100  may be removed from the glass  190  as is shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0031]     As the tea stick  100  is being removed from the glass  190 , the perforations  170  of the tab  160  are broken as the wings  150  are folded downward about the tea bag  110 . As is shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the tab  160  and the attached tea bag  110  are then pulled upward such that the wings  150  enclose the tea bag  110 . The tea bag  110  then may be squeezed to remove the liquid therein without fear of the consumer contacting the hot water, The tea stick  100  also may be placed on a table as is shown in  FIG. 13  without fear that the tea bag  110  will leak. Once the tea stick  100  is removed, a brewed tea beverage  200  is ready to drink.  
         [0032]     It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only the preferred embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following several claims and the equivalents thereof.