Abstract:
A French press coffee maker  200  having a coffee grounds basket is provided. The coffee grounds basket  100  is a completely contained mesh basket ( 14 - 19 ) that enables the placement of coffee grounds therein, while completely preventing loose coffee grounds from physically mixing with the water that ultimately becomes the coffee the user drinks. In this manner, not only is the coffee more pure, but cleaning the device is made easier and simpler by maintaining the used coffee grounds separate and apart from the carafe/container within which it is positioned during use.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/059,195 filed on Oct. 3, 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present principles relate to coffee makers. More particularly, they relate to the incorporation of a grounds basket into a French coffee press device. 
         [0004]    Description of the related art 
         [0005]    The use of coffee maker known as a French Presses commonly known. It is well known to use French press coffee makers to “steep” coffee. Namely, boiling water is mixed with coarsely ground coffee in a container or carafe. After the coffee is allowed to steep for several minutes, one presses down on a handle, thus containing the grounds in the bottom of the container beneath a perforated disk. The disk is perforated to allow the liquid coffee to pass through the disk as the disk is being lowered through the liquid. The coffee can then be poured (or drunk directly) from the container while the grounds are prevented from flowing out of the container. 
         [0006]    One primary disadvantage to the current designs of French presses is when it comes time to clean the same. Although the grounds are compressed at the bottom of the press, they are loose at the bottom of the carafe and need to be removed from the bottom after brewing. This removal process is difficult and tedious, and often deters individuals from wanting to use the French press at all. 
         [0007]    It would therefore be desirable to have a French Press design that allows for easy removal of the grounds, and therefore easier cleaning and ultimate use of the same. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present principles provide a coffee grounds basket within the French Press that is configured to completely contain the coffee grounds within the same. The coffee grounds basket is attached to the center stem and moves with the same during the press action. 
         [0009]    According to one embodiment, the coffee press includes a carafe/container having a lid, a press mechanism passing through the lid, and a coffee grounds basket connected to the press mechanism and configured to receive and completely contain coffee grounds within the same. 
         [0010]    Other aspects and features of the present principles will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the present principles, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote similar components throughout the views: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a cross-sectional view of the French Press coffee maker with coffee grounds basket, according to one implementation of the present principles; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show exploded perspective views of the French Press coffee maker with coffee grounds basket, and the coffee grounds basket, respectively, according to an implementation of the present principles; and 
           [0014]      FIGS. 4-10  show the details of the various parts of the French Press Coffee Maker and more specifically the parts that make up one embodiment of the coffee grounds basket of the present principles; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Before describing the figures in detail, applicant points out that the measurements, angles and all other specific indicia included in the drawings are for exemplary purposes only and are not in any way meant to limit the respective parts and their configurations. Departures from these indicia can be implemented without departing from the intended scope of this disclosure. 
         [0016]    The following is a list of reference numerals and parts as shown in the Figures:
   Bottom cup  1 —(preferably made of metal);   Glass Carafe or container— 2 ;   Lower handle bracket— 3 ;   Lid screw— 4 ;   Wire handle assembly— 5 ;   Carafe/Container Lid (metal)— 6 ;   Central Rod— 7 ;   Lid insert— 8  (plastic);   Lid nut— 9 ;   Bottom of upper press knob— 10 ;   Nut for press knob— 11 ;   Upper press knob (finial)  12 ;   Upper or top of grounds basket— 13 ;   Lower lid of grounds basket— 14 ;   Mesh lid for grounds basket— 15 ;   Silicone Ring— 16 ;   Grounds basket inner wall— 17 ;   Mesh basket for grounds basket— 18 A;   Inner grounds basket cage— 18 B;   Outer grounds basket cage— 19 ; and   Patterned sleeve (decorative)— 20 .   
 
         [0038]      FIG. 1  shows a cross sectional view of a French press coffee maker  200  in accordance with the present principles. Applicant shall not discuss all of the operating parts of the coffee press as listed above and focuses on the inventive aspects of the same below. 
         [0039]    As shown in FIG,  2 , a coffee ground basket, generally depicted by reference numeral  100 , is integrated into the press and operates to fully contain all the coffee grounds within the same. The coffee ground basket  100  can be made up of several parts (as shown) or alternatively could be configured to be significantly less parts as will be described below. 
         [0040]    The coffee ground basket has an outer cage  19  configured to receive a mesh basket  18 A, which received an inner cage  18 B. The cages  19  and  18 B are provided to add rigidity to the mesh basket  18 A. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the mesh basket  18 A is generally made of a stainless steel metal foil having a micron sized mesh (e.g., 600 microns) and which, under pressure, could be crushed or deformed. As such support cages  19  and  18 B are provided. 
         [0041]    The inner cage  18 B is covered by a lid  14  which can be removably secured thereto by threads, slots and notches or any other known means to secure a lid to a container. An upper mesh portion  15  is sandwiched between the lid  14  and an upper basket lid  13  and functions to completely enclose the mesh basket  18 A which contains the coffee grounds. The connection between the upper basket lid  13  and the middle lid  14  can be performed with any known connection mechanism. As shown, a plurality of protrusions  30  can be positioned around the upper surface of the lid  14  with corresponding receiving holes  32  in the underside of the upper basket lid  13 , such that a friction fit between the two parts operates to secure them together while retaining mesh portion  15  there between. A central protrusion  34  can assist in proper positioning of the upper lid  13  with respect to lid  14 , and will be received by a hold  36  in the upper lid  13 . Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the connection mechanism between upper lid  13  and middle lid  14  can be achieved in many different ways, including, but not limited to a mechanical latch system. 
         [0042]    A silicon ring  16  is also secured between the upper lid  13  and the middle lid  14  such that the circumference of the same is in contact with the side walls of the carafe  2 . The silicon ring  16  can include openings  40  that are aligned with the protrusions  30  in the middle lid such that the same does not shift or move once sandwiched between the upper lid  13  and middle lid  14 . A cross section of one preferred implementation of the silicon ring is shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0043]    In operation, the upper lid  13  is fixedly connected to the end of the press rod  7  by threading or other means. Thus, prior to use, the user will remove the basket  100  from the press. To open the basket, the user removes lid  14  from the inner cage  18 B. This is generally done without having to separate the upper lid  13  from middle lid  14 , thus keeping the sandwiched mesh plate  15  and silicon ring  16  in their proper operable positions. Once opened, the user fills the mesh basket  18 A with the coffee grounds, and once filled, middle lid  14  is re-secured to the inner cage  18 B with the provided locking mechanism. 
         [0044]    The French press coffee maker is now ready for use by adding boiling water to the carafe  2  and sealing the top lid  6  to the same. Once assembled, the rod  7  can be moved downward (or upward), thus causing the brewing of the coffee contained in the basket. As will be appreciated, the silicone ring  16  seals the sides and the bottom of the coffee ground basket from liquid communication with the upper portion of the carafe/container  2 . As such, when the rod  7  is moved downward, all liquid below and around the sides of the coffee grounds basket  100  will be forced through the basket and out the lid  14 , through the mesh lid  15 , thus operating to brew the coffee contained in the basket while maintaining all the coffee grounds within the same. 
         [0045]    Once a user is finished drinking the freshly brewed coffee, the coffee ground basket assembly  100  can be removed from the carafe  2  and disassembled for removal of the used coffee grounds and cleaning. The carafe  2  will have no coffee grounds left in the same using the coffee grounds basket as disclosed here. 
         [0046]    With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the mesh parts  15  and  18  have micron sized openings which cannot be easily depicted in the drawings shown. Those of skill in the art of coffee makers such as these will appreciate that the micron size can be varied so long as the same is sufficiently small to prevent the passing of coffee grounds from the basket into the water (i.e., coffee being dispensed). 
         [0047]    In other contemplated implementations the number of parts used to form the coffee grounds basket can be reduced by combining the same, and/or replacing them with other materials. For example, as noted above, the mesh basket  18 A is positioned between an outer cage  19  and an inner cage  18 B. This is because the micron perforated stainless steel used to fabricate mesh basket  18 A is not rigid enough on its own to withstand the force applied to the same via rod  7 . Thus, it is possible that cages  18 B and  19  and corresponding lids  13  and  14  could be eliminated if mesh basket  18 A and mesh lid  15  could be fabricated from a more rigid material that would withstand the pressure applied by the press. 
         [0048]    While there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present principles, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the same. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the present principles. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or implementation of the present principles may be incorporated in any other disclosed, described or suggested form or implementation as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.