Abstract:
A perforated stirrer contains a drink product requiring mixing upon use; examples of such products include tea, instant coffee, powdered lemonade, etc. The stirrer may also contain additional mixing ingredients (e.g. sugar or powdered milk). A stirrer according to the disclosure thus provides both the ingredients for making the beverage and an implement for stirring the beverage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/303,757 filed Feb. 12, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to producing and stirring mixtures in liquids. More particularly, the disclosure relates to making beverages such as coffee, and specifically to stirring and mixing an instant beverage and condiments (sugar, creamer and the like) for a serving of the beverage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    A person making a cup of coffee or tea to his/her liking must often contend with separate dispensers or containers for coffee or tea, sugar and creamer, and also needs an implement for stirring the finished product. In a typical fast-food setting, the sugar and creamer are supplied in small packets, and a separate stirrer is used. The opened packaging and stirrer must be disposed after use. Often this leaves the table area untidy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides a perforated stirrer containing a drink product requiring mixing upon use; examples of such products include tea, instant coffee, powdered lemonade, etc. The stirrer may also contain additional mixing ingredients (e.g. sugar or powdered milk). A stirrer according to the disclosure thus provides both the ingredients for making the beverage and an implement for stirring the beverage. 
         [0005]    According to an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for making and stirring a liquid mixture includes a stirrer having an exterior wall with a perforation formed in at least a portion thereof, and at least one container disposed in the interior of the stirrer and configured to contain a mixture component. The container is formed of a material permitting the liquid to contact the mixture component; immersion of the perforated portion of the stirrer in the liquid causes the liquid to contact the container through the perforation, thereby producing a mixture of the liquid and the component external to the stirrer. 
         [0006]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for making and stirring a liquid mixture includes a stirrer having an exterior wall with a perforation formed in at least a portion thereof, and at least one solid divider disposed in the interior of the stirrer dividing at least a portion of the interior of the stirrer into compartments. At least one compartment contains a mixture component. The apparatus also includes a covering disposed on the exterior wall of the stirrer and covering the perforated portion of the stirrer; the material of the covering dissolves on contact with the liquid, thereby permitting the component to dissolve in the liquid and produce a mixture of the liquid and component external to the stirrer. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for preparing a liquid mixture includes the steps of providing a stirrer as described above; and immersing the perforated portion of the stirrer in the liquid, to cause the liquid to contact the container through the perforation and thereby produce a mixture of the liquid and the component. 
         [0008]    The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred features of the present disclosure so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the disclosure that follows. Additional features of the disclosure will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure in its broadest form. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a perforated stirrer with a product contained therein, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1B  is an isolation view of the container for the product of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0011]      FIG. 1C  is an end view of the perforated stirrer of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a paddle-shaped stirrer with a product contained therein, according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is an isolation view of the container for the product of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0014]      FIG. 2C  is an end view of the stirrer of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a perforated stirrer with a plurality of product containers contained therein, according to a further embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  illustrates the containers for the products of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3C  is an end view of the perforated stirrer of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perforated stirrer with a plurality of separate compartments for holding products, according to an additional embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    A stirrer for providing a single product (e.g. hot coffee or tea), according to an embodiment of the disclosure, is shown in  FIG. 1A . Stirrer  10  is a hollow cylinder having a plurality of holes  12  formed therein, at least in a region  16  near one end which is to be immersed in liquid. A container  15  for the product (e.g. an instant beverage) is disposed inside the cylinder. As shown in  FIG. 1B , container  15  has a diameter and a length to conform to the inside diameter and the length of the perforated portion of the cylinder. Container  15  has a paper or mesh exterior permeable by the surrounding liquid (as is typical of a tea bag, for example). Alternatively, container  15  may be made of a dissolvable film, so that both the container and the contents thereof dissolve into the surrounding liquid. Container  15  may be filled with tea, instant coffee, powdered cocoa, powdered bouillon, powdered lemonade, etc. 
         [0020]    Stirring the liquid with the stirrer  10  causes the liquid to flow through holes  12  and permeate container  15 , come into contact with the contents of the container, and thus produce the desired beverage. Depending on the beverage desired, the liquid may be hot water (e.g. for bouillon), hot milk (e.g. for cocoa), cold water (e.g. for lemonade), etc. In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1C , the end of stirrer  10  has a grid structure  13  permitting liquid to flow into the cylinder while supporting container  15  inside the cylinder. 
         [0021]    Stirrer  10  is typically made of plastic, but may be of any material suitable for food service and immersible in liquid of the desired temperature (typically boiling water). 
         [0022]    In this embodiment, the holes  12  in the cylinder are circular and are located in a portion of the cylinder. In general, the holes may be of any desired shape or size, and may perforate part or all of the length of the cylinder. In addition, the size of the holes may be selected according to the dissolving rate of the product; for example, a slowly dissolving or infusing product may be advantageously contained in a stirrer with relatively large holes. 
         [0023]    In this embodiment, the stirrer is a circular cylinder, but may be another shape if desired (e.g. a square cylinder, a triangular cylinder, a hollow spiral shape, etc.). 
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a paddle-shaped stirrer according to another embodiment of the disclosure. Stirrer  20  has a handle portion  21  and a product stirring portion  22 , which holds product container  25 . Stirring portion  22  has a cage structure  24  for holding the container  25 , while permitting liquid to permeate the container. As shown in  FIG. 2B , container  25  has a size and shape conforming to the interior of stirring portion  22 . In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2C , the end of stirrer  20  has a grid structure  23  permitting liquid to flow into the stirrer while supporting container  25  therein. Container  25  is constructed and holds a product similarly to container  15 . The shape of stirrer  20  may be modified as desired; for example, product stirring portion  22  may have a spoon shape and handle portion  21  may be shaped as a spoon handle. 
         [0025]    In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 3A , a stirrer  30  is perforated with holes  32  and has a plurality of containers  35 ,  36 ,  37  disposed within the stirrer. The containers have separate products for mixing together in the desired beverage. For example, container  35  may be a mesh or paper bag as described above, containing tea or instant coffee. Containers  36  and  37  may be formed of a dissolvable film and hold powdered creamer and sweetener, respectively ( FIG. 3B ). Accordingly, when the perforated end of stirrer  30  is immersed in a cup of hot water, water flows through the perforations and permeates container  35  while dissolving the film of containers  36  and  37 ; this produces a cup of coffee with creamer and sweetener dissolved in the coffee. The user may continue to stir the stirrer  30  until the coffee reaches the desired strength. It is desirable that when container  35  holds tea, the container not be made of a dissolvable film so that tea leaves are confined to the container. If container  35  holds a dissolvable product such as instant coffee, bouillon, powdered lemonade, etc., the container may be made of a dissolvable film similarly to containers  36  and/or  37 . In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3C , the end of stirrer  30  has a grid structure  33  permitting liquid to flow into the cylinder while supporting containers  35 - 37  inside the cylinder. 
         [0026]    A stirrer embodying the disclosure may also be used to add a controlled amount of a product to a liquid already prepared. For example, a user stirring a soup, gravy, etc. (prepared by some other means) may use a stirrer as described above to add herbs, seasonings, spices, flavorings, colorings or the like. The container for the herbs, etc. (for example, container  15 ) may be formed of a paper or mesh material (in which case the added product is infused into the surrounding liquid), or may be formed of a dissolvable material (in which case the product comes into contact with liquid entering through the holes  12  and dissolves in the surrounding liquid). 
         [0027]    In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , products to be dissolved in the liquid are not individually packaged, but are disposed in separate compartments in the stirrer. Stirrer  40  is a perforated cylinder as described above, including an end  41  with a grid structure and holes  42 . Stirrer  40  also has solid dividers  43 ,  44 ,  45  which divide the interior of the stirrer into compartments  46 ,  47 ,  48 . In this embodiment, a different dissolvable product is disposed in each compartment (e.g. instant coffee, powdered creamer, and sugar respectively). A sleeve  49  of a dissolvable material encases end  41 , covers the holes  42 , and is adhered to the upper portion of stirrer  40 , thereby retaining the products in their respective compartments until the stirrer is immersed in liquid. In an embodiment, when a user dips the stirrer into hot water, film  49  dissolves so that instant coffee in compartment  48 , creamer in compartment  47 , and sugar in compartment  46  come into contact with the water. These different components then dissolve in the water to produce the desired beverage; the user stirs the beverage until the desired strength is obtained. 
         [0028]    It will be appreciated that a stirrer according to the disclosure may be used to produce mixtures of various components; the disclosure is not limited to stirrers for preparing beverages. For example, stirrer  10  may have a container  15  filled with a chemical agent which is to be mixed with a liquid (typically but not necessarily water). In another example, stirrer  10  may have a container  15  filled with a powdered colorant; when the stirrer is used to stir a paint base, the colorant is released into the base. The user continues to stir the paint until the desired hue is obtained. 
         [0029]    While the disclosure has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is evident in view of the foregoing description that numerous alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the disclosure is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and the following claims.