Abstract:
A device for preparing tea using a tea bag which dunks the bag for a selected amount of time, then removes the bag from the tea to end the infusion process. The device allows for a more convenient way to brew healthier and more precisely made tea.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/919,818, filed 2013 Dec. 23 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
     U.S. Patents 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 3,403,618 
                 B1 
                 1968 Oct. 1 
                 Lagg 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Foreign Patent Documents 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Cntry 
                 Kind 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Foreign Doc. Nr. 
                 Code 
                 Code 
                 Publ. Date 
                 Applicant 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 CN202698651 
                 CN 
                 B2 
                 2013 Jan. 30 
                 Chen 
               
               
                 DE10212004311 
                 DE 
                 A1 
                 2013 Aug. 29 
                 Fritz Gross 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. One very popular method of brewing tea in the western world is by the use of tea bags. Unknowingly, many people who choose this method of brewing are not getting the full health benefit of their beverage. Tea contains powerful antioxidants known as catechins which may help protect the drinker from developing cancer. However, those who do not dunk their tea bag in the hot water while it is brewing only consume a small fraction of the catechins when compared to those who do dunk the bag. 
     In one study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2001, Conrad Astill and several of his colleges showed that “ . . . the agitation to which the teabag is subjected is a major determinant of extraction efficiency; that is, the extraction efficiency is significantly greater for a continuously dunked teabag (dynamic infusion) than it is for a teabag that is left to float in the water, with no external agitation (static infusion).” In short, they found that “continuous mechanical dunking” of the tea bag released about four times the desirable cancer-fighting compounds (catechins) of the tea when compared to tea bags which were not continuously dunked. 
     The Tea-Boy Penguin Tea Timer is a device that holds the user&#39;s tea bag in the hot water for a user-defined amount of time, and then raises the tea bag out of the water once the time is up. Unfortunately, this device does not dunk the bag continuously and therefore it provides a beverage which is not a healthy as one produced by dunking. 
     My invention automates the dunking process, to provide tea drinkers a healthier and more convenient way to brew their beverage. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment a tea bag dunking device moves a tea bag up and down in water to create an infused beverage. 
     Advantages 
     Accordingly, advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: to produce healthier tea infusions, to produce less expensive tea bag dunkers, and to provide a more convenient way to steep tea. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective cut-away view of a tea bag dunking device. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a tea bag dunking device in use with its dunking arm raised. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tea bag dunking device in use with its dunking arm lowered. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a tea bag dunking device with its pulley in the up position. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a tea bag dunking device with its pulley in the down position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1 ,  2  and  3 —First Embodiment 
     It should be understood that aspects of the invention are described herein with reference to the figures, which show illustrative embodiments. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not necessarily intended to show all embodiments in accordance with the invention, but rather are used to describe a few illustrative embodiments. Thus, aspects of the invention are not intended to be construed narrowly in view of the illustrative embodiments. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the invention may be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the invention. 
     One embodiment of a tea bag dunking device, generally designated  10 , is illustrated in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3 . In one embodiment, device  10  comprises a housing  12 , a frame  14 , dunking arm  16 , and dunking actuator  18 . A teabag  20  is included in  FIG. 1-3  for demonstrative purposes and one or more batteries  22  are included in  FIG. 1  for demonstrative purposes. 
     All or part of housing  12  may be made of any suitably strong, water resistant material such as ABS plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, any other plastics, composites, metals, etc. In  FIG. 1-3 , the shape of housing  12  is a hemisphere on top of a cylinder. In other embodiments, the shape of housing  12  may be a rectangular prism, a truncated sphere, a truncated cone, or any other suitable shape. All or part of frame  14  may be made of any suitably strong material such as ABS plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, any other plastics, composites, metals, etc. All or part of dunking arm  16  may be made of any suitably strong, water resistant material such as ABS plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, any other plastics, composites, metals, etc. 
       FIG. 1  shows a cut-away view of device  10 , in which a portion of housing  12  has been removed such that internal components are revealed. In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , housing  12  includes dunking arm opening  24 , battery opening  26 , and button opening  28 . The positions of these openings are exemplary and they may be positioned at any suitable location on housing  12 . A battery door  27  covers battery opening  26  and is rotatably mounted at one end via a battery door pivot  29 . Battery door  27  may also be slidably attached to housing  12  and may use any suitable temporary attachment means to allow the user to remove and/or replace batteries  22 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , frame  14  comprises dunking arm pivot  30  and solenoid opening  32 . Dunking arm pivot  30  allows dunking arm  16  to be rotatably mounted to frame  14  at a suitable location along its length. Pivot  30  may include bearings and/or bushings to reduce the wear and/or friction caused by the rotation of dunking arm  16 . Pivot  30  may also include a knife edge support as an economical low friction alternative to bearings or bushings. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , dunking arm  16  comprises a long, slender shaft  34  with a shorter pivot shaft  36  that protrudes substantially horizontally in both directions at a suitable distance along shaft  34 . Dunking arm  16  also comprises a magnet shaft  38 , which protrudes substantially vertically downward from the end of shaft  34  which is contained within housing  12 . One or more magnet(s)  39  are attached to magnet shaft  38 . Dunking arm  16  further comprises a string holder  40 , which allows the user to attach the string of teabag  20  in a simple, temporary fashion. 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1-3 , string holder  40  is a simple notch which allows the user to wrap the string of teabag  20  around the notch multiple times to prevent it from slipping. String holder  40  may also be a small hole instead of a notch, a simple spring-loaded clip, a magnetic clip, or any other friction-based non-slip mechanism. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , dunking arm  16  is constrained to a suitable dunking stroke distance by the size of dunking arm opening  24  in housing  12 , but it will be appreciated that dunking arm  16  may be constrained in a number of ways. Examples include interference with magnet shaft  38 , one or more small wire(s) or string(s) attached to magnet shaft  38 , etc. A damping material (not shown) such as felt or foam rubber may be attached to dunking arm  16  at one or more locations that may contact other parts of dunking device  10  so as to reduce the noise of the operation and/or the wear of one or more components of dunking device  10 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , dunking actuator  18  comprises a solenoid  42 , a circuit board  44 , a battery holder  46 , and a button  48 . Dunking actuator  18  is the electrical, mechanical, or electro-mechanical means by which device  10  moves dunking arm  16  to provide the desired dunking motion. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , dunking actuator  18  simply activates solenoid  42  intermittently to apply a magnetic force to magnet(s)  39 . It is important with this design to choose the weight of magnet(s)  39  and the position of pivot shaft  36  such that teabag  20  (when wet) remains in the up position (as depicted in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) when solenoid  42  is inactive. 
     A simple electric circuit (not shown) on circuit board  44  may be employed which sends electric pulses to solenoid  42  of suitable duration and at suitably chosen intervals. The pulses create a magnetic field around solenoid  42 , which is oriented with respect to the field generated by magnet(s)  39  such that solenoid  42  repels magnet(s)  39 , thereby causing dunking arm  16  to rotate about dunking arm pivot  30 , producing the desired dunking motion. The duration of the pulses, along with the strength of magnet(s)  39 , and the choice of solenoid  42  must produce a force of sufficient strength to lower teabag  20  a suitable amount when activated while still minimizing electrical consumption so as to prolong battery life. The pulses are sent to solenoid  42  for an amount of time specified by the user. 
     Battery holder  46  holds the batteries  22  which provide electrical power to solenoid  42  and the circuit on circuit board  44 . Additionally or alternatively, known USB technology may be employed to supply electrical power to solenoid  42  and the circuit on circuit board  44  from a nearby USB-compatible power source (e.g. computer, laptop, external battery, USB wall outlet adapter, etc.). Button  48  allows for the user to activate the circuit on circuit board  44 . 
     Dunking actuator  18  may also comprise a continuously rotating electric or spring-driven motor (not shown), coupled to the input link (crank) of one of the following an oscillatory mechanism (not shown): a cam and follower, a crank rocker, a crank slider, a crank shaper etc. It may also consist of an intermittently activated electric or spring-driven motor coupled directly to pivot shaft  36 . It may also utilize a suitable gearbox to provide a reduction in shaft speed. 
     In one embodiment, dunking actuator  18  employs known audio technology to alert the user when their beverage has finished brewing. 
     FIG.  4 —Alternative Embodiment 
     One embodiment of a tea bag dunking device, generally designated  50 , is illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . In one embodiment, device  50  comprises a frame  52 , a dunking pulley  54 , and a dunking actuator  56 . A teabag  58 , a teabag string  60 , a mug  62 , and a quantity of water  64  are shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  for demonstrative purposes.  FIG. 4  shows pulley  54  in the up position (with teabag  58  raised and substantially out of water  64 ), and  FIG. 5  shows pulley  54  in the down position (with teabag  58  lowered a suitable amount into water  64 ). 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , frame  52  rests on the rim of mug  62 . In other embodiments (not shown), frame  52  is temporarily mounted onto the rim of mug  62  by any easily removable mechanical means such as a spring loaded clip (not shown), a rubber gripper (not shown), a magnetic clip, etc. In still other embodiments, frame  52  is free-standing next to mug  62 . In still other embodiments, mug  62  is designed specifically for temporary attachment to frame  52 , employing any suitable mechanical, magnetic, or other means to temporarily secure frame  52  to mug  62 . 
     All or part of frame  52  may be made of any suitably strong material such as ABS plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, any other plastics, composites, metals, etc. All or part of dunking pulley  54  may be made of any suitably strong, water resistant material such as ABS plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, any other plastics, composites, metals, etc. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , frame  52  comprises a battery housing  66  on one end, and one or more dunking pulley supports  68  on an opposing end. Housing  66  and supports  68  are connected by one or more spanning members  70  which span the center of the opening of mug  62 . In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , spanning members  70  are connected by a cross member  72 , which guides teabag string  60  such that the dunking motion of teabag  58  is substantially linear. Frame  52  further comprises a string holder  74 , a motor mount  76 , and one or more frame retainer(s)  78 . 
     The location of housing  66  in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  is exemplary, and it should be understood that housing  66  may be attached to frame  52  at any suitable location, so long as the location is allows for stable operation (i.e. in the case of frame  52  being supported by mug  62 , it does not tip over mug  62  or device  50 ). 
     The opening created by housing  66 , spanning members  70 , and cross member  72  should be large enough for substantially large teabags to be easily dropped through. 
     In one embodiment, members  70  are of a fixed length. In other embodiments, spanning members  70  are telescopic, such that frame  52  may be adjusted to fit a range of mug sizes. In still other embodiments, spanning members  70  are telescopic and spring loaded in order to apply a lateral (inward or outward) retaining force to retainer(s)  78 . 
     In one embodiment, cross member  72  is unitarily molded to members  70 . However, it should be understood that cross member  72  may be connected using any mechanical fastening means, adhesive bonding, any type of welding, etc. 
     String holder  74  is located near the end of frame  52  adjacent to supports  68  on the side of pulley  54  opposite of teabag  58 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , string holder  74  is a finger-actuated spring-loaded clip. In other embodiments, holder  74  is a simple notch (not shown) which allows the user to wrap the string of teabag  58  around the notch multiple times to prevent it from slipping. In still other embodiments, string holder  74  may also be a small hole (not shown) instead of a notch, a magnetic clip (not shown), or any other friction-based non-slip mechanism (not shown). 
     Motor mount  76  is attached at a suitable location to supports  68  by any suitable means. 
     In one embodiment, frame retainers  78  comprise small protrusions from the undersides of supports  68  and housing  66 , which prevents frame  52  from slipping off of mug  62 . The locations of retainers  78  are exemplary, and it should be understood that any suitable location may be chosen such that frame  52  does not slip off of mug  62 . In one embodiment, frame retainer(s) comprise concentric arc segments and/or concentric circles. 
     In one embodiment, one or more rubber pad(s) (not shown) are bonded to the underside of supports  68  and/or housing  66  to prevent frame  52  from sliding on the rim of mug  62 . 
     Dunking actuator  56  comprises a motor  80 , a shaft  82  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), an energy storage means (not shown), and an electric circuit (not shown). In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , motor  80  is an electric gear motor mounted to motor mount  76 . Motor  80  may also be a spring driven gear motor (not shown) where the energy storage means comprises the spring (not shown). Motor  80  is directly coupled to shaft  82  and must rotate at a sufficient speed to effectively infuse the beverage, but not so fast as to waste energy unnecessarily, splash any of water  64  out of mug  62  or onto device  50 , or to produce more noise than necessary. 
     The energy storage means (not shown) may comprise one or more rechargeable and/or disposable batteries, it may comprise a spring, it may comprise an elevated mass (the mass may even be mug  62  itself!), it may comprise one or more solar panels, it may comprise a butane-powered fuel cell, etc. Additionally or alternatively, actuator  56  may receive electrical energy from an external source, such as a nearby wall outlet or laptop. 
     The electric circuit (not shown) receives a user input (not shown) (via a button, switch, wireless signal, etc.) to begin the infusion process. It activates motor  80  indefinitely or for a certain amount of time. This amount of time may be fixed or user-selectable by way of a second user input (not shown) (examples comprise a button, a dial, a sliding switch, a wireless signal, etc.). The circuit may use any suitable visual (LED light, incandescent light, digital display, etc.) and/or audible (speaker, buzzer, etc.) and/or wireless (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) means to confirm certain inputs and states of device  50  as well as to notify the user when the infusion process has concluded. In one embodiment, the circuit employs known technology to limit the amount of time that motor  80  is activated. 
     In one embodiment, the circuit uses a sensor (such as a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor and emitter, etc.) which indicates the rotational position of shaft  82 . In one embodiment, this sensor is used in conjunction with a simple counter IC chip in order to shut off motor  80  with pulley  54  in the up position when a number of revolutions corresponding to the desired amount of steeping time have been reached. In this case, the sensor may also be attached to the high speed shaft within gear motor  80  or to the low speed output shaft  82 . In another embodiment, this sensor is used in conjunction with an IC timer so that once the timer indicates that the time is up, the motor can continue to turn until the sensor indicates that pulley  54  is in the up position. 
     Dunking pulley  54  is rigidly attached to shaft  82  such that shaft  82  is parallel to the axis of pulley  54 , but not concentric. Instead, pulley  54  is eccentric with respect to shaft  82 , thus shaft  82  is attached to pulley  54  at a location near the periphery of pulley  54 . This allows for pulley  54  to pull and release teabag string  60  repeatedly as shaft  82  rotates about its axis. String  60  slides on pulley  54 , and as it is pulled and released, teabag  58  moves up and down, respectively. Pulley  54  may be made of any suitable low-friction material, or it may employ a low friction coating, to both reduce the wear on string  60 , and to provide a smooth and efficient dunking motion. In  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , pulley  54  is round, but should be understood that any suitable shape may be used. In one embodiment, pulley  54  has a cam contour to improve the motion characteristics of teabag  58 . 
     Operation—FIG.  1 - 3   
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the user simply inserts the string of their tea bag into string holder  40  then presses button  48  a number of times corresponding to the number of minutes for which he or she would like to brew his or her beverage, and dunking actuator  18  begins dunking the bag automatically. Once the desired time is up, solenoid  42  remains inactive and dunking arm  16  remains in the up position due to the weight of magnet(s)  39 , thereby ending the brewing process. 
     Operation—FIG.  4 - 5   
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the user simply places device  50  onto their tea cup or mug, drops their tea bag in the middle of frame  52 , inserts string  60  into string holder  74  such that teabag  58  is just above the surface of water  64 , and uses the user input(s) of the circuit to specify the duration of steeping and then to begin the infusion process. Once the desired time is up, motor  80  is shut off automatically by the circuit or by user input with pulley  54  in the up position, thereby ending the infusion process. 
     In another embodiment, a dunking actuator uses a spring motor, a suitable mechanical means, and a dial timer to carry out the same function (not shown). Instead of pressing a button, the user would turn the dial to the desired brewing time and the dunking actuator would begin dunking the bag for the selected amount of time automatically. A bell (not shown) may be struck to alert the user when their beverage has finished brewing, and a mechanical stop would index pulley  54  into the up position. 
     Operation—Other Embodiments 
     In one embodiment, a pair of buttons and simple LCD display allow the user to press a first button a number of times corresponding to the number of minutes he or she would like to brew their beverage for, then press a second start button, and a dunking actuator would begin dunking the bag for the selected amount of time automatically, while displaying the time remaining on the LCD display (not shown). 
     In another embodiment, a dunking actuator uses a spring motor, a suitable mechanical means, and a dial timer to carry out the same function (not shown). Instead of pressing a button, the user would turn the dial to the desired brewing time and the dunking actuator would begin dunking the bag for the selected amount of time automatically. A bell (not shown) may be struck to alert the user when their beverage has finished brewing.