Patent Publication Number: US-2010119674-A1

Title: Tea press

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to an infuser for brewing beverages, and more particularly, to an infuser for making teas, coffees, and other brewed beverages. Over the centuries, humans have made drinks by infusing teas into liquid. Tea is defined as tea leaves, spices, herbs, berries, beans, or a combination thereof. 
     Traditionally, to make a cup or pot of tea, tea is placed into a tea cup or tea pot, and hot water is poured over the tea. The tea is usually removed from the hot water before it is served. 
     Before the advent of tea bags, the tea was removed from the hot water by filtering. Sometimes an infuser would be used. A tea infuser, also known as a tea ball or tea egg, is a device in which loose tea is placed for brewing. The tea infuser gained popularity in first half the 19th century. All three methods of brewing tea have drawbacks. 
     The tea bag has a pre-measured amount of tea, predetermining the strength of tea. Additionally, bagging tea increases the cost of tea; tea consumers pay for the tea and the labor and material cost to bag the tea. Using a tea filter or infuser resolves these issues but creates others. For example, filters and tea infusers are difficult to use away from a home or restaurant because loose tea would need to be carried for use. This is a mess waiting to happen in a purse or car. 
     Finally, all three methods (tea bag, filter, and infuser) of brewing tea are messy because once removed from liquid the tea bag, filter, or infuser drips the liquid. The user must find a place to put or dispose the tea bag, filter or infuser. And, although the tea may have been reused for another cup or pot of tea, such reuse becomes impossible because there is no way to store the remaining tea. 
     The purpose of the current invention, the Tea Press, is to provide the user with a beverage infuser that can be used away from a kitchen. It is compact enough to be carried in a purse or bag and has a location to store loose tea. After using the Tea Press, the tea can be quickly dried and stored for future use or disposal. The Tea Press also allows the user to determine the strength of his tea by allowing him to determine how much tea is placed within the tea press or, in the alternative, allows the user to brew volumes of greater than one cup of tea at one time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the current invention, the Tea Press, is to provide the user with a beverage infuser that can be used away from a kitchen. It is compact enough to be carried in a purse or bag and has a location to store loose tea. After using the Tea Press, the tea can be quickly dried and stored for future use or disposal. The Tea Press also allows the user to determine the strength of his tea by allowing him to determine how much tea is placed within the infuser or, in the alternative, allows the user to brew volumes of greater than one cup of tea at one time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of the Tea Press in its storage position; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the syringe; 
         FIG. 3  is an expanded view of the barrel and drip sheath; 
         FIG. 4  is an expanded view of the plunger and the cap; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom elevation view of the cap; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view of the bottom of the sheath; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view end the closed end of the plunger. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention, a Tea Press (“press”)  10 , is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set for herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the press  10  comprises a syringe  20 , a drip sheath  30 , and a cap  60 . The syringe  20  is a simple piston pump comprising a plunger  40  and a barrel  50 . Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the barrel  50  comprises a body end  51  and an infuser end  52 . The infuser end  52  is perforated. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the barrel  50  further comprises an inside  53  and an outside  54 . The plunger  40  fits tightly inside  53  the barrel  50 . The plunger  40  can be pushed along the inside  53  of the barrel  50 , allowing the syringe  20  to take in or expel a liquid, gas, or a combination thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in a preferred embodiment, the plunger  40  is a tube having an open end  41  and a closed end  42 . The cap  60  closes the open end  41 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the drip sheath  30  covers and locks securely onto the infuser end  52  of the barrel  50 .The user of the press can store tea inside the plunger  40 . 
     When ready to brew tea, the user places tea in the barrel  50 , the infuser end  52  of the barrel  50  is placed in liquid, the closed end  42  of the plunger  40  is place inside the barrel  50 , and the plunger  40  is pulled to take in liquid. When the user deems appropriate the liquid is expelled. To store the used tea, the plunger  40  is pushed into the barrel  50 , pressing out any excess liquid, and the drip sheath  30  is secured in place to prevent left over liquid from leaking when the press is stored after use.