Patent Publication Number: US-2017355517-A1

Title: Beverage bag

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/350,010, filed Jun. 14, 2016 which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of beverage mixes and more specifically relates to an improved beverage bag comprising pre-measured pouches of tea or coffee, along with sugar, artificial sweetener, and/or non-dairy creamer, all within honeycomb inspired packaging to provide consumers who enjoy enhanced beverages with a convenient, quick, no-mess means of creating the perfect cup of tea or coffee. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In few areas do Americans&#39; taste vary as widely as in beverages. Once they have reached the point where milk is not the only game in town, choices provide an almost unending assortment of drinks, with each category containing a plethora of selections. From flavored carbonated waters and citrus-tinged colas to fruity combination juices featuring apple and papaya, there is sure to be a tasty beverage for anyone. Perhaps the most popular liquid refreshment among adults is a hot cup of coffee. According to the National Coffee Association, 79% of the adult population in America—or 161 million people—drinks coffee every day. Whether enjoying a freshly brewed eye-opener in the morning, a gourmet latte in the afternoon, or an after dinner java to accompany dessert, many consider coffee the perfect beverage for any time of day. Not far behind coffee on the list of favored drinks is tea. Hot or iced, this soothing liquid is consumed by an astonishing five out of six North Americans, according to statistics provided by tea industry officials. In fact, American tea industry wholesale purchases increased 130% from 2 billion annually a decade ago to more than 4.6 billion in 2013. Tea consumption will continue to increase as health-conscious consumers choose tea for its medicinal benefits, as it is a rich source of antioxidants and flavonoids which are scientifically proven to aid in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. 
     Whether indulging in tea and coffee for health reasons or simply for their delicious flavor, connoisseurs have a plethora of ways of preparing their favorite beverages to suit their specific tastes. While some may prefer them plain, many more employ additives such as a splash of milk for coffee or a dollop of honey for tea to enhance the liquid&#39;s natural flavor. Perhaps the most widely used condiment for both drinks is sugar. Poured from a canister or dipped with a spoon, sweet sugar can cut the bitter bite of black coffee while infusing plain tea with a pleasant zing. However, adding sugar to these beverages does present drawbacks. Particularly, pouring or spooning sugar from its container can result in an unsightly mess. As many consumers would attest, keeping the fine sugar granules from spilling off the spoon or out of the canister when transferring to the liquid is a difficult, if not impossible, challenge. 
     As a result, a cleanup job is typically required before the user can enjoy the beverage. If the sugar is not completely wiped away, the left-behind sticky sweetness would invariably attract the attention of pesky ants. In addition, extracting the proper measurement of sugar in this manner can be an arduous trial-and-error process for some. Those who prefer their coffee or tea extra sweet may have to add numerous spoonfuls to get the drink just right. On the other hand, those who only want a hint of enhancement may accidentally add too much sugar, resulting in an unpleasant-tasting beverage that has to be discarded. 
     Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in beverage mixes art. Among these are found in: U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,764 to Clay W. Stephenson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,400 to Gordon K. Stipp; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,439 to Robert E. Graves. This prior art is representative of beverage mixes containing flavor additives. 
     Ideally, an improved beverage bag should be user-friendly and safe when consumed and, yet should operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for improved beverage bag comprising pre-measured pouches of tea or coffee, along with sugar, artificial sweetener, and/or non-dairy creamer, all within honeycomb inspired packaging to provide consumers who enjoy enhanced beverages with a convenient, quick, no-mess means of creating the perfect cup of tea or coffee and to avoid the above-mentioned problems 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known beverage mixes art, the present invention provides an Improved Beverage Bag. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an Improved Beverage Bag comprising pre-measured pouches of tea or coffee, along with sugar, artificial sweetener, and/or non-dairy creamer, all within honeycomb inspired packaging to provide consumers who enjoy enhanced beverages with a convenient, quick, no-mess means of creating the perfect cup of tea or coffee. 
     An improved beverage bag comprising: a bag member; an elongated string member; and a beverage mixture. The bag member forms an interior volume, and is formed of a porous material. The elongated string member is attached to said bag member at a distal end thereof. The elongated string member includes a tab member attached to a proximal end thereof adapted to be gripped by a user to manipulate said improved beverage bag. The beverage mixture including; a first ingredient chosen from a group of ingredients consisting of tea and coffee; a second ingredient formed as a creamer; and a third ingredient formed as a sweetener. The beverage mixture is located within said interior volume and is adapted to exude beverage materials of said beverage mixture through said porous material of said bag member when said bag member is placed within a liquid. 
     A beverage kit is also disclosed comprising: a container and a plurality of improved beverage bags. The container comprising: a bottom portion, plurality of cells, and a top portion. The bottom portion including a bottom wall; and at least one side wall extending perpendicularly from and surrounding the bottom wall, and forming an interior volume. The plurality of cells each including a bottom wall; and at least one side wall extending perpendicularly from and surrounding the bottom wall, and forming an interior volume. The plurality of cells are connected to one another via adjacent said at least one side walls. The plurality of cells are removably located within said interior volume of said bottom portion. The top portion includes a top wall and at least one side wall extending perpendicularly from and surrounding the top wall. The top portion is adapted to fit over the bottom portion and selectively enclose the interior volume of the bottom portion. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as an Improved Beverage Bag. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, Improved Beverage Bag, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating an Improved Beverage Bag according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a beverage kit comprising: a container and a plurality of improved beverage bags according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of cells and bottom portion of the beverage kit according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a top portion of the container of the beverage kit according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to beverage mixes and more specifically relates to an Improved Beverage Bag comprising pre-measured pouches of tea or coffee, along with sugar, artificial sweetener, and/or non-dairy creamer, all within honeycomb inspired packaging to provide consumers who enjoy enhanced beverages with a convenient, quick, no-mess means of creating the perfect cup of tea or coffee. 
     Generally speaking, the Improved Beverage Bag comprising a novel product offering consumers a practical solution to the aforementioned challenges. As the name implies, the Improved Beverage Bag comprises a specially designed pouches containing pre-measured amounts of tea, as well as coffee, along with sugar, artificial sweetener, and/or non-dairy creamer, just to name a few additive possibilities. 
     Improved Beverage Bag would be packaged in pouches similar to common tea bags, or a small, porous sealed bag. A predetermined amount of tea, likely in the form of loose leaves, would line the bottom of the bag; offered in a vast array of varieties, the teas in the Busy Bee Teas line could include, but are not limited to, chamomile, green, black, English Breakfast, and chai, just to name a few possibilities. A simple string would be attached to each bag for use in removing the bag from the cup when the beverage is ready. A bumble bee would be at the end of this string, for easy handling. Ground coffee options could include bold, medium roast, or decaf. The rest of the Improved Beverage Bags would be filled in with an appropriate amount of pure sugar. The present invention may also have beverage additives, in addition to or in lieu of sugar (or in various combinations), could include non-dairy creamer, fruit extracts, or granulated honey, depending upon the preference of the consumer. 
     With the Improved Beverage Bag, the combination possibilities are virtually limitless. To prepare, one only needs a cup of water heated to a preferred temperature, and then simply drop a chosen Busy Bee Tea bag into the cup. Once allowed to steep, the user is able to enjoy a perfectly blended beverage in record time, and with no additional effort! It&#39;s that easy. Improved Beverage Bag would provide a simple and efficient means of preparing a cup of tea or coffee with flavor enhancers already included. Cleverly combined into a conveniently porous bag, these handy units would eliminate the need to use spoons to dip sugar or to pour the condiment from a canister. In this manner, consumers can avoid the messes left behind by spilled sugar, creamer, honey, and more. Pre-measured, Improved Beverage Bag would allow users to enhance their favorite liquid refreshments with just the perfect amount of sweetener and non-dairy, creating delicious tasting drinks with very little effort. 
     A simple pouch outfitted with tea, coffee, sugar, and creamer, among other selections, there is certain to be a blend to appeal to any palate. Easily prepared and attractively packaged, Improved Beverage Bag. Teas should be well received by many. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , showing a perspective views illustrating improved beverage bag  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Improved beverage bag  100  is disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment comprising: bag member  110 ; an elongated string member  140 ; and beverage mixture  160 . Bag member  110  forms interior volume  120 , and is formed of porous material  116 . Porous material  116  of bag member  110  is chosen from a group of porous materials consisting of cotton and nylon. 
     Elongated string member  140  is attached to bag member  110  at a distal end thereof. Elongated string member  140  includes tab member  150  attached to a proximal end thereof adapted to be gripped by a user to manipulate improved beverage bag  100 . Tab member  150  of elongated string member  140  includes flat portion  154 ; and raised portion  158  located upon flat portion  154  adapted to provide a gripping surface for a user to grip and manipulate improved beverage bag  100 . 
     Beverage mixture  160  including; first ingredient  170  chosen from a group of ingredients consisting of tea and coffee; second ingredient  180  formed as a creamer; and third ingredient  190  formed as a sweetener. Beverage mixture  160  is located within interior volume  120  and is adapted to exude beverage materials of beverage mixture  160  through the porous material  116  of bag member  110  when bag member  110  is placed within a liquid. The creamer may be formed from dried milk powder. First ingredient  170  may be decaffeinated. The tea is chosen from a group of teas consisting of chamomile, green, black, English breakfast, and chai. First ingredient  170  lines bottom surface  112  of bag member  110 . The creamer may also be formed as a non-dairy creamer. The sweetener is chosen from a group of sweeteners consisting of sugar, granulated honey, and fruit extracts. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2-4 , showing a perspective views illustrating beverage kit  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Beverage kit  200  is also disclosed comprising: container  210  and a plurality of improved beverage bags  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Container  210  comprising: bottom portion  220 , plurality of cells  260 , and top portion  270 . Bottom portion  220  includes bottom wall  230 ; and at least one side wall  240  extending perpendicularly from and surrounding bottom wall  230 , and forming interior volume  250 . Plurality of cells  260  each including bottom wall  230 ; and at least one side wall  240  extending perpendicularly from and surrounding bottom wall  230 , and forming interior volume  250 . Plurality of cells  260  are connected to one another via adjacent said at least one side walls  240 . Plurality of cells  260  are removably located within interior volume  250  of bottom portion  220 . Top portion  270  includes top wall  280  and at least one side wall  290  extending perpendicularly from and surrounding top wall  280 . Top portion  270  is adapted to fit over bottom portion  220  and selectively enclose interior volume  250  of bottom portion  220 . 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.