Patent Publication Number: US-2013233179-A1

Title: Brewing structure featuring stability and water confinement

Description:
(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a brewing structure that features stability and water confinement so as to allow a container to be stably positioned at a predetermined altitude to safely carry out a brewing operation ad preventing outward splashing in dispensing liquid. 
     (b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a conventional brewing kettle is shown. The brewing kettle comprises a container  90  that forms a bore  901 , a water stop  91  received in the container  90 , a filter  92 , and a mounting tray  93  formed on the bottom of the container  90  and vertically movable. When a brew substance has been brewed in the container  90  for a predetermined period of time, the container  90  is positioned on a cup  94 , whereby the cup  94  may push the mounting tray  93  upward to have a stem  931  pushes the water stop  91  away from the bore  901 , allowing the brewed liquid inside the container  90  to flow through the bore  901  and subsequently pass openings  932  of the mounting tray  93  to be dispensed into the cup  94 . 
     The conventional brewing device shows the following disadvantages: 
     (1) The container  90  is positioned on the cup  94  by a substantial height, so that it is easy that the container  90  tilts and falls down, making high temperature brewing liquid splashing everywhere and hurting a person standing by the container. 
     (2) The brewing liquid, after flowing through the bore  901 , may impact retention ribs  933  located between the openings  932 , the stem  931 , and an upper surface of the mounting tray. The brewing liquid may spread between the lower end of the container and the upper surface of the mounting tray  93 . Generally, no shielding, water concentration, and water guidance measure is provided so that the brewed liquid, after flowing through the bore  901 , may easily spread, diffuse, collide, penetrate, and thus splash and spread outward, causing undesired falling onto tabletop. 
     (3) After the liquid has been dispensed, the container  90  is often placed on a tabletop. Due to residue of the liquid remaining on the mounting tray  93 , the tabletop may be stained. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a brewing structure featuring stability and water confinement. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a brewing structure that comprises a support frame, a container, a filter, and a movable assembly. The support frame comprises a retention device. The container comprises a positioning section and a fitting section, so that with the positioning section and the fitting section being retained on the retention device, a brewing operation can be carried out in a stable manner at a predetermined altitude. Further, the container forms a bore and a guide section is formed around the bore and extends downward. The movable assembly controls water discharging through the bore or blocks the bore. The movable assembly comprises a body forming a water collection hole. A joint section and a water collection section are formed around a circumference of the water collection hole. When a brewed liquid is discharged through the bore, the guide section, the joint section, and the water collection section collectively provide an effect of multi-layered shielding, water collection, and flow guidance so as to prevent the brewed liquid from undesirably leakage, splashing, and spreading. 
     The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view, in an enlarged scale, of a portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the present invention in a water-stopped condition. 
         FIG. 4  is another cross-sectional view showing the present invention in a water-stopped condition. 
         FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view, in an enlarged scale, of a portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing the present invention in a water discharging condition. 
         FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional view, in an enlarged scale, of a portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing the present invention in a condition after water is drained. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a lid according to the present invention providing an effect of flow guidance. 
         FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view, in an enlarged scale, of a portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional brewing device. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are respectively a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, both in enlarged scales, showing portions of the conventional brewing device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the present invention comprises a support frame  10 , a container  20 , an elastic member  30 , a filter  40 , a movable assembly  50 , and a valve  60 . 
     The support frame  10  forms at a lower end a platform  11  for the purposes of stably positioning. The support frame  10  forms at an upper end an inverted U-shape that diverges outward for easy hand holding. The support frame  10  forms a retention device  12 , and the retention device  12  is vertically movable through a movable seat  121  slidably mounted to the support frame  10 . The movable seat  121  comprises a locking member  122 , such as a screw, extending therethrough to be selectively set in tight engagement with the support frame  10 . The movable seat  121  comprises a frame  123  mounted to a side thereof to form an opening  124 . 
     The container  20  comprises a handle  21  mounted to a side wall thereof for hand holding. The handle  21  receives a lid  211  pivotally connected to a top end thereof for selectively closing an opening of the container  20 . The container  20  has a bottom forming a bore  22  through which brewed liquid can flow. The bore  22  receives the elastic member  30  therein to engage therewith. The elastic member  30  is made of food-grade silicon rubber and forming an opening  31 . When the valve  60  is caused by the movable assembly  50  to move downward and thus block the opening  31 , sealing is established therebetween. The container  20  forms on an inside surface thereof a plurality of projections  23  for engaging and thus retaining the filter  40 . The container  20  forms in the bottom thereof a plurality of mounting pegs  24  that extends downward for positioning the movable assembly  50 . Each of the mounting pegs  24  has a diameter-expanded distal end  241  and forms at least one elastically deformable slot  242  to make the mounting peg  24  elastically deformable. The container  20  forms on a circumferential side wall thereof a horizontal disk like positioning section  25  having an outside diameter greater than that of the opening  124 . The container  20  also forms on the bottom thereof a fitting section  26  that has an outside diameter smaller than the opening  124 . The fitting section  26  may receive an upper portion of the movable assembly  50  thereof for protecting the movable assembly  50 . 
     The filter  40  has a circumferential wall that is set in tight engagement with an inner circumferential surface of the container  20  and an upper edge of the circumferential wall of the filter  40  engages and is thus retained by the projections  23  in position in such a way that removal is easy for cleaning the foreign substance contained in the brewed liquid. The filter  40  comprises a grip section  41  through which a through aperture is formed. 
     The movable assembly  50  comprises a body  51  and the body  51  forms a plurality of through holes  52  respectively corresponding to the mounting pegs  24 . The through holes  52  has an inside diameter that is greater than an outside diameter of the mounting pegs  24  but smaller than that of the distal ends  241 , whereby when the container  20  is coupled to the movable assembly  50 , the distal ends  241  of the mounting pegs  24  undergoes elastic deformation for penetration through the through holes  52 , and after than, the distal ends  241  are expanded to engage and be thus each retained by a circumferential portion of a wall of the movable assembly  50  around each of the through holes  52 . The mounting pegs  24  are received in the through holes  52  in a movable manner so that the movable assembly  50  can be readily coupled beneath the container  20  without undesired separation and the movable assembly  50  is allowed to move up and down in a stable manner with liquid is dispensed from the container  20  or is blocked. The body  51  further forms a water collection hole  53 , in which ribs  54  are mounted in such a way to allow liquid to flow therethrough. Mounted on the ribs  54  is a valve stem  55  that is received in the opening  31  of the elastic member  30  (and the bore  22 ). The valve stem  55  has a distal end coupled to the valve  60  that removably blocks the opening  31 , whereby when the valve stem  55  is moved upward, the valve  60  is push away from the position where it engages the opening  31  so as to release the blocked condition of the opening  31  (and thus the bore  22 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , according to the present invention, a guide section  221 , which is in a tubular form, projects down under the bore  22 . The water collection hole  53  has a circumferential wall forming a joint section  531 , in a tubular form projecting upward beyond the body  51  of the movable assembly  50  to fit to and joint with the guide section  221  and a water collection section  532 , also in a tubular form, extending down beyond a lower side of the body  51 , whereby a water guide channel that features a multi-layered shielding, water collection, and flow guidance structure is formed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , to use the present invention, the container  20  is placed on the retention device  12  of the support frame  10  with the positioning section  25  and the fitting section  26  securely supported on and in the frame  123  and the opening  124  to eliminate undesired gap or tolerance therebetween and allow the container  20  to be positioned stability and securely without being held by a hand to carry out a brewing operation at a desired altitude. 
     A user may tighten or loosen the locking member  122  to allow the retention device  12  to move vertically along the support frame  10  and then re-locked for adjusting the vertical distance between a lower end of the container  20  and the platform  11  and thus allowing cup  81 ,  82  of different sizes to be positioned between the lower end of the container  20  and the platform  11  for receiving brewed liquid dispensed from the container  20 . 
     The user may deposits a brew substance in the container  20  and then pours in a liquid. Under this condition, the movable assembly  50  is located low and sets the valve  60  low to downward press against the opening  31  of the elastic member  30  (the bore  22 ) thereby blocking the opening  31  and preventing the brewed liquid from draining from the container  20 , achieving an effect of blocking water and allowing a brewing operation to be carried out inside the container  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , after a predetermined time of brewing inside the container  20  elapses, the cup  82  may be raised to have a rim thereof engaging a lower side of the movable assembly  50 , whereby with the upward push of the movable assembly  50  y the container  20 , the movable assembly  50  is forced to move upward, causing the valve stem  55  to move the valve  60  away from the opening  31  of the elastic member  30 . The brewed liquid inside the container  20  is thus allowed to flow through the opening  31 , the guide section  221 , and the water collection hole  53  to be received in the cup  82  for subsequent drinking. 
     When the opening  31  is discharging the brewed liquid, through aperture  42  of the filter  40  allows convection of air to improve smoothness of discharging of the brewed liquid. Further, the grip section  41  provides an easy way for hand holding, so that when the filter  40  breaks or requires cleaning, the filter  40  can be easily removed and/or re-mounted. 
     It is noted that when the brewed liquid dispensed from the container  20  is discharged through the opening  31 , the multi-layered shielding structure constituted by the guide section  221 , the joint section  531 , and the water collection section  532  provides an effect of multiple shielding against outward diverging of the liquid flow and also helps prevent liquid leakage, whereby the water collection hole  53  may realize effective concentration and guidance of the liquid flow to prevent undesired leakage, splash, and spreading of the brewed liquid. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the cup  82 , when filled with the brewed liquid, can be positioned on the platform  11 . Since the cup  82  is no longer in contact with the movable assembly  50 , the container  20  may resume the operation of brewing. 
     Further, after the liquid has been drained from the container  20 , even through little residue brewed liquid remains in the movable assembly  50 , such liquid, which may be in the form of drops, can be received by the cup  82  so as not to stain the tabletop. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , according to the present invention, the lid  211  forms a recessed flow guide surface  212  adjacent to the opening of the container  20 . Liquid drops that formed on the flow guide surface  212  of the lid  211  due to steam originating from the brewing inside the container  20 , the flow guide surface  212  guide such liquid drops into the container  20  without splashing to the surface, making it sanitary. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.