Abstract:
An infusing apparatus comprises a collecting spout capable of being fixed under the outlet aperture of an infusing chamber. The spout has a lid provided with an opening through which the infusion penetrates, and an obstructer of the opening for in particular keeping the infusion at an optimal temperature. Elements for actuating the obstructer are further provided for automatically releasing the opening by the action of a stop integral with the apparatus, when the spout is being fixed on the outlet aperture. The actuating elements are also capable of being manually controlled for releasing the opening and allowing the infusion collected in the spout to be extracted through the opening. The invention is useful for household electrical coffee-pots or teapots.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is the 35 USC 371 national stage of International application PCT/FR97/01496 filed on Aug. 18, 1997, which designates the United States of America. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an infusion apparatus of the type comprising a server for collecting infusion, adapted to be placed below the outlet opening of an infusion chamber, said server having a cover provided with an opening through which the infusion flows, and a closure for said opening particularly to maintain the collective infusion at an optimum temperature, actuating means for the opening being moreover provided to open automatically the opening under the action of an abutment secured to the apparatus, during emplacement of the server below said outlet opening. 
     A particular field of use of the invention is that of electric household coffee makers or tea makers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In known infusion apparatus of the above type, the cover of the server is present in the form of a plug which can be screwed onto the edges of the central opening of the server. The plug comprises an opening, also centrally located, for the passage of the infusion from the infusion chamber toward the server. The closure of the central opening of the plug is constituted by a flap mounted movably in translation on the plug so as to bear against the opening of the edges from below the plug. When the server is emplaced on the apparatus, an abutment, generally in the form of the lower portion of the infusion chamber, bears against the actuating means of the flap so as to space, by a translatory movement, the flap from the opening, and to prevent the passage of the infusion into the server. 
     When the user desires to remove the collected infusion through the server, he must first unscrew the plug so as to leave a sufficient space between the plug and the edges of the server for the passage of the infusion. 
     A drawback of this type of apparatus is the complicated manipulation of the server. 
     Thus, the action of pouring the collected infusion into a cup or the like is often impaired, because the user must necessarily use his two hands, and must moreover take care not to unscrew the plug too much, lest he have too great a flow of infused liquid, or even the complete escape of the plug at the end of its path and all the mess this entails. 
     Moreover, the user must necessarily remember to screw back the plug if he wishes to keep the rest of the collected infusion at an optimum temperature, or again if he desires to replace the server on the machine. 
     On the other hand, in the case in which the server is of the insulated type, the glass lining is fragile and must not be subjected to any substantial axis force. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide an infusion apparatus which will be simple to use. 
     More precisely, an infusion apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the actuating means of the closure are adapted also to be controlled manually so as to open the opening and to permit the removal of the infusion collected in the server, through said opening. 
     Thus, for an infusion apparatus according to the invention, the infusion passage, either from the infusion chamber to the server, or from the server to a receptacle of the cup type, is always carried out through the same opening, and is rendered possible by acting either automatically or manually on the common actuating means of the closure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention, as well as the advantages which it provides, will be better understood from the following description, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows, in longitudinal cross-section, a server in the so-called rest position (open and closed) according to a first possible embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows the upper portion of the server of FIG. 1, in longitudinal cross-section, and partially the infusion chamber of the apparatus below which the server is placed for the automatic control mode of the actuating means; 
     FIG. 3 shows the upper portion of the server of FIG. 1, seen in longitudinal cross-section, and the manual control mode of the actuating means; 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 show in cross-section the upper portion of a server according to a second possible embodiment of the invention, respectively in the automatic and in the manual control modes of the actuating means for the closure; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 show in cross-section the upper portion of a server according to a third possible embodiment of the invention, respectively in the rest position and in the manual or automatic control position of the actuating means of the closure. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A first possible embodiment of an infusion apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to  3 . 
     The server  1  shown in FIG. 1 by way of non-limiting example, is a server of the insulated type comprising an envelope  10  within which is disposed an isothermal ampoule  11 , preferably of glass. The server  1  is delimited in its lower portion by a bottom  12 , preferably snapped on the envelope  10 . A jack  13 , screwed into an opening  14  provided in the bottom  12 , permits locking the ampoule  11  against a sealing joint  15  disposed between the envelope  10  of the server and the insulated ampoule  11 . 
     The server  1  moreover comprises a cover  2  whose body  20  is fixed, preferably screwed, on the upper portion  16  of the envelope  10 , so as to close the access to the interior of the ampoule. As will be seen in the figures, the cover  2  is provided with an opening  21  for the passage of the infusion, either from the outward opening  30  of an infusion chamber  3  toward the interior of the server ( 2 ), or for the removal of the collected infusion (FIG.  3 ). The opening  21  is preferably located facing a pouring spout  17  of the server  1 . A lateral handle  18  is fixed on the envelope  10  of the server, on the side opposite the pouring spout  17 . 
     So as particularly to keep the infusion collected in the server  1  at an optimum temperature, the cover  2  comprises moreover a closure for the opening  21 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the closure comprises a flap  4  that comes to bear against the edges of the opening  21 , from below this opening  21 . 
     The flap  4  is mechanically connected to the cover  2  through the opening  21  by means of first arm  5  mounted pivotally about a first rotation axle b 1  carried by the cover  2 , and a second arm  6  also mounted pivotally about a second axle b 2  carried by the cover. One end  6   a  of the second arm  6  is connected to the first arm  5  by means of a pivot  7 . The second end  6   b  of the arm  6  is moreover free. The cover  2  comprises preferably resilient means permitting maintaining the flap  4  in the rest position shown in FIG. 1, in which the opening is closed. The elastic means can be constituted, as shown in the figures, by a spring  9  having one end connected to the first arm  5 , between the flap  4  and the axle b 1 , and one end connected to the body  20  of the cover  2 . 
     The arms  5  and  6  as well as the pivot  7  are constituted of a single member of plastic material, the pivot  7  being formed by localized thinning of said member. 
     To act on the closure so as to open the opening, the cover  2  comprises moreover, according to the invention, actuating means comprising preferably a single member adapted to being moved either manually or automatically during emplacement of the server below the outlet opening  30  of the infusion chamber  3  (FIG.  2 ). 
     In its movement, the member will force the flap  4  away from the opening  21 . 
     The member shown in FIGS. 1 to  3  consists of a lever  8  mounted freely, preferably extending longitudinally between the pouring spout  17  and the handle  18  of the server, above the articulated series comprising the first arm  5  and the second arm  6 . The lever  8  comprises a first bearing region  80  for moving it manually, and a second bearing region  82  for moving it automatically. Moreover, the lever comprises a lug  81  located between the two bearing regions  80 ,  82 . This lug  81  extends laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the lever so as to exert a force on the free end  6   b  of the second arm  6  upon pressure on either one of the bearing regions  80  or  82 . 
     The cover  2  comprises two abutment points  22 ,  23  located on opposite sides of the lug  81  and forming alternative pivots for the lever  8  according to whether pressure is exerted on the first or the second bearing region. 
     In the position shown in FIG. 1, the lever  8  is in contact with the two bearing points  22 ,  23  under the action of the free end  6   b  of the arm  6  pressing upwardly on the lug  81 , said free end  6   b  exerting a vertical pressure directed upwardly under the action of the spring  9 . 
     The automatic actuation of the closure takes place, as shown in FIG. 2, by emplacing the server  1  below the outlet opening  30  of the infusion chamber  3  shown only partially. An abutment  31 , here located in the lower portion of the infusion chamber, exerts pressure downwardly on the bearing region  82 . The lever  8  is spaced from the bearing point  22 , but remains in contact with the bearing point  23  about which it pivots slightly. This movement of rotation causes the lug  81  to exert a vertical force on the free end  6   b  of the arm  6 , moving this free end downwardly. The arm  6  accordingly swings about the axle b 2  and drives, because of the articulation  7 , the arm  5  with the movement of reverse rotation about the axle b 1 , permitting the flap  4  to move away from the opening  21 . The infusion can then flow through the opening  30  into the server  1  through the opening  21 , this infusion flow being controlled also by the abutment  31  according to a known device which is not described here. 
     When the server  1  is withdrawn from the apparatus, the lever  8  automatically returns to the position shown in FIG. 1, thanks to the return spring  9 . The opening  21  is then closed by the flap  4 , which permits maintaining the collected infusion at a good temperature. 
     To deliver the collected infusion from the server, the user must exert a pressure, as shown in FIG. 3, on the bearing region  80 . In this case, the lever  8  moves away from the bearing point  23 , and remains in contact with the bearing point  22 . As before, the slight resulting rotation of the lever  8  about the bearing point  22  causes the lug  81  to exert a vertical force on the free end  6   b  of the arm  6 , so as to move the flap  4  away from the opening. By simultaneously inclining the server, the user can dispense the collected infusion through the opening  21 . 
     As can be seen in the drawings, the bearing region  80  for manual activation of the closure is accessible from above the cover  2 , and is preferably positioned above and adjacent the lateral handle  18 . This permits the user easily to exert a pressure on the bearing region  80  whilst holding, with the same hand, the server  1  by the handle. When the user releases the bearing region  80 , the lever  8  returns to its position shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to  3 , the lever  8  is mounted freely within the cover  2 , and comes to bear on the two bearing points  22  and  23  of the upper portion  24  of the cover  2  (see FIG.  1 ). Only the bearing regions  80  and  82  of the lever are accessible from above the cover  2 , through openings provided in the upper portion  24  of the cover. 
     In the modified embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the floating lever  8  is mounted on the upper portion  24  of the cover. The lug  81  passes through an opening provided in this upper portion  24 , so as to come into engagement with the free end of the arm  6 . Two hooks of the lever  8 , adapted to be in engagement with the bearing points  22  and  23  of the cover, permit holding the lever  8  on the cover. 
     Apart from this slight difference in structure of the lever, the operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is in every respect identical to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to  3 . 
     In a modified embodiment (not shown), the lever  8  could be mounted pivotally about an axle secured to the cover, this axle being disposed between the two bearing regions  80  and  82 . 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate fragmentarily, in vertical cross-section, a server  1  according to another  5  possible embodiment of the invention, in which the member permitting the actuation of the closure so as to open the opening  21  is constituted by a handle  8 ′ pivotally mounted at one end  83 ′ secured to the cover  2 . The other free end  81 ′ of the handle  8 ′ forms the lug coming into engagement with the free end  6   b  of the arm  6 . The handle  8 ′ has a single bearing region  80 ′ to control the closure with a bearing force represented by the arrow F in FIG.  7 . This force F results either from manual pressure of the user or from the pressure of an abutment (not shown) secured to the infusion apparatus and disposed preferably on the front surface of the infusion chamber. Under the action of this force F, the handle pivots about its end  83 ′ such that the lug  81 ′ comes to bear against the end  6   b  of the arm  6 , effecting the reverse rotations of the arms  5  and  6  and the movement of the flap  4  away from the opening  21 . In the absence of force F, the flap  4  returns to its rest position shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Thanks to the invention, it will be understood that the flap is controlled in a simple and economical manner either manually or automatically, said mechanical members that are used being adapted to be mounted according to another motion transmission system without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.