Patent ID: 8770097

Claim:
An apparatus for separating an infused extract from a mixture of an infusible material and the extract, comprising: a) an infusing container having a peripheral wall defining a volume therein, the peripheral wall defining an open top of the infusing container; and b) a plunger configured to be received through the open top of the infusing container, the plunger and infusing container cooperating to define a lower chamber for containing a mixture of an infusible material and extract and an upper chamber including infused extract, the plunger including: i) a fluid chamber having a top end and a bottom end, the fluid chamber including a peripheral wall that defines a volume therein for collecting extract from an infusible material, the fluid chamber being open at the top end in direct fluid communication with the upper chamber to permit extract to pour out of the fluid chamber when the fluid chamber is inverted, the peripheral wall of the fluid chamber defining an uppermost extract flow opening therethrough, the uppermost extract flow opening including at least one filter element disposed therein; ii) a peripheral seal disposed about an outer periphery of the plunger, the peripheral seal being configured to provide a seal between the plunger and the peripheral wall of the infusing container to separate the lower chamber from the upper chamber, wherein an uppermost extract flow opening is formed in the peripheral wall of the fluid chamber and is situated below the seal to define an annular section of peripheral wall of the fluid chamber above the uppermost extract flow opening that is free of extract flow openings to permit infusible material to collect in an annular gap defined above the uppermost extract flow opening and between the annular section of peripheral wall of the fluid chamber that is free of extract flow openings and the peripheral wall of the infusing container to upwardly displace floating infusible material from the uppermost extract flow opening; and iii) a handle attached to the fluid chamber for moving the plunger along the peripheral wall of the infusing container.