Patent ID: 7578231

Claim:
A plunger device for a beverage press, comprising: a lid; a shaft movably provided through said lid; a substantially planarly disposed screen provided proximate one end of said shaft for filtering fines from an infused beverage; a flexible seal structure disposed outwardly of said screen, a perimeter of said seal structure defining a first area in a substantially horizontal plane when at rest and being compressible to define a second area in a substantially horizontal plane when compressed in a beverage press vessel that is smaller by 20% or more than said first area, the seal being configured so that the perimeter when compressed into the second area maintains a functional seal; and wherein the seal member ascends from and extends in a substantially linear or outwardly tapering manner, in vertical cross-section, from the planarly disposed screen wherein said seal structure is comprised of a seal member made of a flexible material that is inherently self biased towards a position defining said first area; wherein said flexible seal member extends from a fixed support structure therefor by a distance that is at least substantially three times the thickness of the flexible seal member at the fixed support structure; and further comprising a releasable brew control device having a substantially continuous closed surface that is actionable by a user to substantially cover said screen; wherein said brew control is actionable through said lid and descends the shaft into a position that covers the screen, thereby blocking fines from the infused beverage.