GB2525006A

GB2525006A - Device for the production of a beverage

Info

Publication number: GB2525006A
Application number: GB1406411.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rosella Rossi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-04-09
Filing date: 2014-04-09
Publication date: 2015-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2034-04-09
Also published as: GB201406411D0; GB2525006B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device 1 for producing an infused beverage including a container body 10 adapted to receive a filtering element 40 containing an infusion product. The container body comprises an upper chamber 14 with an opening 13 through which a liquid for producing the beverage can be poured and a lower chamber 15 with a bottom 12 provided with at least one opening 18 for dispensing the beverage. The device also comprises locking means 30 adapted to constrain the perimeter of the filtering element to the container body so that said upper chamber and said lower chamber are separated by said filtering element. The device also comprises at least one spacer element 19 adapted to maintain said filtering element at a given distance from the bottom of the lower chamber.

Description

TITLE

"DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A BEVERAGE"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a devloe for produoing a beverage, and more in detail to a device for producing an infused beverage such as coffee, tea or the like.

The invention relates in particular to a device for producing a beverage such as filtered coffee or Americano coffee.

To produce the aforesaid beverages there are known automatic machines of various types and dimensions, both for professional and domestic use.

These machines are typically electrically powered and provided with resistance heating elements to generate the heat required to boil the water to produce the beverage.

These machines are designed to produce, for each start up, an amount of beverage that varies, usually in excess of the amount of one cup (around 200-300 cc) . Many of these machines have a container with a capacity in excess of one liter and, in some cases, reaching over two liters.

The problem encountered with these prior art machines, especially in a domestic environment, is the fact that these amounts can be excessive with respect to the amounts consumed immediately after preparation.

For these reasons, if the beverage is not drunk within the time limit in which it still has a satisfactory flavor, it is often discarded and replaced with freshly produced beverage.

Moreover, these machines are often bulky, naking them impractical to transport and use for example on vacation, in the workplace or while traveling.

To overcome these drawbacks, there exist devices composed of an open container provided with a compartment, delimited by a permeable filter medium, which can contain a blend of coffee or other infusions for beverages. By pouring hot water into the container this comes into contact with the infusion that releases the beverage through the filter medium directly into the container.

A container of this type for beverages is described in US 2013/305931 Al.

However, devices of this type have some drawbacks.

In fact, especially for infusions such as coffee, infusion time is crucial to the flavor of the resulting beverage. For example, if the beverage remains in contact with the infusion for too long, the flavor can be too intense, or in any case altered.

There are also known devices for producing coffee comprising a bowl, made of a plastic or paper material, in the bottom of which there is obtained a compartment containing ground powdered coffee. Said compartment is delimited at the top and bottom by a permeable filter medium.

The bowl can be positioned over a cup and boiling water can be poured into it. The water passes through the upper filter medium, comes into contact with the coffee to generate the beverage that can percolate into the cup below through the bottom filter medium. The permeability of the bottom filter medium determines the emptying time of the bowl and consequently the infusion time of the coffee, typically a few minutes.

However, these known devices also have some limitations.

In fact, the filter media are generally made integral with the bowl by gluing or the like and therefore cannot be removed and/cr subsequently re-attached. Therefore, the device is disposable and must be thrown away after the beverage has been produced.

On the market there also exist known devices comprising a bowl, made of plastic or ceramic, with the bottom and/or walls perforated to allow the liquid to percolate into the part below. Inside the bowl there is placed a furcher casing open at the top, made of a permeable material (typically paper) that acts as filtering element and in which the user places the ground powdered coffee, or other infusions.

The bowl is positioned over a cup and filled with boiling water. The water comes into direct contact with the blend, generating the beverage that is filtered by the paper casing and percolates through the openings of the bowl into the cup below. An example of this device is described in US 2835191.

Devices thus structured make it possible to waste less material as only the paper casing is thrown away after use.

However, devices structured as such are somewhat impractical, in particular when used outside the home, as it is necessary to have the exact amount of powdered coffee (or other Infusions) , normally inconvenient to store and transport.

In this context, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing an infused beverage that overcomes the problems of the prior art described above.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to propose a device for producing an infused beverage that is practical and fast to use both in a domestic environment and elsewhere, for example in the workplace or on vacation.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a device for preparing an infused beverage in an amount sufficient for, and in any case no greater than, a single portion, for example a normal cup.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing an infused beverage thac allows a constant infusion time of the infusion product, also using different filtering elements, thereby ensuring the quality of the beverage obtained.

Another objeot of the present invention is to provide a device for producing an infused beverage that makes it possible to reduce the material thrown away or discarded after production of the beverage.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing an infused beverage that is simple, inexpensive and sufficiently sturdy to be able to be re-used numerous times.

The aforesaid objects are achieved by a device for producing an infused beverage comprising a container body, typically in the form of a bowl or the like, into which a filtering element (pod) containing an infusion product can be inserted. Said filtering element is constrained to the body of the device so that by pouring hot or boiling water therein, this passes through the filter coming into contact with the infusion product and producing the beverage. The container is provided with a bottom with at least one opening from which the prepared beverage can drain into a receptacle, such as a cup or the like. On the bottom of the container there is provided at least one spacer element that maintains the filtering element at a certain distance from the bottom to allow the beverage to collect in proximity of the bottom before being delivered from the container.

After the beverage has been dispensed, the filtering element is discarded while the device can be re-used numerous times as desired.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a device for producing an infused beverage including a container body adapted to receive a filtering element containing an infusion product, where said container body comprises: -an upper chamber with an opening through which a liguid for producing the beverage can be poured; -a lower chamber with a bottom provided with at least one opening for dispensing the beverage; and where the device also comprises: -locking means adapted to constrain the perimeter of the filtering element to the container element so that the upper chamber and the lower chamber are separate from said filtering element, and; -at least one spacer element adapted to maintain said filtering element at a given distance from the bottom of the lower chamber.

In one aspect of the invention said at least one spacer element comprises one or more elements projecting from the inner face of the bottom of the lower chamber.

Preferably, said projecting elements comprise ribs extending vertically from the bottom of said lower chamber.

According to a typical embodiment of the invention, said ribs are rectilinear and are arranged radially with respect to the center of the bottom.

In another aspect of the invention, the ribs comprise a plurality of circular arcs concentric with respect to the center of the bottom of the lower chamber.

In a further aspect of the invention, said at least one spacer element is integral with the bottom of the lower chamber.

Alternatively, said spacer element is movable with respect to the container body.

In yet another aspect of the invention, said at least one spacer element has a height from the bottom of the lower chamber of at least one millimeter.

According to a variant of the invention, the container body comprises an upper portion including at least one lateral wall with a lower edge, and a lower portion comprising at least the bottom of the lower chamber. The perimeter of the filtering element can be clamped between said lower edge of the upper porticn and an abutment edge produced on the lower portion.

More in detail, the second portion is provided with a rim configured to house the lower edge of the first portion.

Preferably, the lower edge and the rim can be joined by means of a thread or through interlocking means.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description below, provided purely for non-limiting illustrative purposes. The description must be read taking into account the accompanying figures, which represent a device for producing an infused beverage in conformity with a possible embodiment of the invention, where: -Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the device according to the invention; -Fig. 2 is an exploded sectional view of the device of Fig. 1; -Fig. 3 is a top view of the container body of the device of Fig. 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; -Fig. 4 is a top view of the container body according to a variant of the invention; -Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 in the using configuration; -Figs. 6a and 6b are two sectional views, respectively exploded and in the using configuration, of the device according to a further variant of the invention; With reference to Figs. 1 to 5, the device, indicated as a whole with 1, comprises a container body 10 with a lateral wall ii and a bottom 12. This lateral wall preferably has a circular section with a cylindrical or truncated cone shape development.

However, said container body 10 can have different shapes and dimensions that fall within the scope of the invention.

An upper opening 13 allows insertion into the container body 10 of a filtering element 40 containing an infusion product 41, such as coffee, tea, herbal teas or the like.

Typically, the filtering element 40 comprises two layers 42, 43, in a material permeable to liquids, welded along the perimeter 44 to form a closed volume that encloses the infusion product 41. These filtering elements can have various shapes and dimensions and are well known to those skilled in the art.

In the preferred embodiment for use of the invention, said filtering element 40 comprises a soft pod containing ground roasted ooffee for producing filtered or Amerioano coffee.

Locking means, indicated as a whole with 30, allow the perimeter 44 of the filtering element 40 to be constrained to the container body 10.

In this way there is formed in the container body 10 a first upper chamber 14 comprised between the upper opening 13 and the filtering element 40 and a second lower chamber 15 comprised between said filtering element and the bottom 12.

In practice, when the filtering element 40 is locked in the container body 10 said upper and lower chambers 14, 15 are separated by the filtering element 40.

According to an embodiment, said locking means 30 comprise an annular element 31 adapted to maintain the perimeter 44 of the filtering element in contact with an abutment edge 16 integral with the container body 10.

Said annular element 31 is guided in the container body 10 by means of a handgrip 32. More in detail, the handgrip 32 is connected to the annular element 31 through an annular collar 33 having a slightly smaller diameter with respect to that of the container 10.

The handgrip 32 is also provided with at least one slider 34 adapted to slide on an inclined ramp 17 produced on the upper edge of the container body 10.

Following rotation of the handgrip 32 with respect to the container body, the slider 34, sliding on the inclined ramp 17, is translated downward pushing the collar 33 and the annular element 31 toward the bottom 12 of the container body 10.

In this way, the annular element 31 presses the perimeter 44 of the filtering element 40 onto the abutment edge 16 so that the upper chamber 14 and the lower chamber 15 are in fluid communication only through the two filter layers 42, 43 of the filtering element 40.

However, said locking means 30 can have different shapes and/or dimensions that achieve the same object described above, and which are to be considered as included in the scope of the invention.

On the bottom 12 of the container body 10 there is produced at least one opening 18 that allows delivery of the beverage from the lower chamber 15.

According to the invention, said at least one opening 18 has a dimension such as to allow emptying of the container body 10, when substantially full, in a time comprised between seconds and 400 seconds. This emptying time in substance determines the time during which the water is in contact with the infusion product to generate the beverage. To produce a beverage such as coffee, an emptying time comprised between seconds and 300 seconds is preferable.

Preferably, several openings 18 are provided to improve the outflow of the beverage from the lower chamber 15.

Several openings 18 allow the beverage to be dispensed even in the case in which one of them is blocked with residue of the infusion product 41 that has leaked accidentally from the filtering element 40.

In a preferred variant, there are provided four openings 18, circular in section, arranged equidistant from the center C of the bottom 12.

The diameter of said openings 18 is preferably at least 0.2 mm. Typically, the diameter of these openings is comprised between 0.5 mm and 2 mm; this dimension allows emptying of the container body in a time comprised between seconds and 300 seconds, when the volume of the container body is comprised between 180 cc and 300 cc, i.e. an amount sufficient to fill a normal cup.

According to the invention, the device is also provided with at least one spacer element 19 that maintains the filtering element 40 at a given distance from the bottom 12 of the lower chamber. The main function of said at least one spacer element is that of preventing the filtering element 40, if positioned in the lower part of the container body, from being able to come into contact with the bottom 12, blocking the openings 18 and preventing delivery of the beverage.

In a preferred variant of the invention, there are provided a plurality of spacer elements comprising ribs 20 projecting from the inner surface of the bottom 12 and extend in a substantially vertical direction.

Said ribs 20 can, for example, be rectilinear and arranged radially with respect to the center C of the bottom 12, as can be seen in Fig. 3.

In a variant, the ribs 20 can comprise circular arcs arranged concentrically, and on different diameters, with respect to the oenter C of the bottom 12, as can be seen in Fig. 4.

Between one circular arc and an adjacent one, a passage 21 is left to allow the beverage in the lower chamber to flow freeiy toward the openings 18.

In both variants, the ribs 20 are preferably integral with the bottom 12 so that they are not scattered or lost while transporting the device.

The height of the ribs 20 can vary as a function of the dimensions of the lower chamber 15, although it is preferably at least one millimeter. More preferably, the height of the ribs is comprised between 3 mm and 15 mm.

In a variant, the spacer element 19 can be movable with respect to the container body 10, for example to allow cleaning of the bottom 12 and of the openings 18.

Fig. 5 illustrates the device 1 in the using configuration, where a filtering element 40 has been inserted in the container body 10 and constrained by the locking means 30 as described above.

To prepare the beverage, the device 1 is placed over a receptacle, such as a cup or the like, not shown in the figures.

Water, typically boiling, is poured into the first chamber 14 through the upper opening 13; the water passes through the upper permeable layer 42 and comes into contact with the infusion product 41, which releases the substance to generate the beverage.

The infused beverage then passes through the lower layer 43 of the filtering element and collects in the lower chamber from where it is delivered through the openings 18 draining into the receptacle below.

After the beverage has been prepared, the looking means are removed from the container body 10 to allow extraction of the filtering element 40, which will be thrown away. The device 1 can instead be washed and re-used as desired.

Figs. 6a and Eb illustrate the device 100 according to an alternative embodiment.

With reference tc Fig. 6a, the container body 110 comprises an upper portion 101 and a lower porticn 102 separated and which can be joined together.

In detail, the upper portion 101 completely or partiy comprises the lateral wall 111 and the opening 113 of the container body. The lower portion 102 instead comprises the bottom 112 in which the openings 118 for dispensing the beverage are produced.

According to this variant, the bottom 112, along the whole of its perimeter, is provided with a rim 112' having a dimension such as to be able to house the lower edge 111' of the upper portion 101, when these are joined.

Joining of the two parts can take place through simple interference fit between said rim 112' and the lower edge 111' or, according to a preferred variant, by means of a thread 123 produced respectively on the inner side of the edge 112' and on the outer side of the lower edge 111'.

Alternatively, the rim 112' and the lower edge 111' can be provided with means to form an interlocking joint or the like.

In this latter case, the container body 110 can have a section of circular, polygonal or curvilinear shape, or a mixture thereof. Clearly, the filtering element 140 will also have a shape complementary to and compatible with that of the container body.

To use the device, the filtering element 140 is positioned on the lower portion 102 resting against the spacer element 119 so that its perimeter 144 is located at an abutment edge 116 produced on said lower portion 102.

Said spacer element 119 comprises ribs 120 such as those already described and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

When the upper portion 101 is joined to the lower portion 102, the lower edge 111! is brought into contact with the abutment edge 116, clamping the perimeter 144 of the filtering element 140, as can be seen in Fig. 6b.

Also in this configuration the upper chamber 114 and the lower chamber 115 are separated by the filtering element 140.

In this variant of the invention, the abutment edge 116 and the lower edge 111' of the first portion 101 act as locking means to constrain the filtering element in the container body 110.

This makes it possible to reduce the amount of materials and the machining operations required to produce The device, with a further economic advantage.

Operation of the device is substantially identical to that described above. In this case, after the beverage has been produced, it is sufficient to separate the two portions 101 and 102 again to release the filtering element 140, which can be thrown away.

According to the invention, in the various variants described, the device is preferably made of a plastic material, for example polypropylene or the like.

To give sufficient strength to the device 1, 100, which must be re-used several times, it is preferaby made of polypropylene reinforced with fiberglass in a percentage variable from 10% to 30%.

This also makes it possible to limit thermal expansion, caused by the use of boiling water, which could cause a variation of the diameter of the openings 18, 118 for delivery of the beverage, with a consequent increase or decrease in the emptying time.

To prevent the beverage inside from cooling during emptying of the container body, this is preferably provided with a lid 21, 121 to be fitted on the upper opening 13, 113 after pouring of the boiling water.

As will be apparent fron the present description, the device for producing a beverage of the invention solves the problems affecting prior art devices, achieving the aforesaid objects in full.

Naturally, numerous changes can be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A device (1, 100) for producing an infused beverage including a container body (10, 110) adapted to receive a filtering element (40, 140) containing an infusion product (41), where said container body comprises: -an upper chamber (14, 114) with an opening (13, 113) through which a liquid for producing the beverage can be poured; -a lower chamber (15, 115) with a bottom (12, 112) provided with at least one opening (18, 118) for dispensing the beverage; and where the device (1, 100) also comprises: -locking means (30, 111', 116) adapted to constrain the perimeter of the filtering element (40, 140) to the container body (10, 110) so that said upper chamber (14) and said lower chamber (15) are separated from said filtering element (40, 140) , and; -at least one spacer element (19, 119) adapted to maintain said filtering element (40, 140) at a given distance from the bottom (12, 112) of the lower chamber.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one spacer element (19, 119) comprises one or more elements projecting from the inner face of the bottom of the lower chamber.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said projecting elements comprise ribs (20, 120) extending vertically from the bottom (12, 112) of said lower chamber.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said ribs (20, 120) are rectilinear and arranged radially with respect to the center (C) of the bottom of the lower chamber (15, 115)
5. The device according to claim 3, wherein said ribs (20, 120) comprise a plurality of circular arcs concentric with respect to the center (C) of the bottom of the lower chamber (15, 115)
6. The device, according to any one of the preceding claims from 3 to 5, wherein said ribs (20,120) have a height from the bottom (12, 112) of the lower chamber (15, 115) comprised between 3 mm and 15 mm.
7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one spacer element (19,119) is integral with the bottom (12, 112) of the lower chamber (15, 115)
8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one spacer element (19,119) is movable with respect to the container body (10, 100)
9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one opening (13, 113) has a passage area such that a volume of liquid equal to the volume of the container body (10,110) can flow through it in a time comprised between 100 seconds and 400 seconds.
10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there are provided four openings (18, 118) with a circular section arranged equidistant from the center (C) of the bottom (12, 112)
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said openings (18, 118) have a diameter of at least 0.2 mm and the container body (10, 110) has a volume comprised between 180 cc and 300 cc.
12. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said container body (110) comprises: -an upper portion (101) including at least one lateral wall (111) with a lower edge (111'); -a lower portion (102) comprising at least the bottom (112) of the lower chamber (115); where the perimeter (144) of the filtering element (140) can be clamped between said lower edge (111') of the upper portion (101) and an abutment edge (116) produced on the lower portion (102.
13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said second portion is provided with a rim (112') configured to house the lower edge (111').
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein a thread (123) is produced on the lower edge (111') and on the rim (112') to join the upper portion (101) and the lower portion (102)
15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the lower edge (111') and the rim (112!) are provided with interlocking means.
16. A kit comprising a device (1, 100) for producing a beverage according to any one of the preceding claims and one or more filtering elements (40, 140) containing an infusion product (41, 141)