US20140360378A1

US20140360378A1 - Tea infuser structure

Info

Publication number: US20140360378A1
Application number: US13/948,318
Authority: US
Inventors: Masakazu Fujii
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-06-06
Filing date: 2013-07-23
Publication date: 2014-12-11
Also published as: TWM465095U; FR3006573A3

Abstract

A tea infuser structure includes a main body and mount device, where the main body has an opening and crack. The opening is sunk inward to form an accepting space, a flange is disposed around the opening, and the crack is disposed on the rim of the opening. The mount device has a frame, and is mounted on the flange through the frame. A bearing plate is disposed inside the frame and defines a through portion. Whereby, a tea bag can be pulled away from the accepting space to the bearing plate conveniently by pulling a pull thread of the tea bag retained in the crack so as to preventing the tea bag from being dipped in tea too long, and further controlling the thickness of the tea. Furthermore, a spout can be prevented from damage due to collision by covering a protective cover on it.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tea infuser, and more particularly to a tea infuser structure, capable of separating a tea bag from tea in a convenient way, preventing the tea bag from being dipped in the tea too long so as to control the thickness of the tea as one's will and mounting the tea bag outside the tea.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Accompanying the prosperity and progress of society, in the gatherings of family, colleagues and friends, drinking tea is always a first choice to improve people's relationship, it is because tea brewing facilities and time are not too much, conforming to many merits such as economics, speedy and convenience.
A tea bag must be placed in tea all time and then taken out to discard after being dipped slightly if the tea infuser is smaller so as to prevent the tea bag from being dipped in tea excessively long to cause the tea to be too thick, but it will be a waste. In this situation, the tea bag might be used repeatedly, but the tea bag and tea cannot be respectively placed on different places due to the design limitation of the tea infuser. In addition, a tea bag cannot be taken out from a conventional tea infuser until a lid is lifted, resulting in the easy scattering of the flavor and heat of tea.
In addition, because conventional tea infusers are made of ceramics, spouts thereof are easy to be damaged due to collision.
Moreover, several tea infusers cannot be stacked together after a tea drinking activity is over because they are not provided with a structure for stacking. Therefore, several tea infusers cannot be stored conveniently and occupy too much space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To improve the deficiencies mentioned above, the present invention is proposed.
The object of the present invention is to provide a tea infuser structure, capable of separating a tea bag from tea in a convenient way, preventing the tea bag from being dipped in tea excessively long, controlling the thickness of the tea as one's will, and mounting the tea bag outside the tea.
To achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention includes a main body and a mount device, where the main body has an opening and a crack, the opening is sunk inward to form an accepting space. Furthermore, a flange is disposed around the opening, and the crack on the rim of the opening. The mount device has a frame mounted on the flange, and a bearing plate is disposed inside the frame and defines a through portion. Whereby, the tea bag can be taken conveniently away from the accepting space to the bearing plate by pulling a pull thread of the tea bag retained in the crack so as to prevent the tea bag from being dipped in the tea excessively long, and further control the thickness of the tea as one's will.
Another object if the present invention is to provide a tea infuser structure, capable of preventing a spout from being damaged due to collision.
To achieve the object mentioned above, the main body of the present invention has a spout, where an engagement slot is respectively disposed on the two sides of the outside of the spout, and a protective cover is made of elastic material, and two projecting buckles matching with the two respective engagement slots are dispose on the inside of the protective cover, allowing the two engagement slots and the two buckles to be engaged with each other, and the protective cover to be retained on the outside of the spout to protect the spout, thereby preventing the spout from being damaged due to collision.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tea infuser structure, allowing tea infusers to be stacked together thereby not to occupy too much space upon storage.
To achieve the object mentioned above, a projecting bottom edge is disposed on the bottom of the main body of the present invention, allowing the bottom edge of the main body to be mounted on a the matching rim of the opening of the opening of other main body below it when the main body is placed on the other main body so as to prevent the upper main body from being shaken arbitrarily.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partly cross-sectional view of the present invention in use; and

FIG. 4 is a partly cross-sectional view of tea infusers of the present invention while being stacked together for storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a tea infuser includes a main body 10 and a mount device 20, where the mount device 20 is configured on the upper side of the main body 10. a tea bag 90 can be pulled away from the main body 10 to the mount device 20 conveniently and quickly, thereby preventing the tea bag 90 from being dipped in tea too long, and further capable of controlling the thickness of the tea and mounting the tea bag 90 outside the tea as well.
Referring to FIG. 2, the main body 10 of the present invention has an opening 11 and crack 12, where the opening 11 is sunk inward to form an accepting space 13, and a flange 14 is disposed around the opening 11. Furthermore, the crack 12 is disposed on the rim of the opening 11, and a handle 15 convenient for carrying with one hand may be disposed on the main body 10.
Furthermore, the mount device 20 is provided with a frame 21, forming an annular body to match with the flange 14, and can therefore be mounted on the flange 14 with the frame 21. Furthermore, a bearing plate 22 is disposed inside the frame 21 to define a through portion 23.
The descriptions mentioned above are all about every component of the present invention, the operation principles, applications and characteristics thereof will be described as follows:
Referring to FIG. 3, a user may place the tea bag 90 into the accepting space 13 of the main body 10, pass a pull thread 91 of the tea bag 90 through the through portion 23, and retain it in the crack 12 over the bearing plate 22. Thereafter, the user may pull conveniently the pull thread 91 retained in the crack 12 away from the accepting space 13 onto the bearing plate 22 via the through portion 23 (see a phantom line in FIG. 3) with one hand after the tea bag 90 is dipped for a preset time period, thereby preventing the tea bag 90 to be dipped in tea too long, and further to control the thickness of the tea as one pleases.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a crack pad 121 may further disposed on the rim of the opening 11, covering the crack 12, where the crack pad 121 may be made of elastic material so as to hold the pull thread 91 of the tea bag 90 stably.
In addition, the mount device 20 of the present invention may be made of stainless steel, having a rustproof function so as to increase drinking sanitation and safety.
In addition, a liftable lid 24 is coupled pivotally to one side of the frame 21 of the present invention, allowing the lid 24 to cover the frame 21, bearing plate 22 and through portion 23, thereby allowing the tea bag 90 to be accepted between the lid 24 and bearing plate 22, preventing the flavor and heat of tea from scattering, and further having an eye-appealing function.
In addition, an annular retaining groove 211 is further disposed below the frame 21, and an elastic ring 212, which may be made of high temperature-resistant food-grade silicone, is put around the frame 21 in the retaining groove 211. Whereby, the frame 21 can be engaged with the flange 14 through the retaining groove 21, and retained effectively in and detached conveniently from the flange 14 by means of the tight compression of the elastic ring 212.
Furthermore, the bearing plate 22 of the present invention is further disposed several leakage holes 221. Whereby, tea effusing from the tea bag 90 can drip down into the accepting space via the leakage holes 221 when the tea bag 90 is placed on the bearing plate 22.
Furthermore, the bearing plate 22 of the present invention may be inclined a preset angle toward the through hole 23. Whereby, tea effusing from the tea bag 90 can be led to flow into the accepting space conveniently when the tea bag 90 is placed on the bearing plate 22,. On the other hand, the tea bag 90 may be pulled smoothly away from the accepting space 13 to the bearing plate 22 due to resistance reduction.
Furthermore, a curved face 222 is disposed on one side of the bearing plate 22 of the present invention close to the through portion 23. Whereby, tea effusing from the tea bag 90 can be led to flow into the accepting space 13 conveniently when the tea bag 90 is placed on the bearing plate 22. On the other hand, the tea bag 90 may be pulled smoothly away from the accepting space 13 to the bearing plate 22 due to resistance reduction.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 again, the main body 10 of the present invention is provided with a spout 16 in connection with the accepting space 13. An engagement slot 161 is respectively disposed on the two sides of the outside of the spout 16, and a protective cover 17 made of elastic material has preset elasticity and disposed with two projecting buckles 171 matching with the engagement slots 16 on the inside thereof, allowing the two engagement slots to be engaged with the two respective buckles 171 so that the protective cover 17 can be retained on the outside of the spout 16 to protect the spout 16 from the damage due to collision.
Referring to FIG. 4, a projecting bottom edge 18 is disposed on the bottom of the main body 10 of the present invention, allowing the bottom edge 18 of the main body 10 to be mounted on the matching rim of the opening 11 of the other main body 10 below it when the both are stacked together so that the upper main body 10 will not shake arbitrarily and therefore drop. Whereby, the tea infusers can be stacked together without occupying space while being stored.
The embodiments and example described above illustrate but do not limit the invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are not limiting.

Claims

I claim:

1. A tea infuser structure, comprising:

a main body, having an opening and a crack, said opening being sunk inward to form an accepting space, a flange being disposed around said opening, and said crack being disposed on a rim of said opening; and

a mount device, having a frame, said mount device being mounted on said flange through said frame, and a bearing plate being disposed on said frame and defining a through portion.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein a crack pad is disposed on said rim of said opening, and said crack pad covers said crack and is made of elastic material.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said mount device is made of stainless steel.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein a liftable lid is coupled pivotally to one side of said fame, capable of covering said frame, bearing plate and through portion.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein a retaining groove is disposed below said frame, and an elastic ring is disposed on said retaining groove, allowing said frame to be engaged with said flange through said retaining groove, and fixed on said flange through the tight compression of said elastic ring.

6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bearing plate is disposed with a plurality of leakage holes.

7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said bearing plate is inclined a preset angle toward said through portion.

8. The structure according to claim 1, wherein a curved face is disposed on one side of said bearing plate close to said through portion.

9. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said main body has a spout, an engagement slot is respectively disposed on two sides of an outside of said spout, and a protective cover is made of elastic material and two projecting buckles matching with said two respective engagement slots are disposed on an inside thereof, allowing said engagement slots to be engaged with said two respective buckles to retain said protective cover on said outside of said spout.

10. The tea infuser according to claim 1, wherein a projecting bottom edge is disposed on a bottom of said main body, allowing said bottom edge to be mounted on a matching rim of said opening of said other main body below said main body when said main body is placed on said other main body.