WEIGHTED FLUID INFUSION DEVICE

Abstract

A weighted fluid infusion device is provided and comprises a sealed porous pouch containing brewing material and capable of allowing brewing fluid to filter therethrough, a string for manipulating the fluid infusion device, and a weighted device. The weighted device is sufficient to completely submerge the sealed porous pouch in the brewing fluid.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the quick brewing of liquids, and more specifically relates to a weighted fluid infusion device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fluid infusion devices are extensively used for quick brewing of beverages such as tea and coffee. In the brewing of tea using a fluid infusion device, the tea is often enclosed in a porous bag, which is placed in heated water. A string is sometimes attached to the tea bag to facilitate insertion and removal of the tea bag from the heated water.

Complete submersion of the tea bag in the heated water will generally speed up the brewing process. However, the tea bag will frequently float on the top of the heated water, requiring the user to repeatedly dunk the tea bag or manually submerge the tea bag using a spoon or other instrument. Manipulation of the tea bag by the user in such a manner can sometimes result in a burn or scalding from the heated water. Moreover, these types of actions can be difficult for users with limited mobility due to conditions such as joint pain or arthritis.

As such, there remains a need in the art for improved fluid infusion devices. These and other needs are met by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fluid infusion device, comprising: a sealed porous pouch capable of allowing water to filter therethrough, wherein said pouch contains a quantity of brewing material sealed within said pouch; a string, wherein a first end portion of said string is coupled to said pouch; and a weighted device coupled to said pouch.

In some embodiments, the weighted device is positioned within the porous pouch. In other embodiments of the invention, the weighted device is positioned within the pouch, but is separated from the brewing material. In still other embodiments, the weighted device is positioned external to the pouch.

In some embodiments of the invention, the weighted device is dissolvable in water and in others, the weighted device is non-dissolvable in water.

In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, the fluid infusion device may further comprise a secondary porous pouch, one or more additional weighted devices and/or a tab coupled to the second end portion of the string.

The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention are described in the following detailed description of the specific embodiments and are illustrated in the following Figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a container holding a fluid infusion device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a fluid infusion device including a spherical weighted device positioned within a sealed porous pouch in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a fluid infusion device including a weighted device comprising a plurality of spherical beads positioned within a sealed porous pouch in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a fluid infusion device including a spherical weighted device positioned external to a sealed porous pouch in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 depicts a fluid infusion device including an irregular-shaped weighted device positioned external to a sealed porous pouch in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a weighted fluid infusion device. Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fluid infusion device comprising a sealed porous pouch containing brewing material, a string and a weighted device. The weighted device is sufficient to completely submerge the sealed porous pouch in a brewing fluid.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid infusion device 10 includes a sealed porous pouch 11 containing a brewing material 12 of ground tea leaves, a cylindrical weighted device 13 sealed within pouch 11, and a string 14 having first and second end portions 15, 16. The first end portion 15 of string 14 is attached to pouch 11 to facilitate the insertion and removal of the fluid infusion device 10 from container 17 containing brewing fluid, e.g., water. Tab 18 is attached to the second end portion 16 of string 14 to aid in the handling of the string 14.

The porous pouch of the present invention is constructed of flexible, porous material, such as water-permeable paper, which in some embodiments is heat-sealable. The porous pouch of the present invention can be comprised of any porous material known in the art, so long as the pouch material is capable of allowing brewing fluid to filter therethrough. The porous pouch is generally rectangular or square in configuration and is dimensioned to have a width less than the diameter of a conventional coffee cup or mug. In one embodiment, the diameter of the circle formed by the outer edges of the pouch if rotated is less (e.g., 3 to 1.50 cm) than the inside diameter of the cup or mug.

Although ground tea leaves are depicted as the brewing material 12 in FIG. 1, a variety of brewing materials can be utilized in the present invention. Other exemplary brewing materials include whole or partially ground tea leaves, coffee grounds, herbs, sweeteners, flavorants, medicinal materials or other powdered infusible substances. In addition, the fluid infusion device of the present invention can be used in a variety of brewing fluids including, for example, water, milk, tea, lemonade, brining liquid, soup, broths, and the like. The brewing fluids may be hot, cold or room temperature.

The weighted device of the present invention can comprise numerous different shapes. The weighted device 13 depicted in FIG. 1 is cylindrical. FIG. 2 shows a fluid infusion device 20 including a spherical weighted device 23 that is positioned within a sealed porous pouch 21 containing brewing material 22. Other exemplary shapes of the weighted device of the present invention include disk-shaped, cubic, bar-shaped, acicular, pyramidal, polygonal, tetragonal, ligamental, dendritic, ellipsoidal, rounded, sub-spherical, non-spherical, irregular, angular or other shaped form.

In some embodiments, such as the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a single weighted device is included in the fluid infusion device. In other embodiments of the invention, the fluid infusion device includes a plurality of weighted devices. For example, FIG. 3 depicts a fluid infusion device 30 including a weighted device 33 comprising a plurality of spheres, e.g., stainless steel beads. As shown in FIG. 3, the weighted device 33 is positioned within a sealed porous pouch 31 containing the brewing material 32.

The weighted device of the present invention can comprise a variety of different materials. In some embodiments, the weighted device is dissolvable in the brewing fluid. Exemplary dissolvable weighted device materials include artificial sweeteners such as calcium cyclamate, sodium cyclamate, sodium saccharin, natural sweeteners such as stevia, luo han, agave, honey, molasses, maple syrup, date sugar, cane sugar, creamers such as powdered milk, nonfat dry milk, powdered cream or cream substitutes, malted milk powder, and flavorants such as powdered lemon flavoring or powdered raspberry flavoring.

In other embodiments of the invention, the weighted device is not dissolvable in the brewing fluid. Exemplary non-dissolvable weighted device materials include metals such as stainless steel, ceramic, or polymer such as polypropylene, high-density polyethylene or polycarbonate. In still other embodiments, the weighted device includes a dissolvable material loaded into a non-dissolvable matrix.

The weight of the weighted device may vary among embodiments of the invention. However, the weight of the weighted device should be sufficient to completely submerge the sealed porous pouch in a relatively short period of time, e.g., within 30 seconds, within 10 seconds or within 5 seconds. In one embodiment of the invention, the weight of the weighted device is ⅛ oz or ⅙ oz.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the weighted device is positioned external to the sealed porous pouch. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate some such embodiments of the present invention. The fluid infusion device 40 of FIG. 4 includes a spherical weighted device, e.g., flavorant sphere, 43 positioned in a secondary pouch 44 external to sealed porous pouch 41 containing brewing material 42. FIG. 5 depicts a fluid infusion device 50 including an irregular-shaped weighted device 53, e.g., crystallized sugar, in a secondary pouch 54 positioned external to a sealed porous pouch 51 containing brewing material 52.

In still other embodiments of the present invention, the weighted device is positioned within the sealed porous pouch, but is kept separate from the brewing material, e.g., via a secondary pouch positioned within the sealed porous pouch or via an additional pane of the porous material that comprises the sealed porous pouch.

The secondary pouch may be comprised in whole or in-part of porous materials. In alternative embodiments, the secondary pouch is comprised of a non-porous material. In certain embodiments, the secondary pouch in adhered, glued, sewn or heat-sealed to the porous pouch. In other embodiments, the secondary pouch containing the weighted device is releasably attached to the porous pouch.

As provided above, embodiments of the fluid infusion device of the present invention may be used in the delivery of a variety of active substances in both hot and cold applications. For example, the use of hot beverages or refreshments is conceivable. Its use for soups, broths or brining liquids, for example, is also conceivable. In the case of medicinal baths, such as, for example, chamomile baths, the fluid infusion device according to the present invention may also be used. The fluid infusion device of the present invention may be sold individually or in boxed quantities. The fluid infusion device may be sold with any combination of items or packaging forms. The fluid infusion device of the present invention is, however, by no means limited to the above-described applications.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A fluid infusion device, comprising:

a sealed porous pouch capable of allowing water to filter therethrough, wherein said pouch contains a quantity of brewing material sealed within said pouch;

a string, wherein a first end portion of said string is coupled to said pouch; and

a weighted device coupled to said pouch, wherein said weighted device includes a dissolvable material loaded into a non-dissolvable matrix.

2. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the brewing material comprises ground tea.

3. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the brewing material comprises coffee grounds.

4. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device is within said pouch.

5. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device is within said pouch and is separated from the brewing material.

6. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device is external to said pouch.

7. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the dissolvable material is dissolvable in water.

8. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the-weighted device non-dissolvable matrix is non-dissolvable in water.

9. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises artificial sweetener.

10. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises natural sweetener.

11. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises crystallized sugar.

12. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises creamer.

13. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighed device comprises flavorant.

14. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighed device comprises medicinal material.

15. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises metal.

16. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises ceramic.

17. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, wherein the weighted device comprises polymer.

18. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, further comprising a secondary porous pouch.

19. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional weighted devices.

20. The fluid infusion device of claim 1, further comprising a tab coupled to the second end portion of the string.