PORTABLE BEVERAGE PRESS MUG AND METHODS

• US 20180303269A1
• Filed: 04/19/2017
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamline Design, Llc
• Original Assignee: Planetary Design, LLC
• Inventors: Yakos, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,716,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/18 Extraction of water soluble tea constituents A23F3/166 takes precedence; isolation of tea flavour or tea oil A23F3/42
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/26 Extraction of water-soluble constituents A23F5/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/265 the solid substances are transported through the apparatus during the extraction cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/005 Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/18 Apparatus in which ground coffee or tea-leaves are immersed in the hot liquid in the beverage container
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/20 having immersible, e.g. rotatable, filters

Abstract

A portable beverage press mug is includes a vessel and a press head assembly. The press head assembly includes a screen (or filter) and a valve arrangement covering the screen. The valve arrangement is movable in response to fluid pressure to create a gap between the valve arrangement and the frame and permit fluid to pass through the screen and the gap.

Claims

1. A portable beverage press mug comprising:

(a) a vessel having a bottom end, a surrounding wall, an open mouth opposite of the bottom end, and an interior volume defined by the surrounding wall and bottom end;

(i) the surrounding wall including an interior surface surrounding the interior volume; and

(b) a press head assembly movable within the interior volume of the vessel between the mouth and the bottom end;

the press head assembly including,

(i) a frame having a perimeter edge and an open volume within the perimeter edge;

(ii) a seal member along the perimeter edge of the frame and sized to wipe the interior surface of the surrounding wall along at least a portion of the interior surface;

(iii) a screen covering the open volume of the frame; and

(iv) a valve arrangement covering the screen and being movable in response to fluid pressure to create a gap between the valve arrangement and the frame and permit fluid to pass through the screen and the gap.

2. The mug of claim 1 further including a rod connected to the press head assembly, the rod transmitting a force onto the press head assembly to move the press head assembly within the interior volume of the vessel.

3. The mug of claim 1 wherein the perimeter edge of the frame has a circular cross-sectional shape.

4. The mug of claim 1 wherein the frame further includes a central hub and a plurality of spokes extending between the hub and the perimeter edge.

5. The mug of claim 1 wherein the valve arrangement comprises a flap valve including a plurality of movable sectors.

6. The mug of claim 4 wherein the valve arrangement comprises a flap valve including a central hub and a plurality of movable sectors connected to the hub, each sector oriented over a portion of the screen;

each sector being spaced from an adjacent sector by a gap.

7. The mug of claim 6 wherein the gaps in the flap valve are oriented along one of the spokes.

8. The mug of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the central hub of the flap valve defines a valve aperture;

(b) the hub of the frame defines a frame aperture;

(i) the frame aperture and the valve aperture being concentric.

9. The mug of claim 8 further comprising:

(a) a rod connected to the press head assembly, the rod transmitting a force onto the press head assembly to move the press head assembly within the interior volume of the vessel; and

wherein the rod is connected to the press head assembly by being received within the frame aperture and valve aperture.

10. The mug of claim 9 wherein the frame aperture includes a threaded insert, and wherein the rod is threadably connected to the press head assembly at the threaded insert.

11. The mug of claim 9 further including:

(a) a lid removably covering the open mouth of the vessel; and

wherein the rod slidably extends through the lid.

12. The mug of claim 11 wherein:

(a) the lid includes a recess;

(b) the rod has a handle; and

(c) the handle is received within the recess, when the press head assembly is moved toward the bottom end of the vessel.

13. The mug of claim 1 wherein the seal member includes a flange extending from the perimeter edge.

14. The mug of claim 13 wherein:

(a) the seal member is overmolded onto the frame; and

(b) the screen is secured to the frame by overmolding.

15. The mug of claim 1 wherein the surrounding wall is a double wall of stainless steel.

16. The mug of claim 1 wherein the valve arrangement is stainless steel.

17. A portable beverage press mug comprising:

(a) a vessel having a bottom end, a surrounding wall, an open mouth opposite of the bottom end, and an interior volume defined by the surrounding wall and bottom end;

(b) a press head assembly movable within the interior volume of the vessel between the mouth and the bottom end;

the press head assembly including,

(i) a frame having a perimeter edge and an open volume within the perimeter edge;

(ii) a seal member along the perimeter edge;

(iii) a screen covering the open volume of the frame; and

(iv) a flap valve having a plurality of movable sectors covering the screen and being movable in response to fluid pressure to create a gap between at least one of the valve sectors and the frame and permit fluid to pass through the screen and the gap.

18. The mug of claim 17 wherein the flap valve includes a central hub, and each sector is connected to the central hub and spaced from an adjacent sector by a gap.

19. The mug of claim 17 further comprising:

(a) a rod connected to the press head assembly, the rod transmitting a force onto the press head assembly to move the press head assembly within the interior volume of the vessel; and

wherein the flap valve is secured to the frame by the rod.

20. A method of making a beverage, the method comprising:

(a) providing a mixture of solid particles and a liquid into a vessel;

(b) moving a press head assembly within the vessel toward a bottom of the vessel to trap the solid particles between a screen in the press head assembly and the bottom, while allowing the liquid to flow through a gap between a flap valve and a frame of the press head assembly.