Reusable coffee maker container

• US 3,878,772 A
• Filed: 03/01/1974
• Issued: 04/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert A. Nordskog
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Nordskog
• Inventors: Nordskog, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US05/447,286
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 99/295,304,306,323,307,308,302,305 426/77,78
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/00 Apparatus for making beverages household machines or implements for straining foodstuffs A47J19/00; preparation of non-alcoholic beverages, e.g. by adding ingredients to fruit or vegetable juices, A23L2/00; coffee or tea pots A47G19/14; tea infusers A47G19/16; brewing of beer C12C; preparation of wine or other alcoholic beverages C12G
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/057 with water container separated from beverage container, the hot water passing the filter only once i.e. classical type of drip coffee makers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0642 specially adapted to cooperate with a cartridge, e.g. having grooves or protrusions to separate cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber A47J31/0668 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0689 Reusable cartridges suitable to be opened for being filled with brewing material and to be closed to envelope the brewing material therein

Abstract

The reusable coffee maker container of this invention is to be employed in combination with prior art structure comprising a coffee maker which uses the coffee supply can itself as the brewing chamber. The normal mode of operation on the original equipment is to insert the coffee supply can within the apparatus and perforate both the can top and bottom. Water is passed through the coffee can with the coffee being brewed within the can and then conducted into a catching container. The reusable container of this invention provides for the inclusion of a quantity of instant coffee. It is then to be inserted within the prior art apparatus thereby eliminating the coffee supply can. The reusable container of this invention is constructed so that the knives and perforation means of the prior art apparatus does not cut into the reusable container of this invention. The reusable container of this invention provides for the making of instant coffee without any modification of the prior art coffee making unit.

Claims

1. In combination with a coffee maker having a base and a cover, said cover being movable relative to said base between an open position and a closed position, with said cover in said closed position a selected size of coffee container is adapted to be clamped in a liquid tight fitting manner between said cover and said base, said base including knives to penetrate the bottom surface of said coffee container, said cover including a perforation means to puncture the top side of said coffee container, means for supplying hot water through said perforation means into said coffee container with the resultant brewed coffee exiting adjacent said knives and into a catching container, the improvement comprising:

a reusable container to be usable in lieu of said coffee container, said reusable container having a top edge and a bottom edge, said top edge to contact said cover establishing a liquid leakage-free interconnection therebetween, an access opening formed about said top edge surrounding said perforation means, said bottom edge having a plurality of holes located in an annular arrangement, a central recess formed within said bottom edge, said knives extending into said recess, whereby instant coffee crystals are to be placed within said reusable container and the hot water from said perforation means passes through said access opening and through the coffee crystals and out through said holes and into the catching container.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said reusable container comprises an undercup and a strainer, said undercup to be in contact with said base, said strainer to be in contact with said cover, a portion of said strainer to extend within the confines of said undercup, said strainer having a lower surface, said lower surface including a plurality of distributing apertures, the water to be conducted within said strainer and be substantially evenly distributed before being conducted within said undercup by passing through said distributing apertures.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said strainer being substantially cylindrical in configuration, an annular bead formed on the side of said strainer and extending outwardly therefrom, said annular bead to rest upon the upper edge of said undercup.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein:

each of said holes extending slightly into the confines of said central recess, whereby upon said bottom edge being in contact with said base said holes are not closed off or in any way restricted so as to not permit free flow of said coffee therethrough.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein:

a handle connected to said undercup, with said strainer placed in position upon said undercup said handle to facilitate insertion and removal of said undercup and its associated strainer within said coffee maker.

6. A reusable brewing container to be employed in combination with a coffee maker apparatus, said reusable brewing container comprising:

said container being composed of an undercup and a strainer, said strainer being removable from said undercup, said undercup and said strainer both being cylindrical in configuration, one end of said undercup being substantially open with the other end of said undercup being substantially closed, said closed end of said undercup including a central enlarged recess resulting in the forming of an annular chamber about said central recess within said undercup, a plurality of holes formed within said closed end and communicating with said annular chamber, the diameter of said strainer being such as to partially extend in a telescoping manner within said open end of said undercup, said strainer having a substantially open upper end and a substantially closed lower end, said substantially closed lower end including a plurality of distributing apertures, an annular bead formed within the side of said strainer and extending outwardly therefrom, said annular bead to rest upon the edge of said undercup located about said substantially open end, whereby instant coffee is to be placed within said annular chamber and hot water is to be conducted into said strainer and evenly distributed by said distributing holes prior to being conducted within said undercup, thereby even brewing of the coffee is obtained prior to being passed through said holes.

7. The container as defined in claim 6 wherein:

each of said holes extending slightly into the confines of said central recess, whereby upon said bottom edge being in contact with said base said holes are not closed off or in any way restricted so as to not permit free flow of said coffee therethrough.

8. The container as defined in claim 7 wherein:

a handle attached to said undercup, said handle to facilitate entry and removal of said undercup and its associated strainer into and out of a coffee maker.