Coffeepot

• US 6,755,120 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uni-Splender Corp.
• Original Assignee: Uni-Splender Corp.
• Inventors: Lin, Yu-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US10/640,554
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 994/83, 994/95, 993/233, 992/75, 992/79, 992/97, 992/87, 993/10, 993/14, 993/07, 992/85, 220/832, 220/912, 220/737, 220/758, 215/759, 215/769, 215/235, 215/396, 222/144.5, 222/475.1, 222/507, 222/518, 222/500, 222/469, 222/468, 222/571, 222/470-474, 222/465.1
• US Class Current: 99/323.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/14 Coffee or tea pots filters, strainers A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0027 the stopper incorporating a dispensing device, i.e. the fluid being dispensed through the stopper

Abstract

A coffeepot comprises a body, a handle assembly, a lid connecting assembly, a discharge control assembly, a check valve, a disc-shaped abutment assembly, a push member, and a disc-shaped lid. In a closed state of the check valve, press the push member to lower the discharge control assembly a distance with a spring of the discharge control assembly being compressed, a gap is formed between a base of the discharge control assembly and the lid connecting assembly, a coffee discharge passageway is formed from the gap to a spout through a passageway of the lid connecting assembly, and tilt the body will pour coffee out of the spout via the coffee discharge passageway. Further, in an open state of the check valve, releasing the push member will close the coffee discharge passageway.

Claims

1. A coffeepot, comprising:

a body for storing coffee a top opening and a plurality of risers equally spaced apart along a top periphery;

a handle assembly comprising a ring seat conformed to and secured to the top opening, a spout extended outward from a periphery of the ring seat, a handle member, and a plurality of interior slits equally spaced apart along an inner surface of the ring seat;

a lid connecting assembly shaped to snugly fit in the ring seat, the lid connecting assembly comprising a passageway in communication with the spout, a funnel-shaped channel, a recess at an upper periphery, an upper threaded section, a plurality of projections equally spaced apart along a lower periphery, the projections being secured to the slits, and a first central hole;

a discharge control assembly having an upper part fitted in the first central hole and being slidable therealong, the discharge control assembly comprising a disc-shaped base, a post extended upward from the base through the first central hole, an annular flange on an outer surface of the post, resilient means put on the post and supported by the flange, and a C-shaped member pressed on the resilient means;

a check valve conformed to and mounted in the funnel-shaped channel, the check valve comprising a seat having a plurality of perforated openings, a steel ball on a center of the seat, and a cap pressed on the steel ball so as to be in contact with the seat;

a disc-shaped abutment assembly comprising a second central hole put on the post and a plurality of lugs equally spaced apart along a periphery, each lug having a hole therethrough;

a push member having a part conformed to and put on the second central hole, and another part conformed to and seated on the recess; and

a disc-shaped lid comprising an inner threaded section secured to the upper threaded section, and a recessed portion with the push member passed therethrough,

wherein in a closed state of the check valve, by pressing the push member to lower the discharge control assembly a distance with the resilient means being compressed, a gap is formed between the base and the lid connecting assembly, a coffee discharge passageway is formed from the gap to the spout through the passageway, and tilting the body will pour coffee out of the spout via the coffee discharge passageway, and in an open state of the check valve, by releasing the push member causes the resilient means to return to its normal state by expansion with the post being lifted and the base being moved upward to urge against the lid connecting assembly for closing the coffee discharge passageway.

2. The coffeepot of claim 1, wherein the resilient means is a torsion spring.

3. The coffeepot of claim 1, further comprising an ergonomic member fitted onto the handle member by snapping.