All-in-one disposable container for making coffee, tea and other mixed beverages

• US 7,437,990 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enrique Gámez Duch
• Original Assignee: Enrique Gámez Duch
• Inventors: Duch, Enrique Gámez
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/978,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20050252382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 992/97, 992/87, 992/95, 993/02.R, 993/17, 993/18, 993/19, 993/23, 993/233, 426/112, 426/115
• US Class Current: 99/297
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/005 Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles

Abstract

An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product. The container includes a cup for holding a liquid, and a percolating mechanism for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within the cup, the beverage mix being provided in a solid, granular, gel and/or packaged form. A filter may be coupled to the percolating mechanism for separating the beverage mix from liquid disposable in the cup, and a stem may be coupled to the percolating mechanism for enabling axial movement of the percolating mechanism relative to a longitudinal axis of the cup. The stem may enable mixing of the beverage mix with the liquid and enable removal of the percolating mechanism from the cup upon mixing of the beverage mix with the liquid for thereby providing the mixed beverage product. The invention thus provides an all-in-one beverage container which is easy to use, hygienic and disposable.

Claims

1. An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product, said container comprising:

a disposable cup for holding a liquid;

a percolating mechanism for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within said disposable cup, said beverage mix is provided in at least one of a solid, granular, gel and packaged form;

a filter coupled to said percolating mechanism for separating said beverage mix from liquid disposable in said disposable cup; and

a stem coupled to said percolating mechanism for enabling axial movement of said percolating mechanism relative to a longitudinal axis of said disposable cup, said stem enables mixing of said beverage mix with the liquid by axial reciprocation of said percolating mechanism and enables removal of said percolating mechanism from said disposable cup upon mixing of said beverage mix with said liquid for thereby providing said mixed beverage product,

wherein said all-in-one beverage container enables a consumer to know and to choose the type of beverage mix the consumer prefers, and thereby prepare a customized mixed beverage product, wherein said percolating mechanism includes top and bottom percolation elements, wherein said top percolation element includes a plurality of preformed first perforations, said first perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, and wherein said bottom percolation element includes a plurality of preformed second perforations, said second perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, wherein said top and bottom percolation elements are aligned such that said first and second perforations are axially aligned such that liquid flows in a generally axial direction from a first or second perforation to an axially corresponding second or first perforation during axial reciprocation of said percolating mechanism for providing optimal mixing, and wherein said top and bottom percolation elements are aligned by means of a notch on said top percolation element being aligned with a rib on said stem attached to said bottom percolation element.

2. An all-in-one beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said percolating mechanism includes top and bottom percolation elements, said top and bottom percolation elements are separable from each other to enable insertion of said beverage mix between said top and bottom percolation elements.

3. An all-in-one beverage container according to claim 1, wherein said percolating mechanism includes top and bottom percolation elements, said top and bottom percolation elements are presealed together and include said beverage mix between said top and bottom percolation elements.

4. An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product, said container comprising:

a disposable cup for holding a liquid;

a percolating mechanism for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within said disposable cup, said beverage mix is provided in at least one of a solid, granular, gel and packaged form;

a filter coupled to said percolating mechanism for separating said beverage mix from liquid disposable in said disposable cup; and

a stem coupled to said percolating mechanism for enabling axial movement of said percolating mechanism relative to a longitudinal axis of said disposable cup, said stem enables mixing of said beverage mix with the liquid by axial reciprocation of said percolating mechanism and enables removal of said percolating mechanism from said disposable cup upon mixing of said beverage mix with said liquid for thereby providing said mixed beverage product,

wherein said all-in-one beverage container enables a consumer to know and to choose the type of beverage mix the consumer prefers, and thereby prepare a customized mixed beverage product, and wherein said stem is hollow, said container further includes a spoon disposed within said hollow stem such that said spoon enables stirring of said beverage mix after removal of said percolating mechanism.

5. An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product, said container comprising:

a disposable cup for holding a liquid;

means for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within said disposable cup, said beverage mix is provided in at least one of a solid, granular, gel and packaged form; and

means for reciprocating coupled to said means for holding for enabling axial movement of said means for holding relative to a longitudinal axis of said disposable cup, said means for reciprocating enables mixing of said beverage mix with the liquid by axial reciprocation of said means for holding and enables removal of said means for holding from said disposable cup upon mixing of said beverage mix with said liquid for thereby providing said mixed beverage product

wherein said all-in-one beverage container enables a consumer to know and to choose the type of beverage mix the consumer prefers, and thereby prepare a customized mixed beverage product, wherein said means for holding includes top and bottom percolation means, wherein said top percolation means includes a plurality of preformed first perforations, said first perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, and wherein said bottom percolation means includes a plurality of preformed second perforations, said second perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, wherein said top and bottom percolation means are aligned such that said first and second perforations are axially aligned such that liquid flows in a generally axial direction from a first or second perforation to an axially corresponding second or first perforation during axial reciprocation of said means for holding for providing optimal mixing, and wherein said top and bottom percolation means are aligned by a notch on said top percolation means being aligned with a rib on said means for reciprocating attached to said bottom percolation means.

6. An all-in-one beverage container according to claim 5, wherein said means for holding includes top and bottom percolation means, said top and bottom percolation means are separable from each other to enable insertion of said beverage mix between said top and bottom percolation means.

7. An all-in-one beverage container according to claim 5, wherein said means for holding includes top and bottom percolation means, said top and bottom percolation means are presealed together and include said beverage mix between said top and bottom percolation means.

8. An all-in-one beverage container according to claim 5, further comprising a filter coupled to said means for holding for separating said beverage mix from liquid disposable in said disposable cup.

9. An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product, said container comprising:

a disposable cup for holding a liquid;

means for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within said disposable cup, said beverage mix is provided in at least one of a solid, granular, gel and packaged form; and

means for reciprocating coupled to said means for holding for enabling axial movement of said means for holding relative to a longitudinal axis of said disposable cup, said means for reciprocating enables mixing of said beverage mix with the liquid by axial reciprocation of said means for holding and enables removal of said means for holding from said disposable cup upon mixing of said beverage mix with said liquid for thereby providing said mixed beverage product

wherein said all-in-one beverage container enables a consumer to know and to choose the type of beverage mix the consumer prefers, and thereby prepare a customized mixed beverage product, wherein said means for holding includes top and bottom percolation means, wherein said top percolation means includes a plurality of preformed first perforations, said first perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, and wherein said bottom percolation means includes a plurality of preformed second perforations, said second perforations are disposed at predetermined radial and angular intervals, wherein said top and bottom percolation means are aligned such that said first and second perforations are axially aligned such that liquid flows in a generally axial direction from a first or second perforation to an axially corresponding second or first perforation during axial reciprocation of said means for holding for providing optimal mixing, and wherein said top and bottom percolation means are aligned by a notch on said means for reciprocating being aligned with a rib on said top percolation means.

10. An all-in-one beverage container for providing a mixed beverage product, said container comprising:

a disposable cup for holding a liquid;

means for holding a beverage mix at a predetermined location within said disposable cup, said beverage mix is provided in at least one of a solid, granular, gel and packaged form; and

means for reciprocating coupled to said means for holding for enabling axial movement of said means for holding relative to a longitudinal axis of said disposable cup, said means for reciprocating enables mixing of said beverage mix with the liquid by axial reciprocation of said means for holding and enables removal of said means for holding from said disposable cup upon mixing of said beverage mix with said liquid for thereby providing said mixed beverage product

wherein said all-in-one beverage container enables a consumer to know and to choose the type of beverage mix the consumer prefers, and thereby prepare a customized mixed beverage product, and wherein said means for reciprocating is hollow, said container further includes a spoon disposed within said hollow means for reciprocating such that said spoon enables stirring of said beverage mix after removal of said means for holding.