No-drip carafe

• US 7,735,698 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shin-Shuoh Lin
• Original Assignee: Shin-Shuoh Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Shin-Shuoh
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver; Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOOD, JONATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/897,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 222/472, 222/475, 222/1, 222/470, 222/471, 222/473, 222/474, 222/517, 222/571, D73/17, D73/18
• US Class Current: 222/472
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0027 the stopper incorporating a dispensing device, i.e. the fluid being dispensed through the stopper

Abstract

A no-drip carafe (10) is taught that is used for storing and serving a hot or cold beverage, which incorporates a vacuum insulated bottle (20) with a lid (30) engaging the top of the bottle. The lid incorporates a pouring spout (34) with a liquid cavity (36) running completely through and also an integral handle for convenience in handling. A spring loaded lever (56) pivotally snaps into the lid with the lever having an integral downwardly projecting plug finger (58) that engages and completely obstructs the liquid cavity when at rest. When the lever is manually depressed the plug finger is pivoted away from the liquid cavity permitting the beverage to flow freely and when released the integral downwardly projecting plug finger seals the cavity in a no-drip manner.

Claims

1. A no-drip carafe for storing and serving a hot or cold beverage, which comprises:

a vacuum insulated bottle having a neck with an open top, the bottle having female threads positioned within the neck adjacent to the open top,

a lid having male threads thereon threadably engaging the female threads of said bottle, said lid having a pouring spout with a liquid cavity therethrough and, an integral handle, for lifting and pouring beverages through the cavity from the carafe, said lid pouring spout further comprising a dish shaped portion with a smooth distal end for directing the beverage in a convenient path from the carafe, wherein said lid has a spring retaining cavity adjacent to the integral handle, and wherein said spring retaining cavity has a vent opening in a bottom portion thereof for stabilizing pressure within the carafe when the beverage is poured therefrom,

a spring loaded thumb actuated lever pivotally engaging said lid, said lever having an integral downwardly projecting plug finger obstructing said pouring spout liquid cavity when the lever is urged by a compression spring to an at rest position, wherein the compression spring resides in the spring retaining cavity and concentrically surrounds the vent opening, and wherein when the lever is manually depressed by an operators thumb the integral downwardly projecting plug finger is pivoted away from the liquid cavity permitting the beverage to flow freely and when the lever is released the plug finger seals the cavity in a no-drip manner, and

wherein said plug finger has a resilient plug cover disposed thereon.

2. The no-drip carafe as recited in claim 1 wherein said lid further has a lever receiving cavity therein, with said lever receiving cavity having at least two inwardly facing opposed spindles.

3. The no-drip carafe as recited in claim 2 wherein said lever further has at least one downwardly depending leg pivotally interfacing with said at least one spindle within said lever receiving cavity.

4. The no-drip carafe as recited in claim 3 wherein said at least one downwardly depending leg snaps over said at least one spindle.

5. The no-drip carafe as recited in claim 1 wherein said resilient plug cover has a plurality of outwardly extending peripheral chevrons that resistibly collapse when urged by said spring loaded lever into said liquid cavity creating a drip proof seal.