Automatic tea brewing device and tea pot receptacle
AssigneeHealthometer, Inc.
InventorsDavid Di Nunzio, Joseph F. Moore, Phillip L. Brookshire, Robert A. DeMars, Spencer L. Mackay, Craig Weidman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for automatically brewing and holding tea has a water reservoir and a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor attached to and extending from the water reservoir, a hinge mounted steeping chamber positionable over a base for holding a tea pot under the steeping chamber, and a tea pot specially adapted for use with the device having a flat bottom surface for optimal heat transfer from the base to the receptacle. A steeping chamber flow control valve includes opposing, overlapping relatively adjustable frusto-conical surfaces.
Claims30
A device for brewing hot tea comprising:
- a water reservoir,
- a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor structure connected to and extending from of the water reservoir,
- a steeping chamber supported by a swing arm hinge mounted to the water reservoir and positionable under the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure, and
- a base for a brewed tea receptacle, the base positioned forward of the water reservoir and under a brewed tea exit port in the steeping chamber.
An apparatus for brewing, warming and serving hot tea comprising:
- a water reservoir;
- a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor structure attached to the water reservoir, the structure including a water inlet hole and a heated water distributor hole,
- a base for receiving a brewed tea receptacle, the base attached to the water reservoir and positioned under the combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor structure, the base having a substantially flat surface,
- a heating element in the base in thermal contact with a unidirectional fluid passageway from the water reservoir to the heated water distributor structure,
- a steeping chamber removably supported by a hinge mounted support arm attached to the water reservoir and positionable underneath the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure, and
- a brewed tea receptacle having a body with a top opening, a handle, and a spout having an opening separate from the top opening of the body.
An automatic tea brewing device comprising:
- a water reservoir,
- a combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure extending from the water reservoir,
- a steeping chamber supported by a hinge mounted support arm and positionable under the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure,
- a base for receiving a tea pot under the steeping chamber,
- and a tea pot for receiving brewed tea from the steeping chamber, the tea pot having a main body with a top opening, a handle attached to the main body, and a spout extending from the main body and having a spout opening separate from the top opening.
An apparatus for brewing hot tea, comprising:
- a base having a forward section with a tea pot warming platform and a rearward section which supports a water reservoir,
- a combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure which extends from the water reservoir and over the tea pot warming platform,
- a steeping chamber supported by a hinge mounted support arm and positionable underneath a heated water distributor hole in the combined water inlet and heated water distributor structure,
- a heating element in the base in contact with a conduit extending from the water reservoir to the heated water distributor hole, and
- a tea pot having a flat bottom which sits flush upon the tea pot warming platform.
An automatic tea steeping device for automatically steeping and dispensing tea directly into a tea pot, the device comprising:
- a water reservoir for holding water for steeping tea,
- a water reservoir inlet located adjacent the water reservoir,
- a heated water distributor hole located under the water reservoir inlet,
- a heating element in contact with a water conduit connecting the water reservoir to the heated water distributor hole,
- a steeping chamber supported under the heated water distributor hole, the steeping chamber having a flow control valve for controlling the rate of flow of liquid through the steeping chamber, and
- a base for supporting a tea pot at a position underneath the steeping chamber.
A tea brewing device comprising a tea pot base, a water reservoir, a steeping chamber for receiving tea and heated water from the water reservoir, a heating element for heating and transferring water from the water reservoir to the steeping chamber, an adjustable flow control valve on the bottom of the steeping chamber for controlling a rate of flow of water through the steeping chamber, and a tea pot dimensioned to fit upon the tea pot base and underneath the steeping chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.