DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[Para 1] The present invention generally relates to a tea brew basket. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tea brew basket configured for interchangeable use for steeping tea in a coffee brewer.

[Para 2] There are a wide variety of products on the market for steeping tea or brewing coffee. In particular, drip-style coffee brewers are common and come in various configurations and sizes for use in residential or commercial environments to produce brewed coffee. Such coffee brewers commonly include a water reservoir from which a predetermined volume of water is heated and then dispensed downwardly by dripping onto loose coffee grounds contained within an underlying, upwardly open brew basket. The hot water intermixes with the coffee grounds to produce the desired brewed coffee beverage, which is drained from the brew basket into an underlying coffee pot such as a carafe or decanter. In one common form, the brewer includes a refillable water reservoir from which the water is delivered through a heating element for drip-flow dispensing into the brew basket. In large respect, the brewing process that involves the intermixing of the coffee grounds within the brew basket. Most of these coffee brewers require the use of a coffee filter to trap the coffee grounds and other undesirable contaminants from being dispensed into an underlying carafe or container for later consumption. These coffee filters are particular incompatible with tea steeping.

[Para 3] In particular, a variety of modified coffee brewers and related brewing processes that eliminates the need for coffee filters and enhances the coffee brewing process is disclosed in Applicant's own U.S. Patent Nos. 6,968,775; 7,240,611; and 7,340,991, the contents of each patent being herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. These patents disclose a coffee brewer and method for producing brewed coffee with improved flavor. The coffee brewer includes a brew basket having jet ports connected to a source of heated water and positioned to deliver hot water streams into the brew basket at a location beneath the level of coffee grounds contained therein. These hot water streams turbulently agitate and stir the coffee grounds in the brew basket to produce a substantially fluidized bed of water-borne coffee grounds to improve flavor extraction and enhance aroma. This fluidized bed is directed against one or more mesh filter elements forming a wall portion of the brew basket for outward passage of the thus-brewed coffee which is then directed into an underlying coffee pot, such as the aforementioned carafe or the like.

[Para 4] In particular, the coffee brewer disclosed in the above-mentioned patents are able to attain increased brewing temperatures above those normally associated with drip-style brewers. In particular, the brewing temperatures in the brew basket are relatively higher as a result of the generation of heat and steam from the heating element and jet ports therein. This is particularly beneficial for precisely extracting the right amount of flavor from the coffee bean without burning the bean and thereby substantially or completely eliminating the "bitter" taste oftentimes associated with drip-style coffee brewers. These same brewing conditions are also ideal for brewing tea, but there are no known ways of adapting a coffee brewer to be compatible with also making tea. In particular, brewing tea is fundamentally different than coffee because flavor extraction requires submission of tea bags or loose tea leaves within hot water for a predetermined duration. With respect to the above-identified patents, the mesh screens disclosed therein would otherwise permit immediate evacuation of the heated water and initially steeped tea, thereby leading to an insufficient flavor extraction.

[Para 5] Accordingly, the is a need in the art for a tea brew basket interchangeable with and compatible for operation with coffee brewers known in the art, such as the coffee brewers shown an described with respect to the above-identified patents, for facilitating the tea steeping process for a predetermined duration to adequately extract the requisite flavor and nutrients, yet compatible for use with one or more jet ports that inject hot water and steam into the brew basket for brewing tea therein. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[Para 6] The tea brew basket disclosed herein generally includes a base configured for selective engagement with a brewer during a brew cycle. A sidewall upwardly extending from the base forms a generally upwardly open and impermeable chamber therewith, the impermeable chamber having a volumetric capacity to submerge a beverage medium and steep tea therein. In one embodiment, the vertical height of the upwardly extending sidewall may be relatively larger than the vertical height of the filter. Alternatively, or in addition to, the surface area of the filter may be relatively less than the surface area of the upwardly extending sidewall. Preferably, the upwardly open and impermeable chamber is relatively taller than it is wide to facilitate the tea steeping process. This way the impermeable chamber is able to retain water within the tea brew basket for an extended duration to facilitate sufficient steeping of the tea therein. In this respect, the upwardly open and impermeable chamber may be a bowl-shaped steeping chamber.

[Para 7] A filter positioned above the upwardly extending sidewall selectively dispenses steeped tea out over the top of the sidewall during the brew cycle. Preferably, the filter is a mesh screen. Additionally, the brewer is preferably a coffee brewer and the base includes a plenum chamber configured for selective slide-fit engagement with a feed port in the coffee brewer. The base may also include a first magnet for magnetic attachment with the brewer and a second magnet to facilitate rotational pop-out removal of the tea brew basket from the brewer. An adapter may selectively couple the tea brew basket to differently configured brewers.

[Para 8] At least one jet port is positioned to inject water into the upwardly open and impermeable chamber and into contact with the beverage medium. The jet port may be formed from at least one upstanding hollow rib within the upwardly open and impermeable chamber. Preferably, the at least one jet port includes an upper jet port and a lower jet port, the lower jet port being positioned within the impermeable chamber to inject water against the beverage medium and the upper jet port being positioned below the filter. The upwardly extending sidewall may include a section selectively removable from the tea brew basket to vary the height and volumetric capacity of the tea brew basket to vary the strength of the brewed tea.

[Para 9] In an alternative embodiment, the tea brew basket includes a base having a water inlet configured for selective engagement with a feed port of a brewer during a brew cycle. Here, the tea brew basket receives water from the feed port and in through a plenum chamber configured for selective slide-fit engagement with the feed port in a coffee brewer. A sidewall upwardly extending from the base forms a generally upwardly open and impermeable chamber therewith having a volumetric capacity to submerge one or more tea bags therein. The upwardly open and impermeable chamber may include a bowl- shaped steeping chamber that includes at least one upstanding hollow rib with an upper jet port and a lower jet port formed therein.

Preferably, the upper and lower jet ports are positioned below the filter and positioned to inject water into the upwardly open and impermeable chamber into contact with the one or more tea bags during the brew cycle.

[Para 10] The tea brew basket also includes a filter positioned above the sidewall for selectively dispensing filtered steeped tea out over the top of the upwardly extending sidewall. Preferably, the filter has a vertical height relatively less than the upwardly extending sidewall and may include a mesh screen having a surface area relatively less than the surface area of the upwardly extending sidewall. The upwardly extending sidewall may include one or more selectively removable sidewall sections that permit changing the height and volumetric capacity of the brew chamber. Furthermore, an adapter may be included to selectively couple the tea brew basket to one of a variety of differently configured brewers. The base may also include a first magnet for magnetic attachment with the adapter and a second magnet to facilitate rotational pop-out removable of the brew basket from the adapter.

[Para 11] In another alternative embodiment, the tea brew basket may include a water inlet, a generally upwardly open and impermeable brew chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and having a volumetric capacity to steep tea therein, a brewed beverage outlet positioned above the impermeable brew chamber for dispensing steeped tea out therefrom, and a pair of jet ports positioned within the impermeable brew chamber and below the brewed beverage outlet, the pair of jet ports configured to inject water into the impermeable brew chamber and into contact with a beverage medium to agitate and stir the beverage medium during a brew cycle.

[Para 12] In a preferred embodiment, the brewed beverage outlet includes a mesh screen and the water inlet is a plenum chamber configured for selective slide-fit engagement with a feed port in a coffee brewer. The jet ports may be formed from at least one upstanding hollow rib positioned within the interior of the impermeable brew chamber. The impermeable brew chamber may include a magnet for selected engagement with an adapter, and the adapter may include a magnet for selected engagement with the coffee brewer. The tea brew basket may further include a lid for selectively enclosing the impermeable brew chamber, wherein the lid includes a sensor that includes a reed switch for determining whether the lid is in a closed position.

[Para 13] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[Para 14] The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

[Para 15] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tea brew basket as disclosed herein;

[Para 16] FIGURE 2A is a top plan view of the tea brew basket of FIG. 1, further illustrating an internal compartment for brewing tea in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein;

[Para 17] FIGURE 2B is partial cross-sectional front view of the tea brew basket taken along the line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A, partially filled with water and tea bags;

[Para 18] FIGURE 3 is a front view of an empty tea brew basket similar to FIG. 1;

[Para 19] FIGURE 4 is a side view of the empty tea brew basket similar to FIG. 3;

[Para 20] FIGURE 5 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating relative placement of the tea brew basket into an open cavity or brew basket housing in a brewer;

[Para 21] FIGURE 6A is a cross-sectional view taken generally about the line 6A-6A in

FIG. 2A, further illustrating heated fluid entering a plenum chamber for delivery through a plurality of jet ports into the interior of the tea brew basket;

[Para 22] FIGURE 6B is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6A, illustrating continued filling of the tea brew basket interior with heated water;

[Para 23] FIGURE 6C is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 6A and 6B, illustrating brewed tea exiting the tea brew basket through an open or mesh top section; and

[Para 24] FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating brewed tea dispensing from the brewer head into an underlying carafe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Para 25] As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention for a tea brew basket is shown generally by the reference numeral 10 in FIGS. 1-7. More specifically, the tea brew basket 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a generally bowl-shaped curvature or outer perimeter sidewall 12 that includes a lower generally bowl- shaped steeping chamber 14 and an upper open or mesh filter screen 16. The volume of the steeping chamber 14 and the surface area and size of the open or mesh filter screen 16 can be selected to control the quantity of tea brewed within the tea brew basket 10 and when the mixture of brewed beverage dispenses out therefrom, thereby selectively controlling the residence steeping time. For example, steeping time can be controlled by the rate hot water and steam injects into the tea brew basket 10 (e.g. , by one or more upstanding hollow ribs 18 having one or more jet ports 19 therein), the volume of the steeping chamber 14, and/or the surface area of the open or mesh screen 16. For instance, the mixture of hot water and tea will steep longer by reducing the rate of hot water and steam injected into the tea brew basket 10 by the jet ports 19 (thereby decreasing the rate the steeping chamber 14 fills with water), increasing the volume of the steeping chamber 14 or decreasing the surface area of the open or mesh screen 16. In this embodiment, each of these features will prolong the time it takes the steeping chamber 14 to fill with the heated mixture of water and tea for eventual escape out through the top of the tea brew basket 10 through the open or mesh screen 16, as described in more detail below. Conversely, increasing the rate of hot water injected into the steeping chamber 14, decreasing the volume of the steeping chamber 14 or lowering the threshold point where the volume of heated mixture of water and tea is able escape through the open or mesh screen 16 will decrease the tea steeping time within the tea brew basket 10.

[Para 26] One particular advantage of the tea brew basket 10 as disclosed herein is that it is compatible for use with conventional coffee brewers, such as the coffee brewers shown and disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,968,775; 7,240,611 ; and 7,340,991. In this respect, the tea brew basket 10 similarly includes a base wall 20 having an internal plenum chamber 22 (FIGS. 2B and 6A-6C) with an aperture 24 configured for slide-fit and fluidly sealed reception with an upstanding probe or feed port 26 that receives pulsed heated liquid or steam water from a water reservoir 28, in accordance with the embodiments described below. This feed port 26 delivers the heated liquid or steam water to the plenum chamber 22 for distribution to one or more of a series of the upstanding hollow ribs 18 (FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6A-6C) disposed within the tea brew basket 10. Preferably, the hollow ribs 18 each include a pair of upper and lower jet ports 19, 19', through which heated water from the water reservoir 28 is injected into the tea brew basket 10 during a brew cycle. The hollow ribs 18 are preferably coupled to the solid sidewall segments of the steeping chamber 14 to provide stable vertical extension while pressurized heated water and/or steam is jetted into the tea brew basket 10. A portion of this solid sidewall segment may extend between the steeping chamber 14 and the perimeter sidewall 12, as shown for example in FIGS. 2A-2B and 3-5. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the tea brew basket 10 includes three equidistantly spaced hollow ribs 18 and corresponding jet ports 19, 19', as shown best in FIG. 2A. Although, a person of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other combinations and quantities of the hollow ribs 18 and/or the jet ports 19, 19' may be utilized, depending, of course, on the structural and operational aspects of the corresponding brewer. While the jet ports 19, 19' are disposed within the hollow ribs 18 in the tea brew basket 10, the jet ports 19, 19' could be placed elsewhere, including outside the bottom of the steeping chamber 14 where a plurality of tea bags 30 are deposited prior to brewing. Here, the hollow ribs 18 may not be adjacent to the steeping chamber 14 and within the tea brew basket 10 and the heated water streams emanating from the lower and upper jet ports 19, 19' may enter the steeping chamber 14 retaining the tea bags 30 through one or more mesh or perforated sidewall segments of the tea brew basket 10. The jet ports 19, 19' function, of course, in accordance with the embodiments disclosed in U.S. Patents 6,968,775; 7,340,991; and 7,240,611.

[Para 27] As shown more specifically in FIGS. 2A-2B, the steeping chamber 14 forms a hot water and tea containing area where one or more of the tea bags 30 may be placed therein prior to initiating a brew cycle. In particular, the tea bags 30 may sit substantially horizontally at the bottom of the steeping chamber 14, or the tea bags 30 may be positioned somewhat upright as shown in FIG. 2B, and positioned in the general direction to receive the heated water and steam emitting from the jet ports 19, 19' . Such orientation may provide enhanced tea flavor and nutrient extraction from the bags 30. Importantly, the vertical height of the wall segment forming the steeping chamber 14 must be high enough to permit adequate injection of heated water and steam to intermix with the tea bags 30, and for a preferred tea bag or loose tea leaf steeping duration. In one embodiment, the tea brew basket 10 may be configured to receive additional selectively attachable and/or removable wall segments to extend or decrease the vertical height of the steeping chamber 14. For example, attaching a removable wall segment to the tea brew basket 10 to occlude an additional portion of the open or mesh screen 16 will increase the volume of the steeping chamber 14, thereby increasing the tea steeping time therein. Alternatively, removing one or more wall segments may decrease the volume of the steeping chamber 14, thereby decreasing the tea steeping time therein. In other words, the attachable and/or removable wall segments may be utilized to selectively occlude or permit escape of steeping tea out from within the tea brew basket 10 during a brew cycle.

[Para 28] One feature of the tea brew basket 10 as disclosed herein is that the basket 10 is configured for drop-in engagement with rotational steam brewing processes, such as for use with the iCoffee® coffee brewer made by Remington Designs, LLC of Valencia, California and the coffee brewers disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,968,775; 7,340,991; 7,240,611, the contents of each herein being incorporated by reference in their entireties. In this respect, in one

embodiment, the tea brew basket 10 may be used in association with a brewer 32 as shown in FIG. 5. As shown, the brewer 32 includes a base 34 having a platen 36 that supports a pot or other vessel such as a carafe 38, for receiving and retaining brewed tea. The platen 36 could be a heat plate known in the art, or the platen 36 could optionally be heated by a heating unit integrated into the base 34 of the brewer 32. Furthermore, the platen 36 and the base 34 may be adapted to accommodate different sized beverage retaining vessels, such as larger or smaller pots, cups, travel mugs, or carafes 38. The brewer 32 further includes a support 40 extending upwardly from a rear portion of the base 34 to provide cantilevered attachment of a brewer head 42 that extends outwardly from the support 40 and over the platen 36. More specifically, a lower housing shell 44 attaches to an upper portion of the support 40 and carries a brewer head bowl 46 generally defined by an outer peripheral wall 48 and a bottom wall 50 (FIG. 7). As shown best in FIG. 5, the brewer head bowl 42 includes an inner wall 52 that divides the bowl 46 into a pair of chambers, including the rear water receiving reservoir 28 and a forward upwardly open cavity 54 that may selectively receive a brew basket housing or be configured itself to carry the tea brew basket 10. The tea brew basket 10 is preferably configured for slide-out removal from the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 so the tea brew basket 10 can be quickly and easily removed therefrom after a brew cycle for purposes of removing and discarding spent tea bags, and then reloading the tea brew basket 10 with new tea bags 30 in preparation for another brew cycle. Similarly, once reloaded with new tag bags 30, the tea brew basket 10 quickly and easily slides back into the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 for the next brew cycle. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the tea brew basket 10 is keyed for one-way slide-fit insertion. In this respect, the tea brew basket 10 may be keyed differently than a coffee brew basket (not shown) such that the brewer automatically determines whether to initiate a tea brew cycle or a coffee brew cycle.

[Para 29] Preferably, at least one of the lower jet ports 19 is positioned at or near where the tea bags 30 or loose tea are situated at the bottom of the tea brew basket 10 within the steeping chamber 14. In this respect, upon initial supply of jetted hot water into the tea brew basket 10 through this at least one lower jet port 19, at least a portion of the hot water contacts and immediately soaks the tea bag 30 and/or loose tea leaves placed at the bottom of the steeping chamber 14. Furthermore, the injection of the hot water and steam by the jet ports 19, 19' creates a fluidized bed of steeping tea. Since the vertical sidewalls of the steeping chamber 14 are solid, the hot water and steam remain within the tea brew basket 10 for a predetermined duration to allow further soaking and steeping of the tea within the bags 30 or loosely placed leaves at the bottom of the steeping chamber 14. Adequate soaking, preferably by partial or complete submersion of the tea bags 30 (or loose tea leaves) within the hot water for a predetermined duration extracts or releases the preferred flavor and/or nutrients from the tea.

[Para 30] The tea brewing process is shown, for example, in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 6A-6C. More specifically, FIG. 6A illustrates initial injection of hot water into the tea brew basket 10 through the aperture 24 therein, and into the plenum chamber 22 and the hollow ribs 18 for delivery to the steeping chamber 14 via the jet ports 19, 19', as described in detail above. For purposes of illustrating the steeping process in accordance with the tea brew basket 10 disclosed herein, the tea bags 30 shown in FIG. 2B are not reproduced in FIGS. 6A-6C. An initial amount of water enters the plenum chamber 22 and begins to travel upwardly into the hollow ribs 18, as shown in FIG. 6A. In this respect, the water level in FIGS. 6A-6C is denoted by numeral 56. Furthermore, FIG. 6B more specifically illustrates the hot water and steam being injected into the steeping chamber 14 through the jet ports 19, 19' in the hollow ribs 18. In this respect, the water level 56 is shown in FIG. 6B as filling approximately ¾ the steeping chamber 14, yet still below the threshold level required to exit the steeping chamber 14 through the open or mesh screens 16. The angled positioning of the hollow ribs 18 and the jet ports 19, 19' causes the steeping tea within the steeping chamber 14 to stir and agitate. The solid sidewalls of the steeping chamber 14 retain the hot steeping tea within the tea brew basket 10 until the water level therein reaches a vertical threshold where the lower portion of the open or mesh screen 16 meets these solid sidewall segments of the steeping chamber 14, as denoted by numeral 58. As shown in FIG. 6C, the water level 56 in the tea brew basket 10 eventually increases to a point higher than the upper jet ports 19', whereby water jetted into the tea brew basket 10 by the lower and upper jet ports 19, 19' cooperatively stir and agitate the container of steeping tea. Such action thoroughly and substantially uniformly exposes the steeping tea to continuous flavor extraction from the tea bags 30 (shown in FIG. 2B) or loose tea at the bottom of the steeping chamber 14 for at least partially, and preferably nearly the entire brew cycle. The lower and upper jet ports 19, 19' are preferably, though not necessarily, orientated to inject water generally tangentially in a common swirling direction into the interior of the tea brew basket 10. The thus- produced fluidized steeping tea is swirled by centrifugal action against an inboard side of the tea brew basket 10 and only dispenses out therefrom through the open or mesh screens 16 once the water level 56 therein eclipses the vertical height denoted by numeral 58, and as shown in FIG. 6C.

[Para 31] Once the fluidized mixture of tea within the steeping chamber 14 eclipses the threshold at numeral 58, the steeped tea overflows out from the steeping chamber 14 through the open or mesh screen 16 and into the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 to the inboard side of the inner wall 52, as shown best in FIG. 6C. The steeped tea 60 is then dispensed into the underlying carafe 38 in accordance with known dispensing mechanisms commonly known in the art, such as those described with respect to U.S. Patent Nos. 6,968,775; 7,240,611; and

7,340,991. Any residual steeped tea within the steeping chamber 14 after the conclusion of the brew cycle may be dispensed out from the tea brew basket 10 by pulling on a handle or otherwise lifting the tea brew basket 10 out from engagement with the feed port 26, thereby opening the aperture 24 at the bottom of the tea brew basket 10. In this respect, the residual tea simply dispenses out from the tea brew basket 10 through the now open aperture 24 and into the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 for delivery to the underlying carafe 38, in accordance with the embodiments described above. [Para 32] While the tea brew basket 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 as filling much of the interior of the open cavity or brew basket housing 54, the tea brew basket 10 can be much smaller. For example, a smaller brew basket can have sidewalls and an upper rim spaced inwardly from the open cavity or brew basket housing 54. Indeed, the term "brew basket" can include many different variations in size, structure, and operation from that illustrated and described herein. While not necessary for every permutation of brew baskets, adapters and the like can be utilized to support brew baskets sized for use with other brewers. To facilitate brew baskets of different sizes, including the tea brew basket 10, magnets can be incorporated into the bottom of the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 (or an adapter for use therewith) that can cooperate with magnets disposed in the bottom of the tea brew basket 10 (or adapter) thereof. The magnets (not shown) can advantageously be resistant to axially directed fluid forces seeking to push the tea brew basket 10 (or adapter) away from engagement with the bottom of the open cavity or brew basket housing 54, which is the preferred entry point for heated water flow, as described above. Although, advantageously, these magnets are less resistant to rotational or twisting motion that facilitate separation of the tea brew basket 10 (or adapter) from the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 when the magnets are no longer aligned. To this end, a second set of magnets having opposite polarity may facilitate pop-out removal of the tea brew basket 10 (or adapter) when rotated or twisted from the engaged position. The magnets preferably cooperate to pull the tea brew basket 10 (or adapter) toward engagement with the opposing magnets in the open cavity or brew basket housing 54, thereby assisting in positioning and seating the tea brew basket 10 within the cavity or housing 54.

[Para 33] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the tea brew basket 10 preferably includes a basket lid 62 that selectively covers the tea brew basket 10 so hot water, steam and/or steeping tea does not accidentally splash out or escape out from the tea brew basket 10 during a brew cycle, and especially while being agitated by the lower jet ports 19, the upper jet ports 19', or a combination of both jet ports 19, 19', as described above. The basket lid 62 also traps the heated water and steam therein, to maintain elevated brewing temperatures in the tea brew basket 10 during a brew cycle. The basket lid 62 may also be sized to at least partially cover, if not completely seal, the open cavity or brew basket housing 54. Additionally, in one embodiment, the basket lid 62 may attach to the tea brew basket 10 or the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 by a hinge or the like. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment wherein the basket lid 62 attaches to the inner wall 52 by a hinge 64. Additionally, a second or upper lid 66 may be coupled to the rear of the support 40 by a hinge 68 (FIG. 5) or the like, and effectively closes the top of the brewer head 42 and the associated water reservoir 28 during a brew cycle. In one preferred

embodiment, the basket lid 62 and the water reservoir/brewer lid 66 cover respective portions of the brewer head 42 and otherwise sit flush with one another. In another embodiment, the basket lid 62 may sit within or underneath the water reservoir lid 66 in a manner that facilitates stacking (e.g., as shown in FIG. 5). In this latter embodiment, the weight of the water reservoir or upper lid 66 may present downward pressure on the basket lid 62 to further ensure the basket lid 62 stays sealed to the open cavity or brew basket housing 54. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the basket lid 62 and the water reservoir lid 66 should cooperate to prevent cross-contamination between liquids in the reservoir 28 and the tea brew basket 10, and prevent spillage out from the brewer 32 during the brew cycle, however configured.

[Para 34] Additionally, a sensor or switch may be associated with at least the brew basket lid 62 to indicate whether the lid 62 is in an open position or a closed position. In one embodiment, the sensor or switch may include a reed switch coupled to or otherwise formed from a portion of the open cavity or brew basket housing 54. In other embodiments, the switch could also be an optical sensor or a mechanical switch or sensor capable of determining whether the basket lid 62 is in an open or closed position. The reed switch, for example, is able to sense the presence or absence of a magnet coupled to the basket lid 62. In this respect, the magnetic field generated by the magnet may close the reed switch when the brew basket lid 52 is properly seated in the closed position. Thus, the brewer circuitry is able to read this closed state for purposes of running the brew cycle. Opening the basket lid 62 pulls the magnet and its magnetic field away from the reed switch, thereby opening the reed switch such that the brewer internal circuitry recognizes that the basket lid 62 is in an open position and no longer properly seated, thereby preventing the brewer 32 from operating the brew cycle. Of course, the reed switch could work in the reverse, i.e., the magnetic field from the magnet causes the reed switch to open when the basket lid 62 is in the closed position and to open when the basket lid 62 is removed. The brewer internal circuitry is preprogrammed to operate the brew cycle accordingly, based on readings from the reed switch. Once the basket lid 62 is reseated and the reed switch is reactivated, the brewer internal circuitry will allow the brew cycle to operate. Notably, if the basket lid 62 was removed in the middle of a brew cycle, the brewer internal circuitry will remember and re-initiate the brew cycle from the last stopping point to complete the brew cycle. Of course, a similar sensor or reed switch may be used in combination with a similar magnet to determine whether the water reservoir lid 66 is properly seated.

[Para 35] In another embodiment, one or more magnets may be disposed at ends of the basket lid 62 and/or the water reservoir lid 66 opposite the hinges 64, 68 to enhance engagement therewith. In this embodiment the magnets are preferably oppositely charged and disposed in respective portions of the outer peripheral wall 48 and/or the open cavity or brew basket housing 54 to keep the lids 62, 66 in a closed or covered position. Such magnets may be used independently or concurrently as a replacement for the sensor/reed switch and the magnet.

[Para 36] Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.