Many drinks may be infused from an infusable material. An example of an infusable material is tea leaves. Tea leaves may be immersed in hot water to create an infused drink The present invention relates to an infuser for use in the creation of an infused drink.

According to this invention there is provided an infuser for creating an infused drink, the infuser comprising a handle, the handle carrying at one end a receptacle adapted to receive a material to be infused, the receptacle being such that when the receptacle is immersed in water, the material to be infused is acted upon by the water.

Preferably the receptacle is formed with a t least one perforated wall.

Conveniently the receptacle is constituted by a chamber formed within a bowl provided at one end of the handle.

Advantageously the bowl resembles the bowl of a spoon.

Preferably the bowl presents a convex outer part and a concave inner part, the outer part and the inner part being perforated.

Advantageously access to the chamber is provided at an edge portion of the bowl.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention a compressor is provided adapted to compress the material to be infused.

Conveniently the receptacle is defined between two plates carried by the handle, the compressor being adapted to move the plates towards each other.

Advantageously the two plates each have an edge portion thereof connected to the handle, the plates naturally diverging, the compressor comprising guide means engaging the handle to guide the compressor to execute axial movement relative to the handle, the compressor having means adapted to engage the outer surfaces of the plates and urge the plates inwardly towards each other.

In a further modified embodiment the compressor comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement mounted on one end of the handle, the cylinder having a perforated wall.

Preferably the end of the handle remote from the cylinder is provided with a bowl so that the handle and bowl combination constitute a spoon.

In one embodiment the cylinder is associated with a carton of milk. The carton of milk may be releasably attached to the cylinder. In an alternative embodiment the carton is within the cylinder, means being provided to open the carton in response to movement of the piston.

The invention also relates to a method of creating an infused drink comprising the steps of taking an infuser as described above, locating an infusible material in the receptacle and immersing the receptacle in water so that the infusible material is acted on by the water to create the infused drink Preferably the method inclues the step of compressing the infusible material.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : FIGURE 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of an infuser in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a side view of the infuser of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 illustrating a second embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 4 is a front view of an alternative form of infuser in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 5 is a side view of the infuser of Figure 4, FIGURE 6 is a side view of the infuser of Figure 4 showing the infuser when in use, FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of a further form of infuser in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the infuser of Figure 7 in use, FIGURE 9 is a further view showing the infuser of Figure 7 in use with part thereof cut away, FIGURE 10 is a further view of the infuser as shown in Figure 7 in use.

FIGURE 11 is a view of a modified embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 12 is a view of a further modified embodiment of the invention with an associated carton of milk, FIGURE 13 is a partial sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 13, and FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of a component of the embodiment of Figures 12 and 13.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, an infuser 1 in accordance with the invention comprises an elongate handle 2 carrying, at one end, a bowl 3 so that the handle and bowl combination have the configuration of a spoon.

The bowl 3, as can be seen more clearly from Figure 2, comprises a lower convex region 4 and an upper concave region 5, and a receptacle in the form of a chamber 6 is defined between the lower region 4 and the upper region 5. An opening is provided at the side of the bowl, as indicated by the arrow 7 in Figure 1, providing access to the chamber 6. The chamber 6 is dimensioned to receive a tea bag 8. It is to be understood that a tea bag comprises an infusable material, in the form of tea leaves, contained within a sachet of porous material, such as porous paper.

The portion of the infuser 1 defining the bowl 3 is perforated with perforations 9. Thus the tea bag 8 is retained in position within the chamber 6 by two perforated parts of the infuser that constitute the bowl 3.

It is envisaged that the infuser may thus have a configuration equivalent to that of a conventional spoon.

It is to be understood that when the tea bag 8 has been inserted within the chamber 6, the infuser may be used by inserting the bowl 3 into a cup of hot water and stirring the hot water using the handle 2. Since the tea bag 8 is contained within a chamber 6 defined by perforated portions of the bowl 3, the tea bag 8 is actually immersed in the water so that the tea in the tea bag is acted upon by the water. Thus the tea may be infused.

Whilst, in the embodiment of Figure 1, the bowl 3 is of generally oval configuration, Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the bowl 3 is of circular configuration.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention. The mfuser 10 of Figures 4 and 5 comprises a first element having an elongate handle 11 which terminates with a receptacle 12 dimensioned to accommodate a tea bag 13. The receptacle 12 is formed by two plates 14,15, which extend from the lower end of the handle 11. The plates 14,15 are of the same size and shape, and are perforated 16. The plates are each connected, by an edge region thereof, to the lower end of the handle 11 and the plates, as can be seen in Figure 5, are initially generally resiliently biased apart so as to diverge.

A compressor 16 is provided. The compressor comprises a framework 17 constituting guide means which receive the handle 11 and which guide the compressor 16 so that the compressor 16 may slide axially relative to the handle 11. The lower end of the compressor carries two axially extending arms 18,19 each of which terminates with a compressor plate 20,21. In an initial condition of the compressor, the compressor plates 20,21 just engage the plates 14,15 and serve to bias the edges of the plates which are connected to the handle 11 together, thus trapping part of the tea bag 13 and retaining the tea bag 13 within the receptacle defined by the plates 14,15.

It is to be appreciated that with the infuser in this condition, the handle 11 may be grasped and the lower part of the infuser may be inserted into a cup of hot water and the entire infuser may be used to stir the hot water. The hot water will thus have access to the tea bag 13, the tea leaves will be acted upon by the water. thus and the tea from the tea bag will be infused.

During the infusion process or, alternatively, after the receptacle has been removed from the water, the compressor 16 may be pressed axially downwardly, as indicated by the arrow 22, shown in Figure 6. The compressor plates 20,21 will engage the outer faces of the plates 14,15, thus urging those plates together and compressing or squeezing the tea bag 13. This will encourage any remaining liquid to fall from the tea bag as drops 23.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 10, a further infuser 30 in accordance with the invention comprises an elongate handle 31 which carries, at one end, a bowl 32 corresponding to the bowl of a conventional tea spoon. The other end of the handle 31 is associated with a receptacle 33 constituted by a cylinder 34 which has a perforated outer wall 35. The handle 31 is actually connected to a piston 36 contained within the cylinder 34.

In use of the infuser 30, either tea leaves or a tea bag is inserted into the cylinder 36. An end part of the cylinder may be removably mounted in position to enable this to happen.

Referring now to Figure 8 it can be seen that the infuser 30 is utilised by inserting the receptacle constituted by the cylinder 34 into water contained within a cup 37. The handle 31 may be grasped to enable the liquid within the cup 37 to be stirred, as indicated by the arrows 38. Because the cylinder 34 is perforated the tea within the cylinder will be acted upon by the water. Thus the tea will be infused. Subsequently the infuser 30 may be lifted above the cup 37, with the receptacle being removed from the water, and the piston 36 may be moved downwardly within the cylinder 34, causing any remaining drops 39 of liquid to fall back into the cup 37. In Figure 9 part of the wall of the cylinder 35 has been removed to show the piston compressing a tea bag 40 within the cylinder.

It will be appreciated that by following the process steps described above, an infused drink has been created within the cup 37. The bowl 32, as shown in Figure 10, may be used to spoon sugar 41 into the cup 37.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to tea, the infusers described above may be used with other infused drinks.

Referring now to Figure 11, a further modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated, this embodiment being similar to that shown in Figures 7 to 10. In this embodiment of the invention, an infuser 50 is provided.

The infuser incorporates a first element having a handle 51, one end of which carries a spoon 52, and the other end of which is connected to a piston 53 which is slidably insertable within a cylinder 54. The cylinder has a perforated side wall 55. In use of the infuser either tea leaves or a tea-bag is inserted into the cylinder. In this embodiment of the invention the entire piston 53 may be removed from the cylinder 54 to enable this to happen. A carton 56 containing milk is provided which is snap-fitted, as indicated by the arrows 57, to the end of the cylinder 54 which is remote from the open end receiving the piston 53.

The infuser may be used in very much the same manner as that of Figures 7 to 10 as described above with particular reference to Figure 8, save that the milk carton 56 will initially be removed from the infuser, and after the infusion process, milk from the milk carton may be introduced to the cup of tea.

Figures 12 to 14 illustrate yet another embodiment of the invention in which an infuser 60 is provided. The infuser 60 comprises a first element having a handle 61 which carries, at one end, a spoon 62 and, at the other end, a piston 63. A perforator cylinder 64 is provided dimensioned to receive the piston 63 through an open end thereof. The cylinder 64 has a perforated side wall 65. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 14, the perforated side wall, towards the open end of the cylinder, defines a relatively large internal diameter, but towards the closed base 66 of the cylinder, which is at the end of the cylinder remote from that through which the piston 63 is introduced into the cylinder, the side wall is thickened 67 thus producing an interior discontinuity or shoulder 68. Above the shoulder 68 an axially extending slot 69 is provided formed in the side wall. The slot is comprised of two linear portions which are slightly off-set by means of a crank 70.

A compressor and carton opener 71 is provided adapted to be received within the cylinder. The compressor and carton opener 71 comprises a lower circular perforated plate 72 having an outer diameter which is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the portion of the cylinder 65 located above the shoulder 68. The compressor and carton opener 71 comprises a second circular perforated plate 73 of slightly lesser diameter, the diameter of the plate 73 being equal to the diameter of the cylinder 65 at a level below the shoulder 68.

The plate 73 is located slightly above and concentric with the plate 72. The two plates are inter-connected by a rod 74 which extends coincident with the centre points of the two circles. An upwardly directed spike 75 is provided located at the centre of the upper plate 73. The periphery of the lower plate 72 is provided with a line of mechanical weakness 76 so that the periphery of the lower plate 72 may be snapped off, with the residue of the lower plate 72 then having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the part of the cylinder located beneath the shoulder 68.

It is to be appreciated that the compressor and carton opener 71 is intended to be located within the cylinder, as shown in Figure 12, with the periphery of the lower plate resting on the shoulder 68. A milk carton 76 is provided of circular form having a radially outwardly extending lug 77. The carton may be inserted into the upper part of the cylinder, with the lug being received within the slot 69. The crank 70 will be engaged by the projection 77 to prevent the carton moving to a position at which the spike 75 pierces the carton. The piston 63 may be inserted into the top of the cylinder. Of course, it is to be appreciated that tea leaves or tea-bags may be located within the lower part of the cylinder beneath the compressor 71.

In use of the influser as shown in Figures 12 to 14, tea leaves or a tea- bag will be in the lower part of me infuser, that is to say the part beneath the shoulder 68. The influser may be used generally in the manner described above with reference to Figure 8. However, it is to be appreciated that an initial step in using the infuser will be to rotate the milk carton, possibly by rotating the piston, or possibly by engaging part of the projection 77 emerging through the crank 70 provided in the slot 69 so as to rotate the carton so that the projection 77 is aligned with the lower part of the slot 69 beneath the crank 70.

Downward pressure applied by the piston will then cause the spike 75 of the compressor and carton opener to rupture a foil provided on the carton 76, thus opening the carton and permitting the milk from the carton to escape. Further downward pressure applied by the piston will cause the lower plate 72 of the compressor and carton opener 71 to break about the peripheral line of weakness 76. The entire compressor assembly may then be forced downwardly into the lower part of the cylinder 65 beneath the shoulder 68 compressing the tea leaves or tea-bag.

In the present specification"comprise"means"includes or consists of" and"comprising"means"including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.