Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-15
2004-06-22
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S299000, C099S30200C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06752070
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coffee makers and more particularly to a filter assembly of coffee maker with improved characteristics.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional coffee maker
1
having a filter assembly
10
is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The filter assembly
10
comprises an open container
20
comprising a handle
201
, an interior space
202
, and two hollow legs
203
at the underside, a seat
30
in the space
202
and including two hollow pegs
301
fitted in the legs
203
, a central well
302
, and two side grooves
303
in communication between the well
302
and the pegs
301
, a disc-shaped silicone rubber member
40
including a central hole
401
, the silicone rubber member
40
being secured onto the seat
30
by wrapping its edge around an annular flange of the seat
30
, and a filter cup
50
including a plurality of meshed openings
501
on the bottom and an annular flange
502
in which the bottom of the filter cup
50
is rested on the silicone rubber member
40
and the flange
502
is rested on top of the container
20
. Hot water can be poured from a hot water reservoir
11
into the filter cup
50
to mix with coffee powder therein. The made coffee then flows into the well
302
through the meshed openings
501
and the central hole
401
. Next, the coffee overflows into two cups (not shown) under the legs
203
through the grooves
303
and the peg
301
once the well
302
is full of coffee.
But this is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the invention is concerned for the following reasons: The fastening of the silicone rubber member
40
and the seat
30
by wrapping around edges or the disassembly of them is a difficult, inconvenient process. Further, the capacity of the well
302
is small, resulting in a slow flow of coffee into the cups. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter assembly mounted in a coffee maker, comprising an open container comprising a handle, a central well, two side grooves in communication with the well, two hollow legs at the underside, the legs being in communication with the grooves, and an interior, annular shoulder; a disc-shaped seat having its edge rested on the shoulder and including a central opening and an intermediate, annular raised section; a disc-shaped silicone rubber member including an annular flange at the underside with the edge of the central opening fastened by the flange, a central hole, and a raised edge fitted on the raised section; and a filter cup rested on the silicone rubber member and including a plurality of meshed openings on the bottom and a top annular flange rested on the container, wherein coffee made in the filter cup is adapted to flow into the well through the meshed openings and the central hole prior to flowing out of the container through the grooves and the legs once the well is full of coffee.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4343232 (1982-08-01), Corbier
patent: 4497243 (1985-02-01), Cavalli
patent: 4656932 (1987-04-01), Kopp
patent: 4697502 (1987-10-01), English et al.
patent: 5064533 (1991-11-01), Anson
patent: 5628902 (1997-05-01), Pytlik et al.
patent: 5642656 (1997-07-01), Braendle
patent: 5687637 (1997-11-01), Brookshire et al.
patent: 6044754 (2000-04-01), Fuentes
patent: 6279460 (2001-08-01), Pope
patent: 6343542 (2002-02-01), Shen
patent: 6494128 (2002-12-01), Yu
patent: 6655260 (2003-12-01), Lazaris et al.
Kamrath Alan D.
Nikolai & Mersereau , P.A.
Simone Timothy F.
Uni-Splendor Corp.
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