Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Foraminous material infusion type – or foraminous container...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-01
2003-03-11
Weinstein, Steve (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Foraminous material infusion type, or foraminous container...
C426S078000, C426S132000, C426S433000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06531168
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filter system and more particularly pertains to blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of filters of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, filters of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of brewing coffee through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 343,271 to Kenney discloses an Infusion Package. U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,172 to Loizzi discloses flavored inserts for coffee filters. U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,267 to Gruenbacher discloses a coffee filter pack. U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,292 to Loizzi discloses flavored inserts for coffee filters or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,743 to Pergola et al discloses a method of impregnating a paper filter with a flavoring agent. Lastly, International Patent Application Number PCT/US92/05624 assigned to The Proctor & Gamble Company discloses a coffee filter pack.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a filter system that allows blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee.
In this respect, the filter system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved filter system which can be used for blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of filters of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved filter system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved filter system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a new and improved filter system for blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee. The system comprises in combination a filter element having an upper portion with downwardly tapering side walls and vertical undulations having an open top for the receipt of coffee to be brewed and water to be poured there over for brewing purposes. Further included in the system is a closed lower portion coupled at its periphery to the lower extent of the upper portion adapted to support ground coffee thereon for being brewed and to allow the passage of water from above the coffee to beneath and through the lower portion. The filter of the system is fabricated of paper in a one-piece configuration with flavor crystals dispersed throughout the entire paper of the filter for disseminating a flavor other than coffee to the coffee being brewed, the paper of the filter also including a dye to color the paper coordinated to the flavor of the particles within the filter.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved filter system which has all of the advantages of the prior art filters of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved filter system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved filter system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved filter system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such filter system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a filter system for blending flavoring with coffee flavor during the brewing of coffee.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved filter system including a filter element with an upper portion with downwardly tapering side walls having a top for the receipt of a primary flavor material to be brewed and water to be poured there over for brewing purposes. Also included is a closed lower portion coupled at its periphery to the lower extent of the upper portion adapted to support ground flavor material thereon for being brewed and to allow the passage of water from above the flavor material to beneath and through the lower portion. The filter of the system is fabricated of paper in a one-piece configuration with flavor crystals dispersed throughout the entire paper of the filter for disseminating a flavor other than that of the primary flavor material being brewed.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3006764 (1961-10-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 3126284 (1964-03-01), Howerin
patent: 3689291 (1972-09-01), Draper
patent: 4076847 (1978-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4612942 (1986-09-01), Dobberstein et al.
patent: 4826695 (1989-05-01), Tanner
patent: 4891232 (1990-01-01), Dahl
patent: 4975292 (1990-12-01), Loizzi
patent: 5043172 (1991-08-01), Loizzi
patent: 5147540 (1992-09-01), Hagan
patent: D343271 (1994-01-01), Kenney
patent: 5298267 (1994-03-01), Gruenbacher
patent: 5518743 (1996-05-01), Pergola et al.
patent: 5656315 (1997-08-01), Tucker et al.
patent: 5885633 (1999-03-01), Lehrer
patent: 5932260 (1999-08-01), Soughan
patent: 888351 (1962-01-01), None
patent: WO93/01105 (1993-01-01), None
Prepared F
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