Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with container – enclosure – or support for material...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-06-12
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with container, enclosure, or support for material...
C219S529000, C219S549000, C219S430000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246032
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The enjoyment of a hot beverage such as coffee or tea is dependent on the flavor experienced by the consumer. The flavor sensation for beverages that are served hot is a combination of the actual taste of the beverage and the temperature of the beverage. Although automatic devices for making coffee or hot tea are designed to hold the beverage at a temperature (holding temperature) at which the consumer will experience a desirable flavor sensation, the flavor of the beverage deteriorates if the beverage is maintained at the holding temperature for a period of time, often not more than one hour. The longer the coffee or tea is kept at the holding temperature, the greater the risk that the flavor may become bitter, burned or scorched. One solution to this problem practiced by food service industry is to periodically brew a fresh batch of the beverage. This solution to the flavor problem costs the food service industry time and money since a worker must throw out any beverage not yet consumed and must take the time and use materials to set up and make a “new pot”.
Several patents address the problem of preserving the flavor of coffee. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,937 teaches a plastic covered hot plate having concentric grooves about the center of the hot plate. These groves form open areas through which air can circulate to moderate the temperature of the beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,677 teaches a coffee maker having a metal spacer which separates the coffee pot from the hot plate in combination with heat sensing alarms that provides a warning if the level of fluid in the coffee pot is below a set level. The metal spacer has a central opening which provides an air space between the coffee pot and the hot plate to lower the temperature of the coffee.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,694 teaches a circular spacer having openings that attenuate the heat that is applied to the coffee pot by the hot plate. This attenuator ring may be attached to the pot or to the hot plate. The attenuator ring works to create an air space between the hot plate and the coffee pot to lower the temperature of the coffee.
The inventors of the present invention wanted to provide a means to keep the flavor of coffee or tea fresh while at the same time maintaining the temperature of the beverage at a high holding temperature which results in the preferred flavor experience for a vast majority of coffee drinkers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fabric disk for protecting the flavor of coffee or tea wherein the disk is placed between a container in which the beverage is stored and a hot plate which supports the container and also keeps the beverage hot, the fabric disk comprising heat resistant fibers wherein the heat resistant fiber contains at least 5% by weight p-aramid fibers. It is preferred that the disk has a thickness of less than about 12 mils and a density of less than about 2 oz/yd
2
(34 g/m
2
). The disk may be a woven or non-woven fabric. The woven disk may be formed from heat resistant fibers 60% by weight m-aramid fibers and 40% by weight p-aramid fibers. For a woven disk it is preferred that the m-aramid and p-aramid fibers form yarns and the yarns are woven in a rip-stop weave. It is preferred that the edge of the fabric disk is stabilized from raveling by the addition of a binder or by fusing.
The present invention also provides a brewing apparatus for brewing coffee or tea, the apparatus having a hot plate and a movable beverage container the bottom of which is in contact with the hot plate, a fabric disk comprising heat resistant fibers wherein the disk has a thickness of less than about 12 mils and a density of less than about 2 oz/yd
2
(34 g/m
2
) and wherein the disk is sized to cover the hot plate and is positioned between the container bottom and the hot plate.
The disk formed from a woven or non-woven fabric may be treated with a water repellent or stain repellent coating. In a woven fabric disk, it is preferred that the disk is treated with an adhesive that is stable at the holding temperature and temporary in nature.
The present invention also provides a non-woven fabric disk for protecting the flavor of coffee or tea wherein the disk is placed between a container in which the beverage is stored and a hot plate which supports the container and also keeps the beverage hot, the fabric disk comprising heat resistant fibers wherein the disk has a thickness of less than about 12 mils and a density of less than about 2 oz/yd
2
(34 g/m
2
) The disk of may be formed from spun laced fabrics, spun bonded fabrics, melt blown fabrics or woven fabrics. The preferred fabric for the present invention is a spun laced fabric. Preferably these non-woven fabrics are patterned, resulting in uniform thick and thin regions throughout the fabric.
The heat resistant fibers of these fabrics are preferred to be m-aramid or a mixture of m-aramid and p-aramid fibers. It is also preferred that the disk have at least one surface treated to increase friction between the disk and the hot plate. The most preferred treatment is a thin, discontinuous coating of silicon material. The preferred method by which thin, discontinuous coating is applied to the disk is by a printing process.
The present invention also provides method of brewing coffee or tea wherein heated water is passed through grounds of coffee or leaves of tea into a container supported on a hot surface designed to maintain the coffee or tea at a holding temperature above room temperature, method comprising placing between the container and the hot surface a fabric disk comprising heat resistant fibers wherein the disk has a thickness of less than about 12 mils and a density of less than about 2 oz/yd
2
(34 g/m
2
). In this embodiment of the invention it is preferred that the heat resistant fibers are m-aramid or a mixture of m-aramid and p-aramid fibers. It is also preferred that at least one surface of the disk is treated to increase friction between the disk and the hot plate. It is most preferred that the treatment is a thin, discontinuous coating of silicon material. Such coating is preferred to be applied by a printing process.
The disk of the present invention and in any of its embodiments is preferred to have a generally round symmetrical shape such as a circle or a polygon.
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patent: 3885129 (1975-05-01), Fabricius
patent: 4065660 (1977-12-01), Berard
patent: 4160152 (1979-07-01), Wightman et al.
patent: 4715269 (1987-12-01), Stoner
patent: 4798937 (1989-01-01), Guerrero
patent: 4896022 (1990-01-01), Schroeder et al.
patent: 4983798 (1991-01-01), Eckler et al.
patent: 4994649 (1991-02-01), Roland, Sr. et al.
patent: 5073699 (1991-12-01), Box
patent: 5183995 (1993-02-01), Addison et al.
patent: 5196677 (1993-03-01), Stasyshyn
patent: 5484983 (1996-01-01), Roell
patent: 39 38 578 (1990-06-01), None
patent: 2 225 969 (1990-06-01), None
Oswald Kerry A.
Quinn Thomas A.
Seifert Robert Scott
Dahbour Fadi H.
Walberg Teresa
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