Infuser Technology For Drinking Containers

Abstract

A modular filter for a vacuum mug comprises a mug cap and a first filter basket. The mug cap has a bottom opening and a threaded wall. The modular filter further comprises a first cylindrical connector having a first opening, second opening, and circular screen filter positioned between the first and second opening. The bottom opening of the mug cap is attached to the first opening of the cylindrical connector, and the filter basket is attached to the second opening of the cylindrical connector. The first filter basket comprises a cylinder having cylindrical screen filter, a top opening and bottom base. Its top opening is attached to the second opening of the cylindrical connector. The bottom base comprises filtration holes.

Claims

1. A modular filter for a vacuum mug comprises a mug cap and a first filter basket wherein said mug cap has a bottom opening and a threaded wall; a first cylindrical connector having a first opening and a second opening and a circular screen filter positioned between said first opening and said second opening; wherein said bottom opening of said mug cap is attached to said first opening of said cylindrical connector and said filter basket is attached to said second opening of said cylindrical connector; said first filter basket is comprised of a cylinder having cylindrical screen filter, a top opening and bottom base wherein said top opening is attached to said second opening of said cylindrical connector; said bottom base is comprised of filtration holes.

2. The modular filter of claim 1 furthering comprising a second cylindrical connector having a a first opening and a second opening and a circular screen filter positioned between said first opening and said second opening; wherein said first filter basket is attached to said first opening of said second cylindrical connector and a second filter basket is attached to said second opening of said second cylindrical connector; second filter basket is comprised of a cylinder having cylindrical screen filter, a top opening and bottom base wherein said top opening is attached to said second opening of said second cylindrical connector; said bottom base is comprised of filtration holes.

3. The modular filter of claim 2 furthering comprising a third cylindrical connector having a a first opening and a second opening and a circular screen filter positioned between said first opening and said second opening; wherein said second filter basket is attached to said first opening of said third cylindrical connector and a third filter basket is attached to said second opening of said third cylindrical connector; said third filter basket is comprised of a cylinder having cylindrical screen filter, a top opening and a bottom base wherein said top opening is attached to said second opening of said third cylindrical connector; said bottom base is comprised of filtration holes.

4. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said first filter basket is comprised of circular filtration holes.

5. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said first filter basket is comprised of elongated filtration slits.

6. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said second filter basket is comprised of circular filtration holes.

7. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said second filter basket is comprised of elongated filtration slits.

8. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said first filter basket is comprised of circular filtration holes.

9. The modular filter of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical screen filter of said second filter basket is comprised of elongated filtration slits.

10. The modular filter of claim 1 further comprising a cylindrical cooling stick suitable for fitting within said first filter basket.

11. The modular filter of claim 2 further comprising a cylindrical cooling stick suitable for fitting within said second filter basket.

12. The modular filter of claim 3 further comprising a cylindrical cooling stick suitable for fitting within said third filter basket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] These and other features and advantages of the invention will not be described with reference to the drawings of certain preferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and in which

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cap.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cap with an infuser attached.

[0028] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary infuser.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cooling device made to fit the present infuser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Some embodiments are described in detail with reference to the related drawings. Additional embodiments, features, and/or advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned by practicing the invention. The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The steps described herein for performing methods form one embodiment of the invention, and, unless otherwise indicated, not all of the steps must necessarily be performed to practice the invention, nor must the steps necessarily be performed in the order listed. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

[0031] The present invention has been conceived with the aim of addressing one or more of the current mug or cup infusers' limitations. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a mug cap that is spill-proof, versatile, and multi-functional to solve the current limitations.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a cap 100 is shown without an attached infuser. The cap comprises several concentric cylindrical sections, with gradually smaller radiuses, with a bottom opening 110. The bottom 110 is perforated to let liquids and brews to flow through, but filter out the brew wastes before a user drinks the brews or beverages. On the outer wall of the cylindrical section, there are tabs 120 that are the tabs acting male pins of a bayonet attachment mechanism. It is appreciated there are a variety of attachment methods can be employed, such as mating threads on the wall of the cylindrical sections as seen on a screw cap. The female halves of the bayonet mount will be disclosed in subsequent figures and their descriptions.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a cap 200 is shown assembled with an filter basket 210. The filter basket 210 comprises a cylindrical screen filter, a top opening, and a perforated bottom 220. In this embodiment, the filter basket's screen filter comprises round holes. It is appreciated that in another embodiment the holes can be elongated. This equally applies to holes on the bottom of the cap and filter basket. On the lip of the top opening, there are L-shaped slots of the bayonet mount, matching and receiving the male pins on the cylindrical section of the cap's 200 bottom opening, disclosed foregoing. It is appreciated that mating threads can be employed to attach the filter basket 210 to the cap 200. In such an embodiment, the outer wall of the cylindrical section of the cap's bottom opening is male threaded. And the inner wall of cylindrical filter basket 210 near the lip of the top opening is female threaded. The cap 200 is screwed into the filter basket to attach them. The filter basket 210 comprises a cylindrical section with a cylindrical screen filter, and the bottom 220 comprises filtration holes.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 3, in this embodiment, an exploded view of an infuser 300 with multiple filter baskets is shown. The infuser 300 comprises a first cylindrical connector 310 that in turn comprises a first opening 312, a screen filter 314, and a second opening 316. The screen filter 314 is disposed between the first and second opening, 312 and 316 respectively, and filter out brew wastes as beverages flowing through the screen filter. As foregoing disclosed, the inner wall of the cylindrical connector's first opening 312 is female threaded or cut to create the L-shaped slots of a bayonet mount. Other attachment methods could also be employed to attach a cap's bottom opening to the cylindrical connector's first opening. The outer wall of the cylindrical connector's second opening 316 are male threaded or have protruding tabs for a bayonet mount. The infuser 300 further comprises a cylindrical filter basket 320. As foregoing disclosed, the filter basket 320 comprises a top opening 322, a cylindrical screen filter 324, and a bottom base 326. And, in turn, the filter basket 320 is attached to the cylindrical connector 310 in the same or similar manner to that of the cylindrical connector's 310 attachment to the cap's bottom opening. In this embodiment, the infuser 300 further comprises two more cylindrical connectors, 330 and 350, and one more cylindrical filter basket 340. Usually, the connectors 330 and 350 are copies of the connector 310. However, it is appreciated that they can perform different functions or have a different attachment method, or both.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary cooling stick 400 is shown. The cylindrical cooling stick 400 usually contains a refrigerant liquid, and is sealed. This cooling stick 400 is made to fit inside one of the foregoing disclosed filter baskets. A user could freeze one of these cooling sticks overnight, and put it in one of the foregoing disclosed filter baskets when she needs to chill her beverage.