TEA BAGS AND FILTERS WITH VARIABLE POROSITY AND CUSTOM STEEPING CYCLES

Abstract

A container that controls combining a soluble material with a solution includes a body that holds the soluble material and a film that covers the body and having pores therein, where flow through the pores is impeded after a pre-determined amount of time following the soluble material in the container being combined with the solution outside the container. The soluble material may be tea. The solution may be water. The body may have a frame that supports the film. The pores may contract to impede flow therethrough. The pores may contract in response to temperature of the solution, in response to a pH level of a combination of the solution and the soluble material. and/or in response to being exposed to water. The container may include beads disposed proximal to the pores, where the beads expand to impede flow through the pores.

Claims

1. A container that controls combining a soluble material with a solution, comprising: a body that holds the soluble material; and a film that covers the body and having pores therein, wherein flow through the pores is impeded after a pre-determined amount of time following the solution being combined with the soluble material in the container.

2. A container, according to claim 1, wherein the soluble material is tea.

3. A container, according to claim 2, wherein the solution is water.

4. A container, according to claim 1, wherein the body has a frame that supports the film.

5. A container, according to claim 1, wherein the pores contract to impede flow therethrough.

6. A container, according to claim 5, wherein the pores contract in response to temperature of the solution.

7. A container, according to claim 5, wherein the pores contract in response to a pH level of a combination of the solution and the soluble material.

8. A container, according to claim 5, wherein the pores contract in response to being exposed to water.

9. A container, according to claim 1, further comprising: beads disposed proximal to the pores, wherein the beads expand to impede flow through the pores.

10. A container, according to claim 9, wherein the beads expand in response to temperature of the solution.

11. A container, according to claim 9, wherein the beads expand in response to a pH level of a combination of the solution and the soluble material.

12. A container, according to claim 9, wherein the beads expand in response to being exposed to water.

13. A container, according to claim 1, further comprising: an indicator, coupled to the container, that indicates when flow through the pores is impeded.

14. A container, according to claim 13, wherein the indicator changes color in response to the pores being impeded.

15. A container, according to claim 14, wherein the indicator measures pH of a combination of the solution and the soluble material.

16. A container, according to claim 1, wherein the amount of time varies according to at least one of: density of the pores per unit area of the film, size of the pores, or material used for the film.

17. A container, according to claim 16, wherein the soluble material is tea and the solution is hot water and wherein the amount of time is used to control a strength of a beverage that results from combining the tea and the hot water.

18. A container, according to claim 1, wherein the soluble material is tea and the solution is hot water and wherein the container is a bag that holds the tea.

19. A container, according to claim 18, further comprising: an indicator, coupled to the bag, that indicates when steeping of the tea is complete.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Embodiments of the system described herein will now be explained in more detail in accordance with the figures of the drawings, which are briefly described as follows.

[0026] FIG.s 1A-1B are schematic illustrations of assembled tea sticks and tea filters with custom steeping cycles, according to an embodiment of the system described herein.

[0027] FIG.s 2A-2B are schematic illustrations of two different constructions of the surface of a tea stick or a tea filter, according to an embodiment of the system described herein.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the customized steeping process, according to an embodiment of the system described herein.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a system flow diagram illustrating system functioning in connection with a customized and controlled tea steeping process, according to an embodiment of the system described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The system described herein provides a tea stick as a replacement for a tea bag and a modified construction of a tea filter for loose tea and methods of control of steeping process, along with indicators of readiness of the fully steeped tea for consumption.

[0031] FIGS. 1A-1B are schematic illustrations of assembled tea sticks and tea filters with custom steeping cycles.

[0032] FIG. 1A is a schematic illustration of an assembled tea stick 110, which may include two principal parts: a body 120 and a handle 125. The body 120 is covered with a polymer film 130 with an optional frame 135 and has pores 140, representing openings in the body 120 of the stick 110, allowing hot water to enter the body 120 and contact loose tea leaves 150 placed at a bottom of the body 120. The handle 125 may have an indicator element or strip 160 that changes color at an end of a steeping cycle under the influence of capillary absorption of brewed tea, as explained elsewhere herein.

[0033] FIG. 1B schematically illustrates a modified tea filter 170. Here, loose tea leaves 150 are poured into a pocket 180 to form a layer 155 at a bottom of the pocket 180. A plurality of pores 140 play the same role as the pores 140 for the tea stick 110, while an indicator strip 190 may be attached to a back side of the pocket 180.

[0034] FIGS. 2A-2B are schematic illustrations of two different constructions of a surface of a tea stick or a tea filter.

[0035] FIG. 2A illustrates self-closing pores 210 made in the surface 130, gradually closing (contracting) during steeping, as explained elsewhere herein, to impede flow through the pores 210.

[0036] FIG. 2B illustrates constant-size pores 220 in the surface 130 with polymeric beads 230 hanging in or fastened to each of the pores 220 optionally using a thin frame 240. The beads 230 expand during steeping, as explained elsewhere herein, to impede flow through the pores 220.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration 300 of a customized steeping process using the tea stick 110 with self-closing pores 140, showing three phases of the steeping process. Initially, the tea stick 110 with the pores 140 fully opened is placed into a cup 310, either already filled with hot water 320 or with the hot water 320 is added when the stick is already in the cup 310. The hot water 320 has an initial pH value 325 corresponding to a start of the steeping process. The hot water 320 flows through the pores 140 into the body of the stick 110, contacts loose tea leaves 150 at the bottom of the stick 110 and flows back into the cup 310, as depicted by arrows 330.

[0038] At an intermediate phase of the steeping process, the pores 140 start to contract, as illustrated by smaller openings 340 in the pores 140; a resulting semi-brewed tea 350 has an intermediate pH value 355 and flow of liquid through the partly closed pores 340 is less intense than initial flow through the pores 140.

[0039] Finally, fully brewed tea 360 with a final pH value 365 corresponds to fully closed pores 370. A flow of liquid inside the stick is impeded and an indicator element 380 changes color to signal to the user that the tea is ready.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, a system flow diagram 400 illustrates system functioning in connection with a customized and controlled tea steeping process. Processing begins at a step 410, where it is determined whether a tea stick is used, like the tea stick 110, described above. If not, processing proceeds to a step 420, where loose tea leaves are added to a tea filter like the tea filter 170, described above. After the step 420, processing proceeds to a step 430, where the tea filter is placed into a tea cup. After the step 430, processing proceeds to a step 450, where hot water is poured into the tea cup.

[0041] If it was determined at the test step 410 that a tea stick was used, processing proceeds from the step 410 to a step 440, where the tea stick is put into the tea cup. After the step 440, processing proceeds to the step 450, described above, where hot water is poured into the tea cup. The step 450 can be independently reached from the step 430. After the step 450, processing proceeds to a step 460, where tea steeping progresses, pores are gradually closing (or beads expanding) and steeping intensity declines, as explained elsewhere herein. After the step 460, processing proceeds to a test step 470, where it is determined whether the tea is fully steeped. If not, processing proceeds back to the step 460. Otherwise, if the tea is fully steeped, processing proceeds to a step 480, where flow through the pores is impeded and steeping stops, as explained elsewhere herein (for example, at the final phase, depicted in FIG. 3). After the step 480, processing proceeds to a step 490 where the indicator strip or other element changes color and notifies the user that the tea is ready. After the step 490, processing is complete.

[0042] Note that the system described herein may be adapted to control an amount of time any soluble material is mixed with a solution. The soluble material may be medicine, coffee, other consumable food or drink, non-consumable soluble material, etc. Also, the solution may be a liquid other than water, including non-consumable liquids. The system described herein relies on the addition of the solution to cause flow through pores in the surface of the container to eventually be impeded based on a characteristic of the solution (e.g., temperature) or on a characteristic of the combination (e.g., pH of the combination).

[0043] Various embodiments discussed herein may be combined with each other in appropriate combinations in connection with the system described herein. Additionally, in some instances, the order of steps in the flowcharts, flow diagrams and/or described flow processing may be modified, where appropriate. Subsequently, system configurations and decisions may vary from the illustrations presented herein. Various existing and future materials may be used for the surface of tea sticks and tea filters, beads, indicator strips and other system components.

[0044] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.