U.S. patent application number 11/846537 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for dripping device and related method thereof.
Invention is credited to PAO-WU TIEN.
Application Number | 20090057348 11/846537 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40405797 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090057348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TIEN; PAO-WU |
March 5, 2009 |
DRIPPING DEVICE AND RELATED METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
A ring washer is provided at an end of the outlet of the
dripping device. The ring washer has a center trough channel
aligned with the outlet. A sphere is rotatably stuck at an end of
the through channel of the ring washer. When the sphere is turned
to a specific angle, a diametrical through channel of the sphere is
substantially aligned with the through channel of the ring washer
and the outlet and the fluid in the dripping device is therefore
allowed to drip through. At the end of the through channel of the
ring washer that interfaces with the sphere, a flexible ring
element is provided that could conform to the curvature of the
sphere and thereby compensate for slits that may exist between the
not-so-perfectly-circular ring washer and the
not-so-perfectly-round sphere.
Inventors: |
TIEN; PAO-WU; (Taipei City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008, 1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
40405797 |
Appl. No.: |
11/846537 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/422 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 31/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/422 |
International
Class: |
B65D 47/18 20060101
B65D047/18 |
Claims
1. A method for controlling the open and close of an outlet of a
dripping device, comprising the steps of: providing a ring washer
at an end of said outlet, said ring washer having a first through
channel aligned with said outlet, a flexible ring element
positioned around the inner circumference at said end of said ring
washer; providing a sphere having a larger diameter than that of
said first through channel, said sphere rotatably stuck in said end
of said first through channel, said sphere having a diametrically
second through channel; turning said sphere so that said second
through channel is substantially aligned with said first through
channel to open said outlet; and turning said sphere so that said
second through channel is not aligned with said first through
channel to close said outlet; wherein said flexible ring element
conforms to the curvature of said sphere to prevent leakage.
2. A dripping device, comprising: a container having a cylindrical
base with an outlet running vertically through the center of said
base; a ring washer having a center first through channel, said
ring washer positioned in an indentation on a bottom surface of
said base so that said first through channel aligned with said
outlet; a stick laterally provided beneath said base, said stick
running diametrically through said base and having at least an end
extended outside said base through a hole of said base, said end of
said stick having a radially extended block fitted in a notch
around the circumference of said hole so that said stick is turned
within the confinement of said notch; and a sphere in the center of
said stick having a larger diameter than that of said first through
channel, said sphere rotatably stuck in an end of said first
through channel, said sphere having a diametrically second through
channel; wherein, by turning said sphere so that said second
through channel is substantially aligned with said first through
channel, said outlet is opened; and, by turning said sphere so that
said second through channel is not aligned with said first through
channel, said outlet is closed.
3. The dripping device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom of
said base has a circular flange for placing said dripping device on
top of a cup.
4. The dripping device according to claim 2, wherein at least an
end of said second through channel has an enlarged opening.
5. The dripping device according to claim 2, wherein, around the
inner circumference of said end of said first through channel, a
ring groove is provided to hold a flexible ring element.
6. The dripping device according to claim 2, wherein a handle is
laterally attached to the side wall of said container.
7. The dripping device according to claim 2, wherein a cover is
hinged to said container that opens or closes a top opening of said
container.
8. The dripping device according to claim 7, wherein a guide plate
is vertically extended downward from the rim of said cover adjacent
to where said cover is hinged to said container.
9. The dripping device according to claim 2, where said end of said
stick extended outside of said base is plugged into a knob for
turning said stick.
10. The dripping device according to claim 9, wherein said knob has
an indicator radially extended from said knob specifying the
orientation of said second through channel of said sphere.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to dripping devices
for making coffee or tea or the like, and more particular to a
dripping device using a sphere to control the open and close of the
outlet of the dripping device.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
[0002] Quite a few simple dripping devices have been disclosed,
such as those taught by R.O.C. Taiwan Patent Publication Nos.
375021 and 451654.
[0003] Most of these dripping devices have a ring washer at the
outlet of the device and a sphere fitted in the hole of the ring
washer to block the outlet.
[0004] The hole of the ring washer and the sphere have to be
perfectly circular and spherical so as to be fully matched and
thereby to avoid leakage. The manufacturing of the precisely
circular ring washer and round sphere is therefore more difficult.
Additionally, after a period of usage, the wear between the sphere
and the ring washer inevitably creates some slit therebetween and
leakage may still happen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a
novel dripping device and a related method in controlling the open
and close of the outlet of a dripping device.
[0006] According to the present invention, a ring washer is
provided at an end of the outlet of the dripping device. The ring
washer has a center through channel aligned with the outlet. A
sphere is provided in the center of a stick and the sphere has a
larger diameter than that of the through channel of the ring
washer. The sphere is rotatably stuck at an end of the through
channel of the ring washer. When the stick is turned, the sphere is
turned as well. When the sphere is turned to a specific angle, a
diametrical through channel of the sphere is substantially aligned
with the through channel of the ring washer and the fluid in the
dripping device is therefore allowed to drip through.
[0007] At the end of the through channel of the ring washer that
interfaces with the sphere, a flexible ring element is provided
that could conform to the curvature of the sphere and thereby
compensate for slits that may exist between the
not-so-perfectly-circular ring washer and the
not-so-perfectly-round sphere.
[0008] The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0009] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dripping device
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view showing the various
components of the dripping device of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the dripping device of
FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 4 shows a scenario of the dripping device when the knob
is turned to the "OFF" position.
[0014] FIG. 5 shows the interaction between the sphere and the ring
washer during the scenario of FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a scenario of the dripping device when the knob
is turned to the "ON" position.
[0016] FIG. 7 shows the interaction between the sphere and the ring
washer during the scenario of FIG. 6.
[0017] FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate the flexible ring element's
conforming to the sphere.
[0018] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the flexible ring element's
compensation for the not-so-perfectly-circular ring washer.
[0019] FIG. 11 shows the function of the guide plate of the
cover.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only,
and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a dripping device according to an
embodiment of the present invention mainly contains a cup-like
container 10 with a handle 16 laterally attached to the side wall
(not numbered) of the container 10. The top opening of the
container 10 is closed by a circular cover 17 hinged to a top
portion of the handle 16. Adjacent to where the cover 17 and the
handle 16 are joined, a guide plate 171 is vertically extended
downward from the rim of the cover 17. The purpose of having the
guide plate 171 will be explained later. In addition, the container
10 has a cylindrical base with a circular flange 15 at the bottom
for placing the entire dripping device on top of a mug or cup.
[0022] A filter 12 is usually positioned inside the container 10
and the coffee grounds or tea leaves or the like are placed on top
of the filter 12. There is an outlet 11 running vertically through
the axis of the cylindrical base of the container 10. Along the
bottom surface of the base, there is an indentation 13 for holding
a ring washer 20 so that the ring washer 20 is perpendicular to the
outlet 11 and a center through channel 21 of the ring washer 20 is
aligned with the outlet 11.
[0023] The ring washer 20 is made of a food-grade rubber material.
Around the bottom aperture of the inner circumference of the
through channel 21, a ring groove 22 is provided to hold a flexible
ring element 23. Beneath the bottom surface of the cylindrical base
of the container 10, a stick 30 is laterally provided so that a
sphere 40 in the center of the stick 30 having a diameter larger
than that of the through channel 21 blocks the bottom aperture of
the through channel 21. The stick 30 runs diametrically through the
base and its two ends are extended outside of the base through two
holes 14 of the base and then plugged into two knobs 31 fitted
inside the holes 14, respectively. As such, by twisting each one of
the knobs 31, the stick 30 as well as the sphere 40 is spun
accordingly.
[0024] The sphere 40 has a diametrical through channel 41 so that,
when the sphere 40 is turned to a specific angle, the through
channel 41 is aligned with the through channel 21. The through
channel 41 has enlarged openings at the two ends to facilitate the
flow of fluid through the through channel 41.
[0025] Each knob 31 has an inner cylindrical socket (not numbered)
for receiving an end of the stick 30 and an outer cylindrical dial
(not numbered) with an indicator 33 extended radially from the
circumference of the dial that, along with "ON" and "OFF" markings
around each hole 14, indicates the orientation of sphere 40 as well
as the through channel 41. The inner socket has a block 32 extended
radially from the circumference of the inner socket.
Correspondingly, each hole 14 has a notch 141 along the
circumference of the hole 14 so that the block 32 can only be
turned within the confinement of the notch 141. The notch 141 is
configured such that the "ON" and "OFF" markings marks the two ends
of the block 32's traversal within the notch 141 and, when the
indicator 33 points to the "ON" marking, the sphere 40 is turned to
an angle that the through channel 41 is fully aligned with the
through channel 21.
[0026] The foregoing components of the dripping device can all be
made of a microwaveable material so that the entire dripping device
and a cup can be placed inside a microwave oven to make a cup of
hot coffee or tea.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the knobs 31 are turned to
the "OFF" position, the outlet 11 and the through channel 41 are
not aligned and the fluid in the container 10 is prevented from
dripping or leaking into a cup 50 beneath the dripping device.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the knobs 31 are turned to
the "ON" position, the outlet 11 and the through channel 41 are
fully aligned and the fluid in the container 10 is allowed to drip
into the cup 50 beneath the dripping device.
[0029] FIG. 8a shows the configuration of the ring washer 20 when
it is not in contact with the sphere 40. In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 8b, the sphere 40 presses against the bottom aperture of the
through channel 21, thereby forcing the ring element 23 to deform
and conform to the curvature of the sphere 40. As such, a
watertight contact between the ring washer 20 and the sphere 40 is
achieved and no fluid would be able to escape through the outlet 11
and the channel 21.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 9, even when the ring washer 20 is not
fully circular (or the sphere 40 is not filly spherical), the
flexible ring element 23 is able to compensate these minor defects
by conforming to the curvature of the sphere 40. As such, a
watertight contact is still maintained. In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 10, leakage would be inevitable without the provisioning of
the flexible ring element 23 to compensate the not-so-perfect ring
washer 20 or sphere 40.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 11, as vapor from the container 10 may be
condensed into liquid along the bottom surface of the cover 17, the
condensed vapor could be colleted back into the container 10
following the guide plate 171 when the cover 17 is opened.
[0032] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a usefull application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0033] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *