U.S. patent application number 15/182216 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-14 for percolator with removable grip.
The applicant listed for this patent is Pacific Market International, LLC. Invention is credited to Evan Michael Choltco-Devlin, Jacob D. Silsby.
Application Number | 20170354278 15/182216 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60572092 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170354278 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Silsby; Jacob D. ; et
al. |
December 14, 2017 |
PERCOLATOR WITH REMOVABLE GRIP
Abstract
A percolator for brewing a heated beverage has a percolator main
body and a handle having a handle body and a flexible removable
grip. An inner wall of the removable grip defines a handle cavity
to enclose a lengthwise extending portion of the handle body. A
first edge and a second edge of the removable grip extend from a
grip first end to a grip second end along the length of the
removable grip. The first edge and the second edge are separable
from each other to define a gap through which the handle body may
be selectively inserted into the handle cavity and withdrawn from
the handle cavity.
Inventors: |
Silsby; Jacob D.; (Seattle,
WA) ; Choltco-Devlin; Evan Michael; (Ellensburg,
WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Pacific Market International, LLC |
Seattle |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60572092 |
Appl. No.: |
15/182216 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 45/067 20130101;
A47G 19/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/14 20060101
A47G019/14 |
Claims
1. A percolator comprising: a percolator main body; a handle
including an handle body having an elongated shape and a connector
portion connecting the handle body to the percolator main body; and
a flexible removable grip enclosing a length of the handle body,
the removable grip including opposing first and second side edges
extending along the full length of the removable grip, the first
and second side edges being adjacent along the length of the
removable grip and being selectively separable for removal of the
removable grip from the handle body.
2. The percolator of claim 1, wherein the first side edge includes
a first interlocking portion and the second edge includes a second
interlocking portion, the first and second interlocking portions
being sized and shaped to interlock.
3. The percolator of claim 1, wherein the first side edge includes
a first projecting portion and a first receiving portion, and the
second side edge includes a second projecting portion and a second
receiving portion.
4. The percolator of claim 3, wherein the first receiving portion
is sized and shaped to receive the second projecting portion and
the second receiving portion is sized and shaped to receive the
first projecting portion.
5. The percolator of claim 3, wherein the first projecting portion
and the first receiving portion are immediately adjacent to each
other, and the second projecting portion and the second receiving
portion are immediately adjacent to each other.
6. The percolator of claim 3, wherein the first side edge includes
a projecting portion and the second side edge includes a receiving
portion sized to receive the projecting portion therein.
7. The percolator of claim 1, wherein the grip portion is comprised
of a material with a specific heat between 1050-1760 J/kg-K,
inclusive, and a thermal conductivity between 0.09-2.5 W/m-K.
8. The percolator of claim 7, wherein the material is an
elastomer.
9. The percolator of claim 1, wherein the grip portion has a
cylindrical shape.
10. A percolator comprising: a percolator main body; a handle
including an elongated handle body having an exterior surface
portion extending in a lengthwise direction, and a connector
portion connecting the handle body to the percolator main body; and
a flexible removable grip selectively positionable on the handle
body, including a grip sidewall extending from a grip first end
toward a grip second end, the grip further including a first seam
portion and a second seam portion, each extending in the lengthwise
direction fully from the grip first end to the grip second end, the
first seam portion being immediately adjacent to the second seam
portion when the grip is positioned on the handle body to cover an
exterior surface portion thereof.
11. The percolator of claim 10, wherein the first seam portion and
the second seam portion are separable to allow for selective
removal of the removable grip from the handle body.
12. The percolator of claim 10, wherein the grip sidewall is
resiliently deformable.
13. The percolator of claim 10, wherein the first seam portion has
a first edge portion with a first shape and the second seam portion
has a second edge portion with a second shape, the second edge
portion being complementary to the first shape.
14. The percolator of claim 13, wherein the first edge portion has
a first lateral portion extending transverse to the lengthwise
direction, the second edge portion has a second lateral portion
extending transverse to the lengthwise direction, the first lateral
portion being parallel to the second lateral portion.
15. The percolator of claim 14, wherein the first lateral portion
abuts the second lateral portion when the exterior surface portion
of the handle main body is enclosed within the removable grip.
16. The percolator of claim 10, wherein the first seam portion has
a projecting portion and the second seam portion has a recess
portion, the recess portion being sized to snuggly receive the
projecting portion therein.
17. The percolator of claim 16, wherein the first seam portion has
a recess portion and the second seam portion has a projecting
portion, the recess portion of the first seam portion being sized
to snuggly receive therein the projecting portion of the second
seam portion.
18. The percolator of claim 10, wherein the first seam portion has
a first undulating shape, and the second seam portion has a second
undulating shape complementary to the first undulating shape.
19. A removable grip for a percolator handle, comprising: an
elongated grip sidewall extending in a lengthwise direction from a
grip first end to a grip second end, the grip sidewall having a
cross-sectional shape enclosing a lengthwise extending handle
cavity; and a first edge portion and a second edge portion, each
extending along the lengthwise direction fully from the grip first
end to the grip second end, the first edge portion being
immediately adjacent to the second edge portion along the
lengthwise direction, the first edge portion and the second edge
portion being selectively separable from each other to allow
passage of the percolator handle therethrough to selectively insert
the percolator handle into the handle cavity whereupon the first
edge portion returns to immediately adjacent to the second edge
portion the handle cavity and to allow withdrawal of the percolator
handle from the handle cavity.
20. The removable grip of claim 19, wherein the grip sidewall
resiliently deformable.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to percolators for brewing a
heated beverage.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Percolators may be positioned directly over a heat source to
brew a heated beverage. Some percolators designed for home-use
include a handle comprising a heat-resistant grip. A user may heat
a home-use percolator over a stove-top heating element to brew a
beverage and grab the heat-resistant grip handle to remove the
percolator. Outdoor-use percolators, on the other hand, typically
have an exposed metal handle instead of a heat-resistant grip.
Outdoor-use percolators having the exposed metal handle may be
placed directly into or over an open fire to brew a beverage.
Thereafter, the user is required to grip the exposed metal handle
with an insulator, such as a wet cloth, to remove the percolator
from the fire. The heat-resistant grip handle of a home-use
percolator is not designed to be placed directly into or over an
open fire. The heat-resistant grip handle when placed into or over
an open fire may still absorb enough heat to burn a user's hand.
Additionally, exposure to open fire may damage, deteriorate and/or
deform the heat-resistant grip. In view of the foregoing, there is
a need for a percolator having a handle equally adapted for heating
with a stove-top heating element and an open fire.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a percolator
according to a first embodiment.
[0004] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the percolator
of FIG. 1.
[0005] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a grip of the
percolator of FIG. 1 in a closed configuration.
[0006] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the grip of FIG. 3.
[0007] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the grip of the
percolator of FIG. 1 in an opened configuration.
[0008] FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the grip of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] A percolator 10 according to a first embodiment is shown in
FIG. 1. The percolator 10 includes a beverage container portion 12
for containing, and preparing a brewed beverage, such as coffee or
tea. The beverage container portion 12 is of a conventional design,
having an inner chamber 13 comprising an upper chamber 13A and a
lower chamber 13B, which are separated by a perforated basket 13C
and in fluid communication by a tube 13D, as shown in FIG. 2. The
percolator 10 further includes a handle portion 14 attached to a
side of the beverage container portion 12 for safe and convenient
handling of the percolator 10. The handle portion 14 includes a
handle main body 22, a first connector member 16 and second
connector member 18. The handle main body 22 is laterally spaced
apart from the beverage container portion 12. The first connector
member 16 is attached to an upper end of the handle main body 22
and extends inward to the beverage container 12 to which it is
attached, and the second connector member 18 is attached to a lower
end of the handle main body and extends to the beverage container
portion to which it is attached. In the present embodiment the
inward ends of the first and second connector members 16 and 18 are
rigidly affixed to the beverage container portion 12, although
other connections thereto are contemplated.
[0010] The handle main body 22 has an elongated shape extending
between the first connector member 16 and the second connector
member 18. A removable grip 24 covers an exterior surface of the
handle main body 22. The grip 24 is a resiliently deformable member
molded into a shape facilitating handling of the handle main body
22 by a hand of a user. The grip 24 may be molded from an
elastomer, polymer or rubber material having a durometer
sufficiently high to return to its original shape after deformation
by an external force. The grip 24 may be comprised of a material
having a high specific heat capacity and a low thermal
conductivity. For example, the specific heat capacity of the grip
material may be between 1050-1760 J/kg-K, inclusive, and the
thermal conductivity of the grip material may be between 0.09-2.5
W/m-K, inclusive. The material comprising grip 24 may be silicone
rubber or neoprene, by way of non-limiting example.
[0011] The grip 24 of the present embodiment has a substantially
cylindrical shape with an outer wall 26 having a circular or
elliptical cross-sectional shape to facilitate a comfortable and
secure grip by the user's hand. An inner wall 28 of the grip 24 has
a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-sectional shape
corresponding to a shape of the outer surface of the handle main
body 22. The outer wall 26 and the inner wall 28 extend between an
upper first end 30 of the grip 24 and a lower second end 32
opposite to the first end. The inner wall 28 defines an elongated
cavity 34 extending along the length of the grip 24 for receiving
the handle main body 22.
[0012] A plurality of protruding members 35 may project radially
inward along the inner wall 28 of the grip 24, as shown in FIGS. 4
and 6. The protruding members 35 may be arranged circumferentially
along the inner wall 28 of the grip 24 and spaced equidistant from
each other. Each of the protruding members 35 may extend along all
or part of the length of the grip 24 between the upper first end 30
and the lower second and 32. The protruding members 35 space the
inner wall 28 apart from the handle main body 22 and further
insulate the user's hand from heat radiated from the handle main
body.
[0013] A junction or seam 36 extends along the full length of the
grip 24 from the first end 30 to the second end 32, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3. The seam 36 is defined by a first side edge 38
extending lengthwise down the grip 24 and a second side edge 40
extending lengthwise down the grip and opposing the first side
edge. When the grip 24 encloses the handle main body 22, the first
side edge 38 is immediately adjacent to or abuts the second side
edge 40 along the entire length of the seam 36. The first side edge
38 and the second side edge 40 comprise complementary interlocking
portions that engage with each other. The complementary
interlocking portions prevent one of the first side edge 38 and the
second side edge 40 from sliding longitudinally relative to each
other along the handle main body 22.
[0014] The interlocking portion of the first side edge 38 includes
one or more first protruding portions 42 extending across a center
line C of the seam 36 in a first transverse direction and one or
more first recess portions 44 extending across the center line of
the seam in an opposite second transverse direction. Conversely,
the interlocking portion of the second side edge 40 includes one or
more second protruding portions 46 extending across the centerline
C of the seam 36 in the second transverse direction and one or more
second recess portions 48 extending across the centerline of the
seam in the first transverse direction. As shown in FIG. 3, each
first protruding portion 42 extends into a corresponding second
recess portion 48 and each second protruding portion 46 extends
into a corresponding first recess portion 44 to form the seam 36.
The first protruding portions 42 and the first recess portions 44
may be alternately arranged with each of the first protruding
portions 42 immediately adjacent to one or more of the first recess
portions 44 along the first side edge 38. The second protruding
portions 46 and the second recess portions 48 may be alternately
arranged with each of the second protruding portion 46 immediately
adjacent to one or more of the second recess portions 48 along the
second side edge 40.
[0015] Each of the correspondingly located interlocking portions
(i.e., first and second protruding portions 42 and 46, and first
and second recess portions 44 and 48) may have an angled side
portion in locking engagement to help prevent one of the first side
edge 38 and the second side edge 40 from sliding in the
longitudinal direction (i.e. a direction parallel to the centerline
C) relative to the other. Each of the interlocking portions may
have a flat portion extending in parallel with the centerline C of
the seam 36.
[0016] A user may separate the first side edge 38 and the second
side edge 40 from each other, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, to attach
the grip 24 to the handle main body 22 or remove the grip from the
handle main body. Separating the first side edge 38 from the second
side edge 40 forms a gap 50 sufficiently large through which the
handle main body 22 may be laterally inserted to install the grip
24 on the handle main body 22. When the handle main body 22 is
lengthwise installed or positioned within the cavity 34, the user
may release the resiliently deformable grip 24 to allow the gap 50
to close, enclosing the handle main body within the inner wall 28.
That is, the grip 24 with the gap 50, when released, will return to
its original shape (i.e., grip 24 in FIGS. 3 and 4) causing the
first side edge 38 and the second side edge 40 to become
immediately adjacent to or in contact with each other to reform the
closed seam 36. Conversely, the first side edge 38 and the second
side edge 40 of the seam 36 may be separated to form the gap 50
sufficiently large through which the handle main body 22 may be
laterally withdrawn to remove the grip 24 from the handle main body
22.
[0017] The removable grip 24 makes the percolator 10 equally suited
for heating/brewing over a stovetop heating element or an open
flame. When the grip 24 is installed on the handle main body 22,
the percolator 10 may be positioned on an active stovetop heating
element to brew a heated beverage. When the beverage is
sufficiently brewed, the user may safely grip the grip-covered
handle portion 14 to remove the percolator 10 from the heating
element. The grip 24 may be removed as described above for
placement of the percolator 10 on an open fire (e.g., campfire).
The percolator 10 with an exposed main handle body 22 may be
positioned over or partially within the open fire to brew a heated
beverage. When the beverage is sufficiently brewed, the user may
grip the heated handle main body 22 with an insulator, such as a
damp rag or pot holder, to remove the percolator 10 from the open
fire. Once the percolator is removed from the open fire, the user
may quickly and easily install the grip 24 on the handle main body
22 to safely grip the grip-covered handle portion 14 with a bare
hand and handle the hot percolator 10 without burning the hand.
Alternatively, the user may install the grip 24 on the exposed
handle main body 22 when the percolator 10 is on or in an open fire
if the handle main body 22 is not exposed to direct flames to
safely grip the grip-covered handle portion 14 with a bare hand to
remove the hot percolator from the fire and subsequently handle the
percolator.
[0018] The handle main body 22 in the present embodiment has a
cylindrical shape, but the shape of the handle main body 22 is not
particularly limited. For example, the handle main body 22 may have
other cross-sectional shapes, such as a rectangular shape or an
elliptical shape. Accordingly, the inner wall 28 of the grip 24
preferably has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the
cross-sectional shape of the handle main body 22. The handle main
body 22 may be attached to the beverage container portion 12 by
only the first connector member 16. In such a configuration, the
grip 24 may have a second end portion covering the cavity 34 at the
second end 32.
[0019] The interlocking portions have polygonal shapes with
straight edges in the present embodiment, but may have different
shapes in other embodiments. For example, the complementary
interlocking portions may have triangular shapes with straight
edges or curved shapes with rounded edges. In some embodiments, the
polygonal shapes may have rounded corners between the straight
edges.
[0020] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in
the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and
modifications may be made without departing from this invention and
its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to
encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as
are within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely
defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those
within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially
in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are
generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including"
should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term
"having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term
"includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited
to," etc.).
[0021] It will be further understood by those within the art that
if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended,
such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the
absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example,
as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may
contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one
or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such
phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a
claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a
specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such
recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the
recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations,"
without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations,
or two or more recitations). Accordingly, the invention is not
limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *