GB2321176A

GB2321176A - Tea pot with baffle and hinged lid

Info

Publication number: GB2321176A
Application number: GB9701091A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Stewart Ramsden; Timothy Roland Manson
Original assignee: DEBENHAMS PLC
Current assignee: DEBENHAMS PLC
Priority date: 1997-01-20
Filing date: 1997-01-20
Publication date: 1998-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-20
Also published as: GB9701091D0; GB2321176B

Abstract

A beverage container, eg a tea pot 1, has a baffle 10 near the spout 2 such that there is at least one side opening leading from the inside of the container 1 to the spout 2. A hinged lid 7 for the pot is hinged at a point closer towards the handle 4 than the spout 2. The baffle 10 can stop tea bags in the pot 1 from blocking the spout as the liquid is poured, and the position of he hinge 9 for the lid 7 is such that if the pot is tipped so that the level of liquid rises to a point above the level of the spout, the liquid will not overflow from the lid opening 6. The hinged lid can open backwards, ie towards the handle 4.

Description

AN IMPROVED TEAPOT This invention relates to a beverage pouring container and more particularly to an improved teapot.

Various containers are available to brew and pour a beverage such as tea. These containers are designed to improve the pouring of the beverage and to limit spillage while allowing the container to be hygienically cleaned.

However, these known containers are not suitable for brewing powdered or granular beverages which are contained in a porous bag in that they have the disadvantage, when pouring the brewed beverage from the container spout, the bag and its contents blocks the outlets to the spout causing the beverage to rise to the top of the container and spill out.

An aim of the present invention is to provide an improved container for brewing and pouring a beverage, comprising a fluid container having a pouring spout at one side and a handle on the opposite side, wherein the flow path for a fluid to the pouring spout is shielded by a baffle inside the container, spaced from the spout, with at least one side opening leading to the spout.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a beverage container for brewing and pouring a beverage, comprising a fluid container having a pouring spout at one side and a handle on the opposite side, wherein the container is closed by a hinged lid adjacent the handle, the hinge being positioned on the container top halfway or nearly halfway from the handle to the spout.

Preferably the container has a round circumference, the lid hinge extending across the circumference of the container top.

Conveniently the container has smooth round edges and is made of stainless steel.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a teapot made in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-section of the teapot taken along the line II-II in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the teapot shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 2 with the hinged lid in the fully open position.

The container illustrated is in the form of a teapot 1 having a generally round circumferential shape with smooth round edges, the teapot being made of stainless steel.

Located at one side of the teapot 1 is a pouring spout 2 spot welded to the curved side wall 3, while a handle 4, in the form of a stainless steel strip, is spot welded to the opposite curved side wall 3.

The top 5 of the teapot has an opening 6 closed by a hinged lid 7 with a lifting grip 8. The lid hinge 9 extends from one side of the circumferencial top to the other and is formed as a single hinge to prevent any distortion, as is prevalent in known teapots of this design, maintaining a close fitting lid in its opening 6.

The inside of the teapot has a baffle 10 with upper and lower walls 11 bent from the baffle which are spot welded to the inside wall of the teapot to hold the baffle spaced from the flow passage 12 from the teapot to the spout. The sides of the baffle are open to allow an unobstructed flow from the inside of the teapot through the flow passage 12 out of the spout 2. As the beverage is being poured out of the teapot spout 2, a teabag (not shown) engages the baffle 10, but as the teabag is held away from the flow path 12 to the spout by the baffle 10, it does not obstruct the open sides of the baffle, permitting a free flow of beverage to the spout.

As can be seen more clearly in Figure 1 the lid hinge 9 is spot welded in position half way between the handle and the spout. Alternatively the hinge could be positioned near this half way position. This permits the beverage, when being poured from the spout, to rise above the spout without spilling from the lid opening 6. The size of the aperture 6 closed by the lid is large enough easily to replenish the contents of the teapot and allow the teapot to be scoured and hygienically cleaned.

The outward smooth appearance of the stainless steel teapot makes it attractive in appearance and the smooth surfaces are easily cleaned.

Claims

1. A beverage container for brewing and pouring a beverage, comprising a fluid container having a pouring spout at one side and a handle on the opposite side, wherein the flow path for a fluid to the pouring spout is shielded by a baffle inside the container, spaced from the spout, with at least one side opening leading to the spout.

2. A beverage container for brewing and pouring a beverage, comprising a fluid container having a pouring spout at one side and a handle on the opposite side, wherein the container is closed by a hinged lid adjacent the handle, the hinge being positioned on the container top halfway or nearly halfway from the handle to the spout.

3. A beverage container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein it has a round circumferential shape, the lid hinge extending across the circumference of the top of the container.

4. A beverage container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container has smooth round edges and is made of stainless steel.

5. A beverage container for brewing and pouring a beverage substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.