Device for brewing coffee
Ground coffee is packaged in a disposable brewing device for use in brewing a mug of coffee in a novel and unique manner facilitated by the use of a microwave oven. To prepare a freshly brewed mug of coffee the disposable device is inserted into and attached unto a coffee mug, water is added and the mug is placed in a microwave oven. A resilient stable element supports and anchors a filter bag containing premeasured amount of ground coffee beans. Expandable inner volume of filter bag facilitates percolation, minimizes buoyant force and prevents spill-over. Materials with varied coefficients of absorption to microwave energy are utilized in construction so that desired temperature differences are realized.
This invention depicts a novel means for brewing a cup of coffee in a filter bag, primarily through the absorption of microwave energy. More particularly this invention pertains to the brewing of a mug of coffee by means of ground coffee beans which are totally enclosed in a filter bag; said bag being held inside a coffee mug which contains a suitable amount of water. The entire ensemble then subsequently to be inserted into a microwave oven wherein through the absorption of microwave energy a rapid and unattended brewing of the coffee beans will take place. Heretofore, many devices have been proposed for brewing coffee in a cup in a manner similar to the brewing of tea by means of a tea bag. Those well versed in the art have applied various novel devices and means in order to facilitate the infusion of hot water through a filter bag containing coffee grounds in order to extract the coffee bean flavor. Rambold in U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,911 issued on Mar. 30, 1965 uses an opening in the handling tag to secure said tag to the coffee pot. William J. Einstman, Warren C. Rehman, and Frank M. Plant in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,565 issued on Apr. 22, 1975 propose the use of defoaming agents to facilitate immersion of the coffee bag. Edward C. Syroka and Bernice A. Syroka, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,997 issued on Feb. 27, 1979 employ a U-shaped resilient clip which is secured on the coffee cup rim. Mark E. Zimmermann in U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,435 issued on Dec. 2, 1986 makes use of a foaming agent to promote agitation and the infusion of water. In prior art the hot water was either added to the container in which the ground coffee bean bag was placed or heat was used to bring the water in the container and the coffee bean bag to a higher temperature in order to facilitate the extraction of the coffee bean flavor in a reasonable period of time. This invention discloses a device which takes into consideration the differential absorption of microwave energy by the water, by the ground coffee beans, by the handling and support element, and by the container; encompassing a device which yields a hot mug of coffee that can be drunk immediately upon removal from the microwave oven due to the fact that the mug containing the coffee does not reach a high temperature whilst the brewed liquid is piping hot.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A premeasured ground coffee bean amount is contained in a totally enclosed filter bag. The said filter bag being a component part of the disposable brewing device described in this disclosure.
It has been discovered that a flavorful coffee drink may be brewed inside a microwave oven by the means of this disposable brewing device. The disposable brewing device, subsequently to be fully described, is placed inside a coffee mug; then an amount of drinking water is added. The mug is then placed inside a microwave oven where within a short period of time the coffee flavor is extracted. The coffee grounds contained within the filter bag absorb microwaves efficiently as a result water in contact with the coffee grounds begins to boil first, the filter bag begins to inflate due to water vapor and the gases which emanate from the coffee grounds. Inside the mug the water that is outside the filter bag begins to show color indicating that water is flowing in and out of the filter bag. As more microwave energy is a