US20130270282A1

US20130270282A1 - Cover for tea, coffee, or similar pot that keeps contents warm and does not need to be removed for pouring

Info

Publication number: US20130270282A1
Application number: US13/447,339
Authority: US
Inventors: Julie Brown Neu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-16
Filing date: 2012-04-16
Publication date: 2013-10-17

Abstract

This invention is an insulated cover that keeps the contents of a tea, coffee or similar pot warm and improves on the utility of previous covers by wrapping completely around the pot, securing over the lid of the pot using any quick-close method such as, but not limited to: snaps; hook and loop tape (such as, but not limited to Velcro®); magnets, etc., and leaves the spout and handle of the pot free of the cover to enable pouring of the contents without removing the cover. The bottom of the cover can be rounded to provide a tighter fit around the pot.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention pertains to an arrangement for keeping the contents of tea, coffee or similar pots warm. This invention may also be used to insulate pitchers of cool liquids.

BACKGROUND

To date, covers for tea pots have taken one of two forms, both of which have significant disadvantages that often prevent their use. In one form, the cover is constructed of two semi-circular insulated layers sewn together along the rounded edge and left open along the flat side. The covers are dropped over the top of the pot, but these offer no protection to the table or other surface the tea pot is placed upon from the heat and moisture of the pot, and they must be removed completely to pour from the pot. In this form, however, the cover can be made with two layers of fabric and an inner layer of insulating material that offers improved heat retention. In the second form, a rectangular piece fabric is wrapped around the pot and cinched around the top of the pot, often around the neck of the tea pot and not covering the lid, and tied with ribbons. As these covers do not often require being removed before liquid can be poured from the pot, they offer an advantage over the first form. However, the ties used in this form are often delicate and difficult to tie and, because of the difficulty of cinching thicker materials, tea pot covers in this form often lack the insulating layer used in the first form.

SUMMARY

This invention is an insulated, multi-layer cover that wraps around the entire pot, including underneath the bottom of the pot. It is designed to leave the spout and handle accessible so that contents may be poured from the pot without removing the cover. The cover attaches around the pot through the use of any of multiple fastening methods, such as, but not limited to: snaps; hook and loop tape (such as, but not limited to Velcro®); magnets, etc. with one fastener closing over the top and other fasteners closing on either side of the top near the spout and handle. Rather than taking either the form of a cover that is dropped over the top of a pot or the form of a cover that is wrapped around a pot and tied, generally below the pot lid, this invention improves heat retention by wrapping tightly around the pot and enclosing the lid. It improves usability by being quicker and easier to close and by not requiring removal to pour.
This invention improves the utility of covers for tea, coffee, and similar pots by retaining the advantages of previous designs while solving the challenges. These improvements offer:

- Protection from heat and moisture for the table—Since the cover wraps over the bottom of the pot, as well as the sides, and because of the insulated layers of materials, this cover can act as a trivet, protecting the surface on which the pot is sitting. The cover itself can be made of fabrics that are absorbent and will prevent any moisture from condensed steam or spills from the contents inside the pot from damaging the table or other surface upon which the pot rests.
- Pouring without removing the cover—Unlike the most popular form of tea, coffee, or similar pot covers, this cover does not drop over the top of the pot, but wraps around the sides of the pot, leaving both the spout and handle accessible when covered. As a result, this cover does not need to be removed to pour, which makes the cover both easier to use and better at heat retention. Since the cover is not removed while there are contents in the pot, the pot itself is not exposed to cool air while in use, keeping the contents warmer longer.
- Tighter fit—This cover can be constructed with a bottom that is rounded or otherwise form-fitting so that it fits more closely against a rounded tea, coffee or similar pot for improved heat retention.
- Improved insulation—This cover uses fasteners rather than a drawstring to close, allowing it to be constructed of multiple layers of insulating material. In addition, quilting is one non-limiting example of a construction method that can be used to secure the layers that would create air pockets to increase the insulating properties over what the layers themselves provide.
- Quick closure—The fasteners used in this design allow the cover to be closed more quickly around a pot than designs that use drawstrings for closure. The fasteners also make the cover easier to close for people for whom tying strings is a challenge, such as those with arthritis.
- Multiple fasteners—This design uses multiple fasteners in specific locations for a tighter fit that improves heat retention and decreases shifting of the cover during pouring. Fasteners are located on the cover such that they fit not just over the top of the pot, but above the spout and handle as well. Additional fasteners may be located on the cover to fasten more tightly around the sides of the pot if the height of the pot requires it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1—Shows the interior view of one side of an example embodiment

FIG. 2—Shows the interior view of both sides of an example embodiment

FIG. 3—Shows an example embodiment enveloped around the pot

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention can be constructed by layering two pieces of fabric around an insulating inner layer of cotton batting, heat-resistant batting or similar flexible insulations. Quilting is one non-limiting example of a possible construction method to secure the layers to hold them tightly together (1). The bottom of the cover is made with tapered edges so that it curves more tightly around the base of the tea pot (2), which is often narrower than the center of the pot. At the edges of the two short sides of the cover, where the cover sides join over the lid of the pot, there are fasteners such as, but not limited to: snaps; hook and loop tape (such as, but not limited to Velcro®); magnets, etc. (3). The fasteners are attached to the cover and are placed such that one set closes the cover just above the top of the lid, holding the lid tightly to the pot. The other fasteners are lower on the cover and closer to the spout and the lid so that they close the cover more tightly around each side, while still leaving the edge of the handle (5) and the tip of the spout (4) uncovered so that the contents of the pot may be poured without removing or adjusting the cover (1).
To use the cover, one places the pot in the center of the bottom of the cover such that the spout (4) and handle (5) of the pot are not facing into the cover (1). Then, the sides of the cover are pulled up toward the top of the pot, wrapping the cover closely around the sides of the pot, leaving both the handle and spout free of the cover. Next, each side of the fastener in the top centers of the sides of the cover are brought together and secured over the top of the pot. Finally, the fasteners on either side of the top piece are brought together and secured tightly against the sides of the pot, inside and slightly above where the spout and handle join the body of the pot.
This invention can be used for pots or pitchers containing cold beverages as well as hot. However, for taller pitchers, additional fasteners could be added to either side of the cover so that they close the cover more tightly around the sides of the pitcher between the pouring spout and the base.
This invention may be constructed of any flexible, insulating material to which a fastener can be attached. The invention may also use any means of quick closure, such as, but not limited to: snaps; hook and loop tape (such as, but not limited to Velcro®); magnets, etc.

Claims

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for s pot with a handle and a spout used to contain and dispense hot liquids through the spout, such as a tea pot, coffee pot, or French Press pot, that keeps the contents of the pot warm by wrapping around the pot completely and is secured over the top and sides of the pot through the use of a quick-closing fastener leaving the spout and handle free for pouring.

2. The arrangement according to patent claim 1 in which the bottom of the device is tapered to fit closely against the pot.

3. The arrangement according to patent claim 1 in which the construction of the device allows the spout and handle of the pot remain free of the cover and accessible for pouring without removing the device.

4. The arrangement according to patent claim 1 in which the device is fastened over the top of the pot, over the top of the spout, and over the top of the handle through the use of a quick-close fastener.