The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 25, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 24, 2002
Edward Z. Cai, Corvallis, OR (US);
Edward Z. Cai, Corvallis, OR (US);
Household Technology Group LLC, Camas, WA (US);
Abstract
A hygiene device for a coffee or espresso machine comprises an upper surface for receiving hot water from the machine, a lower surface adapted to be contaminated by flavor-containing materials in a basket while preventing the flavor-containing materials from contaminating the machine, a sufficiently small opening for allowing hot water to pass through to the flavor-containing materials and preventing the flavor-containing materials from reaching the upper surface, and a handle for allowing a user to move the hygiene device to allow the flavor-containing materials contaminated on the lower surface to be washed away. The hygiene device may comprise a seal member for forming an airtight seal with the rim or side wall of basket to enable a vacuum building-up therein to prevent dripping when disposing the wet flavor-containing materials. The hygiene device may also comprise a connector such as a hinge for connecting the hygiene device to basket to allow a user to move the hygiene device to open and close the basket.