Coffee filter

Abstract

To easily set a coffee filter to a container.SOLUTION: Leg piece parts (5,5) are provided on right and left sides of an opening (4) provided on a board (2), and connection piece parts (6,6) are provided in front and back sides. A first folding line part (9) and a second folding line part (10) are formed in a central part of the leg piece parts and in both end parts (6a, 6a) of the connection piece parts respectively, and a filter bag (3) is fixedly attached to an undersurface of the board. The leg piece parts (5,5) are folded to an undersurface side based on the folding line part (9), and both end parts of the connection piece parts are folded to the undersurface side based on the folding line part (10). Thereby, the leg piece parts are folded flatly, and arranged in parallel at the same time for sandwiching the filter bag (3) between the two leg piece parts. The respective upper surface sides of the connection piece parts in the front and back are twisted to close an opening (4), thereby closing the filter bag (3) and forming a filter (1). When using this filter, the opening (4) is opened by opening the connection piece parts (6) to the front and back, and the right and left leg end parts (5) are caused to be erected and brought into a state that they can be set.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a disposable coffee filter. [Background technology]

[0002] Disposable coffee filters are widely used primarily as filters for extracting regular coffee, and a wide variety of different shapes and structures have been proposed, put into practical use, and sold commercially. This disposable coffee filter (hereinafter simply referred to as "filter") is basically made of a filter bag, usually a bag body (filter bag) made of a nonwoven fabric, plastic or paper filter material, and a support (substrate) made of cardboard or the like that supports the bag body by hanging it on the edge of a container such as a coffee cup, and the bag body is prepared for use by sealing a required amount of coffee powder in advance. In order to maintain the freshness of the coffee powder, this filter is generally stored in an airtight packaging container such as aluminum foil.

[0003] When using this filter, first the opening at the top of the bag is opened, and in this state, the support is used to hook it onto the edge of a container such as a coffee cup or place it on top, making it ready for use, i.e., set, for installation. Hot water is then poured into the open opening of the bag to extract the coffee ingredients inside the bag, and this extracted liquid (coffee liquid) is filtered by the bag and directly received in the container.

[0004] As described above, when used as a filter, this device is widely used because it can be easily used by simply pouring hot water over it to obtain regular coffee, the concentration of the coffee liquid can be kept approximately constant because the amount of coffee powder to be sealed in the bag is predetermined, and when disposing of it after use, the filter itself can be disposed of while leaving the coffee powder in the bag.

[0005] Most models of this filter have a common structure in which a predetermined amount of coffee powder is sealed in a filter bag, and when in use, the bag is opened and hot water is poured in to extract the coffee liquid. However, various structures have been proposed for the means for supporting the bag, i.e., the support body. A typical example is a structure in which a bridge-shaped support is placed over the edge of a container such as a coffee cup, and the opening edge of the bag is fixed to the center of this bridge-shaped support so that it can be suspended inside the container. Another example is a structure in which a hanger-shaped hook or two symmetrically arranged hooks are fixed to the opening edge of the bag, and these hooks are hung on the edge of the container so that the bag can be supported by being suspended inside the container.

[0006] The bridge-shaped support or hanger-shaped hook type filters have a relatively simple structure and are easy to handle, but on the other hand, the filter has the bag suspended from the support, so that when it is set, the bag enters the container and is submerged in the coffee liquid that is extracted first and accumulates in the container during extraction. In other words, the bag is submerged in the coffee liquid in the container, preventing the filtration of the extracted liquid in the bag, which prevents rapid extraction and takes unnecessary time, and the expected flavor of the coffee is lost when the extraction time exceeds the expected time.

[0007] In order to solve such problems, the applicant developed a support that can support a bag containing coffee powder high above the coffee cup when it is set, and previously proposed a filter consisting of this support and bag in, for example, Reference 1.

[0008] The filter described in the cited document 1 has a support, i.e., a support plate, made of a sheet piece such as cardboard, and when not in use, the support plate is folded in half widthwise to sandwich a bag attached to the underside of the support plate, and then folded flat to make it easy to store in a packaging container, while when in use, the support plate is unfolded and unfolded flat, and then a pair of support legs on both sides of an opening formed in the center of the support plate are folded downward to form an arch-shaped overall shape, and the leg ends of both support legs are hooked onto the rim of a coffee cup or the like and raised above the cup, so that the filter is set. Therefore, in the set state, the bag attached to the underside of the support plate is supported above the cup by the raised support legs.

[0009] Therefore, the advantage of the filter in the cited document 1 is that, needless to say, after setting it over a cup, coffee can be extracted by pouring hot water into the bag through the opening. Furthermore, since the bag is supported high above the cup, there is no contact between the bag and the coffee liquid that has been extracted earlier, that is, the bag is not immersed in the coffee liquid, so extraction can be performed at a predetermined filtration speed, that is, coffee can be extracted according to an appropriate extraction time that is preset for the amount of coffee powder stored in the bag. As a result, there is an advantage that coffee liquid can be obtained quickly and without losing its flavor.

[0010] However, one of the difficulties with the filter described in the cited document 1 is that, after the support plate is unfolded into a flat plate shape during use, the left and right support legs of the support plate are bent to maintain an arch shape. In addition, for those who are not accustomed to handling the filter, the operation of hooking the locking parts at the ends of both legs to the edge of the container while maintaining the arch shape can be difficult.

[0011] For many users, the above problem is not a big hindrance, but the bendable support plate is made of a material with a certain rigidity so that it can be set in a somewhat tensed state against the cup, and so the support plate has a restoring force, which impedes the work of setting it in the container. In other words, if the leg ends of both support legs are not hooked together, they will come off and jump up, scattering coffee powder everywhere, so some care and skill are required when setting it in the container.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to use the filter, it is necessary to not only fasten the supporting legs but also to open the opening of the bag, which is in a closed state. Therefore, when using the filter for the first time, if a person is not familiar with the operation or is clumsy at using it, he or she may get confused about the order and procedure of these two steps and be unable to set it on the coffee cup properly and efficiently, which is an obstacle to its use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 59-30411. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] Therefore, the present invention has been developed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems and to improve them. The object of the present invention is to solve the problem that, when using filters of similar structure, including the filter described in the cited document 1, when the support legs (leg portions) on the left and right sides of the support plate (base plate) are bent into an arch shape to raise them up, the accompanying restoring force of the support plate makes it difficult or impossible to maintain the arch shape that matches the edge of a container such as a coffee cup, and therefore the filter cannot be set in the set state, and further, when using the filter, the user is unsure whether to first bend the leg portions (support legs) into an arch shape or to open the closed opening, making it difficult to handle the filter properly. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a filter that can be used easily, safely and reliably by the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a coffee filter in which a base plate made of a sheet-like piece that forms the main body of the filter is pre-folded flat to reduce its overall size, thereby enabling it to be stored in a small packaging container, while when used, the left and right leg pieces of the base plate, which is folded in half, can be opened from their folded state so that both leg pieces stand up facing each other across an opening opened in the center of the base plate, and when in this stood-up state, the locking parts on the ends of each leg piece can be lowered toward the edge of the container to hook and secure it, thereby setting it up.The present invention also provides a coffee filter in which the opening of the base plate, which is folded and closed, can be opened at the same time by this operation.

[0016] More specifically, the present invention is a coffee filter comprising a base plate made of a sheet-like piece having a required rigidity and a filter bag attached to the underside of the base plate, the base plate having a pair of leg pieces on the left and right sides of an opening in the center, and connecting pieces connecting the upper ends of the leg pieces to each other at the front and rear of the opening, the leg ends of the left and right leg pieces each having a locking portion for hooking onto the edge of the opening of a container, a first folding line portion for folding in half between the upper end and the leg end at the center, and a second folding line portion for interlocking with and assisting the folding of the leg pieces at each end portion of the front and rear connecting pieces, the filter bag is attached integrally to the underside of the base plate thus formed, with the edge of the opening of the filter bag attached to it so as to surround the opening, whereby the base plate and the filter bag are combined, while the filter bag is filled with a required amount of coffee. and folding the left and right leg pieces in half toward the lower surface, based on the first folding line portion of the base plate, and folding each of the ends of the front and rear connecting pieces in half toward the lower surface, based on the second folding line portion formed at each end portion of the front and rear connecting pieces, so that the left and right leg pieces are folded in half and folded flat by this folding and the folding of the leg pieces, and the left and right leg pieces are pulled parallel to each other so as to face each other, and the filter bag containing coffee powder is sandwiched between the two leg pieces, and at the same time, the opening is closed by folding the front and rear connecting pieces about the first and second folding lines, which brings the upper surfaces of the front and rear connecting pieces together as they rise, and also closes the opening edge of the filter bag.

[0017] In the filter according to the present invention, the left and right leg pieces are folded in half and folded flat with the first and second folding lines as the base plate, which is the main body, as a reference, and at the same time, the end portions of the front and rear connecting pieces connected to the both leg pieces are folded so that their undersides are in contact with each other, so that the entire filter is folded flat with the filter bag sandwiched inside. This folding causes the left and right leg pieces to be folded flat and face each other, parallel to each other. On the other hand, as a result of this folding, the opening of the base plate is closed as the undersides of the front and rear connecting pieces come into contact with each other due to the folding of both leg pieces, and as a result, the opening edge of the filter bag which surrounds the opening and is attached as one unit is closed and blocked.

[0018] The filter of the present invention thus constructed is folded and stored in a packaging container or the like. When the closed front and rear connecting pieces are pulled apart in the front-rear direction, the opening of the base plate opens and the mouth of the filter bag is released. When the opening operation is stopped at the point where the cross section of the left and right legs is roughly "L" shaped, leaving a small amount of the folding angle of the left and right legs, the left and right legs will stand up while maintaining their facing each other, forming a pair of legs that can stand on their own and have the required strength.

[0019] In other words, when the front and rear connecting pieces of the filter are opened to open the opening, and the left and right leg pieces are also opened in a folded state leaving a certain angle, these pieces work together to create a settable shape that can be attached directly to the container. Furthermore, when the front and rear connecting pieces are opened, the left and right leg pieces also open, and if they are stopped while still slightly bent, they will stand up in an opposing state and will stand on their own with the required strength. Therefore, when these leg ends are lowered toward the edge of the container and the locking parts on each leg end are hooked, the installation on the container is completed.

[0020] Therefore, with the filter of the present invention, the mouth of the filter bag can be opened by pulling apart the front and rear connecting pieces which are closed flat when in use (utilization), and at the same time, the left and right leg pieces can be opposed to each other with the required strength so that the filter can be set as is, making the work and operations required for use extremely simple and easy and safe to handle. In particular, the filter of the present invention is simple in that, as described above, the filter bag can be opened and the legs can be made to stand upright with a single operation, and this state can be maintained while the filter is set up. Unlike the conventional filters described above, which require the unstable operation of bending the left and right legs into an arch shape against the restoring force due to the rigidity of the base plate and maintaining this state while setting the filter up, and which do not require a separate operation to open the opening, the filter is much easier to handle.

[0021] The present invention also provides a coffee filter characterized in that, in the filter, the second fold line portions are arranged at both ends of each connecting piece portion at an angle of approximately 45 degrees toward each other from one end facing the opening toward the other end of the outer edge of the connecting piece portion, and these second fold line portions are arranged in an approximately V-shaped opening toward the opening side.

[0022] The second folding lines are provided at both ends of the front and rear connecting pieces, and when the left and right leg pieces are folded in half with the first folding lines as a reference and the lower surfaces of the left and right leg pieces are brought together from the front and rear, the end portions are bent toward the lower surface with the second folding lines as a reference, and as the lower surfaces bend to come into contact with each other, the portion connected to the upper end portion of the leg piece (one half of the end portion) is bent outward, and the portion connected to the connecting piece portion (the other half of the end portion) is bent inward together with the main portion of the connecting piece. As a result, the front and rear connecting pieces stand up so that their upper surfaces face inward, and as they stand up, the front and rear connecting pieces are brought together to close the opening in a line. As the left and right leg pieces are folded together, the opening is closed and both connecting pieces are raised up toward the top of the opening.

[0023] The second bend lines arranged at the ends of the connecting pieces are at an angle of about 45 degrees as described above, which reliably guides and enables the folding by the above-mentioned operation. If the two second bend lines are arranged in a state in which the spread angle of the "V-shape" is slightly narrowed based on this angle, the area of ​​the main part of the connecting pieces becomes narrower, and the angle of the left and right legs in the folded state changes, so that the legs are brought closer together from the parallel state and narrower. Conversely, if the spread angle is widened, the legs will move away from each other. Furthermore, even if the angle is changed slightly from the standard angle of 45 degrees, the parallel state of the opposing left and right legs is changed only slightly, and no particular problems arise. Also, it is preferable that the second bending line is a straight line.

[0024] Furthermore, the present invention provides a coffee filter, characterized in that in the filter, the base plate is folded flat by being folded based on the first and second folding lines, and as the opening is closed, the front and rear connecting pieces are raised facing each other above the opening, thereby making the connecting pieces serve as operating knobs for opening the opening.

[0025] In this invention, the front and rear connecting pieces that stand up toward the top of the opening when the base plate is folded to close the opening serve as knobs for the opening operation. By pulling the tabs apart in the forward and backward directions, the opening can be opened simply and surely, and at the same time, the left and right leg pieces of the base plate can be opened to obtain a support with the required strength, so that the base plate can be easily brought into a state where it can be set up. At the same time, the setting of the tabs clarifies the operating procedures during use, thereby eliminating handling errors.

[0026] The present invention also provides a coffee filter, characterized in that the knobs standing opposite each other above the opening that is closed as the leg piece parts are folded flat by being bent based on the first and second folding lines, are releasably joined to each other, thereby keeping the opening closed.

[0027] This invention, when the opening of the base plate is closed by bringing the front and rear connecting pieces together, more securely closes the opening of the filter bag to prevent coffee powder from spilling out, and this is achieved by joining the opposing knobs, i.e., the upper surfaces of the connecting pieces, with an adhesive or the like in a state that allows them to be easily peeled off.

[0028] Another object of the present invention is to provide a coffee filter, characterized in that in the coffee filter, the base plate is folded flat by being folded based on the first and second folding lines, and the upper ends of both leg pieces facing the opening are folded in half, thereby releasably bonding the contacting undersides of the base plate and maintaining the base plate in a folded state while keeping the opening closed.

[0029] In this invention, the upper ends of the left and right leg pieces, which are folded in half when closed, are releasably joined so that their undersides are maintained in contact with each other, and, like the joining of the knobs, this reliably closes the opening and prevents coffee powder from spilling out of the filter bag.

[0030] Another object of the present invention is to provide a coffee filter characterized in that, in the coffee filter, the upper sides of the front and rear connecting pieces are brought together by folding based on the first and second folding lines to close the opening, and the opening edges of the filter bag that are closed in conjunction with the closing of the opening are releasably joined and sealed. Effect of the Invention

[0031] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the leg pieces on the left and right sides of the opening in the center of the base plate are folded in half to be flat, so that the left and right leg pieces can be aligned substantially parallel to each other with the filter bag sandwiched between the leg pieces, thereby making the overall shape of the filter flat. This makes it possible to reduce the overall shape of the filter, and therefore makes it easier to store and preserve it in a packaging container or the like.

[0032] On the other hand, when using the device, the opening in the base can be easily opened by pulling apart the front and rear connecting pieces (knobs) that are closed facing each other in the forward and backward directions, and this allows the filter bag, which is in a closed state, to be opened at the same time, making it possible to use the device quickly and safely.

[0033] Furthermore, in the filter of the present invention, as the opening is opened by pulling apart the connecting pieces, the folded left and right legs open, and as the cross section opens into a roughly "L" or "V" shape, the legs stand up while maintaining their facing shape, and further, the first and second fold lines reduce the restoring force of the material to a folded state or to a flat state, so that this standing state is maintained. Therefore, if the filter is lowered in this state toward the edge of a container such as a coffee cup, the locking parts at the ends of the legs can be hooked onto the edge of the container while keeping both legs aligned, thereby completing the setting.

[0034] In particular, as described above, when the filter of the present invention is folded into its completed state, the left and right leg pieces and the front and rear connecting pieces are folded and folded up based on the first and second folding lines, and as a result the restoring force of the base material at these folded parts is lost. This means that when the filter is opened for use, the shape of the open state is maintained and secured, and therefore the shape is stabilized, making it easier to handle when in use.

[0035] Furthermore, the filter will maintain its folded shape when folded, and when it is opened and made three-dimensional based on the above-mentioned line, it will be stable in this open form; therefore, if the left and right leg pieces are opened so that their cross-sectional shapes are in the shape of the letter "U" or "V", this state will be maintained and the upright state will be kept, and as a result, the filter bag can be supported by these leg pieces. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the filter according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the filter according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the filter taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the filter in an expanded state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the filter in an expanded state and further disassembled into a base plate and a filter bag. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the filter bag in an expanded state. [Figure 7] 13 is a perspective view of the state in which the front and rear connection pieces of the board are opened front to back and the left and right leg pieces are opened in half and stand up facing each other. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] 3A and 3B are longitudinal cross-sectional views of a portion illustrating the joining for closing the opening of the filter taken along line B-B in FIG. 2, in which FIG. 3A shows the case where the connecting pieces are joined in a releasable manner, and FIG. 3B shows the case where the undersides of the upper ends of the leg pieces are joined in a releasable manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of a filter according to the present invention. The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, and the features thereof will become clear. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a coffee filter according to the present invention, 2 denotes a substrate that is the main body of the filter 1, and 3 denotes a filter bag that is integrated with the substrate 2 to constitute the filter.

[0038] The base plate 2 is made of a thick cardboard having the required rigidity, and is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape with an opening 4 in the center. The left and right parts separated by the opening 4 are provided with leg pieces 5, 5, and front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6 that run parallel to each other and connect the upper ends of the leg pieces 5, 5 to each other.

[0039] The base plate 2 is formed in a size that spans the container to match the size of the container 7 to be used, such as a coffee cup, and the opening 4 is formed in a shape that is nearly a square. The opening 4 is an inlet for inserting coffee powder 8 and an inlet for pouring hot water, and is opened to a diameter corresponding to this. Although the substrate 2 is in the shape of a horizontally long rectangle here, the shape is not limited to this and may be, for example, a horizontally long ellipse. The shape of the substrate 2 is selected based on the final shape of the filter 1, that is, the design of the filter, and therefore may be selected taking into consideration the envisioned design. However, because two leg pieces 5, 5 are provided symmetrically, a rectangular shape or an oblong shape is suitable as a selection target.

[0040] The filter of the present invention is assembled three-dimensionally in the completed state as described below, and then folded flat. In order to clarify the structure of each part, we will explain it here based on the respective drawings showing the filter in an unfolded or disassembled state. 4 is a plan view of the filter of the present invention unfolded, with the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 of the horizontally elongated rectangular base plate 2 each having a first straight bending line 9, 9 formed in the center thereof from the upper end 5a, 5a facing the opening 4 to the leg end 5b, 5b. The front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6 each have second bending lines 10, 10 formed at both end portions 6a, 6a.

[0041] The first folding lines 9, 9 serve as a base line for folding the leg pieces 5, 5 in half widthwise, and the second folding lines 10, 10 serve as a base line for folding the leg pieces 5, 5 extending left and right in a plane so that they face each other with the connecting pieces 6, 6 in between. These lines 9, 10 are formed here by embossing to form groove-shaped linear recesses in order to facilitate bending of the substrate 2. The lines may be formed by embossing, or by combining embossing with a perforation, or by using a perforation alone.

[0042] The leg pieces 5, 5 are provided with locking portions 11, 11 at the leg end portions 5b, 5b for hooking onto the edge of the container 7. The locking parts 11, 11 are formed in a roughly C-shape with an arc-shaped cut along the edge of the leg end and cuts that fold back from both ends of the cut, providing arc-shaped outer clamping pieces 11a, 11a along the leg end and inner clamping pieces 11b, 11b, which are sandwiched between the two inner and outer pieces. The locking parts are symmetrical in left and right shape (front and back shapes in Fig. 4) with the first folding line 9 at the center, so that they are located in the center of the leg end.

[0043] On the other hand, the second folding lines 10, 10 are disposed obliquely at both ends of the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6, respectively, and are shaped to divide the connecting pieces 6 and the leg pieces 5. In this embodiment, the second folding lines 10, 10 are each provided at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2 (the left-right direction in FIG. 4), and are further arranged so that they have angles in opposite directions to each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the two folding lines 10, 10 at both ends of the connecting pieces 6, 6 are arranged so as to form a substantial V-shape, and as is clear from these drawings, the folding lines 10, 10 at both ends of the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6 are symmetrical with respect to the opening 4.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4, the above arrangement is such that one end of the second fold line portion 10 is placed on the edge of the opening 4 that contacts the connecting piece portion 6, i.e., on the edge of this edge, and the other end extends from here toward the center of the outer edge of the connecting piece portion 6, so that the two line portions 10, 10 form a "V-shape".

[0045] The second folding lines 10, 10 at both end portions 6a, 6a of the connecting pieces 6, 6 fold the end portions 6a, 6a of the connecting pieces 6, 6 in half based on the second folding lines 10, 10 when the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 are folded in half widthwise based on the first folding lines 9, 9, and in conjunction with this folding, the two types of folding lines 9, 10 act together to guide and assist each other in the folding.

[0046] On the other hand, the filter bag 3 to be attached to the substrate 2 is made of a paper-like filter material. As shown in Fig. 6, the filter material is cut into a vertically long rectangle, and the center portions of the left and right side edges are cut into a V-shape, thereby creating a portion that will become the filter bag in the center of the filter material, while a thin strip of adhesive 12 is provided along the periphery of the material, and the V-shaped portions are bonded together by joining via this adhesive 12, thereby forming a bag-shaped bag portion (see Fig. 5).

[0047] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the substrate 2 and the filter bag 3, which are formed separately. The filter bag 3 is placed against the bottom side of the substrate 2, which is stretched out in a plane, so as to cover the opening 4 from below. In this state, the adhesive portion 12 provided on the peripheral portion of the filter material is affixed to the bottom surface of the substrate, thereby assembling them together as a single unit. The adhesive portion 12 may be bonded by an adhesive, but may also be bonded by providing a resin film in advance on the lower surface of the substrate 2 and then heat fusing the resin film.

[0048] The filter 1 formed by integrating the base plate 2 and the filter bag 3 in this manner takes on a flat, developed form during the molding process, as shown in FIG. From this state, by folding and folding along the first and second folding lines 9, 10, the filter device 1 of the present invention is formed into a flat, three-dimensional shape with some thickness in the front and back (see Figure 2). This will be explained further below.

[0049] Fig. 7 shows the filter device 1, which is developed in the flat shape shown in Fig. 4, in the process of being folded up by folding each part along the first and second folding lines 9, 10. Note that Fig. 7 also shows the folded filter device 1 in the process of being opened when it is used, and this will be described later.

[0050] The filter 1 formed by integrally attaching the filter bag 3 to the underside of the base plate 2 has its left and right leg pieces 5, 5 folded in half widthwise based on the first folding line 9, whereby the upper end portions 5a, 5a are closed together as a result of this folding, and further, as a result of this closing associated with the folding, the end portions 6a, 6a of the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6 connected to the upper end portions 5a, 5a are each folded based on the second folding line portions 10, 10. The folding is performed simultaneously and forcibly with respect to the first and second folding lines 9 and 10. Of course, the folding method is not specified here, but since it is a work in the manufacturing process, it is usually performed by a mechanical work.

[0051] Then, the above-mentioned folding is continued so that the undersides of the left and right leg pieces 5,5 are brought together, and at the same time, the end portions 6a,6a of the connecting pieces 6,6 are folded based on the second fold lines 10,10.The bending of both parts proceeds simultaneously, so that the leg pieces 5,5 are folded in half, and the end portions 6a,6a of the connecting pieces 6,6 are each folded in half, and as a result, the entire substrate 2 is folded in half into a flat shape.

[0052] 1 and 2 show this folded state, showing the completed state of the filter device 1 of the present invention. As shown here, the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 of the base plate 2 are folded in half and flattened, sandwiching the filter bag 3 between them. The folding of the leg pieces 5, 5 in half involves folding the left and right edges of the opening 4 (which are also the edges of the upper ends 5a, 5a of the leg pieces 5, 5) in half, so that as these edges are closed linearly, the front and rear edges of the opening 4 are simultaneously brought together, with the result that the entire edge of the opening 4 comes together in a line to close it.

[0053] More specifically, the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 are drawn toward each other as they are guided by the folding based on the second folding lines 10, 10, and are opposed in parallel to each other to reduce the size of the entire filter and close the opening 4. Furthermore, these folding operations cause the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6 to change their posture by approximately 90 degrees from a horizontal state to a vertical state by folding in half based on the folding lines 10, 10 at both ends as a result of folding the leg pieces 5, 5, and thus they come together with their upper surfaces facing each other and rise up toward the upper part of the opening 4 to be closed.

[0054] Figures 2 and 3 show the above state. The connecting pieces 6, 6 close the opening 4 by bringing their upper surfaces into contact with each other, and also close the opening edge of the filter bag 3 that faces the opening. The connecting pieces 6, 6 have the function of connecting the left and right leg pieces 5, 5, but also serve as handle pieces 13, 13 for opening the opening 4 and opening the folded filter to make it three-dimensional when the filter is in use. Here, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outer edges of the connecting pieces 6, 6 are expanded in a slightly arc shape to enlarge the parts that become the handle pieces 13, 13, making them easier to grip.

[0055] In the filter of the present invention thus constructed, after combining the base plate 2 and the filter bag 3, or after completing the above-mentioned folding, a required amount of coffee powder 8 (usually 8 to 12 g) is poured into the filter bag 3 through the opening 4. The folded filter 1 closes the opening 4 by bringing the connecting pieces 6, 6 together, and then closes the mouth of the filter bag 3. In order to further prevent the coffee powder 8 added to the filter bag 3 from spilling out, a reliable closure is achieved by either directly joining the connecting pieces 6, 6 at the front and rear that come into contact as shown in Figure 9, or by joining the upper ends 5a, 5a of the leg pieces that are folded in half and bring their undersides into contact with each other.

[0056] 9A shows a case where the joining is performed linearly along the inner edge of the connecting pieces 6, 6 to be brought together, with the joint 14 being provided in the center of the inner edge. Also, FIG. 9B shows a case where the lower surfaces of the upper ends 5a, 5a of the folded leg pieces are joined linearly, with the joints 15, 15 being provided along the upper ends. Both of these parts are part of the substrate 2, so the joining is highly reliable, and the smooth surfaces make joining easy, resulting in a stable joint.

[0057] In addition, all of the above-mentioned joints are designed to be easily peeled off when the connecting pieces 6, 6, i.e., the tabs 13, 13, are pinched and pulled apart. For this reason, although a linear joint is selected here, it is also possible to use a dotted line or point joint instead of a linear joint. Alternatively, although not shown here, the closed state may be ensured by directly bonding the opening edge of the filter bag 3, which becomes closed as the opening 4 is closed, so that the filter materials can be peeled away from each other. In this case, since the opening of the filter bag 3 is directly bonded, an even more reliable sealed state can be obtained.

[0058] The filter of the present invention is stored in a bag-shaped packaging container in a folded state. The two-dot chain line in Fig. 1 shows the outer shape of the packaging container that stores the filter of the present invention 1. This packaging container is a flat bag container so that the filter 1, which is folded and flattened, can be stored in that state. Next, the use of this filter will be described. When the filter 1 of the present invention folded flat is taken out of the packaging container and opened back and forth by holding the tabs 13, 13 (i.e., the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6) that stand up facing each other, the joints 14 and 15 are peeled off and the opening 4, which is in a state where the front and rear edges are brought together and in contact with each other, is opened in the front and rear direction. This opening operation causes the upper ends 5a, 5a of the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 to open from the folded state toward a flat surface.

[0059] The above-mentioned opening operation involves opening both end portions 6a, 6a of the folded connecting piece portions 6, 6 based on the second folding line portions 10, 10, and opening the leg piece portions 5, 5 based on the first folding line portions 9, 9. The filter device 1 of the present invention opened in this manner has the same shape as that shown in Figure 7 described above. In other words, at the same time that the opening 4 is opened, the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 open in a generally "L" shape in cross section and stand up, so that the left and right legs face each other. 8 shows the filter 1 of the present invention opened in this manner and set on a container 7 such as a coffee cup. When setting it in this manner, the leg ends 5a, 5a of both upright leg pieces 5, 5 are lowered toward the edge of the coffee cup, and the inner and outer clamping pieces 11a, 11b of the locking parts 11, 11 at the leg ends are opened to insert the inner clamping piece 11b into the inside of the cup, and the hooking and fixing are completed by clamping from inside and outside.

[0060] Attachment by the locking parts 11, 11 causes the legs 5, 5 to stand above the cup, supporting the filter bag 3 above the center of the coffee cup or other container 7. Therefore, in this state, that is, in this set state, the user can pour hot water through the opening 4 to extract coffee liquid into the coffee cup 7.

[0061] As described above, the filter of the present invention can be folded into a flat shape by folding the leg pieces 5, 5 and the connecting pieces 6, 6 based on the first and second folding lines 9, 10, thereby folding the entire base plate 2 in half and sandwiching the filter bag 3 between the base plates, and furthermore, by bringing the leg pieces 5, 5 together in parallel, the filter can be made compact, making it easy to store, manage, and handle. On the other hand, when in use, by pinching the front and rear connecting pieces 6, 6, i.e., the knobs 13, 13, which are in a face-to-face state, and pulling them apart, the flattened and folded filter 1 can be opened by this operation alone to make it three-dimensional for use, and since the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 can be made to stand facing each other, it can be set stably in the coffee cup as it is.

[0062] At this time, the left and right leg pieces 5, 5 which are opened based on the first and second folding lines 9, 9 and 10, 10 do not spontaneously return to their original shape because the previous folding inhibits the restoring force at these lines 9, 9, 10, 10. Therefore, there is no need to hold it down with hands to maintain its shape when attached to the coffee cup, and therefore it can be set simply, easily and safely. In addition, the pulling apart of the connecting pieces 6, 6 simultaneously opens the closed opening 4, and even if the opening 4 is joined together, the joining can be peeled off and the opening can be easily opened. This has the advantage that it is not necessary to open the opening 4 and unseal the filter bag 3 separately from the operation of making the filter three-dimensional. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Simplified filter according to the present invention 2. Board 3 filtration bag 4 Opening in the board 5 Leg piece 5a Upper end of leg 5b End of leg of leg piece 6 Connection piece 6a End of connecting piece 7 Coffee cups and other containers 8. Coffee Powder 9 First fold line 10 Second fold line 11 Locking part 11a Outer locking piece of locking part 11b Inner locking piece of locking part 12 Filter bag joint 13 Pick 14,15 Joint

Claims

1. A coffee filter comprising a base plate made of a sheet-like piece having a required rigidity and a filter bag attached to the underside of the base plate, The base plate is provided with a pair of legs on the left and right sides sandwiching an opening in the center, and with connecting pieces connecting the upper ends of the legs to each other at the front and rear of the opening. Each leg end of the left and right legs is further provided with a locking portion for hooking onto the edge of the opening of the container, a first folding line portion for folding in half between the upper end and the leg end at the center, and a second folding line portion for interlocking with and assisting the folding of the legs at each end portion of the front and rear connecting pieces. The opening edge of the filter bag is attached to the underside of the base plate thus formed, and the two are fixed together so as to surround the opening. Thus, the base plate and the filter bag are combined, while a required amount of coffee powder is poured into the filter bag, and the base plate is folded by folding the left and right legs by the first folding. a filter bag having coffee powder sealed therein between, the filter bag being folded in half toward the lower surface using the bend line as a reference, and at the same time, folding each of the front and rear connecting pieces in half toward the lower surface using the second bend line formed at each end of the front and rear connecting pieces as a reference; this folding and the folding of the leg pieces fold each of the left and right leg pieces in half and fold them flat, and the left and right leg pieces are pulled parallel to each other so as to face each other, and the filter bag having coffee powder sealed therein is sandwiched between the two leg pieces; and at the same time, the filter bag is folded in half toward the lower surface using the first and second bend lines as a reference, thereby closing the opening and closing the edge of the opening of the filter bag.

2. 2. The coffee filter according to claim 1, wherein the second bending lines are arranged at both ends of each connecting piece at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from one end facing the opening toward the other end of the outer edge of the connecting piece, and the second bending lines are arranged in an approximately V-shape that opens toward the opening.

3. 3. The coffee filter according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is folded flat along the first and second folding lines, and the front and rear connecting pieces are raised facing above the opening as the opening is closed, thereby allowing the connecting pieces to serve as knobs for operation when the opening is opened.

4. 4. The coffee filter according to claim 3, wherein the pinching pieces standing opposite each other above an opening that is closed as the leg pieces are folded flat along the first and second folding lines are releasably joined to each other to keep the opening closed.

5. 2. The coffee filter according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is folded flat along the first and second folding lines, and the bottom surfaces of the upper ends of the folded legs facing the opening are tangentially joined to each other in a peelable manner, thereby maintaining the base plate folded in half and keeping the opening closed.

6. 3. The coffee filter according to claim 2, wherein the base plate is folded flat along the first and second folding lines, and the bottom surfaces of the folded upper ends of the legs facing the opening are tangentially joined to each other in a peelable manner, thereby maintaining the base plate folded in half and keeping the opening closed.

7. 4. A coffee filter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base plate is folded flat along the first and second folding lines, and the upper ends of the legs facing the opening are folded in half, thereby releasably bonding the contacting lower surfaces of the base plate to each other and maintaining the base plate folded in half while keeping the opening closed.

8. 2. The coffee filter according to claim 1, wherein the opening is closed by folding the upper surfaces of the front and rear connecting pieces together based on the first and second folding lines, and the opening edge of the filter bag that closes as the opening is closed is releasably joined and sealed.

Images