Segmented french press

Abstract

The present system relates a French Press that comprises a carafe with a removable bottom member. The bottom member is threaded onto the man body of the carafe and forms a watertight seal during use of the carafe. During the preparation of the coffee using the French Press, normal operation is possible. The spend solids collect naturally in the bottom member during use, and are in fact urged there by depression of the plunger during operation. After use, the bottom member can be easily removed from the main body of the carafe and the spent solids can be easily cleaned from the bottom member, along with any stray spent solids that might have remained in the main body of the carafe.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A brewing device comprising:
 a hollow main body having an open top end, a closed bottom end, and an outer wall extending from the top end to the bottom end; and   a plunger assembly disposed within the main body and moveably disposed between the top end of the main body and the bottom end of the main body, the plunger assembly including a hollow shaft having a top end, a bottom end, an annular interior surface that extends through the top end of the shaft, a plunger plate attached to a bottom end of the shaft, and a plunger head attached to the top end of the shaft;   wherein the plunger head and the annular interior surface of the shaft are sized and shaped to receive a thermometer having a head portion and stem portion extending from the head portion such that when the stem portion of the thermometer is inserted into the shaft, the head portion of the thermometer is positioned against the plunger head of the plunger assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The brewing device of  claim 9 , wherein the annular interior surface of the shaft has a length that is greater than or equal to a length of the stem portion of the thermometer. 
     
     
         11 . The brewing device of  claim 9 , wherein the plunger head includes a head seat that extends radially outwardly from the top end of the shaft to an outer head wall, the outer head wall being sized and shaped to correspond with the perimeter of the head portion of the thermometer such that when the head portion of the thermometer rests on the head seat, the outer head wall abuts and is contiguous with a perimeter of the head portion. 
     
     
         12 . The brewing device of  claim 11 , wherein the outer head wall includes an outer head rim that is positioned above the head seat such that when the head portion of the thermometer rests on the head seat, the outer head rim is flush with a top surface of the head portion of the thermometer. 
     
     
         13 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A brewing device comprising:
 a hollow main body having an open top end, an open bottom end, and an outer wall extending from the top end to the bottom end;   a plunger assembly disposed within the main body and moveably disposed between the top end and the bottom end; and   a bottom member that is removably attached to the main body at the bottom end, the bottom member including an annular interior wall and a bladder that extends radially outwardly from a center axis to the annular interior wall, the bladder being movable from an expanded position to a compressed position.   
     
     
         17 . The brewing device of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom member and main body together form a contiguous inner wall. 
     
     
         18 . The brewing device of  claim 16 , wherein the bladder includes an annular bladder wall and a bladder floor, the annular bladder wall being connected to the bladder floor at an annular bladder edge and extending radially outwardly from the center axis of the bottom member to the annular bladder edge, the annular bladder wall being affixed to the annular interior wall of the bottom member at an annular bladder seam and extending from the annular bladder seam to the annular bladder edge. 
     
     
         19 . The brewing device of  claim 18 , wherein the bladder floor includes an annular bladder ridge formed in the bladder floor and protruding from the bladder floor toward a top end of the bottom member. 
     
     
         20 . The brewing device of  claim 18 , wherein when the bladder is in the compressed position, the bladder floor is positioned proximate to the upper edge of the annular interior wall of the bottom member and the annular bladder wall is folded over itself. 
     
     
         21 . The brewing device of  claim 20 , wherein when the bladder is in the compressed position, the bladder floor is laterally aligned with annular bladder seam. 
     
     
         22 . A brewing device comprising:
 a hollow main body having an open top end, an open bottom end, and an outer wall extending from the top end to the bottom end;   a plunger assembly disposed within the main body and moveably disposed between the open top end and the open bottom end of the main body, the plunger assembly including a hollow shaft having a top end, a bottom end, an annular interior surface that extends through the top end of the shaft, a plunger plate attached to a bottom end of the shaft, and a plunger head attached to the top end of the shaft;   a handle assembly extending from the outer wall of the main body, the handle assembly including an elongate body having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, and an interior compartment located between the upper end and the lower end, the interior compartment being sized and shaped to house a removable timekeeper; and   a bottom member that is removably attached to the main body at the open bottom end, the bottom member including an annular interior wall and a bladder that extends radially outwardly from a center axis to the annular interior wall, the bladder being movable from an expanded position to a compressed position,   wherein the plunger head and the annular interior surface of the shaft are sized and shaped to receive a thermometer having a head portion and stem portion extending from the head portion such that when the stem portion of the thermometer is inserted into the shaft, the head portion of the thermometer is positioned against the plunger head of the plunger assembly.