Device and Method for Cleaning a French or Coffee Press

Abstract

A press cleaning device and method are described for removing coffee grinds from a French or coffee press. The device includes a stem having a handle and a circular disk-shaped declining plane ramp disposed at different ends. The circumference of the ramp is substantially the same as the inner circumference of the press. The ramp includes a radial cut running diametrically from the center of the ramp toward the outer circumference. The cut is fabricated to provide a lower or leading edge paralleling the horizontal floor of the press and trailing the leading edge an upward slanted ramp that follows like a circular inclined plane to an upper or ending edge. When rotated, the lower edge, which parallels the floor of the coffee press while slicing and shoveling, transfers the grinds from the bottom of the press up the ramp whereupon the grinds are stacked and can be removed.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for removing coffee grinds deposited within a coffee press, the method comprising:
 inserting, into the coffee press, a press cleaning tool having a disk-shaped declining-plane ramp threaded about a base of the press cleaning tool to form a lower edge and an upper edge;   rotating the press cleaning tool along a central axis to enable the lower edge to penetrate downwardly into the coffee grinds to thereby cause the coffee grinds to traverse the ramp in an upward motion and cause the coffee grinds to stack upon the ramp, whereby an inner surface of the coffee press functions as a wall for molding the stacked grinds and the ramp functions as a supporting floor for the stacked grinds; and   lifting the press cleaning tool vertically to remove the stacked grinds from the coffee press.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising rotating the press cleaning tool until the lower edge of the ramp parallels and scrapes the bottom of the inner surface of the coffee press to substantially remove and push along to an upper portion of the ramp all of the coffee grinds from the bottom. 
     
     
         16 . A method for removing coffee grinds deposited within a coffee press, the method comprising:
 inserting into the coffee press a press cleaning tool comprising:
 a stem having a first end and a second end; and 
 a circular ramp coupled to the second end of the stem about a central axis of the stem, the ramp including an upper edge and a lower edge; and 
   rotating the press cleaning tool about the central axis.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein rotating the press cleaning tool comprises enabling the lower edge to penetrate downwardly into the coffee grinds to thereby cause the coffee grinds to traverse the ramp in an upward motion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising lifting the press cleaning tool vertically after rotating the press cleaning tool to remove the stacked grinds from the coffee press. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein rotating the press cleaning tool comprises scraping a surface of the coffee press with the lower edge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the lower edge has a length shorter than a length of the upper edge. 
     
     
         21 . A coffee press kit comprising:
 a coffee press configured for brewing coffee, the coffee press including a bottom inner surface and vertical sides walls extending from the bottom inner surface, the vertical side walls defining an inner circumference; and   a press cleaning tool insertable and rotatable within the coffee press and configured to remove coffee grinds deposited within the coffee press, the press cleaning tool including:
 a stem having a first end and a second end; and 
 a circular ramp coupled to the second end of the stem about a central axis of the stem, the circular ramp including a circumference substantially the same as the inner circumference. 
   
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the ramp includes a lower edge configured to scrape the bottom inner surface of the coffee press. 
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 22 , wherein the ramp further includes an upper edge having a length greater than a length of the lower edge. 
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the bottom inner surface has a circumference less than the inner circumference. 
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the stem has a length greater than a height of the coffee press.