Tea keeper and infuser

Abstract

A tea keeper includes a container having an outer wall and defining a container volume, an inner sleeve positioned within the container and forming an airtight barrier which separates the container volume into an internal space and a peripheral space, a removable lid enclosing the internal space, a removable base enclosing the peripheral space, and an infuser removably stored in the peripheral space.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A tea keeper, comprising:
 a container having an outer wall and defining a container volume;   an inner sleeve positioned within the container and forming an airtight barrier which separates the container volume into an internal space and a peripheral space;   a removable lid enclosing the internal space;   a removable base enclosing the peripheral space; and   an infuser removably stored in the peripheral space.   
     
     
         2 . The tea keeper of  claim 1 , wherein the infuser further comprises infuser sidewalls extending upward from an infuser base to define an infuser volume, the infuser sidewalls terminating in an open rim. 
     
     
         3 . The tea keeper of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is received within the infuser volume when the infuser is stored in the peripheral space. 
     
     
         4 . The tea keeper of  claim 3 , wherein the infuser includes a pair of handles, each of the pair of handles being moveable between a stored position adjacent the infuser sidewalls and an extended position extending away from the infuser sidewalls. 
     
     
         5 . The tea keeper of  claim 4 , wherein the pair of handles are selectively lockable in the extended position. 
     
     
         6 . The tea keeper of  claim 4 , wherein the open rim of the infuser is flared outwardly. 
     
     
         7 . The tea keeper of  claim 4 , wherein the peripheral space further comprises a shoulder, the rim of the infuser abutting the shoulder when the infuser is stored in the peripheral space. 
     
     
         8 . The tea keeper of  claim 7 , wherein the internal diameter of the container is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the rim. 
     
     
         9 . The tea keeper of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral space further comprises a height from the shoulder to the removable base, the infuser having an infuser height such that the infuser is snugly received within the peripheral space when the infuser is stored in the peripheral space. 
     
     
         10 . The tea keeper of  claim 1 , wherein the inner sleeve and the container are integrally formed. 
     
     
         11 . A tea keeper, comprising:
 a container defining a container volume;   an inner sleeve positioned within the container and separating the container volume into an upper internal space and a lower peripheral space, the lower peripheral space surrounding the upper internal space, the inner sleeve further forming an airtight barrier between the lower peripheral space and the upper internal space;   a removable lid attached to an upper end of the container and enclosing the upper internal space;   a removable base attached to a lower end of the container and enclosing the lower peripheral space; and   an infuser removably stored in the peripheral space.   
     
     
         12 . The tea keeper of  claim 11 , wherein the infuser further comprises infuser sidewalls extending upward from an infuser base to define an infuser volume, the infuser sidewalls terminating in an open rim, wherein the sleeve is received within the infuser volume when the infuser is stored in the lower peripheral space. 
     
     
         13 . The tea keeper of  claim 12 , wherein the infuser includes a pair of handles, each of the pair of handles being moveable between a stored position adjacent the infuser sidewalls and an extended position extending away from the infuser sidewalls. 
     
     
         14 . The tea keeper of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of handles are selectively lockable in the extended position. 
     
     
         15 . The tea keeper of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of handles are attached to the rim of the infuser. 
     
     
         16 . The tea keeper of  claim 13 , wherein the open rim of the infuser is flared outwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The tea keeper of  claim 12 , wherein the lower peripheral space further comprises a shoulder, the infuser being snugly received between the shoulder and the base when the infuser is stored in the lower peripheral space. 
     
     
         18 . The tea keeper of  claim 12 , wherein the infuser rim comprises an infuser diameter at a widest portion of the rim, wherein the infuser rim is snugly received within the container when the infuser is stored in the lower peripheral space. 
     
     
         19 . The tea keeper of  claim 12 , wherein the inner sleeve and the container are integrally formed.