Decorative shaped infuser and manufacturing methods of the same

Abstract

A decorative shaped infuser comprising a shaped shell having a first shell portion comprising a first shell opening and a second shell portion comprising a second shell opening is provided. The first shell opening is assembled to the second shell opening defining a chamber. The chamber includes at least one consumable plant-based material, completely infusing and diffusing after being immersed in a consumable liquid. The first shell portion comprises at least one first attachment assembled thereto. The second shell portion comprises at least one moveable second attachment assembled thereto. A thickness of at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment is less than an average thickness of the shaped shell, whereby after being immersed in a consumable liquid, the at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment moves with liquid turbulence.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A decorative shaped infuser, comprising:
 a shaped shell having a first shell portion comprising a first shell opening and a second shell portion comprising a second shell opening, whereby the first shell opening is assembled to, the second shell opening defining a chamber within the shaped shell,   wherein the chamber includes at least one consumable plant-based material and the at least one consumable plant-based material completely infuses and diffuses after being immersed in a consumable liquid, and   wherein the shaped shell is made from a nonwoven porous plastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the first shell portion comprises a first contact area having an inner step portion and a first outer edge and the second shell portion comprises a second contact area having an inner ledge portion and a second outer edge, whereby when assembled, the inner step portion contacts and aligns flush with the inner ledge portion, and the first outer edge contacts and aligns flush with the second outer edge. 
     
     
         3 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the first shell portion comprises at least one first attachment assembled thereto via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, high-frequency plastic melt cutting, or snap fit attachment, the at least one first attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a first attachment area and a first free area opposite the first attachment area, the first attachment area contacts the first shell portion. 
     
     
         4 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the second shell portion comprises at least one moveable second attachment assembled thereto via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, high-frequency plastic melt cutting, or snap fit attachment, the at least one moveable second attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a second attachment area and second free area opposite the second attachment area, the second attachment area contacts the second shell portion and a thickness of at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment is less than an average thickness of the shaped shell, whereby after being immersed in a consumable liquid, the at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment moves with liquid turbulence. 
     
     
         5 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one consumable plant-based material is made of loose whole-leaf tea leaves, whereby the loose whole-leaf tea leaves completely infuse via non-hindered unfurling thereof after being immersed in a consumable liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one consumable plant-based material is made of a fruit, or herb, coffee grinds, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 1 , wherein the weight of the shaped shell made from the nonwoven porous plastic material is between 50 to 300 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         8 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 3 , wherein the nonwoven porous plastic material is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), or polylactic acid (PLA). 
     
     
         9 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 4 , wherein the nonwoven porous plastic material is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), or polylactic acid (PLA). 
     
     
         10 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 4 , wherein the shape of the decorative shaped infuser is a fish. 
     
     
         11 . The decorative shaped infuser of  claim 4 , wherein the shape of the decorative shaped infuser is a 3D geometric shape, an animal, a person, a 3D place, or a thing, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method for making a decorative shaped infuser, comprising the steps of:
 Step ( 210 ): providing a thermoforming machine, a plurality of decorative shaped infuser molds for assembly with the thermoforming machine and forming a plurality of shaped shells of the decorative shaped infuser, each having a first shell portion comprising a first shell opening and a second shell portion comprising a second shell opening, whereby a chamber is defined within each plurality of shaped shells, nonwoven porous plastic material, and a plurality of at least one consumable plant-based material;   Step ( 220 ): positioning the nonwoven porous plastic material within the thermoforming machine for thermoforming each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions of the plurality of shaped shells;   Step ( 230 ): thermoforming each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions;   Step ( 240 ): removing each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions from the thermoforming machine;   Step ( 250 ): assembling the plurality of at least one consumable plant based material within each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions;   Step ( 260 ): cutting and forming each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions into individual pieces; and   Step ( 270 ): assembling each of the plurality of first shell portions and second shell portions having the at least one consumable plant based material therein together via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting.   
     
     
         13 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the first shell portion comprises a first contact area having an inner step portion and a first outer edge and the second shell portion comprises a second contact area having an inner ledge portion and a second outer edge, whereby when assembled, the inner step portion contacts and aligns flush with the inner ledge portion, and the first outer edge contacts and aligns flush with the second outer edge. 
     
     
         14 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 Step ( 280 ): determining whether:
 S 1 : the first shell portion comprises at least one first attachment to be assembled thereto; or 
 S 1  & S 2 : both the first shell portion comprises at least one first attachment to be assembled thereto and the second shell portion comprises at least one moveable second attachment to be assembled thereto; or 
 S 2 : the second shell portion comprises at least one moveable second attachment to be assembled thereto, 
   if S 1 , performing Step ( 290 A), if no, ending the method, or if S 1  & S 2 , performing Step ( 290 B), if no, ending the method, or if S 3 , performing Step ( 290 C), if no, ending the method;   Step ( 290 A): determining whether assembly of the at least one first attachment to the first shell portion is via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting or snap fit attachment, if yes, via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, performing Step ( 300 A), if no, via snap fit attachment, performing Step ( 305 B);   Step ( 290 B): determining whether assembly of the at least one first attachment to the first shell portion is via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting or snap fit attachment, if yes, via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, performing Step ( 300 A) and Step ( 300 C), if no, via snap fit attachment, performing Step ( 305 A) and Step ( 300 C);   Step ( 290 C): determining whether assembly of the at least one moveable second attachment to the second shell portion is via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting or snap fit attachment, if yes, via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, performing Step ( 300 C), if no, via snap fit attachment, performing Step ( 305 C);   Step ( 300 A): assembling the at least one first attachment to the first shell portion via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, wherein the at least one first attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a first attachment area and a first free area opposite the first attachment area, the first attachment area contacts the first shell portion;   Step ( 300 B): assembling the at least one first attachment to the first shell portion and assembling the at least one moveable second attachment to the second shell portion via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, wherein the at least one first attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a first attachment area and a first free area opposite the first attachment area, the first attachment area contacts the first shell portion and the at least one moveable second attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a second attachment area and second free area opposite the second attachment area, the second attachment area contacts the second shell portion and a thickness of at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment is less than an average thickness of the shaped shell, whereby after being immersed in a consumable liquid, the at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment moves with liquid turbulence;   Step ( 300 C): assembling the at least one moveable second attachment to the second shell portion via thermocompression melt cutting, ultrasonic melt cutting, or high-frequency plastic melt cutting, the at least one moveable second attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a second attachment area and second free area opposite the second attachment area, the second attachment area contacts the second shell portion and a thickness of at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment is less than an average thickness of the shaped shell, whereby after being immersed in a consumable liquid, the at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment moves with liquid turbulence;   Step ( 305 A): cutting and assembling the at least one first attachment to the first shell portion via snap fit attachment, wherein the at least one first attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a first attachment area and a first free area opposite the first attachment area, the first attachment area contacts the first shell portion; and   Step ( 305 C): cutting and assembling the at least one moveable second attachment to the second shell portion via snap fit attachment, the at least one moveable second attachment is made of nonwoven porous plastic material and comprises a second attachment area and second free area opposite the second attachment area, the second attachment area contacts the second shell portion and a thickness of at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment is less than an average thickness of the shaped shell, whereby after being immersed in a consumable liquid, the at least a portion of the at least one moveable second attachment moves with liquid turbulence.   
     
     
         15 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one consumable plant-based material is made of loose whole-leaf tea leaves, whereby the loose whole-leaf tea leaves completely infuse via non-hindered unfurling thereof after being immersed in a consumable liquid. 
     
     
         16 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one consumable plant-based material is made of a fruit, or herb, coffee grinds, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the weight of the shaped shell made from the nonwoven porous plastic material is between 50 to 300 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         18 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the nonwoven porous plastic material is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), or polylactic acid (PLA). 
     
     
         19 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 14 , wherein the nonwoven porous plastic material is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), or polylactic acid (PLA). 
     
     
         20 . The method for making the decorative shaped infuser of  claim 12 , wherein the shape of the decorative shaped infuser is a 3D geometric shape, an animal, a person, a 3D place, or a thing, or combinations thereof.