权利要求：
What is claimed is:
1. A tableware tea piece comprising a shaped disc comprising a perimeter principal surfaces either side of said perimeter, a first principal surface and a second principal surface, wherein said second principal surface comprises a well spaced inside the perimeter, said well being impervious to aqueous liquids, wherein the perimeter comprises a perimeter recess, wherein two end points of said perimeter recess along the perimeter define an angle S relative to a vertex disposed at a geometric center point of the tea piece, wherein the angle S is greater than 25°, wherein the second surface comprises a drip projection and a ledge, wherein the tea piece is capable of being placed to act as a lid on a vessel containing hot water with the first surface uppermost such that the perimeter recess provides a ventilation aperture within a rim of the vessel and such that the drip projection sits within a rim of the vessel while the ledge sits on the rim of the vessel, wherein the tea piece is capable of inversion and placing on a horizontal surface with the second principal surface uppermost and the first principal surface supporting the piece after said inversion such that the inverted tea is capable of acting as a receptacle for a used tea bag such that tea which emanates from the used tea bag is contained on the second principal surface within the well and does not spill onto the horizontal surface.
2. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drip projection comprises a continuous loop drip projection spaced inside a portion of the tea piece perimeter, said drip projection forming a perimeter of the well, wherein when the tea piece is placed to act as a lid on the -vessel containing hot water with the first surface uppermost, said drip projection provides a lateral restraint against the inside of the vessel if the piece is pushed laterally.
3. A tea piece as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drip projection is coterminous with a portion of the edge of the perimeter recess.
4. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said angle S is greater than
30..
5. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said angle S is greater than
45..
6. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said angle S is greater than
60..
7. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said perimeter recess is shaped in an arc of a circle with its centre located outside the perimeter of the tea piece.
8. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between said two end points is greater than 25 mm.
9. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein following said inversion and placing on said horizontal surface and said vessel is located on said horizontal surface, and wherein said perimeter recess is touching said vessel at two points, the gap between the vessel and the tea piece between said two points when measured radially from the vertical axis of the vessel is less than 1mm, preferably less than 0.5mm, and more preferably less than
0.2mm.
10. A tea piece as claimed in claim 9, wherein the length between said two points is greater than 20mm.
11. A tea piece is claimed in claim 1, wherein said perimeter comprises part of a circle and said perimeter recess deviates radially within said circle by a deviation of greater than 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, and/or 15mm.
12. A tea piece as claimed in claim 11, wherein after said inversion said vessel can be located against said perimeter recess and intrude within the perimeter of said circle by a distance greater than 2mm.
13. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein if a circular arc is struck concentric with the tea piece perimeter that intersects the perimeter recess at two points, the tangents of the points of the recess intersect within the radius of the arc at a subtended angle greater than 30°.
14. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ventilation aperture has a maximum dimension of less than 30mm, preferably less than 25mm, and more preferably less than
20.m.
15. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein if said tea piece is pushed against the inside of the vessel at the perimeter recess said ventilation aperture has a plan area of greater than 20mm2, 50mm2, 100mm2, 150mm2 and/or 200mm2.
16. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein if said tea piece is located upon a horizontal surface with said second principal surface facing upwards, the external points of support of the tea piece are disposed on the horizontal surface at a horizontal distance from the centre of gravity of not less than 10mm, preferably not less than 15mm, and more preferably of not less than 20mm.
17. A tea piece is claimed in claim 1, wherein said well comprises a continuous well wall, wherein if said tea piece is placed on a horizontal surface with the second principal surface facing upwards said well wall comprises a continuous surface that is at an angle of less than 45° to vertical.
18. A tea piece as claimed in claim 17, wherein the height of said continuous well wall is greater than 1mm, preferably greater than 2mm, more preferably greater than 5mm, and even more preferably greater than 10mm.
19. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said well comprises a minimum clear internal width of greater than 50mm, and more preferably greater than 65mm. 20. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said well comprises a cubic capacity of liquid that it will contain when said tea piece is inverted on said horizontal surface of greater than 0.5cc, 1.0cc, 3.0cc, 5.00cc, 10.0cc and/or 20.0cc.
21. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first principal surface comprises a depression.
22. A tea piece as claimed in claim 21, wherein said depression is part- spherical.
23. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second principal surface comprises a projection within said well.
24. A tea piece as claimed in claim 23, wherein said projection is dome- shaped.
25. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises a perimeter grip profile, wherein said perimeter grip profile is capable of attachment to the rim of said vessel.
26. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises one of glass, ceramic, plastic, silicone, paper or card.
27. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises transparent material.
28. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece acting as a lid on said vessel can be subsequently removed vertically by a force no greater than the weight of the tea piece.
29. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first principal surface comprises a raised circular section. 30. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second principal surface comprises a circular depression within said well.
31. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises variable geometry.
32. A tea piece as claimed in claim 31, wherein said tea piece comprises a slot and a lateral restraint which is moveable along the slot.
33. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said perimeter recess comprises a removable portion of said tea piece defined by a weakened rupture locus in said tea piece, and wherein said perimeter recess is removable by manual tearing.
34. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises a rigid material.
35. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece comprises a flexible material.
36. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein part of said perimeter is fluted.
37. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein part of said perimeter is polygonal.
38. A method of making an infusion using the tea piece of claim 1, and a tea bag, said method comprising: (i) placing hot water into a vessel comprising a rim, (ii) placing the tea piece on the rim of the vessel such that the first principal surface is uppermost, wherein a ventilation aperture is formed between the rim of the vessel and the perimeter recess of the tea piece, (iii) locating the tea bag in the hot water (iv) allowing time for the tea to infuse, (v) removing the tea piece, and (vi) removing the tea bag from the hot water.
39. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said tea bag is part of a tea bag assembly comprising a suspension handle and a connector which connects the suspension handle to the tea bag.
40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the method stage (ii) further comprises locating the connector within the ventilation aperture with the suspension handle outside the vessel.
41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein the method stage (iv) further comprises agitating the tea bag by raising and lowering it by means of the suspension handle and connector.
42. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the tea piece comprises transparent material enabling the colour of the infusing tea to be visible through the tea piece.
43. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the maximum dimension of said ventilation aperture is less than 20mm.
44. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said vessel is a disposable cup comprising one of paper, card, PET, PP and PS. 45. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said vessel is a teapot.
46. A method of making a tea piece as claimed in claim 38, wherein said method comprises one of injection moulding, press moulding and additive manufacture.
47. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein said tea bag is part of an infuser comprising an infuser tea bag, an infuser suspension handle and an infuser connector which connects the infuser suspension handle to the tea bag.
48. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said vessel is a cup, mug and/or glass.
49. The method of claim 38, wherein the tea bag is part of an infuser.
50. The method of claim 47, wherein the infuser connector passes through the ventilation aperture.
51. A method of making tea as claimed in claim 38, wherein there is a tolerance between the outside of the drip projection and the inside of the rim of the vessel onto which it is located. 2. .. A tea piece as claimed in claim 9, wherein the length between said two points is 20- 25mm, 25-30mm or greater than 30mm.
53. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said perimeter comprises part of a circle and said perimeter recess deviates radially within said circle by a deviation of 3-5mm, 5- 10mm, 10-15mm or greater than 15mm.
54. A tea piece as claimed in claim 11, wherein after said inversion said vessel can be located against said perimeter recess and intrude within the perimeter of said circle by a distance of 2-3mm, 3-5mm, 5-10mm, 10-15mm or greater than 15mm.
55. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein if a circular arc is struck concentric with the tea piece perimeter 30 that intersects the perimeter recess 40 at two points, the tangents of the points of the recess intersect within the radius of the arc, at a subtended angle of 30°-45°, 45°-60°, 60°-70°, 70°-90° or greater than 90°.
56. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ventilation aperture has a maximum dimension within the range of 25-30mm, 20-25mm or less than 20mm.
57. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ventilation aperture has a plan area of 20-50mm2, 50-100mm2, 100-150mm2, 150-200mm2 or greater than 200mm2.
58. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein if said tea piece is located upon a horizontal surface with said second principal surface facing upwards, the external points of support of the tea piece are disposed on the horizontal surface at a horizontal distance from the centre of gravity of 10-15mm, 15-20mm or not less than 20mm.
59. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ventilation aperture has a plan area of less than 300mm2, 250mm2 and/or 200mm2. 60. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ventilation aperture has a plan area of 250-300mm2, 200-250mm2 or less than 200mm2.
61. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside of drip projection comprises a circle with the exception of the perimeter recess which lies within said circle, and wherein the area of the perimeter recess within said circle is greater than 20mm2, 50mm2, 100mm2, 150mm2 and/or 200mm2.
62. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outside of the drip projection comprises a circle with the exception of the perimeter recess which lies within said circle, and wherein the area of the perimeter recess within said circle is 20-50mm2, 50-100mm2, 100-150mm2 or greater than 200mm2.
63. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece is configured to enable drinking from the vessel while the lid is on the vessel.
64. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tea piece is capable of being used as a saucer for said vessel.
65. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said tea piece is inverted and wherein said tea bag is placed on said inverted tea piece.
66. A method as claim in claim 65, wherein the placing onto the inverted tea piece is by an implement
67. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein said implement is one of a teaspoon, a fork and a stirrer.
68. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein said implement is also used to agitate the tea bag or press the tea bag against the side or base of the vessel to accelerate the steeping of the tea or other infusion.
69. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said tea bag comprises part of an infuser, and wherein said infuser comprises a flexible connector.
70. A method as claimed in claim 69, wherein said flexible connector comprises one of a chain and silicone.
71. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said vessel is transparent.
72. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein said tolerance comprises a circumferential gap between the outside of said projection and the inside of said vessel rim of 0.5-1.0mm, 1.0-1.5mm, 1.5-2.0mm and 2.0-3.0mm.
73. A method as claimed in claim 65, wherein said inverted tea piece is located contiguous with said vessel following said inversion.
74. A method is claimed in claim 39, wherein said ventilation aperture is of smaller maximum dimension than the smallest dimension of said suspension handle, such that the suspension handle does not slip into the hot water.
75. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said transparent tea piece allows visibility of the strength of tea infusing in the vessel, wherein the tea piece is removed from the vessel and inverted when the tea is of the desired strength and the tea bag is transferred from the brewed tea onto the tea piece.
76. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said first principal surface comprises a depression, wherein the tea bag is placed on said depression when it is dry before infusion.
77. A method as claimed in claim 65, wherein said used tea bag is reused.
78. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said connector comprises a flexible material.
79. A method as claimed in claim 63, wherein said flexible material comprises one of string, chain, wire and silicone.
80. A tea piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said perimeter recess comprises smooth curvature with a minimum radius not less than 3mm.
81. A tea piece as claimed in claim 31, wherein said tea piece comprises variable geometry by folding.
82. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said tea piece is used as a cover to the vessel after removal of the tea bag and its disposal, to keep the tea warm before and/or during the duration of drinking the tea.
83. A tea piece according to claim 1, wherein said tea piece has enhanced insulating properties comprising one of internal partial vacuum, air gaps or bubbles, for example of sealed foam construction.
84. A tea piece according to claim 1, wherein the ledge comprises a flat surface.
85. A tea piece according to claim 1, wherein the ledge and drip portion are adjacent to each other.
86. The tableware tea piece of any preceding claim, in combination with the vessel.