摘要：
A tableware tea piece (10, 11, 12) intended to be used in conjunction with a drinking cup (60, 6) or teapot (63) vessel (60), includes first and second principal surfaces (1) and a well (8) defined by the second surface (1, 2, 95). It further includes a perimeter recess (40), and is configured and arranged (2) to be placed to act as a lid on a vessel (60) containing hot water (90) with the first surface (1, 2, 95) uppermost without slipping sideways off the vessel (60) and forming an aperture in side (1, 2) the rim (62) of the vessel (60). The tea piece (10, 11, 12) may be inverted and placed on a horizontal surface (1, 2, 95) with the second principal surface (1, 2, 95) uppermost and the first principal surface (1, 2, 95) supporting the piece (10) after inversion, to act as a receptacle for a used tea bag (80, 84), such that tea (89) which emanates from the used tea bag (80, 84) is contained on the second principal surface (1, 2, 95) within the well (8) and does not spill onto the horizontal surface (1, 2, 95).
权利要求：
1. An assembly comprising a tableware tea piece [10] and a vessel [60], the tableware tea piece [10] comprising a shaped disc comprising a perimeter [30] and two principal surfaces [1,2] either side of said perimeter [30], a first principal surface [1] and a second principal surface [2], characterized in that said second principal surface [2] comprises a well [8] spaced inside the perimeter [30], said well [8] being impervious to aqueous liquids, wherein the perimeter [30] comprises a perimeter recess [40], wherein two end points of said perimeter recess [40] along the perimeter [30] define an angle S relative to a vertex disposed at a geometric centre point of the tea piece, wherein the angle S is greater than 15°, wherein the second surface [2] comprises a continuous loop drip projection [20] wherein the continuous drip projection is spaced inside the perimeter throughout its length including the perimeter recess, or the continuous drip projection is coterminous with a portion of the edge of the perimeter recess, or the continuous drip projection is indented and the indent is coterminous with the perimeter recess, said drip projection forming a perimeter of the well, wherein the tea piece [10] is capable of being placed to act as a lid on the vessel [60] containing hot water [90] with the first surface [1] uppermost such that the perimeter recess [40] provides a ventilation aperture [70] within a rim [62] of the vessel [60], said drip projection provides a lateral restraint against the inside of the vessel if the piece is pushed laterally, wherein the tea piece [10] is capable of inversion and placing on a horizontal surface with the second principal surface [2] uppermost and the first principal surface [1] supporting the piece after said inversion such that the inverted tea piece [10] is capable of acting as a receptacle for a used tea bag [80] such that tea which emanates from the used tea bag [80] is contained on the second principal surface [2] within the well [8] and does not spill onto the horizontal surface, and wherein a portion of said perimeter recess is shaped to enable the perimeter recess edge to be contiguous with the outside of the vessel after the inversion of the tea piece in order to reduce the likelihood of drips from a wet, used tea bag falling onto the horizontal surface during transfer from the infused tea in the vessel to the inverted tea piece acting as a receptacle for the wet, used tea bag.
2. An assembly 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.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shortest distance between said two end points is greater than 20, 25, 30, 40 and/or 50 mm and optionally wherein said angle S is greater than 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50° and/or 60°, and is less than 80°.
4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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°.
5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein if said tea piece is inverted and located upon a horizontal surface with said second principal surface facing upwards said inverted tea piece has a stable seating, and wherein 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 the tea piece of not less than 10mm, preferably not less than 15mm, and more preferably of not less than 20mm.
6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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, and optionally wherein the height of said continuous well wall is greater than 1 mm, preferably greater than 2mm, more preferably greater than 5mm, and even more preferably greater than 10mm.
7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said well comprises a minimum clear internal width of greater than 50mm, and more preferably greater than 65mm, and optionally 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.
8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first principal surface comprises a depression, and optionally wherein said second principal surface comprises a projection within said well, and optionally wherein said tea piece comprises a transparent material.
9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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.
10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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 greater than 20mm2, 50mm2, 100mm2, 150mm2 and/or 200mm2.
11. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein said second surface comprises a ledge (13) that sits on the rim of the vessel (60).
12. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an outer edge of said perimeter recess comprises smoothly transitioned curves with a minimum radius of curvature of 3mm.
13. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first principal surface comprises a depressed area and optionally wherein said depressed area accommodates one of a lemon wedge, a packet of sugar and/or sweetener.
14. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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.
15. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, 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 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, and/or 15mm.
16. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said ventilation aperture has a maximum dimension of less than 30mm, preferably less than 25mm, and more preferably less than 20mm.
17. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said ventilation aperture has a plan area of greater than 20mm2, 50mm2, 100mm2, 150mm2 and/or 200mm2.
18. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a stirring implement is located within the ventilation aperture.
19. A method of making an infusion using the assembly of any preceding claim, and a tea bag, said method comprising: (i) placing hot water into the 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.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said tea piece is inverted and wherein said tea bag is placed on said inverted tea piece.
21. The method of any of claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the tea bag is part of an infuser.