Beverage Pod Construction

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to brewers that prepare beverages from pods, cartridges, and other containers filled with ground brewing material, such as coffee makers and espresso machines, as well as to the containers and to aspects of components of the containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The process of brewing beverages at home or in restaurants and other commercial establishments typically includes passing water through ground brewing material that is packaged in an enclosure at least partially made from water-permeable material. The enclosure can be used alone, or can itself be packaged in a reusable holder or housing, such as a cup or cartridge made of plastic and/or metal. This type of packaging is frequently referred to as a pod, and this term will be used herein to refer to any type of packaging for ground brewing material used in a brewing machine, whether empty or containing the ground brewing material.

The pod is typically placed in the brewing chamber of a brewing machine, to which water, often heated, is added to brew the beverage, after which the beverage is dispensed to a container, such as a mug or carafe. For example, some coffee brewing machines drip hot water through ground coffee beans in a brew chamber to extract a coffee beverage, which then drips into a dispenser below. Other brewers, such as the Keurig® coffee brewer, inject hot water into a K-Cup® or other plastic pod having a foil lid. To inject the water, an injection needle having a water conduit pierces the foil lid and provides the injection water from a heated reservoir. An outflow needle, also having a fluid conduit, pierces the bottom of the cup and receives the brewed beverage to provide it to the drinking or serving container. This type of pod is usually made primarily of plastic that can't be recycled, so discarded used pods contribute to landfills, adding to our ecological burden.

Pods that are biodegradable or otherwise have a smaller environmental footprint typically have to be placed in a reusable container in order to be used in these and similar brewing machines. The filter paper or other filter material from which these pods are constructed tend to be too flimsy for easy use in the brewers and sometimes provide inadequate resistance to the piercing needles of the brewer, causing the surface of the pod to yield to the needle without being adequately pierced because they do not provide a firm enough surface to push and pierce.

Likewise, espresso beverages are made by forcing high pressure water into tightly packed, finely ground coffee beans contained in a holder commonly called a portafilter or an espresso cartridge. High-pressure water is forced through the ground coffee and beverage is extracted in small, concentrated amounts. The water is injected using one or more injection needles similar to those of the brewers described above. Because the surface of the cartridge has to be pierced in a similar manner and the water is forced through the cartridge at high pressure, the cartridge or pod used in the espresso machine must be at least somewhat firm or rigid and pod wrappers made entirely of filter paper can be inadequate for this purpose.

Brewing “pillows” packed with brewing material, tea bags, and other infusion packets are other examples of pods that can be used to brew a beverage.

Thus, in order to brew a beverage in such a machine or in a similar brewer, a conventional paper pod is typically not suitable. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a pod that can be used in a holder or on its own without a holder in such a brewing machine that eliminates or reduces the amount of plastic that must be discarded after brewing a beverage, for example by stiffening at least portions of the pod wrapper to provide a suitable surface for piercing by injection needles and possibly by outflow needles as well.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention, beverage pod material includes filter material and coating material. The filter material includes water-permeable material and is configured for formation into a beverage pod. The coating material is applied to at least a portion of at least one side of the filter material.

The filter material and the coating material can be made from any of a number of materials. For example, the filter material can be made of biodegradable material. Likewise, at least some of the coating material can be biodegradable. At least some of the coating material can be a plastic or other synthetic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate. Preferably, at least some of the coating material is stiffer than the filter material, and is water-impermeable or water resistant.

A beverage pod can include the beverage pod material of claim 1, and beverage brewing material arranged between layers of the beverage pod material. The layers of the beverage pod material can be sealed together to enclose the beverage brewing material. The beverage pod material can be a single sheet of the beverage pod material that is folded to form the layers, or the beverage pod material can be a plurality of sheets of the beverage pod material.

The filter material can be sheet material formed into a holder and a lid, in which case the holder is configured to hold beverage brewing material and the lid is configured to cover an open end of the holder. The holder can include a rim extending outward from the open end of the holder. The coating material can be applied to at least a portion of the lid, such as to an entire surface of the lid or in a pattern on a surface of the lid. Likewise, the coating material can be applied to at least a portion of the holder, such as to an entire surface of the holder or in a pattern on a surface of the holder.

According to another aspect of the invention, a beverage pod includes the beverage pod material described above, and beverage brewing material arranged in the holder. The lid is fixed to the holder to close the open end of the holder and enclose the beverage brewing material.

According to another aspect of the invention, a beverage brewing material filter cup includes a receptacle and a cover. The receptacle is at least partially formed from filter material and is configured to receive and hold brewing material. The receptacle includes a base having a peripheral edge, a sidewall extending outward from the peripheral edge of the base and terminating in an opening, and a rim surrounding the sidewall opening to form an outside perimeter of the receptacle. The cover is configured to cover the opening. The receptacle and/or the cover is at least partially coated with a coating material.

The beverage brewing material filter cup can also include the brewing material, arranged in the receptacle, and the cover can be fixed to the rim to cover the opening and enclose the brewing material.

The filter material and the coating material can be made from any of a number of materials. For example, the filter material can be made of biodegradable material. Likewise, at least some of the coating material can be biodegradable. At least some of the coating material can be a plastic or other synthetic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate. Preferably, at least some of the coating material is stiffer than the filter material, and is water-impermeable or water resistant.

The coating material can be applied to at least a portion of the cover, such as to an entire surface of the cover or in a pattern on a surface of the cover. Likewise, the coating material can be applied to at least a portion of the receptacle, such as to an entire surface of the receptacle or in a pattern on a surface of the receptacle.

According to another aspect of the invention, beverage pod material includes filter material and coating material. The filter material includes water-permeable material for formation into a beverage pod. The coating material is arranged on at least a portion of at least one side of the filter material.

At least some of the coating material can be, for example, polyethylene terephthalate.

At least some of the coating material can be stiffer than the filter material.

At least some of the coating material can be water-impermeable.

At least some of the coating material can be water resistant.

The beverage pod material can be sheet material formed into a holder for holding beverage brewing material and a lid for covering an open end of the holder.

The holder can include a rim extending outward from the open end of the holder.

The coating material can be arranged on at least a portion of the holder. For example, the coating material can be arranged in a pattern on a surface of the holder.

The coating material can be arranged on at least a portion of the lid. For example, the coating material can be arranged in a pattern on a surface of the lid.

According to another aspect of the invention, a beverage pod includes the beverage pod material as described above, and beverage brewing material arranged in the holder. The lid is attached to the holder to close the open end of the holder and enclose the beverage brewing material.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows exemplary beverage pod material according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary arrangement of the coating material on the filter material.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an exemplary beverage pod according to the invention.

FIGS. 5A-C show exemplary filter material formed into a holder and a lid.

FIGS. 6A-C show exemplary filter material formed into a holder with a hinged lid.

FIGS. 7A-D show an exemplary beverage brewing material filter cup according to the invention.

FIG. 8A and B show an exemplary beverage brewing material filter cup according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, beverage pod material 1 according to the invention includes filter material 2 and coating material 3. The filter material 2 is or includes water-permeable material and is preferably formed as a sheet or is otherwise configured for formation into a beverage pod. For example, the filter material 2 can be a sheet of filter paper, or screen material, or any other material that selectively allows liquid and small particulate matter to pass through while retaining larger particulate matter such as ground brewing material. The composition and thickness of the filter material 2 is not limited and is contemplated to encompass any material that has filtering properties. Thus, any porous component of any thickness, such as paper or cellulose, whether biodegradable or not, can be used, as can any screen material, such as screen made from paper, plastic, or metal, whether recyclable or not, and any of these materials can be used alone or in combination. The filter material 2 can be sheet material or can take any other form configured to be formed to receive and hold brewing material. Alternatively, the filter material 2 can already be formed so as to receive and hold brewing material, such as by pleating, folding, pressing, and/or molding.

The coating material 3 can be any material that can be applied to the filter material 2. Like the filter material 2, the coating material 3 can be made from any of a number of materials. For example, the filter material 2 need not be, but can be made of biodegradable material. Likewise, at least some of the coating material 3 need not be, but can be biodegradable. At least some of the coating material 3 can be a plastic or other synthetic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Preferably, at least some of the coating material 3 is stiffer than the filter material 2, and preferably is water-impermeable or water resistant.

The coating material 3 can be applied for any purpose. For example, the coating material 3 can be applied to stiffen the filter material 2, or to make it more rigid, or to help maintain the shape of the filter material 2. For example, the filter material 2 can be folded and/or pleated to assume a particular shape, and the coating material 3 can be applied in order to help maintain that shape. The coating material 3 preferably is applied to at least a portion of at least one side of the filter material 2, and can be applied to any or all of either or both sides of the filter material 2. For example, FIG. 2 shows the coating material 3 applied to a portion of one side of the filter material 2. The coating material 3 can be applied by spraying, embossing, plating, brushing, or by any other method, and can be permanently applied, or it can be applied so as to be easily removed, such as peeled off. If only certain portions of the filter material 2 are to be coated, a stencil or masking can be used, or computer-guided pattern application can be utilized. The coating material 3 can be provided separately from the filter material 2, such as in the form of an appliqué. In some cases, the coating material 3 can be applied and/or cured or sealed by using heat, either before or after shaping the pod.

The beverage pod material 1 can be used to form, for example, a beverage pod 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The beverage pod 10 can be formed from sheet material, for example, a single sheet of the beverage pod material 1, folded over, for example along a fold line 2 to enclose beverage brewing material 3 between upper and lower layers of the beverage pod material 1, then sealed at a periphery 4 to hold the beverage brewing material 3 in place. Alternatively, multiple layered sheets of material 1 can be used to enclose the beverage brewing material 3 before sealing. Preferably, the beverage brewing material 3 is packed such that there is little or no dead space within the pod 10, so that the pod 10 bulges or provides a taut outer surface. The peripheral seal can be made by any known process, such as by crimping and/or heat sealing, or by the use of an adhesive. A sealed region at the periphery of the pod 10, either opposite a fold line 2, at some edges, or around the entirety of the pod 10, can be as wide as desired, for example, to facilitate grasping by a user or to be held in place when a beverage brewer or espresso maker is closed over the pod 10. Further, the thickness of the pod can vary to suit the application. For example, the beverage brewing material can be compressed into a “puck” or disk shape with flat upper and lower surfaces, or can be a plumper shape, with rounded or raised surfaces. The pod 10 shape is not limited within the intended scope of the invention.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 5A-C and 6A-C, the beverage pod material can be sheet material formed into a holder 12 and a lid 13, either as separate components or joined at a hinged portion 15, in which case the holder 12 is configured to hold beverage brewing material and the lid 13 is configured to cover an open end of the holder 12. The holder 12 can include a rim 14 extending outward from the open end of the holder 12, providing an overlap area on which a periphery of the lid 13 can be sealed, although other embodiments are possible and contemplated as included within the scope of the invention. For example, the lid 13 can overlap the rimless edge of the open end of the holder 12 to be attached, fixed, or removably coupled to the sidewall of the holder 12.

The holder 12 and/or lid 13 can include pleats 11 to form the desired shape from sheet material. As shown in FIGS. 7A-D and 8A and B, the holder 12 and lid 13 can be formed without pleats if desired, the holder 12 can have sloped or parallel sides, the lid 13 can be flat or arched, and the lid 13 can include a pre-formed hole 16, depending on the application. The holder 12 and lid 13 shapes can be formed by folding or otherwise manipulating sheets of the pod material, or the pod material can be formed into the holder 12 and lid 13 shapes during fabrication of the material, such as by molding.

The coating material 3 can be applied to at least a portion of the lid 13, such as to an entire surface of the lid 13 or in a pattern or on strategic portions on a surface of the lid 13. Likewise, the coating material 3 can be applied to at least a portion of the holder 12, such as to an entire surface of the holder 12 or in a pattern on strategic portions on a surface of the holder 12. For example, the coating can be applied to the lid 13 to stiffen the lid 13 to make it easier to pierce with an inflow needle or needles in a coffee maker or espresso machine. The entire lid 13 can be stiffened with the coating material 3, or only portions of the lid 13 can include the coating material 3 so that the coating material 3 is present or absent where the inflow needle is to make contact. The coating material 3 can be present at the point that the inflow needle will contact, to provide stiffness for the piercing action, or instead can be used to reinforce the filter material 2 around the contact point, to provide stiffness while leaving the piercing point thinner.

Likewise, all or a portion of the holder 12 can include the coating material 3. For example, the entire holder 12 can include the coating material 3 to stiffen the holder 12 to make it easier to pierce with an outflow needle or needles in a coffee maker or espresso machine. Alternatively, only all or a portion of the bottom of the holder 12 can include the coating material 3 to provide the piercing surface. As another alternative, only the sidewall of the holder 12 can include the coating material 3, so that if an outflow needle isn't used the brewed beverage will flow outward only through the uncoated filter material 2 of the bottom of the holder 12. Through strategic application of the coating material 3 on the filter material 2, both inflow of water and outflow of brewed beverage can be controlled, and it is intended that any surface can include the coating material 3 in any desired pattern for this purpose.

Therefore, a beverage pod 10 formed using the beverage pod material 1 described above includes the beverage pod material 1, and beverage brewing material 11 arranged in the beverage pod material 1, such as arranged between layers of the beverage pod material 1 or arranged in a holder 12 formed from the beverage pod material 1. The layers are then sealed together or the lid 13 is fixed to the holder 12 to close the open end of the holder 12 and enclose the beverage brewing material 11. The resulting sealed beverage pod 10 can then be used in a coffee maker, espresso machine, or other brewer to brew the desired beverage. The beverage pod material 1 includes filter material 2, and coating material 3 applied in some fashion to all or part of one or both sides of the filter material 2.

In some embodiments, a beverage brewing material filter cup 20 includes a receptacle 21 and a cover 22. The receptacle 21 is at least partially formed from filter material 2 and is configured to receive and hold brewing material. For example, the receptacle 21 can be formed from filter paper through which liquid can flow but which does not pass large particulate matter such as ground coffee beans, although brewed coffee having smaller particulate matter can pass. The filter material 2 need not be paper, and instead can be a plastic or metal mesh or any other material configured to retain solid grounds of a predetermined size while allowing water and brewed beverage to flow through. The receptacle 21 need not be formed entirely of the filter material 2. For example, the receptacle 21 can have a solid frame or can have a solid grid to which the filter material 2 is attached to cover openings in the frame or grid. The receptacle 21 can take any shape but preferably includes a base having a peripheral edge, a sidewall extending outward from the peripheral edge of the base and terminating in an opening, and optionally a rim 14 surrounding the sidewall opening to form an outside perimeter of the receptacle 21. The cover 22 is configured to cover the opening, such as by overlapping the rim 14 if the receptacle 21 includes one. The receptacle 21 and/or the cover 22 is at least partially coated with a coating material 3.

The beverage brewing material 11 filter cup as described above is empty, but can also include the brewing material, arranged in the receptacle 21, and the cover 22 can be fixed to the rim 14 to cover the opening and enclose the brewing material. The cover 22 can be, for example, sealed to the rim 14 by an adhesive applied to the rim 14 and/or the cover 22. The adhesive can be of a type that is activated by moisture, and/or pressure, and/or heat. Alternatively, the cover 22 can be crimped to the receptacle 21, for example to the rim 14 if it has one. The cover 22 need not be fixed to the receptacle 21, but instead can be placed on top of the receptacle 21 in some applications. For example, the cover 22 can be placed on top of the rim 14, and then placed in the brewing chamber of a coffee brewer or espresso machine, or in a separate holder 12, which when closed secures the cover 22 on the receptacle 21. The cover 22 can be hingedly attached to the receptacle 21, such as by a portion of filter material 2 or frame, in order to facilitate placement of the cover 22 on the receptacle 21. If the receptacle 21 and cover 22 have frames or are otherwise reinforced, the cover 22 can even be threaded to the receptacle 21, or coupled by a friction fit, snap fit, or in any other manner

As mentioned above, the coating material 3 can be applied to at least a portion of the cover 22, such as to an entire surface of the cover 22 or in a pattern on a surface of the cover 22. Likewise, the coating material 3 can be applied to at least a portion of the receptacle 21, such as to the entire receptacle 21, to an entire surface of the receptacle 21, or in a pattern on one or more surfaces of the receptacle 21.

As described, beverage pod material 1 according to the invention includes filter material 2 and coating material 3. The filter material 2 includes water-permeable material and is configured for formation into a beverage pod 10. The coating material 3 is applied to at least a portion of at least one side of the filter material 2.

The filter material 2 can be any type of material, but preferably is sheet material that can be formed into a holder 12 or receptacle 21, and a lid 13. The holder 12 can include a rim 14 extending outward from the open end of the holder 12. The coating material 3 can be applied to at least a portion of the lid 13, and/or to at least a portion of the holder 12, such as to an entire surface of the holder 12 or in a pattern on a surface of the holder 12.

According to another aspect of the invention, a beverage pod 10 includes the beverage pod material 1 described above, and beverage brewing material 11 arranged in the holder 12. The lid 13 is fixed to the holder 12 to close the open end of the holder 12 and enclose the beverage brewing material 11.

The invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments. However, the invention as contemplated by the inventor is not strictly limited to the particularly disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, various modifications, as well as similar arrangements, are included within the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the appended claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest reasonable interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.