Patent ID: 9327900
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: A23L,A23V,A47J,B01F,B65D

Claim Text:
1. A beverage cartridge comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; a lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface; the top surface, bottom surface and lower sidewall defining, in part, an internal space of the cartridge; a rim between the top and bottom surfaces and having an upper surface and a lower surface extending outwardly from the lower sidewall, the internal space of the cartridge including a region between the upper and lower surfaces of the rim, and the rim being configured for engagement with a cartridge holder of a beverage making machine such that the cartridge holder can engage the rim and force the cartridge into a brewing position in the cartridge holder; a gas inlet located on the lower surface of the rim, the gas inlet comprising a flow control element configured to resist fluid communication into the internal space of the cartridge and configured to open while a clamping force is exerted on the rim by the beverage making machine to admit pressurized gas into the internal space of the cartridge to move a beverage medium in the internal space of the cartridge out of the cartridge, wherein the flow control element includes a protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the rim and a break region having a line of weakness defining a preferential opening area, wherein upward movement of the protrusion relative to the rim causes the break region to detach and open the gas inlet; an indexing feature including a recess formed in the lower sidewall and located below the gas inlet to rotationally position the gas inlet of the cartridge relative to the cartridge holder; wherein a gas introduced via the gas inlet enters into the region of the internal space of the cartridge between the upper and lower surfaces of the rim.