Beverage delivery pod and methods of use and manufacture

A pod containing one or more beverage ingredients is provided, where the pod comprises a generally rigid outer member (12) with an open top and an outlet opening in the bottom, with an internal filter (16) adjacent a bottom portion of the outer member, one or more beverage ingredients disposed above the filter, and a lid (14) closing the open top. The outer member has an outer peripheral sidewall (20) defining the open top and extending downwardly from the open top toward the bottom portion and inwardly converging toward the outlet opening. The bottom portion of the sidewall defines a plurality of ribs (36) extending inwardly in the interior of the outer member toward the outlet opening. Beverage outlet flow paths are disposed between adjacent ribs and directed toward the outlet opening. The filter is supported above the outlet opening and the beverage outlet flow paths by the ribs.

FIELD

A beverage delivery pod is described herein and, in particular, a sealed beverage delivery pod containing one or more ingredients for the preparation of beverages.

BACKGROUND

Single serve beverage brewing systems can have a brewing machine configured to receive a filtered pod containing a single serving portion of one or more beverage ingredients, such as coffee or tea. The brewing machine can be configured in pass heated water through the pod to form and dispense a beverage therefrom. A machine can be configured to pierce the top of the pod to inject water into the pod, as well as to pierce the bottom of the pod to permit the beverage to exit the pod. The piercing of the pods for both the injection of water and the exiting of the beverage may not be desirable for all applications.

Beverage pods can be constructed from a variety of different materials and in a variety of different manners, not all of which lead to cost-effective manufacture and disposal and not all of which are suitable for use in different beverage brewing systems. Some beverage pods, for example, can require complex manipulations of internal elements during assembly. Other beverage pods can require complicated internal, injection molded components. Beverage pods are also known to be made with materials that can undesirably add to their cost.

SUMMARY

A pod containing one or more beverage ingredients is provided, where the pod comprises a generally rigid outer member with an open top and an outlet opening in the bottom, with an internal filter adjacent a bottom portion of the outer member, one or more beverage ingredients disposed above the filter, and a lid closing the open top. The outer member has an outer peripheral sidewall, which can be generally annular, defining the open top and extending downwardly from the open top toward the bottom portion and inwardly converging toward the outlet opening. The bottom portion of the sidewall defines a plurality of ribs extending inwardly in the interior of the outer member toward the outlet opening. Beverage outlet flow paths are disposed between adjacent ribs and directed toward the outlet opening. The filter, which may be substantially planer, is supported above the outlet opening and the beverage outlet flow paths by the ribs.

In order to facilitate attachment of the filter, the sidewall includes an inward step about its periphery substantially coplanar with a top surface portion of the ribs to define an attachment surface to which the filter can be attached, such as by using an adhesive or by welding. While a large attachment surface can simplify attachment of the filter, if too large then more area of filter will be blocked, thereby decreasing the free flow area. In one aspect, the filter attached to the attachment surface has a ratio of free flow area to blocked flow area of between about 3:1 and 4:1, more preferably between about 3.2:1 and 3.7:1, and even more preferably about 3.4:1.

To increase the surface area of the filter, including the free flow area, the filter may be in a conical, including truncated conical, configuration, whether facing upwardly or downwardly. This can be accomplished by configuring the top surface portions of the ribs to extend inwardly toward the outlet opening at an inclination such that the area of the attachment surface is larger than if the top surfaces of the ribs, and the filter thereon, were precisely coplanar.

The bottom portion of the sidewall can have a semi-circular or dome-shaped profile, which can be defined at least in part by curvilinear bottom walls of the outlet flow paths. The outlet flow paths can also be bounded by upstanding, interior sidewall segments disposed on opposite sides of each of the bottom walls. Those same sidewall segments can also form sidewall segments of the adjacent ribs.

The bottom portion of the sidewall, including if it is semi-circular or dome-shaped in profile, can be configured such that, in use, the pod is at least partially received in a brewing compartment of a beverage brewing device in a position for dispensing a beverage where the bottom portion of the sidewall is spaced from an upstanding piercing element of the brewing compartment. That is, the bottom portion of the sidewall does not have to be pierced to dispense a beverage. In one aspect, the height of the bottom portion is between about 20% and 30% of the total height of the pod, and more preferably about 25% of the total height of the pod. In another aspect, the outlet opening can be surrounded by a substantially planar segment of the sidewall. A ratio between the diameter of the substantially planar segment to a maximum diameter of sidewall adjacent the beverage ingredient compartment can be between about 1:3.7 and 1:4.7.

The materials used to form the beverage delivery pod can be selected to facilitate economical manufacture and/or recyclability. In one aspect, the lid can be formed on a non-metallic, multi-layer film. By omitting the metallic layer, the lid can more readily be removed from the outer member to empty remaining beverage ingredients after use and recycle the lid and/or the outer member. In another aspect, the outer member can be formed of a corn-based, biodegradable material. In yet another aspect, the lid and/or the outer member can be formed of materials lacking enhanced barrier properties. Instead, one or more pods can be provided within outer packaging, such as a flexible wrapper, which can provide greater barrier properties, as compared to the barrier properties of the lid and/or outer member of the pod.

A method of dispensing a beverage made from the beverage ingredients in any of the pods described herein is also provided. The method includes inserting the pod into a brew compartment of a beverage brewing device, forming an opening in the lid, and injecting an aqueous medium into the beverage ingredient compartment of the pod through the opening in the lid whereby the aqueous medium interacts with the one or more beverage ingredients to form a beverage. The method further includes filtering the beverage through the filter followed by dispensing the beverage from the beverage delivery pod through the outlet opening. The method includes optionally providing the pod with the outlet opening in an unblocked configuration prior to the step of inserting it into the brew compartment, such that a resultant beverage can exit the pod without requiring the bottom portion of the outer member to be pierced.

A method of manufacturing any of the beverage delivery pods described herein is also provided. The method can include providing the outer member, inserting the filter into the outer member, attaching the filter to the ribs in the bottom portion of the outer member and to at least substantially a peripheral portion of the sidewall surrounding the ribs, depositing the one or more beverage ingredients into the outer member above the filter, and attaching the lid to the outer member above the one or more beverage ingredients to close the beverage ingredient compartment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The beverage delivery pod10generally comprises outer member12for containing one or more beverage ingredients18, a filter16supported in a bottom portion of the outer member12, and a lid14closing a top portion of the outer member12, as illustrated in whole or in part inFIGS. 1-7. In use, the beverage delivery pod10is configured to have its lid14pierced to form an opening through which an aqueous medium, typically water, is introduced. The one or more beverage ingredients can be, for example, roast and ground coffee or leaf tea. Other exemplary beverage ingredients include liquid coffee, chocolate or combinations thereof. The aqueous medium mixes with the one or more beverage ingredients18in the pod10to form a beverage which is passed through the filter16and dispensed through an outlet opening34disposed in the bottom portion of the outer member12.

The beverage delivery pod10of the exemplary embodiment is configured to permit dispensing of the beverage without requiring the outer member12to be pierced. Instead, the beverage is permitted flow out of the outlet opening34disposed in the bottom portion of the outer member12, as depicted inFIG. 7. The beverage delivery pod10of the exemplary embodiment is also configured to facilitate manufacturing, including providing the conical filter16which is supported in an elevated position above the outlet opening34. The beverage delivery pod10of the exemplary embodiment is further configured to use reduced-cost components which can be readily recyclable.

Turning first to the configuration of the beverage delivery pod10, the outer member12is generally in the shape of an annular cup, as depicted inFIGS. 1-4. The outer member12includes an outer sidewall20which forms the radially-outward boundary of the beverage delivery pod10as well as the bottom portion thereof. The sidewall includes a peripheral flange22extending radially outward from a top edge of an upper segment26of the sidewall20, as depicted inFIG. 1, and surrounding an open top of the pod10. The peripheral flange22provides a surface against which the perimeter portion of the lid14is sealed. The diameter is reduced at an inwardly extending upper step28positioned at a lower edge of the upper segment26of the sidewall20. A middle segment30of the sidewall20extends downwardly from a radially-inward edge of the upper step28to an outward edge of a lower step32. The lower step32is at the transition of the sidewall20from the middle segment30to a lower, dome-shaped bottom portion24which represents the bottom of the outer member12.

Both the upper segment26, middle segment30and the bottom portion24are continuously tapered inwardly, with the taper of the upper and middle segments26and30being substantially constant and the taper of the bottom portion24increasing, such that the diameter of the outer member12and thus the pod10decreases from top to bottom. Such a tapered configuration can facilitate withdrawal of the outer member12from a mold during formation, as well as facilitating insertion and location within a beverage machine. The steps28and32can function to increase the hoop strength of the outer member12, thereby permitting the thickness and therefore the amount of material used to form the outer member12to be minimized. One or both of the steps28and32can also facilitate location and support during filling operations.

The bottom portion24of the sidewall20of the outer member12includes a plurality of raised, inwardly extending ribs36, as depicted inFIGS. 2-4. The ribs36surround the outlet opening34, as depicted inFIG. 4. Disposed between the ribs36are flow channels which define at least in part outlet flow paths through which, in use, the beverage can pass through downstream of the filter16during flow toward the outlet opening34. The ribs36and interspersed flow channels are with reference to the interior of the outer member12. When viewed from the exterior, the ribs36appear to be grooves and the boundaries of the flow channels appear to be protruding elements separated by the grooves. Although six ribs36and flow channels are depicted in the figures, other numbers could be used, such as two or preferably three or more ribs and a corresponding number of flow channels.

The ribs36begin at an inward edge of the lower step32and are each defined by a pair of inwardly extending sidewall segments40and an inward front wall42, as depicted inFIG. 4. Each of the ribs38also has a substantially planar top surface44. The top surfaces44of the ribs36are substantially coplanar with the inner-facing surface of the lower step32, such that the inner-facing surface of the lower step32forms a ring around the ribs36, for purposes that will be described below.

The flow channels also begin at the inward edge of the lower step32and are each bounded on their bottom by a curvilinear bottom wall38and on their sides by the same sidewall segments40as define adjacent ribs36. The curvilinear bottom walls38function to guide the beverage passing through the filter toward the outlet opening34is a generally smooth manner, e.g., free of obstructions or changes in direction of flow. The flow channels are each directed to a common space disposed about the outlet opening34, where the flows can collide and combine to form one or more streams of beverage exiting the outlet opening34, as illustrated inFIG. 7. Ones of the curvilinear bottom walls38combine to provide the dome-shaped appearance of the bottom portion24of the sidewall20of the outer member12, such as when viewed in side elevation, as depicted inFIG. 1.

The inner-facing surface of the lower step32and the top surfaces44of the ribs36cooperate to form a substantially flat surface to which the filter16can be adhered. At least part of the substantially flat surface acts as an attachment surface, which is the portion to which the filter16is attached in a manner that impedes flow through the filter at the attachment surface. The adherence can be accomplished using an adhesive, welding or other suitable ways of attachment. The attachment to the inner-facing surface of the lower step32is preferably substantially continuous, and more preferably completely continuous, so that most if not all of the beverage has to pass through the filter16before exiting through the outlet opening34. The top surfaces44of the ribs36can help to support the filter16in an elevated position above the outlet opening34to provide a sufficiently dispersed area of the filter16such that the beverage passes through more of the unattached surface area of the filter16as opposed to being highly concentrated in a region immediately above or adjacent to the outlet opening34, as could result if the filter were unsupported inwardly of the lower step32. However, the attachment surface can block fluid flow through the immediately adjacent portion of the filter16. This attachment surface is preferably minimized to a degree such that there still remains the vast majority of the surface area of the filter16free from attachment, i.e., unblocked by the attachment surface, while still providing for sufficient support to maintain the filter16in its elevated position during the pressurization and filtration during dispensing of a beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the filter16has a ratio of free flow area to blocked flow area of between about 3:1 and 4:1, more preferably between about 3.2:1 and 3.7:1, and even more preferably about 3.4:1. A larger unblocked surface area can result in reduced pressure requirements for forcing the beverage through the filter.

In order to increase the unblocked surface area of the filter16, the filter16can be in a conical arrangement. That is, the center portion of the filter16is not precisely coplanar with the outer periphery thereof, but could be conical, including truncated conical, in shape. For example, the filter16can have an angle of inclination toward its center portion of between about 10 and 15 or 20 degrees, more preferably between about 20 and 40 degrees, and, in an exemplary embodiment, even more preferably about 30 degrees. The filter16could have a height less than its diameter. For instance, an angle of inclination of 30 degrees in a filter having a diameter of 37 mm can increase the total area of the filter16from 1007 mm2if precisely planar to 1165 mm2. While the conical shape can either be directed upwardly or downwardly to increase the surface area, it is preferred that the conical shape of the filter16be directed downwardly toward the outlet opening34. The filter could alternatively be substantially planar.

In order to achieve the conical shape of the filter16, the top surfaces44of the ribs36can be slightly inclined, either upwardly or downwardly, at the same or generally the same angle of inclination as is desired for the filter16. Furthermore, the top surfaces44of the ribs36can be inwardly tapered or narrowed such that there is lesser support or blocked surface area of the filter16toward its center portion, which is where the beverage will tend to exit.

Turning now to details of the material and construction of the components of the beverage delivery pod10, the outer member12in the exemplary embodiment is of thin walled, generally rigid construction. By generally rigid, what is meant is that the structure has the ability to generally retain its respective shape during normal handling, and if deformed will tend to return toward its original shape. The outer member12is preferably formed of a biodegradable polymer material, such as a corn-based material. Suitable materials include degradable polyethylene (for example, SPITEK supplied by Symphony Environmental, Borehamwood, United Kingdom), biodegradable polyester amide (for example, BAK 1095 supplied by Symphony Environmental), poly lactic acids (PLA supplied by Cargill, Minn., USA), starch-based polymers, cellulose derivatives and polypeptides.

The filter16is preferably made from a material with a high wet strength, for example a non-woven fibre material of polyester. Other materials which may be used include a water-impermeable cellulosic material, such as a cellulosic material comprising woven paper fibres. The woven paper fibres may be admixed with fibres of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and/or polyethylene. The incorporation of these plastic materials into the cellulosic material renders the cellulosic material heat-sealable to the surface portions44of the ribs36and the inner-facing surface of the lower step32. The filter16may also be treated or coated with a material which is activated by heat and/or pressure so that it can be sealed to the attachment surfaces.

The lid14is preferably a multi-layer film, made from one or more polypropylene (PP) or filled polypropylene layers and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer. In one example, the lid14can have the following layers: PP (about 25 microns), filled PP (about 60 microns), PP (about 25 microns) and PET (about 23 microns). Preferably, though not necessarily, the lid14is free of metallic layers, such as an aluminum foil layer. This can permit the lid14to be more readily removed from attachment to the flange22of the sidewall20of the outer member12without leaving metallic remnants behind. This can permit the lid14to be removed from the outer member12after use, the contents dumped or otherwise removed, and the outer member12ready to be recycled.

Both the lid14and the outer member12can lack traditional barrier layers. Elimination of the barrier layers can reduce the costs of the components. In order to provide the barrier properties for suitable shelf life of the beverage delivery pods10, outer packaging for one or groups of two or more of the pods10can be provided, such as an outer wrapper, which may be in the form of a flow wrapped film.

The beverage delivery pod10can be configured for use in a beverage brewing device having a brew compartment100defined by an outer wall104, as illustrated inFIG. 7. The peripheral flange22of the outer member12of the pod10can be supported on an upper part102of the outer wall104of the brew compartment100. The pod10can be configured such that it is not pierced by a bottom piercing member110of a bottom wall106of the compartment100when fully inserted to a degree sufficient for brewing. The outlet opening34of the bottom part24of the sidewall20of the outer member12is preferably open, e.g., it does not require piercing. While it can be completely open, it also can be initially closed, such as with a label that can be removed prior to insertion in the brew compartment100or a dissolvable plug disposed in the pod10to block the outlet opening34until dissolved by the dispensing beverage, heat or other present, non-mechanical factors.

A method of dispensing a beverage made from the beverage ingredients in any of the pods described herein is also provided. The method includes inserting the pod10into a brew compartment100of a beverage brewing device, forming an opening in the lid14, such as by using an inlet piercer112, and injecting an aqueous medium into the beverage ingredient compartment of the pod10through the opening in the lid14and the inlet piercer112, whereby the aqueous medium interacts with the one or more beverage ingredients18to form a beverage. The method further includes filtering the beverage through the filter16followed by dispensing the beverage from the beverage delivery pod16through the outlet opening34and into the brew compartment100, and from the brew compartment100through an outlet108thereof. The method includes optionally providing the pod10with the outlet opening34in an unblocked configuration prior to the step of inserting it into the brew compartment100, such that a resultant beverage can exit the pod10without requiring the bottom portion of the outer member12to be pierced, such as by a piercer110associated with the bottom106of the brew compartment100.

A method of manufacturing any of the beverage delivery pods10described herein is also provided. The method can include providing the outer member12, inserting the filter16into the outer member12, attaching the filter16to the ribs36in the bottom portion of the outer member and to at least substantially a peripheral portion of the inner-facing surface of the lower step32surrounding the ribs36, depositing the one or more beverage ingredients18into the outer member12above the filter16, and attaching the lid14to the outer member12above the one or more beverage ingredients18to close the beverage ingredient compartment.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that beverage delivery pods, methods of use and methods of manufacture are provided. However, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the description herein and as set forth in the claims.