Patent Publication Number: US-2019177064-A1

Title: Cellulose-based beverage cartridge

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure pertains generally to devices and methods related to single-serve beverage brewers, and more particularly to cellulose-based single-serve beverage cartridges. 
     In recent years, single-serve beverage brewers (e.g., those made by Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., of Waterbury, Vt. and other manufacturers) have become popular among consumers. Single-serve beverage brewers, with their corresponding specialized packages of coffee, tea, or other beverage materials, have become a significant segment of the beverage industry. 
     Single-serve beverage brewers pump fluid from a reservoir to a heater tank for heating, and then deliver the heated fluid to a beverage formation chamber, such as a brew head. The beverage formation chamber may be configured to hold a single-serve beverage container, pod, or cartridge (also referred to as a “cartridge” or a “beverage cartridge” herein) containing a beverage medium, e.g., coffee grounds, tea leaves, cocoa mix, dried soup, etc., for mixing with the fluid to make a beverage. Such a cartridge may be referred to as a “K-cup®,” or soft pod. In some cartridges, the coffee grounds or other beverage medium can be held within, above, or on a filter within the cartridge if desired. Although referred to as “single-serve” cartridges, such cartridges may provide multiple servings of a beverage. 
     Single-serve brewers may employ specialized cartridges, e.g., cartridges with a particular shape, encoded with special characters or codes, etc., such that only certain cartridges may be employed in a particular brewer. The specialized package of coffee, tea, or other beverage materials used in single-serve brewers is most often a closed plastic cup with the beverage material inside, sealed with aluminum foil or other type of cover. Specialized inks are used to print on the plastic and/or aluminum foil to indicate the type of beverage material inside, lot numbers, etc. The cover is often attached to the plastic cup with an adhesive. The cartridges may include a filter inside the plastic cup to reduce and/or minimize the amount of beverage material (e.g., coffee grounds, tea leaves, etc.) that are transferred from the cartridge to a mug, cup, and/or other receptacle that a person would use for drinking the resultant beverage. The cartridges may also be pressurized with an inert gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, to reduce oxidation and/or other degradation of the beverage material prior to use in the single-serve brewer. 
     To make a beverage, heated fluid, often water, is delivered under pressure to the cartridge via one or more inlet needles, and after the fluid passes through the beverage material is removed from the cartridge via an exit nozzle. As such, the cartridge must be able to withstand the operational temperatures and pressures that are present during brewing. 
     Over pressurization of the single-serve cartridge may cause the cartridge to rupture. If pressure inside of the cartridge becomes too great, the adhesive between the plastic cup and cover may be breached, the cover may rupture, and/or the cup portion of the cartridge may crack, causing the beverage material and/or fluid to overflow. Such events, sometimes referred to as “blowouts,” may also occur if the beverage material (e.g., coffee grounds, tea leaves, etc.) enter the conduits that are designed to carry fluid, which creates a flow stoppage in the single-serve brewer. Since the pump continues to pump fluid into a blocked conduit, greater than normal pressure is exerted on areas within the brewing system, and the fluid is expelled from the single-serve brewer in undesirable locations. 
     Because the cartridge is also exposed to heat from the fluid, and in direct contact with the heated fluid, consumers are concerned that the materials used in manufacturing the plastic cup may break down under the heat and pressure of the single-serve brewer. Plastic is a polymer matrix; at single-serve brewer operational temperatures, portions (monomers) of the polymer chain disengage from the polymer matrix. These monomers are in direct contact with a heated liquid that leaches the monomers into the liquid, and thus may be delivered along with the liquid into a beverage. The consumer may then ingestings these chemicals, e.g., Bisphenol-A (BPA), other monomers, or other potentially hazardous substances, without being aware that they are doing so. 
     After the brewing process, some cartridges are difficult to recycle. The design of some cartridges does not allow for easy and/or convenient separation into recyclable, non-recyclable, and/or compostable components. Since approximately 10 billion single-serve containers are produced each year, this design oversight may contribute greatly to environmental issues. Some approaches have been made to make the plastic cup portion out of a material that is recyclable. For example, rather than using “#7” (Other) plastic material, suggestions have been made to use polypropylene (PP) which is a “#5” material and acceptable as recycling in many locales. However, such an approach does not fully address the recycling issue, as the cartridge is still not readily disassembled to recycle the plastic portion. Further, PP still suffers from monomer breakdown and potential health risks associated with plastic cartridges. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the present disclosure comprise methods and apparatuses for aiding in the recyclable and/or compostable nature of the materials present in single-serve beverage cartridges. Other aspects of the present disclosure comprise reducing health risks associated with current single-serve cartridges. 
     A cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure may comprise a cartridge body having a closed end and an open end, the open end having a first diameter at an upper edge of the open end, the cartridge body comprising a cellulose-based material, in which the cartridge body is adapted to be received in a receptacle of a single-serve brewer such that the closed end of the cartridge body is piercable by a needle in the single-serve brewer; a filter, coupled to the cartridge body at the open end, such that the filter extends below the upper edge of the open end of the cartridge body; a beverage material, coupled to the filter such that the beverage material extends below the upper edge of the open end of the cartridge body; and a cover, coupled to the cartridge body, such that the cover encapsulates the beverage material within the cartridge body between the filter and the cover, the cover adapted to be pierced by a fluid nozzle in the single-serve brewer. 
     The above summary has outlined, rather broadly, some features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described below. It should be appreciated that this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the teachings of the disclosure. The novel features, which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of one embodiment of a beverage system according to an aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a method for recycling a beverage cartridge as described in the related art. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate exploded perspective views of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a controller in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9A  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9B  illustrates a top view of a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a filter design in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a filter design in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is directed toward single-serve cartridges that are able to withstand the operational conditions of single-serve brewing devices that are also more readily recycled than current cartridges. A single-serve cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure also may mitigate health risks associated with current cartridge materials. 
     Embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to cross-sectional view illustrations that are schematic illustrations of embodiments of the disclosure. As such, the actual dimensions of elements can be different, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Embodiments of the disclosure should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of the regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. A region illustrated or described as square or rectangular may have slightly rounded or curved features due to normal manufacturing tolerances. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. It is understood that the shapes, sizes, and locations in the attached figures may not be to scale. 
     Overview 
     A single-serve cartridge in an aspect of the present disclosure may withstand broader operational characteristics, e.g., temperature, pressure, etc., than current cartridges. Such a cartridge may prevent and/or reduce blowouts and/or other over pressurization issues, which may increase clean-up efforts and endanger users. 
     The present disclosure, in an aspect of the present disclosure, may mitigate the lack of sustainable design for single-serve beverage cartridge (e.g., K-cup®) materials and designs. An embodiment of the present disclosure seals the filter and the cover together, with the beverage material inbetween. This assembly may be removed from the external cup (also referred to as “container” herein) and the beverage material is then contained within the assembly. The external cup is then completely separated from the cover, filter, and beverage material, and could be recycled. The cover/filter/beverage material can be composted or discarded as desired. Through selection of the adhesives or methods of attachment used to attach the cover to the filter, and the combined cover/filter to the plastic cup, pulling on the cover will separate the cover/filter from the external cup as a unit. This aspect of the present disclosure allows the beverage material to be removed as a whole, and maintains the convenience of the single-serve cartridge design while introducing conservation and ecological sustainability into single-serve beverage systems. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the external cup materials may be altered to reduce and/or eliminate leaching of monomers into the resultant beverage. Current external cup materials employ plastic materials for the external cup, which when exposed to operational temperatures of single-serve brewing systems will leach various undesirable materials into the beverage to be consumed. 
     System Description 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of one embodiment of a beverage system according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In an aspect of the present disclosure, system  100 , includes pump  102  that can be configured to pump unheated fluid, e.g., water, from a reservoir  104  to a heater  106 , which heats the water to a desired temperature for delivery to a brew head  108 . The brew head  108  includes a receptacle  110  that can house a cartridge  112  containing a single-serve or a multi-serve amount of a beverage material  114 , e.g., coffee grounds, tea, hot chocolate, lemonade, etc., for producing a beverage dispensed from the brew head  108 . The beverage can be dispensed into a container  116 , e.g., mug, carafe, etc. which can be placed on a platen  118 . 
     The reservoir  104  may store fluid  120 , e.g., ambient temperature water, that may be used to brew a serving and/or multiple servings of beverage (e.g., coffee) in accordance with the embodiments and processes disclosed herein. The fluid  120  may exit the reservoir  104  during the brew process via an outlet  122  at the bottom of reservoir  104 . The fluid  120  may exit the reservoir  104  from locations other than the bottom, such as the sides or the top such as via a reservoir  104  pickup extending down into the reservoir  104 , or other locations as desired or feasible. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the reservoir  104  includes a water level sensor  124  and/or other sensors (not shown) to detect whether the reservoir  104  is sealed by the lid, has a low water level, or other conditions, and may interact with brewer  100  circuitry to prevent initiation of a brew cycle in the event there are undesirable conditions present in brewer  100 . The reservoir  104  may be replaced by other fluid  120  sources, such as a water tap connection. 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, the pump  102  pressurizes and/or pumps fluid  120  from the reservoir  104  to the cartridge  112  and/or pumps air to purge remaining fluid  120  and/or brewed beverage from the beverage system  100 . In such an aspect, the pump  102  initially pumps fluid  120  from the reservoir  104  through a first conduit  126  to the heater tank  106  where the fluid  120  is heated to a predetermined temperature before delivery to the cartridge  112  to brew the beverage material  114  into beverage  128 . At, near, or after the end of the brew cycle, the pump  102  pumps air through the beverage system  100  to purge any remaining fluid  120  or beverage  128  in brewing system  100 . As such, the pump  102  is able to operate in both wet and dry conditions, i.e., the pump  102  can switch between pumping water and air without undue wear and tear, although separate pumps for water and air are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Many variables exist within brewing system  100  that may affect the overall performance of brewing system  100 . Each of these variables may be at least partially accounted for through processor  800  to produce a more consistent performance in beverage system  100 . 
     Once pierced by nozzle  140 , each cartridge  112  provides resistance to the flow of fluid through cartridge  112  to mug  116 . This resistance varies based on, among other things, the beverage medium within cartridge  112 . For example, and not by way of limitation, bouillon within cartridge  112  may provide less resistance to fluid flow than ground coffee, because bouillon dissolves in the heated fluid  120  from nozzle  140  while coffee grounds do not. 
     The pressure drop across the beverage material  114  can result in back pressure against the outlet of check valve  132 . If this back pressure is high enough (e.g., equal to or greater than the difference in pressure between the inlet and outlet of the check valve  132 ), check valve  132  may close, or cartridge  112  (or filter paper that is internal to cartridge  112 ) may be “blown out” by the pressure created by the incoming pressure of the heated fluid through nozzle  140 . 
     Cartridge Construction 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Cartridge  112  comprises a cartridge body  200 , a filter  202 , and a cover  204 . Although current cartridge bodies  200  are made from various types of plastic, in an aspect of the present disclosure, cartridge body  200  may comprise of a cellulose-based material. 
     Filter  202  is inserted into cartridge body  200  and may be adhered to cartridge body  200  at ridge  206 . Sides  208  of filter  202  may be pleated or otherwise shaped to fit within a shape of cartridge body  200 . For example, and not by way of limitation, cartridge body  200  may be frustoconical in shape, and filter  202  may be pleated along the sides  208  such that the top of filter  202  sides  208  may be adhered to ridge  206  while sides  208  are proximate the frustoconical shape of the cartridge body  200 . The shape and/or depth of filter  202  allows for a space  210  (“X”) to reside between a bottom  212  of cartridge body  200  and bottom  214  of filter  202 . Space  216 , (“X-Delta”) is the depth to which outlet needle  158  penetrates into cartridge body  200 . Space  210  is often larger than space  216 , to ensure that outlet needle  158  does not pierce filter  202 , which would allow beverage material  114  to be delivered out of outlet needle  158  to mug  116  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
     Cover  204  is adhered to rim  218  with adhesive  220 . Adhesive  220 , and adhesive  222  used to adhere filter  202  to cartridge body  200 , may be a sonic welding adhesion, and/or an adhesive material, which couples cover  204  to cartridge body  200 . Cover  204  provides a substantially air-tight seal such that beverage material  114  is not exposed to air, which may oxidize beverage material. Further, cover  204 , when adhered to cartridge body  200 , may allow for an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to be contained within cartridge  112  to further reduce oxidation and/or other degradation of beverage material  114  between the time beverage material  114  is packaged in cartridge  112  and used in brewing system  100 . Such a reduction in degradation of beverage material  114  may improve the flavor and/or consistency of beverage  128  produced in brewing system  100 . 
     Cartridge Body Material 
     Cartridge  122 , and in particular cartridge body  200 , is often made from plastic. Plastic materials may be categorized to by their “recycling number” which is often stamped or otherwise imprinted on plastic materials to indicate the type of plastic used in making a specific container. Depending on the recycling number, plastic materials may or may not be recyclable. 
     Plastic #1, Polyethylene Terephthalate (sometimes referred to as “PETE” or “PET”), is often clear or transparent and used to make soda and/or water bottles. Plastic #2, High Density Polyethylene, (sometimes referred to as “HDPE”) is often opaque, and may be used to manufacture milk jugs, household cleaner containers, juice bottles, shampoo bottles, and box liner bags. Plastic #3, vinyl (also known as polyvinylchloride, or referred to as “V” or “PVC”), may be used in food wrapping materials, plumbing pipes, and detergent bottles. Plastic #4, Low Density Polyethylene (sometimes referred to as “LDPE”) may be found in squeezable bottles, shopping bags, and/or food wrapping materials. 
     Plastic #5, Polypropylene (also referred to as “PP” or “polypro”) may be used in making yogurt containers, and/or food packaging bottles. Plastic #6, Polystyrene (sometimes referred to as “PS” or “Styrofoam”) may be found in compact disc cases, egg cartons, meat trays, and/or disposable plates and cups. Plastic #7 is a “miscellaneous” category, where plastic resins or mixtures of plastic resins that do not fit into categories 1-6 are placed. Plastic #7 may include polycarbonates, and may be used to manufacture sunglasses, computer cases, nylon, and/or other goods. 
     Depending on the material used to manufacture cartridge body  200 , cartridge body  200  may be recyclable. Although all plastics are theoretically recyclable, many curbside recycling programs will not accept some plastics, e.g., plastic #6, plastic #7, etc., as recyclable materials. 
     Further, some plastics may contain chemicals that may leach from the body  200  material under certain conditions. For example, plastic #3 may contain Bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, or DEHA. DEHA has been demonstrated to induce liver adenomas and carcinomas in mice, and many people consider DEHA to be a human health risk. As another example, plastic #7 may contain bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is also potentially toxic in humans, as BPA is considered to be a hormone disruptor linked to infertility, hyperactivity, reproductive problems, and other health issues. 
     Depending on the brewing system  100 , several different beverages  128  may be produced. Many brewing systems are able to recognize differences in cartridge  112  to change the brewing conditions, including brewing time, temperature, and pressure. To brew coffee, for example, fluid  120  may be heated to 190° F. and introduced into cartridge  112  for several minutes at a lower pressure. For espresso-style beverages  128 , fluid  120  may be heated to approximately 210° F. and introduced into cartridge  112  for a shorter period of time at a higher pressure. Some brewing processes may include fluid  120  temperatures above 212° F. when steam is injected through nozzle  140 . These time, temperature, and pressure variables may also be user-selected. As such, cartridge  112 , and thus cartridge body  200 , may be exposed to a range of temperatures and pressures, and the range of temperatures and pressures may or may not be known prior to cartridge body  200  use. Further, such temperatures and/or pressures may cause degradation of the cartridge body  200  plastic material, resulting in distortion of the cartridge body  200  shape and/or release of leached materials from the cartridge body  200  into the beverage  128 . 
     Cellulose-based materials that may be employed for the cartridge body  200  in an aspect of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, recycled paper, paper, organic materials such as plants, etc., and other materials. Such materials may include binding material, such as starches, glue, etc., and/or materials that increase the ability of cartridge body to withstand the conditions of brewer  100 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a method for recycling a beverage cartridge as described in the related art. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a process  300  for recycling K-cup® cartridges  112  (also known as “pods”) is illustrated. Block  302  indicates that cover  204  should be peeled from cartridge body  200  after cartridge  112  has cooled. Cover  204  is grasped by the puncture (hole) in cover  204  made by inlet nozzle  140  and removed from cartridge body  200 . Cover  204  is to be disposed after removal. 
     In block  304 , beverage material  114  is to be emptied from cartridge body  200 . Beverage material  114  may be composted or disposed of. Filter  202  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) is described as remaining in cartridge body  200 . 
     In block  306 , cartridge body  200  is described as being made from Plastic #5, which is polypropylene, and can be recycled once cover  204  is removed and beverage material  114  is emptied out of cartridge body  200 . 
     However, the related art as shown in  FIG. 3  does not provide a time-effective and/or method for recycling cartridge body  200 . The user must remove the cover  204  from a hole that is approximately 0.2 inches in diameter, which is inconvenient, and remove the beverage material  114  separately. Further, the cover  204  is difficult to remove from the cartridge body  200  in a single piece, since the user will likely tear out a section of cover  204  from the puncture towards the edge of cover  204 . Having to remove the beverage material  114  separately from the cover merely adds to the inconvenience of the related art method. 
     Further, and perhaps more importantly, the related art method does not address the decomposition of cartridge body  200  during the operational conditions of beverage system  100 . Current cartridge body  200  materials, which are plastic #7, may deform from their original thermoplastically-set shape when exposed to fluid  120  at 205° F. Plastic #5, which may have a higher melting point than plastic #7, still may leach materials into beverage  128 . Nothing is mentioned in the related art about binders and/or fillers that may be included in plastic #5 when used in cartridge body  200 , and how these binders and/or fillers may also be leached into beverage  128 . 
     The physical processes that occur during thermal decomposition of polymers and/or plastics depends at least in part on the material being used. Further, thermosetting and thermoplastic materials do not often have a well-defined phase transformation at a specified temperature. Instead, thermoplastic and thermosetting materials have a second-order transition between solid and liquid phases. 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, thermosetting and thermoplastic materials do not have a single transition curve. Polypropylene (Plastic #5) is 65% crystalline, and has a crystalline melting temperature of 170 degrees Centigrade. Because polypropylene is not 100% crystalline, it is considered as partially amorphous and, thus, is a fluid that, over periods of time, will flow into different shapes and has internal flow within the structure, even at room temperatures. This characteristic of polypropylene, and/or other thermosetting and thermoplastic materials, is similar to window glass, as both materials are amorphous. 
     For amorphous and/or semi-amorphous materials, the transition from a glass state to a soft and/or malleable state is called the glass-transition region, and begins occurring at a temperature known as the glass transition temperature. This property of thermoplastic materials is what allows these materials to be formed through the use of heat, and then cooled to the point where they are rigid and in the desired shape. As an example, the cartridge body  200  may begin as a flat sheet of plastic, but is formed into the frustoconical shape of the cartridge body  200  by addition of heat and/or pressure to form the shape of cartridge body  200 . Depending on the binding and/or filler materials used, the “polypropylene” material may have a large number of transition curves and thus leach at different rates for a given temperature. 
     Many materials also desorb adsorbed fluids (e.g., water) at elevated temperatures. The activation energy for physical desorption of water is 30-40 kilojoules (kJ) per mol, and desorption begins occurring at temperatures below 212° F. Polypropylene has a glass transition temperature of negative 4 (−4)° F. This means that at room temperature polypropylene has internal fluidic migrations of materials, i.e., the 35% of material in polypropylene that is not crystalline, even though these migrations are not visible to the human eye. 
     Further, when cartridge body  200  is exposed to the operational conditions of brewing system  100 , cartridge body  200  may be in direct contact with fluid  120  at temperatures between 145-212° F. for several minutes. The fluidic motion of the non-crystalline materials within cartridge body  200 , as well as the crystalline polypropylene itself, and/or any fillers and/or binders used in cartridge body  200 , would thus be raised even further above the glass transition temperature, and become fluid in the classical sense. The fluid  120  is also pressurized against the cartridge body  200 , and the combination of pressure and temperature conditions present in brewing system  100  may create leaching of some of the cartridge body  200  material and/or the fillers and/or binders present in the cartridge body  200  material into beverage  128 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. In  FIG. 4 , filter  202  may be attached to cover  204  by adhesive  400 . Cover  204  may also be made of a cellulose-based material, and may be made of a different cellulose-based material than cartridge body  200  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Portion  402  of filter  202  is then coupled to rim  218  of cartridge body  200 , rather than being coupled to ridge  206 . This may simplify the manufacture of cartridge  112 , as filter  202  may be coupled to cover  204  prior to attachment of the then combined filter  202 /cover  204  to cartridge body  200 . For example, and not by way of limitation, beverage material  114  may be sandwiched in a pod comprising filter  202  and cover  204  (as well as other layers of material if desired), and these pods may then be coupled to rim  218  of cartridge body  200 . As long as the bottom  214  of filter  202  would not be pierced by needle  158 , the attachment of filter  202  to cover  204  rather than to the ridge  206  of cartridge body  200  is not critical to the operation of cartridge  112  in beverage system  100 . 
     Because single-serve cartridges  112  are designed to be pierced on the bottom  212  of cartridge body  200 , filter  202  is designed to hold beverage material  114  above the level of the needle  158  at all locations. If cartridges  112  were designed to be pierced on the cover  204  for both the inlet nozzle  140  and the outlet needle  158 , filter  202  would have no such restriction for having a bottom  214  that sits a distance  210  away from bottom  212 . Some cartridges that may be used for multi-serve brewing, such as K-carafe® cartridges, are designed to be pierced on the cover by a second needle for delivering the beverage  128  to mug  116  and are not pierced on the bottom by outlet needle  158 . Such cartridges are not considered single-serve cartridges  112 , and are not compatible with all brewing systems  100  in the single-serve brewing market. Further, such multi-serving and/or multi-serve cartridges have not been as well accepted in the marketplace as the single-serve cartridges  112  that are pierced on the bottom  212  of cartridge body  200 , because the multi-serve cartridges are less convenient than the single-serve cartridges  112 . However, such multi-serve cartridges are also considered to be “single-serve” cartridges  112  for the purposes of this disclosure. 
     Adhesive  400  may be the same adhesive material as adhesive  220 , or may be a different adhesive depending on the materials used in filter  202 , cover  204 , and cartridge body  200 , and/or other considerations as desired. In an aspect of the present disclosure, cover  204  may include tab  404 , which extends beyond an outer circumference of rim  218  of cartridge body  200 . Tab  404  provides a gripping surface for cover  204 , such that cover  204  may be removed from rim  218 , rather than attempting to pull cover  204  away from rim  218  via a pierced hole as described with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
     Since cover  204  is now coupled to filter  202 , pulling tab  404  may separate filter  202  and cover  404  from cartridge body  200  together, rather than leaving filter  202  in cartridge body  200  as described with respect to  FIG. 3 . Further, because filter  202  and cover  404  are coupled together, either via adhesive  400  and/or by other methods, beverage material  114  is contained within the combination of filter  202  and cover  204 . In many beverage systems  100 , beverage material  114  has been purged of most of the fluid  120  used to brew beverage  128  by pumping air through beverage material  114 , so removing beverage material  114  along with filter  202  and cover  204  is easier to perform than the method described in  FIG. 3 . 
     In a further aspect of the present disclosure, filter  202  may be made from a biodegradable material, compostable material and/or cellulose-based material. Cover  204  may also be made from a biodegradable material, compostable material and/or cellulose-based material. For example, and not by way of limitation, filter  202  may be made from paper, and cover  204  may be made from a biodegradable plastic or plant-based material. As such, the combination of filter  202 , cover  204 , and beverage material  114  may be entirely biodegradable, compostable, and/or recyclable. Once separated from cartridge body  200 , the combination of filter  202 , cover  204 , and beverage material  114  may then be used as compost, while cartridge body  200  may then be recycled as plastic and/or other compostable material such as paper. Such an approach is far simpler, and far more environmentally-friendly, than the related art approach of  FIG. 3 . 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, filter  220  may comprise tab  406 , either alternatively or in conjunction with tab  404  of cover  204 . Tab  406  allows for filter  202  to be pulled or otherwise separated from cartridge body  200  when the combination of filter  202 , cover  204 , and beverage material  114  are removed from cartridge body  200 . Tabs  404  and/or  406  may provide additional strength to the bond, connection, and/or coupling between filter  202  and cover  204 , and an additional means for providing force to remove the combination of filter  202 , cover  204 , and beverage material  114  from cartridge body  200 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate exploded perspective views of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Cartridge  112  is shown with cover  204 , filter  202 , and cartridge body  200 . Tabs  404  and  406  are shown, however, as described above, aspects of the present disclosure may have only one of such tabs  404  and/or  406  present as desired. Sides  208  of filter  202  are shown as being pleated in  FIG. 5 , although such pleating is optional in any aspect of the present disclosure. 
     A location where inlet nozzle  140  may pierce cover  204  is shown as location  500 . Cover  204  may be coupled to filter  202  as shown by arrow  502 . This may make a combined unit  504 , which may then be inserted into cartridge body  200  as shown by arrow  506 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , part of filter  202 , i.e., portion  402 , may overlap rim  218 . As cover  204  is coupled to filter  202 , either as shown by arrow  600  or as a unit  504  described with respect to  FIG. 5 , cover  204  is coupled to rim  218  of cartridge body  200 . Tabs  404  and/or  406  may be used to remove filter  202  and cover  204  from cartridge body  200  while allowing filter  202  and cover  204  to substantially remain coupled together. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a single-serve beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. As with  FIG. 4 , filter is not coupled to ridge  206  as in the related art. In the aspect of the present disclosure shown in  FIG. 7 , a liner  700  is placed between the inner surface of cartridge body  200  and filter  202 . Liner  700  may comprise tab  702 , which may be used alone or in conjunction with tabs  404  and  406  as described with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
     Liner  700  limits the direct contact between fluid  120  that is introduced into cartridge  112  and cartridge body  200 . Because cartridge body  200  may leach chemicals and/or other materials into beverage  128 , and be delivered via needle  158 , liner  700  reduces the possibilities that such leaching will occur. Although heated fluid  120  will still likely leach material from cartridge body  200  through thermal exchange with cartridge body  200 , liner  700  reduces and/or eliminates the pathways for such leached material from exiting cartridge  112  through needle  158  as part of beverage  158 . Although liner  700  is shown as being substantially similar in shape to cartridge body  200 , e.g., conforming to the side and bottom of cartridge body  200 , liner  700  may take any shape as desired that limits the contact between fluid  120  and the inner wall of cartridge body  200 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a controller in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. The brewer  10  can include a controller or other processing unit, such as a microcontroller  800 , shown schematically in  FIG. 8 . The microcontroller  800  may include an internal memory  802  and/or external memory  804  and can serve many different functions. For example, in one embodiment, the microcontroller  102  may serve to regulate the power provided to the pump  102 , control system  100  through readings from sensor  124  and/or other sensors within system  100 , accept input from user controls  806 , or other controlling and/or monitoring functions. Many different functions are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The memory, which may be internal memory  802  or external memory  804  to microcontroller  800 , may be implemented in firmware and/or software implementation. The firmware and/or software implementation methodologies may be implemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. A machine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions may be used in implementing the methodologies described herein. For example, software codes may be stored in a memory and executed by a processor unit (e.g., microcontroller  800 ). Memory may be implemented within the processor unit or external to the processor unit. As used herein, the term “memory” refers to types of long term, short term, volatile, nonvolatile, and/or other non-transitory memory and is not to be limited to a particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of media upon which memory is stored. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate a recyclable beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9A  shows filter  900  located at a distance  900  from side  208  of the cartridge body  200 . Distance  902  is a known distance, and may be approximately 0.25 inches, because cartridge body  200  is designed to fit within receptacle  110  in any orientation, and the outlet needle  158  is in a fixed location within receptacle  110 . As such, a toroidal volume may be defined by filter  900 , having a height at least as high as dimension  216 , with a tolerance for the location of the toroid such that filter  900  is not pierced and/or otherwise compromised by needle  158  when needle  158  pierces cartridge body  200 . 
     Further, cartridge body  200  may be made from paper, pulp, cellulose and/or celluloid material, plant fibers, or other natural, renewable, recyclable, and/or compostable products, such that once the cartridge  112  has been used (i.e., nozzle  140  has pierced cover  204  and delivered fluid to cartridge  112  and beverage material  114  to brew a beverage  128 ), the entire cartridge  112  may be placed in a compost pile rather than separating cover  204  from cartridge body  200 . As shown in  FIG. 9B , filter  900  covers a cylindrical volume within cartridge  112 , such that regardless of the orientation of cartridge  112  when placed in system  100 , outlet nozzle  158  will pierce bottom  212  of cartridge  112  on one side of filter  900  while beverage material  114  is on an opposite side of filter  900 . 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, cartridge body  200  may be made from wood pulp and/or recycled paper products, which may be combined with food-safe binders such as starches and/or sugars, and/or other adhesives and/or binders that are safe for interactions with consumed products. To minimize leaching of flavors or other possibly undesirable liquids and/or solids from cartridge body  200  in such cases, an optional liner  904 , which may be made of a different material than cartridge body  200 , e.g., metal foil, a different natural, plant, and/or combination of materials, and/or may have a different density than cartridge body  200 , such that contact between fluids entering cartridge  112  and cartridge body  200  are reduced when compared to cartridges  112  that do not include optional liner  904 . Optional liner  904  may further comprise an optional portion  906  and/or optional tab  908  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The inclusion of liner  904  may minimize and/or prevent seepage of any flavors, binders, and/or other by-products from cartridge body  200 , similar to how liner  700  minimizes leaching of by-products when cartridge body  200  is made from plastic. 
     Liners  700  and/or  900  may be made from various materials; metal foil, plastic, paper, natural materials, etc. Liners  700  and/or  900  may provide several advantages and/or functions to cartridge  112 . For example, and not by way of limitation, liner  700  and/or  900  may provide a hermetic and/or semi-hermetic seal for a portion of cartridge  112 , such that beverage material  114  contained within cartridge  112  is substantially separated from outside air and/or other contaminants or oxidizing materials. Depending on the material used for cartridge  112 , cartridge  112  may already provide a hermetic and/or semi-hermetic seal. Further, and not by way of limitation, liner  700  and/or  900 , either in addition to or in the alternative, may provide a barrier between any liquid introduced into cartridge  112  and the cartridge body  200 , such that the liquid introduced into cartridge  112  does not substantially contact cartridge body  200 . Such liners  700  and/or  900  may also prevent any liquids, gasses, or fluids produced by the heat, pressure, and/or other operational conditions within beverage system  100  that are experienced by cartridge  112  from being delivered to mug  116  along with beverage  128 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate filter designs in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Filter  900  may take any shape desired, and, as shown in  FIG. 10 , may be conical in shape rather than adopting the frustoconical shape of cartridge body  200  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4-7 . So long as filter  900  is not pierced by needle  158 , filter  900  may take any desired shape, which may alter the brewing considerations and/or possibilities for various beverage materials  114 . For example, and not by way of limitation, allowing filter  900  to reach the bottom of cartridge body  200 , either as a conical shape shown in  FIG. 10  or as a stepped frustoconical shape shown in  FIG. 11 , fluid introduced into cartridge  112  will remain in contact with beverage material  114  present for a longer period of time before being delivered to mug  116  via needle  158 . Further, a different type of beverage material  114  may be placed in volume  910 , which may also be separated from beverage material  114  by a second filter, to produce a hybrid-brewed beverage of the two beverage materials  114  present in cartridge  112 . Such combinations and/or time duration of fluid/beverage material  114  contact differences are not possible in the related art, as the time duration is driven by fluid flow rates determined by pump  102 . By allowing fluid from inlet nozzle  140  to remain in contact with beverage material  114  for a longer period of time, additional and/or other oils, flavors, and/or essences may be removed from beverage material  114  without requiring design changes to beverage system  100  or programming pump  102  to deliver fluid to nozzle  140  at different rates. 
     Craft Brewing Techniques 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Cartridge  112  may also comprise a mechanism  1200  that may move, tighten, loosen, or otherwise interface with beverage material  114  once inlet nozzle  140  is inserted into cartridge  112 . Some systems  100  have inlet nozzles  140  that move and/or rotate after piercing cover  204 . Depending on the settings and/or programming of such systems  100 , inlet nozzle  140  can rotate in one direction for a first set of settings, and a second direction for a second set of settings. As such, mechanism  1200  may be selectively engaged by inlet nozzle  140  based on the direction of movement and/or rotation of inlet nozzle  140 . 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, inlet nozzle  140  may comprise a tab  1202  that only engages mechanism  1200  when inlet nozzle  140  rotates in a clockwise direction. One side of tab  1202  may provide a surface that mechanism  1200  catches on and tightens when inlet nozzle  140  rotates in a clockwise direction, while another side of tab  1202  is a ramp or incline that will not engage mechanism  1200  when inlet nozzle  1200  rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. System  100  may allow for user input or automatic selection based on recognition and/or other identification of cartridge  112  to program the inlet nozzle  140  to rotate clockwise, which will allow tab  1202  to engage mechanism  1200  during brewing, or may allow for user input to program the inlet nozzle  140  to rotate counter-clockwise, which will avoid engagement of mechanism  1200  during brewing. Other types of engagement between inlet nozzle  140  and mechanism  1200  are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     If mechanism  1200  is engaged, a first set of conditions, such as pressure, temperature, volume, etc., for beverage material  114  will be created by mechanism  1200 . If mechanism  1200  is not engaged, a second set of conditions for beverage material  114  is created, which may be similar to the set of conditions created by system  100  when mechanism  1200  is not present within cartridge  112 . 
     Mechanism  1200 , which is shown as a torsion spring, but may be any mechanism, may provide conditions for brewing that system  100  could not otherwise attain. For craft coffee beverages, e.g., “French press” coffee, “pour over” coffee, etc., system  100  may not be able to provide the pressure conditions within cartridge  112  without the use of mechanism  1200 . If mechanism  1200  is not engaged, system  100  would produce a beverage similar to if not identical to the beverage produced if mechanism  1200  is not present. However, if mechanism  1200  is engaged during brewing, different pressures, localized temperatures, reduced volumes, etc., may produce a different beverage from the same cartridge  112 . 
     Although mechanism  1200  is shown as a torsion spring, other mechanisms are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, beverage material  114  may be located at specific locations within cartridge  112 , such as along the side  208 , along the bottom  212 , etc., such that the combination of type of mechanism  1200  and placement of beverage material  114  within cartridge  112  provides operational advantages within system  100 . 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, mechanism  1200  may provide additional pressure to beverage material  114  when mechanism  1200  is engaged by inlet nozzle  140 . System  100  may be programmed to introduce fluid to cartridge  1200  for a certain amount of time and then stop introducing fluid. System  100  may then allow the fluid to drain from cartridge  112  for a certain amount of time, and then engage mechanism  1200  to pressurize the added fluid out of cartridge  112  through outlet needle  158 . System  100  may then add more fluid to cartridge  112  and repeat these steps. Such an approach is similar to a “pour over” style of coffee brewing. Similar mechanisms  1200 , beverage material  114  placement, and/or fluid delivery techniques may be combined to produce other types of brewing techniques in system  100 . Such techniques are not currently employed in related systems  100 . 
     Variable Porosity and Flavor Additives 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Cartridge  112  may comprise a filter  1300  which has a variable porosity. A portion  1302  of filter  1300  may have a first porosity value, while portion  1304  of filter  1300  may have a second porosity value. As such, fluid introduced into cartridge  112  may remain in portions of filter  1300  longer than in other portions of filter  1300 . 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, portion  1302  may be less porous than portion  1304 . As such, fluid  120  that is introduced into cartridge  112  will not flow through portion  1302  as fast, or at all, as fluid  120  that reaches the level of portion  1304 . This may increase the time that fluid remains in contact with beverage material  114  that is contained within portion  1302 . As the fluid level rises in cartridge  112 , fluid  120  will flow out of portion  1304 . This allows for more precise control of the time that fluid  120  remains in contact with beverage material  114 . Through programming of system  100 , e.g., fluid delivery flow rate, fluid delivery temperatures, etc., more precise brewing profiles may be achieved with system  100  through the use of variable flow rate filter  1300 . 
     Further, to allow for increased pressure within cartridge  112  when employed in system  100 , cover  204  may be wrapped around rim  218  and adhered to a larger surface of rim  218 . The cartridge body  200  may be placed in a receptacle that allows for only small amounts of expansion of the cartridge body  200 . In many cartridge  112  designs, the sealing surface of cover  204  to cartridge body  200  along rim  218  is the location of pressure blowouts experienced by cartridge  112 . As such, increasing the pressure and force vectors that may be experienced at that location by encasing rim  218  with cover  204 , and applying adhesive  400  to a larger surface of rim  218  (e.g., on both sides of rim  218 ), allows for greater pressure to be applied within cartridge  112  with fluid  120 . 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, cartridge body  200  may have a textured surface, specific color, other identifying marks, and/or indicia  1320  such that brewer  100  may recognize cartridge  112  as a specific type of cartridge  112 . This recognition may be used to determine brewing characteristics, for rewards programs, and/or for any other reason. However, some users may try to use the same cartridge  112  several times to obtain additional rewards, or may accidentally attempt to reuse a cartridge  112 . Because cartridge body  200  may be made from cellulose-based materials, and cartridge  112  may be placed under pressure when fluid  120  is delivered to cartridge  112 , the pressure and/or water temperature may soften cartridge body  200 . The pressure created by brewer  100  in delivering fluid  120  to cartridge  112  may allow for deformation of the surface of cartridge body  200 . Further, the fluid  120 , after passing through beverage material  114  and becoming beverage  128 , may change the color of cartridge body  200 . As such, the use of a given cartridge  112  in brewer  100  may alter and/or otherwise change the indicia  1320  such that the indicia  1320  no longer indicates the same information to brewer  100 . Such changes in the indicia  1320  will allow brewer  100  to minimize reuse of the same cartridge  112 , by alerting the user to reuse of a given cartridge  112 , and/or minimize the recognition of cartridge  112  multiple times in rewards and/or accounting functions performed by brewer  100 . Although indicated at a certain location on cartridge  112 , indicia  1320  may appear anywhere on cartridge  112  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Many cartridges  112  have added flavors and/or essences infused into beverage material  114 . For example, some coffee beverages have hazelnut or caramel flavors infused or added to the beverage material  114 . The process of infusing such flavors into beverage material  114  may add to the cost of cartridge  112 , and/or the beverage material  114  may be degraded or otherwise altered by the infusion process. In an aspect of the present disclosure, materials  1306  and/or  1308  may be added to and/or infused into cartridge body  200 , which may provide a more economical approach to inclusion of various additives in cartridge  112 . 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, an essential oil may be added to cartridge body  200  at location  1506  and/or infused into a portion of or all of cartridge body  200 . Since cartridge body  200  in an aspect of the present disclosure is cellulose-based, and is manufactured using oils and/or other binders, the infusion process may be less expensive than infusion of the same essential oil into beverage material  114 . Further, infusion of the essential oil into cartridge body  200  may have fewer deleterious effects on beverage material  114  as well as fewer deleterious effects on the essential oil. A smaller amount of essential oil may be needed to provide the same flavors and/or other effects in the resultant beverage by placing the essential oil at location  1306  and/or  1308  than with beverage material  114 . 
     Filter  1300  may also have a specialized shape  1310 . Shape  1310  may accommodate inlet nozzle  140 , or may be shaped to control one or more process parameters used during and/or after the brewing process. For example, and not by way of limitation, shape  1310  may be used to control the amount of time that fluid remains in contact with beverage material  114 . Many shapes  1310  can be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a beverage cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. Some cartridges  112  do not have a body  200  that fully encloses the beverage material  114 . Such cartridges  112  may be referred to as “soft pods.” One drawback of soft pods is that the beverage material  114  may be exposed to air or other oxidizing environments, which may deleteriously affect the beverage material  114 . 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, cartridge  1400  may be designed to have a separation line that exposes filter  1300 . When placed in the system  100 , cartridge  1400  has a cartridge body  1402  that separates from separated portion  1404  when fluid is introduced into cartridge  1400 . The additional pressure introduced into cartridge  1400  by fluid  1400  may provide separation between cartridge body  1402  and separated portion  1404  such that the body  1402  and separated portion  1404  separate along upper separation line  1406  and lower separation line  1408 . Separated portion  1404  moves away from body  1402  in direction  1408 . 
     The upper and lower separation lines  1406 / 1408  may be a perforation line on cartridge  1400 . Since the pressure in system  100  may be controlled, the pressure system  100  produces can be controlled to separate cartridge  1400  into body  1402  and separated portion  1404 . Filter  202  may couple body  1402  and separated portion  1404 , or separated portion  1404  may not completely separate from body  1402 . So long as pressure is released by the separation of body  1402  and separated portion  1404 , fluid entering cartridge  1400  will flow through filter  202  once separated portion  1404  has separated from body  1402 . In such an aspect of the present disclosure, cartridge  1400  may provide better protection of beverage material  114  than a soft pod, and may further reduce the cost of production of cartridge  1400 . 
     The present disclosure provides several advantages over the related art approaches. The present disclosure allows for easy separation of compostable and recyclable materials. The present disclosure also allows for safer operation of beverage systems  100  that employ cartridges  112 , in that possible unwanted by-products produced by cartridge  112  during the operation of beverage system  100  are not produced and/or consumed. 
     Further, the present disclosure allows for different types of filtration of beverage material  114 , which may be desirable depending on the volume of beverage  128  to be produced from beverage material  114  in cartridge  112 . The present disclosure also allows for additional types of beverages  128  to be produced, as well as allowing for richer, more flavorful beverages to be produced by currently deployed beverage systems  100 . The present disclosure also provides upgrades to single-serve beverage systems  100  which may enable these systems to employ brewing methods, such as craft brewing methods, that present systems  100  cannot accommodate. 
     If implemented in firmware and/or software, and/or as part of microcontroller  800  and/or memory  802 / 804 , the functions described herein may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Examples include computer-readable media encoded with a data structure and computer-readable media encoded with a computer program. Computer-readable media includes physical computer storage media. A storage medium may be an available medium that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer (e.g., microcontroller  800 ); disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     In addition to storage on computer readable medium, instructions and/or data may be provided as signals on transmission media included in a communication apparatus. For example, a communication apparatus may include a transceiver having signals indicative of instructions and data. The instructions and data are configured to cause one or more processors (e.g., microcontroller  800 ) to implement the functions outlined in the claims. 
     Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. 
     In one or more exemplary designs, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store specified program code means in the faun of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     The present disclosure is described herein with reference to certain embodiments, but it is understood that the disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In particular, the present disclosure is described below in regards to certain modules having features in different configurations, but it is understood that the present disclosure can be used for many other modules and/or configurations. The modules and systems can also have many different shapes beyond those described below. 
     All physical dimensions, weights, temperatures, etc. in the description and attached drawings are exemplary in nature. It is understood that embodiments of the present disclosure can have various dimensions/weights/temperatures/etc. varying from those shown in the attached drawings. 
     Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the technology of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. It should also be understood that when a feature or element may be referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, relative terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “above”, “lower”, “beneath”, and “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element or attribute to another. With regard to the figures, it is to be understood that these term&#39;s are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted. 
     Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, and/or steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, and/or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding configurations described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, and/or steps. 
     Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, or section from another element, component, region, or section. Thus, a first module, element, component, region, or section discussed below could be termed a second module, element, component, region, or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. 
     The description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person reasonably skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.