Patent Abstract:
A filter paper cup manufacturing machine produces filter paper cups containing a brewing material. The filter paper cups have similar depth and diameter. The machine exercises ordered steps of first cutting a receptacle portion and then forming a recess in the receptacle portion for receiving the brewing material. Performing the cutting step first facilitates forming the recess because surrounding filter paper which would resist forming the recess has been eliminated.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to coffee brewing and in particular to efficiently manufacturing a filter paper cup. 
     Various methods of brewing coffee are known. A popular method is using a single serving pod or filter paper cup in a brewing machine designed to accept the corresponding pod or filter paper cup. Pods are generally disk like with a diameter much greater than the depth of the pod, where as a filter paper cup may have similar diameter and depth. Machines are know for efficiently manufacturing pods and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,629 issued May 7, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,412 issued Jul. 22, 1997, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,377,089 issued May 27, 2008. While these patents disclose useful methods to manufacture a typical coffee pod, they reply on methods for forming a brewing material receptacle from strips of flat filter paper material which is only suitable for a shallow receptacle because the filter paper cannot stretch to accommodate forming adjacent pods from a common strip of filter paper. Forming such shallow receptacles require minimum stretching or deformation of the filter paper to form adjacent pods. If these machines are merely scaled for a deeper receptacle, the filter paper would be unacceptably deformed or tear in the process. The &#39;629, 412, and 089 patents are incorporated herein in their entirely by reference. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a filter paper cup manufacturing machine which produces filter paper cups containing a brewing material. The filter paper cups have similar depth and diameter. The machine exercises ordered steps of first cutting a receptacle portion and then forming a recess in the receptacle portion for receiving the brewing material. Performing the cutting step first facilitates forming the recess because surrounding filter paper which would resist forming the recess has been eliminated. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a filter paper cup manufacturing machine comprising a number of sequentially arranged stations. The stations include a roll of first filter paper and a roller guiding the filter paper onto the belt; a cutting station used to perform a circular cut in the filter paper for forming each individual filter paper cup; a stamping station pressing a center portion of the cut filter paper into a corresponding recess in the belt to form a paper recess; a filling station to fill the paper recess in the filter paper with brewing material; a tamping station to tamp the brewing material residing in the paper recess; a vacuum station to remove excess brewing material from a rim of the receptacle portion; a roll of second filter paper and a second roller guiding the second filter paper over the receptacle portion; a seal station bonds the second filter paper to the receptacle portion; and a second cutting station cuts through the second filter paper to compete the filter paper cup. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing filter paper cups. The method includes the steps of: cutting a separate receptacle portion for forming each individual filter paper cup, forming the receptacle portion; heating or dampening the formed receptacle portion to retain shape; filling the receptacle portion with brewing material; tamping the brewing material; vacuuming excess brewing material; fixing a cover portion over the receptacle portion; and cutting the completed pod. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided method for manufacturing a filter paper cup packaging. The method includes: cutting separate attached receptacle portion and cover portion for forming each individual filter paper cup packaging; forming recesses in the receptacle portions; and heating or dampening the formed receptacle portions to retain shape. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shown a cover portion and receptacle portion of a filter paper cup according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plate element according to the present invention of a segmented belt. 
         FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of the plate according to the present invention taken along line  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is a vacuum table element of the filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum table element of the filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a method according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows a turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows a turret having arms of the turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows a turret having a rotating table of the turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows a filter paper cup packaging manufacturing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11A  shows a perspective view of an empty filter paper cup packaging according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11B  shows a side view of the empty filter paper cup packaging according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a method for manufacturing a filter paper cup packaging according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
     A filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10  includes a belt  16  running around two rollers  18   a  and  18   b . The belt  16  includes belt recesses  18  used for forming and holding filter paper cup receptacle portions during the manufacturing of filter paper cups  40 . A vacuum table  20  resides under the higher path of the belt  16  to hold first filter paper material  12   a  and the lower portions  40   b  (see  FIG. 2 ) as they are formed and filled with brewing material. 
     A series of ordered stations process filter paper to manufacture the completed filter paper cups  40 . The stations comprise: a roll of first filter paper  12   a  and a roller  14   a  guiding the filter paper  12   a  onto the belt  16 ; a cutting station  22  used to perform a circular cut in the filter paper  12   a  to create separate pieces of filter paper for forming each individual filter paper cup; a stamping station  24  pressing a center portion of the cut filter paper into a corresponding recess  18  in the belt  16  to form a paper recess  39  and using heat or dampening to retain the shape of the recess  39 ; a filling station  26  to fill the paper recess  39  in the filter paper  12   a  with brewing material; a tamping station  28  to tamp the brewing material residing in the paper recess  39 ; a vacuum station  30  to remove excess brewing material from a rim  41  of the receptacle portion  40   a ; a roll of second filter paper  12   b  and a second roller  14   b  guiding the second filter paper  12   b  over the receptacle portion  40   a ; a seal station  32  bonds the second filter paper to the receptacle portion  40   a ; and a second cutting station  34  cuts through the second filter paper  12   b  to compete the filter paper cup  40 . 
     The stations of the filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10  are similar to stations of U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,412 (incorporated by reference above), but significantly, the first station is the cutting station  22  which cuts substantially all of the perimeter of the receptacle portion  40   a  from the first filter paper  12   a  and the receptacle portion  40   a  is held against the belt  16  for subsequent stations by vacuum provided by the vacuum table  20 . While it is preferred to cut the receptacle portion  40   a  entirely away from the first filter paper  12   a  to allow for forming the recess  39  in the receptacle portion  40   a , a small attachment between the receptacle portion  40   a  and the filter paper  12   a  to, for example, help control the position of the receptacle portion  40   a  during processing at subsequent stations. 
     While the stations  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  are shown as separate spaced apart stations, the some or all of the stations  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  may be combined in a single station which performs that processing of the separate stations  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  in the same order as the spaced apart stations. For example, a single station may include a cutter to first cut the receptacle portion  40   a  from the filter paper  12   a , and then a stamp to form the recess  39  in the receptacle portion  40   a . Other stations may be similarly combined. Further, when accepting filter paper from rolls, precut filter paper may be fed and positioned onto the belt  16 . Importantly, any filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10  forming a recess  39  in a pre-cut receptacle portion  40   b  is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. 
     The receptacle portion  40   a  and cover portion  40   b  of the filter paper cups  40  are shown in  FIG. 2 . The receptacle portion  40   a  include a rim  41  and recess  39 . Forming the recess  39  in the receptacle portion  40   a  of the filter paper cup  40  preferably includes using heat and/or moisture to form permanent folds (or pleats)  45  in the sides  43  and rim  41  of the receptacle portion  40   a  to add strength and rigidity to the receptacle portion  40   a  so that the receptacle portion  40   a  retains its shape after forming, and preferably, adhesive is present in the filter paper  12   a  or is applied to the rim  41  and/or the sides  43  to retain the pleats and add strength and rigidity to the filter paper cup  40 . Preferably, the receptacle portion  40   a  is constructed from heat sealable filter paper having a heat reacting film on at least one side, which film causes the pleats to adhere to adjacent pleats when heat is applied following forming. The pleats  45  in the rim  41  are generally continuations of the pleats in the sides  43 . The receptacle portion  40   a  may alternatively be corrugated to retain shape. The receptacle portion  40   a  thus has structure for maintaining a substantially (i.e., within the ability of the paper to maintain a shape) frusto-conical or cylindrical shape unlike known coffee pods with have no structure for maintaining shape and are pillow-like with diameter much greater than depth. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/392,893 filed Mar. 28, 2006 filed by the present inventor, discloses a similar filter paper cup forming a coffee pod. The &#39;893 application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirely. 
     The belt  16  may be a continuous belt or a segmented (e.g. tractor tread like) belt (or continuous chain) configured to receive plates  16   a , allowing substitution of plates having various recess  18  sizes. A perspective view of the plate  16   a  is shown in  FIG. 3  and a cross-sectional view of the plate  16   a  taken along line  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 3  is shown in  FIG. 3A . Each plate includes at least one recess  18  for forming and processing one or more receptacle portions  40   a . A vacuum source is provided along the edge or bottom of the plates  16   a  to retain the filter paper on the plates  16   a  during processing and to remove the vacuum when the filter paper cups  40  are complete. At completion, the vacuum source may be replace by a pressure source to facilitate the finished filter paper cup  40  exit from the recess in the plate. The plates  16   a  are preferably coated with a low friction material (for example Teflon®). 
     The plate  16   a  includes the belt recesses  18  for receiving and shaping the receptacle portion  40   a . The plate  16   a  preferably includes perforations  17  or other means allowing vacuum to communicate with the filter paper  12   a  for retain the position of the filter paper while forming the receptacle portion  40   a , and a vacuum port  19  in communication with a vacuum source. An example of such a segmented belt is discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,412 incorporated by reference above. 
     An example of one vacuum source for a continuous belt  16  is the vacuum table  20  according to the present invention shown in  FIG. 4  and a cross-sectional view of the vacuum table  20  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The vacuum table includes gaps  21  allowing belt recesses  16  on the bottom of the continuous belt  16  to enter and leave the vacuum table  20 . Gates  21   a  are formed from a flexible or deformable material at each end of the gaps  21  to limit the loss of vacuum during operation of the filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10 . The gates  21   a  bend or deform when the belt recesses  16  enter or exit the vacuum table  20 . Other types of gates may be used, for example, brushes reaching upward or inward and a filter paper cup manufacturing machine  10  having a vacuum table including any form of gate to limit the loss of vacuum is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. 
     A method according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 6 . The method includes the steps of: cutting a separate receptacle portion for forming each individual filter paper cup at step  100 , forming the receptacle portion at step  102 ; heating or dampening the formed receptacle portion to retain shape at step  104 ; filling the receptacle portion with brewing material at step  106 ; tamping the brewing material at step  108 ; vacuuming excess brewing material at step  110 ; fixing a cover portion over the receptacle portion at step  112 ; and cutting the completed pod at step  114 . The heating or dampening the formed receptacle portion to retain shape at step  104  is preferably heating heat sealable filter paper having a heat reacting film on at least one side to retain shape of the receptacle portion. 
     A turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine  50  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 7 . The turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine  50  includes a rotating center  50  and arms  52  rotating under the stations  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  of  FIG. 1 . Each arm  52  may includes a vacuum source to retain the receptacle portion  40   a  position. After the cutting station  43 , the arm may be rotated and the vacuum removed to allow the completed filter paper cup  40  to drop from the arm. 
     A turret having the arms  52  of the turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine  50  is shown in  FIG. 8  and a turret having a rotating table of the turret type filter paper cup manufacturing machine  50  is shown in  FIG. 9 . The turret includes receptacles  65  which are rotated under the stations  22 - 34   f  for forming the filter paper cups  40 . Both the arms  52  and the table  54  may include the vacuum source for holding the filter paper during processing. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the horizontally turret is replaced by a vertical carrousel. The stations are positioned around the carrousel to process the filter paper to manufacture the filter paper cup. In still another embodiment, the filter paper is held fixed while the stations are moved linearly, in a horizontal circular motion (e.g., like the horizontal turret), or along a vertical arc (e.g., as along a vertical arc). When the filter paper cup is completed, the filter paper is advanced. 
     A filter paper cup packaging manufacturing machine  60  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 10  and a perspective view of an empty filter paper cup packaging  40 ′ according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 11A  and a side view of an empty filter paper cup packaging  40 ′ according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 11B . The filter paper cup packaging manufacturing machine  60  manufactures empty filter paper cups for use with a brewing material holder as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12,960,496 filed Dec. 4, 2010 by the present inventor. The &#39;496 application is herein incorporated by reference. 
     The filter paper cup packaging  40 ′ is preferably made from a single piece of filter paper cut from the filter paper  12   a  at station  22 ′ with cuts for two or more filter paper cup packagings  40  in a single operation, and the recesses  39  for two or more filter paper cup packagings  40  in a single operation at station  24 ′. Because each cut creates a smaller circular cut attached to a larger circular cut, the filter paper cup packagings  40  are alternated in consecutive cuts to optimize the use of the filter paper  12   a . Just as in manufacturing the filled filter paper cups  40  described above, significantly, the filter paper is first cut, and then the recesses  39  are formed. If the filter paper  12   a  was not first cut and then formed, the forming step would tear or otherwise distort the filter paper  12   a.    
       FIG. 12  is a method for manufacturing a filter paper cup packaging according to the present invention. The method includes: cutting separate attached receptacle portion and cover portion for forming each individual filter paper cup packaging at step  116 ; forming recesses in the receptacle portions at step  118 ; and heating or dampening the formed receptacle portions to retain shape at step  120 . The filter paper is preferably a heat sealable filter paper having a heat reacting film on at least one side to retain shape of the receptacle portion, and the formed recess is heated to retain shape. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1