Abstract:
For use in a single serving beverage brewer, a disposable beverage filter package comprises a closed permeable pouch. A dry beverage medium is contained within the pouch. The disposable beverage filter package is inserted into a reusable brewing filter chamber which is arranged to force the flow of a metered liquid into the filter package. The filter package and chamber are arranged such that the liquid is retained temporarily in the filter package for infusion of the beverage medium before permeating and then flowing through the filter package and exiting the brewing chamber near its opposite end as a liquid beverage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Single serve beverage makers, such as the Keurig brand, have grown in popularity in the recent years. Consumers find benefit from producing fresh beverages such as coffee on demand while avoiding the waste of making an entire pot of coffee. These devices use disposable plastic coffee pods or disposable beverage filter cartridges, otherwise known as K-Cups, which are simple to use and change out quickly. Unfortunately, the disposable filter cartridges add to landfill waste as the plastic is mixed with other non-biodegradable materials as well as the compostable beverage media and not recyclable. Consumers continue to raise environmental concerns as some manufacturers produce in excess of one billion of these disposable plastic filters each year. 
         [0002]    The complexity of the shape of these disposable filter cartridges also adds to the manufacturing costs and environmental waste. Plastic cups must be molded. Then a basket shaped filter must be folded and inserted into the cup and attached to the upper edge of the cup forming a strong bond. Next, the filter basket must be filled with beverage medium and finally the top of the cup is sealed with a foil cover sometimes after the free space inside the cartridge is filled with inert gas to maintain freshness. The final product is impermeable and preserves the beverage medium inside yet it is complex and costly to manufacture. 
         [0003]    Other problems occur with the use of these cartridges. The beverage makers that employ these cartridges must pierce both the top and the bottom as part of their use. The plastic cup must be precisely controlled in thickness such that the cup is strong enough to withstand shipping and handling while weak enough to allow it to be easily pierced by the beverage maker. If the cup is not rigid enough and the piercing mechanism is dull then the sidewall of the container may buckle making the cartridge becomes defective. There can be other issues such as sealing and leaking which allow the filter to tear or beverage medium granules to contaminate the beverage. 
         [0004]    Additionally, the shape of the cup or more importantly the filter volume is equally wide and deep. The fluid flows through the filter cartridge but has little time to extract the full amount of flavoring from the beverage medium. The time the fluid resides in the cartridge is far too short to allow efficient extraction. The result is that additional beverage medium must be added to compensate for the short dwell time to extract the full flavor, further increasing cost of the beverage. The effect can be seen when reusing the same filter cartridge to brew another beverage such as coffee. The second beverage is nearly as dark and strong in flavor as the first, demonstrating that there is an excess amount of beverage medium in the cartridge which goes to waste. 
         [0005]    A reusable filter cartridge has been introduced for single serve beverage dispensers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,989 by Sweeney, at al. These reusable beverage filter cartridges are miniaturized versions of those found in larger beverage makers consisting of a miniature brew chamber and a miniature filter basket with a lid. Unfortunately, the small scale filter cartridge is difficult to fill due to its small size opening. It is easy to spill the beverage medium when filling the cartridge. Furthermore, it is difficult to remove the wet waste from the small opening after the beverage has been produced as the waste tends to stick vigorously to the sides of the small housing. 
         [0006]    The construction of the disposable cartridges also use round disks of filter paper. Unfortunately, their round construction creates considerable waste during the manufacturing process. The cup shaped filters inside the disposable beverage filter cartridges are created from flat filter paper by cutting round disks from flat paper stock. The space between the disks cut from the filter paper is waste. Filter paper waste is more costly than ordinary waste since effort went into creating the paper with precisely controlled pore size, thickness and other parameters. 
         [0007]    As apparent from the above examples a need exists which allows a high degree of efficiency in the design and manufacturing of a disposable beverage filter and reusable beverage filter cartridge. An improved system must minimize impact on the environment by allowing easy recycling of the filter package, it should minimize waste of the materials of construction, and it should minimize the use of beverage medium itself. Balancing these different requirements may require slight modifications which may depend on the economic environment. The design should allow the manufacturer to switch the construction of the disposable filter and reusable filter chamber to minimize costs depending on the prevailing costs for raw materials and customer preference. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention addresses the problems previously outlined by providing a permeable beverage filter package separate from the impermeable plastic container used to protect the beverage medium thereby allowing easy recycling of the plastic components and composting or recycling of the filter package. The beverage filter chamber is reusable and forms the brewing chamber for the beverage when combined with the filter package. As such, the use of single serve beverage makers, such as the Keurig brand, becomes much more environmentally friendly. 
         [0009]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a beverage filter package whose construction is such that the liquid medium diffusing through said filter package is allowed to dwell for a period of time longer than provided for by prior art allowing more infusion of the beverage medium into said liquid and/or a reduction of beverage medium for the same amount of beverage strength. 
         [0010]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a beverage filter package whose construction reduces or eliminates waste of raw materials such as filter paper by providing a construction which is based on the use of flat filter paper stock which is used to produce filter packages formed efficiently from rectangular shapes. One embodiment creates a generally cylindrically shaped filter package whose shape allows for long dwell time of the liquid with the beverage medium thereby making efficient use of the beverage medium. Another embodiment creates a generally square shaped filter package whose shape allows for further efficient use of filter paper. Both shapes of the disposable filter package include allowances for easy removal of the filter package from the reusable chamber by means of an attached string-like mechanism or an easy grip appendage on the filter package. 
         [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention include a reusable beverage filter chamber whose construction includes a flexible sealing lid which applies pressure around the lip of the beverage filter chamber and forms both the liquid inlet to the beverage brewing chamber and a tight, leak proof seal around the removal mechanism portion of the filter package. 
         [0012]    A feature of the preferred embodiments is that these disposable filter packages and reusable beverage filter chamber allows potential waste and cost reduction of the consumables used in single serving beverage makers, such as the Keurig brand, while maintaining the ease of use and simplicity of using a single serve beverage maker. The filter package allows efficient use of filter paper and beverage medium in its construction. Furthermore, the filter package construction and contents separates the non-biodegradable impermeable plastic components which in prior art form the brew cartridge and freshness seal from the compostable components of the filter paper and beverage medium. The reusable filter chamber is designed to efficiently hold the filter package and allow easy insertion and removal. The combination of the efficiency of the present invention with the flexibility benefits of a single serving beverage maker delivers a solution which allows the consumer to feel good about using single serve beverage systems without the concern of plastic waste from billions of plastic cups. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show prior art examples of,  FIG. 1  a disposable beverage filter cartridge;  FIG. 2  a re-usable beverage filter cartridge; and  FIG. 3  a brew chamber for a single serve beverage brewer referenced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,645,537; 6,645,537; and 7,347,138 respectively and incorporated herein by reference. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of the present invention representing an environmentally friendly disposable beverage filter package and a corresponding reusable filter chamber. The disposable beverage filter package is separated from the reusable beverage filter chamber, thereby allowing the efficient recycling or composting of the filter package while the filter chamber can be reused many times. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the present invention whereby the disposable filter package is constructed such that its length is substantially longer than its width, thereby increasing the dwell time of the liquid with the beverage medium. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows details of the construction of another embodiment of the disposable beverage filter package. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of the present invention whereby the disposable beverage filter package is constructed in a rectangular shape. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows the interface between the present invention and a brew chamber for a single serve beverage brewer at the macroscopic level of the entire brewing system. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show the interface between the present invention and a brew chamber for a single serve beverage brewer at the inlet and outlet ports. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  shows an embodiment of the present invention showing variations of the disposable beverage filter packages separate from the disposable outer protective wrapper. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some examples of the embodiments of the invention are reviewed. The use of these examples by no means limits the scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will recognize the value obtained from various combinations of elements of the present invention. 
         [0022]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the environmentally friendly disposable filter package  100  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The filter package consists of a sealed permeable membrane, for example a porous filter paper, encapsulating beverage medium and with an attached tab  210   a  to facilitate easy loading and unloading into a beverage maker, for example a Keurig brand model B140 brewing system. Another version shows the filter package  200  encapsulating beverage medium and with a string attachment  210   b  used in place of tab  210   a  for easy filter package loading and unloading. 
         [0023]    The filter package is inserted into a filter chamber  300   a  which consists of a basket whose shape allows the permeable filter package to present a surface to the inlet orifice  520  and whose outlet port consists of at least one substantially porous surface. The filter package is inserted into a beverage filter chamber  500   a  whose top is sealed with a beverage chamber top seal  510 . Seal  510  may be smaller than the top of the brew chamber and may exist as part of the brewing system. Orifice  520  forms the inlet of the brewing chamber and orifice  530  forms the outlet of the brewing chamber as shown in  FIG. 4 . Brewing liquid is injected into the brewing chamber and in some embodiments into the filter package allowing it to diffuse through the beverage filter package becoming infused with the beverage medium. The liquid then passes through the filter basket and is funneled down the inner brew chamber walls and pass through the outlet port. 
         [0024]    For practical purposes, filter packages  100  and  200  might be constructed with small amounts of thermoplastics or adhesives to allow the filter paper to maintain a specific shape, those materials may not decompose or compost well compared to the filter paper and beverage medium. Alternatively, filter package  200   a  represents the natural shape of  100  and  200  which can be created with only filter paper encasing beverage medium and sealed with  210   c  which can be a small metal clip or bound string, both of which are compatible with composting. 
         [0025]    Another embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  shows a cylindrical disposable brewing package whereby the ratio of its length to width is greater than one. The environmentally friendly disposable filter package  610  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The package consists of a sealed permeable membrane, for example a porous filter paper, with an attached tab  210   a  to facilitate easy loading and unloading into a beverage maker, for example a Keurig brand model B140 brewing system. Another version shows the filter package  600  with a string attachment  210   b  used in place of the tab  210   a  for easy filter package loading and unloading. In this example, there is no filter basket to hold the filter package however a filter basket of the appropriate shape to match the filter package may be used as shown in the previous example. The filter package is inserted into a beverage filter chamber  500   b  whose top is sealed with a beverage chamber top seal  510 . Orifice  520  forms the inlet of the brewing chamber and orifice  530  forms the outlet of the brewing chamber as shown in  FIG. 5 . Brewing liquid is injected into the brewing chamber allowing it to diffuse through the beverage filter package becoming infused with the beverage medium. The liquid then passes through the length of the filter package allowing a longer dwell time with the beverage medium before exiting through the outlet port. Arranged in conjunction with the reusable beverage filter chamber is a piston  400  and piston lever  410  which are used to assist in pressing the filter package against the inlet port of the brew chamber  520  for piercing with the inlet needle  900  and with the extraction of the filter package from the reusable filter chamber by action of the lever to drive the piston upward pushing the filter package upward and out of the beverage filter chamber. 
         [0026]    Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 6  whereby a substantially cylindrical filter package is in items  700   a  through  700   e.    700   a  shows the filter package rotated at a forty five degree angle.  700   b  shows a side view of the filter package.  700   c  shows a frontal view of the filter package. In these embodiments, the filter package is sealed along its side flush with the cylinder. Another embodiment of this invention shows the disposable filter package  700   d  whereby the sealing surface extends to three sides of the filter package instead of flush along the filter package side. Yet another embodiment of the present invention,  700   e  shows the disposable filter package sealed on four sides. Such approaches allow simple and more readily available manufacturing equipment to be used in their construction. Furthermore, the filter package set  701  shows a series of filter packages still connected at their ends, before singulation. A series of said filter packages may be continuously produced from a production line in either a single file as shown in  701  or as multiple rows. The manufacture of several rows would multiply the efficiency of manufacturing through simultaneous production of multiple filter packages in parallel and well as allowing matching of the filter paper stock width to the width of the parallel filter packages. 
         [0027]    Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 7  whereby the disposable filter package  800  is produced in a rectangular form or truncated pyramid shape instead of a cylindrical form as previously shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The filter package is inserted into a filter basket  300   b  which consists of a porous basket whose shape matches the filter package. The filter basket and filter package are inserted into a beverage filter chamber  500   c  whose top is sealed with a beverage chamber top seal  510 . Orifice  520  forms the inlet of the brewing chamber and orifice  530  forms the outlet of the brewing chamber as shown in  FIG. 7 . Brewing liquid is injected into the brewing chamber through inlet port  520  allowing it to diffuse through the beverage filter package becoming infused with the beverage medium. The liquid then passes through the filter basket and is funneled down the inner brew chamber walls and pass through the outlet port. Means to assist in installing and removing the filter package similar to those previously described may be used but are not shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0028]    Preferred embodiments in  FIGS. 8 and 9  show the inlet  900  of the brew chamber which consists of a hollow tube with a sharpened tip through which liquid, typically hot water, flows. The purpose of the inlet as described in prior art is to pierce the beverage filter cartridge of the prior art and inject the fluid into the beverage medium which then exits through an outlet port which is pierced into the beverage filter cartridge of the prior art. In  FIGS. 8 and 9  the inlet  900  pierces the invention and directs liquid into the environmentally friendly beverage filter package and exits through the permeable membrane which forms the invention. The filter basket of this invention holds the filter package above the outlet port and is not necessary for the outlet port of the prior art to pierce the filter package of this invention. 
         [0029]    One preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5  depicts a filter package which is not pierced by the inlet  900  of the brew chamber. The filter basket replaces the brew chamber is permeable on one end instead of multiple sides and the filter package rests below the reach of  900  and against the walls of the brew chamber. This embodiment is most effective when the inlet pressure of liquid provided by the brewing system exceeds 10 psi providing enough force for the liquid to penetrate the expanding beverage medium through its length. 
         [0030]    The final packaging of the invention is shown in  FIG. 11  where the environmentally friendly but permeable filter package is sealed inside an impermeable wrapper. It is well known that certain beverage mediums such as coffee react with oxygen and moisture and impart undesired flavors. The impermeable wrapper prevents oxygen and moisture from penetrating and imparting undesired properties or flavors to the beverage medium. The impermeable wrapper is removed from the filter package just before use and permits the separation of waste streams such that the filter package can be composted while the impermeable wrapper can be disposed or recycled.