Abstract:
A single serving beverage filter cartridge is formed by placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a reusable coffee holder having a lid and a base. The reusable coffee holder includes a recessed region at the bottom of a base of the holder and is insertable into a cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker having an offset needle reaching up vertically from the base of the housing, the recessed region may be a large annular recessed region or a smaller off-center recessed region thereby avoiding the offset bottom needle. The coffee holder defines a frustoconical exterior and includes mesh filtering material for retaining brewing material inside the coffee holder. The mesh material may be a metal mesh or plastic mesh. The reusable coffee holder is configured for use in single serving coffee makers having the offset bottom needle and designed for single use cartridges.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a Continuation In Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/777,831 filed Jul. 13, 2007; a Continuation In Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/610,181 filed Oct. 30, 2009; and a Continuation In Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/620,584 filed Nov. 17, 2009, which applications are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to single serving coffee makers and in particular to a single serving reusable brewing material holder including a reusable mesh material to retain the brewing material in the holder. 
     Coffee is prepared in a coffee maker by measuring an amount of ground coffee into a coffee filter, closing a lid over the ground coffee, and providing a stream of hot water through the ground coffee. In recent years, single serving coffee makers have become very popular, for example, KEURIG® coffee makers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,765 and 6,708,600 disclose a housing and cooperating filter cartridge for use in a KEURIG®. coffee maker. While the housing and cartridge of the &#39;765 patent are very popular, the cost of single use cartridges far exceeds the cost of the brewing material contained in the cartridges. The &#39;765 and &#39;600 patents are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a single serving beverage filter cartridge which is formed by placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a reusable coffee holder having a lid and a base. The reusable coffee holder includes a recessed region at the bottom of a base of the holder and is insertable into a cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker having an offset needle reaching up vertically from the base of the housing, the recessed region may be a large annular recessed region or a smaller off-center recessed region, thereby avoiding the offset bottom needle. The coffee holder defines a frustoconical exterior and includes mesh filtering material for retaining brewing material inside the coffee holder. The mesh material may be a metal mesh or plastic mesh. The reusable coffee holder is configured for use in single serving coffee makers having the offset bottom needle and designed for single use cartridges. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a coffee holder including a metal mesh filter material interposed between an interior and exterior of the holder to retain brewing material in the holder. The mesh filter material may be a metal or plastic mesh. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a coffee holder having a bottom with an annular recess. The holder fits into existing single serving coffee makers having an offset bottom needle and the annular recess provides clearance for the offset bottom needle. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a coffee holder having a bottom with an offset recess. The holder fits into existing single serving coffee makers having an offset bottom needle and the offset recess provides clearance for the offset bottom needle. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for using a reusable coffee holder in a single serving coffee maker. The method includes opening a lid of the reusable coffee holder, placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a holder base, closing the lid of the coffee holder, opening a coffee cartridge housing of the single serving coffee maker to expose the interior of the coffee cartridge housing, the base of the coffee cartridge housing including a upward reaching offset needle, placing the coffee holder in the coffee cartridge housing, positioning a recessed area in the bottom of the holder base over the offset needle, closing the coffee cartridge housing, and brewing a brewed beverage. The reusable coffee holder includes a holder lid, a frustoconical shaped coffee holder base, a metal mesh filter material attached to the coffee holder base and interposed between the interior and the exterior of the holder base and retaining brewing material deposited into the holder base through the holder top, and a holder lid closeable over the top of the holder base. The metal mesh filter material may be fixed to the holder base, or removable from the holder base. The holder lid may include a center mating portion of the holder lid including a downward concave cavity for receiving a nozzle of a coffee maker and sealing against the coffee maker to prevent the escape of heated liquid during brewing. The frustoconical shaped coffee holder base includes a smaller diameter bottom, a larger diameter top, an interior, an exterior, and a upward recessed area in the bottom of the holder base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       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  shows a prior art coffee cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker, with a filter cartridge residing in the coffee cartridge housing. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first single serving coffee holder according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the first single serving coffee holder containing coffee restrained in a holder base by mesh filter material and having an annular recess in the bottom of the holder base, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the first single serving coffee holder according to the present invention in the prior art single serving coffee cartridge housing. 
         FIG. 5A  shows a cross-sectional side view of a tamping single serving coffee holder having a lid including a tamper which enters the holder base to tamp coffee restrained in the holder base by mesh filter material, and having an annular recess in the bottom of the holder base, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5B  shows a cross-sectional side view of the tamping single serving coffee holder having the lid including the tamper attached to the holder base and tamping the coffee restrained in the holder base by the mesh filter material, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a second single serving coffee holder containing coffee restrained in a holder base by mesh filter material and having an annular recess in the bottom of the holder base, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the second single serving coffee holder according to the present invention in the prior art single serving coffee cartridge housing. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a third single serving coffee holder containing coffee restrained in a holder base by mesh filter material and having an offset recess in the bottom of the holder base, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8A  is a cross-sectional view of the holder base taken along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of the third single serving coffee holder according to the present invention in the prior art single serving coffee cartridge housing. 
         FIG. 10  shows a side view of a holder  70  having a hinged holder lid  32 ″ 
         FIG. 11  shows a side view of a threaded holder and threaded holder lid according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     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 prior art single serving cartridge housing  10  of a coffee maker, and a single use filter cartridge  12  residing in a brewing chamber  11  of the coffee maker, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,765 and 6,708,600 (incorporated by reference above) are shown in  FIG. 1 . The filter cartridge  12  includes a pierceable shell  14  and contains brewing material  16 . An upper needle  20  penetrates the top of the shell  14  to inject heated water into the cartridge  12  and an offset bottom needle  22  penetrates the bottom of the shell  14  and receives the brewed drink produced in the cartridge  12  and carries the brewed drink from the brewing chamber, when the housing  10  is closed on the cartridge  12 . A filter cartridge sold under the trademark K-CUP® has a top edge with a diameter of about 1.8 inches, a height of about 1¾ inches, and a frustoconical shape with a base smaller than the top edge. The base of the K-CUP® cartridge is generally being about 1.45 inches in diameter. 
     A perspective view of a first single serving coffee holder  30  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . The coffee holder  30  includes a lid  32  and a base  34 . The base  34  includes a larger diameter top  34   a  and a smaller diameter bottom  34   b  and is generally frustoconical in shape. A passage  40  in the lid  32  is provided for the needle  20 . The bottom  34   b  of the base  34  includes an annular recessed region  38  surrounding a stem  36  generally centered in the bottom  34   b  of the base  34 . The stem  36  extends downward in the bottom  34   b  of the base  34 . Lid  32  may be removably attachable to the base  34 , or hingedly attached to the base  34 . The removable lid  32  may be an interference fit to the base  34 , or the lid  32  and base  34  may have cooperating threads to threadably attach, or the lid  32  may be otherwise attached to the base  34 . The coffee holder  30  defines an interior region  30   a  and an exterior region  30   b  and a mesh filter  42  resides in the base  34  to restrain brewing material in the interior region  30   a.    
     A cross-sectional side view of the first single serving coffee holder  30  containing coffee  16  restrained in the holder base  34  by the mesh filter material  42  and having an annular recess  38   a  in the bottom of the holder base  34  is shown in  FIG. 3  and a cross-sectional side view of the first single serving coffee holder  30  in the prior art single serving coffee cartridge housing  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The mesh filter  42  holds the brewing material  16 , and retains the brewing material  16  in the interior region  30   a  of the coffee holder  30  separating the brewing material  16  from the exterior region  30   b  of the coffee holder  30 . The mesh filter  42  may be a fixed filter not removable from the holder base  34  or a removable filter, and may be constructed of nylon mesh or metal mesh, or any reusable material capable of holding the coffee while allowing a flow of heated water through the coffee. Unlike filter paper, the mesh filter  42  may be cleaned and reused. The needle  20  reaches through the passage  40  in the lid  32  to inject hot liquid into the brewing material  16  to make a brewed drink. The annular recess  38   a  provides clearance D for the lower needle  22  of the coffee maker without requiring aligning the annular recessed area  38   a  with the offset bottom needle  22 , and the opening  39  in the bottom of the holder base  34  allows brewed beverage to escape from the coffee holder into the brewing chamber  11  of the coffee maker. The clearance D is preferably between one and twenty mm and more preferably about ten mm to a ceiling  38   b  of the annular recessed area  38   a . A compliant ring  33  may be included to seal against the coffee maker. 
     The housing  30  is disclosed in  FIG. 2  of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/777,831 filed Jul. 13, 2007 by the present applicant, which this application is a Continuation In Part thereof. 
     The mesh filter  42  is disclosed in paragraph 0005 of the summary in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/620,584 filed Nov. 17, 2009, by the present applicant, which this application is a Continuation In Part thereof, as a fixed or removable nylon mesh, metal mesh, or any material capable of holding the coffee while allowing a flow of heated water through the coffee. 
     A cross-sectional view of a tamping single serving coffee holder  30 ′ having a lid  32 ′ including a tamper  31 , is shown in  FIG. 5A , and a cross-sectional view of the tamping single serving coffee holder  30 ′ having the lid  32 ′ attached to the holder base  34  is shown in  FIG. 5B . When the lid  32 ′ is attached to the holder base  34 , the tamper  31  enters the holder base  34  to tamp coffee  16   a  restrained in the holder base  34  by the mesh filter material  42 . Tamping the coffee reduces or prevents channeling and generally provides a stronger brew. The coffee holder  30 ′ is otherwise similar to the coffee holder  30 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of a second single serving coffee holder  50  containing coffee  16  is shown in  FIG. 6  and a cross-sectional side view of the second single serving coffee holder  50  in the prior art single serving coffee cartridge housing  10  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The coffee holder  50  includes the lid  32  and a holder base  52 . The coffee  16  is restrained in the holder base  52  by the mesh filter material  42 . A second annular recess  38   b  in the bottom  52   b  of the holder base  52  is provided to clear the bottom needle  22  and the passage  40  in the lid  32  is provided for the needle  20  and opening  39   b  in the bottom of the coffee holder  50  allows brewed beverage to escape from the coffee holder into the brewing chamber  11  of the coffee maker. 
     The coffee holder  50  defines an interior region  50   a  and an exterior region  50   b  (similar to the regions  30   a  and  30   b  in  FIG. 2 ). The mesh filter  42  holds the brewing material  16 , and retains the brewing material  16  in the interior region  50   a  of the coffee holder  50  separating the brewing material  16  from the exterior region  50   b  of the coffee holder  50 . The needle  20  reaches through the passage  40  in the lid  32  to inject hot liquid into the brewing material  16  to make a brewed drink. The second annular recess  38   b  is provided by a large circular opening  54  in the bottom  52   b  of the base  52 . The annular recess  38   b  provides clearance for the lower needle  22  without aligning the annular recess  38   b  with the needle  22 . The coffee holder  50  is otherwise similar to the coffee holder  30 . 
     The housing  50  is disclosed in  FIG. 6  of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/777,831 filed Jul. 13, 2007 by the present applicant, which the present application is a Continuation In Part thereof. 
     A cross-sectional side view of a third single serving coffee holder  60  containing coffee  16  restrained in a holder base  64  by the mesh filter material  42  is shown in  FIG. 8 , a cross-sectional view of the holder base  64  taken along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8  is shown in  FIG. 8A , and a cross-sectional side view of the third single serving coffee holder  60  in the coffee cartridge housing  10  is shown in  FIG. 9 . An offset recess  68  in the bottom  64   b  of the holder base  64  provides clearance for the lower needle  22 . The coffee holder  60  defines an interior region  60   a  and an exterior region  60   b  separated by the mesh filter material  42 . The offset recess  68  is offset from a centerline CL of the coffee holder  60  and is not an annular recess (i.e., is a vertical passage somewhat larger than the needle  22 ) and requires aligning the offset recess  68  with the needle  22 . While the offset recess  68  is shown as having a round cross-section, the offset recess  68  may have any cross-section suitable to provide clearance for the needle  22  and opening  39   c  in the bottom of the coffee holder  60  allows brewed beverage to escape from the coffee holder into the brewing chamber  11  of the coffee maker. The coffee holder  60  is otherwise similar to the coffee holder  30 . 
     The offset recess  68  in the bottom  64   b  of the holder base  64  is disclosed in  FIG. 5  of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/777,831 filed Jul. 13, 2007 by the present applicant, which the present application is a Continuation In Part thereof. 
       FIG. 10  shows a side view of a holder  70  having a hinged holder lid  32 ″ hingedly attached to the holder by a hinge  72 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a side view of a threaded holder  80  having a threaded holder lid  32 ′″. The holder lid  32 ′″ has male threads  82  and the holder base 
     A method for using a reusable coffee holder in a single serving coffee maker having an offset bottom needle includes the steps of: placing a single serving portion of brewing material into the holder base; attaching the holder lid to the top of the holder base; opening a brewing chamber of the single serving coffee maker; placing the coffee holder into the brewing chamber causing the offset bottom needle to reside in the recess in the bottom of the holder base and not puncture any part of the coffee holder; closing the coffee cartridge housing; brewing a brewed beverage; and creating a flow of the brewed beverage through the mesh filter and into the brewing chamber, the flow of the brewed beverage avoiding flowing through the bottom needle. The reusable coffee holder includes a coffee holder base and a holder lid. the holder base includes a smaller diameter holder bottom; a larger diameter holder top; an interior; an exterior, a recess in the bottom of the holder base configured to provide clearance for a bottom needle of the coffee maker; and a metal mesh filter fixed to the coffee holder base and interposed between the interior and the exterior of the holder base and retaining brewing material deposited into the holder base through the holder top. The holder lid is attachable to the top of the holder base and including a passage for receiving a nozzle of the coffee maker. 
     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.