Apparatus and Method for Refilling a Brewing Cup

Abstract

In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, an apparatus and/or a method are used to dispense loose particulate solid matter into a brewing cup. Such an apparatus allows one to add any coffee, while using all the features of an automated single-cup or multi-cup brewing machine. The apparatus may use a housing having a brew cup enclosure, a storage hopper, and rotatable valve coupled to a lever. Operation of the lever causes the rotatable valve to rotate, such that particulate solid matter is collected from the hopper and dispensed into a brew cup residing in the brew cup enclosure. In further embodiments of the disclosed technology, a safety mechanism prevents the rotatable valve from dispensing particulate solid matter if no brew cup is present in the brew cup enclosure. In still further embodiments, a lid sliding arm removes and/or reapplies the lid during operation of the apparatus

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application hereby incorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/572,831 to Dakis filed Aug. 13, 2012, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/909,480 to Dakis titled “Removable Lid for Brew Cup” filed Jun. 4, 2013. This application also claims priority to provisional application 61/655,579 filed Jun. 5, 2012.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

The disclosed technology relates generally to food and beverage apparatuses and, more specifically, to filling a brewing cup for single cup brewing.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

Automatic brewing machines for single cups of coffee or tea are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,989, assigned to Keurig, Incorporated, discloses a single serving beverage brewer in which a measured charge of dry beverage medium is infused with a metered amount of heated liquid. This patent is herein incorporated by reference, in its entirety. A reusable beverage filter cartridge, with a cup-shaped housing having a top opening and bottom outlet port, an internal filter, and a removable lid, is used.

The drawback to such machines is that one typically must buy relatively expensive pre-packaged cups, each cup wrapped in a container to be disposed of, creating a lot of waste. While this is more convenient than brewing an entire pot of coffee for just one drink, and produces a much better-tasting drink than instant coffee which is added to hot water, a user typically cannot choose his/her preferred quantity of ground coffee, or add any coffee grounds of his/her choice. If one did so with an automatic single cup brewing machine, the results would be unreliable. Moreover, a user's preferred brand or style of coffee/tea may not be available in a pre-packaged brew cup form.

One solution that has been proposed is a refillable brewing cup that allows a user to insert his/her preferred ground coffee into such a reusable brewing cup that may be used with commercially available brewing cup machines. Improvements have been made to refillable cups to increase brewing quality and function. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/572,831 to Dakis, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a multi-layer, refillable brewing cup. However, the available brewing cups are inconvenient as they are difficult to refill and dose with a desired amount of coffee grinds. Pouring grinds from a larger coffee bag or tin may result in spilled grinds and overfilling. An underfilled or overfilled brewing cup may produce coffee of an undesired strength.

Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a convenient way of using desired loose coffee grinds in a single-cup coffee brewing machine, while producing less waste, and resulting in lower costs.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

Therefore, it is an object of the disclosed technology to find an efficient way to use ground coffee in conjunction with a single-cup coffee brewing machine.

As such, in an embodiment of the disclosed technology, a apparatus is used to dispense particulate solid matter into a brew cup enclosure. Such a device allows one to add any coffee or other drink mix, but use all the features of an automated single-cup brewing machine. Particulate solid matter is defined as any combination of coffee grinds, tea leaves, instant drink mix/powder, sugar, juice concentrate, and/or any other matter that may conceivably be used in the preparation of and/or the brewing of a consumable liquid which is both particulate and solid. The apparatus has a body having a base portion hingedly affixed (attached by hinges) to a top portion. The top portion has a rotatable valve and a hopper for storing particulate solid matter. A hopper is defined as any vessel or container that stores matters to be used for a given purpose. The rotatable valve may open towards said hopper such that particulate solid matter stored in the hopper is free to fall into the rotatable valve.

The apparatus may also have a brew cup enclosure disposed in the base portion. The brew cup enclosure is defined as any recess or mold into which a brew cup may be received and/or cradled. The brew cup is defined as any type of receptacle capable of holding particulate solid matter, such as, for example, coffee grinds. A lever may be provided in geared communication with the rotatable valve such that movement of the lever causes the rotatable valve to rotate until the particulate solid matter is displaced from the rotatable valve into the brew cup enclosure. A lever is defined as any rigid member pivotable about a fixed hinge to set one or more parts into motion. The brew cup may have a removable lid. The lid may be removed from and/or reapplied to the brew cup when the brew cup is received into the brew cup enclosure.

In a further embodiment of the disclosed technology, the apparatus may have a safety push pin in communication between the brew cup enclosure and the rotatable valve such that the rotatable valve only rotates when the brew cup is present in the brew cup enclosure. The safety push pin is defined as any deflectable mechanism that applies a constant resistive force to another body using, for example, a spring. The brew cup may displace the safety push pin when the brew cup is placed into the brew cup enclosure thereby enabling the rotatable valve to rotate.

In still further embodiments of the disclosed technology, the rotatable valve may have a cavity for gravitationally receiving grinds from the hopper. The cavity is defined as any hollowed out section capable of holding a matter. Movement of the lever may cause the cavity to rotate at least 90 degrees to deposit the grinds into the brew cup enclosure. The lever may have three soft-locking positions (defined as positions where the rotation of the lever may be paused and held in place, subject to force on the lever exerted by a person) that correspond to three rotatable valve states. The three rotatable valve states may be a receiving state, a neutral state, and/or a dispensing state. Soft-locking is defined as a mechanism that causes the lever to be releasably locked into place. A user may feel and/or hear a “clicking” sound that indicates that the lever is at a soft-locking position.

In another embodiment of the disclosed technology, an apparatus is used for dispensing particulate solid matter into a brew cup. The apparatus may or does have a rotatable valve operable to receive particulate solid matter from a storage hopper. The rotatable valve may be disposed within a stationary valve housing. A brew cup enclosure may be provided for receiving the brew cup. The brew cup enclosure is positioned adjacent to the rotatable valve. A lever may be rotationally coupled to the rotatable valve to cause the rotatable valve to rotate and dispense the particulate solid matter into the recess for receiving the brew cup. A lever shaft may be coupled between the lever and the rotatable valve by way of one or more gears.

In a further embodiment, a soft lock spring may be provided for releasably locking the lever shaft at a plurality of locking positions. The lever shaft may have a plurality of recesses that correspond to the plurality of locking positions. The recesses may be small indentations or holes used for catching the lock spring to releasably lock the lever shaft.

In a method of using the apparatus, particulate solid matter is dispensed into a brew cup. The method is carried out, in this order, but not necessarily in this order, by a) inserting the brew cup into the recess, b) moving the lever to a first position such that the rotatable valve opens to the storage hopper to receive particulate solid matter, and c) moving the lever to a second position such that the rotatable valve is caused to rotate to dispense the particulate solid matter into the brew cup. The step of inserting the brew cup into the recess may also involve opening the housing to expose the recess.

In yet another embodiment of the disclosed technology, a method is provided for dispensing a metered amount of particulate solid matter into a brew cup. The method is carried out, in this or another order, by a) receiving particulate solid matter from a hopper into a cavity of a rotatable valve of an apparatus, b) inserting the brew cup into a recess of the apparatus, and c) toggling a lever to cause the rotatable valve to rotate such that the particulate solid matter is released into the brew cup. Toggling is defined as changing the position of the lever by any degree and/or any distance.

In the aforementioned method, a lid of the brew cup may be removed prior to the releasing of the particulate solid matter. Furthermore, the lid may be reapplied to the brew cup after the particulate solid matter is released into the brew cup. A safety mechanism may be provided that prevents rotation of the rotational valve unless the brew cup is inserted into the recess. The safety mechanism is defined any mechanical parts and/or tools that may be used to temporarily obstruct and/or impede the movement of the rotatable valve.

In a further embodiment of the method, an additional step may be provided of opening the apparatus to expose the recess before inserting the brew cup. Yet another step may be provided of closing the apparatus after the brew cup is inserted and before the step of receiving particulate solid matter. The step of closing the apparatus may also cause the lid of the brew cup to be temporarily removed. Still another step may be provided of reopening the apparatus to remove the brew cup after the particulate solid matter is released. This step of reopening the apparatus may cause the lid to be reapplied to the brew cup.

It should be understood that the use of “and/or” is defined inclusively such that the term “a and/or b” should be read to include the sets: “a and b,” “a or b,” “a,” “b.”

Further features of the device, described above, are also applicable to a method of use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of a dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 2 shows a cut-away view of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation cut-away view of an opened dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 4 shows a dispensing apparatus with a brew cup inserted according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 5 shows a blown-apart view of a rotatable valve of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIGS. 6a through 6c show a dispensing apparatus in progression through different operating positions, according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIGS. 7a through 7d show the progression of a safety locking mechanism, according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 8 shows a front schematic view of a dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 9 shows a top plan view of a dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, an apparatus and/or a method are used for dispensing particulate solid matter into a brew cup enclosure (also referred to, herein, as a “brewing cup”). The brew cup enclosure is adapted to accommodate a refillable brew cup, such as, for example, the brew cup taught by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/572,831. A brew cup is defined as an enclosure with at least one portal at or adjacent to a top side, and at least one portal at or adjacent to a bottom side, designed to hold particulate solid material and withstand and cause hot water entering a top portal to exit through a bottom portal after flowing through the particulate solid material. Such an apparatus and/or a method allows one to add any coffee of one's choice, while using all the features of an automated single-cup brewing machine. The apparatus may have a lever, a housing, and a hopper for storing particulate solid matter. The apparatus may also have a rotatable valve that, under operation of the lever, collects particulate solid matter from the hopper and deposits the particulate solid matter into a brew cup resting in the brew cup enclosure. The apparatus and/or the method may have a mechanism that temporarily removes a lid from the brew cup to be filled, and reapplies the lid after the brew cup has been filled.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology will become clearer in view of the following description of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of a dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The dispensing apparatus 10 may have a housing that is generally composed of a bottom portion 20 and a top portion 30. During operation of the apparatus 10, the bottom portion 20 may remain stationary, while the top portion 30 may be hingedly retractable away from the bottom portion (“hingedly” is defined as two parts which move relative to each other around a hinge). The top portion 30 may have a hopper 40 for storing particulate solid matter (not shown). Particulate solid matter, for the purposes of this specification, may be any combination of coffee grinds, tea leaves, instant drink mix/powder, sugar, juice concentrate, and/or any other matter that may conceivably be used in the preparation and/or the brewing of a consumable liquid. A cap 42 is provided atop the hopper 40 to give a user access to the interior of the hopper.

A lever 32 is provided extending from the sides of the top portion 30 of the apparatus 10. The lever may be mechanically operated (moved in a direction by a user) or electrically operated (moved in a direction based on a press of an electrical switch or opening of an electrical relay). The lever 32 may be used to operate the apparatus 10 and/or to toggle the various operational states of the apparatus. The lever 32 may be generally U-shaped, such that both ends are in communication with moving parts and/or gears in the interior of the top portion 30. In the present Figure, the lever 32 is shown in a neutral position. In the neutral position, the apparatus 10 is in a resting state between operations. The various operational states will be explained in further detail with reference to the subsequently presented figures.

FIG. 2 shows a-cut-away view of the dispensing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1. A rotatable valve 110 may be disposed inside the top portion 30 of the apparatus 10. Generally, the rotatable valve 110 may have freedom of rotation about an axis. The rotatable valve 110 may be enclosed within a valve housing 114 that remains stationary with respect to the moving rotatable valve. The rotatable valve 110 may be rotated such that a cavity 112 therein is open to the hopper 40 to collect particulate solid matter. The particulate solid matter may fall into the cavity 112 of the rotatable valve 110 by way of gravity. Upon rotation of the rotatable valve 110, the particulate solid matter is deposited or dumped into a brew cup enclosure 101. The brew cup enclosure 101 may be a recess that is shaped to receive and/or cradle a brew cup 200. Thus, during operation, the particulate solid matter is dumped into a brew cup 200 that is resting in the brew cup enclosure 101.

The rotatable valve 110 may be rotated by way of a lever shaft 120 in fixed communication with the lever 32. The lever shaft 120 may be coupled to a gear 111 of the rotatable valve 110. Movement of the lever 32 causes rotation of the lever shaft 120 which, in turn, causes rotation of the rotatable valve 110. In addition to serving as communication between the lever 120 and the rotatable valve 110, the lever shaft 120 may also have recesses 121, 122, 123 that enable “soft-locking” positions of the apparatus 10. A soft lock spring 107 may be provided with a notch for catching one of the recesses 121, 122, and 123 to enable to the lever 32 to be releasably “clicked” into a certain position.

The soft lock spring 107 may be formed of a bendable metal piece that elastically abuts the outer circumference of the lever shaft 120. The notch of the soft lock spring 107 may apply a subtle force against the lever shaft 120 that still enables the lever shaft 120 to rotate. Upon encountering a recess 121, 122, and 123, the notch “clicks” into place, indicating to the user that the apparatus is currently in a given operational state.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the lever shaft 120 has three recesses 121, 122, 123 corresponding to three operating positions or states. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 is shown in the neutral or resting position, as indicated by the soft lock spring 121 abutting the middle recess 122. In the position shown, the rotatable valve 110 is oriented such that it is neither in a collecting position nor a dispensing position. The operating positions are explained further with regard to FIGS. 6a through 6c.

Referring still to FIG. 2, the cap 42 seals an opening 44 in the hopper 40. Particulate solid matter may be deposited into the hopper 40 via the opening 44. The particulate solid matter may be stored in the hopper 40 for numerous uses of the apparatus 10. The interior of the hopper 40 may have a sloped surface 46 to enable the particulate solid matter to be funneled into the rotatable valve 110.

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation cut-away view of an opened dispensing apparatus 10 of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. This opened position may be considered the brew cup loading position. In the position shown, the top portion 30 is lifted from the base portion 20 by way of a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism may employ a sliding motion link 102. The sliding motion link 102 may have a guide recess through which a guide pin [label guide pin] may be disposed. The guide pin slides along the recess as the apparatus 10 is opened and closed. In the loading position, the brew cup enclosure 101 is exposed, such that a brew cup 200 may be easily inserted therein. Any refillable brewing cup may be used in conjunction with the apparatus; however, for purposes of this specification, a brew cup 200 with a slidable lid, such as that taught by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/572,831, is used in the examples described herein. The brew cup enclosure 101 contours the brew cup 200 in preparation for being filled. Upon insertion of the brew cup 200 into the brew cup enclosure 101, the top portion 30 may be pushed downward and the apparatus 10 returned to a closed position.

FIG. 4 shows a dispensing apparatus 10 with a brew cup inserted according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. Once loaded, the brew cup 200 rests adjacent to the rotatable valve 110. Thus, the particulate solid matter 110 may be released directly into the brew cup 200. The base of the brew cup 200 may protrude from the base portion 20 of the apparatus 10 to indicate to the user whether a brew cup has been inserted therein. The protruding base of the brew cup 200 may also assist the user in removing the brew cup from the apparatus after the brew cup has been filled. The user may remove the brew cup 200 by pushing upwards on the base, such that the brew cup pops out of the brew cup enclosure 101.

In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, the apparatus 10 has a lid removing and/or reapplying mechanism for a brew cup 200 having a removable lid 201. A lid sliding arm 103 may be provided in communication with the sliding motion link 102. The lid sliding arm 103 is operable to slide the lid 201 off the brew cup 200 as the apparatus 10 is closed. The lid sliding arm 103 recedes under force of the sliding motion link as the apparatus 10 is closed. In doing so, the lid sliding arm 103 slides the lid 201 from the top of the brew cup 200, so that the brew cup 200 can be filled. Upon retrieving a filled brew cup 200 from the apparatus 10, the lid 201 is slid back onto the brew cup as the user reopens the apparatus 10. The lid sliding arm 103 prevents the user from having to seal the brew cup 200, thereby reducing the risk of spilling and the number of steps needed before the brew cup is ready for use. The lid sliding arm 103 also prevents the user from coming in contact with the particulate solid matter, thereby reducing the spread of germs.

FIG. 5 shows a blown apart view of a rotatable valve 110 of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The rotatable valve 110 has a cavity 112 for collecting and/or releasing particulate solid matter. The cavity 112 may be of a particular volume depending on the amount of particulate solid matter that is desired to be dispensed into the brew cup 200. The rotatable valve 110 may be encased in a valve housing 114 that remains stationary in relation to the moving rotatable valve 110.

In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, the volume of the cavity 112 may be altered using a knob (not shown) disposed on the side of the apparatus 10. The knob may adjust the height of a bottom surface of the interior of the cavity 112, such that the capacity of the cavity may be altered. The capacity of the cavity 112 may be carefully set to ensure accurate and consistent dosing of particulate solid matter into the brew cup 200. For example, a single serving of coffee may require coffee grinds of a greater volume than that of tea leaves required for a single serving of tea. Thus, in order to suit the needs of different users, the adjustable cavity volume may be utilized. The volume of particulate solid matter remains consistent with every refill of the brew cup 200, due to the nature of the rotatable valve 110.

During operation of the apparatus 10, the lever 32 may be moved such that the rotatable valve 110 is caused to rotate until the cavity 112 is opened towards the interior of the hopper 40. Particulate solid matter may fall, by virtue of gravity, into the cavity 112 of the rotatable valve 110 until the cavity is filled to capacity. The lever 32 may then be moved to cause the rotatable valve 110 to rotate such that the cavity opens towards the brew cup 200. The particulate solid matter may then be released, again, under force of gravity, into the brew cup 200.

FIGS. 6a through 6c show a dispensing apparatus 10 in progression through different operating positions, according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The different operating positions correspond to the three recesses 121, 122, 123 of the lever shaft 120. FIG. 6a shows the lever 32 in a loading position. That is, in the position shown in FIG. 6a, the rotatable valve 110 is oriented such that the cavity 112 is open to the hopper 40. The contents of the hopper 40 are free to fall into the cavity until the cavity is full. As the lever 32 is moved and the rotatable valve 110 rotated, any excess particulate solid matter is sheared from the top of the cavity 112 by the sides of the valve housing 114. The soft lock spring 107 is abutted to the first recess 121 of the lever shaft 120. Thus, the first recess 121 corresponds to the loading position of the rotatable valve 110.

FIG. 6b shows the apparatus in a neutral or resting position. In the neutral position, the rotatable valve 110 is closed. As such, any particulate solid matter enclosed therein remains suspended in the cavity 112 until the lever 32 is moved to a dispensing position. FIG. 6b may also correspond to a resting position in which the apparatus 10 is not in use. Thus, the cavity 112 may or may not be filled with particulate solid matter while the apparatus is in the neutral or resting position. The soft lock spring 107 abuts the second recess 122 in the neutral position.

FIG. 6c shows the apparatus in a dispensing position. In the dispensing position, the rotatable valve 110 is oriented such that the cavity 112 opens towards the brew cup 200. Particulate solid matter from the rotatable valve 110 is thereby released into the brew cup 200 under force of gravity. The dispensing position corresponds to the third recess 123 on the lever shaft 120. The filled brew cup 200 may then be removed from the apparatus 10, and the method may be repeated with another brew cup.

FIGS. 7a through 7d show the progression of a safety locking mechanism of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The safety locking mechanism employs a sheering push pin arrangement that is contingent on the presence of a brew cup 200 in the brew cup enclosure 101. An inner push pin 126 resides in the axle of the lever shaft 120, and may be acted upon by an outer pin 127. The outer pin 127 extends from the center of the lever shaft 120 to a portion of the brew cup enclosure 101.

FIG. 7a shows the locking mechanism of the apparatus in a loading position without a brew cup 200 present in the brew cup enclosure 101. The lever 32 is positioned such that the cavity 112 of the rotatable valve 110 is opened towards the hopper 40 (not shown). The inner push pin 126 is extended outside of the lever shaft 120, permitting the rotatable valve 110 to be rotated only to a certain degree.

FIG. 7b shows the locking mechanism of FIG. 7a with the lever 32 in the neutral position. The inner push pin 126 is extended outside of the lever shaft 120, thereby preventing the lever shaft from rotating any further. In turn, the rotation of the rotatable valve 110 is impeded, thus preventing accidental spilling of the particulate solid matter. It should be noted that the lever 32 may have freedom of movement between the loading and the neutral positions; however the inner pin 126 prevents the lever 32 from moving the rotatable valve 110 to the dispensing position.

FIG. 7c shows the view of FIG. 7b with a brew cup 200 (not shown) inserted into the brew cup enclosure 101. When the brew cup 200 is present in the brew cup enclosure 101, the outer pin 127 is pushed by the lid 121 of the brew cup 120 towards the inner pin 126. The outer pin 127 thus pushes on the inner pin 126, causing it to recede into the axle of the lever shaft 120, thereby allowing the lever shaft 120 to rotate freely into the dispensing position.

FIG. 7d shows a view of FIG. 7c with the lever 32 in the dispensing position. FIG. 7d shows the position of the outer pin 127 and the inner pin 126 as the lever shaft 120 is rotated under force of the lever 32. Due to the outer pin 127 acting upon the inner pin 126, the rotatable valve 110 has freedom of rotation in all directions.

FIG. 8 shows a front schematic view of a dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The configuration of the rotatable valve 110 and the lever shaft 120 becomes apparent in FIG. 8. Moreover, the arrangement of the inner push pin 126 and the outer push pin 127 with respect to the lever shaft 120 also becomes apparent.

FIG. 9 shows a top plan view of the dispensing apparatus of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The cap 42 on the hopper 40 is large enough to permit a user to easily pour particulate solid matter, such as coffee grinds from a tin, into the hopper 40. A locking gas-type cap may be used to create an airtight seal on the hopper 40. Typically, coffee grinds are required to be sealed in a vessel because the grinds will spoil with extended exposure to oxygen. As shown, the lever 32 may be generally U-shaped, such that both ends are in fixed rotational communication with the interior of the top portion 30 of the apparatus 10.

While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods and apparatuses described hereinabove are also contemplated and within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing particulate solid matter into a brew cup enclosure, comprising:

a body having a base portion hingedly affixed to a top portion, said top portion having a rotatable valve and a hopper storing particulate solid matter wherein said rotatable valve opens towards said hopper;

a brew cup enclosure disposed in said base portion; and

a lever in geared communication with said rotatable valve, such that movement of said lever causes said rotatable valve to rotate until said particulate solid matter is displaced from said rotatable valve into said brew cup enclosure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said brew cup enclosure is adapted to receive a brew cup, said brew cup comprising a removable lid.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said lid of said brew cup is removed from and reapplied to said brew cup when said brew cup is received into said brew cup enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a safety push pin in communication between said brew cup enclosure and said rotatable valve, such that said rotatable valve only rotates when said brew cup is present in said brew cup enclosure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said brew cup displaces said safety push pin when said brew cup is placed into said brew cup enclosure enabling the valve to rotate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rotatable valve comprises a cavity for gravitationally receiving grinds from said hopper, and movement of said lever causes said compartment to rotate at least 90 degrees to deposit said grinds into said brew cup enclosure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lever comprises three soft-locking positions corresponding to three rotatable valve states, said three rotatable valve states comprising a receiving state, a neutral state, and a dispensing state.

8. An apparatus for dispensing particulate solid matter into a brew cup, comprising:

a rotatable valve operable to receive particulate solid matter from a storage hopper, wherein said rotatable valve is disposed within a stationary valve housing;

a brew cup enclosure for receiving said brew cup, wherein said brew cup enclosure is positioned adjacent to said rotatable valve; and

a lever rotationally coupled to said rotatable valve to cause said rotatable valve to rotate and dispense said particulate solid matter into said recess for receiving said brew cup.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a lever shaft coupled between said lever and said rotatable valve using one or more gears.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a soft lock spring for releasably locking said lever shaft at a plurality of locking positions.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said lever shaft comprises a plurality of recesses corresponding to said plurality of locking positions for catching said lock spring to releasably lock said lever shaft.

12. A method of dispensing particulate solid matter into a brew using the apparatus of claim 8, comprising:

inserting said brew cup into said recess;

moving said lever to a first position, such that said rotatable valve opens to said storage hopper to receive particulate solid matter; and

moving said lever to a second position, such that said rotatable valve is caused to rotate to dispense said particulate solid matter into said brew cup.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of inserting said brew cup into said recess further comprises opening said housing to expose said recess.

14. A method for dispensing a metered amount of particulate solid matter into a brew cup, comprising:

receiving particulate solid matter from a hopper into a cavity of a rotational valve of an apparatus;

inserting said brew cup into a recess of said apparatus; and

toggling a lever to cause said rotational valve to rotate, such that said particulate solid matter is released into said brew cup.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a lid of said brew cup is removed prior to said releasing of said particulate solid matter, and, further, wherein said lid is reapplied to said brew cup after said particulate solid matter is released into said brew cup.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a safety mechanism prevents rotation of said rotational valve unless said brew cup is inserted into said recess.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising a step of opening said apparatus to expose said recess before inserting said brew cup.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of closing said apparatus after said brew cup is inserted and before said step of receiving particulate solid matter.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said closing of said apparatus causes a lid of said brew cup to be temporarily removed.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising a step of reopening said apparatus to remove said brew cup after said particulate solid matter is released, wherein said step of reopening said apparatus causes said lid to be reapplied to said brew cup.