CARTRIDGE FOR BEVERAGE DISPENSER

Abstract

A cartridge for a beverage dispenser includes a top that has a perimeter forming an opening therein, an intermediate portion connected to the top, and a bottom connected to the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has at least five openings formed therein. The intermediate portion forms a receiving space between the top and the bottom.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 14/581,705 filed Dec. 23, 2013 entitled Cartridge for Beverage Dispenser. That application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.: ______ , entitled Single Serving Beverage Container, filed Dec. 23, 2013. The contents of both are entirely incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to cartridges for beverage dispensers, particularly cartridges for single serve beverage dispensers.

BACKGROUND

Single use beverage dispensers utilize single use cartridges to brew, for example, one cup of coffee. U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765 and 6,645,537, both incorporated by reference in their entireties, shows designs of such a single serve cartridge. This beverage filter cartridge is comprised basically of a semi-rigid fluid impermeable yet pierceable cup-shaped outer container internally subdivided by a permeable cone-shaped filter into first and second chambers. A granular or powdered dry beverage medium (herein “beverage making material”), e.g., roasted ground coffee, is stored in the first chamber, and the container is closed by an impermeable pierceable top lid. During a processing cycle, the lid and container bottom are pierced, respectively, by tubular inlet and outlet probes. The inlet probe admits heated liquid under pressure into the first chamber for infusion with the beverage medium, and the resulting brewed beverage passes through the filter into the second chamber from which it exits via the outlet probe for delivery to an underlying cup. These products are “single use” or “disposable” cartridges, in that the process of use permanently destroys the cartridge such that it cannot be reused with new beverage making material (although it could be recycled).

The above design has been commercialized under the trade name K-CUPS for use in connection with KEURIG coffee making products. The commercialized product accommodates K-CUPS of a particular size (approximately 50.50 mm top diameter, 35 mm bottom diameter, 44 mm height, and having other external shapes and proportioned features consistent with U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765). The beverage dispenser has a receptacle to receive the K-CUP in a manner that will hold the cup. The outer dimensions of the K-CUP and the supporting dimensions of a receptacle within the beverage dispenser to hold the K-CUP are industry standard and well-known as of the filing date of this application. References herein to K-CUP should be understood as referring to a product with such outer dimensions (regardless of manufacturer).

The overwhelming majority of cartridges are used for coffee, and for ease of discussion reference herein is to coffee cartridges. However, it is to be understood that other beverage making materials could be used.

A drawback of any single use coffee cartridge is that it has an upper limit on the amount of ideal strength coffee that it can dispense. Specifically, the strength of coffee is based on a ratio of the amount of coffee medium to the amount of water. A study by The Midwest Research Institute concluded that the most acceptable coffee would result from preparation for soluble solids concentration from 1.15 to 1.35 percent and soluble solids yield extraction between 18 and 22 percent. (See, e.g., FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,952,697 and related description, incorporated herein by reference.) Applicants adopt this range as “ideal strength” coffee for use herein. A certain maximum amount of water can thus be used with a single use coffee cartridge to produce a product that has ideal strength. Adding more water to generate a larger volume of coffee from the same cartridge will result in coffee that is considered weaker tasting and less desirable by a significant portion of the consuming public.

The design of the commercial single use K-CUP can only hold enough coffee making material (about 9-10 grams) to process a maximum of about 10-12 ounces of water to produce approximately 10-12 ounces of ideal strength coffee. The single use K-CUP design cannot accommodate additional coffee making material to provide larger volumes of ideal coffee without interfering with the filtration process. To obtain more than 12 ounces of ideal strength coffee, a user would need to separately multiple single use cartridges.

For

There are a variety of known multi-use cartridges that substitute for K-CUPs in the KEURIG beverage dispensers. Typically the top of the cartilage is removable to allow a user to load their own beverage making product into the cartridge, such that the same cartage can be used over and over. To accommodate repeated use the cartridges are made of rigid material, such as hard plastic or metal, that is not pierceable; this requires design deviations from the K-CUP to avoid damage from the probes. Because of these design deviations, some multi-use cartridges can include a higher volume of beverage making material than its K-CUP counterpart.

Single use cartridges in the coffee market have enjoyed significant commercial success because of convenience, but multi-use cartridges have not. Specifically, prior art coffee makers required insertion of a filter media, maintain a source of coffee (e.g., separate bag), transfer the coffee to the filter, and then dispose of the used coffee and clean the supporting structure. Multi-use cartridges require many if not all of these steps, and thus provide minimal or no added convenience compared to a standard coffee maker. In contrast, single use cartridges can simply be placed in the beverage dispenser and disposed of after use, thus providing significant added convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2A is a side elevational and view of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the cartridge of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of another embodiment of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of another embodiment of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of multiple cartridges stacked in a nested manner.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a prior art K-CUP cup engaging with a prior art KEURIG dispenser in the open position.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a prior art K-CUP cup engaging with a prior art KEURIG dispenser in the closed position.

FIG. 9 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention engaging with a prior art KEURIG dispenser in the open position.

FIG. 10 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention engaging with a prior art KEURIG dispenser in the closed position.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational and view of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational and view of a cartridge of FIG. 11 from a different viewing angle;

FIG. 13 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention that includes an external side filter.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational and view of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational and view of a cartridge of FIG. 14 that includes a lower layer of filter material;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are side elevational and top views of a cartridge in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention that includes beverage making material.

FIG. 19 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention that includes a top cover.

FIG. 20 is a side view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention that includes a peelable outer cover.

FIG. 21 is a top view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 22 is a top view of cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 23 is a side elevational and view of a cartridge of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different FIGures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.

The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like.

The term “cartridge” refers to the container for the beverage making material. The term is used to collectively and individually refer to the container at different stages of its assembly. For example, an initial form of the cartridge may be the cup/shell. A later form of the cartridge may be when filter material is later added to the cup/shell. A still later form of the cartridge is sealed with a cover, and so on.

The term “rigid” refers to a material that will not deform absent application of destructive force that would break the material. The term “semi-rigid” refers to a material that has some limited ability to deform under non-destructive force and will tend to return to its original shape when the non-destructive force is removed. The term “flexible” refers to a material that freely deforms under non-destructive force and tends to hold its new shape when the non-destructive force is removed. The term “permanently” as used in connection with an attachment or connection refers to something which cannot be separated absent application of destructive force which effectively breaks the attachment.

The term “pierceable” in the context of a cartridge refers to a thin material that can be readily pierced by a probe needle common to beverage dispensers during the customary use of making a beverage to form a hole in the cartridge without damaging the probe. Flexible materials and some semi-rigid materials will have this property, but rigid materials will tend not to. Non-limiting examples of pierceable materials include paper, foil, and plastic wrap.

The term “single use” or “disposable” in the context of a cartridge refers to an undamaged self-contained cartridge that is pre-sealed with beverage making material, and for which at least a portion thereof needs to be damaged or destroyed during its first use (e.g., one or more surfaces are pierced or torn) to produce a beverage. By way of example, as discussed above, U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765 works with a beverage dispenser with an inlet probe that pierces the top cover of the cartridge. A cartridge with a permanently attached cover that is pierced or torn during the first use is a single use cartridge (and remains so even if used again, as this is a use of the damaged cartridge and not a use of the original undamaged form of the cartridge).

“Multi-use” refers to a cartridge that is not damaged or destroyed during first use, and includes one or more components that are designed to be repeatedly opened and closed to reload beverage making material into the cartridge. By way of example, a cartridge with a removable cap to load beverage making material, and with a depression in the cap to receive the probe such that the probe does not pierce or damage the cap, would be a multi-use cartridge.

There is a long felt need in the market for a disposable/single-use cartridge that has a size and shape that will fit within a beverage dispenser designed to hold a K-CUP, but which can produce a higher volume of infused beverage than the designs of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,765 and 6,645,537. More particularly, in the field of coffee, an object of at least some embodiments of the invention is to provide a single-use cartridge that has a size and shape that fits within a beverage dispenser designed to hold a K-CUP, but which can hold about 14 grams of coffee to produce upwards of approximately 18 ounces of ideal strength coffee.

The present disclosure provides for a cartridge for a beverage dispenser that can include a top that has a perimeter forming an opening therein, an intermediate portion connected to the top, and a bottom connected to the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion can have at least multiple openings formed therein. The intermediate portion can form a receiving space between the top and the bottom.

The cartridge can be made of a polymer. The polymer can have a melting point greater than 95 degrees Celsius. In at least one embodiment, the melting point of the polymer can be about 210 degrees Celsius to about 220 degrees Celsius. In at least one embodiment, the cartridge can be made of polypropylene homopolymer (including, the filtration material). The cartridge can be made of biodegradable and/or recyclable material. The density of the polymer can be about 0.90 g/cm³. The melt flow index of the polymer can be about 16.

The opening can be closed with a lid coupled with the perimeter of the top. In at least one embodiment, the lid can be made of polyester. The lid can be heat sealed to the top. The heat sealing temperature range can be about 180 degrees Celsius to about 200 degree Celsius.

In at least one embodiment, at least five openings in the intermediate portion can be covered with a filtration material. In at least one embodiment, the filtration material can be removable from the cartridge. In other embodiments, the filtration material can be permanently coupled to the cartridge. The filtration material can be made of a compatible, recyclable material as its parent construction.

In at least one embodiment, the top and the bottom of the cartridge can be substantially circular. A width of the top can be greater than a width of the bottom. In at least one embodiment, the intermediate portion can be tapered from the top to the bottom. The intermediate portion can have an upper portion proximate the top and a lower portion proximate the bottom. A stepped portion can connect the upper portion and the lower portion. In at least one embodiment, the bottom of one cartridge can be receivable in the receiving portion of another cartridge in a nesting configuration. Thus, the stepped portion of the received cartridge can abut the top of the receiving cartridge, when nested.

In at least one embodiment, the bottom of the cartridge can have multiple openings, at least five openings formed therein corresponding to the five openings in the intermediate portion. In at least one embodiment, the five openings in the bottom can be proximate the five openings in the intermediate portion and separated therefrom by a perimeter of an outer edge of the bottom. In other embodiments, the five openings in the bottom can be proximate the five openings in the intermediate portion and share at least one side.

In at least one embodiment, at least three of the five openings in the bottom can be the same size as each other, and at least two of the five openings in the bottom can be the same as each other. In other embodiments, the five openings in the bottom can be the same size.

In at least one embodiment, a height of the five openings can be at least 30% of a height of the cartridge.

The cartridge can contain any granulated material such as coffee, tea or soup in the receiving space. In other embodiments, the cartridge can contain any material that can be steeped to create a beverage.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cartridge 100 for a beverage dispenser (not shown) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The cartridge 100 can include a top 102, an intermediate portion 108 that generally defines a side wall (which may have irregular and/or smooth shapes) connected to the top 102, and a bottom 112 connected to the intermediate portion 108. The intermediate portion 108 can form a receiving space 130 between the top 102 and the bottom 112. In at least one embodiment, the receiving space 130 can receive coffee grounds (or a different granulated beverage making material). In other embodiments, the receiving space 130 can receive tea leaves or any beverage making material that can be steeped to create a beverage. The intermediate portion 108 can have two or more openings 110 formed therein. In at least one embodiment, the intermediate portion 108 can have at least five openings 110 formed therein, although more or less openings may also be used.

The cartridge 100 can be made of a polymer. In at least one embodiment, the cartridge 100 can be made of polypropylene homopolymer. In at least one embodiment, the cartridge 100 can be made of biodegradable material. The cartridge 100 can be recycled and maintain reusability and structural integrity after being subjected to multiple uses. In at least one embodiment, the melting point of the cartridge 100 can be greater than 79 degrees Celsius. In other embodiments, the melting point of the cartridge 100 can be greater than 95 degrees Celsius. In yet other embodiments, the melting point of the cartridge 100 can be about 210 degrees Celsius to about 220 degrees Celsius. The density of the polymer can be about 0.90 g/cm³. The melt flow index of the polymer can be about 16.

The top 102 can have a perimeter 104 forming an opening 106 therein. In at least one embodiment, the top 102 and the bottom 112 can be substantially circular. In other embodiments, the top 102 and the bottom 112 can be any shape, for example rectangular, ovoid, or triangular. In yet other embodiments, the top 102 and the bottom 112 are not the same shape. The bottom 112 can be flat to allow for efficient packaging.

FIG. 2A shows an example embodiment of a cartridge 100. As shown in FIG. 2A, a width of the top 102 of the cartridge can be greater than a width of the bottom 112. The intermediate portion 108 can be tapered 116 from the top 102 to the bottom 112. In at least one embodiment, the intermediate portion can have an upper portion 118 proximate the top 102 and a lower portion 125 proximate the bottom 112. A stepped portion 122 can connect the upper portion 118 and the lower portion 125. In at least one embodiment, a width of the step portion 122 can correspond to a width of the bottom 112. When stacked, one cartridge 100 can fit within the receiving space 130 of another cartridge 100 in a nesting configuration. In at least one embodiment, when in a nesting configuration, the bottom 112 of one cartridge 100 can abut the top 102 of the receiving cartridge 100.

FIG. 2B shows another example embodiment of a cartridge 100. The cartridge 100 illustrated in FIG. 2B is similar to that of FIG. 2A, except that the openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108 are of a different size. Specifically, the openings 110 in FIG. 2B have a greater height than those in FIG. 2A.

The openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108 can have a height H of at least 30% of the height of the cartridge 100. In at least one embodiment, the height H of the openings 110 in the intermediate portion can be at least 10.95 millimeters. The openings 110 can be spaced by distance W, which in at least one embodiment is nine millimeters.

As shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the top 102 can have a diameter of 52.5 millimeters. The diameter of the opening 106 in the top 102 can have a diameter of 46.5 millimeters. The height of the perimeter 104 of the top 102 can be 0.85 millimeters. The height of the upper portion 118 can be 7.8 millimeters. The height of the lower portion 125 can be 27.85 millimeters. The diameter of the bottom 112 can be 37 millimeters. The height of cartridge 100 (the height of the intermediate portion 108 plus the height of the perimeter 104) can be 36.5 millimeters.

The openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108 can be covered with a filtration material 114. The filtration material 114 can be used to prevent material in the receiving portion 130 from leaving the cartridge 100, only allowing the liquid beverage through. The filtration material 114 is preferably made of flexible material, such as polyester or a blend of polyester and nylon, or other suitable material, as discussed above. In at least one embodiment, the filtration material 114 can be removably coupled to the cartridge 100. In other embodiments, the filtration material 114 can be permanently coupled to the cartridge 100.

Referring to FIG. 3, the bottom 112 can have openings 132 formed therein, which correspond to the openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108. The openings can be covered with suitable filtration material 114. The openings 132 in the bottom 112 can be proximate the openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108 and share at least one side. In at least one embodiment, at least three of the five openings 132 in the bottom 112 are the same size as each other, and at least the other two of the five openings 132 in the bottom are the same size as each other. The extrusion steeping time of the beverage can be controlled by the area of the openings 110, 132 in the intermediate portion 108 and the bottom 112 and the filtration material 114.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the cartridge 100. In the illustrated embodiment, there are no openings 132 in the bottom 112.

FIGS. 5 and 23 illustrate another embodiment of the cartridge 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 132 in the bottom 112 are proximate the openings 110 in the intermediate portion 108 and separated therefrom by a perimeter 134 of an outer edge 136 of the bottom 112.

As seen in FIGS. 1-5, openings 110 and 132 are spaced apart by intact portions of the cartridge 100, such portions referred to generally herein as ribs 150, or specifically as bottom ribs 152 or side ribs 154. Preferably one of the ribs 150a (152a/154a) is wider/larger than the others, and this provides a larger surface to attach a filter material 114. For example, filter material 114 can be glued, heat sealed, welded, ultrasonic or otherwise permanently attached to rib 152a, wrapped around an outer periphery of the side of cartridge 114, and then overlapped over itself on rib 152a where it will again be glued, heat sealed, welded or otherwise permanently attached into place.

In at least one embodiment, a cartridge 100 can be configured such that it can receive another cartridge and be received by another cartridge in a nested fashion. FIG. 6 is an isometric view of multiple cartridges 100 stacked in a nested manner. Such nesting can make shipping of empty cartridges more efficient and less expensive than would otherwise be the case. The design is preferably has a minimum of ⅛ inch between lips of adjacent nested cups preferably ⅛ inch.

To preserve freshness of the beverage making product within a completed product, filtration material 114 in openings 110 and/132 are preferably covered or sealed. A peelable adhesive air/fluid impermeable substance could be applied to the exposed openings, such as shown in FIG. 20; the adhesive surface would be removed prior to insertion into the beverage dispenser. In another embodiment, the entire cartridge 100 could be placed in an air/fluid impermeable container.

Various advantages provided by some or all of the above embodiments will now be described.

If the embodiments herein are configured to the dimensions shown, such embodiments will fit within a beverage dispenser that is configured for use with K-CUPs and can serve as a competitive alternative to K-CUPs.

Some embodiments herein can have their entire internal cavity filled with beverage making material. In contrast, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,765 and 6,645,537, only a portion of the cavity of the K-CUP is filled with beverage making material, as significant space in the bottom of the cup is empty to allow the lower needle of the beverage dispenser to penetrate the outer shell of the cup without tearing the inner filter membrane. A cartridge 100 of a particular outer dimension thus holds more beverage making material than a prior art single use cup of similar outer dimension. By way of example, a K-CUP coffee cartridge will only carry 9-10 grams of coffee to produce approximately 10-12 ounces of ideal strength coffee, whereas a cartridge 100 having the K-cup simulating dimensions set forth herein can carry 14 grams of coffee to produce approximately 18 ounces of ideal strength coffee.

As seen in, e.g., FIG. 3, the openings 132 in the bottom 112 are along the outer periphery of the bottom 112, while the interior 160 of bottom 112 is solid and does not have any such openings. The solid interior provides a stable surface that can be centrally gripped by suction devices to denest or move the cartridge 100 (or its pre-finalized form) during manufacturing.

Also as seen in, e.g., FIG. 3, the ribs 154 of bottom 112 between openings 132 do not all have the same shape, in that the rightmost rib 154a is wider than the other portions. This wider portion provides a larger surface to couple the filtration material 114 to bottom 112.

Operation of an embodiment of cartridge 100 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 7-10 relative to U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765. These figures are conceptual only, are not to scale and are not intended to show all features of cartridge 100.

Referring to FIG. 7, a prior art cartridge 702 consistent with U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765 is placed in a mating receptacle 704 of a beverage dispenser. The cartridge 700 rests on a lower probe needle 706, as the cartridge does not weight enough for the needle 706 to drive through the outer shell of the cartridge 702. The top 708 of the cartridge 702 thus extends beyond a top of the receptacle. The top 710 of the beverage dispenser has an upper probe needle 712.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the top 710 of the beverage dispenser is brought down onto the top 708 of the cartridge 702, forcing the lower needle 706 to penetrate the bottom of cartridge 702 and upper needle 712 to penetrate the top 708 of cartridge 702 to create upper and lower holes, respectively. Fluid is then injected into the cartridge 702 through the upper hole, mixes with the cartridge content to create a beverage, is filtered by the filter membrane (internal to the cartridge 702 and not shown) into the empty space in the bottom of the cartridge 702. Accumulated filtered beverage at the bottom leaves through the bottom hole into the base of the receptacle 704 for collection.

Referring to FIG. 9, cartridge 100 is used in connection with the same dimensioned beverage dispenser as discussed with respect to FIGS. 7-8 above. Any covering of the openings 110/132 is removed to expose the filtration material 114, and then placed in the receptacle of the beverage dispenser. Cartridge 100 is smaller in height (and possibly width, or having a different angle to create a gap for fluid to flow through the sides) than as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765, such that the top 908 of cartridge 100 will rest of the top of the receptacle 704 while the bottom is above or in contact with the lower needle 706. Referring now to FIG. 10, the top 710 of the beverage dispenser is brought down onto the top 908 of the cartridge 100, forcing the upper needle 712 to pierce top 908 to create an upper hole. However, because cartridge 100 was at or near its lowest point when loaded, the lower needle 706 does not penetrate cartridge 100. Fluid is then injected into the cartridge 100 through the upper hole, mixes with the cartridge content to create a beverage, and is filtered by the filter membrane 114 directly into the base of the receptacle 704 for collection.

As can be seen in the above, for a common beverage dispenser a cartridge 100 according to an embodiment of the invention is smaller than its counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765. Yet cartridge 100 holds more material and can provide a greater volume of beverage because its entire internal cavity can be filled.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, another embodiment of the invention is shown. Cartridge 1100 is similar to that shown in FIG. 4, save that the bottom lip 1104 comes slightly higher off the base, and there are no openings in bottom 1112. For this embodiment, all liquid will exit the sides of the cup, and no liquid will exit the bottom 1112 of the cup. FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views at different angles to show the ribs 1152, for which at least one rib 1152a may be larger than the others to support filter material

Referring now to FIG. 13, the openings 110 of cartridge 1100 of FIG. 11 are wrapped on the exterior of the side wall with a strip of filter material 1314. In the alternative, the interior could be produced with, or both the exterior and the interior could be produced, with filter material.

Referring now to FIG. 14, another embodiment of the invention is shown. Cartridge 1400 is similar to that shown in FIG. 11, save that it has circular openings 1432 on bottom 1412, and of a different number than the side openings 1410 (four openings 1432 compared to 5 openings 1410 in FIG. 14, although the numbers are not so limited and may be the same or different). The holes 1432 in FIG. 13 preferably have a diameter of about 6 mm, and about 15 mm, although the invention is not so limited.

Referring now to FIG. 15, the upward face of the bottom of cartridge 1400 is covered with a disc shaped piece of filter material 1514 that is glued, heat sealed, welded, ultrasonic or other form of permanent attachment to the bottom 112. The side openings 1510 would be similarly covered by filter material 1314 as described with respect to FIG. 13 (omitted in FIG. 15 to reveal material 1514). The disc of filter material 1514 could extend to the edges of bottom 112. In the alternative, the disc of filter material 1514 could be larger than the bottom 112, and extend slightly up the sides. The height up the sides can be limited to a portion of the side wall, and not as high as the openings 110 (to the extent present), or could go up the entire side and provide a unitary filter material for the openings 110 and 132.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, another embodiment of the invention is shown. Cartridge 1600 is similar to that shown in FIG. 11, save that there are no openings in the side walls, and three arcuate openings 1632 are provided in the bottom 1612 (although there may be more or less than 3 openings, and other shapes may be used). This design may be particularly useful for making tea, in that it has a slower drain of fluid to allow the fluid to seep longer in the tea.

Referring now to FIG. 18, cartridge 1800 (which may be any cartridge herein, or other cartridge with different combinations of features) external side filter material 1814 is shown as filled with a beverage making material 1870.

Referring now to FIG. 19, cartridge 1100 with filter material 1314 is shown covered with a top cover 1902. To cover 1902 is preferably made for a pierceable flexible or semi-rigid material preferably permanently attached to cartridge 1100 by glue, heat seal, welding, ultrasonic sealing, or other form of permanent attachment. Access to the internal beverage making material requires that the top cover 1902 be pierced, torn or otherwise removed, which permanently destroys either top cover 1902 or its attachment to the cartridge 1100. Cartridge 1900 is thus a single use cartridge. Top cover 1902 is preferably made from flexible or semi-rigid materials.

As discussed above, portions of a cartridge could be covered with a peelable coating, such as labeling, to provide an airtight inner cavity to store inject inert gas into to preserve freshness. FIG. 20 shows cartridge 1600 so wrapped with a peelable label 2002. If the bottom of the cartridge has openings, in could have a similar peelable label.

The various openings described herein are not limited to the size, shape or dimensions as shown. Referring now to FIGS. 21 and 22, non-limiting examples of other arrangements of openings in bottom of cartridges 2100 and 2200 are shown, respectively.

Each cartridge has a height that meets the general needs of the environment. Preferably, the top and bottom of each cartridge has a maximum height such that the lower probe needle of the beverage dispense does not contact or pierce the bottom. In some cases, it may be desirable to have even smaller height cartridges to mitigate contact and/or control the amount of product in use. For example, tea tends to require less material than coffee to produce the same quantity. Thus, a design for use with tea could be smaller in height than a similar design for coffee.

Features of the above embodiments may be interchanged or omitted as appropriate.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, thde disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including, the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms use in the claims.

Claims

1. A beverage dispensing cartridge, comprising:

a cup having a bottom surface and a side wall defining an inner cavity;

the side wall having a plurality of openings;

a filter covering the plurality of openings;

a beverage making material within the inner cavity; and

a pierceable top cover permanently attached to the cup;

wherein the cup, the filter material and the cover formed a closed chamber for the beverage making material;

wherein fluid injected into the beverage dispensing cartridge through a perforation in the top cover will combine with the beverage making material to produce a beverage that flows out of at least through the filter material at the plurality of openings in the side wall of the cup.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface is a solid surface and lacks holes.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter is wrapped around an exterior of the side wall.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ribs between the plurality of openings, at least one of the ribs being wider than the remaining ones of the plurality of ribs.

5. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein the filter is wrapped around an exterior of the side wall and overlaps itself over a wider one of the plurality of ribs.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface has a plurality of holes that are arcuate or circular.

7. The cartridge of claim 6, further comprising a disc shaped filter on an upwardly facing side of the bottom and covering the plurality of holes.

8. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the cartridge is configured to be pierced through the top cover to create a hole in the top cover to receive fluid, and configured to dispense through the filter beverage from the interaction of the fluid with the beverage making material, and wherein the cartridge is a single use cartridge.

9. A cartridge shell configured to form beverage dispensing cartridge, comprising:

a cup of having a bottom surface and a side wall defining an inner cavity;

the side wall having a plurality of openings;

a filter covering the plurality of openings; and

a plurality of ribs between the plurality of openings, at least one of the ribs being wider than the remaining ones of the plurality of ribs.

10. The cartridge shell of claim 9, further comprising a top pierceable cover permanently attached to the cup.

11. The cartridge shell of claim 10, wherein the top cover is configured to be pierced through to create a hole in the top cover to receive fluid, and configured to dispense through the filter beverage from the interaction of the fluid with beverage making material within the cartridge.

12. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the bottom surface is a solid surface and lacks holes.

13. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the filter material is wrapped around an exterior of the side wall.

14. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the filter material is wrapped around an exterior of the side wall and overlaps itself over a wider one of the plurality of ribs.

15. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the bottom surface has a plurality of holes that are arcuate or circular.

16. The cartridge of claim 9, further comprising a disc shaped filter material on an upwardly facing side of the bottom and covering the plurality of holes.

17. A cartridge shell configured to form beverage dispensing cartridge, comprising:

a cup of having a bottom surface and a side wall defining an inner cavity;

the bottom surface having a plurality of openings;

a disc shaped filter covering the plurality of openings; and

the side surface lacking any holes.

18. The cartridge shell of claim 17, further comprising a top pierceable cover permanently attached to the cup.

19. The cartridge shell of claim 18, wherein the cartridge is configured to be pierced through the top cover to create a hole in the top cover to receive fluid, and configured to dispense through the filter beverage from the interaction of the fluid with beverage making material within the cartridge.

20. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a peelable label covering the filter.

21. The cartridge of claim 9, further comprising a peelable label covering the filter.

22. The cartridge shell of claim 17, further comprising a peelable label covering the filter.