COFFEE AND TEA POD

• US 20050183581A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Green, Charles Bradley, Heinsz, Louis Joseph, Kirschner, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3633 Means to perform transfer from a loading position to an infusing position
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/3642 Cartridge magazines therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8046 Pods, i.e. closed containers made only of filter paper or similar material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A pod for holding an amount of mixable material. The pod may include a circular sidewall and a base. The base may include a number of apertures. A substantially stiff filter paper may be positioned about the base.

Claims

1. A pod for holding an amount of mixable material, comprising:

a circular sidewall;

a base;

said base comprising a plurality of apertures; and

a substantially stiff filter paper positioned about said base.

2. The pod of claim 1, wherein said base comprises a substantially rigid base and said circular sidewall comprises a substantially rigid sidewall.

3. The pod of claim 1, wherein said base and said circular sidewall comprise a height to diameter ratio of about 0.435 or less.

4. The pod of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of apertures comprises a diameter of about 1.6 millimeters (about 0.063 inches).

5. The pod of claim 4, wherein said plurality of apertures comprises about 54 apertures.

6. The pod of claim 1, further comprising a concave lid positioned within said circular sidewall.

7. The pod of claim 1, wherein said substantially stiff filter paper comprises a grammage of about forty (40) grams per square meter.

8. The pod of claim 1, wherein said substantially stiff filter paper comprises a wet burst strength of about 62 kilopascals.

9. The pod of claim 1, wherein said substantially stiff filter paper comprises a plurality of sheets of filter paper.

10. The pod of claim 1, wherein said brewable material is in direct contact with said circular sidewall.

11. The pod of claim 1, wherein said substantially stiff filter paper resists deformation under water pressure of up to about eleven (11) Bar (about 160 pounds per square inch).

12. The pod of claim 11, wherein said substantially stiff filter paper resists deformation for up to about eight (8) to about fifteen (15) seconds.

13. A method of preparing and packing grinds from a raw material, comprising:

roller grinding the raw material into the grinds such that the smallest ten percent (d(0.1)) of the grinds is larger than about forty (40) microns;

placing the grinds into a substantially rigid pod; and

tamping the grinds down with a lid.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising densifying the grinds.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said densifying step comprises densifying the grinds such that solids in the grinds may be no more than about six (6) percent.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of injecting the pod with water having a temperature of over about 93 degrees Celsius (about 200 degrees Fahrenheit) at a hydraulic pressure of over about ten (10) bar (about 150 pounds per square inch).

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said roller grinding step comprises grinding the grinds such that over eighty percent (80%) percent of the grinds comprise a particle size distribution of between about 220 and about 250 microns.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said roller grinding step comprises grinding the grinds such that a surface mean diameter is at least about 100 microns.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said tamping step comprises about 13.6 kilograms of force (about thirty (30) pounds of force).

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the placing step comprises about six (6) to about eight (8) grams of grinds.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the placing step and the tamping step result in a grind density of about 0.371 grams per milliliter to about 0.426 grams per milliliter.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising brewing the grinds for about six (6) to about fourteen (14) seconds.

23. A pod for holding an amount of mixable material, comprising:

a substantially rigid sidewall;

a substantially rigid base; and

a lid;

said sidewall comprising an inside diameter and a usable height extending from said base to said lid;

said usable height and said inside diameter comprising a ratio of less than about 0.44.

24. The pod of claim 23, wherein said ratio comprises about 0.3 or less.

25. A coffee pod, comprising:

a substantially rigid sidewall;

a substantially rigid base;

a lid; and

coffee grinds positioned therein;

wherein over seventy-five percent (75%) percent of said coffee grinds comprise a particle size distribution of between about 200 and about 300 microns.

26. The coffee pod of claim 25, wherein over eighty percent (80%) percent of said coffee grinds comprise a particle size distribution of between about 220 and about 250 microns.

27. A method of brewing a beverage with the coffee pod of claim 25, comprising passing water at about nine (9) to about eleven (11) bar through said pod for about eight (8) to about fifteen (15) seconds.