Single portion cartridge

• US 20060236871A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tchibo GmbH (Maxingvest AG)
• Original Assignee: Tchibo GmbH (Maxingvest AG)
• Inventors: Ternite, Rudiger, Meyer-Ruhstrat, Hartwig, Lantz, Ingo, Mund, Klaus-Dieter
• Application Number:
  US11/399,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236871A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A single portion cartridge (1), which is suitable in particular for brewing a portion of a coffee beverage, has a cartridge cover (6) and a cartridge base (4) and in the state in which it is supplied is closed on all sides. It contains a particulate beverage substance which can be extracted by means of water. Arranged between the cartridge cover (6) and the beverage substance is a distributing device (8) and/or between the beverage substance and the cartridge base (4) a screening device (9). The distributing device (8) and/or the screening device (9) has a supporting structure (20, 10), which is provided with at least one opening (26, 16), which is covered by a textile fabric (34, 30).

Claims

1. Single portion cartridge,

which comprises a cartridge cover (6) and a cartridge base (4), in the state in which it is supplied is closed on all sides and contains a particulate beverage substance which can be extracted by means of water,

a distributing device (8;

50) being arranged between the cartridge cover (6) and the beverage substance, and/or a screening device (9;

50) being arranged between the beverage substance and the cartridge base (4),

the distributing device (8;

50) and/or the screening device (9;

50) having a supporting structure (20,10), which is provided with at least one opening (26, 16;

84), which is covered by a textile fabric (34,30;

66;

74;

86).

2. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric comprises a woven fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86).

3. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric comprises a nonwoven fabric.

4. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86) contains fibres and/or filaments, which comprise at least one of the materials selected from the following list;

polyolefins, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamides, cellulose, regenerated celluloses, viscose, metals, high-grade steels.

5. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86) has pores with a size in the range from 10 μ

m to 500 μ

m, preferably in the range from 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m, with particular preference in the range from 30 μ

m to 150 μ

m.

6. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86) contains filaments of a thickness in the range from 10 μ

m to 500 μ

m, preferably in the range from 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m, with particular preference in the range from 30 μ

m to 150 μ

m.

7. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86) contains filaments which are formed as double or multiple filaments.

8. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure (10) has radially extending ribs (12;

64;

72).

9. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure (20) has an essentially planar disc (22;

80) with apertures (26;

84).

10. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure (20, 10) has in its central region a protuberance (28, 18;

62;

70;

82;

92), which is designed for receiving a spike on a coffee maker adapted for receiving the single portion cartridge.

11. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure (20, 10) has a reinforcing edge (24, 14) at its periphery.

12. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting structure (20, 10) is produced as an injection-moulded part, thermoformed part or punched part of plastic.

13. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (34, 30;

66;

74;

86) is placed on the supporting structure (20,10) and fastened to it, preferably adhesively attached and/or welded and/or stamped on.

14. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile fabric (66;

74;

86) is embedded in the supporting structure.

15. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge base (4) has an artificially weakened location (42).

16. Single portion cartridge according to claim 15, characterized in that the artificially weakened location comprises a piece of foil (42), which is preferably arranged in the central region of the cartridge base (4).

17. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the beverage substance comprises ground coffee, preferably ground coffee for the brewing of filter coffee, caffe crema or espresso.

18. Single portion cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the beverage substance comprises at least one of the following substances:

tea, chocolate, instant soup, milk powder, liquid milk.

19. Method for producing a single portion cartridge according to claim 14, characterized in that in one method step a textile fabric (66;

74;

86) is placed in an injection mould for the supporting structure of the distributing device (50) of the single portion cartridge or in an injection mould for the supporting structure of the screening device (50) of the single portion cartridge and integrated in the distributing device (50) or the screening device (50) by injecting plastics moulding compound into the mould.