INFUSIBLE MATERIAL CAPSULE FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE

• US 20090007793A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SolaBev LLC
• Original Assignee: Appliance Development Corporation
• Inventors: McGonagle, Gary P., Nickerson, Laura J., Belanger, David Normand, Glucksman, Dov Z.
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/287
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/369 Impermeable cartridges being employed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8049 Details of the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A sealed capsule for use in apparatus including a capsule receiving station and a water delivery system for brewing a hot beverage in which a hot liquid under pressure infuses a material. A capsule base has a concave bottom floor with angularly spaced structural ribs that form channels for directing brewed beverage to a sharpened spout. A collar surrounds the dispensing spout. A foil attaches to the collar to overlie the spout. A filter lies on the structural ribs. Infusible material lies on the filter. A water distribution plate overlies the infusible material. A cover closes the base unit and includes a water inlet. As the capsule seats in the capsule receiving station, the foil seal is forced over the sharpened spout to rupture and enable brewed beverage to be dispersed. A probe of the water delivery system also penetrates the cover to direct water into the capsule without contacting the infusible material or the brewed beverage.

Claims

1. An infusible material capsule for use in apparatus for dispensing a brewed beverage into a beverage receptacle wherein the apparatus includes means for delivering liquid to said capsule and a capsule receiving station that supports said capsule and wherein said capsule includes capsule base means containing the infusible material therein and including:

A) dispensing means on said capsule base means for directing brewed beverage to the receptacle,

B) standoff means extending from said capsule base means proximate said dispensing means for forming a seal support, and

C) sealing means attached to said standoff means for sealing said dispensing means, said sealing means rupturing against said dispensing means as said capsule seats in said capsule receiving station thereby to enable brewed beverage to pass from said dispensing means directly to the beverage receptacle.

2. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 1 wherein said capsule base means includes a floor and said dispensing means includes means for forming an aperture in said floor thereby to enable the brewed beverage to pass from said capsule.

3. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 2 wherein said aperture forming means includes spout means extending from said floor for forming a passage from the floor aperture.

4. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 3 wherein said spout terminates in a sharpened free end that ruptures said seal.

5. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 3 wherein said floor is concave for forming a sloped surface toward the floor aperture.

6. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 5 wherein the floor aperture is centered in said floor and said capsule base means additionally includes means for channeling brewed beverage to said dispensing means.

7. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 6 wherein said means for channeling includes a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending ribs.

8. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 7 wherein said capsule additionally includes means for filtering the brewed beverage, said ribs supporting said filtering means.

9. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 3 wherein said aperture forming means is centered on said floor and standoff means includes collar means spaced from and concentric with said spout means.

10. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 9 wherein said collar means terminates in a planar surface and said sealing means comprises a gas impermeable foil attached to said planar surface.

11. An infusible material capsule for use in apparatus for dispensing a brewed beverage into a beverage receptacle wherein the apparatus includes a means for delivering liquid to said capsule and wherein said capsule comprises:

A) capsule base means for defining an open-ended cavity including a permeable support structure for containing infusible material from which brewed beverage can be dispensed,

B) cover means attached to said capsule base means with a pierceable inlet means for directing liquid from the liquid delivery means into said cavity, said cover means sealing said cavity, and

C) liquid distribution means intermediate said cover means and the infusible material at a predetermined position in said capsule base means cavity for distributing the liquid across the infusible material, said liquid distribution means including positioning means for maintaining the predetermined position of said liquid distribution means in said cavity whereby said liquid distribution means can be positioned to compress a range of infusible material quantities in said cavity.

12. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 11 said capsule base means includes peripheral wall about said cavity and said positioning means includes flexible means at the periphery of said liquid distribution means for engaging said wall thereby to allow movement of said liquid positioning means in said cavity only toward the infusible material.

13. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 12 wherein said wall is characterized by conical shape at a draft angle, wherein said liquid distribution means includes a substantially planar annular portion and wherein said flexible means comprises a J-shaped peripheral portion extending from said annular portion for engaging said wall.

14. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 13 wherein said flexible means terminates with a feathered edge surface that engages said wall.

15. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 14 wherein said annular portion includes a plurality of apertures therethrough for enabling the passage of the liquid therethrough and for confining the infusible material between said permeable support structure in said capsule base means and said liquid distribution means.

16. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 11 wherein said cover additionally includes central structure means including a plurality of radial passages for directing liquid over said liquid distribution means.

17. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 16 wherein said cover includes a plurality of angularly spaced ribs extending radially from said central structure.

18. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 16 wherein said cover includes a centrally located breakout portion that is easily penetrated.

19. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 18 wherein said cover additionally includes means for localizing the effects of piercing said breakout portion.

20. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 16 wherein said cover means includes a central aperture therethrough sized to accommodate a water delivery probe and a gas impermeable sealing foil attached to said cover proximate said central aperture and overlying said central aperture.

21. An infusible material capsule for use in apparatus for dispensing a brewed beverage into a beverage receptacle wherein the apparatus includes means for delivering hot water under pressure to said capsule and capsule receiving means for supporting said capsule, said capsule comprising:

A) a capsule base that forms a cavity for a predetermined quantity of the infusible material and that includes;

i) a dispenser that directs brewed beverage to the receptacle, and

ii) a standoff extending from said capsule base proximate said dispenser that forms a seal support,

B) a gas impermeable seal attached to said standoff that overlies said dispenser thereby to preserve freshness, said seal being ruptured against said dispenser as said capsule is seated in the capsule receiving means thereby to enable brewed beverage to pass from said capsule to the beverage receptacle without contacting the beverage brewing apparatus.

22. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 21 wherein said capsule base includes a floor and said dispenser means includes an aperture through said floor.

23. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 22 additionally including a spout extending from said floor to a free end for forming a passage from the floor aperture.

24. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 23 wherein said spout free end is sharpened to rupture said seal.

25. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 23 wherein said floor is concave to slope to the floor aperture.

26. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 25 wherein the floor aperture is centered in said floor and said capsule base includes a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending ribs that channel brewed beverage to said dispenser.

27. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 26 wherein said capsule additionally includes a filter intermediate said ribs and the infusible material thereby to block the transfer of infusible material through said dispenser.

28. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 23 wherein said aperture is centered on said floor and said standoff includes a collar spaced from and concentric with said spout.

29. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 28 wherein said collar terminates in a planar surface that supports said seal.

30. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 29 wherein said seal comprises a gas impermeable foil attached to said planar surface.

31. An infusible material capsule for use in apparatus for dispensing a brewed beverage into a beverage receptacle wherein the apparatus includes a means for delivering hot water under pressure to said capsule and wherein said capsule comprises:

A) a capsule base formed as an open-ended cavity including a permeable support structure for containing infusible material from which brewed beverage can be dispensed,

B) a cover attached to said capsule base with a pierceable inlet directing hot water from said delivery means into said cavity, said cover sealing said cavity, and

C) a water distribution plate intermediate said cover and the infusible material at a predetermined position in said capsule base cavity for distributing the hot water across the infusible material, said water distribution plate including a positioner that maintains the predetermined position of said water distribution plate in said cavity whereby said water distribution plate can compress a range of infusible material quantities in said cavity.

32. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 31 said capsule base includes a peripheral wall about said cavity and said positioner means includes a flexible peripheral portion of said water distribution plate that engages said wall thereby to allow movement of said positioner means in said cavity only toward the infusible material.

33. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 32 wherein said wall is conical at a draft angle, wherein said water distribution plate includes a substantially planar annular portion and wherein said flexible peripheral portion extends from said annular portion and has a J-shape that engages said wall.

34. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 33 wherein said J-shaped peripheral portion terminates with a feathered edge surface that engages said wall.

35. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 34 wherein said annular portion includes a plurality of apertures therethrough for enabling the passage of the water therethrough and for confining the infusible material between said permeable support structure in said capsule base and said water distribution plate.

36. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 35 wherein the brewing apparatus includes a water delivery probe and said cover includes pierceable means for receiving the probe and wherein said cover includes a central structure including radial passages therethrough for directing the water from the probe over the water distribution plate.

37. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 36 wherein said pierceable means includes a breakout portion in said cover and a surrounding structure that blocks the propagation of any breakage beyond said central structure.

38. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 36 wherein pierceable means includes a central aperture through said cover for receiving the probe and a gas impermeable foil seal attached to said cover and overlying said central aperture.

39. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 36 wherein said cover includes a plurality of angularly spaced ribs extending radially from said central structure.

40. An infusible material capsule for use in apparatus for dispensing a brewed beverage into a beverage receptacle wherein the apparatus includes a water delivery probe that delivers hot water under pressure to said capsule and a capsule receiving station wherein said capsule comprises:

A) a capsule base having a side wall, an open end and a dispensing structure and having a floor and ribs that channel brewed beverage to said dispensing structure, said dispensing structure including;

i) a spout extending from said floor to a sharpened free end,

ii) a collar concentric with said spout, and

iii) a seal attached to said collar to overlie said spout to provide a first seal for maintaining the freshness of said infusible material, said seal being ruptured over said sharpened free end as said capsule seats in the capsule receiving station,

B) a filter supported by said ribs,

C) infusible material on said filter,

D) a water distribution plate in said capsule base engaging said side wall to compact said infusible material against said filter and having a plurality of apertures therethrough, and

E) a cover attached to said capsule base at said open end thereby to provide a second seal for maintaining the freshness of said infusible material, said cover having a portion thereof for being penetrated by the water delivery probe to deliver hot water under pressure intermediate said cover and said water distribution plate,

41. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 40 wherein said capsule base side wall is conical at a draft angle, wherein said water distribution plate includes a substantially planar annular portion and a flexible peripheral portion that extends from said annular portion and has a J-shape that engages said side wall whereby the water distribution plate can be positioned within the cavity to accommodate different quantities of infusible material.

42. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 41 wherein said J-shaped peripheral portion terminates with a feathered edge surface that engages said wall.

43. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 40 wherein said cover includes pierceable means for receiving the probe and wherein said cover includes a central structure including radial passages therethrough for directing the water from the probe over the water distribution plate.

44. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 43 wherein said pierceable means includes a breakout portion in said cover and a surrounding structure that blocks the propagation of any breakage beyond said central structure.

45. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 43 wherein pierceable means includes a central aperture through said cover for receiving the probe and a gas impermeable foil seal attached to said cover and overlying said central aperture.

46. An infusible material capsule as recited in claim 43 wherein said cover includes a plurality of angularly spaced ribs extending radially from said central structure.