CARTRIDGE WITH FILTER GUARD

• US 20100303964A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Keurig, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wuertele, James W., Beaulieu, Roderick H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,750,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/77
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/446 Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cartridge for forming a beverage includes a container defining an interior space, a filter, a beverage medium contained in the interior space, and a filter guard. The filter may be arranged so that liquid that interacts with the beverage medium flows through the filter to exit the interior space. The container may include a surface arranged to be pierced by a piercing member to permit beverage to exit the container. The filter guard may be arranged to contact the piercing member to resist damage to the filter when the container surface is pierced. In one embodiment the filter guard and filter may be in contact with the container surface that is pierced, yet damage to the filter that might be caused by the piercing element may be avoided.

Claims

1. A cartridge for use in forming a beverage, the cartridge comprising:

a container defining an interior space having first and second portions, the container having a surface arranged to be pierced by a piercing element to permit a beverage to exit the interior space;

a beverage medium arranged to interact with liquid introduced into the container to form a beverage, the beverage medium being located in the first portion of the interior space;

a filter attached to the container and at least partially located in the interior space, the filter being arranged so that liquid that interacts with the beverage medium in the first portion of the interior space flows through the filter toward the second portion of the interior space; and

a filter guard disposed in the interior space and arranged to contact a piercing element and resist damage to the filter when the container surface is pierced by the piercing element to permit a beverage to exit the interior space.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard contacts both the piercing element and the filter when the container surface is pierced.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the filter is displaceable relative to the container and the filter guard is arranged to displace at least a portion of the filter when at least a portion of the filter guard is displaced by contact with the piercing element.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard is not attached to the container.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the container has an opening that is closed by a lid arranged to be pierced by a second piercing element to permit liquid to be introduced into the first portion of the interior space.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard has a disc shape.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard comprises a body with at least one channel arranged to permit liquid to flow past the body.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard separates at least a portion of the container surface to be pierced and the filter.

9. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter guard is attached to the filter.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the container has a frustoconical shape with a sidewall and a bottom, the filter has a fluted or conical shape, the filter is attached to at least a sidewall of the container, and the filter guard includes a disc shaped body at the bottom of the container.

11. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the filter adjacent the filter guard is closely approximate with or in contact with the surface of the container.

12. The cartridge of claim 11, wherein a bottom of the filter is approximate with or in contact with the surface of the container.

13. A method of manufacturing a cartridge for use with a beverage brewing machine, comprising:

providing a filter, a filter guard and a container having an opening, an interior space and a surface arranged to be pierced to allow a beverage to exit the interior space;

inserting at least a portion of the filter in the interior space of the container;

inserting the filter guard in the interior space of the container; and

attaching the filter to the container, the filter being arranged to receive a beverage material in a first portion of the interior space such that liquid that interacts with the beverage material flows through the filter toward a second portion of the interior space;

wherein the filter guard is arranged to contact a piercing element and resist damage to the filter when the container surface is pierced by the piercing element.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

placing the beverage medium in the first portion of the interior space of the container, the beverage medium being arranged to interact with the liquid introduced into the first portion of the interior space to form a beverage;

and

closing the opening of the container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening of the container is closed by a lid that is arranged to be pierced by a second piercing element to permit the liquid to enter the first portion of the interior space.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the container has a frustoconical shape with a sidewall and a bottom, the filter has a fluted or conical shape, the filter is attached to at least a sidewall of the container, and the filter guard is positioned at the bottom of the container.

17. A beverage system comprising:

a beverage machine comprising;

a receptacle arranged to receive a cartridge;

a fluid inlet arranged to introduce liquid into the cartridge; and

a fluid outlet including a piercing element arranged to pierce a surface of the cartridge; and

a cartridge arranged to be received by the receptacle of the beverage machine, the cartridge comprising;

a container defining an interior space and having the surface arranged to be pierced by a piercing element;

a beverage medium in the interior space arranged to interact with liquid introduced by the fluid inlet into the container to form a beverage;

a filter at least partially located in the interior space and arranged to filter liquid that interacts with the beverage medium in the interior space; and

a filter guard arranged to contact the piercing element and resist damage to the filter when the container surface is pierced by the piercing element to permit a beverage to exit the interior space of the container.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the filter guard is disposed in the interior space of the container.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the piercing element includes a needle.

20. A method of making a beverage, comprising:

providing a beverage machine comprising a receptacle arranged to receive a cartridge, a fluid inlet arranged to introduce liquid into the cartridge, and a fluid outlet including a piercing element arranged to pierce a surface of the cartridge;

providing a cartridge in the receptacle of the beverage machine, the cartridge including a container with an interior space, and a filter and filter guard both located in the interior space and near a surface of the cartridge;

piercing the surface of the cartridge with the piercing element so as to form an opening in the surface to permit a beverage to exit the container; and

contacting the piercing element with the filter guard to resist damage to the filter.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

introducing a liquid into the interior space by way of the fluid inlet; and

permitting a beverage to exit the cartridge through the opening formed by the piercing element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein contacting the piercing element comprises displacing at least a portion of the filter guard and at least a portion of the filter relative to the container.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the filter guard separates at least a portion of the piercing element and at least a portion of the filter when the filter guard contacts the piercing element.