Single Serving Brewing Material Holder

• US 20110117248A1
• Filed: 12/04/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adrian Rivera
• Original Assignee: Adrian Rivera
• Inventors: Rivera, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 9,795,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/77
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/085 to be used for brewing coffee under pressure, e.g. for espresso machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 29/022 packaging infusion material into capsules
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 67/02 Packaging of articles or materials in containers
• 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 filter paper cup for making a beverage pod. The filter paper cup includes a cover and a base (or receptacle). The filter paper cup is formed by forming pleats in walls and a rim around the tops of the wall. Preferably, a heat seal filter paper is used and the pleats in the walls and rim are adhered by the heat to retain the shape. The base in inserted into a pod holder and brewing material is placed into the base. The cover is folded over the rim, and a lid is attached to the pod holder to sandwich the cover and rim to seal the pod. The cover is held taut by the lid of the pod holder to facilitate penetration of the cover by a needle to inject water into the pod.

Claims

1. A packaging material for forming beverage pods, comprising:

a receptacle, said receptacle comprising a downward concave cup having pleated walls and shaped to receive and hold a brewing material and a pleated annular rim circling the downward concave cup; and

a flat cover hingedly attached to the annular rim, said cover is configured to cover the upper opening and the annular rim of the receptacle, wherein the receptacle and the cover are made of water permeable material comprising a smaller diameter first portion forming the flat cover and a larger diameter second portion forming the receptacle and forming the downward concave cup of the receptacle from the larger diameter second portion creates the folds in the downward concave cup, wherein the annular rim and edge of the cover are configured to reside between a lid and body of a pod holder to seal the packaging material during brewing.

2. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the receptacle and the cover are cut from a single piece of filter paper.

3. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the receptacle and the cover are separately cut from filter paper and hingedly attached prior to filling the receptacle with brewing material.

4. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the walls of the concave cup are substantially vertical walls including the pleats.

5. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the walls of the concave cup substantially form a frusto-conical surface including the pleats.

6. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the annular rim of the receptacle continues the pleated structure of the walls of the receptacle.

7. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the packaging material is made from heat seal filter paper and the shape of the annular rim is retained by the adhesion of adjacent pleats following applying heat to the formed packaging material.

8. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the pleats in the annular rim are continuations of the pleats in the sides.

9. The packaging material of claim 1, wherein the annular rim and the cover have approximately the same diameter.

10. A method of manufacturing a package assembly and constructing a beverage pod, comprising:

forming a package assembly comprising the steps of;

providing water permeable material;

forming substantially circular lower and upper portions hingedly connected to each other, from the water permeable material;

shaping the lower portion to form a downward concave cup shaped receptacle to receive and hold a brewing material; and

forming an annular rim surrounding the top of the concave cup shape of the receptacle therein the upper portion is configured to fold along the hinge over the lower portion and onto the annular rim to provide a cover for the receptacle to form a single pod;

providing the package assembly to an individual user; and

manufacturing a single beverage pod by the user, comprising the steps of;

obtaining a pod holder;

positioning the receptacle of the package assembly in a base of the pod holder;

positioning the annular rim on a top edge of the base of the pod holder;

filling the receptacle of the package assembly with the brewing material;

folding the cover of the package assembly over the receptacle; and

attaching a lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder to sandwich the annular rim of the receptacle and the outer edge of the cover between the lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the lid of the pod holder and the base of the pod holder sandwich the annular rim of the receptacle and the outer edge of the cover to hold the cover taut to facilitate puncturing the pod cover for injecting heated water into the pod.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching a lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder to sandwich the annular rim of the receptacle and the outer edge of the cover between the lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder is the sole method of sealing the pod.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching a lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder to sandwich the annular rim of the receptacle and the outer edge of the cover between the lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder is the sole method of retaining the brewing material in the pod.

14. A beverage pod, comprising:

a receptacle, said receptacle comprising a downward concave cup having pleated walls and shaped to receive and hold a brewing material and a pleated annular rim circling the downward concave cup;

a flat cover hingedly attached to the annular rim, said cover is configured to cover the upper opening and the annular rim of the receptacle , wherein the receptacle and the cover are made of water permeable material comprising a smaller diameter first portion forming the flat cover and a larger diameter second portion forming the receptacle and forming the downward concave cup of the receptacle from the larger diameter second portion creates the folds in the downward concave cup;

brewing material residing in the receptacle; and

the annular rim and edge of the cover reside between a lid and body of a pod holder holding the annular rim and edge of the cover together to seal the pod.

15. The beverage pod of claim 14, wherein the pod cover is held taut by the cooperation of the lid and body of a pod holder to facilitate puncturing the pod cover for injecting heated water into the pod.

16. The beverage pod of claim 14, wherein the pod is a tamped pod.

17. The beverage pod of claim 14, wherein the tamped pod is tamped by a spring residing in the pod holder.

18. The beverage pod of claim 14, wherein the brewing material is retained in the pod solely by attaching a lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder to sandwich the annular rim of the receptacle and the outer edge of the cover between the lid of the pod holder to the base of the pod holder.