COFFEE POD

• US 20170305653A1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Inventors: Norton, Mark Richard Thomas, De Cleir, Piaras Valdis
• Granted Patent: US 10,450,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/34 with hot water under liquid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/368 Permeable cartridges being employed
• 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 coffee pod is described with an improved sealing surface for a filter disposed within the pod. The improved sealing surface provides better adherence between the filter and a sidewall of the pod so that unadhered portions are minimized and operation is improved. A coffee pod is also described with an improved foot structure having a configuration and thickness designed to minimize buckling while also utilizing a cost-efficient amount of material.

Claims

1. A coffee pod comprising:

a container body having an interior and an open top;

a filter adhered to the container body within the interior thereof;

a cover sealed to the container over the open top thereof;

wherein the container body includes;

a bottom wall portion; and

a side wall portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall portion, the side wall including a stacking shoulder, an upper portion above the stacking shoulder, and a lower portion below the stacking shoulder, wherein the sidewall lower portion adjacent to the stacking shoulder has an average thickness greater than an average thickness of the bottom wall portion within a piercing area thereof to resist buckling as a result of the bottom wall being pierced.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a thickness of the side wall lower portion adjacent to the stacking shoulder and the bottom wall portion within the piercing area has an average value of between about 1.01 and 1.03.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side wail upper portion includes an inwardly sloped wall portion having the filter adhered thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the inwardly sloped wall of the side wall upper portion extends at between about 40 degrees and about 50 degrees from vertical.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side wall lower portion extends inwardly between 0 and 10 degrees from vertical.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side wall lower portion has a height of about 15% of a total height of the container body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall portion includes a raised interior portion and an outer annular portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the raised interior portion is configured to be pierced by an inlet needle in an off-center location thereof.

9. A method of forming the container body of the coffee pod of claim 1, the method comprising:

forming a container body out of a plastic material, wherein forming the container body comprises;

forming the side wall portion to include the inwardly sloped wall portion adjacent a top edge thereof and the stacking shoulder adjacent a bottom edge thereof;

forming the bottom wall portion having a raised interior region and outer annular portion.

10. A method of brewing a beverage using the coffee pod of claim 1, the method comprising:

piercing the cover with a device configured to dispense a liquid into the container body interior;

piercing the bottom wall portion with an instrument to create a dispensing opening therein, the container body being configured to resist buckling due to the piercing of the bottom wall portion.

11. A coffee pod comprising:

a container body having an interior and an open top;

a filter adhered to the container body within the interior thereof;

a cover sealed to the container over the open top thereof;

wherein the container body includes;

a bottom wall portion;

a side wall portion extending upwardly from the bottom wall portion, the side wall including a stacking shoulder, an upper portion above the stacking shoulder, and a lower portion below the stacking shoulder;

an inwardly sloped wall portion of the side wall upper portion having the filter adhered thereto, wherein the inwardly sloped wall of the side wall upper portion extends at between about 40 degrees and about 50 degrees from vertical.

12. The coffee pod of claim 11 wherein the inwardly sloped wall portion extends at about 45 degrees from vertical.

13. The coffee pod of claim 11, wherein the sidewall lower portion adjacent to the stacking shoulder has an average thickness greater than an average thickness of the bottom wall portion within a piercing area thereof to resist buckling as a result of the bottom wall being pierced.

14. The coffee pod of claim 13 wherein a ratio of a thickness of the side wall lower portion and the bottom wall portion has an average value of between about 1.01 and 1.03 so that the sidewall is configured