Filter for making portions of coffee or tea

• US 4,859,337 A
• Filed: 07/10/1987
• Issued: 08/22/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erich H. Woltermann
• Original Assignee: Erich H. Woltermann
• Inventors: Woltermann, Erich H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hruskoci, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Millard, Wanda L.
• Application Number:
  US07/071,957
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 426/108, 426/110, 426/124, 426/119, 426/126, 426/133, 426/127, 426/316, 426/319, 426/78, 426/79, 426/86, 210/473, 210/474, 210/477, 210/478, 210/481, 210/497.3, 210/479, 99/295
• US Class Current: 210/474
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/02 Coffee-making machines with removable extraction cups, to be placed on top of drinking-vessels i.e. coffee-makers with removable brewing vessels, to be placed on top of beverage containers, into which hot water is poured, e.g. cafe filter filters A47J31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/816 into which liquid is added and the resulting preparation is retained, e.g. cups preloaded with powder or dehydrated food

Abstract

The invention relates to A filter for making portions of coffee or tea, comprising a substantially cup-shaped supporting vessel having a pouring-in opening at the top, a chamber for filling with liquid and having an outlet opening at the bottom, and a filter insert disposed in the supporting vessel above the outlet opening, wherein the filter insert (5) comprises a filter mat and extends approximately parallel to the inner wall of the supporting vessel and its periphery is connected to the supporting vessel (1) in the edge region of the pouring-in opening (2).

Claims

1. A filter for making portions of coffee or tea from a ground material of coffee or tea comprising:

a supporting member provided with an upper pouring-in opening and a rim surrounding said upper pouring-in opening;

said supporting member being a cup-shaped, inherently stable supporting vessel having a chamber for filling with liquid adjacent to said upper pouring-in opening;

said supporting vessel being provided with a lower outlet opening;

a bag-shaped filter insert disposed in said chamber of said supporting vessel spaced above said lower outlet opening;

said filter insert being a filter mat having a shape adapted to the shape of said supporting vessel so that said filter mat extends downwardly within said supporting vessel approximately parallel to inner wall of said supporting vessel;

an upper periphery of said filter mat being disposed on and connected to said rim of said supporting vessel to support said filter mat in a position spaced above said lower outlet opening;

a filling of the ground material of coffee or tea being disposed within said filter mat;

said supporting vessel and said filter mat together with said filling being arranged within an individual pack in a gas-tight arrangement;

said individual pack including a receiving vessel, said receiving vessel receiving and surrounding said supporting vessel within an interior space of said receiving vessel;

said receiving vessel being provided with an upper opening and an annular collar surrounding said upper opening of said receiving vessel;

said rim of said supporting vessel resting on an inner region of said annular collar of said receiving vessel;

sealing means for sealing said upper opening of said receiving vessel in a gas-tight manner to maintain said supporting vessel and said filter mat within said receiving vessel;

said sealing means being a cover foil disposed across said rim and upper pour-in opening of said supporting vessel in a sealing area;

said cover foil being connected by sealing to an outer peripheral region of said annular collar of said receiving vessel; and

said rim of said supporting vessel being inwardly spaced from said sealing means at said outer peripheral region of said annular collar of said receiving vessel.

2. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter mat is a deep-drawn part made of tear-resistant material which is physiologically safe and non-toxic.

3. A filter according to claim 2, wherein the filter mat is made of sealable material and the peripheral connection between the filter mat and the supporting vessel comprises a seal.

4. A filter according to claim 2, wherein the filter mat is made of approximately 60-70% polyester fibre and approximately 30-40% polypropylene fibre.

5. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the supporting vessel comprises a polystyrene foil and an internal layer of polyethylene.

6. A filter according to claim 1, wherein channels extending radially from the outlet opening towards the pouring-in opening are engraved in the wall of the supporting vessel and are open towards the interior thereof.

7. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the pouring-in opening of the supporting vessel is surrounded by an edge of said rim extending approximately at right angles to the supporting vessel axis.

8. A filter according to claim 7, wherein the filter mat is connected at the edge to the supporting vessel by a sealing layer.

9. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the sealed interior of the individual pack is filled with a protective gas.

10. A filter according to claim 9, wherein said protective gas is nitrogen.

11. A filter according to claim 9, wherein said protective gas is carbon dioxide.

12. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the receiving vessel is made from a multi-layer foil impermeable to gas or water vapour.

13. A filter according to claim 12, wherein the multi-layer foil comprises a polyvinyl chloride supporting foil which forms the exterior of the wall of the receiving vessel and is covered in succession by a polyethylene foil, an ethylene vinyl alcohol foil and a second polyethylene foil.

14. A filter according to claim 13, wherein the polyvinyl chloride foil has a thickness of 300 to 400μ

, and the other three foils together have a thickness of 65 to 75μ

.

15. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the cover foil comprises an aluminium foil coated with polyethylene on the side facing the inner side of the receiving vessel.

16. A filter according to claim 1, wherein the sealing area has a gap width of about 3 to 4 mm.