Beverage making cartridge

• US 4,886,674 A
• Filed: 05/10/1988
• Issued: 12/12/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mars Limited (GREE Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mars Limited (GREE Inc.)
• Inventors: Seward, Barry, Pope, Kevin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinstein, Steven
• Application Number:
  US07/195,387
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 426/112, 426/115, 426/124, 426/394, 426/433, 426/113, 426/77-84, 426/120, 99/295, 99/296, 99/287, 99/289 R, 99/289 T, 99/316, 99/317, 99/323, 99/319, 99/321, 222/129.1, 222/541, 206/.5, 383/80, 383/21, 383/93, 383/94, 383/904, 383/102, 383/103, 210/282, 210/484
• US Class Current: 426/79
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters

Abstract

A sealed beverage sachet containing a web material 8 supporting a beverage-providing product 14 and having a nozzle 16 to locate an aqueous medium injector into the sachet. The base seam of the sachet may be a heat- or pressure-sensitive seal 6. The web material 8 has a upwardly-directed seam 12 which everts when the sachet is used. The web material may be a filter for ground coffee or leaf tea, or a coarse mesh for dispersible products such as powdered chocolate or soups, or an impermeable web which is provided with means for releasing the sachet contents in use.

Claims

1. A generally planar sealed beverage sachet comprising,

a product which provides a beverage when mixed in an aqueous medium,

a substantially air- and water-impermeable sheet material defining opposing panels sealed to each other by a seam along an upper portion of said sachet, a pair of side seams and a base seam to enclose said product which is contained therein,

a web of material adhered to both of said opposing panels of said sheet material between said side seams and between said base seam and the upper portion of said sachet,

said base seam being a self-opening, pressure sensitive seal which is automatically releasable thus allowing the base seam to open upon a liquid medium being introduced into the sachet under pressure through said upper portion above said web,

said web material being water permeable and having a seam whose apex points toward said upper portion of said sachet with said product being disposed on the upper portion of said web material, and

said web material when viewed in cross-section having an inverted, upwardly directed generally V-shaped portion of web material free from adherence to said opposing faces of said sheet material and configured to provide an assist to the opening of said base seal by everting downwardly towards said base seam upon introduction of said pressurized liquid medium through said upper portion above said web.

2. A sachet as set forth in claim 1 wherein said product is ground coffee or leaf tea and the web material forms a filter therefor.

3. A sachet as set forth in claim 1 wherein said product forms a beverage when dispersed or dissolved in said aqueous medium and said web material is a coarse mesh which releases said product when aqueous medium is introduced into the sachet and said base seam is opened.

4. A sachet as set forth in claim 1 wherein a locating means for an aqueous medium introducing means is provided on the sachet.

5. A sachet as set forth in claim 4 wherein said locating means comprises a nozzle attached to said sachet.

6. A sachet as set forth in claim 5 wherein said nozzle is attached to said upper seam of said sachet and is downwardly directed towards said base seam.

7. A sachet as set forth in claim 1 wherein additional non-soluble ingredients for the beverage to be formed are disposed in said sachet between said base seal and said web of material.