Cartridge for the preparation of beverages

• US 7,287,461 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Incorporated (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carter, Steve, Halliday, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/763,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20040173102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 992/95, 993/23, 993/02.R, 426/77, 426/82, 426/112, 426/115
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4407 Lids, covers or knobs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/446 Filter holding means; Attachment of filters to beverage-making apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/56 having water-level controls; having temperature controls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8049 Details of the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8052 Details of the outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8055 Means for influencing the liquid flow inside the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0812 Bottles, cartridges or similar containers

Abstract

A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the cartridge comprises an outer member and an inner member conjoined on assembly with the outer member, characterized by the inner member comprising a discharge spout defining the outlet of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the cartridge comprises an outer member and an inner member conjoined on assembly with the outer member, characterised by the inner member comprising a discharge spout defining the outlet of the cartridge wherein the outer member comprises an inwardly directed extension which is received in a proximal end of the discharge spout on conjoining of the outer member and the inner member.

2. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner member comprises a frame having a filter disposed thereupon.

3. A cartridge as claimed in claim 2 wherein one or more passages are defined between the frame and a closed first end of the outer member when the inner member and outer member are conjoined.

4. A cartridge as claimed in claim 3 wherein the one or more passages are delimited by webs extending upwardly from the frame to the closed first end of the outer member.

5. A cartridge as claimed in claim 4 wherein the one or more passages slope downwardly towards the discharge spout.

6. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner member further comprises a skirt surrounding the discharge spout.

7. A cartridge as claimed in claim 6 wherein the skirt comprises an upper extension which, on assembly of the cartridge, contacts the closed first end of the cartridge.

8. A cartridge as claimed in claim 7 wherein an upper rim of the upper extension engages a co-operating formation of the outer member to form a snap-fit arrangement for conjoining the inner member to the outer member.

9. A cartridge as claimed in claim 8 wherein the co-operating formation of the outer member is an inwardly directed extension.

10. A cartridge as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cartridge is disc-shaped.

11. A cartridge as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for producing a jet of the beverage, which means comprises an aperture in a beverage flow path between the inlet and the outlet.

12. A cartridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein the inlet and/or outlet is covered by a substantially air- and water-impermeable material prior to the formation, in use, of the inlet and/or outlet in the cartridge.

13. A cartridge as claimed in claim 12 wherein the inlet and/or outlet is covered by a substantially air- and water-impermeable laminate.

14. A cartridge as claimed in claim 13 wherein the laminate is polypropylene.

15. A cartridge as claimed in claim 14 wherein the outer member and/or inner member are formed from polypropylene.

16. A cartridge as claimed in claim 15 wherein the outer member and/or inner member are formed from a biodegradable polymer.

17. A cartridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein the outer member and/or inner member is formed by injection moulding.

18. A cartridge as claimed in claim 17 wherein the inner member forms a load-bearing member.

19. A cartridge as claimed in claim 18 wherein the discharge spout comprises a constriction.

20. A plurality of cartridges as claimed in claim 19 wherein the percentage yield of the beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients contained in the cartridges is consistent to within 1.0 standard deviations.