Cartridge for the preparation of beverages

• US 7,418,899 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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:
  US10/763,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 992/92, 993/23, 992/79, 993/02.R, 992/89.R, 99/29, 426/77, 426/80
• 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 85/8055 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, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and means for producing a jet of the beverage, wherein said means for producing the jet of the beverage comprises an aperture in a beverage flow path linking the inlet to the outlet, characterized in that the aperture is delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member.

Claims

1. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and means for producing a jet of the beverage, wherein said means for producing the jet of the beverage comprises an aperture in a beverage flow path linking the inlet to the outlet, characterised in that the aperture is bounded on one side by the inner member and bounded on another side by the outer member.

2. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of the inner member or outer member comprises an opening and the other of the inner member or outer member comprises an obstruction, wherein on insertion of the inner member in the outer member, the obstruction partially obstructs the opening to so bound the side of the aperture.

3. A cartridge as claimed in claim 2 wherein the opening comprises an elongated slot.

4. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein a filter is fixed in the beverage flow path and is supported by the inner member and the inner member is fixedly attached to the outer member.

5. A cartridge as claimed in claim 4 wherein the beverage ingredients are sealed in the outer member by a lid fixedly attached to the outer member.

6. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aperture is downstream of a filter in the beverage flow path and the inner member is fixed to the outer member.

7. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and means for producing a jet of the beverage, wherein said means for producing the jet of the beverage comprises an aperture in a beverage flow path linking the inlet to the outlet, the aperture is delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member and the inner member has an elongated slot opening and the outer member has an obstruction, wherein on insertion of the inner member in the outer member, the obstruction partially obstructs the opening to do so delimit the aperture.

8. A cartridge as claimed in claim 7 wherein the obstruction comprises an extension of the outer member at least a part of which projects into the inner member.

9. A cartridge as claimed in claim 8 wherein the elongated slot is formed in a cylindrical wall of the inner member.

10. A cartridge as claimed in claim 9 wherein the elongated slot extends to the upper edge of the cylindrical wall.

11. A cartridge as claimed in claim 9 wherein the extension of the outer member is a cylindrical extension which is received as a sliding fit within the cylindrical wall of the inner member.

12. A cartridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein the aperture has a cross-sectional area of 0.4 to 0.7 mm2.

13. A cartridge as claimed in claim 12 further comprising at least one inlet for air and means for generating a pressure reduction of the jet of beverage, whereby, in use, air from the at least one air inlet is incorporated into the beverage as a plurality of small bubbles.

14. A cartridge as claimed in claim 13 wherein the at least one air inlet is provided in the inner member downstream of the aperture.

15. A cartridge as claimed in claim 14 wherein the inner member comprises a discharge spout defining the outlet.

16. A cartridge as claimed in claim 15 wherein the jet of beverage issuing from the aperture is directed into the discharge spout.

17. A cartridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein the jet of beverage impinges a surface of the discharge spout between issuing from the aperture and exiting the outlet.

18. A cartridge as claimed in claim 17 wherein the surface is a concave wall of the discharge spout.

19. A cartridge as claimed in claim 18 wherein the concave wall is positioned on an opposite side of the discharge spout from the aperture.

20. A cartridge as claimed in claim 19 wherein the aperture directs the beverage to flow at an angle substantially perpendicular to a flow of beverage out of the outlet.

21. A cartridge as claimed in claim 20 wherein the discharge spout is integral with the inner member.

22. A cartridge as claimed in claim 21 wherein the cartridge is disc-shaped.

23. A cartridge as claimed in claim 22 wherein the outer member and/or inner member are formed from polypropylene.

24. A cartridge as claimed in claim 23 wherein the outer member and/or inner member are formed from a biodegradable polymer.

25. A cartridge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the outer member and/or inner member is formed by injection moulding.

26. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and means for producing a jet of the beverage, wherein said means for producing the jet of the beverage comprises an aperture in a beverage flow path linking the inlet to the outlet, characterised in that the aperture is delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member;

wherein the outer member has a closed side and an open side, the aperture is partially delimited by the closed side of the outer member, and a flexible laminate. pierceable lid closes the open side of the outer member.

27. A cartridge as claimed in claim 26 wherein a filter is supported by the inner member and the beverage ingredients are contained between the lid and the filter.

28. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member inserted in the outer member and supporting a filter, and an aperture in a beverage flow linking the inlet to the outlet for producing a jet of the beverage, the filter being fixed in the beverage flow path and the aperture being delimited by an interface between the inner member and the outer member, and at least one air inlet disposed downstream of the aperture and upstream of the outlet whereby, in use, air from the at least one air inlet is incorporated into the beverage exiting the aperture as a plurality of small bubbles.

29. A cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, said cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, and an outlet for a beverage produced from said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein said cartridge comprises an outer member, an inner member disposed in the outer member and supporting a filter, and an aperture in a beverage flow linking the inlet to the outlet for producing a jet of the beverage, the aperture being bounded on at least one side by a slot formed in a rim of the inner member and bounded on another side by an inward extension of the outer member.

30. The cartridge of claim 29, wherein the inward extension of the outer member is positioned inwardly and adjacent to the rim.