Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPOSABLE FILTER CARTRIDGE FOR COFFEE OR THE LIKE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a disposable filter cartridge for use in a
coffee vending machine like those found in offices or similar locations.
b) Brief description of the prior art
Commercial automated coffee machines such as the ones described in
U.S patents Nos. 5,237,911 and 5,255,593 are well known in the art. The
maintenance of such machines is a laborious job since they have a coffee
distributor which requires frequent cleaning. These coffee machines must also
be
filled regularly with fresh coffee and regularly provided with rolls of filter
paper.
It is also known in the art to provide packs of coffee or tea consisting of
two layers of perforated paper between which a given amount of the substance
to
infuse is kept (see for example U.S. patent No. 5,298,267). The periphery of
the
two layers is glued or otherwise fastened together by a method like the one
described in U.S. patent No. 5,012,629. However, this kind of packs are not
sufficiently though for use in automated coffee vending machines because in
such
machine the infusion process is accelerated by means of a piston which forces
water in and out of the filter before being poured into the cup.
Also known is U.S. patent No.4,052,318 which describes a reusable
coffee filter for use with home coffee makers. The filter has two layers of
filter
material spaced apart and connected together with securing means. In
contradistinction with the present invention, this filter is reusable and the
substance to be infused is deposited upper both layers of filter material.
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Accordingly, there is a need for a disposable filter cartridge for use in a
hot
beverage machine, and particularly commercial automated coffee vendino
machine. This cartridge must be devised to be easily insertable into a
corresponding receptacle of the machine and capable of withstanding the
pressure
caused by the piston of the machine. The cartridge must also be cheap to
manufacture in order to be disposable.
There is also a need for a beverage machine, such as a commercial
coffee machine, devoid of any coffee distributor and paper rolls, thereby
requiring
a minimum of maintenance.
The present invention fulfils these needs and also other needs which will
be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following
specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a disposable filter
cartridge which satisfies the above needs.
The filter cartridge according to the invention has two spaced apart layers
of porous filter material which are connected to a rigid or semi-rigid support
and
used as a container for infusing substance.
More particularly, the invention provides a disposable infusing substance
filter cartridge for use in a hot beverage machine, comprising:
- a hollow rigid or semi-rigid support;
- a pair of spaced apart layers of porous filter material each having a
peripheral portion secured to the support; and
- an infusing substance contained between the pair of ~Iter layers within
the support.
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Advantageously, the support defines a closed loop having upper and lower
edges on which the peripheral portions of the spaced apart layers are
respectively
secured. The support is preferably of a square or circular configuration and
made
of plastic or cardboard.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a disposable filter cartridge
as described hereinbefore, which further comprises scattering means extending
within the support between the layers of filter material for dispersing said
infusion
material within the cartridge and/or further solidifying the cartridge.
Preferably, the
scattering means comprise at least one internal separator extending
transversely
from opposite sides within the support. This(these) internal separators)
has(have)
a height substantially similar to the height of the support corresponding to
the
distance between the layers of filter material.
It is further another object of the invention to provide a method to prepare
a hot beverage, comprising the steps of:
1 ) inserting into a specially adapted hot beverage machine a filter cartridge
according to the present invention;
2) infusing the infusion substance contained in the cartridge with hot
water; and
3) recovering the hot water infused through said cartridge.
It is further an object of the invention to provide a hot beverage machine
specially adapted for use with a disposable filter cartridge according to the
present
invention. The hot beverage machine according to the invention comprises a
sliding tray having a receptacle adapted to receive the filter cartridge of
the
invention and an infusion chamber shaped to receive and infuse the filter
cartridge
with hot water once the cartridge has been slid into the machine.
Others objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent upon reading the following non-restrictive detailed description of
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preferred embodiments thereof made with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the disposable cartridge according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge shown in Figure
1.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a variant of the cartridge
shown in Figure 1, comprising scattering means for dispersing the infusing
substance within the cartridge and for providing a more solid cartridge.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a hot beverage machine
adapted to receive filter cartridges like the one shown in Figures 1 and 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the filter cartridge 1 comprises two spaced
apart layers of porous filter material 10, 11 which are both connected to a
rigid or
semi-rigid ring-shaped support 20. An infusing substance 5 is contained
between
the pair of layers 10, 17 within the support 20. As shown, the support 20
preferably
defines a closed loop 21 having upper and lower edges on which the peripheral
portions of the layers 10, 11 are respectively secured.
As aforesaid, the support 20 is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material.
Preferably, this material can be a plastic material, a polymer, a cardboard, a
rigid
or semi-rigid paper, or of any other suitable non-toxic material. The support
20
must be sufficiently rigid to not bend too easily when manipulated by the user
and
not break up during infusion in the machine. Although the support 20 shown in
Figures 1 and 2 is circular in shape, it could also be square, hexagonal or of
any
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other configuration thereby providing a cartridge having a circular, square,
hexagonal or any other suitable configuration. More preferably, the support is
made of molded plastic, it has a half moon cross-section and it is shaped as a
circular ring (See Figures 1 to 3).
5
Advantageously, the layers of porous filter material 10, 11 are made of
cellulose, nylon, polyester or of any other suitable non-toxic material well
known in
the coffee and tea industry. These layers 10, 11 must be sufficiently
resistant to
not tear apart when manipulated and infused with hot water. The same apply to
the way the layers 10, 11 are secured to the support 20 since it is important
that
the infusing substance {grounds of coffee for example) do not leak out the
cartridge 1 before and during the infusion procedure. Although the peripheral
portion of the layers 10, 11 is preferably glued to a corresponding edge of
the
support 20, it may exist other suitable ways to secure the layers 10, 11 to
the
support 20. For example, the layers could be clipped to the support 20 with
suitable means and/or shaped to define a unitary bag enclosing entirely the
support 20.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3,
the cartridge may further comprise scattering means 30 extending within the
support, between the two layers of filter material 10, 11. The scattering
means 30
permit to disperse the infusing substance 5 more equally within the cartridge
1
and/or solidify the cartridge 1. The dispersion of the infusing substance also
permits a better infusion and, accordingly, gives a beverage having a better
taste.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the scattering means
comprise two separators 32, 33 forming interior walls extending transversely
from opposite sides of the support 20. These separators 32, 33 preferably have
a
height substantially similar to the height of the support 20 which corresponds
to
30 the distance between the two layers 10, 11. The separators 32, 33 are
preferably
made of plastic and cast with the support 20. However, separators 32, 33 could
be
made of any other suitable rigid or semi-rigid material such as paperboard. A
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person skilled in the art can appreciate that the separators 32, 33 solidify
the
cartridge and also further hold the layers of filter material 10, 11 thereby
preventing the tearing of the layers 10, 11 during the infusion. More
preferably, the
layers 10, 11 are glued to the separators 32, 33. Although the scattering
means
illustrated in Figure 3 have an X configuration partitioning in four parts the
infusing
substance, other configurations such as Y and star (*) like configurations are
also
suitable according to the present invention.
The filter cartridge 1 according to the present invention is particularly
useful to allow a user to prepare easily and rapidly a hot beverage of its
choice.
For example, the filter cartridge 1 may be individually sold such that a user
could
choose from a selection of various infusing substances (coffee favors for
example).
After having selected its cartridge, the user would insert the cartridge 1
into a corresponding location of a specially adapted beverage machine 100 as
the
one shown partially in Figure 4. The specially adapted beverage machine 100
according to the invention is preferably a commercial automated coffee machine
which has been mod~ed to comprise a sliding tray 110 having a receptacle 120
adapted to receive the cartridge 1. In use, the tray 110 is pushed to slide
the
cartridge 1 into an infusion chamber 130. The user then presses buttons) to
select
the infusion time and the quantity of water such that hot water is poured into
the
chamber 130 over the inserted cartridge 1. The infused hot water having been
flavored by passing through the cartridge 1 is recovered at an outlet 140 of
the
chamber 130. Although not shown, the tray 110 and the machine 100 are further
preferably adapted such that the used cartridge having been infused is ejected
into
a waste container when another user pulls the tray 110.
As can be appreciated, the use of a cartridge 1 according to the invention
avoid the presence of a coffee distributor inside the coffee machine 100, a
great
advantage since the maintenance of such distributor is a laborious job. Coffee
machines having a coffee distributor must be cleaned very often, they must be
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filled regularly with fresh coffee and regularly provided with new rolls of
filter
material. The beverage machine according to the invention is devoid of these
elements, reducing to a minimum the maintenance of the coffee machine.
Although not illustrated, home coffee makers could also be easily adapted
for using the cartridge of the invention. For example, the cone-shaped basket
of
common coffee makers could be replaced by a tray having a receptacle shaped to
receive the cartridge 1 of the invention.
While several embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be
understood that the present invention is capable of further mod~cations, and
this
application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the
invention, following in general the principles of the invention and including
such
departures from the present disclosure as to come within knowledge or
customary
practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to
the
essential features hereinbefore set forth and falling within the scope of the
invention or the limits of the appended claims.
