Disposable cartridge for brewed beverages

Abstract

A beverage cartridge includes a bottom wall and at least one sidewall forming a chamber in which a beverage can be prepared from a stored beverage product. The sidewall includes one or more pre-formed openings or openable portions that form exit paths for a prepared beverage upon the introduction of a liquid to the chamber. The pre-formed openings or openable portions are initially covered or sealed by a cover, and provide existing exit paths for prepared beverage upon removal or opening of the cover. The cover is manually removable by a user, or is openable in response to increased fluid pressure in the chamber. Optionally, a filter element is provided inside the cartridge for retaining a used beverage product inside the cartridge as a prepared beverage exits from the cartridge.

1 . A beverage cartridge comprising:
 a cup bottom wall;   at least one cup sidewall extending upwardly from said cup bottom wall and having an upper end portion opposite said cup bottom wall, said cup bottom wall and said cup sidewall cooperating to form a chamber;   at least one opening in said cup sidewall, said at least one opening providing an exit path for a liquid beverage;   a filter element disposed in said chamber, said filter element configured to filter the liquid beverage dispensed through said at least one opening in said cup sidewall; and   a cover disposed around said at least one opening and sealed to at least one of said cup sidewall and said cup bottom wall;   wherein said cover is openable or removable to thereby permit the liquid beverage to be dispensed into a beverage receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a beverage product disposed within said filter element in said chamber, wherein said beverage product is retained in said chamber by said filter element during a beverage-making process. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises a metallic foil or polymeric film layer sealed directly to said cup sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said cover comprises a pull-tab configured to be grasped and pulled to unseal said cover from said cup sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 4 , wherein said pull-tab is disposed at an upper region of said cover. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said cover comprises a gripping tab at a bottom region of said cover below said cup bottom wall, said gripping tab configured to be twisted to unseal said cover from said cup sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises an openable portion configured to open in response to increased fluid pressure inside said cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein said openable portion comprises at least one chosen from a frangible seam, a frangible seal, and a weakened portion. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 8 , wherein said openable portion is disposed along said cup sidewall or said cup bottom wall. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a top lid sealed to said upper end portion of said cup sidewall, opposite said cup bottom wall. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein said cover is sealed to said cup sidewall below said top lid. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said opening in said cup sidewall comprises a plurality of pre-formed openings. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage cartridge comprising:
 a cup sidewall having upper and lower end portions;   a top lid sealed to said upper end portion of said cup sidewall, said top lid and said cup sidewall cooperating to form a chamber;   a pre-formed opening in said cup sidewall, said pre-formed opening providing an exit path for a liquid beverage; and   a cover disposed around said pre-formed opening and sealed to said cup sidewall, said cover comprising an openable region;   wherein said cover is openable at said openable region to thereby permit the liquid beverage to be dispensed into a beverage receptacle.   
     
     
         14 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein said cover is sealed around a periphery of said cup sidewall at said upper end portion, and extends around said lower end portion of said cup sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 14 , further comprising a cup bottom wall at said lower end portion of said cup sidewall, said cup bottom wall cooperating with said top lid and said cup sidewall to form said chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 13 , further comprising a filter element disposed in said chamber, said filter element configured to filter the liquid beverage dispensed through said pre-formed opening in said cup sidewall 
     
     
         17 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein said openable portion comprises at least one chosen from a frangible seam, a frangible seal, and a weakened portion. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein said openable portion is configured to open in response to increased fluid pressure inside said cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein said openable portion comprises at least one chosen from a frangible seam, a frangible seal, and a weakened portion. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein said cover comprises at least one chosen from (i) a pull-tab configured to be grasped and pulled to unseal said cover from said cup sidewall, and (ii) a gripping tab at a bottom region of said cover below said lower region of said cup sidewall, said gripping tab configured to be twisted to unseal said cover from said cup sidewall.