Single serve brewing package

Abstract

A single serve brewing container is made entirely of compostable and biodegradable materials. Problems associated with filter clogging and occlusion are solved by providing a filter which has a vertical section between upper and lower horizontal sections.

1 . A single-serve brewing package comprising:
 a. a cup made of a compostable and biodegradable material and defining a first chamber, said cup having a closed bottom adapted to be pierced by a needle of a brewing machine, an open top defined by a rim, a sidewall extending between the rim and the closed bottom, a filter assembly support ledge extending from the sidewall into the chamber, and reinforcement ribs; and   b. a filter assembly comprising a filter membrane and filter frame for supporting the filter membrane, said filter membrane and filter frame each made of a compostable and biodegradable material, said filter frame having (i) a ring having a central passage and adapted to nest and be secured in place between the bottom of the cup and filter assembly support ledge of the cup, and (ii) filter membrane support ribs extending inwardly and upwardly from the ring and cooperating with the ring to support the filter membrane such that the filter membrane has a first horizontal portion extending inwardly from the ring, a vertical portion extending upwardly from the first horizontal portion, and a second horizontal portion at the top of the vertical portion.   
     
     
         2 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  further comprising a compostable and biodegradable lid for sealing the open top of the cup. 
     
     
         3 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  wherein said cup and filter assembly are made of the same compostable and biodegradable material. 
     
     
         4 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 3  wherein said compostable and biodegradable material is a crystalline polylactic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 2  wherein the lid comprises an upper layer made of paper and a lower layer made of polylactic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  wherein said filter membrane support ribs comprise a first rib extending across the central passage of the ring and a second rib extending across a central passage of the ring such that the central passage through the ring is divided into quadrants by the first and second ribs. 
     
     
         7 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  wherein the filter assembly is adapted to retain grounds and sludge in the cup above the filter ring while permitting a brewed beverage formed in the cup by mixing a liquid injected into the cup with the grounds to pass through the filter membrane and central passage. 
     
     
         8 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 7  wherein the vertical portion extends upwardly from the first horizontal portion to a height which allows at least 10 ounces of the beverage to pass through the filter membrane before the filter membrane becomes occluded with grounds and sludge. 
     
     
         9 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 7  wherein the brewed beverage is coffee. 
     
     
         10 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcement ribs each comprise a triangular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The single-serve brewing package of  claim 1  wherein the closed bottom includes a base and a projection extending upwardly from the base which defines a second chamber open to the bottom of the cup and closed to the first chamber of the cup. 
     
     
         12 . A single-serve brewing packaging system comprising a plurality of stackable single-serve brewing packages each comprising:
 a. a cup made of a compostable and biodegradable material and defining a first chamber, said cup having a closed bottom adapted to be pierced by a needle of a brewing machine, an open top defined by a rim, a sidewall extending between the open top and the rim, a filter assembly support ledge extending from the sidewall into the chamber, and reinforcement ribs; and   b. a filter assembly comprising a filter membrane and filter frame for supporting the filter membrane, said filter membrane and filter frame each made of a compostable and biodegradable material, said filter frame having (i) a ring having a central passage and adapted to nest and be secured in place between the bottom of the cup and filter assembly support ledge of the cup and (ii) filter membrane support ribs extending inwardly and upwardly from the ring and cooperating with the ring to support the filter membrane such that the filter membrane has a first horizontal portion extending inwardly from the ring, a vertical portion extending upwardly from the first horizontal portion, and a second horizontal portion at the top of the vertical portion, said filter assembly adapted to resist warping during the brewing of hot beverages.   
     
     
         13 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  wherein said reinforcement ribs of each cup comprise a triangular shape adapted for indexing the single-serve brewing packages as they are stacked. 
     
     
         14 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  wherein the closed bottom of each cup of each single serve brewing package includes a base and a projection extending upwardly from the base which defines a second chamber open to the bottom of the cup and closed to the first chamber of the cup, said second chamber adapted to receive the vertical portion and second horizontal portion of the filter assembly of another of the plurality of single serve brewing packages when plurality of single serve brewing packages are stacked together. 
     
     
         15 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  further comprising compostable and biodegradable lids for sealing the open tops of each of the cups. 
     
     
         16 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  wherein said cup and filter assembly of each stackable single-serve brewing package are made of a crystalline polylactic acid. 
     
     
         17 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  wherein said filter membrane support ribs of each single serve brewing package comprise a first rib extending across the central passage of the ring and a second rib extending across the central passage of the ring such that the central passage through the ring is divided into quadrants by the first and second ribs. 
     
     
         18 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 12  wherein the filter assembly of each single serve brewing package is adapted to retain grounds and sludge in the cup above the filter ring while permitting a brewed beverage formed in the cup by mixing a liquid injected into the cup with the grounds to pass through the filter membrane and central passage. 
     
     
         19 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 18  wherein the vertical portion of the filter assembly of each single serve brewing package extends upwardly from the first horizontal portion to a height which allows at least  10  ounces of the beverage to pass through the filter membrane before the filter membrane becomes occluded with grounds and sludge. 
     
     
         20 . The single-serve brewing packaging system of  claim 18  wherein the brewed beverage is coffee.