Cellulose-based beverage cartridge

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses and articles of manufacture for cellulose-based multipurpose single-serve beverage cartridges. A cartridge in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure comprises a cartridge body body comprising a cellulose-based material, a filter, a beverage material, and a cover. The cellulose-based material may also be used for the cover, and reduces the leaching of potentially hazardous materials from similar plastic-based single-serve beverage cartridges.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beverage cartridge, comprising:
 a cartridge body having a closed end and an open end, the open end having a first diameter at an upper edge of the open end, the cartridge body comprising a cellulose-based material, in which the cartridge body is adapted to be received in a receptacle of a single-serve brewer such that the closed end of the cartridge body is piercable by a needle in the single-serve brewer;   a filter, coupled to the cartridge body, such that the filter extends below the upper edge of the open end of the cartridge body;   a beverage material, coupled to the filter such that the beverage material extends below the upper edge of the open end of the cartridge body; and   a cover, coupled to the cartridge body, such that the cover encapsulates the beverage material within the cartridge body between the filter and the cover, the cover adapted to be pierced by a fluid nozzle in the single-serve brewer.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , in which the cover comprises a second cellulose-based material. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 1 , the cartridge body further comprising a rim around a circumference of the open end, in which the cover is coupled to the cartridge body on the rim of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the cover is coupled to a first side of the rim and also coupled to a second side of the rim, the second side opposite the first side. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 4 , further comprising a mechanism, coupled to the cartridge body, for interacting with the single-serve brewer to produce a plurality of beverages from the beverage cartridge based on the interaction between the beverage cartridge and the single-serve brewer. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the cartridge body further comprises an indicia, wherein the indicia comprises an alterable characteristic that is altered when the beverage cartridge is used in the single-serve brewer. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the filter is coupled to the cartridge body proximate the open end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 7 , in which the filter is further coupled to the cartridge body proximate the closed end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the filter is coupled to the cartridge body proximate the closed end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the filter is toroidal in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage cartridge of  claim 3 , in which the cartridge body further comprises an additive, in which at least a portion of the additive is released into a fluid that is introduced into the cartridge body during use of the cartridge in the single-serve brewer.