Beverage maker

Abstract

A beverage maker includes a brewing package. The brewing package includes a cup and a filter bag. The filter bag is supported in an interior region formed in the cup.

1 . A beverage maker comprising
 a beverage brewing package including a cup formed to include an interior region and a panel coupled to the cup to cooperate with the cup to define the interior region,   a cup support configured to support the beverage brewing package,   an inlet cannula configured to pierce the panel and admit pressurized water into the interior region, and   an outlet cannula configured to puncture the cup and discharge a brewed beverage from the interior region,   wherein the cup comprises a floor and a side wall coupled to the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor and around a central axis that is generally perpendicular to the floor,   wherein the side wall is formed to include a series of side-wall stiffeners arranged to extend radially inwardly toward the central axis and into the interior region of the cup and lie in spaced-apart circumferential relation to one another around the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners are configured to provide reinforcement to the side wall against radially inward forces exerted on the side wall so that the cup can substantially maintain its shape when punctured by the outlet cannula.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage maker of  claim 1 , wherein the floor and the side wall are formed from polypropylene. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage maker of  claim 2 , wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners each include a pair of converging stiffener panels which extend radially inward toward the central axis from the side wall and couple to the floor. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage maker of  claim 3 , wherein each stiffener panel is defined by a base leg extending along the floor, a support leg extending along the side wall from the base leg, and a tie leg extending between distal ends of the base leg and the support leg. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage maker of  claim 2 , wherein the side wall further includes a frustoconical panel arranged to extend from the floor around the central axis and wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners are arranged to extend between and interconnect the frustoconical panel and the floor. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage maker of  claim 5 , wherein the floor, the frustoconical panel, and the series of side-wall stiffeners cooperate to form a monolithic element. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage maker of  claim 6 , wherein the frustoconical panel has a thickness less than other portions of the cup. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage maker of  claim 2 , further comprising a stacking shoulder coupled to an upper portion of the side wall and extending radially outward from the side wall and a brim coupled to the stacking shoulder to locate the stacking shoulder between the brim and the side wall. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage maker of  claim 8 , wherein the brim includes a shoulder-support rim configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between side walls of cups in a stack of cups to prevent wedging between the cups when a stacking shoulder of an upper cup engages a shoulder-support rim of a lower cup. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage maker of  claim 1 , wherein the floor includes a floor mount coupled to the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners and arranged to extend away from the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners toward the central axis, a floor disc located in radial spaced-apart relation to the side wall, the series of side-wall stiffeners, and the floor mount, and a floor stiffener arranged to extend between and interconnect the floor mount and the floor disc, the floor stiffener is configured to minimize deformation of the floor disc during puncture of the cup by an outlet cannula prior to brewing. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage maker of  claim 10 , wherein the floor mount and the floor disc are spaced apart from ground underlying the cup. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage maker of  claim 10 , wherein the floor disc is spaced apart from ground underlying the cup and the floor stiffener includes a first portion coupled to the floor mount and arranged to extend toward the central axis away from the floor mount, a second portion coupled to the first portion and arranged to extend from the first portion toward the central axis, and a third portion coupled to the second portion and arranged to extend between and interconnect the second portion and the floor disc. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage maker of  claim 12 , wherein the first portion is arranged to extend downwardly toward ground and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located outside the interior region and the second portion is arranged to extend upwardly away from ground toward the floor disc and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located inside the interior region. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage maker of  claim 12 , wherein the first portion is arranged to extend downwardly toward ground and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located outside the interior region, the second portion is arranged to extend upwardly away from ground toward the floor disc and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located inside the interior region, and the third portion is straight and defines an included angle between the third portion and ground of about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage maker of  claim 1 , wherein the floor includes a floor mount coupled to the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners and arranged to extend away from the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners toward the central axis, a floor disc located in radial spaced-apart relation to the side wall, the series of side-wall stiffeners, and the floor mount, and a floor stiffener arranged to extend between and interconnect the floor mount and the floor disc, and a portion of the flat floor disk that is arranged to extend from the floor stiffener to the central axis of the cup is larger than a portion of the floor stiffener arranged to extend radially from the floor mount and the portion of the flat floor disc. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage maker of  claim 15 , wherein the outlet cannula is located in space-part relation to the central axis and is arranged to extend through and pierce the portion of the flat floor disk.