Beverage pod

Abstract

A beverage pod is provided. The beverage pod includes an outer shell, a filter, and a shelf. The outer shell has a bottom layer, a lid opposite the bottom layer, and side walls between the bottom layer and the lid. The bottom layer is operable to be breached by a brewing pin from a beverage brewing machine. The filter forms a chamber operable to contain a beverage material. The beverage material is operable to mix with a liquid to form a beverage. The shelf supports a shape of at least a portion of the filter. The shelf forms a receiving portion operable to receive the brewing pin. The receiving portion has substantially a toroidal shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beverage pod comprising:
 an outer shell having a bottom layer, a lid opposite the bottom layer, and side walls between the bottom layer and the lid, wherein the bottom layer is operable to be breached by a brewing pin from a beverage brewing machine;   a filter forming a chamber operable to contain a beverage material, the beverage material operable to mix with a liquid to form a beverage;   a shelf supporting a shape of at least a portion of the filter, the shelf forming a receiving portion operable to receive the brewing pin, the receiving portion having substantially a toroidal shape.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage pod of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion has substantially a toroidal polyhedron shape. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage pod of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf includes an outer surface extending towards a center of the beverage pod from the side walls and an inner surface extending towards the center between the center and the outer surface at a support angle in relation to the outer surface. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the support angle is between 30 degrees and 55 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the support angle is between 40 degrees and 50 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the support angle is between 46 degrees and 47 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the support angle is between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the outer surface and a longitudinal axis form an outer surface angle, wherein the outer surface angle is between 27 degrees and 90 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage pod of  claim 8 , wherein the outer surface angle is between 30 degrees and 34 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the inner surface and a longitudinal axis form an inner surface angle, wherein the inner surface angle is between 12 degrees and 17 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage pod of  claim 3 , wherein the filter is formed to abut against the outer surface and the inner surface. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage pod of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf forms a plurality of openings such that the beverage passes through the filter and through the plurality of openings into the receiving portion. 
     
     
         13 . A shelf operable to be disposed in a beverage pod to support a shape of a filter, the shelf comprising:
 an outer surface extending towards a center; and   an inner surface extending towards the center between the center and the outer surface at a support angle in relation to the outer surface,   wherein the outer surface and the inner surface form a receiving portion having substantially a toroidal shape.   
     
     
         14 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the support angle is between 30 degrees and 55 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the support angle is between 40 degrees and 50 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the support angle is between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the outer surface and a longitudinal axis form an outer surface angle, wherein the outer surface angle is between 27 degrees and 90 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf of  claim 17 , wherein the outer surface angle is between 30 degrees and 34 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the inner surface and a longitudinal axis form an inner surface angle, wherein the inner surface angle is between 12 degrees and 17 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The shelf of  claim 13 , wherein the shelf forms a plurality of openings such that a beverage passes through the plurality of openings into the receiving portion.