Coffee packaging with solar-powered grinder

Abstract

The examples described herein relate to a coffee bean package assembly including: a package body having: a receiving aperture defined therein to receive coffee beans into an interior of the package body during a filling operation, and a dispensing aperture defined therein to dispense the coffee beans from the interior of the package body during a dispensing operation; a closing mechanism to close the receiving aperture of the package body; a rigid support member secured around the dispensing aperture within the package body; a grinding mechanism to operationally receive coffee beans, via the dispensing aperture, from the interior of the package body during the dispensing operation, the grinding mechanism having an electric motor; a battery electrically coupled to the electric motor of the grinding mechanism; and a solar panel securable to the package body, and electrically couplable to the battery to enable charging of the battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coffee bean package assembly comprising:
 a package body having:   a receiving aperture defined therein to receive coffee beans into an interior of the package body during a filling operation, and   a dispensing aperture defined therein to dispense the coffee beans from the interior of the package body during a dispensing operation;   a closing mechanism to close the receiving aperture of the package body;   a rigid support member secured around the dispensing aperture within the package body;   a grinding mechanism to operationally receive coffee beans, via the dispensing aperture, from the interior of the package body during the dispensing operation, the grinding mechanism having an electric motor;   a battery electrically coupled to the electric motor of the grinding mechanism; and   a solar panel securable to the package body, and electrically couplable to the battery to enable charging of the battery.   
     
     
         2 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the solar panel is removably securable to an outer surface of the package body. 
     
     
         3 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the solar panel comprises a flexible solar charging sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the battery located within the interior of the package body. 
     
     
         5 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving aperture is defined at a first free end of the package body, and the closing mechanism is a clamp to hold the first free end of the package body in a folded state to thereby close the receiving aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the closing mechanism is a sealable plastic zipper. 
     
     
         7 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing aperture is defined at a second free end of the package body, and the coffee bean package assembly further comprises a rigid support member that extends longitudinally from the second free end. 
     
     
         8 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the package body comprises a transparent portion that allows visibility into the interior of the package body. 
     
     
         9 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the package body comprises an opaque portion, the transparent portion, and the opaque portion extends longitudinally along at least one side of the package body. 
     
     
         10 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the grinding mechanism has a flat head portion that enables the coffee bean package assembly to stand in an upright position on a surface. 
     
     
         11 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the grinding mechanism is manually-operable. 
     
     
         12 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the grinding mechanism includes a handle to rotate a burr of the grinding mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the handle is coupled to a ratchet to rotate the burr of the grinding mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the package body has a value aperture to enable degassing of the package body. 
     
     
         15 . The coffee bean package assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising one-way degassing valve secured over a valve aperture defined in the package body to enable degassing of air from within the package body.