Disposable whole bean coffee filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9546038-B2
Application number	US-88431810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2010
Priority date	Sep 21, 2009
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A pre-packaged, sealed container enclosing whole coffee beans is sized to correspond to a single serving of coffee, or multiple servings. The container is used with a machine that selectively lowers a grinding blade into the container for grinding the whole beans. The freshly made grounds remain in the same container and heated water is introduced into the container. Freshly brewed coffee is produced and drips out of one or more openings in the bottom of the container after passing through the filter. The container is sealed for storage and shipping with an airtight membrane or cover such as plastic, foil etc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of grinding and brewing for whole bean coffee, comprising the steps of:
introducing a grinding blade into a capsule enclosing whole coffee beans through a fracturable top surface of said capsule;
with said grinding blade, grinding said whole coffee beans contained within said capsule to produce coffee grounds within said capsule;
while maintaining said coffee grounds within said capsule, introducing heated water into said capsule during a brewing operation to produce brewed coffee; and
passing said brewed coffee through a filter within said capsule and out of at least one opening in the bottom of said capsule below said filter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , furthering comprising the step of:
removing said capsule from an airtight membrane prior to the steps of grinding and brewing.

3. A method of grinding and brewing using a disposable, pre-packaged whole-bean coffee filter container, comprising the steps of:
introducing a grinding blade into a container enclosing whole coffee beans through a fracturable top surface of said container;
grinding said coffee beans within said container into coffee grounds;
holding said coffee grounds within said container during a brewing operation in which heated water is introduced into said container and over said coffee grounds;
through at least one opening in the bottom of said container below a filter, passing brewed coffee after said heated water is introduced into said container over said coffee grounds during said brewing operation;
wherein said container is configured to permit both grinding and brewing operations to be carried out within said container; and
wherein a size of said container and a quantity of said whole coffee beans contained therein corresponds to a single serving of coffee.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:
said fracturable top surface is made of plastic.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:
said fracturable top surface is made of foil.

6. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
discarding the container after use.

Assignees

• Schnabel Barbara L
• Conair

Inventors

• Schnabel Barbara L

Classifications

• B65D65/466 Primary

  Bio- or photodegradable packaging materials · CPC title

• B65D85/8043 Primary

  Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents (B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06) · CPC title

• A47J31/42

  Beverage-making apparatus with incorporated grinding or roasting means for coffee {(coffee mills A47J42/00; coffee roasters in general A23N12/08)} · CPC title

• B65D85/8061

  Filters · CPC title

• B65D85/8046 Primary

  Pods, i.e. closed containers made only of filter paper or similar material · CPC title