Brewing Material Container For A Beverage Brewer
Patent No. US11832755 (titled "Brewing Material Container For A Beverage Brewer") was filed by Adrian Rivera Maynez Enterprises Inc on Oct 30, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’755 is related to the field of beverage brewing, specifically accessories for single-serve beverage brewers. These brewers typically use pre-packaged cartridges or pods, leading to waste and limiting users to specific brands and beverage types. The patent addresses the need for a reusable container that allows users to brew beverages from loose grounds or off-brand pods in machines designed for specific cartridges.
The underlying idea behind ’755 is to create a reusable brewing material container that adapts to existing single-serve brewers. This container replaces disposable cartridges and allows users to use their own choice of coffee grounds or other brewing materials. The key is to provide a receptacle and lid system that interfaces with the brewer's water injection nozzles while also allowing the brewed beverage to exit the container without interfering with the brewer's existing cartridge piercing mechanisms.
The claims of ’755 focus on a brewing material container with a receptacle and a lid. The receptacle has a base and sidewall, while the lid has multiple openings to align with the brewer's injection nozzles. Crucially, the base or sidewall has an opening to allow fluid to flow out. Some claims specify that the lid openings are through-holes with dispersion bays that protrude into the receptacle and have slotted apertures. Other claims focus on a recessed portion in the base or sidewall to isolate the brewer's outflow nozzle.
In practice, the user fills the receptacle with loose grounds or a pod, closes the lid, and places the container in the brewer. Hot water is injected through the lid openings and dispersed by the bays (if present) onto the brewing material. The brewed beverage then flows out through the receptacle opening in the base or sidewall, bypassing the brewer's lower needle. The recessed portion, when present, ensures that the brewer's outflow needle doesn't interfere with the brewing process or the beverage flow.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by providing a reusable solution that works with existing single-serve brewers. Unlike disposable cartridges, this container reduces waste and allows users to customize their beverage selection. The multiple lid openings accommodate brewers with multiple injection nozzles, while the base and sidewall openings, along with the recessed portion, ensure compatibility with brewers that use piercing needles. The dispersion bays further enhance the brewing process by evenly distributing water over the brewing material.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2000s when ’755 was filed, single-serve beverage brewers were gaining popularity, at a time when such brewers typically relied on disposable cartridges containing pre-packaged beverage material. At that time, modifying existing brewers to accommodate different types of beverage containers or loose grounds was not a standard feature, and hardware or software constraints made such modifications non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was subject to claim rejections and objections. Specifically, some claims were rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) as being anticipated by prior art, and another claim was rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over a combination of references. Certain claims were also objected to due to informalities. The Office action indicates that the action was made final after the applicant submitted an information disclosure statement. The prosecution record does describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent includes 48 claims, with independent claims 1, 10, 22, 30, 33, 39, and 46. The independent claims generally focus on a brewing material container for a beverage brewer, comprising a receptacle and a lid with specific features like openings, recessed portions, and dispersion bays. The dependent claims elaborate on and add detail to the features described in the independent claims, such as the arrangement and shape of openings, the materials used, and the specific configurations of the recessed portions.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11832755
- Application Number
- US17084827
- Filing Date
- Oct 30, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Sep 13, 2028
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents