Reusable Coffee Filter Basket With Press-Fit Disposable Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single-use disposable brew baskets for electric coffee makers do not offer a reusable solution that enhances efficiency for brewing a single cup of coffee directly into a coffee cup, while maintaining the benefits of a fresh and efficient coffee-making process.
Innovation Solution
A single-use, reusable brew basket design featuring a filter retainer with an insert and a removable top, which includes a press-fit mechanism and a detent mechanism for securing and separating the components, allowing for a single-use coffee filter to be used and discarded while retaining the basket for reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single-use disposable brew basket is used, then convenience and efficiency for single cup brewing are improved, but waste generation increases and environmental impact worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The brew basket is divided into two segments: a reusable outer basket and a disposable inner filter pack. This segmentation allows the permanent structural components (basket, spout, handle) to be retained and reused, while only the consumable filter media is discarded. The insert includes a filter support plate and filter medium that can be easily removed and replaced, resolving the contradiction between convenience and waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables selective discarding of only the filter media portion while recovering and reusing the permanent basket structure. The disposable insert contains the filter paper or mesh and coffee grounds, which are removed and discarded after use, while the reusable basket is cleaned and prepared for the next brewing cycle, reducing overall waste compared to disposable single-use baskets.
2Loss of substance
If a reusable brew basket is used, then waste generation is reduced, but cleaning time and maintenance effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the brew basket into reusable and disposable portions, the cleaning requirement is limited only to the outer basket structure, which contains larger coffee grounds and residues. The disposable filter pack removes fine coffee particles and oils that would otherwise require thorough cleaning, significantly reducing cleaning time and effort while maintaining waste reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable filter insert extracts and removes the portion of the brewing system that requires the most intensive cleaning (the filter media with fine coffee residues). By taking out this cleaning-intensive component as a disposable element, the reusable basket only requires simple rinsing, reducing maintenance time while achieving waste reduction.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-use filter is used with a reusable basket, then cost efficiency is improved, but the complexity of assembly and disassembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation into modular components (basket, insert, filter support plate) with standardized connection interfaces simplifies assembly. The insert is designed to fit into the basket in a single motion, and the filter paper is pre-attached to the support plate, reducing assembly steps despite the multi-component structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter paper is merged with the filter support plate by adhesive or mechanical attachment during manufacturing, creating a pre-assembled insert unit. This merging eliminates the need for users to separately attach the filter paper during assembly, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the cost efficiency of using disposable filters with a reusable basket.
Data Source
AI summary
A coffee filter basket includes a filter retainer having an outer shell with an upper end having open top and a bottom including an opening, an insert having an upper collar of a less than the diameter than the upper end of the retainer to fit therein and having a lower extension which when a filter is disposed within the retainer and the insert is disposed within the filter, the insert press-fits within the retainer to retain the filter adjacent the retainer shell, and a removable top having an outer perimeter lip portion of at least that of the diameter of the upper end of the retainer and a lower collar portion of a diameter less than the diameter of the upper collar and configured to press-fit therein to secure the insert in the retainer, wherein the removable top has an opening. A method of use is provided.