Disposable Beverage Filter Basket for No-Clean Single-Serve Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable devices for single serve brewers, such as metal or steel filters, are not suitable in situations requiring high efficiency due to cleaning complexities and the need for a water source, which may be impractical in environments like busy homes or offices.
Innovation Solution
A disposable single-use beverage package with a permeable basket and impermeable barrier, preloaded with beverage grounds, that can be easily inserted into a single serve brewer, facilitating efficient brewing without the need for cleaning and water access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If reusable metal or steel filters are used in single serve brewers, then the device can be used repeatedly, but cleaning becomes complicated due to beverage grounds caking into filter openings and water access is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable filter baskets made of molded plastic with integrated filter media that are discarded after a single use. This eliminates the cleaning complexity associated with reusable metal filters while maintaining reusability at the system level, as new baskets are simply replaced rather than cleaned.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If reusable filters are used, then the device can be used multiple times, but a water source and sink or drain must be provided which may be impractical in some environments
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable nature of the filter baskets eliminates the need for water connections and drainage systems, making the single serve brewer adaptable to environments without sinks or drains such as offices, waiting rooms, and remote locations.
3Ease of operation
If disposable single use beverage packages are used, then cleaning is eliminated and no water access is needed, but the device complexity increases due to the barrier and basket structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the filter basket, filter media, and beverage grounds into a single integrated disposable package. This combination simplifies operation by eliminating separate components that would need assembly or cleaning, while the molded plastic structure provides necessary filtration functionality without excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The disposable package allows for efficient brewing of beverages like coffee and tea, maintaining taste quality and convenience by eliminating the need for cleaning and water access, while being environmentally friendly with compostable and biodegradable materials.
Implementation Method 1
The basket may include a frame and a filter medium. The bottom portion, plurality of ribs and rim define a plurality of openings that facilitate fluid flow.
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable single-use beverage filter basket filled with beverage grounds, and a beverage brewer having a cartridge for placement of the beverage filter basket. A permeable filter basket has a rigid frame having a bottom, a plurality of ribs, and a top rim that define side openings, and a non-woven filter medium that is bonded thermally to the material of the frame to cover the side openings. The non-woven filter medium is made of recyclable or compostable plastic or bio-polymer, and frame is made of the material of the non-woven filter medium. The permeable filter basket is filled with beverage grounds and enclosed with a film cover. The inlet probe of the brewer pierces the cover and admits a heated liquid into the beverage grounds, and creates a brewed beverage that flows through the filter material and exits an opening in a bottom portion of the cartridge.