Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-01
2004-03-23
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
C099S30200C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06708600
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to single serve beverage brewers, and is concerned in particular with an improved inlet probe for puncturing and venting single serve beverage filter cartridges utilized in the brew cycles of such brewers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,325,765 (Sylvan et al.) and 5,840,189 (Sylvan et al.) to employ sharpened tubular inlet probes to puncture the lids of single serve beverage filter cartridges. While such devices operate in a generally satisfactory manner, experience has indicated that that interiors of the cartridges often become pressurized as a result of temperature changes and/or outgassing of the beverage medium. If the internal pressure is relieved by venting through the inlet probe, particles of the beverage medium may be entrained with the exiting gas, causing clogging of the probe and a malfunction of the brewer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to avoid or at least significantly minimize this problem by providing an improved probe that operates in a single downward stroke to pierce the cartridge lid, and to divert vented gases and any entrained particles away from the probe's inlet passages as the inlet passages are placed in communication with the cartridge interior.
These and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
REFERENCES:
patent: 3470812 (1969-10-01), Levinson
patent: 5008013 (1991-04-01), Favre et al.
patent: 5111740 (1992-05-01), Klein
patent: 5398596 (1995-03-01), Fond
patent: 5472719 (1995-12-01), Favre
patent: 5826492 (1998-10-01), Fond et al.
patent: 1256247 (1972-08-01), None
Lipman Jason F.
Taylor Jon
Walker Philip C.
Winkler Karl T.
Alexander Reginald L.
Keurig Incorporated
Samuels Gauthier & Stevens
LandOfFree
Puncturing and venting of single serve beverage filter... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Puncturing and venting of single serve beverage filter..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Puncturing and venting of single serve beverage filter... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3220495