Beverage brewing device

#There are numerous devices available today for making a single-serve brewed beverage, such as the single-server brewers shown and described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,708,600, and 6,079,315, the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

#In a typical single-serve beverage brewer, a disposable beverage filter cartridge containing a dry beverage medium (such as tea or coffee) is disposed within a filter cartridge holder or brewing holster. To brew the beverage, the filter cartridge is pierced by inlet and outlet probes to accommodate a through-flow of metered hot water. The hot water infuses the dry beverage medium contained in the cartridge to thereby produce a single serving of the beverage. After the beverage is brewed, the cartridge is removed from the cartridge holder and it is discarded.

#By requiring the use of the disposable cartridges, the consumer is limited to the beverage selection of the cartridges on hand. Moreover, with each cartridge being disposed of after use, there is much needless waste. Thus there is a need for a reusable cartridge filter suitable for use with a beverage brewer described above that can be used with any desired dry beverage medium (coffee, tea, etc.).

#The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a beverage brewing device formed in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the beverage brewing device is shown in use with a beverage brewer;

#FIG. 2 is a bottom, partially exploded isometric view of the beverage brewing device of FIG. 1;

#A reusable beverage brewing device 20 formed in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may best be seen by referring to FIG. 1. The beverage brewing device 20 is suitable for use with a multi-use, single-cup beverage brewer, such as a coffee brewer B. More specifically, the beverage brewing device 20 is configured to contain a preselected dry beverage medium, such as coffee grounds, and interface with inlet and outlet probes I and O of a beverage brewer B when received within a brewing holster H (shown in hidden lines only) of the beverage brewer B to brew a beverage for dispensing into a cup C. For instance, the beverage brewing device 20 is designed to work with most Keurig™ single-cup beverage brewers, which is similar to the beverage brewer B depicted in FIG. 1. However, it should be appreciated that the beverage brewing device 20 may instead be used with any suitable beverage brewer. Accordingly, the illustrations and depictions set forth herein shall not be seen as limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the beverage brewing device 20 will now be described in detail. The beverage brewing device 20 has an overall shape and configuration to be removably received within the brewing holster H of the beverage brewer B. More specifically, the beverage brewing device 20 has a substantially cup-shaped, cylindrical body 26 that corresponds in shape and size to the interior of the brewing holster H of the beverage brewer B.

#The cup-shaped body 26 has a curved, substantially vertical sidewall 28 extending between an open top end 30 and a closed bottom end 34 defined by a substantially flat bottom surface 42. The sidewall 28 and closed bottom end 34 define a brew chamber 36 within the interior of the cup-shaped body 26. The brew chamber 36 is sized and shaped to receive the dry beverage medium, such as coffee grounds.