Single-serving self-piercing pod for liquid and powdered and granular beverage concentrates

A single-serving beverage capsule comprising:

• a capsule body having an interior space between an inside of the capsule body and a composite film, the composite film attached to the capsule body at a capsule body bottom perimeter to create a sealed composite film;
• wherein the sealed composite film includes at least one weak point is located about a composite film perimeter and in substantially the same plane as the composite film, the at least one weak point configured to break under a pressure less than the pressure needed to break a non-weak point portion of the sealed composite film and open a flow channel without the use of a physical piercing member that allows a beverage concentrate to flow through at least one of the at least one weak points and into the interior space;
• a capsule cap having an exterior side and an interior side and having a capsule cap perimeter that is substantially equal to a perimeter of the composite film and the perimeter of the capsule body, the capsule cap being attached to a bottom end of the capsule body with the composite film between the interior side of the capsule cap and the bottom end of the capsule body and having a flow channel directing to a flow channel outlet;
• and
• a distributor engaged with the capsule cap and having a water inlet, the flow channel outlet and a beverage outlet attached to the bottom side of the capsule cap.

A single-serving beverage concentrate containing capsule comprising:

• a capsule body having a first composite film attached to a top perimeter at a top end of the capsule body such that the first composite film is attached about on entirety of the top perimeter and a beverage concentrate is within the capsule body when the capsule is unused;
• at least one weak point in an attachment interface of the first composite film and the top perimeter, wherein the at least one weak point is located about a perimeter of the first composite film and the at least one weak point is formed as a part of the first composite film and the at least one weak point is configured to break under pressure prior to at least one strong attachment area that has more radial surface area of the first composite film attached to the top perimeter than a radial surface area of the first composite film attached to the top perimeter that forms the at least one weak point;
• and
• a capsule cap attached to a bottom perimeter of the capsule body.

A single-serving beverage capsule comprising:

• a capsule body having a first composite film attached to a top perimeter at a top end of the capsule body and a second composite film attached to a bottom perimeter at a bottom end of the capsule body and a beverage concentrate is within an interior volume of the capsule body when the capsule is unused;
• a flow channel located within the capsule body with an inlet end at the first composite film and an outlet end at the second composite film and disposed within the capsule body to provide a fluid flow path through the capsule;
• and
• a capsule cap attached to the bottom perimeter of the capsule body having a fluid passage in fluid communication with the flow channel.