Device and method for brewing coffee and espresso beverages

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha or tea from flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a container having a top opening, a closed bottom and a side wall between said top opening and closed bottom;
• a predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials in said container, said materials being adapted to be extracted in said container by a liquid to produce a liquid extraction therein;
• a barrier enclosure for providing a substantially gas-impermeable barrier to said flavor-containing materials in said container to prevent the loss of aroma and/or flavor in said flavor-containing materials, thereby preserving the freshness of said flavor-containing materials during the storage of said device;
• a porous filter connected or adapted to connect to said container, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials and liquid extraction in said container, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow liquid extraction to pass through as a beverage while block all or substantially all solids and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• wherein said porous filter and said container being connected and constructed in such a way that said container can be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction out of said container through said filtration openings to said second surface of said porous filter, thereby producing the beverage;
• and
• wherein said barrier enclosure comprises a chamber made from a substantially gas-impermeable material, said chamber being adapted to contain at least one said container to prevent the loss of aroma and/or flavor in said flavor-containing materials and being adapted to be opened to allow a user to remove said at least one container.

A device for brewing a coffee beverage such as coffee, latte or mocha substantially free of coffee powders or grounds in a container from flavor-containing materials comprising roasted coffee grounds comprising:

• a porous filter having a first surface adapted to contact a supply of flavor-containing materials comprising roasted coffee grounds to be extracted by a hot liquid to produce a liquid extraction, filtration openings for allowing the liquid extraction to pass through, and a second surface for receiving the liquid extraction from said filtration openings;
• a connector for connecting said porous filter to a container, which container is adapted to allow the formation of a dispersion of roasted coffee grounds and liquid extraction therein;
• a coffee powder removing mechanism for causing the coffee beverage brewed to have substantially reduced amount of coffee fines or grounds to improve the smoothness of the resulting coffee beverage without reducing or significantly reducing the flow rate of said liquid extraction through said filtration openings;
• wherein said porous filter and connector being adapted to allow the container to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings to said second surface to produce a coffee beverage substantially free of coffee fines;
• and
• wherein said coffee powder removing mechanism comprises a second filter located above or downstream said porous filter to filter the liquid extraction from said second surface of said porous filter, thereby producing a coffee beverage with substantially reduced coffee fines or grounds.

A device for brewing a coffee beverage such as coffee, latte or mocha substantially free of coffee fines from roasted coffee grounds comprising:

• a porous filter having a first surface adapted to contact a supply of flavor-containing materials comprising roasted coffee grounds to be extracted by a hot liquid to produce a liquid extraction, filtration openings for allowing the liquid extraction to pass through, and a second surface for receiving the liquid extraction from said filtration openings;
• wherein said porous filter including a coffee fine removing mechanism comprising a plurality of said filtration openings adapted to be sufficiently large to allow coffee fines to pass through said first surface into said porous filter and sufficiently interconnected to prevent clogging of said filtration openings, thereby restricting the accumulation of coffee fines on said first surface and facilitating the liquid extraction flow through said filtration openings, and a sufficient thickness of porous material between said first and second surfaces to allow the coffee fines sufficient time to be trapped by and/or adsorbed on the interior walls of said filtration openings;
• and
• wherein said porous filter is connected or adapted to connect to a container, which container is adapted to allow the formation of a dispersion of roasted coffee grounds and liquid extraction therein, and is adapted to allow a small liquid head or force exerted to said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings to said second surface of said porous filter, thereby producing a brewed coffee beverage substantially free of coffee fines at or on said second surface.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha from flavor-containing materials in a container having a rim at or near its top opening comprising:

• a lid comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall, a narrow chamber around said substantially cylindrical side wall and adapted to receive and seal to the rim of the container, a beverage outlet from which the beverage is dispensed or drunk, and a neck near or below said narrow chamber for preventing the rim of the container from being dislodged from said narrow chamber;
• a porous filter attached to said lid, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact the flavor-containing materials in the container, a plurality of filtration openings to filter liquid extraction to produce a beverage and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings and providing the beverage to said beverage outlet of said lid;
• wherein said lid and porous filter are adapted to allow the container to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction in the container through said filtration openings first to said second surface and later to said beverage outlet to be drunk or dispensed;
• and
• wherein said narrow chamber comprises at least one channel having one end adapted to communicate with the inside of the container and another end with atmosphere and located sufficiently away from said beverage outlet to allow air to enter the container when the container is tilted to generate said liquid head.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha from flavor-containing materials in a container having a rim at or near its top opening comprising:

• a lid comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall, a narrow chamber around said substantially cylindrical side wall and adapted to receive and seal to the rim of the container, a beverage outlet from which the beverage is dispensed or drunk, and a neck near or below said narrow chamber for preventing the rim of the container from being dislodged from said narrow chamber;
• a porous filter attached to said lid, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact the flavor-containing materials in the container, a plurality of filtration openings to filter liquid extraction to produce a beverage and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings and providing the beverage to said beverage outlet of said lid;
• wherein said lid and porous filter are adapted to allow the container to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction in the container through said filtration openings first to said second surface and later to said beverage outlet to be drunk or dispensed;
• and
• a first opening at a first predetermined location of said lid for providing communication between atmosphere and a transient beverage chamber between said second surface of said porous filter and the top end of said lid and a second opening at a second predetermined location of said lid for providing communication between atmosphere and the container.

A device for brewing a coffee beverage such as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha or tea in a container from roasted coffee grounds comprising:

• a porous filter connected or adapted to connect to a container, which container having a top opening, a closed bottom and a side wall, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact roasted coffee grounds to be extracted by a liquid to produce a liquid extraction in the container, filtration openings adapted to allow the liquid extraction to pass through as a beverage while block substantially all coffee grounds and a second surface for receiving the coffee beverage from said filtration openings;
• a selective opening for allowing air to pass through but to restrict the roasted coffee grounds from passing through;
• wherein said porous filter is adapted to allow the container to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction out of the container through said filtration openings to said second surface of said porous filter, thereby producing the coffee beverage;
• and
• wherein said selective opening is adapted to be sufficiently small to prevent at least the coarser coffee grounds from passing through but to be sufficiently large to enable the liquid extraction and finer coffee grounds in said selective opening to be readily pulled out by at least one of a vibration and a slight vacuum or pressure in the container, the removal of the liquid extraction from said selective opening allowing air to enter the container through said selective opening when the container is tilted to generate said liquid head to drive the liquid extraction out of the container through said filtration openings.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha or tea directly in a thermos from flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a thermos comprising a beverage outlet, an inlet and a thermos chamber adapted to receive a supply of flavor-containing materials and a hot liquid and to allow a dispersion of the flavor-containing materials and hot liquid to be formed therein for facilitating the extraction of the flavor-containing materials by the hot liquid;
• a body adapted to connect to said inlet and to form a substantially water tight seal to said inlet;
• a valve located in said body and comprising a valve opening and a seal member, said valve being adapted to operate between a first position in which said seal member opens said valve opening, thereby opening said thermos chamber to said beverage outlet, and a second position in which said valve member closes the valve opening, thereby closing said thermos chamber to prevent loss of aroma and heat from the dispersion of the flavor-containing materials and hot liquid;
• a porous filter connected to said body, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact the dispersion in said thermos chamber, filtration openings adapted to allow the liquid extraction to pass through as a beverage while block substantially all solid flavor-containing materials, and a second surface for receiving the coffee beverage from said filtration openings;
• wherein said body, porous filter and thermos are adapted to allow the thermos to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction out of said thermos chamber through said filtration openings to said second surface of said porous filter and subsequently out of said beverage outlet when said valve is in its first position;
• and
• wherein the porous filter is adapted to cover said valve member and said valve opening to prevent the solid flavor-containing materials in said thermos chamber from reaching said valve, thereby ensuring that said valve member can close said thermos chamber to prevent loss of aroma and heat in the dispersion of the flavor-containing materials and hot liquid when said valve is in its second position.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha in a container from flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a body connected or adapted to connect to a container;
• a predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials adapted to be extractable in a liquid to produce a liquid extraction;
• a porous filter connected to said body, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow liquid extraction to pass through as beverage while block all or substantially all solids and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• an enclosure member connected to said body to form a substantially closed containing chamber between said porous filter and said enclosure member to enclose said predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials, said enclosure member being adapted to allow said flavor-containing materials to mix with liquid within at least one of said containing chamber and the container to produce a dispersion for facilitating the extraction of said flavor-containing materials;
• wherein said body and porous filter are adapted to allow the container to be tilted during use to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings as the beverage to said second surface;
• and
• a flow facilitator having at least one selective opening adapted to allow air to enter the space below said porous filter but to restrict said flavor-containing materials in said containing chamber or the container from passing through.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte or mocha in a container from a flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a porous filter connected or adapted to connect to a container having a top opening, a closed bottom and a side wall between said top opening and closed bottom, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact flavor-containing materials and liquid, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow the liquid extraction resulting from the interaction of a flavor-containing materials and liquid to pass through while to block substantially all solid flavor-containing materials and a second surface for receiving the liquid extraction from said filtration openings;
• an extraction chamber for enclosing a flavor-containing materials, said extraction chamber being formed by at least said first surface of said porous filter and being adapted to be sufficiently large in volume to allow a dispersion of the flavor-containing materials in liquid to be formed after a liquid is introduced into the container to brew a beverage;
• an exchange chamber between said second surface of said porous filter and the top opening of the container and adapted to contain an amount of liquid, which amount of liquid is separated from the flavor-containing materials in said extraction chamber by said porous filter;
• wherein said exchange chamber, porous filter and extraction chamber are adapted to allow the container to be moved in at least one of a swirling, vibrating, tilting and shaking motions to cause the liquid in said exchange chamber to interchange with the liquid extraction in said extraction chamber through said filtration openings in such a way that the concentration of the flavor components in the liquid in said exchange chamber increases as the container is being moved in at least one of the swirling, vibrating, tilting and shaking motions, thereby producing a supply of beverage or liquid extraction free or substantially free of solid flavor-containing materials in said exchange chamber for drinking or dispensing;
• wherein said exchange chamber, porous filter and extraction chamber are adapted to allow the container to be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction in said extraction through said filtration openings into said exchange chamber;
• and
• at least one selective opening adapted to allow air to pass through from atmosphere into said extraction chamber but to restrict the flavor-containing materials from passing through when the container is tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha or tea in a container from flavor-containing materials, said container having a rim, a bottom and a side wall between said rim and bottom, said device comprising:

• a predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials adapted to be extracted by a liquid to produce a liquid extraction;
• a porous filter connected or adapted to connect to said container, said porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials and liquid extraction, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow the liquid extraction to pass through as a beverage while block all or substantially all solids and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• wherein said porous filter and container are connected in such a way that the container can be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings to said second surface of said porous filter as the beverage to be drunk or poured from the container;
• a barrier enclosure for receiving said flavor-containing materials and providing a substantially gas-impermeable barrier to said flavor-containing materials to prevent the loss of aroma and/or flavor in said materials, thereby preserving the freshness of said flavor-containing materials during the storage of said device;
• and
• wherein said barrier enclosure comprises a substantially gas-impermeable thin member comprising a barrier layer on which said flavor-containing materials is located or received and a substantially gas-impermeable cover comprising a barrier film connected to said gas-impermeable thin member to form said barrier enclosure for sealing said flavor-containing materials to preserve its freshness and aroma and/or flavor, said substantially gas-impermeable cover being adapted to allow at least a section of said cover to be removable or breakable to allow a liquid to be added into said barrier enclosure to extract said flavor-containing materials therein.

A disposable device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha in a container having a bottom, a side wall and a top opening from flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials adapted to be extracted in a liquid to produce a liquid extraction;
• a body connected or adapted to connect to a container;
• a porous filter attached to said body, said filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials, a plurality of filtration openings to filter liquid extraction to produce a beverage and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• a thin member connected to said body and located below said porous filter to form a chamber between said filter and said thin member to contain said flavor-containing materials;
• wherein said body and porous filter are adapted to allow the container to be tilted during use to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction through said filtration openings as the beverage to said second surface;
• wherein said thin member is adapted to break at least partly when it is in contact with the liquid to allow said flavor-containing materials in said chamber to fall out of said chamber and into the container, thereby producing a freely movable dispersion of the flavor-containing materials in the liquid in the container to facilitate the extraction of said flavor-containing materials;
• and
• wherein said porous filter comprises at least one opening adapted to allow air to enter the container when the container is tilted to generate said liquid head on said first surface of said porous filter to drive the liquid extraction out of the container as the beverage to said second surface, thereby facilitating the filtration of said dispersion by said porous filter.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha in a container having a bottom wall, a side wall and a top opening from flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a flavor-containing materials adapted to be extracted by a hot liquid;
• a porous filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials, a plurality of filtration openings to filter the liquid extraction to produce a beverage and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• a body comprising a chamber impermeable to liquid for receiving said predetermined amount of flavor-containing materials and a hot liquid to form a dispersion therein, an upper opening to which said porous filter is attached to filter said dispersion, and a connector for connecting said body to the container in such a way that the container can be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said filter to drive the liquid extraction in said chamber through said filter at said upper opening of said body to said second surface as the beverage to be drunk or poured;
• and
• wherein said chamber is adapted to be sufficiently large to enable said dispersion of flavor-containing materials to move substantially freely but to be receivable in the container, and said chamber comprises an impermeable wall to prevent said dispersion from entering the space between the side wall of the container and said impermeable wall.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha from a supply of flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a container comprising a bottom, a top opening, a side wall and a containing chamber defined by said side wall and bottom for receiving a supply of flavor-containing materials;
• a filter for dividing said containing chamber of said container into an exchange chamber in the upper part of said container and a sufficiently large extraction chamber in the lower part of said container, said filter comprising a first surface adapted to face said bottom of said container and to contact the supply of flavor-containing materials, a second surface facing said top opening of said container, and a plurality of filtration openings between said first and second surfaces;
• a connector for connecting said filter to said container in such a way that said container can be tilted to generate a liquid head to act on said first surface of said filter to drive the liquid extraction in said sufficiently large extraction chamber through said filtration openings as the beverage to said second surface of said filter and that said container can be moved according to a transfer-causing motion comprising at least one of swirling, vibrating and shaking motions to cause a rapid transfer of the flavors in said sufficiently large extraction chamber to said exchange chamber through said filtration openings;
• wherein said exchange chamber comprises at least the upper part of said side wall of said container and said second surface of said filter and enables a depth of liquid to form above said filter, thereby covering said filter at least before a drink or sip is taken from said container, said depth of liquid comprising little or substantially no flavors from said flavor-containing materials prior to said transfer-causing motion of said container;
• wherein said sufficiently large extraction chamber is comprised of a closed chamber formed between said bottom of said container and said first surface of said filter to enclose the supply of flavor-containing materials therein, said closed chamber being located below said exchange chamber and having a sufficiently large volume to form a substantially freely movable dispersion of the flavor-containing materials in hot liquid therein for the purpose of facilitating the extraction and transfer of the flavors in said closed chamber to the liquid in said exchange chamber during said transfer-causing motion of said container, thereby enabling said transfer-causing motion of said container to convert the liquid in said exchange chamber quickly to a reservoir of beverage full of flavors and ready to be drunk or poured in about 5 to 30 seconds.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, tea, espresso, latte or mocha comprising:

• a supply of flavor-containing materials adapted to be extracted by a hot liquid;
• a container having a bottom, a side wall, a top opening, and a containing chamber between said top opening and said bottom;
• a filter for dividing said containing chamber into an extraction chamber for enclosing said flavor-containing materials and an exchange chamber, said filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact said flavor-containing materials, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow liquid extraction to pass through while block all or substantially all solids and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• wherein said exchange chamber comprises said second surface of said filter and at least part of the side wail of said container, said exchange chamber being adapted to receive a depth of liquid above said second surface of said filter;
• wherein said filter is connected to said container in such a way that said container can be moved according to a transfer-causing motion comprising at least one of swirling, vibrating and shaking motions to cause the flavors to transfer from said extraction chamber to the depth of liquid in said exchange chamber, thereby quickly converting the depth of liquid to a reservoir of beverage ready for drinking from said exchange chamber;
• and
• wherein said extraction chamber comprises said first surface of said filter and a film to enclose said flavor-containing materials, said film being adapted to be received in said containing chamber and to be impermeable to prevent the liquid extraction in said extraction chamber from entering the space between the side wall of said container and said film, said film being further adapted to be sufficiently flexible to collapse when said container is tilted to produce a liquid head on said first surface of said filter to drive the liquid extraction out of said extraction chamber to said second surface of said filter into said exchange chamber.

A device for brewing a beverage such as coffee, espresso, latte or mocha from a supply of flavor-containing materials comprising:

• a container comprising a bottom, a top opening, a side wall and a containing chamber defined by said side wall and bottom;
• a filter for dividing said containing chamber into an exchange chamber and extraction chamber, said filter comprising a first surface adapted to contact the supply of flavor-containing materials, a plurality of filtration openings adapted to allow the liquid extraction in said extraction chamber to pass through as a beverage while block all or substantially all solids and a second surface for receiving the beverage from said filtration openings;
• a connector for connecting said filter to said container in such a way that said container can be moved according to a transfer-causing motion comprising at least one of swirling, vibrating and shaking motions to cause the transfer of flavors from said extraction chamber to exchange chamber;
• wherein said exchange chamber comprises said second surface of said filter and the side wall of said container to enable a depth of liquid to form therein and said extraction chamber is comprised of a closed chamber comprising at least said first surface of said filter to enclose the supply of flavor-containing materials therein;
• and
• wherein at least part of said closed chamber is located in the vicinity of said top opening of said container and at least some of said filtration openings on said closed chamber are adapted to enable the flavors of the flavor-containing materials enclosed by said closed chamber to transfer sufficiently rapidly to the liquid in said exchange chamber by said transfer-causing motion of said container without substantially collapsing or moving said closed chamber relative to said container, thereby converting the liquid in said exchange chamber to a beverage full of flavors ready for drinking in about 5 to 30 seconds.