Cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance for preparing a beverage

A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion;
• a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion;
• and
• at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion,
• said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and
• said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, a first number of said fluid channels extending radially outward from a central longitudinal axis of said fluid director member, and a second number of said fluid channels extending concentrically around said central longitudinal axis.

A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion;
• a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion;
• and
• at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion,
• said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and
• said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and
• wherein at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion of said main body portion is configured to be pierced by a piercing element to form a fluid opening;
• and
• said main body portion is configured to support said fluid director member offset from said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion such that the piercing element may pierce said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion without piercing said fluid director member.

A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion;
• a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion;
• and
• at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion,
• said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and
• said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and
• wherein at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion of said main body portion is configured to be pierced by a piercing element to form a fluid opening;
• and
• said fluid director member further defines a recess projecting in a direction to receive the piercing element when said piercing element pierces said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion, such that said piercing element does not pierce said fluid director member.

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion;
• a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion;
• and
• a fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings, a first number of said fluid channels extending radially outwards from said central longitudinal axis and a second number of said fluid channels extending concentrically around said central longitudinal axis, and
• said fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance.

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion;
• a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion;
• and
• a fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings,
• said fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance, and.
• said fluid director member further including at least one recess projecting in a direction opposite to the direction of said raised portions of said embossings.

A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising:

• a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends;
• a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance;
• and
• a fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing,
• said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles,
• said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and
• said fluid director member further defines a recess positioned such that a piercing element may pierce said one of said opposite ends and extend into said recess without piercing said fluid director member.

A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising:

• a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends;
• a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance;
• a first fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing;
• and
• a second fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and the other of said opposite ends, wherein
• said first and second fluid director members configured substantially identically, each defining a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, and each further including a plurality of raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings.

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion;
• a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion;
• two fluid director members, each having an essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• each fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion;
• a first one of said fluid director members being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, and a second one of said fluid director members being located between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting respectively a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance or a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance.

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion;
• a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion;
• a first fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings,
• said first fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance, and
• said raised portions of said embossings resting on said cover member, said fluid channels being delimited by said raised portions of said embossings and said cover member;
• and
• a second fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said second fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings;
• said second fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance;
• and
• said raised portions of said embossings of said second fluid director member resting on said bottom portion, said fluid channels being delimited by said raised portions of said embossings and said bottom portion.

A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine having a piercing element, the cartridge comprising:

• a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends;
• a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance being contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance;
• a first fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing;
• and
• a second fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and the other of said opposite ends, wherein
• said first and second fluid director each define a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, and
• wherein said first and second fluid director members each define a recess positioned such that a piercing element may pierce a corresponding one of said opposite ends and extend into said recess without piercing said fluid director member.

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable in a brewing machine, having a piercing member, by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising:

• an essentially cup- or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion;
• a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion;
• a first fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said first fluid director member having a plurality of openings;
• said first fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance;
• and
• said first fluid director member comprising at least one recess projecting toward the particulate substance for receiving a piercing member penetrating said cover member without said first fluid director member being damaged;
• and
• a second fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion;
• said second fluid director member having a plurality of openings;
• said second fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance;
• and
• said second fluid director member comprising at least one recess projecting toward the particulate substance for receiving a piercing member penetrating said bottom portion without said second fluid director member being damaged.