# US 9,751,687 B2 · Brew basket and filter pack for electric coffee brewing machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,687 B2 - Document ID: US9751687B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/522,332 - Filed: 2014-10-23 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-31 - Assignees: Courtesy Products, LLC - Applicants: Courtesy Products, L.L.C. - Inventors: Matthew Schwarz; Glenn Wells - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751687B2 ## CPC - B65D 85/8061: {Filters} - A47J 31/057: with water container separated from beverage container, the hot water passing the filter only once {i.e. classical type of drip coffee makers} - A47J 31/0642: {specially adapted to cooperate with a cartridge, e.g. having grooves or protrusions to separate cartridge from the bottom of the brewing chamber (A47J31/0668 takes precedence)} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A brew basket is provided for use in a beverage brewing machine. The brew basket includes a body defining a brewing reservoir that extends along a longitudinal length from an open top to a bottom end having one or more openings. The brewing reservoir has an internally tapered multi-sided three-dimensional (3D) shape. The brewing reservoir having a first cross-sectional area at the open top that progressively narrows along the longitudinal length of the multi-sided 3D shape to a smaller second cross-sectional area proximate to the one or more openings at the bottom end. The open top is configured to receive heated water from the brewing machine during a brewing operation with brewed beverage discharging from the one or more openings. The multi-sided 3D shape of the brewing reservoir configured to receive a filter pack having a generally tapered multi-sided 3D shape similar to the multi-sided 3D shape of the brewing reservoir. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A brew basket for use in a beverage brewing machine, the brew basket comprising: a body defining a brewing reservoir that extends along a longitudinal length from an open top to a bottom end having one or more openings, the brewing reservoir having a multi-sided three-dimensional (3D) funnel-shaped segment; the funnel-shaped segment located proximate to the one or more openings at the bottom end; the open top being configured to receive heated water from the brewing machine during a brewing operation with brewed beverage discharging from the one or more openings; and the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir having a shape that is complimentary with a funnel-shaped segment of a liquid permeable pouch of a filter pack; the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir configured to receive the funnel-shaped segment of the filter pack in a manner that creates a seal between the liquid permeable pouch and the brewing reservoir. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the brewing reservoir is continuously tapered from the open top, along at least one of a head segment or the funnel-shaped segment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein an amount of taper in sides of the brewing reservoir is substantially even from the open top to the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the funnel-shaped segment extends to the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the multi-sided 3D funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir constitutes an open-sided tetrahedral shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the multi-sided 3D funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir constitutes a triangular pyramid shape with the open top defining an open side of the triangular pyramid shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the brewing reservoir extends from the open top to the bottom end along a central longitudinal axis, the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir having a cross-sectional shape taken along a plane that extends approximately perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional shape of the funnel-shaped segment comprising at least one of a cross-sectional shape defined by two side edges, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, a tetrahedral shape, a square shape, an octagonal shape, a shape having at least three sides, a shape having at least four sides, or a shape having at least five sides. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the complimentary shape of the funnel-shaped segment is configured to form the seal such that the heated water will accumulate at least a select amount of solids per unit of heated water before discharging from the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the complimentary shape of the funnel-shaped segment is configured to form the seal such that the heated water will accumulate at least 14% of a predetermined total available solids available within the coffee grounds before discharging from the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the body is formed with a disposable construction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The brew basket of claim 1, wherein the brewing reservoir has a size dimensioned appropriate to brew approximately only a single serving of beverage during a brewing operation. ### Claim 12 A filter pack for use in a beverage brewing machine having a brew basket that includes a brewing reservoir, the filter pack comprising: a liquid permeable pouch containing coffee grounds, the pouch having multiple sides and multiple vertices joined to form at least two multi-sided three-dimensional (3D) funnel-shaped segments; the pouch being configured to be held within the brewing reservoir of the brew basket, the funnel-shaped segments of the pouch having a shape and size complementary with a funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir, the funnel-shaped segments of the pouch forming a polygon configured to fit within and create a seal with the brewing reservoir when oriented in any of at least two inverted positions, wherein a different associated one of the funnel-shaped segments is located proximate to a bottom end of the brew basket when in each of the associated inverted positions; and the pouch being configured to receive heated water from the brewing machine at an uppermost one of the sides during a brewing operation with brewed beverage discharging from the inverted vertex. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the sides have an associated opposed vertex and the pouch is continuously tapered from each side to the associated opposed vertex. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The filter pack of claim 13, wherein an amount of taper is substantially even from each side to the associated opposed vertex. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the coffee grounds fill any one of the funnel-shaped segments when the filter pack is oriented with the associated vertex inverted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the sides have an associated opposed vertex such that, when the pouch is positioned in the brewing reservoir with a first vertex inverted, a water pooling pocket will be formed proximate to an exterior surface of an associated opposed first side of the pouch during the brewing operation to facilitate extraction from the coffee grounds. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the pouch swells during the brewing operation such that the pouch and the coffee grounds fill voids between the pouch and a body of the brew basket to form the seal and to facilitate extraction from the coffee grounds. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the sides of the pouch have triangular shapes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the funnel-shaped segments of the pouch have a tetrahedral shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the funnel-shaped segments of the pouch have a triangular pyramid shape. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the sides of the filter pack join to form a universal orientation such that the sides maintain the funnel-shaped segments shape and size of the pouch as complementary with the funnel-shaped segment shape and size of the brewing reservoir when the filter pack is oriented with any one of the vertices as inverted. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The filter pack of claim 12, wherein the pouch holds an amount of the coffee grounds that is configured to brew approximately only a single serving of beverage during the brewing operation. ### Claim 23 A brew basket and filter pack assembly for use in a beverage brewing machine, the assembly comprising: a brew basket comprising a body defining a brewing reservoir that extends along a longitudinal length from an open top to a bottom end having one or more openings, the brewing reservoir having a multi-sided three-dimensional (3D) funnel-shaped segment, the funnel-shaped segment located proximate to the one or more openings at the bottom end, the open top being configured to receive heated water from the brewing machine during a brewing operation with brewed beverage discharging from the one or more openings; and a filter pack comprising a liquid permeable pouch containing coffee grounds, the pouch having multiple sides and multiple vertices joined to form a multi-sided three-dimensional (3D) funnel-shaped segment, the pouch being configured to be held within the brewing reservoir of the brew basket, the funnel-shaped segment of the pouch having a shape and size complementary with a shape and size of the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir to create a seal between the filter pack and the brewing reservoir. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides and vertices of the pouch of the filter pack form a polygon that fits within the brewing reservoir when oriented in any one of multiple inverted positions, wherein a different associated one of the vertices is inverted in each of the inverted positions. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the brewing reservoir is continuously tapered from the open top to the bottom end. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein an amount of taper in sides of the brewing reservoir is substantially even from the open top to the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the funnel-shaped segment is configured to channel heated water through coffee grounds in the filter pack before exiting through the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir constitutes an open-sided tetrahedral shape. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir constitutes a triangular pyramid shape with the open top defining an open side of the triangular pyramid shape. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir has a cross-sectional shape taken along a plane that extends approximately perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional shape comprising at least one of a cross-sectional shape defined by two side edges, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, a tetrahedral shape, a square shape, an octagonal shape, a shape having at least three sides, a shape having at least four sides, or a shape having at least five sides. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein filter pack and the brewing reservoir fit with one another such that the heated water flows through coffee grounds of the filter pack until accumulating at least a select amount of solids per unit of heated water before discharging from the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 32 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein filter pack and the brewing reservoir fit with one another such that the heated water will flow through the coffee grounds until accumulating at least 14% of the predetermined total available solids available within the coffee grounds before discharging from the one or more openings at the bottom end. ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the body is formed with a disposable construction. ### Claim 34 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the brewing reservoir and filter pack have a size dimensioned appropriate to brew approximately only a single serving of beverage during a brewing operation. ### Claim 35 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides of the pouch have an associated opposed vertex and the sides of the pouch are continuously tapered from each side to the associated opposed vertex. ### Claim 36 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides of the pouch have an associated opposed vertex and the pouch is continuously tapered from each side to the associated opposed vertex, the amount of taper being substantially even from each side to the associated opposed vertex. ### Claim 37 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the pouch includes multiple vertices and funnel-shaped segments proximate each of the vertices such that the coffee grounds fill any one of the funnel-shaped segments when the filter pack is oriented with the associated vertex inverted. ### Claim 38 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides have an associated opposed vertex such that when the pouch is positioned in the brewing reservoir with a first vertex inverted, a water pooling pocket is to be formed proximate an exterior surface of an associated opposed first side of the pouch during the brewing operation. ### Claim 39 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the pouch is configured to swell during the brewing operation such that the pouch and the coffee grounds fill voids between the pouch and a body of the brew basket. ### Claim 40 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides of the pouch have triangular shapes. ### Claim 41 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the multi-sided 3D shape of the pouch constitutes at least one of a tetrahedral shape or a triangular pyramid shape. ### Claim 42 (depends on 23) The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sides of the filter pack join to form a universal orientation such that the sides maintain multiple funnel-shaped segments that are complementary with the shape and size of the funnel-shaped segment of the brewing reservoir when the filter pack is oriented with any one of the vertices as inverted.