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US-20260125204-A1 - RECYCLABLE BEVERAGE POD WITH A SPECIALIZED FILTER MECHANISM

US20260125204A1US 20260125204 A1US20260125204 A1US 20260125204A1US-20260125204-A1

Abstract

A recyclable beverage pod with a specialized filter mechanism is enclosed. The beverage pod includes a cavity including a shell, a filter mechanism, a beverage material placed within the filter mechanism, and an airtight lid sealing the filter mechanism and the beverage material within the cavity. Further, the filter mechanism may further include a formed filter material having a tab, wherein the formed filter material is adhered to an interior surface of the shell.

Inventors

  • Richard Estabrook
  • Kevin Hartley
  • Michael Cunningham

Assignees

  • Cambio Roasters, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241101

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A beverage pod comprising: a cavity comprising a shell, wherein the shell comprises one or more detents configured to interlock with one or more beverage pods, wherein the one or detents comprises circumferential beads to stack the one or more beverage pods on top and within one another, wherein the circumferential beads are in diagonal pattern in relation to a lip of a beverage pod and configured to produce an audible confirmation indicating that at least two beverage pods have been locked together; a filter mechanism, wherein: the filter mechanism comprises a formed filter material comprising a tab, wherein the formed filter material is composed of at least 20 percent of a non-woven flashspun high-density polyethylene; and the formed filter material is adhered to an interior surface of the shell using a frangible seal; a beverage material placed within the filter mechanism; and an airtight lid sealing the filter mechanism and the beverage material within the cavity.
  2. 2 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell is comprised of a metal material.
  3. 3 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell is comprised of an alloy material.
  4. 4 . (canceled)
  5. 5 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the formed filter material is comprised of 80 percent cellulose fibers.
  6. 6 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the formed filter material comprising the tab further comprises one or more additional tabs.
  7. 7 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the tab of the formed filter material is configured to fold flat within the shell when the airtight lid is attached to the shell of the beverage pod.
  8. 8 . The beverage pod of claim 7 , wherein: the tab extends past a shoulder, wherein the shoulder is a pivot point; and the tab is configured to fold inward along the pivot point.
  9. 9 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the shell further comprises: a shoulder disposed within an interior of the shell; wherein the tab comprises a ring tab; and the ring tab is configured to lay atop the beverage material.
  10. 10 . The beverage pod of claim 9 , wherein the filter mechanism is adhered to the shoulder.
  11. 11 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the filter mechanism comprises a pouch configuration, wherein the pouch configuration is sealed with the beverage material within.
  12. 12 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the filter mechanism further comprises a cinching mechanism.
  13. 13 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the tab comprises an undulating border, thereby enabling a user to identify a location of the tab.
  14. 14 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the tab comprises a plurality of cutouts defining a loop, thereby enabling a user to pull the loop defined by the plurality of cutouts.
  15. 15 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the tab comprises two ends, wherein a first end is attached to the filter mechanism at a first point and a second end is attached diametrically opposite of the first point.
  16. 16 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the filter mechanism is adhered to an interior surface of the shell using a frangible seal.
  17. 17 . The beverage pod of claim 16 , wherein the filter mechanism further comprises a pull cord attached to a bottom of the filter mechanism by the frangible seal.
  18. 18 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the beverage pod further comprises a filter disc placed within the cavity and configured to suspend the filter mechanism above a bottom of an interior of the shell.
  19. 19 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the airtight lid comprises a peelable lid.
  20. 20 . The beverage pod of claim 1 , wherein the airtight lid is comprised of an aluminum foil material and a polymeric coating.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to the field of beverage pods. In particular, the present invention is directed to a recyclable beverage pod with a specialized filter mechanism. BACKGROUND Since the introduction of single-use containers, such as coffee pods, challenges have arisen in the inability to effectively recycle these small containers. Often, smaller single-use containers are harder to recycle due to their size or due to the contents that are contained within them, such as coffee grounds. Smaller sized single-use containers may slip through the recycling machine, causing jams and difficulties at the recycling plant. Additionally, these single-use containers may be made of plastic which creates environmental concerns due to the challenges of recycling multi-material packaging. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In an aspect, disclosed is a recyclable beverage pod with a specialized filter mechanism, wherein the beverage pod includes a cavity including a shell; a filter mechanism, wherein the filter mechanism includes a formed filter material having a tab and/or a multiple of tabs; a beverage material placed within the filter mechanism; and an airtight lid sealing the filter mechanism, and the beverage material within the cavity. In another aspect, an exemplary method of manufacture of a beverage pod with a specialized filter mechanism may include providing a beverage pod having a cavity including a shell, placing a filter disc into the cavity of the beverage pod, adhering a formed filter material within the cavity of the beverage pod, filling the formed filter material adhered to the interior of the cavity with beverage material, modifying the headspace atmosphere within the cavity, sealing the cavity with an airtight lid, and discharging the beverage pod into a secondary package operation. These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is an exemplary illustration of a beverage pod having a specialized filter mechanism, wherein two side views are shown, one wherein an airtight lid and transparent side walls is illustrated, and the other wherein the illustration is without the airtight lid and non-transparent; FIG. 2A is an exemplary illustration of a filter mechanism configured with a single tab; FIG. 2B is an exemplary illustration of a filter mechanism configured with an additional tab; FIG. 2C is an exemplary illustration of a filter mechanism configured with three additional tabs; FIG. 2D is an exemplary illustration of a filter mechanism with a tab in a ring configuration; FIG. 3A is an exemplary side-view illustration of a filter mechanism including a tab in a handle configuration; FIG. 3B is a birds-eye view of an embodiment of the filter mechanism of FIG. 3A illustrating a configuration with one additional tab; FIG. 3C is a birds-eye view of an embodiment of the filter mechanism of FIG. 3A, illustrating a configuration with one tab centered across the cavity of the beverage pod: FIG. 4 is an exemplary transparent side-view of a filter mechanism including a pull cord; FIG. 5 is an exemplary illustration of a filter mechanism including a cinching mechanism; FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of manufacture of a recyclable beverage pod having a specialized filter mechanism. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Beverages, such as coffee and tea, are increasingly prepared using single serve brewing capsules. Note that such “capsules” may also be referred to as “cups” and/or “pods” and those terms may be used interchangeably within this disclosure. Many product benefits are realized when using single serve brewing capsules versus multi-serve bulk packaged roast and ground coffee, bulk packaged tea leaves, and/or bulk packaged drink powders. Capsules offer individual choice, wide availability of variety, fresh flavor and preparation convenience. Additionally, ecological benefits are realized when using single serve brewing capsules versus bulk-packaged drink alternatives, such as, without limitation, roast and ground coffee; most importantly, less waste of the coffee itself. First, unlike a pot of coffee which often is not fully consu