Instant beverage apparatuses and methods

Abstract

Present embodiments generally relate to packaging for instant beverage components, such as instant coffee. In some embodiments, the packaging includes a single-serve beverage cartridge for use with a single-serve coffee brewer. In some embodiments, the cartridge includes a cup, a lid, and a single serving of instant coffee or another instant beverage component. In some embodiments, the cartridge is configured to be pierced by one or more piercing members, which can provide an opening for liquid to flow into and/or out of the cartridge. In certain instances, the cartridge includes an insert configured to facilitate mixing of the instant beverage component with the liquid. In some embodiments, the instant beverage component is compressed. In certain embodiments, the cartridge does not include a filter or a barrier configured to retain non-liquid matter within the cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A single-serve beverage cartridge for use with a single-serve beverage machine, the cartridge comprising:
 a cup having a bottom wall and a shoulder disposed generally opposite the bottom wall;   a lid joined with the shoulder;   a single serving of an instant beverage component disposed in the cup; and   an insert mixed among the instant beverage component;   wherein the instant beverage component comprises ground coffee and at least the instant beverage component is coated in coffee oils.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a spheroidal member. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the insert is configured to dissolve in the liquid. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a sweetener. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a flavor enhancer. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge does not include a filter or a barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the instant beverage component comprises microground coffee having a median particle size of about 350 microns or less. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the instant beverage component further comprises dry coffee extract. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the lid and the bottom wall are each configured to be pierced to allow a flow of the liquid therethrough. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a flavor enhancer mixed with the instant beverage component. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the flavor enhancer comprises vanilla. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a membrane configured to maintain the instant beverage component in a first portion of the chamber and inhibit the instant beverage component from accessing a second portion of the chamber, the membrane further configured to dissolve when the liquid is introduced into the cup thereby releasing the instant beverage component into the second portion of the chamber, the instant beverage component mixing with the liquid to produce the beverage. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the membrane comprises a sweetener. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the sidewall is frustoconical in shape, and the membrane is disposed across a diameter of the frustoconical sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the instant beverage component comprises dry coffee extract and microground coffee. 
     
     
         16 . The cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the chamber is adjacent the lid and the second portion of the chamber is adjacent the bottom wall. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a single-serve beverage cartridge for use with a single-serve beverage machine, the method comprising:
 providing a cup having a bottom wall and a shoulder disposed generally opposite the bottom wall;   forming an instant beverage component, wherein forming the instant beverage component comprises:
 pulverizing roasted whole bean coffee; 
 blending the pulverized coffee with coffee oils; and 
 coating the pulverized coffee with the coffee oils; 
   placing a single serving of the instant beverage component in the cup; and   joining a lid with the shoulder of the cup.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising mixing an insert among the instant beverage component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the insert comprises a sweetener. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising sequestering the instant beverage component from a second portion of the chamber with a membrane, the membrane being configured to dissolve when a water-soluble liquid is introduced into the cup, thereby releasing the instant beverage component into the second portion of the chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising mixing a flavor enhancer with the instant beverage component. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the flavor enhancer comprises vanilla.