Single use beverage filter basket with non-woven filter medium

Abstract

A disposable single-use beverage filter basket filled with beverage grounds, and a beverage brewer having a cartridge for placement of the beverage filter basket. A permeable filter basket has a rigid frame having a bottom, a plurality of ribs, and a top rim that define side openings, and a non-woven filter medium that is bonded thermally to the material of the frame to cover the side openings. The non-woven filter medium is made of recyclable or compostable plastic or bio-polymer, and frame is made of the material of the non-woven filter medium. The permeable filter basket is filled with beverage grounds and enclosed with a film cover. The inlet probe of the brewer pierces the cover and admits a heated liquid into the beverage grounds, and creates a brewed beverage that flows through the filter material and exits an opening in a bottom portion of the cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A permeable filter basket for containing beverage grounds during brewing of a beverage in a beverage brewer by introduction of pressurized water therethrough, the permeable filter basket comprising:
 a frame formed of a polymer material comprising:
 a continuous top rim that defines a top opening of the frame; 
 a bottom having a peripheral edge; and 
 a plurality of ribs that extends from the top rim to the bottom, the plurality of ribs, top rim and bottom defining a plurality of side openings; 
 wherein the bottom is closed to inhibit passage of water therethrough during brewing and is adapted to redirect pressurized water contacting the bottom toward the top opening so as to facilitate intermixing of pressurized water with beverage grounds prior to exiting the filter basket through the plurality of side openings; 
   a liquid-permeable non-woven filter medium insert formed of a polymer material comprised of random, interconnected fibers, the fibers collectively forming inherently disordered inlet and outlet fluid passageways therethrough, the non-woven filter medium insert being separately formed from the frame, wherein the non-woven filter medium insert is sized such that the material of the frame is bonded to the fibers of the non-woven filter medium insert along locations where the non-woven filter medium insert contacts the frame, whereby the non-woven filter medium insert covers the plurality of side openings so as to define a beverage grounds receptacle area that is in communication with the top opening.   
     
     
         2 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame comprise the same polymer material. 
     
     
         3 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame are compostable, recyclable or both. 
     
     
         4 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and frame comprise polypropylene, polylacticacid, polyhydroxybutaric acid, or bio-based polymers. 
     
     
         5 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the top rim has a portion that extends outwardly from top opening. 
     
     
         6 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert is bonded across each of the plurality of ribs thereby providing a continuous non-woven filter medium insert that covers the plurality of side openings. 
     
     
         7 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1  further comprising a cover that covers the top opening at the top rim, the cover being formed of a material that is punctured to allow liquid to enter the permeable filter basket during the brewing of the beverage. 
     
     
         8 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1  further comprising beverage grounds located in the permeable filter basket, the non-woven filter medium insert retaining the beverage grounds within the permeable filter basket by inhibiting passage of the beverage grounds through the plurality of side openings. 
     
     
         9 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is thermally bonded to the fibers of the non-woven filter medium insert. 
     
     
         10 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is insert injection molded to the fibers of the non-woven filter medium insert. 
     
     
         11 . A permeable filter basket comprising:
 a frame sized to be received by a single serve beverage brewer for brewing of a beverage, the frame comprising:
 a top rim at a first end of the frame, the top rim defining a top opening through which pressurized water passes during the brewing of the beverage; 
 a bottom at a second end of the frame, the bottom is closed and prevents passage of water therethrough during brewing and is adapted to redirect pressurized water contacting the bottom to facilitate intermixing with beverage grounds; and 
 a plurality of ribs extending between the top rim and the bottom, the plurality of ribs being spaced-apart from each other to define a plurality of side openings; and 
   a non-woven filter medium insert covering the plurality of openings that filters water passing through the plurality of side openings, the non-woven filter medium extending continuously between adjacent side openings and across one of the plurality of ribs located between the adjacent side openings.   
     
     
         12 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame comprise the same polymer material. 
     
     
         13 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame are compostable, recyclable or both. 
     
     
         14 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and frame comprise polypropylene, polylacticacid, polyhydroxybutaric acid, or bio-based polymers. 
     
     
         15 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the top rim has a portion that extends outwardly from top opening. 
     
     
         16 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert is bonded across each of the plurality of ribs thereby providing a continuous non-woven filter medium insert that covers the plurality of side openings. 
     
     
         17 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11  further comprising a cover that covers the top opening at the top rim, the cover being formed of a material that is punctured to allow liquid to enter the permeable filter basket during the brewing of the beverage. 
     
     
         18 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11  further comprising beverage grounds located in the permeable filter basket, the non-woven filter medium insert retaining the beverage grounds within the permeable filter basket by inhibiting passage of the beverage grounds through the plurality of side openings. 
     
     
         19 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the frame is thermally bonded to the non-woven filter medium insert. 
     
     
         20 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 11 , wherein the frame is insert injection molded to the non-woven filter medium insert. 
     
     
         21 . A permeable filter basket comprising:
 a frame defining a beverage grounds holding volume that is sized to be received by a single serve beverage brewer for brewing of a beverage, the frame comprising:
 a top rim at a first end of the frame, the top rim defining an opening through which pressurized water passes during the brewing of the beverage; 
 a bottom at a second end of the frame, the bottom is closed and prevents passage of water therethrough during brewing and is adapted to redirect pressurized water contacting the bottom to facilitate intermixing with beverage grounds; 
 a plurality of ribs extending between the top rim and the bottom, the plurality of ribs being spaced-apart from each other to define a plurality of side openings; and 
   a non-woven filter medium insert covering the plurality of side openings that filters water passing through the plurality of side openings;   a cover that covers the opening at the top rim, the cover being formed of a material that is punctured to allow liquid to enter the beverage grounds holding volume during the brewing of the beverage;   beverage grounds located in the beverage grounds holding volume, the non-woven filter medium insert retaining the beverage grounds within the beverage grounds holding volume by inhibiting passage of the beverage grounds through the plurality of side openings.   
     
     
         22 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame comprise the same polymer material. 
     
     
         23 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and the frame are compostable, recyclable or both. 
     
     
         24 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert and frame comprise polypropylene, polylacticacid, polyhydroxybutaric acid, or bio-based polymers. 
     
     
         25 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the top rim has a portion that extends outwardly from top opening. 
     
     
         26 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the non-woven filter medium insert is bonded across each of the plurality of ribs thereby providing a continuous non-woven filter medium insert that covers the plurality of side openings. 
     
     
         27 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the frame is thermally bonded to the non-woven filter medium insert. 
     
     
         28 . The permeable filter basket of  claim 21 , wherein the frame is insert injection molded to the non-woven filter medium insert.