BEVERAGE BREWING PACKAGE
A beverage brewing package includes a cup and a filter bag. The filter bag is supported in an interior region formed in the cup.
1 . A cup for use in a beverage brewing package comprising
a floor and
a side wall coupled to the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor and around a central axis that is generally perpendicular to the floor, the floor and the side wall cooperating together to define an interior region formed in the cup,
wherein the side wall is formed to include a series of side-wall stiffeners arranged to extend radially inwardly toward the central axis and into the interior region of the cup and lie in spaced-apart circumferential relation to one another around the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners are configured to provide reinforcement to the side wall against radially inward forces exerted on the side wall so that the cup can substantially maintain its shape when handled by a user, during assembly of the beverage brewing package, during puncture of the beverage brewing package by cannula prior to brewing, and during exposure of the beverage brewing package to hot, high pressure water during brewing.
2 . The cup of claim 1 , wherein the floor and the side wall are formed from polypropylene.
3 . The cup of claim 2 , wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners each include a pair of converging stiffener panels which extend radially inward toward the central axis from the side wall and couple to the floor.
4 . The cup of claim 3 , wherein each stiffener panel is defined by a base leg extending along the floor, a support leg extending along the side wall from the base leg, and a tie leg extending between distal ends of the base leg and the support leg.
5 . The cup of claim 2 , wherein the side wall further includes a frustoconical panel arranged to extend from the floor around the central axis and wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners are arranged to extend between and interconnect the frustoconical panel and the floor.
6 . The cup of claim 5 , wherein the floor, the frustoconical panel, and the series of side-wall stiffeners cooperate to form a monolithic element.
7 . The cup of claim 6 , wherein the frustoconical panel has a thickness less than other portions of the cup.
8 . The cup of claim 2 , further comprising a stacking shoulder coupled to an upper portion of the side wall and extending radially outward from the side wall and a brim coupled to the stacking shoulder to locate the stacking shoulder between the brim and the side wall.
9 . The cup of claim 8 , wherein the brim includes a shoulder-support rim configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between side walls of cups in a stack of cups to prevent wedging between the cups when a stacking shoulder of an upper cup engages a shoulder-support rim of a lower cup.
10 . The cup of claim 1 , wherein the floor includes a floor mount coupled to the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners and arranged to extend away from the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners toward the central axis, a floor disc located in radial spaced-apart relation to the side wall, the series of side-wall stiffeners, and the floor mount, and a floor stiffener arranged to extend between and interconnect the floor mount and the floor disc, the floor stiffener is configured is configured to minimize deformation of the floor disc during puncture of the cup by an outlet cannula prior to brewing.
11 . The cup of claim 10 , wherein the floor mount and and the floor disc are spaced apart from ground underlying the cup.
12 . The cup of claim 10 , wherein the floor disc is spaced apart from ground underlying the cup and the floor stiffener includes a first portion coupled to the floor mount and arranged to extend toward the central axis away from the floor mount, a second portion coupled to the first portion and arranged to extend from the first portion toward the central axis, and a third portion coupled to the second portion and arranged to extend between and interconnect the second portion and the floor disc.
13 . The cup of claim 12 , wherein the first portion is arranged to extend downwardly toward ground and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located outside the interior region and the second portion is arranged to extend upwardly away from ground toward the floor disc and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located inside the interior region.
14 . The cup of claim 12 , wherein the first portion is arranged to extend downwardly toward ground and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located outside the interior region, the second portion is arranged to extend upwardly away from ground toward the floor disc and have a curved shape with a radius of curvature located inside the interior region, and the third portion is straight and defines an included angle between the third portion and ground of about 45 degrees.
15 . A cup for use in a beverage brewing package comprising
a floor and
a side wall coupled to the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor and around a central axis that is generally perpendicular to the floor, the floor and the side wall cooperating together to define an interior region formed in the cup,
wherein the side wall is formed to include a series of side-wall stiffeners arranged to extend radially inwardly toward the central axis and into the interior region of the cup and lie in spaced-apart circumferential relation to one another around the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners are configured to provide stiffening means for reinforcing the side wall against radially inward forces exerted on the side wall so that the cup can substantially maintain its shape when handled by a user, during assembly of the beverage brewing package, during puncture of the beverage brewing package by cannula prior to brewing, and during exposure of the beverage brewing package to hot, high pressure water during brewing.
16 . The cup of claim 15 , wherein the floor and the side wall are formed from polypropylene.
17 . The cup of claim 16 , wherein the side wall further includes a frustoconical panel arranged to extend from the floor around the central axis and wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners are arranged to extend between and interconnect the frustoconical panel and the floor.
18 . The cup of claim 17 , wherein the floor, the frustoconical panel, and the series of side-wall stiffeners cooperate to form a monolithic element and the frustoconical panel has a thickness less than other portions of the cup.
19 . The cup of claim 18 , wherein the series of side-wall stiffeners each include a pair of converging stiffener panels which extend radially inward toward the central axis from the side wall and couple to the floor and each stiffener panel is defined by a base leg extending along the floor, a support leg extending along the side wall from the base leg, and a tie leg extending between distal ends of the base leg and the support leg.
20 . The cup of claim 15 , wherein the floor includes a floor mount coupled to the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners and arranged to extend away from the side wall and the series of side-wall stiffeners toward the central axis, a floor disc located in radial spaced-apart relation to the side wall, the series of side-wall stiffeners, and the floor mount, and a floor stiffener arranged to extend between and interconnect the floor mount and the floor disc and configured to provide means for minimizing deformation of the floor disc during puncture of the cup by an outlet cannula prior to brewing.