US 9,521,923 · Granted 2016-12-20
The Pod-Free Coffee Cup That Lets You Brew Anything
Imagine a coffee cup that works with those fancy pressurized coffee machines, but instead of being locked into branded pods, you can fill it with any ground coffee or tea you want. The cup has a smart air valve that opens and closes automatically to let the pressure do its job, then vents when it needs to.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The patent covers a reusable cup adaptor designed to fit cartridge-style coffee machines (like Nespresso or Keurig systems). What's protected is the specific design of the cup body, the lower discharge opening, and especially the valve mechanism in the upper cover that automatically opens when pressure drops below a certain level and closes when the chamber fills with pressurized water. Anyone making a knockoff cup with this same automatic valve system would infringe the patent.
Why it matters
Cartridge coffee machines lock users into buying expensive branded pods. This patent represents an attempt to create an aftermarket workaround that would let consumers use cheaper bulk coffee instead. If widely adopted, it could disrupt the profitable pod ecosystem by giving users a reusable alternative that still works with their existing machines.
Real-world use
Every time someone refills this adaptor cup with their favorite ground coffee and clips it into their Nespresso machine, they're using the pressure-sensing valve this patent designed to automate the brewing cycle.
Original USPTO abstract
A brewable beverage making cup adaptor for cartridge type coffee making machines of the type having an inlet spout for supplying pressurized hot water, includes a cup body defining a chamber for holding a brewable material; a lower closure closing a lower end of the cup body, and including a small discharge opening through which a brewed liquid is discharged; an upper cover closing an upper end of the cup body, and including an inlet opening adapted to be positioned below the inlet spout for the supply of pressurized water to the cup body, and an offset valve opening for fluidly connecting the chamber with ambient atmosphere; and a valve for closing the valve opening when the chamber is filled at least at a predetermined level with the pressurized water and for opening the valve opening when the pressurized water in the chamber falls below the predetermined level.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 9,521,923
- Filing date
- 2013-12-24
- Grant date
- 2016-12-20
- Assignee
- Pangaea Labs Ltd. / Affinitea Brewing Technologies, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- PRILEY ANTHONY P.
- CPC class
- A47J31/407
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