Beverage brewings filters, apparatus and method

Claim 2

In a disposable beverage brewing filter of the type including a bowl-like shaped sheet of porous material having a flat bottom wall and a surrounding corrugated side wall defining an open end for receiving coffee, tea or the like to be brewed, the improvement comprising: the bottom wall of said sheet including a fold therein of predetermined, non-interlocking configuration with opposing generally parallel flap portions extending across the bottom wall to define a transverse integral strip to facilitate manual separation and removal of individual filters from a nested stack thereof.

Claim 3

A disposable beverage brewing filter, comprising: a sheet of suitable porous material; said sheet being formed into a bowl-like shape having a bottom wall defining a closed end, and a surrounding side wall with an upper edge defining an open end with a cavity recess therein for receiving coffee, tea or the like to be brewed; said sheet including a non-interlocking fold of predetermined configuration extending across at least the bottom wall thereof to define a transverse integral strip for facilitating manual separation and removal of individual filters from a nested stack thereof.

Claim 4

A disposable beverage brewing filter, comprising: a sheet of suitable porous material; said sheet being formed into a bowl-like shape having a bottom wall defining a closed end, and a surrounding side wall with an upper edge defining an open end with a cavity recess therein for receiving coffee, tea or the like to be brewed; said sheet including a non-interlocking fold of predetermined configuration extending across at least the bottom wall thereof to define a transverse integral strip for facilitating manual separation and removal of individual filters from a nested stack thereof.

Claim 5

The filter of claim 2, wherein said sheet of porous material is comprised of paper.

Claim 6

The filter of claim 2, wherein the side wall of said sheet is corrugated.

Claim 7

The filter of claim 2, wherein the fold is substantially straight and also extends through portions of the side wall between opposite points on the upper edge of said sheet.

Claim 8

The filter of claim 2, wherein the fold is of Z-shaped transverse cross-section with parallel fold portions extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall of said sheet.

Claim 9

The filter of claim 2, wherein the fold is of dovetail-shaped transverse cross-section with parallel fold portions extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall of said sheet.

Claim 10

Dispenser apparatus, comprising: a container having opposite ends, one end being closed and the other end including an access opening of predetermined size therein; a nested stack of disposable beverage brewing filters located within said container; each filter being formed from a sheet of suitable porous material into a bowl-like shape having a flat bottom wall defining a closed end, and a surrounding corrugated side wall with an upper edge defining an open end with a cavity recess therein for receiving coffee, tea or the like to be brewed; the upper edges of said filters being oriented toward the open end of said container, with the open ends of said filters being relatively larger than the access opening in the open end of said container so that said nested stack of filters is normally retained within said container; and each filter including a fold therein of predetermined non-interlocking configuration with opposing generally parallel flap portions extending across the bottom wall of the respective sheet to define a transverse integral strip reachable through the access opening in said container to facilitate individual manual separation and removal of each endmost filter therefrom.

Claim 11

Dispenser apparatus, comprising: a container having opposite ends, one end being closed and the other end including an access opening of predetermined size therein; a nested stack of disposable beverage brewing filters located within said container; each filter being formed from a sheet of suitable porous material into a bowl-like shape having a flat bottom wall defining a closed end, and a surrounding corrugated side wall with an upper edge defining an open end with a cavity recess therein for receiving coffee, tea or the like to be brewed; the upper edges of said filters being oriented toward the open end of said container, with the open ends of said filters being relatively larger than the access opening in the open end of said container so that said nested stack of filters is normally retained within said container; and each filter including a fold therein of predetermined non-interlocking configuration with opposing generally parallel flap portions extending across the bottom wall of the respective sheet to define a transverse integral strip reachable through the access opening in said container to facilitate individual manual separation and removal of each endmost filter therefrom.

Claim 12

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, wherein said sheets of porous material are comprised of paper.

Claim 13

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fold is substantially straight and also extends through portions of the side wall between opposite points on the upper edge of said sheet.

Claim 14

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fold is of Z-shaped cross-section with flap portions extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall of said sheet.

Claim 15

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fold is of dovetail-shaped cross-section with flap portions extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall of said sheet.

Claim 16

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, further including: an openable cover in the end of said dispenser opposite the end including the access opening, to facilitate refill of said filters; and means for securing said dispenser to a mounting surface.

Claim 17

The dispenser apparatus of claim 8, further including: a removable panel disposed in the access opening of said container.