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US4919962A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Coffee flakes and process

Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
•
Filing: 1988-09-22
•
Granted: 1990-04-24
•
Expires: 2008-09-22
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Abstract

Abstract A thin, transparent coffee glass is disclosed which is prepared by forming a mixture containing above 4% to 12% water and about 88% to above 96% total coffee derived solids. These solids can further contain up to 20% hydrolyzed mannan and oligomers having a DP from 1 to 10 and up to 10% coffee cellulosic sugars. The coffee melt is characterized by having a glass transition temperature between 30° C. to 80° C. The coffee melt is heated to a temperature of 60° C. to 130° C. and extruded into a thin continuous film, stretched to further form a thin film which is rapidly cooled into a hard coffee glass which is shiny on both sides, dark in color and transparent. This transparent glass is then dried to a stable moisture content. The coffee glass provides a shiny appearance to any coffee product it is combined with an is an excellent means of entrapping and protecting coffee aromas. Furthermore, the coffee glass provides a means for shaping numerous new coffee products. The thin flakes of coffee glass disolve rapidly.

Inventors

  • 👤 Vijay K. Arora
  • 👤 Gary V. Jones
  • 👤 John M. Kovtun
  • 👤 Lawrence S. Brandlein

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 16:57
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23F; A23F5/00; A23F5/24; A23F5/36; A23F5/28; A23F5/285

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of forming a transparent, stable coffee glass comprising: (a) preparing a mixture of 100% coffee derived solids comprising about 4%-12% water and 88% to less than 96% coffee solids, said mixture having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. to 80° C.; (b) heating the mixture to a temperature of 60° C. to 130° C.; (c) blending to form a uniform and homogeneous mixture; (d) forcing said mixture through a restricted area to shape it; (e) pulling the mixture at a rate of speed greater than the shaped mixture exits the restricted area to stretch and cool the mixture to form a thin, continuous, homogeneous, solid, transparent, film of coffee glass exhibiting luster on both the top and bottom surface of the film; (f) breaking the film; and (g) recovering the broken film at a stable moisture content of 6% water or less.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 145 words
A method of forming a transparent, stable coffee glass comprising: (a) preparing a mixture of 100% coffee derived solids comprising about 4%-12% water and 88% to less than 96% coffee solids, said mixture having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. to 80° C.; (b) heating the mixture to a temperature of 60° C. to 130° C.; (c) blending to form a uniform and homogeneous mixture; (d) forcing said mixture through a restricted area to shape it; (e) pulling the mixture at a rate of speed greater than the shaped mixture exits the restricted area to stretch and cool the mixture to form a thin, continuous, homogeneous, solid, transparent, film of coffee glass exhibiting luster on both the top and bottom surface of the film; (f) breaking the film; and (g) recovering the broken film at a stable moisture content of 6% water or less.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the shaped mixture is stretched before drying to form a thin transparent film of coffee glass from 1 to 15 mils thickness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein coffee derived flavors and/or aromas or synthetic flavors and/or colloidal ground coffee are introduced into the mixture before shaping and retained upon cooling at a level of at least 50% of the added flavor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 1 in which the film exiting the restricted area is reduced in size 2 to 20 times using mechanical means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 in which coffee aroma is added prior to stretching the mixture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1 in which 10-90% ground soluble coffee is mixed with the 90%-10% coffee glass film and agglomerated to form a soluble coffee product.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 9 words
The product produced by the process of claim 1.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2929717A Cited
US2906630A Cited
US3419399A Cited
US3708311A Cited
US3625704A Cited
US4154864A Cited
US4317842A Cited
US4503127A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-04-23 1993-10-23 1994-04-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-04-23 1997-10-23 1998-04-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-04-23 2001-10-23 2002-04-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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