Claims
- 1. A system for packaging all instant beverage material in a package, including a filter disk having a first portion and an insert disk, and disposing said instant beverage material and package in a beverage container having a bottom with a bottom diameter, the apparatus comprising:
- a mandrel having a flange;
- a forming die slideably mounted on the mandrel and having an inner stepped portion configured to engage the flange of the mandrel and adapted to receive the filter disk and insert disk; and
- a funnel press having a funnel portion and a press portion, the press portion mating with the mandrel and forming die and adapted to draw the first portion of the filter disk into the mandrel to form a pocket in and crimp the filter disk, which may be subsequently loaded with the instant beverage material using the funnel portion;
- the insert disk adapted to be placed over the instant beverage material to secure the instant beverage material within the pocket formed in the filter disk, and the mandrel and the mounted forming die adapted to interact and thereby fold a portion of the filter disk over the insert disk and insert the filter disk, insert disk, and instant beverage material securely into the bottom of the beverage container.
- 2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for biasing the forming die in a first position relative to the mandrel and releasing the forming die to a second position relative to the mandrel, the biasing means attached to the mandrel.
- 3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the biasing means includes a spring.
- 4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the forming die has a catch and the biasing means further includes a base having a latch adapted to engage the catch of the forming die.
- 5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the forming die has an inner surface diameter, the mandrel has an outer surface diameter, and the inner surface diameter of the forming die is slightly larger than the outer surface diameter of the mandrel.
- 6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the forming die has an outer surfaces and a portion of said outer surface being angled inwardly to provide a chamfer.
- 7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the angle of said chamfer is adapted to fit into the beverage container.
- 8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the forming die has an outer surface diameter, and the outer surface diameter of the forming die is adapted to be smaller than an outer diameter of the filter disk.
- 9. A system for packaging an instant beverage material in a beverage container having a bottom with a bottom diameter, the combination comprising:
- a filter disk having a first portion and an outer diameter;
- an insert disk having a diameter which is slightly greater than the bottom diameter of the beverage container, whereby the insert disk provides a friction fit wedging the insert disk inside the beverage container adjacent the bottom of the beverage container;
- a mandrel having a flange and an outer surface diameter;
- a forming die slideably mounted on the mandrel and having (a) a chamfered outer surface adapted to fit into the beverage container, (b) an inner stepped portion configured to engage the flange of the mandrel and to receive the filter disk and insert disk, (c) an inner surface diameter slightly larger than the outer surface diameter of the mandrel, and (d) an outer surface diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the filter disk;
- means for biasing the forming die in a first position relative to the mandrel and releasing the forming die to a second position relative to the mandrel, the biasing means attached to the mandrel; and
- a funnel press having a funnel portion and a press portion, the press portion mating with the mandrel and forming die to draw the first portion of the filter disk into the mandrel to simultaneously form a pocket in and crimp the filter disk which is subsequently loaded with the instant beverage material using the funnel portion;
- the insert disk adapted to be placed over the instant beverage material to secure the instant beverage material within the pocket formed in the filter disk, and the mandrel and forming die interact to fold a portion of the filter disk over the insert disk and insert the filter disk, insert disk, and instant beverage material securely into the bottom of the beverage container.
- 10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the biasing means includes a spring.
- 11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the forming die has a catch and the biasing means further includes a base having a latch adapted to engage the catch of the forming die.
- 12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the latch has a hook and a handle elastically attached to the base.
- 13. The system according to claim 9 wherein the filter disk is permeable by water.
- 14. The system according to claim 9 further comprising a cutting device for punching the insert disk from a sheet of insert disk material, the cutting device has a housing with a first end, a cutting edge opposite the first end, a diameter, and a central opening; a cap closing the first end of the housing; a plunger slideably disposed in the central opening of the housing; and a compression spring disposed in the central opening of the housing and engaging the plunger on one end and the cap on its opposite end.
- 15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the diameter of the housing is approximately the same as the diameter of the insert disk.
- 16. The system according to claim 14 wherein the cutting device plunger extends beyond the cutting device housing when the spring is in an uncompressed position.
- 17. The system according to claim 14 wherein the plunger has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the housing.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/033,945, filed Dec. 23, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (36)