Freshly brewed coffee has numerous advantages to instant coffee. For example, brewed coffee, when made from freshly ground beans, has a superior aroma and taste compared with instant coffee. However, a problem is encountered when measuring or determining the amount of ground coffee needed in order to make a desired amount of fresh brewed coffee. Until this time, one accepted technique of providing the correct amount of ground coffee was to measure with a measuring device, ie. spoon, tablespoon, scoop, cup etc, the necessary amount of ground coffee needed and to place this amount within the filter of the coffee machine. In this way, as well as through trial and error, the coffee connoisseur would determine the dry measure of coffee grounds needed to make a specific quantity of brewed coffee noting whether the brewed coffee was too weak or strong for the particular taste.
As an alternative to such indiscriminate measuring, ground coffee is also packaged in individual "one-shot" packets which are proportionate to the volume of a standard sized coffee pot. In this way, the user opens the individual packet of ground coffee and pours it into the filter which is placed in the filter basket of the coffee machine. However, when an amount of brewed coffee is needed which is less than the standard amount, such as one or two cups, there is no accurate way of measuring how much coffee is needed to make the needed one or two cups of coffee. Another drawback to such individual packaged ground coffee is that such "one-shot" packets are typically more expensive as compared with the ground coffee found in large volume coffee tins. Another drawback is that not all coffee brands and/or flavors are found in such "one-shot" packets.
Many attempts have been made to overcome the problems associated with accurately determining the amount of ground coffee needed to make a desired amount of brewed coffee. However, prior art coffee filters and prior art coffee machines have suffered from a variety of drawbacks and deficiencies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 676,763 to Nelson discloses a coffee boiler receptacle having an internal metal ribbed ground coffee cylinder into which ground coffee is deposited. The numbers present on the cylinder indicate the distance from the bottom to the level of the stated number of cups of water within the receptacle. This reference does not teach or suggest a water permeable disposable filter, the filter including a side wall having an open top region and a sealed bottom region with indica means on the interior surface of the side wall of the filter for indicating the amount of ground coffee to be filled into said filter in order to produce a desired quantity of the brewed coffee beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,980 to Linger discloses a electric teapot having a scale graduated in teaspoons whereby a predetermined measured quantity of tea may be inserted in the container without resorting to a measuring device. As well, this reference does not teach or suggest a water permeable disposable filter, the filter including a side wall having an open top region and a sealed bottom region with indica means on the interior surface of the side wall of the filter for indicating the amount of ground coffee to be filled into said filter in order to produce a desired quantity of the brewed coffee beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,126,584 to Small shows a coffee pot provided with graduations which indicate the depths to which the receptacle should be filled with coffee grounds for a given number of cups of coffee to be made. Likewise, this reference does not teach or suggest a water permeable disposable filter, the filter including a side wall having an open top region and a sealed bottom region with indica means on the interior surface of the side wall of the filter for indicating the amount of ground coffee to be filled into said filter in order to produce a desired quantity of the brewed coffee beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,513,593 to Smith discloses a coffee maker having a graduated indicator rod for determining the proper quantity of ground coffee to be poured into the vessel to make the required number of cups of liquid coffee. Similarly, this reference does not teach or suggest a water permeable disposable filter, the filter including a side wall having an open top region and a sealed bottom region with indica means on the interior surface of the side wall of the filter for indicating the amount of ground coffee to be filled into said filter in order to produce a desired quantity of the brewed coffee beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,771 to Bauer disclosed a disposable measuring cup formed of a waxed paper, the measuring cup having graduations for determining the amount of ingredients to be poured from the disposable cup. Accordingly, his reference does not teach or suggest a water permeable disposable filter, the filter including a side wall having an open top region and a sealed bottom region with indica means on the interior surface of the side wall of the filter for indicating the amount of ground coffee to be filled into said filter in order to produce a desired quantity of the brewed coffee beverage.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds