The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 06, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1999
Roderick H. Beaulieu, Cumberland, RI (US);
James W. Wuertele, North Billerica, MA (US);
Richard P. Sweeney, Winchester, MA (US);
John E. Sylvan, Milton, MA (US);
Michael G. Woram, Brooklyn, NY (US);
Kenneth A. Focht, Needham, MA (US);
Jennie Kwo, Cambridge, MA (US);
Keurig, Inc., Wakefield, MA (US);
Abstract
A cup shaped holder is internally provided with an ejection mechanism which serves to automatically dislodge a spent beverage cartridge from an upwardly extending piercing member when the lid is opened at the end of a brewing cycle. In addition, the holder is mounted on externally protruding trunnions for pivotal movement between an upright brewing position and a partially inverted position to eject the dislodged cartridge from the holder into an underlying receptacle. The lid has a dependency arm that coacts with a pawl on the holder trunnions to automatically manipulate the holder to eject the cartridge.