Single-serve cartridge with pressure relief valve

SINGLE-SERVE CARTRIDGE WITH PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE An improved single-serve cartridge with a one-way gas pressure relief valve for beverage brewing, preferably in an automatic single-serve beverage brewer device such as the Keurig@ Single Cup Brewing System, and cartridge components are described. In embodiments, the improved cartridge (10, 10a) contains ground coffee or other particulate beverage medium. A one-way gas pressure relief valve (11) permits gas produced by the ground coffee to escape from the cartridge (10, 10a) before use of the cartridge (10, 10a) in a brewer, thereby avoiding certain disadvantages associated with excessive pressure within the cartridge (10, 10a). The one-way gas pressure relief valve (11) is also essentially liquid-tight to liquid injected into the cartridge (10, 10a) by the brewer avoiding problems associated with liquid leakage and allowing the cartridge (10, 10a) to function in the brewer in the same manner as an unmodified cartridge. The improved cartridge (10, 10a) enables ground coffee, in particular, to be packaged immediately following roasting and grinding when at its optimal freshness to provide for improved beverage flavor and quality while maintaining package quality and integrity. a FIG.]1 FIG. 2 13 --- --- 15 29 3 199 e 5 -- --- 23 FIG. 3 FIG. 4 SECTION 4-4 Prior Art