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A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, preferably an espresso coffee beverage is disclosed. Between the bottom of the cartridge and the particulate substance as well as between the particulate substance and the cover

A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, preferably an espresso coffee beverage is disclosed. Between the bottom of the cartridge and the particulate substance as well as between the particulate substance and the cover of the cartridge, in each case a fluid director member is provided, having a plurality of small openings. The one close to the cover serves as a water distribution member for distributing the water, fed into the cartridge through a central opening pierced therein, evenly over the particulate substance, and the one close to the bottom serves as a beverage collection member to lead the beverage to a central opening pierced into the bottom of the cartridge. Both director members are provided with a recess directed towards the interior of the cartridge, allowing the penetration of a piercing member without damage to the director members.

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What is claimed is: 1. A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising: a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends; a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said partic

What is claimed is: 1. A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising: a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends; a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance; and a fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing, said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, and said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, a first number of said fluid channels extend radially outward from a central axis defined by said fluid director member, and a second number of said fluid channels extend concentrically around said central axis. 2. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein said plurality of openings are located within said plurality of fluid channels. 3. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein said raised portions and said fluid channels are evenly distributed substantially over an entire face of said fluid director member. 4. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein said fluid director member is supported within said housing such that a piercing element may pierce at least one of said opposite ends without piercing said fluid director member. 5. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein said raised portions on said fluid director member are raised toward and are in contact with said one of said opposite ends. 6. The single serving cartridge of claim 5, wherein said fluid director member further includes a recess projecting in a direction opposite to the direction of said raised portions. 7. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least one of said opposite ends is provided with an area having reduced mechanical strength to facilitate piercing by a piercing element. 8. The single serving cartridge of claim 1, wherein one of said opposite ends includes a cover member sealingly attached thereto. 9. The single serving cartridge of claim 8, wherein said housing defines an interior shoulder for supporting said fluid director member adjacent said one of said opposite ends. 10. A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion; a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion; and at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion, said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, a first number of said fluid channels extending radially outward from a central longitudinal axis of said fluid director member, and a second number of said fluid channels extending concentrically around said central longitudinal axis. 11. The cartridge according to claim 10 wherein said openings are located within said fluid channels. 12. The cartridge according to claim 11 wherein said fluid channels are evenly distributed substantially over an entire surface of said fluid director member. 13. A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion; a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion; and at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion, said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and wherein at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion of said main body portion is configured to be pierced by a piercing element to form a fluid opening; and said main body portion is configured to support said fluid director member offset from said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion such that the piercing element may pierce said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion without piercing said fluid director member. 14. A cartridge adapted to contain a single serving of a particulate substance having a statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, the particulate substance extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, said cartridge comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion configured to contain the particulate substance and an open end opposite said bottom portion; a cover member attached to and covering said open end of said main body portion; and at least one fluid director member sized to be received within the interior of said main body portion and having a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion, said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of fluid therethrough, each of said openings having a diameter less than the statistical mean diameter of a particle of the substance, and said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions, said raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and wherein at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion of said main body portion is configured to be pierced by a piercing element to form a fluid opening; and said fluid director member further defines a recess projecting in a direction to receive the piercing element when said piercing element pierces said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion, such that said piercing element does not pierce said fluid director member. 15. The cartridge according to claim 14 in which said recess has an essentially conical shape. 16. The cartridge according to claim 14 wherein said at least one of said cover member and said bottom portion is provided with an area having reduced mechanical strength to facilitate the piercing thereof by the piercing element. 17. A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion; a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion; and a fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings, a first number of said fluid channels extending radially outwards from said central longitudinal axis and a second number of said fluid channels extending concentrically around said central longitudinal axis, and said fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance. 18. The cartridge according to claim 17 wherein said raised portions of said embossings rest against said cover member, said fluid channels being delimited by said raised portions of said embossings and said cover member. 19. The cartridge according to claim 17 wherein said openings are located in said fluid channels created between said raised portions of said embossings. 20. The cartridge according to claim 17 wherein said embossings and said fluid channels, respectively, are evenly distributed substantially over the entire surface of said fluid director member. 21. The cartridge according to claims 17 in which said fluid director member is configured such that one or more piercing elements may penetrate said cover member of said main body portion without piercing said fluid director member. 22. A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion; a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion; and a fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings, said fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance, and. said fluid director member further including at least one recess projecting in a direction opposite to the direction of said raised portions of said embossings. 23. The cartridge according to claim 22 wherein said fluid director member comprises one central recess. 24. The cartridge according to claim 23 in which said central recess has essentially conical, hemispherical or cubic shape. 25. A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising: a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends; a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance; and a fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing, said fluid director member defining a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, said fluid director member further including a plurality of raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings, and said fluid director member further defines a recess positioned such that a piercing element may pierce said one of said opposite ends and extend into said recess without piercing said fluid director member. 26. The single serving cartridge of claim 25, wherein said recess is conical. 27. A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine comprising: a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends; a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance; a first fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing; and a second fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and the other of said opposite ends, wherein said first and second fluid director members configured substantially identically, each defining a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, and each further including a plurality of raised portions defining a plurality of fluid channels therebetween arranged to direct fluid flow to or from said plurality of openings. 28. The single serving cartridge of claim 27, wherein both of said opposite ends are provided with an area having reduced mechanical strength to facilitate piercing by a piercing element. 29. The single serving cartridge of claim 28, wherein both of said fluid director members are supported within said housing such that a piercing element may pierce a corresponding one of said opposite ends without piercing said fluid director member. 30. The single serving cartridge of claim 28, the brewing machine having a piercing element, wherein both of said fluid director members defines a recess positioned such that a piercing element may pierce a corresponding one of said opposite ends and extend into said recess without piercing said fluid director member. 31. The single serving cartridge of claim 30, wherein said recess is conical. 32. A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion; a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion; two fluid director members, each having an essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; each fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion; a first one of said fluid director members being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, and a second one of said fluid director members being located between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting respectively a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance or a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance. 33. The cartridge of claim 32, wherein a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings. 34. A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion; a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion; a first fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings, said first fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance, and said raised portions of said embossings resting on said cover member, said fluid channels being delimited by said raised portions of said embossings and said cover member; and a second fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said second fluid director member having a plurality of openings and a plurality of embossings, each of said embossings having a raised portion, whereby a plurality of communicating fluid channels is created between said raised portions of said embossings; said second fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance; and said raised portions of said embossings of said second fluid director member resting on said bottom portion, said fluid channels being delimited by said raised portions of said embossings and said bottom portion. 35. Cartridge according to claim 34 in which said openings are located in said fluid channels created between said raised portions of said embossings. 36. Cartridge according to claim 34 in which at least one of said first and second fluid director members comprises at least one recess projecting in a direction opposite to the direction of said raised portions of said embossings for receiving a piercing member penetrating said cover member and/or said bottom portion without said first and/or second fluid director members being damaged. 37. A single serving cartridge for a beverage brewing machine having a piercing element, the cartridge comprising: a housing configured for mounting with the beverage brewing machine and having closed opposite ends; a particulate beverage substance from which the beverage is extracted in the brewing machine, said particulate substance being contained within said housing and having a statistical mean diameter of the particles of said substance; a first fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and one of said opposite ends, said fluid director member dimensioned to correspond to an interior cross-sectional area of said housing; and a second fluid director member disposed within said housing between said particulate substance and the other of said opposite ends, wherein said first and second fluid director each define a plurality of openings for passage of a fluid therethrough, said openings having a diameter that is less than said statistical mean diameter of said particles, and wherein said first and second fluid director members each define a recess positioned such that a piercing element may pierce a corresponding one of said opposite ends and extend into said recess without piercing said fluid director member. 38. The single serving cartridge of claim 37, wherein each of said recesses projects toward the particulate beverage substance. 39. A cartridge containing a single serving of a particulate substance, extractable in a brewing machine, having a piercing member, by means of water for preparing a beverage, comprising: an essentially cup-or bucket-shaped main body portion having a bottom portion and an open end opposite to said bottom portion; a cover member sealingly attached to said open end of said main body portion; a first fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said first fluid director member having a plurality of openings; said first fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said cover member of said main body portion, thereby constituting a distribution member for the water flowing through said particulate substance; and said first fluid director member comprising at least one recess projecting toward the particulate substance for receiving a piercing member penetrating said cover member without said first fluid director member being damaged; and a second fluid director member having essentially disc-shaped configuration with a central longitudinal axis and a dimension essentially corresponding to the interior cross sectional dimension of said main body portion; said second fluid director member having a plurality of openings; said second fluid director member being located in the interior of said cartridge between said particulate substance and said bottom portion of said main body portion, thereby constituting a collection member for the water flowing through said particulate substance; and said second fluid director member comprising at least one recess projecting toward the particulate substance for receiving a piercing member penetrating said bottom portion without said second fluid director member being damaged.