Beverage system including a removable piercer
First Claim
1. A piercing apparatus for a beverage container, the piercing apparatus comprising:
- an inner ring composed of a rigid material;
an outer ring composed of a flexible material, the outer ring having a lower portion that encompasses the inner ring and an upper portion that is disposed above the inner ring, wherein the inner ring constrains motion of the outer ring in the lower portion of the outer ring such that the upper portion of the outer ring has a greater range of motion than the lower portion of the outer ring; and
a piercer composed of a rigid material that is connected to the inner ring by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner ring,wherein the plurality of arms define a plurality of openings therebetween.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses related to a beverage system. The system includes a piercing apparatus that includes an inner ring composed of a rigid material and an outer ring composed of a flexible material that encompasses the inner ring. The outer ring has an upper portion disposed above the inner ring that has a greater range of motion than the outer ring that encompasses the inner ring. The piercing apparatus further includes a piercer composed of a rigid material that is connected to the inner ring by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner ring. The plurality of arms define a plurality of openings between the arms. The outer ring includes a protrusion that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer ring.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A piercing apparatus for a beverage container, the piercing apparatus comprising:
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an inner ring composed of a rigid material; an outer ring composed of a flexible material, the outer ring having a lower portion that encompasses the inner ring and an upper portion that is disposed above the inner ring, wherein the inner ring constrains motion of the outer ring in the lower portion of the outer ring such that the upper portion of the outer ring has a greater range of motion than the lower portion of the outer ring; and a piercer composed of a rigid material that is connected to the inner ring by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner ring, wherein the plurality of arms define a plurality of openings therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A beverage system comprising:
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a container; a piercing apparatus detachably attachable into a neck of the container via a press-fit connection between an outer surface of the piercing apparatus and an inner surface of the neck of the container, the piercing apparatus having a piercer composed of a rigid material, wherein the piercer protrudes upwardly from the piercing apparatus; a neck cover that attaches to an outer rim of the neck of the container, wherein the neck cover defines an upper opening; a cap that seals the upper opening of the neck cover; and a strap that connects the neck cover to the cap, wherein the piercing apparatus further comprises; an inner ring composed of a rigid material; and an outer ring composed of a flexible material, the outer ring having a lower portion that encompasses the inner ring and an upper portion that is disposed above the inner ring, wherein the inner ring constrains motion of the outer ring in the lower portion of the outer ring such that the upper portion of the outer ring has greater flexibility than the lower portion of the outer ring, wherein the piercer is connected to the inner ring by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner ring, and wherein the plurality of arms define a plurality of openings therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A piercing apparatus configured to detachably attach within a top opening of a beverage container, the piercing apparatus comprising:
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an inner component composed of a rigid material; an outer component composed of a flexible material that encompasses the inner component; and a piercer that is connected to the inner component by a plurality of arms that radially extend from the piercer to the inner component, wherein the plurality of arms define a plurality of openings therebetween, wherein the outer component includes a protrusion that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer component, and wherein the protrusion compresses against an inner surface of a beverage container and creates a seal between the piercing apparatus and the inner surface when the piercing apparatus is inserted into a top opening of the beverage container. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification