Beverage System Including A Removable Piercer

• US 20170354289A1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: MARINA, Carlos Hernan, STANZIANO, Dario Federico, GIORGI, Hernn Javier, GUILA, Toms
• Granted Patent: US 10,610,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/005 Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/04 Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2821 said element being a blister, a capsule or like sealed container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/16 Devices preventing loss of removable closure members
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/804 Disposable containers or packages with contents which are mixed, infused or dissolved in situ , i.e. without having been previously removed from the package B65D65/46 takes precedence; tea infusers A47G19/16; spoons or stirrers comprising beverage additives A47G21/04

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.

Claims

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 that encompasses the inner ring, the outer ring having an upper portion disposed above the inner ring, wherein the upper portion has a greater range of motion than the portion of the outer ring that encompasses the inner 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.

2. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the piercing apparatus detachably attaches to an opening of the beverage container,

wherein the outer ring includes a protrusion that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer ring, and

wherein the protrusion creates a seal between the piercing apparatus and the opening of the beverage container when the piercing apparatus is attached to the opening of the beverage container.

3. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the outer ring is a cartridge retainer that flexes outward when a cartridge is inserted into the piercing apparatus.

4. The piercing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cartridge retainer comprises a plurality of vertical slots formed in an inner surface of the cartridge retainer.

5. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer ring comprises a lip that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer ring and is located between the protrusion and the upper portion.

6. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer ring further includes an inner protrusion that circumferentially protrudes inward from an inner surface of the outer ring toward the piercer, and

wherein the inner protrusion and the upper portion create a seal between the piercing apparatus and a cartridge that is inserted into the piercing apparatus.

7. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the piercer defines a plurality of openings different from the plurality of openings between the plurality of arms.

8. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is silicone.

9. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer ring and the inner ring are not separable.

10. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer ring encompasses both an outer surface of the inner ring and an inner surface of the inner ring.

11. The piercing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer ring is the outermost part of the piercing apparatus.

12. A beverage system comprising:

a container;

a piercing apparatus detachably attachable into a 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 on the neck cover; and

a strap that connects the neck portion to the cap.

13. The beverage system of claim 12, further comprising a cartridge that is openable through engagement with the piercer, the cartridge comprising a chamber, an opening, and a cover located over the opening, and wherein the cartridge contains one or more beverage ingredients.

14. The beverage system of claim 13, wherein when the neck cover is removed from the container, the cartridge releases the one or more beverage ingredients in response to the cover of the cartridge being opened by engaging the cover of the cartridge with the piercer in the neck of the container.

15. The beverage system of claim 12, wherein the piercing apparatus further comprises:

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 having an upper portion disposed above the inner ring, wherein the upper portion has greater flexibility than the portion of the outer ring that encompasses the inner 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.

16. The beverage system of claim 15, wherein the outer ring includes a protrusion that circumferentially protrudes outward from an outer surface of the outer ring, and

wherein the protrusion creates a seal between the piercing apparatus and the neck of the beverage container when the piercing apparatus is attached to the neck of the beverage container.

17. The beverage system of claim 15, wherein the upper portion of the outer ring is a cartridge retainer that flexes outward when a cartridge is inserted into the piercing apparatus.

18. The beverage system of claim 17, wherein the cartridge retainer comprises a plurality of vertical slots formed in an inner surface of the cartridge retainer.

19. The beverage system of claim 12, wherein the flexible material is silicone.

20. A beverage system comprising:

a container;

a neck cover that attaches to an outer rim of a neck of the container, wherein the neck cover defines an upper opening;

a cap that seals the opening on the neck cover; and

a strap with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attachably detachable to the cap and the second end is attachably detachable to the neck cover,

wherein the connection of the first end of the strap to the cap enables the cap to rotate freely about and relative to the first end of the strap,

wherein the second end of the strap has a connector that corresponds to a connection component of the neck cover, and

wherein the connection and disconnection of the second end of the strap to the neck component is only enabled when the neck cover is not attached to the outer rim of the neck of the container.

21. A piercing apparatus configured to detachably attach within a top opening of a beverage container, the piercing apparatus comprising:

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 creates a seal between the piercing apparatus and the top opening of the beverage container when the piercing apparatus is attached to the top opening of the beverage container.

22. The piercing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the piercer projects upward from a bottom of the piercing apparatus.

23. The piercing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the inner component and the outer component circumferentially surround the piercer.

24. The piercing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the inner component and the outer component define an engagement assembly that is configured to receive a cartridge containing a mixing solution, and

wherein a top edge of the engagement assembly is configured to secure and seal the cartridge when the cartridge is received in the engagement assembly.

25. The piercing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the engagement assembly further comprises an inner rib that protrudes toward the piercer, and

wherein the inner rib is disposed below the top edge of the engagement assembly.

26. The piercing apparatus of claim 21, wherein an upper surface of the piercing apparatus slopes toward an outer circumferential edge, and

wherein the outer circumferential edge is a lip that is configured to engage with the top opening of the beverage container.

27. The piercing apparatus of claim 26, wherein the protrusion of the outer component is beneath the lip and does not project past the lip.