Kraft General Foods, Inc.

Kraft Foods, Inc.

Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC

Richard H Kaufman

Theodore J Kovacic

Martin M Bostwick

Andrew T Kostanecki

Robert H Brainard

Hideyoshi Okita

Patrick B Nolan

William H Valls

Thomas Bucaccio

Donald C Crescenzi

Marshall M Rankowitz

Ivica M Labuda

Thomas K Preston

Partick B Nolan

Martin M Bestwick

A blow-molded, luminescent, polyethylene food or beverage container or bottle which glows-in-the dark due to the presence of zinc sulfide luminescent pigment in the polyethylene resin at a level of from about 0.075 to about 1.2 percent by weight. The blow-molded, luminescent, polyethylene beverage container or bottle is designed to contain an acidic beverage. Even after prolonged storage in the container or bottle, the acidic beverage contains less than 0.25 ppm of zinc.

Glow-in-the-dark food and beverage containers

An easy-open beverage container and opening system therefor includes first and second barrier walls having top edges and upper portions of opposite side edges which matingly face one another and which form an open top therebetween. A bifold membrane with a longitudinal fold is located in the open top. A membrane attachment securely attaches peripheral edges of the bifold membrane to adjacent top edges and upper portions of the opposite side edges such that the bifold membrane closes the open top and the facing top edges of the barrier walls are movable away from one another to expose the longitudinal fold for piercing by a straw. In a preferred embodiment, a side attachment securely attaches facing portions of the peripheral edges of the bifold membrane adjacent the upper portions of the opposite side edges so that the facing upper portions of the opposite side edges are not movable away from one another and thus the facing top edges tend to stay together and protect the bifold membrane. In another preferred embodiment, the opening system further includes a peel seal provided between facing portions of the peripheral edges of the bifold membrane adjacent the top edges of the barrier walls. The peel seal provides a tamper-evident and sanitary seal for the bifold membrane which is, easily broken. For easier opening of the peel seal, a respective pull tab or extension is present adjacent to respective peripheral edges of the bifold membrane adjacent the top edges of the barrier walls.

Opening system for beverage container

An easy-open and tamper-evident beverage container and opening system for the beverage container are provided which include a container barrier wall. The barrier wall has a series of slits therein which define a pierceable straw hole. The series of slits divides the barrier wall into a hole portion and a remainder portion, with the hole portion connected to the remainder portion by attachment points provided between adjacent slits of the series. A membrane seal is located inside of the container and sealingly covers the straw hole. This membrane seal is liquid impervious and includes (a) an outer portion which is sealed to an inside surface of the front barrier wall about the straw hole, and (b) an inner portion integral with the outer portion which is not sealed to the inside surface of the barrier wall and which covers the straw hole. With this construction, when piercing the container with the straw, the straw breaks at least some of the attachment points as the straw pushes on the hole portion and as the straw then easily pierces the membrane seal. The breakage of the attachment points thus provides readily observable and unrepairable evidence of opening of the straw hole. Preferably, the series of slits form a circular str

Tamper-evident opening system for beverage container

An easy-open beverage container and opening system therefor includes an opening provided in a barrier wall. Covering the opening is a tamper-evident pull tab having a holding portion and a topmost free end portion. An adhesive adheres the holding portion to an outside surface of the barrier wall so that the hole is sealed. A pair of slits is provided in the holding portion at opposite lateral edges of the holding portion adjacent the free end portion and the respective slits extend inwardly and downwardly away therefrom. The consumer grasps and pulls the non-adhered free end portion downwardly toward an opposite end of the holding portion to expose the opening. This causes a peeled part of the holding portion initially to be pulled from the barrier wall until the slits are reached; at which time the peeled part laterally separates from a remainder of the holding portion initially along the slits and then further along tear lines beginning at the lowermost ends of the slits to expose the opening. Preferably, the adhesive includes a first-strength adhesive and a second-strength adhesive having a strength greater than the first-strength adhesive so that when the peeled part tears downwardly along the tear lines, the tearing force required increases when the peeled part reaches the second-strength adhesive and the consumer can stop peeling at that point so that the peeled part remains attached to the remainder of the holding portion.

Pull tab opening system for beverage container

A unitary beverage container includes a main body defining a container volume. A flexible straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom of the main body. The flexible straw also includes a distal end in the form of a hollow mouthpiece having a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. In many configurations of the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece includes a cylindrical base portion from which levers extend. An attaching mechanism removably attaches the mouthpiece of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture of the mouthpiece. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber which is attached to the top. A concavity in which the mouthpiece is received is provided at the top. The hollow chamber is permanently attached in some embodiments and removably attached in others. Various different configurations of the mouthpiece are provided for use with the various embodiments.

Beverage container

A unitary beverage container includes a main body defining a container volume. A flexible straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom of the main body. The flexible straw includes a series of segments which provide bending diaphragms. The straw also includes a distal end which is preferably in the form of a planar hollow mouthpiece having vertical wings and a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. The segments of the straw near the bottom are strengthened and a curved portion of the straw has wedge shaped segments. An attaching mechanism removably attaches the distal end of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture of the distal end. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber which is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A concavity in which the mouthpiece is received is provided at the top. A second attaching mechanism removably attaches the flexible straw to the main body.

Unitary beverage containers include a main body defining a container volume. A flexible conduit or straw is fluidly connected at a proximal end with the volume adjacent the bottom or top of the main body. The conduit or straw also includes a distal end which is preferably in the form of some shape of hollow mouthpiece having a central aperture therein with the mouthpiece is located adjacent the top of the main body. A connection or closing mechanism removably attaches a hollow member to the distal end of the flexible straw or conduit and closes the aperture of the distal end. The mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture at the distal end of the flexible straw or conduit which is broken during removal of the hollow member to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow member is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A indentation in which the mouthpiece and hollow member are received is provided at the top. A second attaching mechanism in some embodiments removably attaches the flexible straw or conduit to the main body.

Twist-off closure

Combined one-piece bottle and twist-off closure

Unitary beverage containers and methods of filling thereof are disclosed where the beverage container includes a main body and a filling conduit extending from the top thereof which is closed off after filling. In embodiments with a separate straw, an attaching mechanism removably attaches the distal end of the flexible straw to the top of main body and closes the aperture in the distal end. The attaching mechanism includes a short hollow bridge extending from the aperture which is broken during removal of the flexible straw to uncover the aperture prior to use. The hollow bridge is connected to a hollow chamber member which is otherwise isolated fluidly from the container volume. A concavity is provided at the top in which a mouthpiece at the distal end of the straw is received. In some preferred embodiments, the filling conduit extends from the top of the main body, and from adjacent the mouthpiece or from the mouthpiece itself. In another embodiment, the filling conduit acts as a beverage conduit and mouthpiece for both filling and ultimate drinking by the consumer. With this latter embodiment, the beverage conduit is inverted into the main body after filling and returned outside of the main body for drinking.

Beverage containers and filling thereof

Combined package of bottles with sleeve and shrinkable wrap

A one-piece soft plastic bottle includes a generally cylindrical bottom portion and a tapered upper portion having a flexible tapered bellows at an upper end thereof. A short tapered top tapers outwardly and upwardly from the tapered bellows and includes a top end with a small aperture therein. A closure for the central aperture extends above the top end and is broken away by the user to expose the central aperture. The closure includes a cylindrical extension and large wings extending laterally and downwardly therefrom. Extending from the cylindrical extension is a filling tube which is crimped after filling to close the filling tube.

Growing community of inventors

Chappaqua, NY, United States of America

Richard H Kaufman