A cup collar for a cup or other beverage container to allow milk or cream, an additional flavoring, sugar or sweetener, or any other additive to be added to a beverage such as coffee or tea without having to pour out and waste the coffee or tea or other beverage to make room for the additive. The cup collar avoids wasting coffee or tea or other beverage and conserves water.

An illuminating motion sensing module for a beverage container. The illuminating motion sensing module is removably coupled to the base of the beverage container. The top surface of the module is comprised of a translucent surface with a diffusion texture which allows light emitted from the module to be propagated into the surrounding environment. The beverage container and motion module are placed on a nightstand, dresser, table, or any other flat surface within a low-light or no-light environment. After the motion of a user has been detected by the module, an illumination pattern is responsively emitted from the module and propagated out of the translucent or transparent beverage container, thus signaling the location of the beverage container to the user in a low-light or no-light environment. The motion module comprises a set of pre-programmed instructions for operating the motion module in one of a plurality of operation modes.

An active foodware system includes dining plates having visual stimulating, sensing, and wireless communication components. A visual stimulating component emits light to provide information or entertainment. The sensing component detects characteristics of the food received in the dining plate, such as weight or temperature. Data related to the food may be displayed on the visual stimulating component, or sent by the wireless communication component to a computer or mobile communication device. Computer software may display nutrition information on the visual stimulating component before, during, and after dining, or provide visual and auditory encouragement for children to eat.

A product includes a porcelain external wall, a touchscreen panel positioned behind the external wall, a graphical display panel positioned behind the external wall, graphical display logic to render a graphical user interface on the graphical display device to be projected through the porcelain external wall, and touch logic to interpret touch interactions with the touchscreen panel received through the porcelain external wall. The porcelain external wall at least partially obscures presentation of the graphical user interface.

A reusable food or beverage container that features self-cleaning surface characteristics thereby allowing effective cleaning using minimal resources and effort. The reusable food or beverage container includes an identification device used to associate the reusable food or beverage container as a part of a system of reusable food or beverage containers and associated devices. Successful identification of the reusable food or beverage container allows the container to be accepted for reuse as a part of the reusable container system, as well as to initiate automated processes associated with that particular reusable container.

A wireless drink container can monitor a person's hydration and prompt him or her to drink more if appropriate. The drink containers as described herein can monitor liquid levels and communicate with external devices about the liquid levels and rate of consumption. One or more sensors in the drink container monitor the liquid level within the container. A processor coupled to the sensor(s) estimates how much liquid has been removed from the container from changes in the liquid level and transmits a signal representing the change in liquid level to a smartphone or other external device. It also triggers an audio or visual indicator, such as an LED, that prompts the user to drink more based on the user's estimated liquid consumption and on the user's liquid consumption goals, which may be based on the user's physiology, activity level, and location.

A lighting apparatus used within a bottle opening, the apparatus including a portion having an outer circumference interference fit into the bottle opening and allowing flow of a liquid from the bottle. A control and power mechanism is included and operably connected to a lighting element of a variety of shapes located within the bottle and controllable by a user to selectively activate the lighting element. The portion fit into the bottle opening may include a cylindrical sidewall and centrally located button including a toggle switch forming the control and power mechanism retained and distanced from the sidewall by at least two radial extensions wherein spaces located between the radial extensions form passages for flow of the fluid.

A lid for a container is provided and includes a lid body that is configured to be securely coupled to the container. The lid body has a base portion and a flange portion that engages the container. The base portion has an integral upstanding candle holder that extends upwardly from the base portion and includes a hollow center section configured to receive and hold a candle in an upright position.

A non-spill drinking cup valve system (10) comprises a lid assembly (12) and a flexible valve member (14). The flexible valve member (14) is removably attachable to the lid assembly (12). The lid assembly (12) comprises a spout (16) having a drinking aperture (18) therein. The flexible valve member (14) comprises a protruding member (26) having a tip (52) and a drinking valve element (28) in the tip (52), which, in use, controls fluid flow into the spout (16) and out of the drinking aperture (18). The protruding member (26) and the spout (16) are of a complementary shape and, when the lid assembly (12) and the flexible valve member (14) are attached together, the protruding member (26) extends substantially into the spout (16).

A removable beverage container cover includes: a solid strip stabilizing component, a handle component, wherein the solid strip stabilizing component is hingeably connected to the handle component by a hinge arrangement that joins the handle component with the solid strip stabilizing component, a cover component that is operatively coupled to the stabilizing component and the handle component, and a releasable coupling component, wherein the releasable coupling component is physically attached to or coupled with the solid strip stabilizing component, and wherein the releasable coupling component is used to attach the removable beverage container cover to a bottle or can.