A dispenser including a housing and a scoop. The housing may have a plurality of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. An opening may be formed in at least one of the side walls. The scoop may include a handle and a bowl portion. The bowl portion may be configured to be inserted into an interior volume of the housing through the opening in the housing and to be removed from the interior volume of the housing through the opening in the housing.

A wrapper for a terahertz wave according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a terahertz wave transmission layer that is made of a material that transmits a terahertz wave; and an electric field enhancement structure that enhances an electric field by reacting with a predetermined frequency band of terahertz waves passing through the terahertz wave transmission layer. An optical identification device for a terahertz wave according to an embodiment of the present invention includes m identification units composed of: a terahertz wave transmission layer that is made of a material that transmits a terahertz wave; and a waveguide grating that resonates at a natural resonant frequency when receiving the transmitted terahertz wave, in which the natural resonant frequency is any one of a first natural resonant frequency to an n-th natural resonant frequency.

A container for the transport and/or the storage of objects is described. A container of this type features a detection device for determining information on the occupancy status and/or the filling status of the container. The detection device is capable of detecting different light intensities in the region of the inner container wall and of generating corresponding sensor signals. Furthermore, an interface is provided for producing a connection with a signal processing unit, in which image information on the filling status and/or occupancy status of the container can be generated based on the sensor signals.

A plug for detecting tampering of a container is configured to close an opening of the container. The plug includes an attachment means for attaching the plug to the opening of the container by rotating the plug with respect to the container, a motion sensor for sensing rotation of the plug with respect to the container and communication means for communicating with a server.

The present invention provides a process for incorporating a wireless device into a plastic container as part of the steps of manufacturing the container. The plastic container can be a flexible plastic bag and are formed of one or more sheets, generally two or more sheets of plastic film or a rigid plastic container such as a tub or tote. The bags are formed by sealing together adjacent edge portions of each film layer. One embodiment of the present invention is to incorporate a wireless device between the edge portions of the film(s) before or during sealing so that the wireless device becomes permanently sealed into the film material but is isolated from both the bag interior and the outside environment. Another embodiment is to incorporate the wireless device onto or into a plastic component that is sealed to the container, such as a nipple or port, so that the wireless device becomes permanently sealed to the container but is isolated from both the container interior and the outside environment.

A storage container having a sensor unit and a refrigerator having the same. The storage container includes a container body; a container cover coupled to the container body; a sensor module disposed at least at one of the container body or the container cover; and a coupling member provided as to accommodate at least a portion of the sensor module, and detachably coupled to at least one of the container body or the container cover. The sensor unit is detachably coupled to the storage container, and thus a replacement of the sensor unit may be easily performed.

A near field magnetically coupled anti-counterfeiting tag comprises a control microcircuit configured to implement a basic function and a cryptographic function; a sacrificial conductive track located across a sacrificial area of the tag; and a circuit for detecting continuity of the sacrificial track, cooperating with the microcircuit to implement the basic function without implementing the cryptographic function when the sacrificial track is broken.

A method of making a portion capsule that includes steps of: forming a metal material into a base element that includes: i) a wall extending around a central longitudinal axis to define a cavity, and ii) a rim having a top side and an opposing bottom side; filling the cavity with a beverage material; closing the cavity by attaching a foil cover onto the top side of the rim, the cover being dimensioned and configured to be: i) pierced by the mandrel of the beverage making machine in a piercing region, and ii) sealed by the seal of the beverage making machine in a sealing region; and providing an optically detectable identifier onto the metal material so that the optically detectable identifier results on the bottom side of the rim.

A container for containing a perishable substance has a container wall with an inner side and an outer side. The wall has an electrically conductive layer extending between the inner side and the outer side. The inner side faces the space containing the substance. The container comprises electronic circuitry having a sensor for sensing a physical property or condition of the substance, and an antenna for communicating an RF signal to a receiver, external to the container. The RF signal is indicative of the physical property or condition sensed. The sensor is positioned so as to be exposed to the space containing the substance in operational use of the container. The antenna is positioned at the outer side, or between the outer side and the electrically conductive layer, and is electrically isolated from the electrically conductive layer.

The present invention refers to a supply cartridge (1) comprising a support (2) of single portions, provided as a flexible strip-like support, or similar, and presenting a plurality of single dose portions (21) of an edible substance, such as for example coffee, disposed successively along a respective longitudinal direction. In particular, said support (2) of single portions presents a plurality of holes (25) adapted so as to provide a binary code for recognition by a machine (10) for preparing beverages of a set of parameters associated with said supply cartridge (1).

The present invention further refers to a machine (10) for preparing beverages, adapted for using a supply cartridge (1), including code apprehension means (7) provided in functional connection with a control device (8) of said machine (10), as well as to a process of preparation of beverages based upon a machine (10) for preparing beverages according to the present invention.