Methods and apparatus for removably or irremovably interconnectable building block containers such as those capable of initially storing consumable items such as food and drink. After consumption of the food or drink, the cavity containing same may be cleaned and/or refilled with consumable or non-consumable items. The building block containers are utilized as building block toys and may be manufactured or otherwise designed to be collectable. In one aspect, the container connectors are nearly identical such that any one connector may mate with any other connector. In another aspect, the connectors are nearly identical but the orientations of each connector vary to allow mating to occur when the connectors are properly oriented. In another aspect, the container is a cube juice box with connectors on all four corners of all six sides of the container. A frame for holding a juice container may also be utilized.

The invention relates to a container can that is sealed after being filled, to a holding device for introduction into a container can, and to a method for manufacturing a container can. A container can according to the invention that has a bottom, a peripheral wall that adjoins the bottom, and a narrowed end on one end facing away from the bottom is characterized in that a two-part holding device is located in the container can that has a second part and a first part detachably connected thereto, of which the first part has a connecting section for connecting the second part to the first part as well as a plurality of support arms, at least two upper support arms of which are designed to be supported in the region of the narrowed end on the peripheral wall of the container can and at least two lower support arms of which are designed to be supported on the peripheral wall of the container can in a place that is nearer to the bottom of the container can than the connecting section is.

A beverage container having a straw storage compartment in the base of the container for a self-contained straw is described herein. The beverage container may comprise a container body having a beverage holding chamber and a straw storage compartment configured to enable storage of a removable drinking straw. A removable bottom closure component may be provided for opening and closing the straw storage compartment. The straw-holding structure may be attached to a wall defining the straw storage compartment or attached to an inner portion of the removable bottom closure component, such that when the removable bottom closure component is positioned to close the straw storage compartment, the straw-holding structure is located within the straw storage compartment. When the removable bottom closure component is fully engaged with the container body at an open lower end of the container body, the removable drinking straw may be entirely enclosed within the beverage container.

The invention relates to a device (30) for extracting a straw (100) from a container (1) closed by a lid (3) and presenting an orifice (17). The device (30) comprises: a stopper (37) suitable for being attached to and detached from the lid (3) in order to close and open the orifice (17); and a body (31) connected to the stopper (37) and suitable for being inserted inside the container (1) through the orifice (17), and including: an abutment (35) on which a corrugated portion (105) of the straw (100) is suitable for resting when the stopper (37) is attached to the orifice (17), and which is suitable for entraining said corrugated portion (105) while the stopper (37) is being detached in order to extract the straw (100) from the container (1) through the orifice (17); and at least one opening (34) through which the straw (100) can be disengaged from the device (30) when the stopper (37) is detached from the lid (3).

Disclosed herein are nutritional substance labels that communicate in a format allowing retrieval of adaptive conditioning instructions unique to an individual nutritional product at the time of conditioning and intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value targeted by the transformer.

Disclosed herein are nutritional substance labels that communicate in a format allowing retrieval of adaptive conditioning instructions unique to an individual nutritional product at the time of conditioning and intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value targeted by the transformer.

A flexible thermoformed dispensing package for a flowable material includes an integrally formed dispensing tube extending from the container portion having an internal extension spaced apart from the side walls defining a recessed chamber defined by a pair of integral thermoformed walls extending from the bottom surface of the container chamber and terminating proximate the base when the package is in a vertical position to facilitate sipping of a beverage from the container portion; alternatively, a straw is placed in the dispensing tube to reach the base of the package. In another embodiment, at least one integrally formed internal dividing wall extends from the sealed end of the dispensing tube and intersects an interior wall to define separate dispensing chambers, where the sealed ends of each of the dispensing chambers can be independently opened along a weakened transverse parting line and separated into separate dispensing channels along a longitudinal parting line.

A package that can comprise a shipping and dispensing construct comprising a plurality of panels and dispensing features extending in one or more panels of the plurality of panels. The package further can comprise a plurality of product holding containers that are removably attached to one or more panels of the plurality of panels. The dispenser features can be for forming the package into a plurality of segments, and each segment of the plurality of segments can be for comprising a portion of the shipping and dispensing construct and at least one of the product holding containers of the plurality of product holding containers.

A package that can comprise a shipping and dispensing construct comprising a plurality of panels and dispensing features extending in one or more panels of the plurality of panels. The package further can comprise a plurality of product holding containers that are removably attached to one or more panels of the plurality of panels. The dispenser features can be for forming the package into a plurality of segments, and each segment of the plurality of segments can be for comprising a portion of the shipping and dispensing construct and at least one of the product holding containers of the plurality of product holding containers.

A drinking system comprising a pipe adapted to facilitate drinking from a first end of the pipe, a non-return valve unit connectable at a first end of the valve unit to a second end of the pipe, and a bag comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, the layers are connected so that fluid is containable in the bag between the layers, a slantable area on the first layer, facilitated by ribs embedded on the first layer, a first opening, in the slantable area, sealable by a cap, and a connector installed at a second opening, to which the pipe can be connected by the non-return valve, to facilitate drinking of fluids contained in the bag, the non-return valve is configured to enable fluids to flow from the bag to the pipe, while preventing flow of fluids back from the pipe to the bag.