System and method for enabling accurate spoilage monitoring of a liquid food product or the like from the moment it is created, until the time it is either consumed or needs to be discarded. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a container for the food product, or a device to be attached to a container, is equipped with a switch, thermometer, other environmental sensors, controller and alarm. The switch is activated automatically or manually at the moment when the liquid food product is created, and then the temperature and other environmental parameters of the food product are monitored during the subsequent course of time, all the while keeping track of the temperature history of the product throughout the period, until the controller calculates that the maximum safe period has expired; whereupon an alarm is activated to warn the user to discard the product.

A closure device for a container, having a lid element for closing the container opening, a chamber which is arranged on the lid element for storing a medium, and an inner housing. The chamber and the inner housing have corresponding closure means and opening means. A discharge opening paired with the chamber can be released by moving the lid element relative to the inner housing such that a medium can exit the chamber into the container. The chamber and the inner housing each have a corresponding first thread which is formed relative to a winding rotational axis. The first winding which is located on the chamber is arranged so as to point radially outwards when seen from the winding rotational axis.

A container (10) for dispensing a liquid beverage concentrate is provided. The liquid beverage concentrate is formed of a first beverage component, disposed in a body (12), and a second beverage component, disposed within a cartridge (30) at least partially within the body, that are initially isolated. The first and second beverage components can be combined to form the liquid beverage concentrate by moving the cartridge, such as further into the body, to unblock a flow path (36) between the cartridge and the body.

A closure device for a container comprising a cover element for closing the container, a chamber arranged on the cover element and an inner housing. The chamber has a chamber end piece having an outlet opening that can be closed by means of a closure means. The inner housing comprises opening means for opening the outlet opening, wherein the chamber can be moved relative to the inner housing from a closed position into an outlet position. The chamber and the chamber end piece are connected to each other in a fluid-tight and gas-tight manner by means of a plastic seal injection molded on chamber and chamber end piece, wherein chamber, chamber end piece and plastic seal are formed from the same plastic. The invention further relates to a method for producing a closure device or a chamber.

A cap for a container includes a base portion that connects to the container, the base portion including a mouthpiece in fluid communication with an internal cavity of the container, a content reservoir system disposed on the base portion and in selective fluid communication with the internal cavity of the container, the content reservoir system including a valve such that the content reservoir system is in fluid communication with the internal cavity when the valve is in an open state and such that the content reservoir system is not in fluid communication with the internal cavity when the valve is in a closed state, and an actuating portion that actuates the valve between the closed state and the open state to selectively open the internal cavity of the container.

Some embodiments are directed to a bodily fluid sample collection device for the collection of naturally expressed bodily fluids and include a cap engageable with a tube to close a mouth of the tube. The cap includes a chamber for containing a reagent. The tube defines at least partly a sample collection space for receiving the naturally expressed bodily fluid. The cap comprises first and second cap portions relatively movable with respect to each other. The first and second cap portions are configured such that, responsive to engagement of the cap on the tube, one of the cap portions is caused to move integrally relative to the other cap portion to open the chamber and permit fluid communication between the chamber and the sample collection space. The reagent in the chamber is thereby permitted to mix with the bodily fluid in the sample collection space. A method of organizing and processing samples is also described.

An attachment for a beverage container may include a cap configured to attach to an opening in the beverage container. The cap includes an opening. The attachment also include a tube passing through the cap. A beverage in the beverage container can flow through the tube and out of the opening in the cap. The attachment also includes a container attached to the tube and configured to hold a liquid. The container includes an opening to allow the liquid to flow from the container into the tube and out of the opening in the cap. The attachment also comprises a restrictor between the opening of the container and the tube, such that the liquid begins to exit the opening in the cap before the beverage begins to exit the opening in the cap.

Provided is a mixing cap (10) attachable to a product chamber (4) for accommodating a product (8), the mixing cap (10) including an additive chamber (14) for accommodating an additive (12), the additive chamber (14) being defined by a flexible shell (20) surrounding an inner cavity (21) of the additive chamber (14), the flexible shell (20) being deformable to open towards the product chamber (4) for introducing the additive (12) into the product (8), a container device (2) with such a mixing cap (10) and a method for mixing a product composition (8, 12) out of the product (8) and the additive (12). FIG. 1

A modular flow monitoring package (MFMP) is provided for use in an additive delivery system. The MFMP may be manufactured as an add-on to be added to an existing additive delivery system, or may be incorporated into a cartridge or container structure. The MFMP includes a flow sensor for sensing flow of a base fluid and user actuator position sensors for sensing the position of one or more user actuated additive flow adjustment levers. A visual display, which may comprise an array of multi-color LED's may convey information to a user that is relevant to a user's use of the additive delivery system or the user's nutritional needs. Such information may include a current dosage of additive, being delivered, whether a recommended dosage of additive has been consumed, remaining life of a cartridge or supply of additive, and other data relative to health or performance monitoring.

An aroma container for adding an aroma substance to an air flow flowing through the aroma container. The aroma container comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and at least one side wall, which surround an aroma chamber. The container includes at least one air inlet opening into the aroma chamber, and at least one air outlet opening out of the aroma chamber, wherein a carrier substance for the aroma substance is present in the aroma chamber. A head space may be provided between the carrier substance and the side of the upper wall facing the aroma chamber. The carrier substance comprises a nonwoven material, wherein the air permeability L of the nonwoven material at a differential pressure of 100 Pa is L200 l/(m.sup.2.Math.s), and preferably between 220 l/(m.sup.2.Math.s) and 280 l/(m.sup.2.Math.s).