Package with foil seals and penetrating means

Abstract

Improved packages, methods for manufacturing the packages and methods for producing beverages using the packages are provided. The packages include a cap, a container, and an adapter positioned between and connected to the cap and container. The adapter is configured to penetrate seals on the cap and the container by means of a spike member to allow contents of the cap to mix with contents of the container.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A package comprising:
 a container comprising a neck comprising a first open end sealed by a first seal;   an adapter connected to the first open end of the container, the adapter comprising a first end and a second end;   a cap comprising a second open end sealed by a second seal, the adapter is connected to the second open end of the cap;   a spike member positioned within the adapter and comprising a first tip and a second tip; and   a band circumscribing the neck of the container;   wherein the package is configured to have (i) a first position in which a vertical distance from the first tip to the second tip is less than a vertical distance from the first open end of the container to the second open end of the cap, and the first end of the adapter abuts the band, (ii) a second position in which the band is removed, the adapter is positioned lower on the neck relative to the first position, and the first seal is penetrated by the first tip, and (iii) a third position in which the cap is positioned lower on the adapter relative to the first and second positions, and the second seal is penetrated by the second tip.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , comprising a ledge on an inside wall of the second end of the adapter, the second open end of the cap abuts the ledge in the first and second positions of the package, and the second open end of the cap is located below the ledge in the third position of the package. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , comprising a ledge that extends outward from the neck at a position below the band, and the first end of the adapter abuts the ledge in the second and third positions of the package. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the spike member comprises a central section from which the first and second tips extend, the central section of the spike member is connected to an inner wall of the adapter by ribs, and the ribs abut the first open end of the container in the second and third positions of the package. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , comprising a food ingredient in the cap. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , comprising a diluent in the container. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the spike member is substantially centered within the adapter. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal and second seal are foil seals. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , comprising internal threads on the adapter configured to threadeably engage external threads on the container to fix the adapter to the first open end of the container. 
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing a package comprising:
 providing a container comprising a neck comprising a first open end, the container comprising a band extending outward from the neck;   sterilizing the container;   filling the container with a liquid and sealing the container with a first seal in a sterile environment;   filling a cap with an ingredient and sealing a second open end of the cap with a second seal in a non-sterile environment;   affixing a first end of an adapter over the first open end of the container, the adapter comprising a spike member positioned within an interior of the adapter, the spike member comprising a first tip and a second tip; and   affixing a second end of the adapter over the second open end of the cap to form the package, the package configured to have (i) a first position in which a vertical distance from the first tip to the second tip is less than a vertical distance from the first open end of the container to the second open end of the cap, and the first end of the adapter abuts the band, (ii) a second position in which the band is removed, the adapter is positioned lower on the neck relative to the first position, and the first seal is penetrated by the first tip, and (iii) a third position in which the cap is positioned lower on the adapter relative to the first and second positions, and the second seal is penetrated by the second tip.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ingredient is a powder. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ingredient is selected from the group consisting of a probotic, an oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a beverage comprising:
 providing a package comprising (i) a container comprising a neck comprising a first open end sealed by a first seal, the container comprising a band circumscribing the neck of the container, (ii) an adapter connected to the first open end of the container, the adapter comprising a first end and a second end, the adapter comprising a spike member positioned in an interior of the adapter and comprising a first tip and a second tip, the adapter connected to the first open end of the container, and (iii) a cap comprising a second open end sealed by a second seal, the second open end of the cap is connected to the adapter, wherein a vertical distance from the first tip to the second tip is less than a vertical distance from the first open end of the container to the second open end of the cap, and the first end of the adapter abuts the band;   removing the band and then applying a downward force to at least one of the cap or the adapter to move the adapter lower on the neck to penetrate the first seal with the first tip; and   applying additional downward force to the cap to move the cap lower on the adapter to penetrate the second seal with the second tip such that an ingredient housed in the cap mixes with a diluent housed in the container to form the beverage.