A Beverage Container

Abstract

The disclosure herein is directed to a beverage container that can be used as a cup comprising: a body defining an internal volume for a single-serve of a beverage, the body has a mouth at a first end having a removable seal for drinking the beverage from the container and a stem having a filling opening at second end, wherein the filling opening is sealed by a closure after filling, and the filling opening and the stem adjacent to the filling opening are narrower than the mouth.

1 . A method of packaging a beverage, the method including:
 forming a beverage container having a body defining an internal volume for a single-serve of a beverage, the body having a mouth at a first end for drinking the beverage from the beverage container and a stem having a filling opening at a second end;   attaching a removable seal to the mouth of the beverage container, the seal configured to protrude into the internal volume of the body;   filling the interior volume of the beverage container via the filling opening;   wherein the filling opening and the stem adjacent to the filling opening are narrower than the mouth to control a headspace formed at the filling opening; and   sealing the filling opening using a closure after the beverage container has been filled the closure configured to extend through the filling opening and into the stem to further reduce the headspace in the packaged beverage by displacing air from the body as the closure is inserted into the stem.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of selecting a closure configured to adjust a volume of air in the headspace. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the volume of air in the headspace is based at least in part on the size of the stem. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the closure comprises a plug that extends through the filling opening and into the stem. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , including permanently sealing the filling opening with the closure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a punt configured to provide a chamber inside the mouth of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of locating a base within the chamber of the punt. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the step of retaining the base within the chamber of the punt with a sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , including locating the sleeve in an operative position so as to overlay at least part of the first end of the container and extend along the body of the beverage container. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is heat shrunk to secure the sleeve in the operative position. 
     
     
         11 . A beverage container that can be used as a cup comprising:
 a body defining an internal volume for a single-serve of a beverage, the body has a mouth at a first end having a removable seal for drinking the beverage from the container and a stem having a filling opening at second end,   wherein the removable seal protrudes inwardly into the internal volume defining a non-fillable volume and the filling opening is sealed by a closure inserted into the stem after filling, and the filling opening and the stem adjacent to the filling opening are narrower than the mouth,   wherein the internal volume is substantially equal to a volume of the single-serve of beverage in combination with the non-fillable volume defined by the removable seal.   
     
     
         12 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein a headspace is formed within the filled container that is at least in part based on a size of the stem. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein a headspace is formed within the filled container that is at least in based on a configuration of the closure. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage container of  claim 12 , wherein the closure is configured to extend into each of the filling opening and the stem and thereby adjust the headspace within the container. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage container of  claim 12 , wherein the closure comprises a plug. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage container of  claim 15 , wherein the plug has a tapered side wall, such that as the plug is inserted into the filling opening air in the headspace is displaced from the stem. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the removable seal comprises a punt. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage container of  claim 17 , wherein the punt extends into the internal volume of the beverage container. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage container of  claim 17 , wherein the punt is configured to provide a chamber inside the mouth of the container. 
     
     
         20 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A beverage container comprising:
 a body having a stem and a pair of openings disposed at opposing ends thereof, a first opening of the pair being larger than a second opening of the pair,   the body and stem together defining an internal volume that is fillable through the stem with a beverage,   wherein the first opening is sealed by a removable seal configured to protrude into the internal volume of the body and the second opening is sealed by a closure that is inserted through the second opening and into the stem, such that the seal and the closure together reduce headspace in the body.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled)