Abstract: A beverage container lid includes an interior cover, an exterior cover, and a hinge connecting the interior cover to the exterior cover. The beverage container is versatile in that it may be adapted for use with a beverage container containing a cold beverage, a hot beverage, or a foamy or creamy beverage. The beverage container lid preferably includes a spout, straw perforations, an elevated portion, a reservoir bottom, a well portion, and a pair of retaining walls preventing direct flow of beverage from a pair of openings in the interior cover to the spout. Methods of use and methods of making a beverage container lid are also described.

Abstract: A smoothie dispenser (20, 20S, 20A) comprises a frame (22); a smoothie receptacle storage section (24); and a receptacle conformed chiller section (26). The smoothie receptacle storage section (24) is provided within the frame (22) and configured to house plural smoothie receptacles (30) at a first temperature. The chiller section (26) is arranged to receive a selected smoothie receptacle released from the smoothie receptacle storage section and configured to crystallize contents of the selected smoothie receptacle. The receptacle conformed chiller section (26) is “receptacle conformed” in the sense that a surface of the chiller section is configured to conform to (e.g., have a surface of shape to mate with or to form substantially greater than linear contact with) at least a portion an exterior profile or periphery of the selected smoothie receptacle.

Abstract: A smoothie dispenser (20, 20S, 20A) comprises a frame (22); a smoothie receptacle storage section (24); and a receptacle conformed chiller section (26). The smoothie receptacle storage section (24) is provided within the frame (22) and configured to house plural smoothie receptacles (30) at a first temperature. The chiller section (26) is arranged to receive a selected smoothie receptacle released from the smoothie receptacle storage section and configured to crystallize contents of the selected smoothie receptacle. The receptacle conformed chiller section (26) is “receptacle conformed” in the sense that a surface of the chiller section is configured to conform to (e.g., have a surface of shape to mate with or to form substantially greater than linear contact with) at least a portion an exterior profile or periphery of the selected smoothie receptacle.

Abstract: A beverage container lid includes an interior cover, an exterior cover, and a hinge connecting the interior cover to the exterior cover. The beverage container is versatile in that it may be adapted for use with a beverage container containing a cold beverage, a hot beverage, or a foamy or creamy beverage. The beverage container lid preferably includes a spout, straw perforations, an elevated portion, a reservoir bottom, a well portion, and a pair of retaining walls preventing direct flow of beverage from a pair of openings in the interior cover to the spout. Methods of use and methods of making a beverage container lid are also described.

Abstract: A beverage container lid includes an interior cover, an exterior cover, and a hinge connecting the interior cover to the exterior cover. The beverage container is versatile in that it may be adapted for use with a beverage container containing a cold beverage, a hot beverage, or a foamy or creamy beverage. The beverage container lid preferably includes a spout, straw perforations, an elevated portion, a reservoir bottom, a well portion, and a pair of retaining walls preventing direct flow of beverage from a pair of openings in the interior cover to the spout. Methods of use and methods of making a the beverage container lid are also described.

Abstract: A dispensing adaptor is disclosed for tubes of high viscosity compositions. The adaptor includes an adaptor body, the interior of which defines a tube tip receiving opening having a size and shape corresponding to the tip of a tube of high viscosity composition, an adapter tip on the adaptor body through which the tip receiving opening continues, a custom tip for the adapter tip that fits on the adapter tip, and at least two sets of custom tip attachments on the adapter body.

Abstract: A beverage container lid includes an interior cover, an exterior cover, and a hinge connecting the interior cover to the exterior cover. The beverage container is versatile in that it may be adapted for use with a beverage container containing a cold beverage, a hot beverage, or a foamy or creamy beverage. The beverage container lid preferably includes a spout, straw perforations, an elevated portion, a reservoir bottom, a well portion, and a pair of retaining walls preventing direct flow of beverage from a pair of openings in the interior cover to the spout. Methods of use and methods of making a the beverage container lid are also described.

Abstract: A smoothie dispenser (20, 20S, 20A) comprises a frame (22); a smoothie receptacle storage section (24); and a receptacle conformed chiller section (26). The smoothie receptacle storage section (24) is provided within the frame (22) and configured to house plural smoothie receptacles (30) at a first temperature. The chiller section (26) is arranged to receive a selected smoothie receptacle released from the smoothie receptacle storage section and configured to crystallize contents of the selected smoothie receptacle. The receptacle conformed chiller section (26) is “receptacle conformed” in the sense that a surface of the chiller section is configured to conform to (e.g., have a surface of shape to mate with or to form substantially greater than linear contact with) at least a portion an exterior profile or periphery of the selected smoothie receptacle.

Abstract: A dispensing adaptor is disclosed for tubes of high viscosity compositions. The adaptor includes an adaptor body, the interior of which defines a tube tip receiving opening having a size and shape corresponding to the tip of a tube of high viscosity composition, an adapter tip on the adaptor body through which the tip receiving opening continues, a custom tip for the adapter tip that fits on the adapter tip, and at least two sets of custom tip attachments on the adapter body.

Abstract: A smoothie dispenser (20, 20S, 20A) comprises a frame (22); a smoothie receptacle storage section (24); and a receptacle conformed chiller section (26). The smoothie receptacle storage section (24) is provided within the frame (22) and configured to house plural smoothie receptacles (30) at a first temperature. The chiller section (26) is arranged to receive a selected smoothie receptacle released from the smoothie receptacle storage section and configured to crystallize contents of the selected smoothie receptacle. The receptacle conformed chiller section (26) is “receptacle conformed” in the sense that a surface of the chiller section is configured to conform to (e.g., have a surface of shape to mate with or to form substantially greater than linear contact with) at least a portion an exterior profile or periphery of the selected smoothie receptacle.

Abstract: A computerized universal payment method to allow merchants with differing risk tolerance, transaction fee tolerance, and payment time tolerance to optimize customer payment transactions that have different risks, transaction fees, and transaction times. Here customer payments are converted to a synthetic financial account (a universal payment account) that acts somewhat like a financial marketplace between a plurality of merchants and customers. The method adjusts for the risks, transaction fee, and payment times associated with a customer's particular mode of payment, as well as adjusting for the merchant's tolerance for risks, transaction fees, and payment times, as well as optionally the merchant's knowledge about the customer. Thus, given permission, a customer paying by a high commission credit card, may upon merchant election have this payment converted to a low commission electronic check, and vice versa.

Abstract: A smoothie dispenser (20, 20S, 20A) comprises a frame (22); a smoothie receptacle storage section (24); and a receptacle conformed chiller section (26). The smoothie receptacle storage section (24) is provided within the frame (22) and configured to house plural smoothie receptacles (30) at a first temperature. The chiller section (26) is arranged to receive a selected smoothie receptacle released from the smoothie receptacle storage section and configured to crystallize contents of the selected smoothie receptacle. The receptacle conformed chiller section (26) is “receptacle conformed” in the sense that a surface of the chiller section is configured to conform to (e.g., have a surface of shape to mate with or to form substantially greater than linear contact with) at least a portion an exterior profile or periphery of the selected smoothie receptacle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lid for a beverage container including external and internal covers, which may be coupled together to define a cooling reservoir there between to receive and cool hot liquids that may be held in the beverage container. The external cover having ventilation holes and a dispensing spout for dispensing the liquid therein to the user. The internal cover includes a plurality of walls used for directed the hot liquid that enters from the beverage container. A plurality of entrance apertures are disposed in the interior cover, allowing the hot liquid to enter the reservoir. A plurality of dispensing walls cooperate to direct the hot liquid entering through the entrance apertures and to separate the hot liquid from cooled liquid exiting the reservoir through a dispensing aperture disposed in the spout.

Abstract: A beverage cup that is constructed to be inexpensive and disposable with the beverage cup having an anti-slip exterior surface. The anti-slip exterior surface can be constructed of a foam coating or constructed by placing a mass of small holes through a corrugated layer producing a chad around each hole that extends in an outward direction from the beverage cup.

Abstract: A removable beverage container lid wherein the lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. At least one inlet opening is formed in the interior cover directing a hot beverage to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition or wall assembly having a height extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover and a length at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition or wall assembly and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed in the exterior cover. Hot beverage is required to flow around the partition or wall assembly and into the gap area prior to flowing through the dispensing opening exteriorly of a beverage container.

Abstract: A removable beverage container lid for a beverage container to cover the mouth of the beverage container wherein the lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. At least one inlet opening is formed with the interior cover through which a hot beverage is to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition or wall assembly with the height of the partition or wall assembly extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover. The length of the partition or wall assembly is at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition or wall assembly and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed within the exterior cover.

Abstract: A removable beverage container lid for a beverage container to cover the mouth of the beverage container wherein the lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. An inlet opening is formed with the interior cover through which a hot beverage is to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition with the height of the partition extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover. The length of the partition is at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed within the exterior cover. Hot beverage is required to flow around the partition and into the gap area prior to flowing through the dispensing opening exteriorly of the beverage container.

Abstract: A smoothie dispensing machine and a method of dispensing a beverage container which utilizes an enclosed housing within which there is an internal chamber. A quantity of sealed smoothie containing beverage containers are located within the internal chamber. Upon selection of a single type of smoothie beverage container to be dispensed, that container is dispensed into a collection chamber. Within the collection chamber the temperature of the dispensed container is quickly lowered to less than thirty-two degrees fahrenheit and at the same time is rapidly shaken. At the end of the cooling and shaking period, the beverage container is dispensed to a location which is accessible exteriorly of the housing for removing of the container so that the container can be opened and the contents consumed.