Beverage Pod with a Foldable Segmented Lid That Contains Whole Brewing Elements

This application is related to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Apr. XX, 2024, titled “A POD CONTAINER OPENING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN A BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS” (Attorney Docket No.: 10275US/10275/BREWBI). This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 18/081,645 filed Dec. 14, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/747,338 filed Jan. 20, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,534,019, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/970,839 filed May 3, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,537,202, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/500,734 filed May 3, 2017. The contents of all of the aforementioned disclosures are hereby incorporated in reference in their entireties for all purposes.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to packaging for beverages. More specifically, embodiments relate to the field of beverage brewing systems, specifically those involving the use of a brewable substance contained within a specially designed beverage pod.

The beverage industry has seen a significant rise in the popularity of single-serve brewing systems. These systems provide convenience and efficiency, allowing consumers to prepare a variety of hot and cold beverages quickly and easily. One common type of single-serve brewing system utilizes beverage pods, which are pre-packaged containers that hold a specific amount of a beverage's ingredients. These pods are typically placed into a brewing machine, where they are punctured or otherwise opened to release the ingredients into a brewing chamber. The brewing machine then applies water or another liquid to the ingredients, and the resulting beverage is dispensed into a cup or other container. Beverage pods come in a variety of designs and configurations. Some are rigid and have a pre-determined shape, while others are flexible and can conform to the shape of the brewing chamber. The design and construction of the pod can affect the brewing process and the quality of the resulting beverage. Additionally, the pod's ability to maintain the freshness and integrity of the ingredients can affect the taste and quality of the beverage. Despite the many advancements in beverage pod technology, there is still a need for improvements in the design and functionality of these pods. In particular, there is a need for beverage pods that can provide a consistent and high-quality brewing experience, while also being easy to use and environmentally friendly. The present invention addresses these and other needs in the art.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod for whole brewing elements including: a lower surface of a volumetric container; a sidewall coupling the lower surface to a foldable segmented lid such that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewall form a cavity of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lid including a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lid being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments including: a middle segment; and a first side segment and a second side segment, the first side segment being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segment and the second side segment being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segment; a brewable substance contained within the cavity formed by the lower surface, the sidewall, and the foldable segmented lid; the foldable segmented lid including a segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lid including at least one of the first side segment and the second side segment from the sidewall, the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism including at a first crease and a second crease of the foldable segmented lid such that the foldable segmented lid breaks along at one of the first crease and the second crease when actuated between the closed state and the open state; the closed state coupling the first side segment, the middle segment, and the second side segment with the sidewall such that the brewable substance contained within the cavity is sealed; and the open state to decouple at least one of the first side segment and the second side segment from the sidewall using at least one of the first crease and the second crease when actuated such that the brewable substance exits the beverage pod.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein an actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies a force that breaks the segmented opening mechanism at the first crease such that the segmented opening mechanism changes from the closed state to the open state with the foldable segmented lid remaining at least partially attached to the sidewall in the open state.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lid further includes a sidewall lip, wherein the sidewall lip in the closed state couples with the first side segment, the middle segment, and the second side segment and with the sidewall such that the brewable substance contained within the cavity is sealed.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the sidewall lip includes a first notch and a second notch; wherein the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lid uses at least one of the first notch and the second notch for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the first crease absorbs the force of the actuation mechanism such that the foldable segmented lid remains partially attached to the sidewall in the open state.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein an actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies a force that breaks the segmented opening mechanism at the second crease such that the segmented opening mechanism changes from the closed state to the open state with the foldable segmented lid remaining at least partially attached to the sidewall in the open state.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the second crease absorbs the force of the actuation mechanism such that the foldable segmented lid remains partially attached to the sidewall in the open state.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the first crease and the second crease include bending points of the foldable segmented lid.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the first crease is between the first side segment and the middle segment.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the second crease is between the second side segment and the middle segment.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the first crease is between the first side segment and the middle segment; and wherein the second crease is between the second side segment and the middle segment.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the beverage pod is made of a compostable material.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the beverage pod is made of paper.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the brewable substance is whole coffee beans.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the brewable substance is tea leaves.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the foldable segmented lid includes a machine-readable indicator that identifies the brewable substance in the beverage pod, a packaging date and time of the brewable substance, the packaging date and time changing behavior of a brewing machine relative to the brewable substance.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the foldable segmented lid includes a machine-readable indicator that identifies a weight of the brewable substance, the weight changing a behavior of a brewing machine relative to the brewable substance.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the foldable segmented lid includes a machine-readable indicator that is encrypted or obfuscated.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the machine-readable indicator is one or more of text, a QR code, a barcode, a symbol, or a picture.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the machine-readable indicator describes one or more of a type of the brewable substance, a brewing condition of the brewable substance, a brewing protocol for the brewable substance, an age of the brewable substance, and a parameter of the brewable substance.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the lower surface is circular and the foldable segmented lid is circular.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod, wherein the sidewall coupling the lower surface to the foldable segmented lid includes a mesh material, the mesh material allowing bidirectional air flow, the bidirectional air flow allowing air flow into the cavity and out of the cavity.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod for whole brewing elements including: a lower surface of a volumetric container; a sidewall coupling the lower surface to a foldable segmented lid such that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewall form a cavity of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lid including a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lid being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments including: a middle segment; and a first side segment and a second side segment, the first side segment being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segment and the second side segment being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segment; the foldable segmented lid including a segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lid including at least one of the first side segment and the second side segment from the sidewall, the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism including at least one crease of the foldable segmented lid such that the foldable segmented lid breaks along the at least one crease when actuated between the closed state and the open state; the closed state coupling the first side segment, the middle segment, and the second side segment with the sidewall such that the cavity is sealed; and the open state to decouple at least one of the first side segment and the second side segment from the sidewall at the at least one crease of the foldable segmented lid when actuated such that the beverage pod is opened.

In some embodiments, the present technology described herein relates to a beverage pod for whole brewing elements including: a lower surface of a volumetric container; a sidewall coupling the lower surface to a foldable segmented lid such that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewall form a cavity of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lid including at least one foldable segment; a brewable substance contained within the cavity of the volumetric container formed by the lower surface of the volumetric container, the sidewall, and the foldable segmented lid; the foldable segmented lid including a segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the at least one foldable segment from the sidewall, the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state by peeling of the foldable segmented lid by a user, the segmented opening mechanism including at least one crease of the foldable segmented lid such that the foldable segmented lid breaks along the at least one crease when actuated between the closed state and the open state; the closed state coupling the foldable segmented lid with the sidewall such that the brewable substance contained within the cavity is sealed; and the open state to decouple the at least one foldable segment from the sidewall at the at least one crease of the foldable segmented lid when actuated such that the brewable substance exits the beverage pod.

A problem exists of a poor user experience for beverage pod users because beverage pods are typically designed to be unidirectional when inserted in a brewing machine. Additionally, the lid of beverage pods detaches from the base during opening of the beverage pod for brewing of the contents in a brewing machine. Accordingly, the problems of a unidirectional beverage pod with a lid that detaches from the base during brewing result in a poor experience for beverage pod users.

The present technology provides solutions to these problems by providing a one-hundred-and-eighty degrees, rotationally symmetric beverage pod that is bidirectional for insertion in a brewing machine. The present technology further provides a foldable segmented lid comprising a segmented opening mechanism that maintains attachment of the lid during opening of the beverage pod for brewing of the contents in a brewing machine. Consequently, the present technology provides solutions including a one-hundred-and-eighty degrees, rotationally symmetric beverage pod that is bidirectional and a foldable segmented lid comprising a segmented opening mechanism that result in an enhanced user experience for the beverage pod users.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a beverage pod, specifically designed to enhance the user experience by addressing the common issues of unidirectional insertion and lid detachment during brewing of the contents of the beverage pod. For example, the beverage pod may be constructed with a lower surface of a volumetric container, a sidewall, and a foldable segmented lid, which together form an internal cavity. A unique feature of a beverage pod of the present technology is the one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotational symmetry, making the beverage pod bidirectional for insertion into a brewing machine. This eliminates the problem of unidirectional insertion commonly experienced with traditional beverage pods. The foldable segmented lid is another innovative feature of the beverage pod of the present technology. The foldable segmented lid may comprise several foldable segments including a middle segment and two side segments. These side segments are also one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to each other, mirroring the overall design of the pod. The internal cavity of the beverage pod houses the brewable substance. This substance remains sealed within the cavity until brewing, thanks to the coupling of the foldable segmented lid with the sidewall. The foldable segmented lid also incorporates a segmented opening mechanism. This mechanism includes at least one of the side segments from the sidewall and is designed to transition from a closed state to an open state. The transition involves breaking along either a first or second crease on the foldable segmented lid. In its closed state, all segments of the foldable segmented lid are coupled with the sidewall, ensuring that the brewable substance remains sealed within. The foldable segmented lid may be coupled with the sidewall by glue, adhesive, or any other mechanism to couple the foldable segmented lid with the sidewall. Upon actuation to its open state, at least one of the side segments decouples from the sidewall along one of the creases. For example, actuation to the open state may be by peeling of the foldable segmented lid by a user and decoupling the foldable segmented lid from the sidewall. This decoupling allows for the brewable substance to exit the pod for brewing. An advantage of the present technology is that unlike traditional beverage pods where lids detach completely during brewing, this foldable segmented lid remains attached to the base even when opened. This foldable segmented lid, combined with the bidirectional design of the pod, significantly enhances the user experience by making the brewing process more convenient and less messy for an enhanced user experience.

throughshow a beverage podincluding a foldable segmented lidbeing sealed. In contrast,throughshow the beverage podincluding the foldable segmented lidbeing open. According to various embodiments,throughshow the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a lower surfaceof a volumetric container; a sidewallcoupling the lower surfaceto a foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavityof the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA; a brewable substancecontained within the cavity(shown in) formed by the lower surface, the sidewall, and the foldable segmented lid; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lidincluding at least one of the first side segmentA and the second side segmentB from the sidewall, the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at one of the first creaseA and the second creaseB when actuated between the closed state and the open state; the closed state coupling the first side segmentA, the middle segment, and the second side segmentB with the sidewallsuch that the brewable substancecontained within the cavityis sealed; and the open state to decouple at least one of the first side segmentA and the second side segmentB from the sidewallusing at least one of the first creaseA and the second creaseB when actuated such that the brewable substanceexits the beverage pod (shown in).

In various embodiments the foldable segmented lidis a single piece of thin, lightweight, foldable material such as paper stock. The foldable segmented lidmay be made of other materials such as synthetic material, thin metal, or plastic, and combination thereof, just to name a few embodiments.

is a top perspective view of the beverage podwith a foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA.further shows the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at one of the first creaseA and the second creaseB when actuated between the closed state and the open state. In some embodiments, the foldable segmented lidis a single piece of thin, lightweight, foldable material such as paper stock. In some embodiments, the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state is actuatable to an open state by peeling of the foldable segmented lid by a user.

In some embodiments, the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lidof the beverage podfurther comprises a sidewall lip, wherein the sidewall lipin the closed state couples with the first side segmentA, the middle segment, and the second side segmentB and with the sidewallsuch that the brewable substance contained within the cavity (shown in,, and) is sealed.

In various embodiments, the sidewall lipcomprises a first notchA and a second notchB; wherein the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses at least one of the first notchA and the second notchB for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force. For example, the force may be applied by a brewing machine, which accepts the beverage podas described in related U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Apr. XX, 2024, titled “A POD CONTAINER OPENING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN A BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS” (Attorney Docket No.: 10275US/10275/BREWBI).

is another top perspective view of the beverage podwith the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewalland the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA.

further shows the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at one of the first creaseA and the second creaseB when actuated between the closed state and the open state.

is bottom perspective view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: the sidewallcoupling the lower surfaceto the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container.further shows, according to embodiments, the sidewall lipcomprises a first notchA, wherein the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses the first notchA for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force.

is a top view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA.further shows the segmented opening mechanism in a closed state and actuatable to an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at one of the first creaseA and the second creaseB when actuated between the closed state and the open state.

is a bottom view of the beverage pod, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surfaceto the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container.further shows according to various embodiments, the sidewall lipcomprises a first notchA and a second notchB; wherein the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses at least one of the first notchA and the second notchB for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force. For example, the force may be applied by a brewing machine, which accepts the beverage podfor brewing.

is a front view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container.further shows according to various embodiments, the sidewall lip.

is a rear view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container.further shows according to various embodiments, the sidewall lip.

is a left view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA.further shows according to various embodiments, the sidewall lip.

is a right view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology. foldable segmented lid sealed, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavity(shown in,, and) of the volumetric container; the foldable segmented lidcomprising a plurality of foldable segments, the foldable segmented lidbeing one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric and the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB, the first side segmentA being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the second side segmentB and the second side segmentB being one-hundred-and-eighty degrees rotationally symmetric to the first side segmentA.further shows according to various embodiments, the sidewall lip.

a perspective view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid being open at fifteen degrees relative to a lower surface of a volumetric container, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavityof the volumetric container; wherein the foldable segmented lidcomprising the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB.further shows the segmented opening mechanism in an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at the first creaseA when actuated between the closed state and the open state.

In some embodiments, the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lidof the beverage podfurther comprises a sidewall lip.shows the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses the second notchB for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force.

a perspective view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid being open at thirty degrees relative to the lower surface, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows that the foldable segmented lid has opened to thirty degrees relative to the lower surface.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavityof the volumetric container; wherein the foldable segmented lidcomprising the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB.further shows the segmented opening mechanism in an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at the first creaseA when actuated between the closed state and the open state.

In some embodiments, the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lidof the beverage podfurther comprises a sidewall lip.shows the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses the second notchB for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force.

a perspective view of the beverage pod with the foldable segmented lid being open at forty-five degrees relative to the lower surface, according to various embodiments of the present technology.shows that the foldable segmented lid has opened to forty-five degrees relative to the lower surface.shows the beverage podfor whole brewing elements comprising: a sidewallcoupling the lower surface(shown in) to the foldable segmented lidsuch that the lower surface, the foldable segmented lid, and the sidewallform a cavityof the volumetric container; wherein the foldable segmented lidcomprising the plurality of foldable segments comprising: a middle segment; a first side segmentA and a second side segmentB.further shows the segmented opening mechanism in an open state, the segmented opening mechanism comprising a first creaseA and a second creaseB of the foldable segmented lidsuch that the foldable segmented lidbreaks along at the first creaseA when actuated between the closed state and the open state.

In some embodiments, the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented lidof the beverage podfurther comprises a sidewall lip.shows the segmented opening mechanism for segmentally opening the foldable segmented liduses the second notchB for initiating the actuation mechanism that, when actuated, applies the force.