Abstract:
This invention relates generally to capsules for containers, and more particularly to capsules for housing items with beverage containers, such as wine bottles, champagne bottles, beer bottles, liquor bottles, soda bottles, and the like.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/779,922 filed on Jul. 19, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to capsules for containers, and more particularly to capsules for housing items with beverage containers, such as wine bottles, champagne bottles, beer bottles, liquor bottles, soda bottles, and the like. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention is directed to a capsule for a bottle, which may include a substantially tubular, conformable skirt and a chamber for housing an item. The skirt may include at least one vent hole through the skirt to permit gas to pass through the skirt. The chamber may be positioned at least partially inside and releasably secured to at least a portion of the skirt. The chamber may also comprise at least one standoff extending from the housing for mounting the chamber on a top of the bottle, wherein the at least one standoff may include at least one rim guide for centering the chamber on the bottle, and at least one bottle mount for connecting the chamber to the top of the bottle. The chamber may further comprise at least one vent aperture, which may be aligned with at least one vent hole in the skirt. 
         [0004]    The capsule of the present invention may form a secondary closure on the bottle. The skirt may include an aperture for displaying the item through at least a top wall of the chamber. A portion of the chamber may protrude through the aperture in the skirt for displaying the item through a top wall of the chamber and also through at least one side wall of the chamber. The skirt may be formed from a thin sheet comprising one of a metal, a thermoplastic, wood pulp, or wax. The capsule may further include indicia on an inner surface of the capsule, such as on an inner surface of the skirt or under a disk that may cover the aperture. 
         [0005]    The chamber may further comprise a housing having a cavity, an opening in the housing to permit the insertion and removal of the item into and from the cavity, and a cover releasably covering the opening to releasably secure the item inside the chamber. The skirt may include a tear strip, which may be circumferentially positioned on an inner surface of the skirt and axially below the at least one vent hole. An end of the tear strip may be exteriorly accessible to permit actuation of the tear strip. Actuation of the tear strip may release the chamber from the bottle and permit access to the cover and also to a primary closure of the bottle. 
         [0006]    The chamber may be capable of bearing a compressive force longitudinally transmitted through the at least one standoff when the capsule is mounted on the bottle. The bottle may be one of a wine bottle, a champagne bottle, a liquor bottle, or a soda bottle. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a capsule may form a secondary closure on a bottle, comprising a skirt having at least one vent hole therethrough, and a chamber positioned at least partially inside and releasably secured to at least a portion of the skirt. The chamber may comprise an item, which may be removably insertable into and from a cavity in the chamber through an opening in the chamber. The chamber may also comprise a cover removably secured to the chamber and covering the opening for releasably securing the item in the cavity, and a tear strip positioned on the skirt. An end of the tear strip may be exteriorly accessible for gripping and actuating the tear strip. Actuation of the tear strip may release the chamber from the bottle and may permit access to the cover and also to a primary closure of the bottle. The chamber may also comprise at least one vent cavity, which may be aligned with at least one vent hole. 
         [0008]    The item may be visible through at least one wall of the chamber. The chamber may comprise a plan form that is one of a circle or a polygon. A top wall of the chamber may include a raised surface or a recessed surface. A top wall of the chamber may alternatively, or additionally, include a lens for magnifying the item. 
         [0009]    The skirt may conformably attached to the chamber and the skirt may be transparent. The capsule may also include indicia on an inner surface of the capsule, such as on an inner surface of the skirt. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, the invention may comprise a system for housing an item with a bottle. The system may comprise a closure having a chamber for housing the item where the closure may be positioned in a mouth of the bottle and a cap releasably positioned on the closure and over the chamber for releasably retaining the item. The cap may include a first aperture along an outer edge of the cap to assist in removing the cap from the closure for accessing the item. The system may also comprise a skirt positioned over the closure and the cap and secured to at least a portion of the bottle. 
         [0011]    The skirt may include a second aperture that may expose at least a portion of the cap. The cap may be transparent for displaying the item. The skirt may further comprise a second aperture exposing at least a portion of the first aperture to permit communication of gas through the first and second apertures, and a tear strip positioned on the skirt. An end of the tear strip may be exteriorly accessible for gripping and actuating the tear strip. Actuation of the tear strip may separate at least a portion of the skirt to permit access to the cap. The capsule may include indicia on an inner surface of the capsule. 
         [0012]    Another embodiment of the present invention may comprise a punt capsule for a bottle punt. The punt capsule may comprise an inner capsule including a cavity adapted to be received by the bottle punt and a chamber positioned in the cavity for housing an item. The chamber may comprise a cover forming a bottom of the chamber wherein the cover may be releasably secured to the chamber to releasably secure the item inside the chamber. The punt capsule may further comprise an outer capsule connected to the inner capsule and enclosing the chamber in the cavity. The outer capsule may include a tear strip wherein an end of the tear strip may be exteriorly accessible for gripping and actuating the tear strip. Actuation of the tear strip may at least partially separate a portion of the outer capsule from the inner capsule to release the chamber from the punt capsule. 
         [0013]    The inner capsule may nest in the outer capsule. The punt capsule may be inserted over and shrink-fit to a bottom of a bottle. The chamber of the punt capsule may nest in the cavity. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment, a closure for a bottle comprises a head portion comprising a chamber for housing an item, where the chamber comprises an opening formed in a top of the head portion to provide access to the item. The head portion in this embodiment is configured to abut a rim of the bottle. The closure also comprises a stub portion extending from a bottom of the head portion, where the stub portion is resilient and forms a releasable interference fit with an inside surface of the bottle. In this way, the stub may be capable of multiple insertions into and extractions from a bottle by simply gripping the closure, rotating the closure to exceed the static friction between the stub and the bottle wall, and either inserting or extracting the stub into or from the bottle. The closure further comprises a cap releasably connectable to the head portion and over the opening for releasably retaining the item. The cap includes a protrusion extending from a bottom of the cap for engaging the opening. 
         [0015]    The head portion may include a grip positioned on a periphery of the head portion, where the grip comprises at least one of a plurality of longitudinally oriented protrusions and a plurality of longitudinally oriented depressions. The head portion may include an approximately flat, annular surface on the bottom of the head portion for abutting the rim of the bottle and for controlling a depth of insertion of the closure in the bottle. The head portion may be integrally formed with the stub portion to form the closure. 
         [0016]    The cap may be transparent to provide visual access to the item in the chamber. The cap may comprise a lip extending peripherally and outwardly beyond the protrusion to approximately a transition between the top and a side wall of the head portion, where a bottom edge of the lip may be accessible to pry the cap from the head portion. The cap may include a convex top surface to form a lens. The protrusion extending from the cap may comprise a bell-shaped profile having a base larger than a neck. The neck of the protrusion may engage the opening in the head portion to releasably secure the cap to the head portion. The opening in the head portion may include a lip for engaging the neck of the bell-shaped protrusion, where the lip may comprise a clearance with the neck and an interference with the base. The lip of may be resilient and cooperate with the base and the neck of the protrusion extending from the cap. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment of the closure, at least one of the head portion and the stub portion may comprise a thermochromic property. 
         [0018]    A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments that are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the following drawings in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates a chamber of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates a partial section view, in perspective, of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates a rear perspective view of a skirt of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front elevational view of a housing of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  illustrates a top plan view of the housing of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  illustrates a bottom plan view of the housing of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  illustrates a front perspective view of the housing of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of a capsule of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  illustrates an exploded perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 16  illustrates a perspective view showing the steps of manufacture of one part of a punt capsule of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 17  illustrates a perspective view showing the steps of manufacture of another part of a punt capsule of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 18  illustrates a front elevational view of a part of a punt capsule using the parts shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 19  illustrates a front perspective view of the punt capsule of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 20  illustrates a perspective view showing the steps of manufacture of another part of a punt capsule of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 21  illustrates a perspective view showing the steps of manufacture of yet another part of a punt capsule of the present invention; 
           [0041]      FIG. 22  illustrates a front elevational view of view of a part of a punt capsule using the parts shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 23  illustrates a front perspective view of the punt capsule of  FIG. 22 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 24  illustrates an exploded front elevational view showing installation of an embodiment of a chamber together with the parts of the punt capsule shown in  FIGS. 19 and 23 ; 
           [0044]      FIG. 25  illustrates a front elevational view showing the fully assembled punt capsule of  FIG. 24 ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 26  illustrates a front elevational view of the punt capsule of  FIG. 25  shown installed onto a bottle; 
           [0046]      FIG. 27  illustrates an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0047]      FIG. 28  illustrates a partial exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0048]      FIG. 29  illustrates a partial perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0049]      FIG. 30  illustrates a top plan view of the closure shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0050]      FIG. 31  illustrates a front elevational view of the closure shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 32  illustrates a bottom plan view of the closure shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 33  illustrates a perspective view of the closure shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0053]      FIG. 34  illustrates a top plan view of the cap shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0054]      FIG. 35  illustrates a front elevational view of the cap shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0055]      FIG. 36  illustrates a bottom plan view of the cap shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0056]      FIG. 37  illustrates a perspective view of the cap shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 27 ; 
           [0057]      FIG. 38  illustrates a top plan view of another embodiment of the cap; 
           [0058]      FIG. 39  illustrates a front elevational view of the cap shown in  FIG. 38 ; 
           [0059]      FIG. 40  illustrates a bottom plan view of the cap shown in  FIG. 38 ; and 
           [0060]      FIG. 41  illustrates a perspective view of the cap shown in  FIG. 38 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0061]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure should be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated herein. 
         [0062]    Turning now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, there is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-11  capsule  10  incorporating the improvements of the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates, for example, one particular application out of a multitude of possible applications of capsule  10  where capsule  10  is shown installed upon the top of bottle  66 , such as that commonly used for wine, champagne, liquor, beer, soda, and the like. Capsule  10  may include skirt  11  and chamber  20 . Capsule  10  may contain and may display item  46 , which may include, for example, a promotional item, a charm, a trinket, or the like, within chamber  20  positioned inside capsule  10  or simply positioned inside or underneath skirt  11  if chamber  20  is not present. In addition, capsule  10  may act as a secondary closure for the contents of the bottle in addition to primary closure  60  of bottle  66 , such as a cork (see  FIG. 5 ) or a cap (not shown), to secure the contents of bottle  66 , such as a beverage, inside bottle  66 . 
         [0063]    Skirt  11  of capsule  10  may be made from a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, metal, including aluminum or tin, a thermoplastic, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS, wood pulp, wax, or any other material that may be formed into and function as a capsule. Skirt  11  may be fabricated to substantially conform to at least a portion of chamber  20  and to bottle  66 , such as neck  70 , and may include wall  15  forming aperture  16  for the retainable housing and optional display of the contents of chamber  20 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , skirt  11  may be fabricated in the shape of a tube for insertion over chamber  20  and neck  70  of bottle  66 . Skirt  11  may be secured to and substantially conform to at least a portion of chamber  20  and to bottle  66 , over the entirety of bottle  66  or over any portion of bottle  66 , such as neck  70 , using conventional means, such as by shrinking skirt  11  using heat or by compressing skirt  11  under pressure to conform to bottle  66 , or both. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach skirt  11  to neck  70 . Skirt  11  may be transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque. 
         [0064]    To permit the optional visual access to item  46  while housed in chamber  20 , aperture  16  of skirt  11  may reveal chamber  20  and its contents. Chamber  20  may include housing  22 , which may include top surface  24 . If visibility of item  46  while housed in chamber  20  is desired, at least top surface  24  of housing  22  may be transparent or semi-transparent and may be left exposed to and visible through aperture  16  in skirt  11  to permit display of item  46 . Housing  22  of chamber  20  may instead be opaque to obscure display of item  46 . Alternatively, skirt  11  of capsule  10  may, in addition to or in place of chamber  20 , include a transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque disk or other cover that spans aperture  16  to display, obscure, or prevent display of item  46 . Skirt  11  of capsule  10  may optionally not include aperture  16  and instead may completely cover chamber  20 . However, a completely covered chamber  20  may still be visible depending on the chosen transparency of skirt  11 . 
         [0065]    It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that housing  22  of chamber  20  may be made in any shape. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , housing  22  may be generally circular on its periphery. Alternatively, housing  22  may be made in the shape of, for example, a polygon. Likewise, top surface  24  may be generally flat, as shown in  FIG. 2  or take on any shape, such as a dome, for example, and may include a raised impression, a depression, or a lens for magnifying item  46 . 
         [0066]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , capsule  10  may also include at least one vent hole  14 , which may be radially positioned along the perimeter of, and through, skirt  11  for communicating gas through skirt  11 . If more than one vent hole  14  is included, as may be determined, for example, by the contents of bottle  66  and the porosity and/or permeability of primary closure  60  or for ease of installation of skirt  11  over bottle  66 , vent holes  14  may be spaced equidistant from one another, or they may be spaced with irregular spacing to maximize potential alignment with other features of the invention, as described below, for communicating gas through skirt  11 . The at least one vent hole  14  may be positioned above mouth  72  of bottle  66  to permit transmission of gas through skirt  11 . 
         [0067]    Capsule  10  may optionally include tear strip  12  affixed to inside surface  18  of skirt  11  (see  FIG. 6 ). Tear strip  12  may provide a convenient method for partially or completely severing top portion  17  of skirt  11  from skirt  11  to release chamber  20  from bottle  66  and to permit access to both the contents of chamber  20  (i.e., item  46 ) as well as to primary closure  60  of bottle  66 , such as a cork (see  FIG. 5 ) or a cap (not shown). Alternatively, if tear strip  12  is not included in capsule  10 , top portion  17  may be separated from capsule  10  using any conventional tool for such purpose. However, using such additional tool may be more expensive to acquire and cumbersome to deploy as compared to using the features disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, skirt  11  may instead be configured to be removed by hand by, for example, simply pulling or peeling skirt  11  off of bottle  66 . 
         [0068]    Tear strip  12  may be oriented substantially circumferentially on inside surface  18  at a position below the at least one vent hole  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2  to permit partial or complete removal of at least top portion  17  of capsule  10 , or possibly the entirety of capsule  10 , if desired, from bottle  66  while also permitting venting of gas from inside bottle  66 . Tear strip  12  may optionally be positioned near bottle top  68  to release chamber  20  and to provide a torn edge of skirt  11  approximately at or below bottle top  68 . Alternatively, tear strip  12  may be oriented in any one of a number of different orientations, such as in a helical pattern, a zig-zag pattern, or a substantially longitudinal (vertical) orientation to permit partial or complete removal of top portion  17 , and perhaps the entirety, of capsule  10  from bottle  66 . Tear strip  12  may be a separate piece that is affixed to inside surface  18  of skirt  11  or tear strip  12  may be integrally formed with skirt  11 . If tear strip  12  is a separate piece, fear strip  12  may be made from a different material than skirt  11 . 
         [0069]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , capsule  10  may also include indicia  19  positioned on an inner surface of capsule  10 , such as on inside surface  18  of skirt  11 , underneath a disk (not shown) or other cover that may cover aperture  16 , on bottom surface  44  of peel strip  42 , or separately included under chamber  20 . In this way, hidden messages may be provided to and read by, for example, consumers of bottle  66  after releasing chamber  20  from skirt  11 . 
         [0070]    As best shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , chamber  20  of capsule  10  may include housing  22 , item  46  and peel strip  42 . Peel strip  42  may be adhesively secured to underside surface  29  of bottom wall  28  of housing  22  to fully encapsulate item  46  to prevent intrusion of potentially corrosive moisture or gas from entering chamber  20  and damaging item  46 . Alternatively, peel strip  42  may comprise any form of closure or cover to simply cover opening  30  and to contain item  46 . Chamber  20  may also be pre-assembled with item  46  and with peel strip  42  for ease of manufacture of capsule  10 . 
         [0071]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , capsule  10  may form a secondary closure over primary closure  60 . Primary closure  60  may be inserted into mouth  72  of bottle  66  using conventional means. Once installed, top surface  62  of primary closure  60  may be either above, below, or flush with bottle top  68  of bottle  66  so long as gas is permitted to pass through at least one of vent holes  14 . 
         [0072]    As shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , housing  22  may include opening  30  to permit installation and removal of item  46  into and from cavity  40  of housing  22 . Housing  22  may also include at least one standoff  32 . The at least one standoff  32  may extend approximately from bottom wall  28  of housing  22 , and may include at least one bottle mount  34  for connecting chamber  20  to bottle top  68 , at least one rim guide for centering chamber  20  on bottle  66 , and at least one vent cavity  38 . The at least one vent cavity  38  may be oriented to align with the at least one vent hole  14  for communicating gas through the at least one vent hole  14  arranged in skirt  11  of capsule  10 . Depending on the number of vent cavities  38  included in housing  22 , each of vent cavities  38  may be spaced equidistant from one another, or they may be spaced with irregular spacing to maximize the possibility that at least one vent cavity  38  aligns with at least one vent hole  14  to permit passage of gas, for example, from within inside bottle  66  to the atmosphere. 
         [0073]      FIG. 11  shows a complete capsule  10  ready for final installation on bottle  66 . Specifically, capsule  10  is shown with chamber  20  inserted into and affixed to inside surface  18  of skirt  11  using conventional means, such as by shrinking skirt  11  using heat or by compressing skirt  11  under pressure to conform to chamber  20 , or both. Alternatively or additionally, skirt  11  may be pre-formed into the general shape shown in  FIG. 11  and simply adhered to chamber  20  using an adhesive. In either case, skirt  11  may not initially be shrunk below chamber  20  to permit later insertion of capsule  10  over neck  70  of bottle  66 . 
         [0074]    A method for using capsule  10  shown in  FIG. 11  includes first installing capsule  10  onto neck  70  of bottle  66 . Rim guides  36  may assist in the assembly process by helping to center chamber  20  over bottle top  68  until contact is made between bottle mounts  34  of chamber  20  onto bottle top  68 . Capsule  10  may then be secured onto neck  70  by conventional means, such as by shrinking skirt  11  using heat or by compressing skirt  11  of capsule  10  under pressure to conform to neck  70 , or both. Additionally, capsule  10  may be adhered to neck  70  using an adhesive. Once installed upon bottle  66 , capsule  10  and particularly chamber  20  may be capable of bearing a compressive force longitudinally transmitted through the at least one standoff  32 . 
         [0075]    If a user wishes to access item  46  from within chamber  20  when capsule  10  is fully installed on bottle  66 , the user must first tear or score skirt  11  to release chamber  20  from capsule  10  and bottle  66 . To tear skirt  11 , a user may grip loose end  13  of tear strip  12 , which may extend exteriorly through, for example, either a longitudinal seam in skirt  11  or through an opening in skirt  11 , and pull tear strip  12  to rupture skirt  11  along the periphery of skirt  11  until chamber  20  is released. In so doing, a torn edge of skirt  11  may be formed approximately at or below bottle top  68 . Alternatively, to release chamber  20  in cases when tear strip  12  is not present on capsule  10 , a sharp knife or other tool known to one of ordinary skill can be used to tear, cut, score or otherwise cleave skirt  11  along the periphery of skirt  11 . However, using such additional tool may be more expensive to acquire and cumbersome to deploy as compared to using the features disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, skirt  11  may instead be configured to be removed by hand by, for example, simply pulling or peeling skirt  11  off of bottle  66 . 
         [0076]    Once chamber  20  is released from capsule  10  on bottle  66 , the contents of chamber  20  may be accessed by gripping loose end  43  of peel strip  42  (see  FIG. 2 , for example) and peeling or removing peel strip  42  away from bottom wall  28  of housing  22 . Item  46  may then be retrieved through opening  30  of housing  22 . In addition, once chamber  20  is released from capsule  10  on bottle  66 , primary closure  60  of bottle  66 , such as a cork (see  FIG. 5 ) or a cap (not shown), may also be accessed and removed using conventional means to gain access to the contents of bottle  66 . 
         [0077]      FIGS. 12-13  show another embodiment of the invention. Skirt  81  of this embodiment has properties and features similar to skirt  11  described above except that chamber  20  may protrude or extend past opening  86  of skirt  81  to reveal top surface  24  and at least one side wall  26  of housing  22  of chamber  20  to further enhance visibility of item  46 . Chamber  20  may also be inserted into skirt  81  and affixed or secured to inner surface  88  of skirt  81  in the same manner as described above for the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 . For example, chamber  20  may be secured to inner surface  88  of skirt  81  using conventional means, such as by shrinking skirt  81  using heat or by compressing skirt  81  under pressure to conform to chamber  20 , or both. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach chamber  20  to skirt  81  in capsule  80 . 
         [0078]    Capsule  80  in  FIG. 12  may also include at least one vent hole  84 , which may be radially positioned along the perimeter of, and through, skirt  81  for communicating gas through skirt  81 . If more than one vent hole  84  is included, as may be determined, for example, by the contents of bottle  66  and the porosity, the permeability of primary closure  60 , or for ease of installation of skirt  11  over bottle  66 , vent holes  84  may be spaced equidistant from one another, or they may be spaced with irregular spacing to maximize potential alignment with other features of the invention, as described below, for communicating gas through skirt  81 . The at least one vent hole  84  may be positioned above mouth  72  of bottle  66  to permit transmission of gas through skirt  81 . 
         [0079]    Chamber  20  may be released from capsule  80  in the same manner as described above for the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 . Specifically, skirt  81  may optionally include tear strip  82  affixed to inner surface  88  of skirt  81  and loose end  83  for gripping and actuating tear strip  82 . Tear strip  82  may provide a convenient method for partially or completely separating top portion  90  of skirt  81  from skirt  81  to release chamber  20  from bottle  66  and to permit access to both the contents of chamber  20  (i.e., item  46 ) as well as to primary closure  60  of bottle  66 , such as a cork (see  FIG. 5 ) or a cap (not shown). Alternatively, if tear strip  82  is not included in capsule  80 , top portion  90  may be separated from capsule  80  using any conventional tool for such purpose. However, using such additional tool may be more expensive to acquire and cumbersome to deploy as compared to using the features disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, skirt  81  may instead be configured to be removed by hand by, for example, simply pulling or peeling skirt  81  off of bottle  66 . 
         [0080]    Like the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 , tear strip  82  shown in  FIGS. 12-13  may be oriented substantially circumferentially on inner surface  88  at a position below the at least one vent hole  84  to permit removal of at least top portion  90  of capsule  80 , or possibly the entirety of capsule  80 , if desired, from bottle  66  while also permitting venting of gas from inside bottle  66 . Tear strip  82  may optionally be positioned near bottle top  68  to release chamber  20  and to provide a torn edge of skirt  81  approximately at or below bottle top  68 . Alternatively, tear strip  82  may be oriented in any one of a number of different orientations, such as in a helical pattern, a zig-zag pattern, or a substantially longitudinal (vertical) orientation to permit removal of at least top portion  90 , and perhaps the entirety, of capsule  80  from bottle  66 . Tear strip  82  may be a separate piece that is affixed to inner surface  88  of skirt  81  or tear strip  82  may be integrally formed with skirt  81 . If tear strip  82  is a separate piece, tear strip  82  may be made from a different material than skirt  81 . 
         [0081]    As shown in  FIG. 13 , capsule  80  may also include indicia  92  positioned on an inner surface of capsule  80 , such as on inner surface  88  of skirt  81 , on bottom surface  44  of peel strip  42 , or separately included under chamber  20 . In this way, hidden messages may be provided to and read by, for example, consumers of bottle  66  after releasing chamber  20  from skirt  81 . 
         [0082]    It should be understood that the method for using capsule  80 , and for displaying and removing item  46  from chamber  20  is generally the same as described above for the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 . 
         [0083]    Yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 14 . In this embodiment, capsule  100  may include primary closure  108 , item  46 , cap  112  and skirt  101 . Primary closure  108  may include chamber  110  for housing item  46 . Chamber  110  may be concentrically drilled, bored, or molded into primary closure  108 . For best results, given the geometry of chamber  110 , primary closure  108  may comprise a synthetic material to reduce porosity of primary closure  108  and to provide sufficient radial wall loads to at least prevent leakage of fluid from inside bottle  66 . 
         [0084]    As shown in  FIG. 14 , primary closure  108  may be inserted into mouth  72  of bottle  66  using conventional means. Once installed, top surface  109  of primary closure  108  may be any one of approximately below, flush, or above bottle top  68  of bottle  66 . Item  46  may be inserted into chamber  110  either before or after installation of primary closure  108  into mouth  72 . If chamber  110  is inserted before primary closure  108  is inserted into mouth  72 , then a temporary closure may be employed to retain item  46  in chamber  110 . 
         [0085]    To secure item  46  inside chamber  110 , cap  112  may be inserted into and over chamber  110 . To accomplish this, cap  112  may include outer wall  116 , which may form an interference fit with inner wall  111  of chamber  110  upon insertion of outer wall  116  of cap  112  inside chamber  110 . An adhesive may also be used, if desired, anywhere cap  112  adjoins primary closure  108  to seal item  46  from atmospheric dirt and contamination. To secure cap  112  to chamber  110 , skirt  101  of capsule  100  may include wall  106 . Skirt  101  may include aperture  104 , which may be smaller in size than cap  112 . 
         [0086]    To permit the optional visual access to item  46  while housed in chamber  110 , aperture  104  of skirt  101  may reveal chamber  110  and its contents through optional cap  112 . Skirt  101  of capsule  100  may also include a transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque disk or other cover that spans aperture  104  to display, obscure, or prevent display of item  46  and to secure item  46  in chamber  110  if cap  112  is not present. Skirt  101  of capsule  100  may optionally not include aperture  104  and instead may completely cover chamber  110 . However, a completely covered chamber  110  may still be visible depending on the chosen transparency of skirt  101 . 
         [0087]    To gain access to cap  112  and item  46 , skirt  101  of capsule  100  may include tear strip  102  affixed or secured to inner surface  105  of skirt  101 . Tear strip  102 , and loose end  103  usable for gripping and actuating tear strip  102 , may provide a convenient method for partially or completely separating top portion  118  of skirt  101  from skirt  101  to access cap  112  and to permit access to both the contents of chamber  110  (i.e., item  46 ) as well as to primary closure  108  of bottle  66 . Alternatively, if tear strip  102  is not included with capsule  100 , top portion  118  may be separated from capsule  100  using any conventional tool for such purpose. However, using such additional tool may be more expensive to acquire and cumbersome to deploy as compared to using the features disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, skirt  101  may instead be configured to be removed by hand by, for example, simply pulling or peeling skirt  101  off of bottle  66 . 
         [0088]    Like the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 , tear strip  102  shown in  FIG. 14  may be oriented substantially circumferentially on inner surface  105  to permit removal of at least top portion  118  of capsule  100 , or possibly the entirety of capsule  100 , if desired, from bottle  66 . Tear strip  102  may optionally be positioned near bottle top  68  to provide a torn edge of skirt  101  approximately at or below bottle top  68 . Alternatively, tear strip  102  may be oriented in any one of a number of different orientations, such as in a helical pattern, a zig-zag pattern, or a substantially longitudinal (vertical) orientation to permit removal of at least top portion  118 , and perhaps the entirety, of capsule  100  from bottle  66 . Tear strip  102  may be a separate piece that is affixed to inner surface  105  of skirt  101  or tear strip  102  may be integrally formed with skirt  101 . If tear strip  102  is a separate piece, tear strip  102  may be made from a different material than skirt  101 . 
         [0089]    As shown in  FIG. 14 , capsule  100  may also include indicia  107  positioned on an inner surface of capsule  100 , such as on inner surface  105  of skirt  101 , underneath a disk (not shown) or other cover that may cover aperture  104 , or separately included under cap  112 . In this way, hidden messages may be provided to and read by, for example, consumers of bottle  66  after removing top portion  118  from skirt  101 . 
         [0090]    To gain access to item  46  housed in chamber  110 , cap  112  may also include aperture  114  positioned along a portion of the outer edge of cap  112 . To remove cap  112  from primary closure  108 , an object, such as a fingernail or even a screw driver, may be inserted into aperture  114  to pry cap  112  off of primary closure  108  using lever action. 
         [0091]    Skirt  101  of this embodiment may have properties and features similar to skirt  11  described above, except that skirt  101  may not necessarily include any vent holes along its periphery, such as vent holes  14  shown on  FIG. 1 . Instead, gas may permeate to/from the contents of bottle  66  past or through primary closure  108 , through aperture  114  of cap  112 , and through aperture  104  of skirt  101 . 
         [0092]    In  FIG. 15  there is shown a complete capsule  100 , which may be formed by installing and securing skirt  101  over neck  70  of bottle  66  using conventional means, such as by shrinking skirt  101  using heat or by compressing skirt  101  under pressure to conform to neck  70  of bottle  66 , or both. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach skirt  101  to neck  70 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , cap  112  may be transparent to optimize visibility of item  46 . However, cap  112  may be semi-transparent or opaque to obscure visibility of item  46 . Alternatively, cap  112  may be covered altogether with yet another cap, cover, or disk, as described above, to partially or completely prevent visibility of item  46 . 
         [0093]    In yet another embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 16-26 , punt capsule  150  may alternatively be placed over bottle punt cavity  74  to house and/or display item  204 , which may include a promotional item, a charm, a trinket, or the like. To provide punt capsule with the capability of housing and easily releasing item  204  from punt capsule  150 , punt capsule  150  may optionally be formed from the following major components: inner capsule  152 , outer capsule  180 , and chamber  200 . Inner capsule  152  may include skirt  154  and bottom  158 . 
         [0094]    As shown in  FIG. 16 , skirt  154  of inner capsule  152  may initially comprise a thin, transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque sheet, which may be one of a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, metal, including aluminum or tin, a thermoplastic, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS, wood pulp, wax, or any other material that may be formed into and function as a capsule. As shown in  FIGS. 16-19 , skirt  154  may be formed into a thin-walled cylinder having vertical seam  155  where side edges  157  may join and/or overlap. Adhesive may be used to connect side edges  157  to one another. 
         [0095]    As shown in  FIG. 17 , bottom  158  may initially comprise a relatively thin, transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque sheet, which, like skirt  154 , may be one of a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, metal, including aluminum or tin, a thermoplastic, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS, wood pulp, wax, or any other material that may be formed into and function as a capsule. Using die set  170  and  172  or similar, bottom  158  may be press-formed having a shallow cup-like shape and having cavity  160  formed underneath bottom  158 . Optionally, cavity  160  may approximately conform to the profile of the punt cavity of bottle  66 . 
         [0096]    Inner capsule  152 , shown in  FIGS. 18-19 , may be formed by inserting skirt  154  inside bottom  158  and joining the two components using the techniques described above, such as by shrinking side wall  159  of bottom  158  to outer wall  156  of skirt  154  using heat or by compressing side wall  159  against outer wall  156  under pressure to fasten the parts together. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach skirt  154  to bottom  158 . 
         [0097]    As shown in  FIGS. 20-23 , outer capsule  180  may include skirt  182  and base  188 . Like skirt  154 , skirt  182  of outer capsule  180  may initially comprise a thin, transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque sheet, which may be one of a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, metal, including aluminum or tin, a thermoplastic, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS, wood pulp, wax, or any other material that may be formed into and function as a capsule. And similar to skirt  154 , skirt  182  may be formed into a thin-walled cylinder having vertical seam  186  where side edges  187  may join and/or overlap. Adhesive may be used to connect side edges  187  to one another. 
         [0098]    Skirt  182  may differ from skirt  154  in that skirt  182  may also include tear strip  185  affixed circumferentially along inner surface  183  of skirt  182 . Tear strip  185  may be a separate piece that is affixed to inner surface  183  of skirt  182  or tear strip  185  may be integrally formed with skirt  185 . If tear strip  185  is a separate piece, tear strip  185  may be made from a different material than skirt  185 . 
         [0099]    Similarly to bottom  158 , as shown in  FIG. 21 , base  188  of outer capsule  180  may initially comprise a relatively thin, transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque sheet, which, like bottom  158 , may be one of a variety of suitable materials, such as, for example, metal, including aluminum or tin, a thermoplastic, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS, wood pulp, wax, or any other material that may be formed into and function as a capsule. Using die set  130  and  132  or similar, base  188  may be press-formed into a shallow cup-like shape having a generally flat bottom wall  189  and a generally circular plan form. 
         [0100]    Outer capsule  180 , shown in  FIGS. 22-23 , may be formed by inserting skirt  182  inside base  188  and joining the two components using the techniques described above, such as by shrinking side wall  190  of base  188  to outer wall  184  of skirt  182  using heat or by compressing side wall  190  against outer wall  184  under pressure to fasten the parts together. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach skirt  182  to base  188 . 
         [0101]    Chamber  200  may house item  204  for optional display in the punt cavity of bottle  66  and may comprise a self-contained package for installation into punt capsule  150 . Chamber  200  may be made from any transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque material, such as for example, a metal, a thermo-plastic, or glass. In addition, chamber  200  may include surface  202  and peel strip  206 . Surface  202  may optionally conform to the profile of cavity  160 , which, as described above, may optionally conform to the profile of the punt cavity of bottle  66 . Peel strip  206  may form a closure for chamber  200 , and may include an adhesive so as to adhere peel strip  206  to surface  202  of chamber  200 . Peel strip  206  may comprise any form of closure or cover sufficient to enclose and retain item  204 . Peel strip  206  or other closure for chamber  200  may be fabricated from the same material as surface  202  and may, for example, be attached to chamber  200  using conventional methods, such as by hinging, to create an opening for insertion and removal of item  204 . Chamber  200  may also be pre-assembled with item  204  and with peel strip  206  or other closure for ease of manufacture of punt capsule  150 . It should be understood that chamber  200  may comprise any number of geometries, configurations, and features so long as item  204  may be housed in releasable storage in the punt cavity of bottle  66 . 
         [0102]    Punt capsule  150  may be formed by first inserting chamber  200  in cavity  160  of bottom  158  of inner capsule  152 . Depending on the shape of chamber  200  and cavity  160  of bottom  158 , surface  202  of chamber  200  may nest with cavity  160 . Once chamber  200  is inserted in cavity  160 , inner capsule  152  may be joined with outer capsule  180  using the techniques described above, such as by shrinking outer capsule  180  to inner capsule  152  using heat or by compressing outer capsule  180  against inner capsule  152  under pressure to fasten the parts together. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach outer capsule  180  to inner capsule  152 . 
         [0103]    Installation of punt capsule  150  onto bottle  66  may occur by inserting punt capsule  150  over the bottom of bottle  66  and over bottle wall  76 , as shown in  FIG. 26 , so as to nest the various surfaces of inner capsule  152  against the bottom surfaces of bottle  66 , including the punt cavity of bottle  66 . Punt capsule  150  may be secured to bottle  66  using the techniques described above, such as by shrinking punt capsule  150  to bottle  66  using heat or by compressing punt capsule  150  against bottle  66  under pressure to fasten the components together. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach punt capsule  150  to bottle  66 . 
         [0104]    To release and access item  204  from within chamber  200  when punt capsule  150  is fully installed on bottle  66 , the user must first tear outer capsule  180  to sever and release the portion of outer capsule  180  below tear strip  185 . To tear outer capsule  180 , a user may grip loose end  193  of tear strip  185 , which may extend exteriorly through, for example, either longitudinal seam  186  in skirt  182  or through an opening in skirt  182 , and pull tear strip  185  to rupture skirt  182  along the periphery of skirt  182  until the portion of outer capsule  180  below tear strip  185  is severed and chamber  200  is released. 
         [0105]    Once chamber  200  has been released from punt capsule  150  on bottle  66 , the contents of chamber  200  may be accessed by, for example, gripping peel tab  208  of peel strip  206  (see  FIG. 24 , for example) and peeling peel strip  206  away off of chamber  200 . Item  204  may then be retrieved from chamber  200 . The technique for opening chamber  200  may depend on the type of closure actually employed on chamber  200 . 
         [0106]    Indicia similar to that shown and described for the previously described embodiments may be positioned on outer surfaces of inner capsule  152 , such as in cavity  160  or on bottom  158 , on or in chamber  200 , on inside surfaces of outer capsule  180 , such as on skirt  182  or on base  188 , or separately included in cavity  160  or between inner capsule  152  and outer capsule  180 . In this way, hidden messages may be provided to and read by, for example, consumers of bottle  66  after the portion of outer capsule  180  below tear strip  185  is severed and chamber  200  is released from punt capsule  150 . 
         [0107]    It should be understood that the teachings of the present invention would also apply to any punt cavity shape and to any cross sectional shape of bottle  66  or of chamber  200 . It should also be understood that punt capsule  150  may comprise fewer parts to accomplish the same function as disclosed herein if punt capsule  150  is fabricated using alternative methods, such as by injection molding. 
         [0108]    Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 27-37 . In this embodiment, capsule  300  may include primary closure  310 , item  46 , cap  322  and skirt  301 . Capsule  300  may, alternatively, only include primary closure  310  and cap  322  for housing item  46 . Primary closure  310  may include chamber  312  for housing item  46 . 
         [0109]    As best shown in  FIGS. 30-33 , primary closure  310  may include head  311  and stub  318 . Head  311  may include grip  314  positioned along a periphery of head  311  to assist a consumer in gripping primary closure  310  for installation or removal of primary closure  310  to and from bottle  66 . Grip  314  may include a plurality of longitudinally oriented protrusions or a plurality of longitudinally oriented depressions, or both. Head  311  may also include bottom surface  315 , which may be approximately flat and annular for abutting the rim of the bottle and for controlling the depth of insertion of stub  318  in a bottle. 
         [0110]    Head  311  may further include chamber  312  for housing item  46 . Chamber  312  may be formed completely within head  311 , and may be disposed at or above top surface  68  of bottle  66 . Alternatively, chamber  312  may extend partially into stub  318 , and therefore extend below top surface  68 , to form a larger cavity in primary closure  310 . Chamber  312  and inner wall  313  may cooperate to form lip  317  of head  311 . Lip  317  may comprise a relatively thin yet sturdy and resilient ring of material extending inwardly, the thickness of which is determined by the size and/or volume of chamber  312  relative to the size and/or volume of head  311 . 
         [0111]    Primary closure  310  may be made of any number and combination of materials and formed using any number or combination of techniques. For example, primary closure  310  may be made from cork, plastic, wood, metal, glass, or any combination of these. To form a reliable and reusable seal against bottle  66 , primary closure  310  is preferably made from a resilient material. In one embodiment, primary closure  310  may comprise a synthetic material to reduce porosity of primary closure  310 . Head  311  and stub  318  may be integrally formed to form primary closure  310  as a single piece, such as through a thermoplastic molding process, including a blow molding process, or a milling process using a single billet of material. Alternatively, head  311  and stub  318  may each be separately formed and brought together at a later stage in the manufacturing process. In this way, head  311  and stub  318  may each be made of different materials and/or use different manufacturing techniques to produce primary closure  310 . If head  311  and stub  318  are separately formed, head  311  and stub  318  may be joined together using, for example, an adhesive or an insert molding process, to form primary closure  310 . In one embodiment, chamber  312  is integrally formed with primary closure  310 . In another embodiment, chamber  312  is formed by drilling and/or milling primary closure  310 . 
         [0112]    Primary closure  310  may also be made, at least in part, using one or more thermochromic materials that change color when exposed to specific temperatures. Primary closure  310  having thermochromic properties may be valuable to consumers of wine and other products as an indicator of product quality by indicating current or previous exposure to temperatures above or below a predetermined threshold or outside a given range. For example, primary closure  310  may be configured to include a thermochromic property where at least a portion of primary closure  310  turns black (or some other predetermined color) if primary closure  310  is ever exposed to a predetermined undesirable temperature during storage or transit after installation onto bottle  66 . 
         [0113]    As best shown in  FIGS. 34-37 , cap  322  may include protrusion  324  and lip  326 . Protrusion  324  may extend from the bottom of cap  322  to at least the thickness of lip  317  of head  311 . Lip  326  may extend peripherally and outwardly beyond protrusion  324  to approximately transition  316  when installed on head  311 , as best shown in  FIG. 28 . Transition  316  may comprise a radius connecting the top of head  311  to a side wall of head  311 . In this way, bottom edge  328  of cap  322  may become accessible to pry cap  322  from head  311  using, for example, a pry tool or a fingernail. To provide accessibility of lip  326  without extending lip  326  to approximately transition  316 , lip  326  may alternatively comprise a chamfer along at least a portion of bottom edge  328 . In one embodiment, cap  322  includes convex top surface  334  to form a lens through which item  46  may appear magnified. 
         [0114]    The underside of cap  322  inside protrusion  324  may be hollow, as shown in  FIGS. 34-37 . Alternatively, protrusion  324  may be solid. Protrusion  324  may be configured to be generally circular, as shown in  FIGS. 34-37 , or may be any closed geometric shape so as to fit within a complementary opening formed by chamber  312 . In one embodiment, protrusion  324  of cap  322  may be configured to fit within a groove formed in primary closure  310 . In another embodiment, cap  322  may be hingedly attached to primary closure  310 . In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 38-41 , protrusion  330  of cap  322  may be bell-shaped to engage opening  320  of chamber  312 . For example, neck  332  of bell-shaped protrusion  330  may be smaller than base  336  of protrusion  330  and be configured to cooperate with inner wall  313  and lip  317  of head  311 . In this way, neck  332  may nest with inner wall  313  and lip  317  once cap  322  is installed on head  311  to removably secure cap  322  to head  311 . 
         [0115]    Cap  322  may be made from any number of materials and formed using any number of techniques. For example, cap  322  may be made from cork, plastic, wood, metal, or glass. Cap  322  may be as a single piece, such as through a thermoplastic molding process, including a blow molding process, or by a milling process using a single billet of material. In one embodiment, cap  322  is configured to be transparent to permit visual access to item  46  in chamber  312 . In another embodiment, cap  322  is configured to be semi-transparent to partially hide item  46  from view. In yet another embodiment, cap  322  is configured to be opaque to completely hide item  46  from view. 
         [0116]    As shown in  FIG. 27 , primary closure  310  may be inserted into mouth  72  of bottle  66  using conventional means. Once installed, bottom surface  315  of primary closure  310  may abut bottle top  68  to form a seal against bottle  66  in addition to forming a seal between stub  318  of primary closure  310  and the inside wall of bottle  66 . Item  46  may be inserted into chamber  312  either before or after installation of primary closure  310  into mouth  72 . If chamber  312  is inserted before primary closure  310  is inserted into mouth  72 , then a temporary closure may be employed to retain item  46  in chamber  312 . Stub  318  of primary closure  310  may be capable of multiple insertions into and extractions from a bottle by simply gripping primary closure  310 , rotating primary closure  310  to exceed the static friction between stub  318  and the wall of bottle  66 , and either inserting or extracting stub  318  into or from bottle  66 . 
         [0117]    To secure item  46  inside chamber  312 , cap  322  may be inserted onto head  311  and over opening  320  of chamber  312 . While inserting cap  322  onto head  311 , protrusion  324  of cap  322  may cause inner wall  313  and lip  317  to resiliently deform. When inserted, protrusion  324  of cap  322  may form an interference fit with inner wall  313 . In another embodiment, when inserting cap  322 , protrusion  330  of cap  322  may initially resiliently deform inner wall  313  and lip  317 , but when fully inserted, neck  332  of protrusion  330  may form a slight clearance or a slight interference fit with inner wall  313  and lip  317 . An adhesive may also be used, if desired, anywhere cap  322  adjoins primary closure  310  to seal item  46  from atmospheric dirt and contamination. 
         [0118]    To further secure cap  322  to chamber  312 , skirt  301  may be installed over cap  322  and primary closure  310  to cause wall  306  to at least partially cover cap  322 . Skirt  301  may include aperture  304 , which may be smaller in size than cap  322 . Skirt  301  may be secured to and substantially conform to at least a portion of primary closure  310  and to bottle  66 , over the entirety of bottle  66  or over any portion of bottle  66 , such as neck  70 . Skirt  301  may be shrink-fit by shrinking skirt  301  using heat or by compressing skirt  301  under pressure to conform to bottle  66 , to primary closure  310  and/or cap  322 , or to all three components. An adhesive may also be used, if desired, to more securely attach skirt  301  to these components. Skirt  301  may be transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque. 
         [0119]    To permit the optional visual access to item  46  while housed in chamber  312 , aperture  304  of skirt  301  may reveal chamber  312  and its contents through optional cap  322 . Skirt  301  of capsule  300  may also include a transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque disk or other cover that spans aperture  304  to display, obscure, or prevent display of item  46  and to secure item  46  in chamber  312  if cap  322  is not present. Skirt  301  of capsule  300  may optionally not include aperture  304  and instead may completely cover chamber  312 . However, a completely covered chamber  312  may still be visible depending on the chosen transparency of skirt  301 . 
         [0120]    To gain access to cap  322  and item  46 , skirt  301  of capsule  300  may include tear strip  302  affixed or secured to inner surface  305  of skirt  301 . Tear strip  302 , and loose end  303  usable for gripping and actuating tear strip  302 , may provide a convenient method for partially or completely separating top portion  308  of skirt  301  from skirt  301  to access cap  322  and to permit access to both the contents of chamber  312  (i.e., item  46 ) as well as to primary closure  310  of bottle  66 . Alternatively, if tear strip  302  is not included with capsule  300 , top portion  308  may be separated from capsule  300  using any conventional tool for such purpose. However, using such additional tool may be more expensive to acquire and cumbersome to deploy as compared to using the features disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, skirt  301  may instead be configured to be removed by hand by, for example, simply pulling or peeling skirt  301  off of bottle  66 . 
         [0121]    Tear strip  302  shown in  FIG. 27  may be oriented substantially circumferentially on inner surface  305  to permit removal of at least top portion  308  of capsule  300 , or possibly the entirety of capsule  300 , if desired, from bottle  66 . Tear strip  302  may optionally be positioned near bottle top  68  to provide a torn edge of skirt  301  approximately at or below bottle top  68 . Alternatively, tear strip  302  may be oriented in any one of a number of different orientations, such as in a helical pattern, a zig-zag pattern, or a substantially longitudinal (vertical) orientation to permit removal of at least top portion  308 , and perhaps the entirety, of capsule  300  from bottle  66 . Tear strip  302  may be a separate piece that is affixed to inner surface  305  of skirt  301  or tear strip  302  may be integrally formed with skirt  301 . If tear strip  302  is a separate piece, tear strip  302  may be made from a different material than skirt  301 . 
         [0122]    Similar to what is shown in  FIG. 14 , capsule  300  of  FIG. 27  may also include indicia, such as indicia  107 , positioned on an inner surface of capsule  300 , such as on inner surface  305  of skirt  301 , underneath a disk (not shown) or other cover that may cover aperture  304 , or separately included under cap  322 . In this way, hidden messages may be provided to and read by, for example, consumers of bottle  66  after removing top portion  308  from skirt  301 . 
         [0123]    To gain access to item  46  housed in chamber  312 , cap  322  may be removed from primary closure  310  using an object, such as a fingernail or even a screw driver inserted under lip  326  of cap  322 , to pry cap  322  off of primary closure  310  using lever action. 
         [0124]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular invention disclosed is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.