Patent Application
20120132610
The present invention relates to beverage containers, and more particularly to a beverage container having a reinstallable closure.
Beverage containers such as aluminum cans have become quite popular. Aluminum beverage cans typically have prescored tabs which may be depressed into the can, remaining attached to the can, or alternatively, may be torn and entirely separated from the can. Both options result in opening the interior to make liquids contained therein available for drinking. While this feature is highly practical in that it eliminates having the manufacturer not have to provide a separate closure and does not require any tools for opening the container, it nonetheless entails certain drawbacks. One drawback is that the tab, when pushed into the interior of the can, threatens to introduce pathogens into the contained beverage. A second drawback is that once opened, the can cannot be readily reclosed. An aluminum beverage can easily contain more beverage than the user wishes to drink at one sitting. Therefore, the unused portion may become degraded due to exposure to the ambient atmosphere after the tab has been opened.
The present invention provides answers to the above noted drawbacks, while still enabling the beverage industry to rely upon conventional, two part aluminum beverage cans. Notably, the invention provides manually removable closures which protect the opening of a can against contamination by the likes of bacteria and other pathogens. The closure is formed in two parts, including a disc which seals the top of the can, and a twist-on metallic cover to clamp the disc to the can. This closure assembly may be used repeatedly to seal the can, so that a beverage may retain its quality after the can has initially been opened. A foil bearing adhesive may be applied directly onto the can to protect that portion of the can which will be contacted by mouth when drinking. As with the twist-on metallic cover, the foil may be used repeatedly to cover and recover that portion of the can which it protects.
The can may be provided with a drinking opening without requiring a frangible tab for sealing such an opening. Therefore, conventional so-called “pop top” tabs may be eliminated from the manufacturing process. In so doing, opening the can is easier to perform and is quieter than is typically the case when forcibly removing a “pop top” tab.
The novel construction is also an aid to fabrication. The so-called “pop top” with its associated rivet are eliminated. In other respects, the can may be conventional, so that no retooling is required in its fabrication. The twist-on cover is configured to accept a tapered bottom of another can placed thereon, so that cans may be vertically stacked.
An important benefit of the novel can is the protection afforded from environmental pathogens, which can be quite hazardous. Pathogens which may be barred from ready access to the opening of the can include junta virus, e. coli, salmonella, staphylococcus and strep viruses, as well as the common and less virulent pathogens, as well as dust, dirt, and hand borne contaminants.
It is an object of the invention to provide a reclosable metallic liquid containing can.
It is another object of the invention to prevent intrusion of pathogens into the liquid contained in the can.
A further object of the invention is to eliminate frangible closures for metallic cans and not to require complications in fabrication of cans.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring first to
It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as top and bottom refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in position of the beverage can 100. In normal use, and when containing liquid (not shown) and when open, the beverage can 100 is upwardly open and typically in the position depicted in
The ceiling 114 comprises a drinking opening 116 formed therein for providing access to liquids contained within the body 102. Apart from drinking opening 116, the ceiling 114 seals the top end 108. The body 102 comprises a first engagement element 118 the function of which will be described hereinafter.
The lateral wall 104, the floor 112, and the ceiling 114 are joined so as to be leak-tight under ordinary conditions of use, for example, for containing a beverage (not shown), allowing fluids to enter and exit the interior 106 only through the drinking opening 116 and if provided, the second opening 120. For example, the body 102 may be formed conventionally from a suitable aluminum alloy. The drinking opening 116 may assume dimensions and configuration of known so-called “wide mouth” openings of conventional beverage cans for example.
The lateral wall 104 may comprise a neck 124 of reduced diameter, as compared to the maximum overall diameter indicated by an arrow 126.
The beverage can 100 is provided with a protective cover comprising a sealing disc 120 and a separate clamp 122. The sealing disc 120 when installed on the beverage can 100 for the purpose of closing and sealing the drinking opening 116 is located at the top end 108. The clamp 122 is disposed to clamp the sealing disc 120 to the top end 108 of the beverage can 100 in a manner which enables the clamp 122 to be manually removed from the beverage can 100 and manually reinstalled thereto, so that the beverage can 100 may be repeatedly opened and closed to afford access to and to protect its contents.
The clamp 122 comprises a reusable second engagement element which is matingly compatible with the first engagement element of the body 102 of the beverage can 100. As employed herein, “reusable” signifies that using the second engagement element does not distort it or otherwise render it inoperable for subsequent usages. For example, screw threads, bayonet connections, and diverse tenon and mortise arrangements may be repeatedly used without destructive distortion, and therefore could be utilized as engagement elements for the purposes of the present invention.
The sealing disc 120 may comprise a structural stratum such as a metallic stratum 128 and a compressible stratum 130 coupled or bonded to the metallic stratum 128. The compressible stratum 130 enables the sealing disc 120 to conform to the ceiling 114 of the beverage can 100 when the clamp 120 exerts clamping force urging the sealing disc 120 towards the ceiling 114 of the beverage can 100. The compressible stratum 130 may be fabricated from cork, from a resilient synthetic resin, from rubber, and other resilient and preferably elastic materials. It will be appreciated that the sealing disc 120 may be other than circular in configuration when considered in plan view. The compressible stratum 130 may comprise a projecting portion 132 which is dimensioned and configured to enter and seal the drinking opening 116 of the beverage can 100. The nature of the projecting portion 132 may be better appreciated as seen in
The clamp 122 and the metallic stratum 128 may each be fabricated from a conventional aluminum alloy such as that forming the body 102 of the beverage can 100.
The clamp 122 may comprise a recess for seating the floor of a beverage can which is similar to the beverage can 100, when the similar beverage can is placed against the top of the beverage can 100. This feature renders the beverage can 100 stackable when the clamp 122 is fixed thereto. The recess may be provided by an opening 134 formed in the clamp 122. Alternatively, the clamp 122 may have a recessed or depressed web or other structural panel which accommodates the bottom end of the similar beverage can.
As has been mentioned, diverse interengagement arrangements are possible for installing the clamp 122 to the body 102 of the beverage can 100. It is presently preferred to utilize respective complementing threading features formed in the body 102 and the clamp 122. While conventional continuous helical screw threads (not shown) could be provided if desired, it is preferred that the body 102 have a threading feature comprising a plurality of short, angularly spaced apart discontinuous threading elements such as the engagement element 118, which may take the form of a plurality of short projections 118 which cooperate with a plurality of corresponding short, angularly spaced apart projections or lugs 136 formed in the clamp 122. The lugs project inwardly from the outer wall 142 of the clamp 122 so as to be able to engage the short projections 118.
Structural dimensional and configurational aspects of the short projections 118 and of the lugs 136, such as pitch, length, and location for example may be selected such that the clamp 122 may be secured to the body 102 by twist action when the clamp is twisted or turned by an angular helical motion within a range of ten to thirty degrees, and more preferably an angular helical motion within a range of ten to fifteen degrees.
Referring again to
The invention may be thought of as the combined beverage can 100, sealing disc 120, and clamp 122, or alternatively, as a protective cover for a beverage can such as the beverage can 100. The protective cover may comprise the sealing disc 120 and the clamp 122 for example.
The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concepts. Threading elements such as the short projections 118 and the lugs 136 may be formed by deforming their associated components, and may also be formed in ways other than by deforming the metal constituent material of the associated components. Threading elements may be formed in a separate member, such as a molded synthetic resin member (not shown), which is subsequently coupled to the metal portion of the associated component. Also, the beverage can 100 may have for example molded synthetic resin members (not shown) for reinforcing the body 102, for providing carrying or suspending handles or structure (none shown), or for imparting other qualities to the beverage can 100.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.
